[wjr]

Hi,


It seems most of you believe that LCD RPTVs will not survive the competition from DLPs and, potentially, LCOS HDTVs. Why is this? I am shopping for my first HDTV and saw the Panasonic 50LC14 next to an HLP Samsung DLP at CC this past Sunday. The Panasonic looked great on HD NFL football (even sharper than the Samsung, although I grant you that the latter may not have been set up optimally). Anyway, I had written off LCD based on some of the threads in this forum, but based on my Sunday viewing experience, I am strongly considering the Panasonic. What am I missing?


Thanks......wjr

 

[Kid Red]

I think it's that LCD is limited Only so black you can get and not all companies can do both LCD and DLP so some simply chose to go with what on paper seems to be a better choice. I would think flat panel LCDs would take over RP LCDs but is currently tooooo expensive for most. DLP isn't an option for a lot of people because of rainbows, headaches, etc. I think LCOS can fill that gap between DLP and LCD direct view/Plamsa but JVC needs some competition. I'm not sure what Sony has planned, but that may help prices, R&D etc.


I wouldn't write LCDs off yet. Sony and Hitachi are battling pretty hard with some nice LCDs. Panny is OK, just nothing jaw dropping for me. But it does seem to be a good value.

 

[mweflen]

You're not missing anything. LCD RPTV is currently a very good alternative to DLP. It's generally a few hundred dollars cheaper per size, and the PQ has different strengths and different weaknesses than DLP.


DLP suffers fron rainbow effects and dithering. LCD has no rainbows and generally has a less 'noisy' picture.


On the other hand, LCD's bottom black level is a little bit higher than DLP.


They're pretty much even-steven as far as PQ goes. Reviews on sites like CNET will confirm this.


It could be that future DLP chips will decrease rainbow-effects and deliver colors that are superior to LCD. But that's not now. For now, and probably for a few years hence, the best LCD RPTV will look just as good as the best DLP.

 

[Fidelity]

sony and panasonic have just introduced dynamic irisis in two of their lcd projectors with some pretty good results in boosting perceived contrast ratio and black levels (the sony vplhs51 and the panasonic ae700). i don't see why this type of iris cannot be incorporated into rptvs with the same effectiveness, so the black level/contrast ratio battle may begin to heat up if they do so. anyone who totally writes off lcds are either: 1) a dlp owner justifing their purchase 2) very optimistic about the future of lcos and other technologies (OLED, etc). i'd honestly put myself in the second catagory, i really like what i've seen out of SXRD and think that if JVC gets their sh&t together, they could also have a great product. even if lcd rptvs are not around in a few years (i'll bet right now that they will be), that doesn't make them any less of a viable option in the present.

 

[AcuraCL]

I'm not sure it matters if a particular technology survives long term.


If you find the picture to be good, and the price to be right, what's the problem?


Millions of these sets have been sold, by Hitachi, Panasonic, Zenith/LG, Sony, etc. They will be in peoples' homes for years and years to come.


In the next 5 years there will be even newer display technologies to emerge, ones still in R&D now. None will be perfect, just as none is now. Each has strengths and weaknesses.


The Panasonic is a fine choice. Virtually everyone who has bought one around here, loves it. A few folks found something they liked better. That's the case with every make/model you might name.


By the way, LCOS is a type of RP-LCD (the LC in LCOS is for Liquid Crystal).


The only weaknesses I have noted in the set you like, as in most RP-LCDs: some vertical banding in some content in some circumstances, and less-than-black blacks. Some people are not black-fetishists though, and it doesn't bother them.


Enjoy the search