Where is UMR on Display technology?

I am looking for something that has 1080p resolution, accurate colors, accurate gray scale tracking, 1000+:1 contrast ratio, few display artifacts, good aesthetics, great form factor, 60 to 50" screen size, good user interface and excellent signal processing. The Sony SXRD and JVC D-ILA offer me the best chance of getting this at an affordable price. An LCD RPTV with these traits seems unlikely at this point. The new LCD Sony HS51 front projector looks very nice except it is 720p. I recently checked out a Mits DLP and it only had a 550:1 on/off contrast ratio.


Sony should have their 1080p set available in the first quarter of '05 at the latest. JVC is less certain, but I would hope about the same time. I doubt either will fit my screen size needs at first.


I was also looking at small sets for my bedroom. Plasma & LCD flat panel were on my radar screen. I ended up choosing a Polaroid LCD because of PQ and form factor. I looked at several plasmas, but the smaller ones really disappointed me.

Thanks for the link to the Polaroid TV. I've seen these in stores and they do look nice, but i'm in the market for a larger set.


Well, after thinking on it, what I guess I'm most curious about is learning

what you find to be the biggest weaknesses for each of the current technologies.


I have a pretty good idea of what they are, but I sometimes see postings to

the contrary where owners who have tweaked their systems say it's not

a problem once tweaked. I figured an expert such as yourself could provide better observations from a trained eye. Here is what I usually see.


RPTV CRT:


1: Picture softness ( a + when it comes to SD)

2: Hot spots

3: Poor viewing angels

4: Picture brightness


DLP


1: Artifacts

2: horizontal viewing angle? Up and down

3: rainbows

4: Some picture uniformity issues.


RPTV LCD


1: Black levels

2: SDE

3: Contrast ratio

4: horizontal viewing angle? Up and down


Plasma


1: Black level detail

Let me qualify, I see strange artifacts in very dark scenes on Plasma,

others say these can be removed, but I always see them.


LCD Pannel


1: Black level

2: color accuracy? Things seems a bit "hot" on LCD sureal color

3: screen response times, can be an issue with sports.


I'd like to know how these compare to your personal observations and

understanding of the technologies.


Mike

It is difficult to cover all the issues and many are particular to individual examples of each technology. I would strongly suggest you subscribe to widescreen review and read the three part article in the last three issues on display technology. It is well written and well reasoned.


I agree with most of your observations. I disagree that some are necessarily true with all examples of each technology, but can be failings of poor implementations.


CRT RPTV's do not have to be soft, but many are. It is not a failing of the technology, but lack of care in calibration and expense in quality components in many cases. It is difficult to get bright images while retaining accurate preformance. Using large guns can improve this, but the cost goes up accordingly.


All display types have artifacts DLP is not alone in this feature. How severe they are is more the question. DLP's frequently have more in the RPTV realm because of poor implementations. I have seen front projectors with very few for example.


Your observations of the limitations on the other technologies are similar to mine. I would add SDE to plasma and uneven colors to CRT and LCD RPTV.


You seem to be focused on the negatives. You might want to determine what features are important for you and focus on technologies that do those well.

Quote:
No one locally has offered me the opportunity to look at their Panasonic DLP. I would if I had a chance to. I did take close looks at a Mitsubishi DLP and JVC D-ILA.


I have not even seen Toshiba in the stores yet. Their quality has been a little more suspect at times so my interest in them is less.


The best way to judge any display is under controlled conditions. This includes sources, lighting, seating position and at least a simple user menu calibration. Without that a visit to a store is only good enough to rule some displays out of the running.

UMR,


Yes, you're right about my analysis of the TV's, I should focus on the positives. Right now I'm liking Plasma best due to the viewing angle and uniform look of the picture. Just thought I'd pick your brain since you might of had some sort of revelation that made you decide to turn your attention away LCD, aside from the 1080p issue. Thank you for the input. I'll have to check out that series of articles in WSR.


KidRed,


I didn't include DLA simply because there aren't enough sets using this technology, and the one that does is poor IMHO (JVC). I know there are some uber expensive DLA sets, but those aren't in my price range.


Mike