Peter Lewis On Technology

[Gregg Lengling]

TV Guide
Mirror, mirror, on the wall, which big-screen TV is fairest of all?
FORTUNE
Monday, June 23, 2003



Like many members of my species—Couchpotatosaurus rex—I am attracted to big-screen TVs. In an ideal world I would park my recliner in front of something like the 24- by 32-foot AstroVision video display used in PacBell Stadium. (The remote control must be enormous!)

But my TV room is modest, so I went looking for a home theater TV that could meet the technical requirements outlined by my wife: (1) It must fit between the bookcases, and (2) there's no way in hell you're spending $10,000 on a TV. My requirements: (1) It has to be as big as possible, and (2) it must be ready for high-definition TV (HDTV).

Meeting those goals was easy. Understanding the new TV technologies was harder. These days, a TV shopper almost needs degrees in physics and chemistry.

Plasma? TFT LCD (thin-film transistor liquid-crystal display)? Rear-projection LCD? LCoS (liquid crystal on silicon)? DLP (digital light processing)? Or the familiar boob-tube CRT (cathode-ray tube)? Aw, come on! I just want to watch some TV.

Seeking the one that delivered the best balance of big screen, compact size, picture quality, technical performance, and price, I settled upon Samsung's HLN617W ($4,999 street). It's a rear-projection model based on a second-generation DLP chip from Texas Instruments. Although I tested the 61-inch wide-screen model—the biggest one, of course—Samsung also makes DLP sets in 43-, 46-, 50-, and 56-inch sizes, with prices starting at $3,500.

The heart of the Samsung set is the DLP chip, slightly larger than a postage stamp, whose flat face is composed of nearly a million little mechanical mirrors (921,600, to be exact, arrayed in an HDTV-friendly pattern of 1,280 across by 720 down). Each mirror pivots independently to bounce high-intensity light beams through color filters and onto the 61-inch (measured diagonally) screen.

Despite the opulent screen size, the 61-inch Samsung is less than 20 inches deep and 56.5 inches wide, and weighs a mere 102 pounds.

I paired it with a Samsung DVD-HD931 high-definition DVD and DVD-A player ($299). Both units are equipped with a digital video interface (DVI) port, which allows the highest-quality video transfer between DVD player and screen. (The DVI cable is not included and costs about $70.) Rigged this way, a standard DVD movie shows at nearly HD resolution. Some users, however, complain that the DVD player doesn't do DVI well with non-Samsung displays.

When shopping for big-screen TVs, remember that they magnify everything, flaws included. A lousy cable signal or VHS tape will look even worse on a big set.

Here's a cheat sheet for evaluating new TV technologies:

• Plasma pros: Thin and alluring. Prices, while still stratospheric, are dropping. As thin as three inches, light enough to hang from the wall. Cons: Price. Sony's new 61-inch plasma set costs $20,000, for example. The plasma (gas) expands at high altitudes and makes hissing noises; if you live in Denver, beware. Worse, plasma sets, like regular TVs, lose brightness as they age. Cranking up the brightness and contrast to get the best picture shortens the set's life. There's no way to repair it economically. Worst, plasmas suffer from burn-in problems.

• LCD panel pros: Based on the same technology as laptop computer screens, these TVs offer arguably the best picture quality of the non-tubes. Brightness and color are superb. Viewing angle is 175 degrees. Even thinner than plasma and with no burn-in problems. Cons: Price. Sharp's 37-inch Aquos LCD TV costs $8,000; Samsung will soon offer a 46-inch direct-view LCD for $10,000. A common complaint is slow response times, meaning they don't do a very good job with action scenes in movies or fast-moving sports.

• Rear-projection LCD pros: Lowest price per screen inch. Not subject to burn-in problems. Cons: Narrower viewing angles, meaning those sitting at the side will not see the best picture. Also, watch for problems with color consistency, contrast, and the ability to display truly black blacks.

• CRT pros: Proven technology. The best image quality and response times. Screen sizes up to 45 inches. Con: The bigger the set, the heavier and bulkier it is.

• Rear-projection LCoS pros: Brighter and sharper than most rear-projection LCD sets. Almost as slender as DLP. Cons: Slow response time. Price ($9,000 for Toshiba's 57-incher).

• DLP pros: Performance, form factor, and price. Cons: Not as skinny as plasma or direct-view LCD. Shows occasional video artifacts, flaws in source material.

There are other display technologies in the works, including an impressive one called Grating Light Valve. And we haven't even talked about front-projection TVs, which throw the image onto a separate display screen. But we'll have to discuss them later, because it's time to crack a cold one, sprawl on the recliner, and watch the game.

For more tech advice, see Peter Lewis's weblog. Feedback: tech@fortunemail.com

From the Jul. 7, 2003 Issue