DLP vs LCD rear projection TV purchase ?

[Joe Mioux]

OK, here is the problem, my 32 inch CRT-type Sony KV-32XBR400 TV is not projecting a picture. I have sound but no picture. Last year, Jany 15, 2004, we replaced the picture tube on this TV, cost about $1100 for the repair. My thinking was if I get this TV repaired I shouldn't have anymore problems. I was wrong.

In order to have the TV looked at, I'm going to have to pay $183 for a technician to travel out to the house and open up the set and tell me that I have a problem. Last year, I paid $486 in labor to have the tube replaced. The picture tube is under warranty.

My mind set now is, cut my losses short and just dump the TV and buy new.

I already have a Sony 42" LCD rear projection TV (which I like alot, even though the picture is not as good as the 32" XBR).

My quesition is what are the pros and cons of the DLP vs LCD rear projection or is there another type that I should review or should I have the old one fixed?

Thanks.

P.S. The 32" sony xbr weighs 200 lbs and I am really tired lifting and moving the thing by myself!

[David LaRue]

Joe,


I can't answer you quesiton directly, exept to say that compairing to a XBR, which is a professional monitor class tube will be a challenge for most any non-CRT is going to be tough.

My understanding is that LCD also delivers a somewhat sharper image than DLP at any given resolution, but the picture looks like a you are looking thought a screen door (pixelation) and typically used three chips for color where typically DLP has one chip for colors.

The DLP advantage is that it can produce smooth, high contrast video and the lack of pixelation at higher resolutions.

Also, when I was looking the expected life of the DLP seemed a bit low. That may have changed in the past few months.

Good Luck!

[Jim Hill]

Joe,

We (my wife & I) bought a Samsung DLP, HL-P5085W/HL about a month ago. This set replaced a 42 inch Sony projection set. We went to BB and CC and 2 local electronic stores and looked. I wanted a bigger, sharper screen; my wife wanted something that wasn't overwhelming in our family room. We settled on this set because we thought the picture was sharper than on the LCD sets, the screen is non-glare, and my wife thought that the appearance in the family room was good. Of course my wife's thoughts that it would be ok sealed the deal! In the short time we've had the set, we're even more pleased than we were initially. If you have any specific questions that I can help with, please ask.

Jim

[Hal Flynt]

I too have the Sammy DLP (HLN4365W). Mine is a 43", weighs only 57 pounds I think. I prefer the flat (as in glossy and semi gloss) screen and think the picture is more lifelike. The glass screens Glossy) do appear more brilliant in a side by side comparison, but after studying the posts on the AVS (Audio Visual Science avsforum.com) forums, I learned some settings that meet all my likes. As far as longevity, it’s too soon to tell, but the light engine is the main component that can go bad, and only a few have. The rest of the set is basically wear free, with the exception of the projection lamp, which has an average expected life of 5000hrs. It costs about $250 and self replaceable. Plasma and LCD can have pixels go out; DLP could have a stuck mirror which I haven’t heard of.

The bottom line on why I bought this set in Dec 2003 was my wife said “I like that one, it’s not too bulky”.