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Projector Torture Test: LCD versus DLP

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the putting-it-to-the-test dept.

An anonymous reader writes "A ten month torture test of five LCD and two DLP projectors shows LCD images deteriorate during extended use." Not surprisingly, if you run an LCD projector for 4000 hours, it deteriorates... of course, if you're staring at a projecter 8 hours a day, for 500 straight days, maybe you should go outside ;)

5 of 246 comments (clear)

  1. Monitors? by metalix · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Does this happen with LCD monitors as well?

  2. LCD is still better by rufusdufus · · Score: 4, Interesting

    If I leave one image sitting on my LCD projector too long, yes, it will burn in a bit. But the burn in goes away after other images are shown. Typical desktop use gets no burn-in, while long bouts of Shadowbane will leave little yellow pock-marks when the fixed menus are. This goes away after browsing the web a while.

    The problem with DLP projectors like the one my roomate bought is the "screendoor" effect that makes it look like you are viewing the image through a screendoor: little black boxes around every single pixel. This is an effect that is there from day-one and never goes away!

    Will my LCD eventually get permanent burn-in? Perhaps. Still it's better than the screendoor.

    1. Re:LCD is still better by Daleks · · Score: 4, Interesting

      The problem with DLP projectors like the one my roomate bought is the "screendoor" effect that makes it look like you are viewing the image through a screendoor: little black boxes around every single pixel. This is an effect that is there from day-one and never goes away!

      I think you're just looking at a DLP projector that has a very low resolution, or you're projecting it onto an area larger than it is designed for. We have one of these and it looks beautiful. No "screendoor" effect at all.

  3. Hmm this is actually very interesting by tokaok · · Score: 5, Interesting
    I work as a projectionist at a theathre. we have 19 cinemas, lately we change all of our slides projector to lcd projectors(pre show adds).

    we also have a DLP project or aswell.

    the company, actually the whole industry would like to switch from film to digital projection to save cost.

    Guess who is pretty much the only player in HIGH powere digital technology, you guessed it TI. TI makes the DLP projectors we all enjoyed watching StarWars/Disney animation on. Now you say that some project running for more than 5000 hrs is never going to happen at your housse, or maybe at your office but consider this.

    our current project with bulbs, can go for about 8000-10,000 hours before the bulbs needs replacement. so we got through about 2/3 bulb a years per projector.

    but only switch the bulb.

    now the problem is that if after 8000 hours we have to switch more than just the bulb

    (which is the case when a digital project goes bad if you ever owned one)

    then this could really hurt TI in getting the theathres to switch over.

  4. Ok, overclocking/cooling guys, do something useful by Animats · · Score: 4, Interesting
    LCD displays deteoriate because the heat dissipated in the LCD elements fades the dyes in the liquid crystals. It's a cooling problem. So there's an opportunity for the overclocking/cooling crowd to do something useful here. Figure out how to cool down those things.

    Big displays run continuously in control rooms and advertising applications. There's thus a market for long-life displays. Unlike home and conference room environments, silence isn't as critical. So aftermarket cooling solutions might actually sell.