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What's The Right TV Set For Gaming?
Thanks to GameSpy for its article discussing the choice of TV sets that are best for playing videogames. The piece points out: "It is also important to keep in mind that bigger isn't always better, and that some types of displays aren't so game friendly", before analyzing the options, including Direct View CRT screens ("Affordable; good resolution... [but] Very large sets; limited progressive scan options"), DLP ("Immune to burn-in; reasonably affordable... [but] Doesn't work as well as CRT in bright conditions"), Plasma screens ("Wall-mountable; bright picture... [but] Phosphor burn-in; expensive") and Front Projection ("Big display; portability... [but] No speakers; depends a dark environment.")
All four manuals relate that you should exercise caution with projection televisions (rear- and front-) and read the TV owner's manual befoer connecting the game system. One gives the exception of LCD (LCD rear-projection sets like the Sony Grand Wega line are immune to burn-in). None mention DLP.
Either you've just mis-read your manuals or you're trying to spread FUD about DLP for some reason.
If you have good light control, which *most* folks either have or can arrange, a front projector is an extremely good way to go. You get a gigantic screen and great picture quality. And no, they don't have speakers, but most folks I know have a stereo in the front room anyway, and just hook up through that.
:-) And they're tiny, easily fitting under one arm. At 9lbs, I know you could carry it comfortably with two fingers, and probably with one.
The biggest decision point on projectors is what you want to display. If you just want to do Standard Definition(SD) stuff, then even the cheapo projectors are fine. The Infocus X1 (and, apparently, the replacement X2) are very well-regarded. These are DLP projectors that do 800x600, which is just fine for SD material, including DVDs. (which are not very high resolution).
In general, DLP technology at a given resolution is better than LCD at the same resolution; the contrast ratio is better and the pixels are larger, resulting in less screendoor. However, because of how the image is generated, it is important to do a test viewing before buying. About 10% of the population sees rainbows with DLP. The technology basically consists of a spinning color wheel in front of a bright light, with thousands of tiny mirrors. The mirrors rotate so that a certain amount of each color gets through while the wheel is showing. During the (short) interval between colors, the mirrors realign. So you are seeing red/green/blue/white, red/green/blue/white. Most people can't see this, but some do, and it shows up as rainbows.
If you are sensitive to rainbows, or if you want to do HDTV, then LCD projectors are the only reasonable alternative at this point. Both the Panaonic AE500 and L500 (same unit, different distribution channels) and the Sanyo PLV-Z2 are excellent projectors that do 1280x720 resolution for around $2000. The contrast ratio isn't as good as DLP (1300:1 instead of 2000:1). To get a true 1280x720 DLP projector, you are talking $5000+: if you can afford that, it will look better, but I doubt it's 2.5x better.
LCD is more susceptible to misalignment and stuck/dead pixels than the DLPs. Misalignment mostly manifests as vertical banding. In watching posts on avsforum.com, nearly everyone who starts out with a problem will find an adjustment that will make them happy, but the chances of starting out unhappy are higher with LCD.
Of the Panasonic and Z2, the Panny is considered to have a little nicer screen quality (and is a shade cheaper), and the Z2 is much more flexible about mounting, due to a nice feature called 'lens shift', which will let you move the projected image an amazing distance on your wall.
I have a Studio Experience 2HD, which is a rebadged Z2 with a better warranty, at a little higher price. I am EXTREMELY happy with this unit. I have a HTPC hooked up to it, using PowerStrip to run a true native 1280x720 out the DVI port, and it looks *awesome*. I'm throwing a 100" 16:9 screen..... playing Ninja Gaiden on a screen 7.5 FEET wide is pretty darn impressive. "You still measure your screen size in inches? How quaint!"
If you have good light control, you want true HDTV, and you want it BIG.... these projectors are a fantastic way to go. There are many, many tweaks available, but right out of the box, either unit is likely to knock your socks off.
Both units are more than you need, however, for SD material. For that, you're fine with the $1K projectors.
Oh, one final note: you also have a runtime expense with front projectors. The Z2's bulb, for example, is rated as lasting about 3000 hours, and replacements cost about $300, so the run cost is about 10 cents/hour. Make sure to find out the expected bulb life and cost before buying a projector.
($300 for a bulb, you gasp? Yep... you gotta realize that these things are putting out an AMAZING amount of light in a very small space. That's not easy to do, and they cost plenty.)
You should be well-familiar with the shady tactics manufacturers use to sell their sets, then. Most (all) sets on display are set to "torch mode" contrast, and often have varying degrees of "red push" (the red component is stronger, because it makes the display look more vibrant, thus drawing the consumer's eye away from competing models without). Nevermind the fact that such a jacked up contrast is the main factor in burn-in, and red push just looks awful outside of a showroom. Unfortunately, the display models are exactly the same as the for-sale models, so if the set has red push and a high contrast in the store, you can bet the set you bring home will have the same.
However, you can do something about it. Get your set professionally calibrated. For a CRT-based set, you really should let it wear in for a couple hundred hours before calibration. For non-CRTs, I'm unfamiliar with the process but that site and others like Home Theater Spot can help you determine what your set needs. Frankly, I'm surprised that salespeople don't push calibration during a sale, since any competent high-end shop will have at least one ISF-certified technician on staff, and the fee is pure labor ($300 for ~4 hours of work, not too shabby). That said, for the price you're going to pay for a good set, the calibration cost is a drop in the bucket, and will really make a difference.
Finally, so long as you live in a well-controlled home (ie, no crazy dogs, children, or drunken friends), you really should consider removing the protective screen on a RPTV set. It just adds glare, and is not really a filter of any sort (they exist for protection, nothing more). You'll get a better picture without it, at the cost of a higher chance of damage. That's where the "well-controlled home" comes in. If you have people or pets that will damage the screen, leave it on. Otherwise, take it off, throw it away, and enjoy a superior picture.