Since they're essentially CRT tubes redesigned, and since CRTs suffer from burn-in, wouldn't the FEDs as well be prone to burn-in?
I woulnd't buy a burn-in-prone HDTV set at any price. Maybe if i get it for free...;-) Plasma displays are ridiculous - not only they're the most expensive, but they're most vulnerable to burn-in. That's why i'm looking at DLP displays for my next purchase.
I really have not figured out why the LCD/Rear Projection TVs have taken off the way they have.
Well, duh, it's because normal CRTs are too small. It's very difficult to make a classic CRT bigger than, like, 47", while other technologies are currently made at 65" or bigger (even more for front projectors).
However, the shop was cheating - the standard model we bought was getting the feed from a low-quality DVD - free from obvious artifacts, but encoded at a low bitrate and perhaps even low resolution and maybe even some dodgy connector cable to mute the colours; on the other hand the full digital HDTVs and flatscreens had an HDTV feed (isn't that uncompressed?) and looked about a million times better.
All shops cheat like that. They put the models they want to sell faster on better feeds, while the rest sits on lower-quality feeds. If you see any obvious quality difference, ask them about it (and even then, add a grain of salt to the answer).
High electrical efficiency, high light efficiency, low heat dissipation, correct color spectrum... Pretty damn hard to achieve all those at the same time.
In the HDTV sets world: DLP, LCD and plasma are typically 720p-native displays. CRT are typically 1080i-native displays. Typically, an HDTV set will only drive it's display at one resolution, it's "native" resolution (yes, even CRTs, yes i know it's weird) and convert everything else to it internally.
It sounds worse than it is actually, because nowadays the converters are getting pretty good.
Plasma has (severe) issues with burn-in. LCD has issues with the black level. DLP is much like LCD, but it has perhaps a better black level. CRTs can get out of focus, true (especially the multi-tube rear-projection), but when they're focused they're damn sharp. But like plasma, they are vulnerable to burn-in.
Overall, DLP looks like it's best now, with LCD a close second. Plasma looks damn good, but it's expensive, prone to burn-in, plus manufacturers are rumored to plan to move away from it (towards DLP and LCD). CRT is dead, it's just that it doesn't know it yet.:-)
The original article is lame, uninformed and full of hyped crap.
A too small bitrate creates square blocks. The more you reduce the bitrate, the more you see the blocks. It's mostly the too small word length that creates color banding.
optoma.com had a 65" rear-projection DLP that was on sale for Christmas for $3000 (yeap, that's 3k) Very good viewing angle (not as good as CRT or plasma, but better than most rear-projection sets), all the connector types you can wish, good colors and resolution... Plus it's DLP so it's not prone to burn-in (unlike plasma or CRT which are very prone to that).
I wish i had the money. Oh, well, just wait a few more months, until the regular (non-on-sale) prices drop back to the '04 Christmas sale levels. Won't be long now.
If you look at the "making of..." part of any DVD release (like, "Lord of the rings" or something) you'll notice that, when the digital artists (or whatever they're called) are not using Linux workstations, but Macs instead, their screens are still big honking Silicon Graphics things.:-)
Rear-projection CRTs actually have 3 tiny CRTs inside, one for each primary color, and they're all projected onto the same screen. Of course, those CRTs are much smaller than the actual screen.
There are also rear-projection LCDs and rear-projection DLPs. Almost any rear-projection technology can be converted to front-projection too.
There are also straight (no projection) LCDs. Plasma is also straight-only. I'm not sure if there are any straight DLPs.
LCD and DLP technologies are quite comparable from an image quality p.o.v. I've seen DLP retro-projectors which had better viewing angles than most CRT retros.
LCD-based technologies are a whole different matter. Curiously, they also seem to be quite a lot cheaper than plasma-based units right now
And the difference will probably increase, if the rumours about manufacturers shifting away from plasma and moving towards LCD and DLP are true. That would be a good thing actually, since plasma is prone to burn-in.
However, for HDTV, the situation is different. Regardless of technology (DLP, LCD, plasma, CRT), the vast majority of HDTV sets actually operate the screen at one single "native" resolution, and just convert internally everything else. Sounds weird, but that's how it is. The trick is, the conversion technology is pretty good now, so it doesn't matter much.
I agree with you. However, plasma is prone to burn-in (as is CRT). DLP and LCD are much better in that regard (DLP is not vulnerable at all, while LCD can be burnt in if you severely abuse it - i.e. if you actually intend to burn it in).
There are rumours that the manufacturers of large TV sets are moving away from the plasma technology and towards DLP and LCD. Time will tell.
They just say CRTs are better, but they don't say why (no, just saying "better picture" doesn't amount to why) and by how much. No facts, no numbers. It could actually be a "sponsored" article;-) from a CRT manufacturer.
For large screens, CRTs are losing very clearly. Normal CRTs are downright impossible to use for the large screens typically required by HDTV. Projection CRTs are slightly better, but i think the long-term trend is to move away from projection.
Currently, if you wanna buy an HDTV set, you're probably looking at DLP or LCD (either projection or not; and, if projection, either front- or rear- will do). CRTs simply don't make sense for HDTV, and plasma are prone to burn-in.
If I could install applications somehow it would be cool as I could turn it into a media hub to do anything.
Then what you probably want is MythTV running on a no-name beige PC running Linux. Ok, maybe not beige, since there are quite a few cute mini-ATX cases that actually look better than most VCRs.
It's amazing. I didn't watch any TV show in the last year. Since i installed MythTV i caught up on Star Trek.:-) Now i understand those raving lunatics called TiVo nazis.;-)
It is still legal to sell broadcast-flag-noncompliant devices in the US until June 2005. One such device is pcHDTV which works fine with MythTV Even after June, it will still be legal to use such devices, if they were purchased before the deadline.
It totally ignores the broadcast flag.;-) Works with MythTV. Enough said. BTW, it will be illegal to sell it in the US after June 2005 (or something like that), so plan accordingly.;-) It will always be legal to use it, if purchased before the deadline, because all such devices will be grandfathered into the new regulations automatically.
Since they're essentially CRT tubes redesigned, and since CRTs suffer from burn-in, wouldn't the FEDs as well be prone to burn-in?
;-) Plasma displays are ridiculous - not only they're the most expensive, but they're most vulnerable to burn-in.
I woulnd't buy a burn-in-prone HDTV set at any price. Maybe if i get it for free...
That's why i'm looking at DLP displays for my next purchase.
I really have not figured out why the LCD/Rear Projection TVs have taken off the way they have.
Well, duh, it's because normal CRTs are too small. It's very difficult to make a classic CRT bigger than, like, 47", while other technologies are currently made at 65" or bigger (even more for front projectors).
However, the shop was cheating - the standard model we bought was getting the feed from a low-quality DVD - free from obvious artifacts, but encoded at a low bitrate and perhaps even low resolution and maybe even some dodgy connector cable to mute the colours; on the other hand the full digital HDTVs and flatscreens had an HDTV feed (isn't that uncompressed?) and looked about a million times better.
All shops cheat like that. They put the models they want to sell faster on better feeds, while the rest sits on lower-quality feeds.
If you see any obvious quality difference, ask them about it (and even then, add a grain of salt to the answer).
High electrical efficiency, high light efficiency, low heat dissipation, correct color spectrum...
Pretty damn hard to achieve all those at the same time.
How did the parent got modded Informative???
In the HDTV sets world:
DLP, LCD and plasma are typically 720p-native displays.
CRT are typically 1080i-native displays.
Typically, an HDTV set will only drive it's display at one resolution, it's "native" resolution (yes, even CRTs, yes i know it's weird) and convert everything else to it internally.
It sounds worse than it is actually, because nowadays the converters are getting pretty good.
Plasma has (severe) issues with burn-in. LCD has issues with the black level. DLP is much like LCD, but it has perhaps a better black level.
:-)
CRTs can get out of focus, true (especially the multi-tube rear-projection), but when they're focused they're damn sharp. But like plasma, they are vulnerable to burn-in.
Overall, DLP looks like it's best now, with LCD a close second. Plasma looks damn good, but it's expensive, prone to burn-in, plus manufacturers are rumored to plan to move away from it (towards DLP and LCD). CRT is dead, it's just that it doesn't know it yet.
The original article is lame, uninformed and full of hyped crap.
A too small bitrate creates square blocks. The more you reduce the bitrate, the more you see the blocks.
It's mostly the too small word length that creates color banding.
optoma.com had a 65" rear-projection DLP that was on sale for Christmas for $3000 (yeap, that's 3k)
Very good viewing angle (not as good as CRT or plasma, but better than most rear-projection sets), all the connector types you can wish, good colors and resolution... Plus it's DLP so it's not prone to burn-in (unlike plasma or CRT which are very prone to that).
I wish i had the money. Oh, well, just wait a few more months, until the regular (non-on-sale) prices drop back to the '04 Christmas sale levels. Won't be long now.
Exactly.
:-)
If you look at the "making of..." part of any DVD release (like, "Lord of the rings" or something) you'll notice that, when the digital artists (or whatever they're called) are not using Linux workstations, but Macs instead, their screens are still big honking Silicon Graphics things.
just lamps mirrors and hopefully no smoke
:-)
Funny, you're actually describing the DLP technology.
Rear-projection CRTs actually have 3 tiny CRTs inside, one for each primary color, and they're all projected onto the same screen.
Of course, those CRTs are much smaller than the actual screen.
There are also rear-projection LCDs and rear-projection DLPs. Almost any rear-projection technology can be converted to front-projection too.
There are also straight (no projection) LCDs. Plasma is also straight-only.
I'm not sure if there are any straight DLPs.
LCD and DLP technologies are quite comparable from an image quality p.o.v.
I've seen DLP retro-projectors which had better viewing angles than most CRT retros.
LCD-based technologies are a whole different matter. Curiously, they also seem to be quite a lot cheaper than plasma-based units right now
And the difference will probably increase, if the rumours about manufacturers shifting away from plasma and moving towards LCD and DLP are true.
That would be a good thing actually, since plasma is prone to burn-in.
True.
However, for HDTV, the situation is different. Regardless of technology (DLP, LCD, plasma, CRT), the vast majority of HDTV sets actually operate the screen at one single "native" resolution, and just convert internally everything else. Sounds weird, but that's how it is.
The trick is, the conversion technology is pretty good now, so it doesn't matter much.
I agree with you.
However, plasma is prone to burn-in (as is CRT). DLP and LCD are much better in that regard (DLP is not vulnerable at all, while LCD can be burnt in if you severely abuse it - i.e. if you actually intend to burn it in).
There are rumours that the manufacturers of large TV sets are moving away from the plasma technology and towards DLP and LCD.
Time will tell.
They just say CRTs are better, but they don't say why (no, just saying "better picture" doesn't amount to why) and by how much. No facts, no numbers. ;-) from a CRT manufacturer.
It could actually be a "sponsored" article
For large screens, CRTs are losing very clearly. Normal CRTs are downright impossible to use for the large screens typically required by HDTV. Projection CRTs are slightly better, but i think the long-term trend is to move away from projection.
Currently, if you wanna buy an HDTV set, you're probably looking at DLP or LCD (either projection or not; and, if projection, either front- or rear- will do). CRTs simply don't make sense for HDTV, and plasma are prone to burn-in.
"brand confidence"
haha, i wish i had moderator points (+1 Funny)
And yet most of them were moded Informative.
No, i don't work for them.
If I could install applications somehow it would be cool as I could turn it into a media hub to do anything.
Then what you probably want is MythTV running on a no-name beige PC running Linux.
Ok, maybe not beige, since there are quite a few cute mini-ATX cases that actually look better than most VCRs.
The HP thing will certainly be DRM-ized. ;-)
But a MythTV box with a pcHDTV card pays no attention to DRM.
Yes, apparently lots of people
(read the first bullet)
You can run MythTV on any PC box, and it already supports all the hardware you need.
It's amazing. I didn't watch any TV show in the last year. Since i installed MythTV i caught up on Star Trek. :-) ;-)
Now i understand those raving lunatics called TiVo nazis.
It is still legal to sell broadcast-flag-noncompliant devices in the US until June 2005. One such device is pcHDTV which works fine with MythTV
;-)
Even after June, it will still be legal to use such devices, if they were purchased before the deadline.
Can you put two and two together now?
Oh, and if you're worried about DRM in the context of HDTV, have a look at pcHDTV:
;-) Works with MythTV. Enough said. ;-)
http://www.pchdtv.com/
It totally ignores the broadcast flag.
BTW, it will be illegal to sell it in the US after June 2005 (or something like that), so plan accordingly.
It will always be legal to use it, if purchased before the deadline, because all such devices will be grandfathered into the new regulations automatically.