| High-tech
TV: What's it all about? | | |
| Some models use a new technology
from Texas Instruments called DLP, which stands for digital light processing,
to create the pictures on the screen. This technology has been hailed for its
brightness, but one drawback is that on some models a $300 tube needs to be replaced
every three years or so.
Though too bulky to hang on a wall, these new projection
TVs fit well in most rooms and offer sharp, colorful images, though viewing them
from extreme side angles can be a problem. Prices for a set in the 50-inch range
start at about $2,400. Wall models
If what you crave is a wall-hanging television, the two main choices
are LCD and plasma, which generally are about 4 inches thick.
You may
be familiar with LCD, which stands for liquid crystal diode. If you're reading
this on a flat-panel computer screen, it's most likely using LCD technology. Early
LCD TVs had some problems with the image being distorted when viewed from an angle,
but most of today's LCD flat-panel sets have cured that problem.
The LCD's major drawback is size and price for larger
sets. Until recently, LCD sets weren't offered in sizes much above
37 inches. But changes in technology have allowed manufacturers
to offer much larger versions, but at a stiff price. One manufacturer
recently introduced a 65-inch LCD set costing more than $20,000.
If
something less than 40 inches in a flat-panel set meets your needs, then LCD TVs
are likely to be your best buy, with prices as low as $1,000 to $1,200. Plasma,
however, is the buzzword of flat-panel, high-definition TV sets. They
come in all sizes, ranging up to 60 inches and more, and they've been dropping
in price.
If you're not particular about brand names, it's possible
to find a 42-inch plasma set -- the most popular size -- for about
$2,000. But be aware that the picture on some of the cheaper sets
tends to wash out in bright light. A quality, brand-name set will
likely cost $4,000 or more, and the increase in quality usually
is worth the extra money.
When
plasma TVs first debuted there were concerns about something called burn-in. That's
when images -- such as the network logo that often is a permanent fixture in the
corner of a show or the news ticker on CNN -- permanently mark the screen. Most
new sets have solved that problem, which was never as big a worry as first feared. Concerns
about the life of the set are also overstated. Plasma sets are projected to last
eight to 12 years if left on eight hours a day.
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