Hi-def Tv

LCD, Plasma or DLP?
So you’ve come to the conclusion that you (and the family) deserve the enjoyment of a home theater; now you must take a look at the choices that need to be made. The first of which revolves around the centerpiece of your new space: High Definition Television or HDTV.
Currently, there are three main types of Hi-Def TV available: plasma, LCD and DLP.

DLP
Let’s first look at with the most easily affordable, the DLP. DLP is an abbreviation for Digital Light Processing, and is actually a rear projection TV. In DLP projectors, the image is created by a matrix of tiny mirrors, with each mirror representing one pixel on the screen. Though less expensive than other hi-def choices, this technology can still deliver 1080p resolution - the highest currently available.
While DLP televisions are no heavier than the other high definition options, they are quite a bit thicker (about 15-20 inches) and are not designed to be wall-mounted as of yet, though that may change in the near future.

Other minor drawbacks include the possibility of annoying fan noise in some models, and since the technology is more “mechanical” than plasma and LCD, there could be a risk of a higher incidence of breakdowns. Projection televisions of any type also exhibit poorer viewing angles than the direct view types, and color resolution may not be as sharp.

LCD
We now move on to the next price point: Liquid Crystal Diode televisions, also known as LCD.
LCD televisions utilize two “polarized” panels that sandwich a thin liquid-crystal gel. That gel is divided into individual pixels, each of which can be darkened or lightened according to how much precise voltage is passed through it - the more voltage, the darker the pixel. Since a certain degree of light always leaks through the gel, a completely black screen is difficult for an LCD television to accomplish, but advances in LCD technology have put these TVs on an almost equal footing with plasma.
Weighing much less and having a much smaller footprint than the old CRT monitors, LCD technology quickly became the technology of choice for computer screens. The smaller screen sizes created sharp LCD images, so small-screen TVs became LCD’s niche. But with recent technological advances screen size has expanded greatly while sustaining contrast, and the previously poor viewing angles have become as good as plasma televisions can offer. LCD is now a viable competitor to plasma televisions on the home entertainment field.

Plasma
Built in a similar manner to an LCD TV, in that a sandwich is created by two panels of glass, the material between the two panels is not a liquid gel, but rather a gas.
Though the gap is narrowing, plasma TVs generally exhibit greater brightness and sharper contrast then their rivals - especially when dealing with very large screen dimensions. Plasma monitors can be as thin as 4 inches, and have viewing angles approaching 180°.
Plasma TVs can be expected to last as much as 60,000 hours - which is the equivalent of watching for 6 hours a day for 27 years. Hi-Def plasma televisions can boast of contrast ratios of 30,000:1, a significant advantage over less expensive hi-def televisions. Although screen “burn-in” has been an issue in the past, the latest in screen technology has reduced this potential drawback to a minimum.

How to Choose
As with nearly all facets of your home entertainment room project, your decision will in the end be determined by the amount of money you choose to spend. You would need to create a list of the components you must buy, and prioritize it.
Audiophiles could choose to spend a larger percentage of their budget on an advanced surround sound system; others might wish to turn over the lion’s share of the budget to the designer. Regardless of your choice, though, rest easy knowing that every option open to you are huge improvements over to what was available even a decade ago.

Ingrid Preube
High Definition Television or HDTV