Rear projection televisions are a great economical alternative to find a large widescreen television that’s ideal for movie watching, or playing video games. The problem with most flat screen TV sets is that they are very expensive. Flat screen televisions of around 40 inches and up can be very expensive, into the $1,000+ range. Whereas rear projection televisions are much cheaper, because of the technology involved, and also the fact that this style of TV has been on the market longer.
There are three basic types of rear projection TVs, and each works fairly differently. The three types are cathode ray tube (CRT), digital light processing (DLP), and liquid crystal display (LCD). CRT is the oldest method, in which tubes of light are used to display images on your television’s screen. This method is still used in most of the more standard square television sets. But for high definition and widescreen TVs, this technology has been widely abandoned, because of it’s limitations.
DLP TVs have become much more popular, as they offer a large sized television, at a much lower price than other TVs of the same size. Also because of DLP’s ability to display high definition images, this can be an ideal choice for finding an attractive, yet economical alternative to a flat screen TV. DLP televisions use a series of micro mirrors and color wheels, which are then transferred to an independent lamp to be projected onto the screen. DLP HD images aren’t as vibrant as Plasma or LCD, but are still true high definition. Although over time the projection lamp will dim from use, and the picture quality will suffer.
LCD rear projection televisions are a good way to get LCD quality, at a much cheaper price than is offered by a flat screen. LCD projection screens utilize a series of small LCD pixilated chips to manipulate a clear image, which is then projected onto the television screen. A rear projection LCD TV will not offer the same quality as a flat screen, as the pictures will be a little more dim. But this is a good economical alternative to either save money, or purchase a larger set for the same price as a smaller flat screen.
In choosing which rear projection television is right for you, it’s really a matter of preference. CRT is the oldest technology, so it’s also the most affordable. However, CRT is of a lower picture quality than LCD and DLP. But over time, both DLP and LCD TVs will require a replacement lamp, in order to maintain picture quality in the long term. That can be costly to have installed, or complicated to attempt yourself.
To purchase rear projection televisions, your local electronics stores will have a wide variety of options. Locally owned stores may have a wider selection of CRT televisions. But for LCD and DLP projection TVs a major chain like Sears or Best Buy will have the widest variety of options. Also most of the major chains offer financing, so you can purchase a big rear projection TV now, and worry about paying the price later.