Projection vs. Flat Panel TV
First, a disclaimer: Here at Sound Advice, we’re big fans of projection TV. It’s a history that goes back to the 1970s when the first consumer projection TVs hit the market. Is this bias towards projection TV a bad thing? Not at all. Projection TV is more popular today than ever. But the fact is, flat-panel TVs get all the headlines and are the first to come to mind when discussing contemporary television. And there’s a good reason. Flat-panel TVs are getting better, cheaper, and bigger – screen sizes over 70-inch have become commonplace and affordable.
So why do we and so many other video experts prefer projection TV? There are lots of reasons. Let’s look at a few.
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First, what is a Projection TV?
In the early days of tube television, the size of the screen was very limited. 25-inches measured diagonally was pretty much the biggest. If you wanted a large-screen movie theater experience you had to go to the, well, movie theater. But many video fans wanted that same movie theater experience in the comfort of their living rooms. The solution was the projection TV. The first one came to market in the 1970’s called the Advent VideoBeam 1000. The system consisted of a floor-standing video projector and a separate 7-foot screen that could stand on the floor with detachable legs, or mounted to a wall.
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Jaws dropped. Suddenly home television viewing became a cinematic experience. I remember the first time I saw one. TV suddenly became interesting, and much more exciting. But there also were limitations. Let’s face it TV technology in the 1970s wasn’t all that advanced. The images from early projection TVs were somewhat dim and fuzzy. Of course, this was well before high definition TV. Images that looked perfectly fine on a 25-screen became less so when enlarged to fill the much bigger projection TV screen.
But most of all, the whole concept was unwieldy. The projector itself was huge and took up major real estate right in the middle of your living room floor. The separate screen was also a pain in the butt, and could be easily scratched by curious fingers.
To eliminate some of the problems TV manufacturers came up with a simple solution: the one-piece rear projection TV. You still had a projector and a screen, but they were contained within a single cabinet using a arrangement of mirrors. This system worked just fine and become the industry standard for TVs with screens from 40 to 80-inches. Anything bigger than that that still required a two-piece system – and there were many of us who still wanted that really big screen experience.
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The Flat Panel Revolution.
When the first 40-inch screen flat-panel TVs hit the market everyone wanted one. The big box cabinets of traditional tube and rear projection TVs suddenly became obsolete – replaced by a sleek and sexy thin panel that could hang on a wall. How cool is that? What wasn’t cool was the price. Remember those $10,000 40” plasma TVs? I certainly do. That was a boatload of money for a 40-inch screen. But as technology and manufacturing improved the prices dropped dramatically. And larger screen sizes became available. 50-inch screens led to 60-inch screens, all the way up to screens as big as 88-inches. That’s pretty big. But is it a true cinematic experience?
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Why Projection TV Is Still So Popular.
Size counts. This is the number-one reason why projection TVs remain so popular. With today’s improved projection technology, the sky is pretty much the limit. Huge 120-inch screens are popular for typical home use, but most projectors are capable of creating quite good images on much larger screens. In a large room that is dedicated for home theater, a screen size of 200-inches is not out of the question.
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Bigger is better. This is the crux of the matter, and it’s why we still spend big bucks to see a movie at the 20-screen downtown cinema. A big screen is more involving to watch. The reason is simple. Instead of staring straight ahead at a little screen, your eyes are constantly darting left to right, up and down to take in all the action. Your body becomes physically involved, not just your brain. And that, my friends, makes all the difference.
But you might ask, “isn’t it harder on the eyes?” Actually, the opposite is true. Filling a larger percentage of your visual field, and with less overall brightness, a big screen projection TV is actually quite relaxing to watch. It’s more like an actual movie theater. Interestingly, flat panel TVs can be up to three times brighter, which is what really causes those headaches and tired eyes.
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Of Course, There Are Downsides.
Since a projection TV’s image is not as bright as a flat-panel TV, controlled room lighting is essential. If the room lamps are on, or if the window shades are left up during daylight hours, the screen becomes pretty washed out. It’s still watchable, but it’s not going to be very much fun. A dim room is makes all the difference. But then, the same is true of the downtown cinema. If controlled lighting is not possible in your home, forget about projection TV. Go out and buy a nice, big flat-panel TV. You’ll be much happier.
Installing a projection TV can be tricky too since there are two parts: the video projector and the screen. Even though the projector can be simply set on a table in the middle of the room pointing towards the screen, it’s usually not the most practical and elegant solution. The best approach is to hang the projector on a bracket from the ceiling. Now it’s totally out of the way and pretty much out of sight. But wires must be run and brackets secured, which is something that is best left to a professional installer with the right equipment and tools.
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The screen can be tricky too. The screen is generally attached to the wall which is not complicated as most screens are pretty light weight – it’s just got to be level and properly placed. Another solution is a screen that drops from the ceiling when in use, and goes back up when turned off. Of course, this a more costly option, but for many users find it an entirely worthwhile one.
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