Advantages to front projection vs RPTV?

[spiffnme]

What are some of the advantages/disadvantages to a front projector vs a nice RPTV?

I'm interested in getting a new "tv". I want an image of at least 63", and not all that particular if it's rptv, or projector.

I'd be using the new "tv" for 50% DVD, 40% tv viewing, and 10% VHS.

I also need it to be HDTV compatible.

What say you guys?


Controlling the ambient light would not be much of an issue.




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[Kevin P]

Well, there's advantages and disadvantages of going either way but I'll try to reel off a few.

This first comparison will be generically FPTV vs. RPTV, not taking into account different technologies (e.g. CRT, LCD, DLP, etc.)

FPTV Advantages:

• Larger image size
• More cinema like (after all, what do movie theaters use? Front projectors!)
• FP PJ + screen takes up less space in room than a large RPTV box
• More variables allows for more options in a given room; e.g. throw distance, screen size, PJ type.
• No bulky RPTV box to mess up soundstage

RPTV Advantages:

• Easier to install/setup
• Light control not as critical
• Lower cost (though this isn't always the case with all the new inexpensive FP units coming out now)

Once you decide on FPTV vs. RPTV, then you have to choose between CRT, LCD, DLP, LCOS, DILA, and countless other display technologies. Here I'll briefly mention the three most common technologies, CRT, LCD and DLP:

CRT technology uses three separate Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs) to create the image. Most RPTVs and top-end FPTV units use CRT technology. Each CRT, which is basically a 7 to 9-inch picture tube, generates one of the three primary colors, red, green, and blue. Lenses are attached to each CRT to project the images onto the screen. The images are aligned (converged) to meet at the same point on the screen.

CRT Advantages:

• Best overall image quality
• Best blacks
• Most flexible, not a fixed resolution device

CRT Drawbacks:

• Higher cost (for FPTV)
• Difficult to install and calibrate
• Phosphor can "burn in" or wear unevenly if static images/black bars are shown excessively
• Requires totally dark room for FPTV

LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) uses liquid crystal panels similar to the ones used in calculators, watches, and laptop displays. In a projector, three LCD panels are used. Light from a high intensity discharge (HID) lamp is split into red, green, and blue components by a prism or with filters; each of the primary colors is passed through each of the LCD panels, which have pixels that either let light through or block it. A prism then combines the images, which then pass through a set of lenses and are then projected on the screen.

LCD advantages:

• No burn-in under normal circumstances
• No convergence issues
• Set-up is a cinch
• Light control not as critical, depending on the lumen output of the PJ--a dark room is recommended for best results of course

LCD Drawbacks:

• Blacks aren't as black as with other technologies, this can lead to washed out colors as well
• Screen door effect (pixels) may be visible, especially if close to the screen
• Bulbs typically last 1500-3000 hours and can cost as much as $500 to replace

DLP (Digital Light Processing) uses a chip that has an array of microscopic mirrors which tilt when energized by an electrical signal. Though a DLP could use three separate chips for the primary colors (and the high-end models used by digital cinemas do use 3 chips), due to the high cost of the DLP chip all consumer models use a single chip and a color wheel. Light from a HID lamp is reflected off the DLP chip, then through a color wheel (which normally spins at a multiple of the scan rate being displayed by the PJ), and then through a set of lenses on the way to the screen. The color wheel allows a single chip to display the primary colors, one at a time, by displaying the red component for a fraction of a second, green for a fraction of a second, then blue for a fraction of a second. Doing this fast enough, a full color image can be displayed. However, some people will notice rainbows during motion scenes, or may notice the flickering. Newer units have more segments in the color wheel, or operate it at a higher speed, to reduce this effect (much like increasing the refresh rate of a computer monitor).

DLP Advantages:

• No burn-in
• Better blacks than LCD, though not like CRT
• Less/no screen door effect relative to LCD
• No convergence issues

DLP Drawbacks:

• More expensive than LCD
• Single chip w/color wheel can cause headaches or image artifacts (rainbows) visible to some viewers
• Bulbs typically last 1500-3000 hours and can cost as much as $500 to replace

As for what to choose, that depends on your room (light control), your tastes, and your budget. However, in any case if at all possible try to audition the projector(s) you're interested in, to see if you'll be happy with the image quality. This is especially important with LCD and DLP units.




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[George Bellefontaine]

Kevin pretty much says it all, but I would add this:

It's a shame to go front projection if all you are going to project is a 63" picture. Take it from me, once you have watched a good dvd on a an 8 foot wide 16:9 screen with a good quality projector, there is no going back to something smaller.




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[spiffnme]

Thanks, that's a lot of great info. The room this will end up in is probably not going to be big enough to warrant a front projector. I'm leaning towards a 65-70" rptv. It'll be awhile before I end up buying anything though. Thanks for the info. -Craig




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[Kevin P]

Craig, how big is the room? If it's big enough for a 65-70" RPTV you might be pleasantly surprised that a digital FP will fit, and give you a much larger image. And it'll likely be similarly priced, or even cheaper, than the RPTV, depending on what FP and screen you ultimately go with.

KJP




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[spiffnme]

Right now my room is about 15x20. Our viewing/listening position is about 9-10' away.

Though in the future I hope to have a dedicated room for HT, and will probably end up in a room quite a bit smaller. I'm guessing closer to 12x14 or so. So then of course we'd be sitting much closer.




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[Dean McManis]

The other advantages of a RPTV is that it is essentially a big TV, with a tuner, speakers, PIP and other conventional TV do-dads.

But it is a huge big box.

One downside that I didn't see mentioned about front projectors was bulb life.
Which usually runs 1000-2000hrs, and costs between $200-$350+ to replace.

With that said, I could never go back to seeing a relatively small RPTV screen again. In fact I had my main FPTV, anda LCD RPTV for games and stuff.
And I sold my RPTV and got a small XGA DLP FPTV, for portable movies on the go when teamed up with a portable PC.

Unless you watch regular TV 14 hours a day, or have light control issues, a FPTV is often a better choice. Even being 9-10ft away from the screen, you could have a nice NEC HT1000 DLP FPTV for the price of your average 65"+ DTV RPTV, and say a 92" 16:9 screen.

RPTV is definitely quite nice, but it is more like a BIG TV, rather than a small movie theater.

Go to a local high-end A/V store and watch a movie on a XGA or better digital FPTV from roughly 10' away for 20 minutes, and then go and look at the same movie on a 65" RPTV.

A RPTV does make better sense for some people, but you really need to check out a decent FPTV picture as well to judge best.

-Dean.

[Brandon B]

Spiff -

Where in L.A. are you?

BB

[Kevin P]

Right now my room is about 15x20. Our viewing/listening position is about 9-10' away.

A 4 to 6 foot wide screen would look fine at that viewing distance, with a decent quality PJ. Some LCDs will show screen door effect at that viewing distance, if you make the image too large. It's still much bigger than a RPTV.

KJP




Official Computer Geek and Techno-Wiz Guru of HTGuide - Visit Tower of Power
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[JonMarsh]

I have to toss my opinion in on Kevin's side. I've had a couple of CRT FPTVs; then, due to what I thought were near insurmountable space restrictions, I bought a Toshiba RPTV. It was a nice unit, and after I got the factory manual and converged and calibrated it, I was pretty pleased with the results- and it did have all the nice TV style amenities.

But after discussing the merits of the VPL-W400Q with Bill Cushman, I bought one of those, setting it up with a "dinky" (by FPTV standards) 72" diagonal screen- still, significantly bigger than RPTV's, and the one I had, and yet, took up less space by far. The Toshiba RPTV went into my daughter's bedroom (where it still resides), which though not practical space wise, made her pretty happy, too.

Particularly if you have a projector that isn't a "barn burner" with regards to lumens of output, a somewhat smaller than typical screen can result in a clean, bright, "punchy" image.

Just some things to think about....


~Jon




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