Help! Losing my mind deciding between LCD and DLP...

RVJII

Ok...I've been looking into this stuff for quite awhile and I am starting to lose my mind. Maybe I am overthinking this decision.

I am somewhat constrained by space so for now am looking at microdisplay RPTV's. As far as use, I expect to be about 30%HD, 30%NTSC, 30%DVD, and 10%PS2. Originally I was going to go with the Sony 42" Grand WEGA™ LCD Rear Projection HDTV KDF-42WE655. However, I am now also considering going with DLP because I can get a slightly larger screen into the same space. I am looking at the Samsung HL-P4663W 46" Widescreen HDTV (HD3 chipset - close out price of $1995), Samsung HL-R4667W 46" Widscreen HDTV (HD3 chipset - replacement set for the HL-P4663W above), and the Samsung HL-R4677W 46" Widescreen HDTV (HD2+ chipset).

Anyone that can offer me any insight or help in making this decision will be greatly appreciated. Please keep in mind that even though I have researched this quite a bit I am still relatively new to the subject.

Thanks!

ND13

LCD all the way, especially since you plan on using it for video games. The DLP supposedly is ok for games also, but I wouldn't take that as the gospel. I was watching the playoffs at Fry's last week and they had a Samsung dlp next to aSony rplcd and they were very comparable, but I do have to give sports to the dlp, but barely. The lcd is an all around better unit, IMO. Also the lcd has a life expectancy of 60k hours, not sure on the dlp. Also, you might want to consider the new JVC (HD ILA?). Nice appearance, picture, and size. It's a hybrid of the two technologies from what I was told by the sales rep.

Hope this helps a little. Let us know what you choose and how you like it, because I'll be doing the same soon. Have been researching for months, but I'm waiting for a little more price drop first. I only wish they would make a 40"+ widescreen tube. I don't care how deep it would be because you can't beat the tube for picture quality. I own a Philips 30" widescreen tube and it has a beautiful picture that the rp's can't touch.

polkatese

check out the latest edition of Sounds And Vision Magazine (June'05). It has an in-depth comparison of DLP and LCD. The winner is DLP by a slight margin. But, of course it is subjective, so, at least they used some kind of process and selection criterias to form their opinion and conclusion. have fun!

unc2701

Originally posted by polkatese
check out the latest edition of Sounds And Vision Magazine (June'05). It has an in-depth comparison of DLP and LCD. The winner is DLP by a slight margin. But, of course it is subjective, so, at least they used some kind of process and selection criterias to form their opinion and conclusion. have fun!

hehe... I was thinking the same thing- i just got mine yesterday. the article isn't online yet, but give it a few days if you don't feel like going out & buying it. Also, the wired house articles in the same issue have some really cool gear...

PolkThug

Wait for affordable triple DLP, they're coming.

Mazeroth

Yes, wait a little bit longer. And go with DLP.

RVJII

Triple DLP? I assume that this is much like LCD is done so that the color wheel is eliminated.

Any articles or links you can recommend?

MSALLA

I just bought the 50" Samsung with the HD-3 chip set. The sales clerk talked me out of the LCD due to length of life of the unit. The pictures I compared varied from set to set. Some the LCD looked better, and some DLP was better.
They both need the lamp replaced every so often.
As a hole, I am pleased with the set.

Toxis

I think the HD2+ chip is far better than the HD3 in terms of PQ. I always read people saying they prefer DLP over LCD when watching sports but I disagree with that 110%. Have you ever seen a basketball or hockey game on there? The floor of BB is one blur, where on LCD you can actually see the grain of the wood. Hockey, there's lines on the ice? Didn't see it on DLP. It's things like that that drive me nuts. But then again, with LCD, I see the screen door effect pretty bad. I'd go LCD (hitachi or sony) over any DLP currently. I say currently only because I've seen a 3chip DLP and almost had to touch myself.

If I was going to buy a TV today (and it wasn't a tube), I'd go the Mitsu Diamond CRT. If it had to be a microdisplay, I'd go the JVC DILA. That's just me though... and I sell these for a living so I'm around them all the time.

steveinaz

I feel your pain. I'm just now wading into the waters of "hi-def" tv and it's a pain in the ****. I'll probably go RPTV in a 46" or 47" table-top model. My new family room is not very big, so no need for a huge tv.

It can be very confusing.

MSALLA

Originally posted by Toxis
I think the HD2+ chip is far better than the HD3 in terms of PQ. I always read people saying they prefer DLP over LCD when watching sports but I disagree with that 110%. Have you ever seen a basketball or hockey game on there? The floor of BB is one blur, where on LCD you can actually see the grain of the wood. Hockey, there's lines on the ice? Didn't see it on DLP. It's things like that that drive me nuts. But then again, with LCD, I see the screen door effect pretty bad. I'd go LCD (hitachi or sony) over any DLP currently. I say currently only because I've seen a 3chip DLP and almost had to touch myself.

If I was going to buy a TV today (and it wasn't a tube), I'd go the Mitsu Diamond CRT. If it had to be a microdisplay, I'd go the JVC DILA. That's just me though... and I sell these for a living so I'm around them all the time.

I disagree. In fact, we were saying how we "COULD EVEN SEE THE GRAIN ON THE COURT". I know the new chip set coming out is even better, but I don't know what TV your looking at that you can't see the lines on a hocky rink.

billbillw

RVJII,
I have faced this type of dilema many times in my electronics buying lifetime. When it comes to big screen TVs, just know this:
Once you get it in your house and do some simple calibrations, you will probably be very happy with any one of the sets you mentioned.
Here is my take on the pros/cons of current DLP/LCD microdisplay sets (this is not including the next gen 1080p sets)

LCDs do not really make true blacks, DLPs come close, but many have problems with the "rainbow" effect. If the rainbow doesn't effect you, go with DLP, if it does, go with LCD.

I personally don't like the look of either since I see a silkscreen effect with DLP and I don't like the blacks on LCD.
The next gen 1080p sets are supposed to remedy many of the problems with current gen DLPs, but at a higher cost of course.

The Hitachi Director's Series Cineform LCD sets are supposed to have true blacks and 10bit color rendition. Reviews have said they are the best HD display available today, but of course they are much more expensive than the models you mentioned.

PolkThug

Originally posted by billbillw
The Hitachi Director's Series Cineform LCD sets are supposed to have true blacks and 10bit color rendition. Reviews have said they are the best HD display available today, but of course they are much more expensive than the models you mentioned.

Being a Hitachi fan, I had high hopes for these, but the screen door effect on these sets are horrible. I was totally let down.

PolkThug

Originally posted by RVJII
Triple DLP? I assume that this is much like LCD is done so that the color wheel is eliminated.

Any articles or links you can recommend?

Yep, no more color wheel!

billbillw

Originally posted by PolkThug
Being a Hitachi fan, I had high hopes for these, but the screen door effect on these sets are horrible. I was totally let down.

Are you serious? I'm talking about the x915 models, not the previous year models. I haven't seen them personally, but I read some glowing reviews. I guess nothing works better than a hands on viewing.

TrappedUnder Ice

I must have a truely bad DLP. I expeience none of what issues everyone associates with DLP. My Toshiba 46" DLP has an extremely crisp image. I experience no issues with movement, sports color issues...except that when the quality of the show is poor....it does stand out a bit more then on my CRT. My blacks are very black and my whites are white. I keep hearing different things associated with DLP...and I just have not seen it. I dont have a lot of light in my room (I have some) this could be adding too the quality I'm getting....

I have tube tv's a CRT and soon hooked up an LCD FP.... I did quite amount of testing between the DLP and the LCD...and IMO... The DLP was just as sharp but had better color.
GET WHAT YOU SEE..NOT WHAT EVERYONE ELSE says they see. For it is you...and only you that has too live with your decision.
opinons on Quality/durability/and service...yes- those you should listen too...IMO, but in the end...its your eyes and image you have too live with...not everyone elses. If people tell you that Panasonic may have a slightly green tint too it...you might actually see that...just cause its mentioned...lol... thats just an example... but you get the drift.


sorry...peace.

gregure

I agree waiting for the triple DLP or even the new Samsungs out later this year w/ 1080p output would be a strong choice.
On the surface, LCD sets have a brighter image w/ sharper background details, but they also have terrible blacks, and anytime there is fog/mist/clouds/etc in the picture, it becomes very distorted (the visible square effect similar to a low-grade mpeg file). Also, look at the blacks on LCD compared to DLP. A person w/ a black shirt on the LCD looks simply all black, where on DLP you can actually see where the collar begins, and where the buttons are. Colors tend to bleed too much on LCD as well, lots of purplish greens in the shadows.
Overall, I think DLP is better, especially the HD2+ chipset, but they are still having issues w/ lamps, color wheels, etc. Overall, though, DLP is the best of the new technology projection screens, although I haven't had a chance to see the new Qualia projection from Sony, which is supposed to be very good, some even say the best.

aaharvel

i can't afford HD and i still like my simple laymen JVC 36" tube.

from what i've heard DLP has it all over LCD or Plasma. It's the next best thing to a tube in terms of picture quality. I've seen DLP in stores- and I agree with this claim.

NCrewson

I own a Sony 42" LCD RPTV and have been very happy with it. That being said, it is over a year old and I know they are improving the technology all the time. I know at the time of my purchase I decided on the Sony as LCD was the better medium at the time. Hitachi had just switched from DLP to LCD due to reliabilty issues with the hinges on the mirrors of the DLP. Or at least this is what the Hitachi rep told me as I was working in retail selling these at the time. Also I have always preferred the upconversion engine that SONY uses as it looks best to my personal taste. The main thing is to audition, audition, audition the sets you are considering. All the techno speak and comprehension of "how it works" from a salesperson is good (and they should know the technical differences between the sets you are comparing) but it always comes down to what looks the best to you. Oh yeah, and all the good sets will look great in your home. And bigger too.

Toxis

Originally posted by MSALLA
I disagree. In fact, we were saying how we "COULD EVEN SEE THE GRAIN ON THE COURT". I know the new chip set coming out is even better, but I don't know what TV your looking at that you can't see the lines on a hocky rink.

which one? Every model Mitsubishi, Toshiba, Samsung, LG and Panasonic. I have yet to see a DLP show the grain on the wood flooring. The lines on a hockey rink are there, but just barely. My tube... Perfection.

To me, all this talk about Microdisplays is like saying "Which do you like better? The Bose Lifestyle system, Infinity TSS or JBL SCS satellite system?" They all sound like booty to me where for about the same amount of money, you can get into a nice bookshelf setup and get 10 times better sound.... but you have bigger cabinets. Same situation with TV's.

Lsi9

Sony LCDs (55" - 60") are the best Affordable tvs out there IMO, no one really comes too close

mulveling

Neither are my favorite, but if I had to pick between the two I'd go with DLP. While I really do like direct-view LCD for some applications (mainly anime), I really don't like projection (RP, FP) LCD. I see too many artifacts - scanlines on vertical motion (what business scanlines have on a digital set I don't know but I see them on every projection LCD chip), fixed pattern noise, weird colors, possible uniformity issues, dust blobs, and of course poor LCD black levels - I say all this as former owner of a well-reviewed LCD FP (Panasonic ae300). Never again =P

The new Sony RP LCD's look a lot better, but I still wouldn't want one. With DLP's my main problems are rainbows and black levels (better than LCD) - at least that's less things to bother me than LCD.

But then I'm a very picky viewer - only CRT will do (or direct view LCD for some anime). Most people aren't nearly as picky as I am.

wingnut4772

I have never owned an LCD but I have had nothing but trouble with two DLP sets (Samsung) and they have both gone back to the manufacturer. I am awaiting a third replacement from them. It will be a new 1080p 56 inch pedestal so hopefully it will be different.