We're getting to the point of replacing our existing projection screen HDTV with a new one, and I'm looking for opinions on DLPs vs LCDs. I don't need to wall mount it, so a flat panel isn't required. I'm kind of stuck in that size vs. cost battle (you can get a 65" DLP for the cost of a 50" LCD). The specific DLP unit I'm looking at is the 65" Mitsubishi WD-65837, along with several brands and models of LCDs (mostly Sony, Samsung, and Sharp).

I've not been able to find a place with the WD-65837 next to a comparable LCD (the best I've found are on opposite walls), so I don't have that side-by-side comparison I really want. But I expect I'm not the only one here to go through the comparison, so if you have I'd like to canvas for opinions.

Hey Dave,

Good luck.  I went through the same decision process in December before deciding on the Samsung LN52A750.  What a great set.

When I looked at the DLP (understanding that the sets are NOT well set-up in the stores, and the signal stinks too) I swear I could see a hot spot in the DLPs, the brightness fell off as I moved side-to-side and the image was simply not as crisp as the major LCD brands.

The black levels on the LCDs have proved a huge amount and the 120MHz sets track sports action wonderfully.  If you have to buy 2--maybe DLP is the best option.  For me, I really think I did well with my selection.  Plasma was cheaper, but the heat production, high reflective surface and still some problems with burn-in dissuaded me.  My room is a bit bright and I could not deal with the reflections.

 Good luck.

Of course, the Lamp life ( projection tech ) can be a factor for some, anywhere from 1500 to 2400 hours with a replacement cost averaging $250.

Personally the "grain" frosting on microprojection screens (DLP or LCD) bothers me a bit.

I think the LCD units currently are the way to go. The Sony KDL 40V5100 or the 46" version deliver excellent performance for the money spent. 

A couple years ago, when I was going through this process, Consumer Reports was recommending that buyers of DLP sets seriously consider buying extended warranties because of reliability issues, particularly concerning bulb replacement.  I believe CR have since softened that caveat somewhat, but plasmas and LCDs are still considered more reliable than DLPs.

You might also want to check the display DLPs to see if you find noticeable or objectionable the so-called "rainbow effect" that some people complain about.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Light_Processing

The 2009 models that I've looked at don't have the rainbow effect, and the bulbs (while they do have to be replaced every few years) are user-replaceable. Plasma's are considered to be the most reliable, and they have the best viewing angles (no drop off at 180 degrees viewing angle) but they're also the most costly to operate. I've pretty much decided against plasma for that reason. In the room I'm using viewing angles are not a problem.

I'm going to try and get the store (Paul's TV) to move a decent LCD next to the DLP and connect to the same source.

I had a DLP, it was a Toshiba 56" and showed a great picture. A year later the bulb went out and I had to replace it for $300. Decided it was not the way to go. I didn't want to buy a $1800 tv (this was a couple of yrs ago) and then have to buy a bulb for it every year. I have a LCD now and it also shows a great picture. Like the sales person told me when I was looking at TVs. When they are at your house the only thing that matters is if your satisfied. It won't be next to any other set,  so go with whats in your budget and what you like.

Do you think that the backlight in that LCD is never going to go, well dream on. And that is not going to be a $100 hundred user replacement bulb like DLP is.

Personally I think the best technology ever was DILA (also called SXRD in the Sony version) but they dropped the price of LCD so much it killed their market and JVC stopped making them last year. My 72" JVC DILA is now 3 years old and the bulb is still good. I've got a replacement in the closet for when it goes, cost me $86 USD for the new bulb.

After DILA I liked Samsung's LED engine DLP myself. LCD Panels vary so much, many are complete junk, but some are very good, money talks in the LCD panel business. The color gamut on most of those TN based LCD panels is not too good at all.

Yea I heard LCD last about 10yrs. I'll take that risk over paying 300 bucks a year. Also was told plasmas last about the same

You'll be lucky to get 5 from a Plasma depending on how much it is on. Not to mention the ton of heat they generate, plus the picture is not that great.

I have a 50" DLP which I have had for almost 3 years and it is still on its first bulb.  I sometimes accidentally leave it on all night long as well when I fall asleep on the couch.  I use my TV a good amount and it is still going strong.  DLP isn't the best technology of course but it allowed me to get a bigger unit for a lower cost.  Personally I love the look of DLP.  It has a slightly softer more film like look to me and the way I have it setup DVD movies look like projections from a film projector in a theater.  This may not be the look everybody wants but I love film and movies and this fits perfectly to me.  HD-DVD movies look awesome so I'm sure Blu-ray would as well.  To me the world isn't all about sharpness and crispness so DLP is perfect.  Film movies were made to be projected and that is the native look that I prefer.  Sports and normal interlaced TV looks great as well.  Even most SDTV channels still look great while on LCD some SDTV channels can kind of look like poopoo.  Even though to me DLP offers a more organic looking picture it is still great as a digital display.  I have used it many times as a giant computer monitor even when running Liquid.

I have yet to buy a bulb for DLP but the prices I have found were no where near $300.00.  Personally at this rate I know I am only ever going to have to replace this bulb once before I get a new unit so it doesn't really matter to me.  In fact if it keeps going for another year I may replace the unit before I even have to change it.

LCD has come down a lot in price but you do have to be careful.  Some may look good in the store at first but they can quickly fall apart after a short amount of use.  I bought a LCD for my parents and it does look great.

There is really no right or wrong answer here.  It all comes down to the look you prefer in the store.  Just make sure you watch a wide range of content such as SD channels and DVI input.  Make sure you have no surprises once you get it home and hook it up.  Oh and do not judge the unit by standing one foot away from it.  You will never watch it that way and if you know you will be sitting 8 feet from the unit then stand 8 feet away it at the store.  Many times these TV's can look like garbage up close but at normal viewing distances can look great.

 

When I was trying to decide between an LCD and a plasma the salesman told me that in the 15 months he had been working in the tv department the only sets that he had seen come back were the plasmas.  We have four LCD sets of various sizes and each a different manufacturer.  Don't know how they will work out long term but they all have sharp pictures as far as I can see.  My biggest is a 32" screen. 

 My family's first tv was B/W about 19" that my brother purchased for $240.  That was about 1955.  That was about one month's take-home pay in this area.  (Most of the fully employed workers in this area worked in lumber mills back then.)  This past Christmas there were some nice LCDs (color, naturally) around the 20 and 22 inch size for less than that - about three day's take-home pay at the time I retired. 

 Technology is pretty inexpensive these days compared to the "good old days". 

Theres a lot of good input here. Thanks. I've pretty much decided on getting the Mitsubishi WD-65837 DLP (it's got a much better image than the 737 series for a very small price difference). I looked at the Samsung LED units, but they want a premium price for them (more than the cost of replacing a bulb).The only thing I don't like about the set is it doesn't have a dedicated computer monitor input. But I can always get a video card with HDMI output.

The best part is that the chairs are between 8' and 11' from the screen, so this is going to be pretty immersive. Now I've got some wires to run (got to get the speakers installed). And an upscaling DVD player (or maybe a cheap BR; but I haven't decided if I'm going to bother with BR or stick to streaming media).

Yea you will be happy with a DLP, I was. but with 4 kids it got alot of use, thats why my bulb went fast. That tv saw a lot of Sponge, Hanna Montana, and every other disney, nick show out there.

Another technology to watch for is OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode - too late for you now, Dave ).  Sony has a TV with a very small screen by today's standards, for very much money.  Last years debut of their 11" TV cost about $2500.00 US and this year Sony is supposed to be coming out with a second generation 27" set.  From what I have read, the two main advantages are low power consumption (no back-light required, therefore no bulbs to burn out) and very high contrast ratio, in the order of 1,000,000 (or more):1.  In two or three years this technology should become mainstream and be very affordable (remember the high cost of the first 15" LCD computer monitors compared to today's offerings?).

Unless something else comes along to upset the technological apple cart.

I believe they (Sony) have for the moment given up on OLED tech. The display does not last long enough. This tech is currently limited to cel phone display, most people break or replace their phones every couple of years.

Manufacturers will want to recoup the money they have invested in LCD assembly lines, expect that the new LED backlighted displays to assume mainstream within a couple of years.

VE7AXO:

Another technology to watch for is OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode - too late for you now, Dave ).

That's OK. I seldom feel the need to be the guy on the block with the first of everything (and I can't help but wonder how those who paid $600 for their iPhones feel about it now). Bleeding edge technology is only for those with (highly) disposable incomes and a lot of spare time on their hands for talking with customer support. To be honest, I don't mind being on the back edge of current technologies (e.g. DLP). All I care is that what I have works well.

Dave,

 I'm with you.  I only mentioned OLED because of a technology magazine's write-up extolling the theoretical virtues of this new display system a while ago.  Three years ago I bought a plasma TV because the old CRT gave up the ghost.  At that time plasma was head and shoulders above LCD, the burn-in problem of the first generation plasma TV's had long been solved and DLP was still a young technology with a lot of question marks.  The life expectancy of my Panasonic plasma, I was told is 60,000 hrs.  Disregarding the sales hype, even if the real life is "only" half of that, 30,000 hours is longer than I expect to be using that TV.  Between watching TV and playing back HD videos from my computer, the TV get used in the order of 1,000 to 1,500 hours a year.  I fully expect new systems to be in the mainstream, be they DLP, OLED, or something that has not raised its ugly head above the technological horizon yet, by the time I either get tired of this plasma or it dies.

 Just my 2¢

I finally got to do my head-to-head test with the Mitsubishi today, and I'm now having second thoughts. While the image is softer than a LCD (which I had expected), it also showed notable pixel crawl around text from a SD signal that didn't show on a good LCD (Samsung 800 series). I can live with the slight softness, but not pixel crawl. And the problem is I can't tell if it's inherent to the TV or if it's a setting that needs to be changed.

And the final answer is: Samsung LN55B650 55" LCD. After doing some more research, and a lot of head-to-head comparison with the slightly smaller but next-in-line model LN52B750, I decided on getting the bigger unit (for less money) as neither I nor my wife could see the difference in the picture quality. Perhaps in a dim room it might show up, but even then I'm not sure my eyes could tell the difference, and in my case bigger is better (no jokes, please).

Hi Dave

Did you get an extended warranty when you purchased your TV? 

Happy July 4th to all.

 

Good choice Dave.  The 650 series was a favorite of many "rating" magazines including Consumers Report.  You will enjoy it!

Saylur:

Did you get an extended warranty when you purchased your TV?

No. I've had exactly 1 piece of electronic equipment fail during the time when it would have been covered by an extended warranty (and in fact it had one, but only because they tossed it in as a freebie). The extended warranty for the TV was over $500. I'd rather take my chances.

As a rule, extended warrantees, Hyper-priced accessories (feed the "Monster") are means for the seller to compensate for the small margin they get from the LCD sale. I only consider an extender warr if the device is beyond the capabilities of myself or most shops to repair..think $3k camera or such. Also the cost of the warr must be +/- 15% or the purchase price for 4 years or so. Anything that costs less than $500 to replace is out.

Still involved with electronics repair, I can say that aside from replacing some large circuit boards, ie power supply, inverter, audio amp board, most factory services canabalise returned goods to effect repair. I have driven by manufacturers return repair operations to see dumpsters filled with new product.

When I started with RCA Service Co. in 1972 there was no such thing as an unrepairable tv. Times have changed ...

Yeah the extended warranty is a huge joke.

 1.  The last laptop I decided to get the warranty.  Now I consider myself a pretty smart person but I fell for the it will cover the cost to replace your battery bs line.  I bought this at Best Buy by the way.  Well my battery eventually croaked as well as the power supply.  I brought it in and no problem they will replace it right away.  Cool, I thought.  Then they told we it was going to be 4 to 6 weeks to get the items replaced since it was an outdated model.  Well of course it is outdated.  Any laptop is by the time your first battery dies.  In the end I would have been better off to save the $300.00 and buy a battery myself and had it in 3 days.  It would have actually been cheaper.

 2.  I once thought the bulb in my DLP HDTV went out so I went into Best Buy again and they said no problem.  It was going to take 3 to 4 weeks to replace it.  I said that is nuts.  They fed me some bs line about how they can't keep them in stock because they have a shelf life and as soon as they are made they start to die.  I told him that was the most retarded thing I ever heard of and companies online sell the bulbs and can ship them within a day or two.  I have found out the guy utterly lied to me in my face.  Sure maybe they have some sort of shelf life but nowhere near how this dufus was describing it.

The moral here is that Best Buy makes the warranty sound simple and easy but it is more trouble then what it is worth to get things out of it.  You are better off just putting the $300.00 in a safe and pulling it out as you need it.  90% of the time you will never need it and when you do it will usually be easier, cheaper and faster to just fix it yourself for those sort of issues.

Oh by the way there was nothing wrong with my bulb.  The TV to this day after 3 years still works perfectly with the first bulb.

If I had to give any (general) advise on how to purchase anything, I'd say to stay away from cutting edge anything.. while published specs can attract the technoids amongst us, better to buy stuff that has been out for a bit of time and there are lots of users...with the web today, if there are widespread problems with something, you'll find out about it soon enough.

Best Buy is a retailer trying to survive in a tough time. I would agree that most sales personel are not as knowlegable as many of us, what can be expected of them considering the compensation they receive, and the competive selling margins on advertised products.

Lamps are funny things, they can last 1000 hours or 3000 hours. Good sources are Top Bulb or Pureland Supply, they have been around a while. Beware, there are some resellers that will sell a naked lamp that you would have to install in the carrier assembly. You don't want to go this route for safety concerns.

Most extended warranteees ARE more benefit to the retailer than to the user, but again, each case has to be considered on its own merits.

We certainly wouldn't to classify A-Assurance in that negative light...