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CET Digital Television Guide
Display Options
...in the eye of the beholder...
Glass Picture Tube Type (CRT)
This is the most familiar type of monitor. It has a glass CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) display. It can be as small as 4 inches (diagonal) to over 30 inches. The CRT usually has the best overall brightness and clarity.
Pros |
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Very good off-center viewing |
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Very good brightness and resolution |
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Moderate price |
Cons |
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Large screen sets are costly |
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Sets are VERY heavy and more bulky than regular TV sets |
Projection Type (Internal)
This type is becoming the most popular since it can provide a large screen at a low price.
Pros |
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Large Screen at a low price |
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Moderate quality resolution and brightness |
Cons |
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Can be very bulky |
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Poor off-center viewing |
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Internal mirrors and lenses can get out of alignment |
Projection Type (External)
Some home theatre applications use this type which projects the image on a wall-mounted white screen similar to film projector.
Pros |
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Can have extremely large screen |
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Very high resolution |
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Very good off-center viewing |
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Great for movies |
Cons |
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Must mount projector on rear wall or ceiling |
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Need a somewhat darkened room |
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Projection lamps are expensive. |
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Most expensive option |
Liquid Plasma
Among the newer types of the display techologies, LPDs use a flat panel display similar to the screens found on laptop computers. They are often affixed to a wall like a picture.
Pros |
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Very attractive - screams "High Tech" |
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Very high resolution & brightness |
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Great off-axis viewing |
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Great for video games |
Cons |
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Expensive |
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Blacks are sometimes "less than black" |
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Most screens limited to 60" |
Liquid Crystal Display
Another newer display technology, LCDs use a flat planel display lit from the rear by a fluorescent light source. They are often affixed to a wall like a picture.
Pros |
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Very attractive - screams "High Tech" |
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Good resolution & brightness |
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Good off-center viewing |
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Great for video games |
Cons |
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Expensive |
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Contrast ratio is not as good as LPD or DLP |
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Blacks are not intense |
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Most screens limited to 60" |
Digital Light Processing Display
This is the newest of the display technologies. The flat panel display actually has small electo-mechanical mirrors that render th eimage. Like LPD and LCD displays, they are often affixed to a wall like a picture.
Pros |
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Very attractive - screams "High Tech" |
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Highest resolution, color & brightness |
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Great off-center viewing |
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Great for video games |
Cons |
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Most expensive |
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So new that there is little service or reliability data |
Screen Shapes & Resolution
16:9 or 4:3 or 480, 720 or 1080...
The first thing you will notice is that not all DTV sets have the same shape screen. The less expensive sets will have a standard screen with an aspect ratio of 4:3. The better sets will have widescreens or 16:9. If you can afford it, you will be much better served with a set with a wide aspect ratio. That way you will not have to put up with the letterbox lines at the top and the bottom of the screen when a program has been produced in wide aspect. The trade off is that when you are viewing standard programming shot in 4:3, you will have black bars to the right and left of the picture. These are sometimes call barn doors.
As for resolution, don't settle for anything less than a monitor that will display ALL DTV formats: from 480p/i, 720 p/i and 1080i lines. Be sure to look at the picture. How does it look to your eye. Don't be fooled with numbers. Also be sure that you see all the types of inputs. You want to see what over-the-air looks like as well as the DVD which the store most likely has connected to the set.
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