“The DLP Television”

DLP (Digital Light Processing) is yet another technology that was introduced by Texas Instruments sometime in 1980s. It is named for its ability to process light digitally with the aid of an optical semiconductor called a DMD (Digital Micromirror Device) chip. The DMD chip is comprised of over one million mirrors. The size of each mirror is less than the width of a human hair. Currently, over fifty manufacturers produce at least one model of a DLP television. That said and done, what is DLP technology anyway? Just Like the digital video cameras aka camcorders, DLP devices come in either one or three-chip models. One-chip DLP systems use a projection lamp to pass white light through a color wheel that sends red-green-blue colors to the DMD chip in a sequential order to create an image on-screen. Only one DMD chip is used to process the primary RGB colours. The three chip DLP systems use a projection lamp to send white light through a prism, which creates separate red, green, and blue light beams. Each beam is sent to their respective red, green, and blue DMD chip to process the image for display on-screen. One chip models are said to produce a display of over 16 million colours. Three chip models can produce a display of over 35 trillion colours. The majority of consumers are able to purchase a one chip DLP system, there is no problem with that since DLP technology has the ability to display images in great detail. On the other hand, the three chip DLP systems are for high end users who need to display images onto a larger screen, like in a movie theatre or in the stadium. The cost of a DLP television or home theatre system cost is rather high. Price varies with the model and manufacturer. Generally, DLP televisions cost from US$1,500 upwards. They are usually priced less than LCD or Plasma screens of the same size. DLP projectors cost anywhere from US$1,000 to US$10,000 or even higher. The DLP televisions vary in size with screen sizes ranging from 44” to 65”, with many weighing between 30Kg to 100kg. The screen width for DLPs ranges between 7”and 22”, however most models can be found with a thickness of 15” -20”. Good features to have are HD-compatibility, a DVI or HDMI connection and HDCP. Features like parental controls, user-friendly menu systems, and audio quality are also good to own. Many DLP televisions are made with a digital cable card slot, which eliminates the need for a set-top box to receive cable if your provider offers that service. Most or all DLP televisions with cable card slots feature a built-in HD-tuner that decodes HD signals without the need of an additional receiver or set-top box. Regardless, a built-in tuner is a nice option to have whether or not the TV has a cable card slot. How does DLP compare LCD, LCOS, and Plasma? It is safe to argue that DLP offers the best picture of the four ‘high-end’ television types. Of all the technologies, LCOS is probably the closest to DLP, but the future for LCOS is shaky so the comparison is somewhat moot at this time. Many people feel LCD has a brighter picture, and Plasma has a reputation as being the mother of televisions. Aside from walking into an electronics store and comparing the pictures of various models side-by-side, how do you know what picture is best for you? The bottom line is you don’t. If you’re in the market for a new television, it’s important to know your options. Research is vital in purchasing something as expensive as a DLP television. You can learn about various types of televisions by visiting consumer electronics stores, or going to a manufacturer’s website. The important thing to understand is that, the choice is yours. When it comes to TV and video equipment - nobody can force you to buy anything any time at any price. eddie@afrowebs.com