The technology behind DLP TVs has actually been around for a
few yaers now, but only recently has it started to really
come into it's own. DLP stands for Digital Light Processing,
and suffice it to say that the way it produces a screen image
is a perfect match for the HDTV standard that will soon become
the accepted method of television broadcasting.
If you haven't heard much yet about DLP TVs, you will soon. But
here are some of the advantages to their design:
1. They are great in brightly lit rooms. Because they use a
reflective technology to produce the screen image, a DLP screen
is less affected by ambient light than many other monitors. It
can also produce a picture that has more contrast because it
can produce deeper blacks than for instance, LCD TVs.
2. DLP TVs boast a very high refresh rate. The refresh rate
is how often the screen is redrawn each second. The faster
the refresh rate, the easier you eye can put the images displayed
into a seamless picture in your mind. What this means for you is
that if you like to watch sports or play fast action video games,
the screen will appear smoother and more realistic with a DLP TV
because of it's fast refresh rate.
3. DLP monitors are usually compatible with almost any video
source that you want to connect them to. They can even be used
as a computer monitor too. Just be sure that a DLP monitor has
all of the necessary connections present to be mated with the
video sources that you intend to use.
There are however a few disadvantages to DLP TVs that you should
be aware of too:
1. DLP screens can be viewed from a fairly wide angle from the
center of the television with no problem, but they absolutely
must be viewed at eye level for the best picture as the
brightness of the picture falls off rapidly when viewed either
above or below eye level. This can restrict where you place them
for best viewing position in your room and should be a point
taken into consideration before purchase.
2. Although the DLP monitor itself can last almost forever, the
light source that produces the image only has an average lifespan
of about 10,000 hours. That is of course, still a lot of TV
viewing time, but if you have your TV on for several hours a day
be aware that the clock is ticking on the light bulb and when you
do replace it, you may be spending over $200 for a replacement.
All in all, DLP monitors represent a great advancement in the
field of television viewing though, and the technology is being
rapidly accepted and improved on. But as with any TV purchase it
is best to actually demo a particular model in person before
ordering it online if you choose to do so.
Article written by Jim Johnson. |
