| Rear Projection Television - An Affordable Option | | | | particular if the unit makes use of a screen-saver (a |
| A great deal of consumer appeal for Rear Projection | | | | clear protective material that covers the fragile screen |
| TV systems arise out of the shear simplicity that this | | | | itself). Glare can seriously degrade the picture quality. |
| product offers as an immediate solution to getting a | | | | The only real solution is to take away the offending |
| bigger TV. | | | | light source; in some cases the situation can improve if |
| No mess, no fuss, if you have the space, either visit | | | | one removes the screen-saver - BUT remember that |
| your local big screen retailer - or better still, check at | | | | an unprotected screen is fragile and expensive to |
| your favorite online electronics superstore - to order | | | | replace if damaged. |
| your product and get it delivered in just a few days; | | | | Floor-space: |
| unpack the product and there you have a big screen | | | | Any rear projection TV is literally a large box with a |
| TV in your living room ready for immediate use! | | | | relatively large footprint. It is true that modern slim-type |
| Rear Projection TV Facts: | | | | models do exist that are no more than 15 to 18 inches |
| As already stated, rear projection offers a most | | | | in depth - depending on the screen size, yet the |
| immediate solution to getting a bigger TV. Probably, this | | | | cheaper CRT-based rear projection TV sets will stand |
| is also one of the main drivers behind rear projection | | | | out by at least 24 to even 30 inches to allow for the |
| television sales. | | | | necessary air-space between the back of the unit and |
| Yet the real 'culprit' behind the popularity of rear | | | | the wall. |
| projection TV systems does not arise out of some | | | | |
| particular benefit associated with rear projection, but | | | | Remember to take this into your calculations when |
| out of the fact that most big screen retailers seem to | | | | planning your home theater as these two feet or so |
| give the impression that rear projection systems are | | | | will have to be deducted from your available viewing |
| cheaper than a front projection setup. | | | | distance. |
| This may be true in retail stores, but not necessary so | | | | Rear Projection TV Speakers: |
| when buying online. The reality is that for a given | | | | Forget all about them! Do not give any weighting to the |
| budget level, prices online are such that front | | | | speaker system coming with your rear projection unit. |
| projectors will deliver a much more cinema-like | | | | You would not be using them as you will surely want |
| experience for the same price bracket. Therefore, do | | | | to replace these with your dedicated home theater |
| not base your decision on price alone to decide | | | | surround receiver speaker system. |
| between a front projection setup and a rear projection | | | | Do not even think of using the build-in speakers of your |
| TV box. | | | | rear television set as a center channel replacement. |
| Clearly, there is a market for both - the primary | | | | They will just interfere with the sound coming out of |
| decisive factor should be your room size. If you don't | | | | your dedicated system - hence do not pay anything |
| have a large viewing room, a 40" to 60" diagonal TV | | | | extra for this as you will surely be switching off your |
| will probably be more than adequate rendering a rear | | | | TV sound completely during a movie show. |
| projection TV the ideal affordable solution - as long as | | | | Aspect ratios: |
| it fits in the available space. | | | | We have already mentioned a number of limitations |
| Size - or rather unit depth - is becoming less of a | | | | associated with rear projection television, yet in |
| problem with modern LCD and DLP rear projection | | | | comparison, these are just minor issues. The real |
| TV units. A typical 52" diagonal widescreen DLP or | | | | serious limitation with a rear projection TV is aspect |
| LCD rear projection TV set requires no more than | | | | ratio management. |
| 15-inches in depth; this contrasts heavily with a similar | | | | This is the trickiest of it all. Standard television comes |
| size CRT rear projection model which would normally | | | | only in 4:3 but rear projection TV systems come in |
| require between 22 and 24 inches in depth. | | | | both standard 4:3, and in the 16:9 widescreen format. |
| What's more, considering that a similar size Plasma TV | | | | Once you choose your format however, you have to |
| is still out of reach of most average household | | | | live with it - so once again, you have to choose wisely. |
| budgets, today's slim-styled LCD and DLP rear | | | | The 4:3 (1.33) or 16:9 (1.78) referred to as the aspect |
| projection TV sets, with their lower prices yet high | | | | ratio, is the ratio of the screen width with respect to |
| performance, are becoming the affordable 'immediate' | | | | the height of the image. All standard non-HDTV |
| big screen TV option in the television mass-market. | | | | material is in the 4:3 format while most modern films |
| However prior to committing yourself to a rear | | | | come in one of the many widescreen formats - the |
| projection TV, it is important to be fully aware of a | | | | most common being the 2.35, which in itself is not |
| few limitations associated with rear projection | | | | compatible with any of the fixed aspect ratio TV |
| systems, namely: limited screen size, limited viewing | | | | systems. |
| angle, glare problems, poor aspect ratio management, | | | | There are various ways to deal with this - including: |
| poor use of floor-space, etc. | | | | - Image stretching to fill the available screen. |
| We take a look at each of these limitations in further | | | | - Use of black or gray bars on top and bottom of a |
| detail below: | | | | 4:3 screen to show the movie in its correct aspect |
| Screen size: | | | | ratio as originally filmed, but then the effective film |
| Rear projection TV systems come in screen sizes | | | | display will be smaller. |
| ranging from typical 42" up to a maximum of just over | | | | - Pan and scan editing where only the most important |
| 70". This may or may not be a limitation. It is true that | | | | portion of each frame is shown with the rest being |
| you can get a 100" projection with a home theater | | | | discarded. |
| projector for the price of a high quality digital 50" rear | | | | Image stretching and horizontal bars can be extremely |
| projection TV, yet the screen size should be | | | | irritating while in the 'pan and scan' you are giving up |
| dimensioned to suit your room. If your room size does | | | | film information to have a full screen view. Worst of all, |
| not support such big projections, rear projection is | | | | prolonged use of horizontal bars - especially black bars |
| probably the way to go. | | | | - leads to tube burn-out in CRT based systems at |
| Viewing angles: | | | | huge costs to you. |
| Rear projection TV systems used to have a rather | | | | The incompatibility between screen formats renders |
| limited viewing angle - with the optimum viewing | | | | the decision on aspect ratio a rather complicated issue |
| position being one directly in front of and eye-level with | | | | when choosing a rear projection TV set. Surely, there |
| the unit. Move away to either side, and color, contrast, | | | | is no such dilemma with a front projection setup, but if |
| and brightness will degrade substantially. A narrow | | | | your only way forward is rear projection, then you will |
| viewing angle will limit the number of people who can | | | | have to choose wisely. |
| watch the set due the lowering in picture quality at the | | | | Here no one can help you in your decision - it is simply |
| extreme viewing angles. Most modern systems | | | | a matter of preference. The best way to decide on |
| support a viewing angle of circa 150 degrees - which | | | | aspect ratio is by first determining what you will be |
| should be adequate for normal home theater use. | | | | viewing most. |
| However, it is always best to check on this prior to | | | | Making the Choice: |
| your purchase as some products are worse than | | | | Surely, there is a market for both front and rear |
| others. | | | | projection TVs - it is all a question of knowing what |
| Reflections: | | | | are the advantages and limitations of each with |
| It is common that any light source at a complementary | | | | respect to your specific needs. |
| angle to your viewing-angle will result in glare - in | | | | |