The Clicker: DLP TVs!
posted March 17th 2005 4:36PM
Each week Stephen Speicher contributes The Clicker, a weekly column on television and technology:
I'm not one to primp or preen. I haven't partaken in the metrosexual boom. Well… with the exception of that one
Mystic Tan, but really how could I be expected to pass up the promise of an instant deep-golden tan? All this
down-to-earth-ness and yet I live in a home with nearly one million mirrors! Am I vain? Nope. I just loves me my
DLP!
DLP is one of those technologies that's incredibly simple in concept and yet nearly unbelievable in practice. Here's
how it works:
At the heart of every one-chip DLP projector is a Digital Micromirror Device (DMD). The DMD is chip that holds a
rectangular array (one per pixel) of tiny hinge-mounted mirrors each approximately 15 microns square (or about one
fifth the width of a strand of hair). Each of these mirrors is designed to tilt into one of two positions: either
towards the lens or away from the lens. If the mirror is tilted towards the lens, the pixel is white. If the mirror is
tilted away from the lens, the pixel is black. It's simple, right?
I hear what you’re saying: what about grays? Here’s where is starts to get interesting. Because it’s a mirror, it
can’t actually produce grays. Instead, it relies on its ability to switch on and off really quickly (about one thousand
times per second!). Let’s say, for instance, that you want to produce a medium gray. The mirror would simply pulse
between on and off. As such, it would allow about half as much light to pass to the lens. Your brain would then do the
rest. By using this technique (binary pulsewidth modulation), DLPs can achieve over a thousand levels of gray.
You want more? You want color? Darn you’re picky. That’s OK. DLPs can also do color (or colour for those of you across
the pond). Here is where the color wheel comes into play. Much like the lighting gels that theaters have been using for
decades, the DLP’s color wheel tints the light that is being delivered to the DMD. Here’s where it starts to get really
cool. That color wheel is always spinning and alternating between different color gels. This spinning and coloring is
done in unison with the DMD determining when to tilt a mirror towards the lens. Yeah – that sounded way too
complicated. An example is in order.
Let’s look at the previous example of grey. In that example we were assuming that the light was white. Suppose on the
other hand that we wanted to produce a purple of medium darkness. In that case the DMD still needs to tilt the mirror
towards the lens half of the time. However, now it also needs to be careful when it’s doing so. It will only tilt the
mirror towards the lens when the light is being colored red or blue. So a short sequence of light bursts might look
like:
OFF BLUE OFF RED OFF BLUE OFF, etc.
Your mind then blends that series into something it understands; in our case, that’s purple.
Q: I’ve heard about something called the “Rainbow Effect” with DLPs. What is that?
A: The whole concept behind the DLP projectors is to trick people into thinking that they’re seeing a color. The
problem is that not everyone is tricked. While the majority of the population will average the bursts of color into one
color, that isn’t always the case. Some people’s eyes are aware of the color wheel. Ergo, they see the same “rainbow”
of colors that the color wheel is using to color the light. Now, it should be noted that modern DLP projectors do a
much better job than early projectors, and seeing “rainbows” is much less common these days.
Q: Why DLP over other technologies?
A: There are two main reasons why people buy DLPs over other technologies such as plasma or LCD. First, they don’t
wear out. DLP projectors can’t suffer from burn-in and there is nothing to fade or wear out. The picture from a two
year old DLP Television (with a new bulb) will look exactly like the day you brought it home. Second, there is no
screen-door effect*. The mirrors on the DMD are very close together. This means that more of the screen is used to
display content.
Q: What’s next week column going to be about?
A: Good question! Beats me – I just finished this one.
Like always, feel free to drop me a line with comments or suggestions at
theclicker@theevilempire.com. Until next week, save my seat!
*The screen door effect is where each pixel is surrounded by unused space. This can make the picture look a little
like you’re watching through screen windows.
DLP is great when there is a chip for each color, but consumer sets only have one chip for all colors. A color wheel is used to project the three colors on the single chip. It's cheaper, but it can cause a rainbow effect, and the colors are not individually adjustable. I notice the biggest problem getting accurate reds. LCDs may not be quite as bright, but I think the color is better.
don't LCDs also have no burn in and replaceable bulbs?
Excellent article. And the supplied picture is pure sex. Is that an official Samsung sound system?
Nice simple explanation.
One nit however... You say they don't wear out, but then you mention a 'new light bulb'. Sounds like it does wear out.
How much does a new light bulb cost and how often does it need to be replaced?
New light bulbs cost a *lot* - typically in the $300 range. For rear projection TVs they can last as long as 8000 hours (much better than front projectors).
LCDs (I assume you mean projection systems) fade over time (quite dramatically) whereas DLP setups do not. I don't know about burn-in on LCD projectors.
Uhhhh Dead Pixels? If one servo motor on one pixel dies, then, that sucks. Regardless of if the light goes (easily replacable), if your mirrors can't move, ouch. What's the MTBF on those little mirrors?
"Each week Stephen Speicher contributes The Clicker, a weekly column on television and technology"
So, how often do these columns come out?
Plasma screens and LCD's have the benefit of no moving parts. I worry about all those mirrors pivoting on physical hinges a 1000x per second. Mechanical breakdown seems inevitable.
Spending $300 to replace a bulb isn't all that much considering it's a $3k tv. Replacing the tubes in a CRT-based RPTV is generally at least $700-800, if not more, so it's again quite the bargain, in the context of large screen TV maintenance. How often you need to replace depends on how much you watch. Generally every 2-3 years, if I recall correctly.
LCDs can burn in, although it is a lot slower a process than with other technologies, and as mentioned, they fade over time, and can suffer the screen door effect. As I understand it, with a DLP, pop in a new bulb and you have a new set. (Eventually, the motor spinning the color wheel will need replacing too, but that takes a long time and is not a very expensive part, from what I've heard.)
About the only thing DLP has going for it is $COST$.
DLP, LCD and Plasma all fade over time, but only the DLP can be completely recovered by changing the $300 bulb. Plasma and LCD are alot like old fashioned CRT projectors in that once they get dim, you replace the whole thing.
Side-by-side, DLP has the worst picture of the bunch, hands down. The brightness, contrast and color saturation of DLP are significantly worse than in competing technologies. DLP's "rainbow effect" is much worse the "screen door effect" in an LCD or plasma. DO NOT get a DLP if you are prone to migraines.
If you absolutely must have a fancy new thin big screen hdtv to keep up with your neighbors, and you can't afford a good plasma, then you should look at DLP. You really do get a better picture for your money with a direct-view CRT, but they are big and heavy and not as cool as all these fancy new LCDLPlasmas.
"here are two main reasons why people buy DLPs over other technologies such as plasma or LCD. First, they don’t wear out. DLP projectors can’t suffer from burn-in and there is nothing to fade or wear out. The picture from a two year old DLP Television (with a new bulb) will look exactly like the day you brought it home."
are their plasma projectors? i assumed he was talking about flat panels.
So, it sounds like you will need to replace a $300 lightbulb a couple times during the lifetime of the display. New plasmas have a 60,000hr half-life. In terms of wearing out, I think the new plasmas are better off.
I have also heard that the new plasmas have a similar burn-in to that of CRT's. So burn-in is not that big of an issue anymore (although still something a plasma owner needs to be aware of).
We have a 43" Samsung DLP projection HDTV that's about a year and a half old - the picture is superior to any LCD or plasma I've seen in a store. It also has none of the problems that a non-DLP projection has... the black is great, the viewing angle is excellent, etc. And DLP is so much cheaper! Best TVs to buy, IMO.
First of all, DLP has traditionally had better contrast ratios than LCD. LCD has recently caught up however.
New DLP machines do not exhibit any rainbow effect because they have speeded up the colour wheels. I've never seen any rainbows on my DLP projector, that's for sure (and before you ask, I am prone to migraines).
As for DLP having the worst picture - well, go to a high-end AV store and check out their fanciest demo rooms with *big* screens to see what they're using. Chances are it'll be DLP front-projection. Triple-panel DLP quite simply kicks ass. Me, I've got a single-panel, but it still looks great (and having a 10'+ high-definition picture isn't too bad, either).
Speaking from across the water, I work in retail and can honestly put my hand on my heart and say that DLP is the only technology I would invest my own hard earned money in. I have only seen three faulty DLP's, as apposed to god knows how many plasmas. Each one had a problem with dust clogging up the fan. I would not touch a plasma, for the simple fact that there is not a single model that is completely free of "motion blur". Just be careful to do your research before parting with your cash, there are a few different versions of the DLP chip, with each newer version upgrading on the last.
I don't assume he meant LCD projection systems, I assume he meant LCD flat panels, a la plasma displays. LCDs are not susceptible to burn in, though if you really abuse it you could get a retained pixel charge.
Great article. You totally sold me on DLP even if the bulbs are expensive(I'd hope they last a while). The ability to replace the bulbs allows you to easily refresh the picture quality. It looks like that sound system is a Samsung. What's the tower next to the TV?
The annoying thing about DLPs is that like all projection TVs, they take a bit to warm up. Anyone who has a DLP projection have a ballpark figure on how long they take from power on to image?
I really, really want to like DLPs. I think the tech is really slick, and in a darkened room, I think they look just great. I've heard they do well in rooms with ambient light too, but even on the showroom floors, which are purposely fairly dim, plasmas always seem much brighter, sharper, and more saturated. Anyone else think so, or are my eyes just stupid? ;)
Can anyone suggest a good site or two that gives good reviews/comparisons for LDP projectors and what to look for when buying one? Thanks!
I used to have a Samsung 56" DLP set and it took about 10 minutes to fully warm up.
A good site you ask? Welcome to your new addiction... www.avsforum.com. ALL the information and then some. The king of all forums.
The thing that makes me dismiss DLP is the viewing angle. People always say it's good but then I go to the store and I notice the image gets noticably dimmer the more off center you are. I HATE THAT!!!
I hope this is not going to be classed as the "Best" TV technology. Sony has started to release its 1920x1080 SXRD (LCOS) RPTVs. From end user comments over at AVSFORUMS there is nothing on the market that can match them in image quality (both colour range & black levels) They also don't suffer from "burn-in", screen door effect & rainbows.
I do hope Stephen will review these devices!
#8 Rarely have I see a Plasma or LCD that has a better picture than my DLP. I know this for a fact because I spent about an hour looking at them side by side. Plasma and LCD are no prize winners hen it comes to contrast by the way. They still can't touch a CRT.
The only one's that had an edge were the really high end sets that cost about $10,000. In which case the difference is so slight, I'll keep the extra $8,000 in my pocket :).
As far as viewing angle, I get 160 degrees with my Samsung. There's a little shift, but hey, for a little more than $2k, I get a great picture, and it's 220lbs lighter and takes up 1/3 the space of my 40" Wega... What a monster!
LCOS may be the best technology but if you take into account many factors such as price, weight, calibration, etc. DLP is still one of the best out there.
oh, and it's spelled "colour" in Canada too. not just across the pond!
imo, dlp is far superior to any other tech on a cost/performance basis. The only thing that seems close or better is lcos. If they ever figure out how to mass produce lcos, I could definitely see myself going with that.
Say what you want about rainbows, it only affects a small percentage of humans. And newer wheels have largely solved even that. Of course, if your one of the people that sees rainbows, your still stuck. But dismissing dlp because of rainbows is like dismissing scissors because left-handed people have a tough time with them.
For someone that asked, it takes my sammy dlp about 20-30 seconds to startup. A little annoying, but not that bad considering it takes about 10-15 sec. for my receiver to warm up.
Oh and I actually got a stuck pixel on my dlp. Samsung sent an engineer to check it out and ended up replacing the tv. Of course, it was one of the first sets in the US, and I haven't had any problems since, so I'm thinking it was a freak occurence.
Isn't DMD a MEMs device? If so then it can certainly withstand high modulations without sufferering mechanical breakdown. The only problems with the chip itself is having the mirrors "stuck" in one position (kind of analogous to dead/stuck pixels on LCDs and plasmas) or getting dust particles on the mirror. It's truly an amazing technology... 20 years or so in the making, with a million mirrors having the ability to operate independently of one another while the color wheel is spinning. The guys at TI said they would not have developed DMDs if they knew how long it would take. At about $100 a pop, one must wonder how much money television manufactures are making from the sets.
#16:
Sony's 60 inch DLP RPTV takes 30-35 seconds to warm up, according to CNet's review. Nothing to worry about.
#23, I was going to ask if anyone has gotten a "stuck pixel", but I guess you did. I assume it's because one or more mirrors stop moving. Is this an inherent problem with this kind of system?
sony doesn't make dlps number #25.
Here is an intersting note. I work at a large electronics store in Michigan and we sell a great selection of micro-display tvs (DLP, LCD, and LCoS) and the most returned larger tv we sell are the Samsung DLP's.
Yes I know it is a great technoledgy and all but we get a lot returned. It is to the point were I will not sell them. The problems range from the most popular of flickering picture to loud fans to bad pictures. People just do not like them at all.
Last month I sold about $120,000 worth of TVs for my company and I would have to say less then $5,000 was Samsung TV's. These tvs cost my company more to sell them then it is worth. I have had one customer that is on his 5th "Sammy" in 4 months.
DLP...In my world...they are revolving doors...just keep coming back.
P.S. We have 1 LG DLP...same story as the samsungs.
For those of you that care what the picture actually looks like, you're better off with a modern plasma display than one of these.
#28 - When I was researching a new TV, I found tons of customer reviews and posts on message boards about people's problems with DLP TV's. The majority of the problems came down to poor or no power filtering. The technology falters when a dirty electical signal is fed to the TV. I found from my research that people who used a good power filter never had any of the problems that a lot of people were complaining about. When I went to the store to look at DLP's, the salesperson had the 46" Sammy I was interested in and he said that I absolutely needed to filter the power to the set for the same reasons. I have had mine for 3 months now and couldn't be happier with the quality of it.
FYI, when turning it on it takes about 10-15 seconds for the picture to come on and another 10-15 seconds for the picture to warm up to a bright image.
#27 Taken off of some lecture notes: "Major failure mechanisms are surface contamination and 'hinge memory' caused by metal creep. Mean time between failure is more than 100,000h."
#16 - I've got a 46" and a 52" Samsung DLP RP set at home and they take about 10 seconds to give a picture worth looking at, and another minute or two before it looks "normal". At 2-5 minutes (depending on the ambient temp in the room), it's fully warmed up.
Replacement cost for a bulb assembly is $250, per Samsung's replacement parts order form included with the set.
And for those of you bashing DLP - please cite specific examples of *why* you don't like DLP. Saying it sucks doesn't make it so. I currently own 4 display types (direct-view CRT, RP CRT, RP DLP, and direct-view LCD) and have immediate access to a 5th (plasma). I can say, without hesitation, that I *prefer* DLP over all the others. While the others might be better at one or two specific things than DLP, none of them are better in all areas.
That being said, I suffer from the aforementioned rainbow effect with DLP. It's not terrible, and is only really bad when there's something of high contrast on the screen (i.e.: a white section against a black section). This is a purely subjective condition, and others may not even notice it at all. You'll have to view a DLP set before you'll know if it's a problem for you. Other display types do not exhibit this behavior.
I see the rainbow effect. Try waving your hand in front of your eyes with your fingers spread while looking at a DLP display and you'll see it.
If you want a cheap HDTV display with superior quality, the best choice is Direct-view CRTs. The color, brightness, black levels, all look great and it lasts for a very long time. I wouldn't even consider getting a projection tv until LCOS comes down in price.
I have had a DLP front projector (Infocus X1) for about two years. For most people who see rainbows, the brain quickly acclimates itself and after a few weeks or month, rainbows disappear for almost everyone.
Another important point is that for direct-view CRT, LCD and plasma, you are actually looking at the light source. With projectors, especially front projectors, you are looking at a reflection of the light source.
In effect, the difference is between watching TV (direct view) and going to a cinema (reflected light). Since I watch almost exclusively DVDs, the choice was simple for me.
i work in electronics retail...
hilarious...DLP picture better than plasmas? i believe you need some major eye surgery! HANDS DOWN...plasmas still have superior contrast ratio...superior color...superior viewing angles...and superior brightness...than almost all DLP's out there.
still worried about burn in? the "right" plasmas (philips, panasonic, sony...etc.) all have anti-burn-in circuits...which protect against this...the only way to burn in those plasmas is to leave a BRIGHT logo on the screen for HOURS on end
and its true CRT technology (while heavy) still has better picture quality than DLP
plasma prices have come down a LOT...now its about like this: 42in. plasma is about 1000 dollars more than a nice 50 inch DLP
I also work retail at an electronics store, and I must admit the DLP technology is very nice. However, I'll have to agree with the LCOS advocates: it is one of the brightest screens with the richest colors we currently sell. Olevia, of all companies, has a 50" LCOS for around 2700 (if I remember correctly). LCOS also has the advantage of the best resolutions when connected to a computer via DVI. (1400x1050, btw)
I've been debating on getting a DLP, and someone sent me this link to talk me out of it:
http://www.avdeals.com/classroom/LCD_tv%20_versus_plasma_tv.htm
It says the DLP pretty much isn't worth it after factoring the high operating costs. Any views on this article? I'm a bit weary of it because it was made by a company selling TVs themselves.
The main reason for me to buy a TV using new technology would be the size/depth ratio. Having a 42" to 50" TV at only a few inches of depth hagning on the wall would be great.
Most of the DLPs I have seen in that size are anywhere between 12"-24" thick and just can not be hung on the wall! LCD and Plasma TVs are much thinner than that.
When you factor in the bulb at $300.00 a piece every 5000-8000 hours (average of 3 years of normal TV usage) into the pruchase price and life of the product, those Plasma and LCD TVs look much better to my wallet!
I've been debating on getting a DLP, and someone sent me this link to talk me out of it:
http://www.avdeals.com/classroom/LCD_tv%20_versus_plasma_tv.htm
It says the DLP pretty much isn't worth it after factoring the high operating costs. Any views on this article? I'm a bit weary of it because it was made by a company selling TVs themselves.
Before I bought my new Pioneer Elite Pro 52" Plasma I did extensive research on all the sets that offered Cable Card slots... and I for one still see the rainbow problem on even the newest DLP sets... I know it is something that only a few of us have a problem with but it is still there for some of us.
This has been a very interesting series... look forward to the next installment
I may be revealing my cultural ignorance here, but I still don't get why this column is called "The Clicker." Televisions don't click, and I've never heard one called a "clicker."
DLPs kick ass. I've got a 61" Panasonic and it dominates virtually any TV I have ever seen. It's got the newest chip so there's none of that rainbow stuff. While I agree that plasmas may offer a slightly better picture quality, the massive price difference I would have paid for a quality plasma at a 61" size wouldn't have been worth it. Projection LCD still isn't up to par, and LCD panel would have been 3-4 times expensive.
don't forget, in store TVs usually have brightness and contrast maxed out. LCDs and plasmas probably have higher max brightness than a DLP, but you usually have to bring down the brightness a lot when calibrating for best picture quality. After calibration DLPs should match the brightness of a LCD or plasma. LCOS and DLPs coming out soon will support native 1080p resolution. I'm not sure if any plasmas support this, there are a couple LCDs, but you have to rob a bank or 2 to pay for them. This is a nice feature to have as the next generation of HD DVDs will probably support 1080p. Those $2000 plasmas don't came anywhere close to that res. A true 1080p native res screen has 5x the pixels of a EDTV plasma.
41: it's common slang to call the TV Remote a "channel clicker" or "clicker".
Some of you might like to know that the Samsung setup in the article is known informally as the "Captain Kirk"...and I love my Sammy 50 inch DLP, and it's almost paid for, too...I would never be able to afford that size screen in a decent plasma (probably 2X my $3000 investment). So while you you really picky ones save up for 2 years for that big plasma, I will have been watching Hi-def that whole time. And as for hanging plasma on the wall, don't forget to include someone wacking great holes in the wall to hide the wiring, plus an electrician to run an outlet to that hole (to code) into your cost calculations...
I don't understand the erections over high-priced technology when less expensive models are 98.6% as good. I have a 51" Sony CRT rear projection HDTV (KP51WS520) that has an incredible picture. I found it online for $1,400 with only $35 shipping, and no tax from out of state.
The picture is EXTREMELY crisp for HD broadcasts, DVDs, Xbox, whatever I throw at it. It does 1080i AND 720p, most plasmas and DLPs can do one or the other.
Why pay literally THOUSANDS more for possibly a 1% improvement? You think that extra money feeds the 12 year olds that do the assembly in China or Mexico? TVs are not an item that appreciates in value, I'll pick up a plasma or DLP or LCOS when the price drops WAY down. Use the extra cash now for something else. Or, God forbid, actually SAVE money for another day.
i didn't know that people actually got ERECTIONS Over "high-priced" technology...but there ARE people who DO have money and are willing to spend it to get a TV that is thin and bright...simple as that...it's a question of need and resources.
and currently no other technology...i repeat>>>no other technology can surpass ( they may come close) the overall picture quality of a plasma. i don't care if you calibrate a DLP or LCD till kingdom come...but even a NON-calibrated plasma will still give you the BEST viewing angle, overall brightness, and contrast ratios...after calibration...the plasma picture quality is basically completely unmatchable.
if you think that "most" plasmas and DLP's cannot do BOTH 1080i and 720p then you are sorely mistaken...panasonic, sony, and philips plasmas all do these resolutions and more.
I won't comment in my official capacity (some of you see me post here with my company name from time to time) but I will give my personal expert opinion.
DLP offers the best blacks over LCD or Plasma.
It offers great contrast.
The Rainbow effect happens-but with most of today's latest DLP's, you will barely notice it.
The refresh rate of DLP is better than LCD & Plasma.
As far as the bulbs? My friend bought an extended warranty for his Mitsubishi (I normally don't recommend them) that COVERS the bulb. If the bulb goes over the 5 years, he will get a replacement free. He is paying far less than the cost of one bulb for the coverage.
The price of DLP bulbs is coming down fast due to greater demand.
Until LCoS is viable, DLP is probably the best choice if you are okay with about 16 inch depth television.
If you must have a flat panel, then it's a toss-up between LCD (lasts longer) and Plasma (better picture typically).