March 2, 2006 When the TV Picture Runs to Triple Digits By ERIC A. TAUB NY Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/02/technology/circuits/02basics.html?pagewanted=print When it comes to watching television, it seems bigger is always better. So why settle for a pipsqueak 50-inch plasma television or one of those modestly sized 65-inch rear projection TV's when you can get something truly gigantic? A growing number of consumers are taking a look at front projection video systems, units that transmit an image onto a screen much like a slide projector. Front projectors can create images 110 inches and greater in size. Couple this with a surround-sound system and, unless you like commercials and chattering seatmates, you may never want to go to the movie theater again. Front video projectors have long been used in offices to show PowerPoint presentations, and are found in the screening rooms of the rich and famous. But with prices now starting at less than $1,000, they are becoming affordable for more people. The market for this home entertainment technology, though still modest, is growing fast. Just 18,000 front video projectors were sold for home use in 2001, but sales jumped to 306,000 in 2005, and are expected to grow to 452,000 this year, according to Quixel Research, a video research firm in Portland, Ore. That remains a tiny fraction of the 34 million televisions sold each year in the United States. Front projectors range in price from $900 to $250,000. Major manufacturers include Epson, InFocus, Panasonic, Runco, Sharp, SIM2 and Sony. The projectors can be mounted on the ceiling or placed on a table and stored in a closet when not in use. But because they require a dark room to produce the best picture, their appeal has been limited. "Our research shows that people do not want to put up a screen and close their curtains," said Tamaryn Pratt, the principal owner of Quixel Research. "Front projection becomes interesting when it's an immersive experience, but that's not how people watch TV." Brian Carskadon, the consumer products manager for the InFocus Corporation, a video projector manufacturer, said, "You don't use a front projection TV to catch the weather." In fact, for regular television programming, many projector owners often switch on a standard, smaller set. But the sheer size of the front projection image can improve the experience when watching television is an event like viewing a movie or the Olympics and it does so for the least amount of money per square inch. Here are some points to consider if you're contemplating a private theater: A FRONT PROJECTOR IS NOT A TV Most front video projectors simply project the image. You will still need to hook up the DVD player and a cable box or satellite box to the projector and add the sound system. If you plan to hang the projector from the ceiling and want to use it to watch broadcast television, make sure that the cable or satellite connections can reach the unit. Placing the unit on a table may be more convenient for linking it to the other components. ED OR HD? Some front projectors display true high-definition images in the 1080p format. While HD models can be found for around $2,000, high-end models can be costly. The Sony VPL-VW100 high-definition projector sells for $10,000. Sharp will introduce a 1080p model, the XV-Z20000, this fall, but the price has not been set. To keep costs down, some front projectors take high-definition signals and reduce the resolution to the equivalent of a DVD, commonly called enhanced definition, or ED. While this has enabled some manufacturers to sell front projectors priced around $1,000, picture quality is diminished, which becomes especially noticeable at larger image sizes. "If you are installing a home theater and your picture is the showpiece, then saving $800 by buying an enhanced-definition projector is doing an injustice," said Claudio Ciacci, the electronics testing project leader for Consumer Reports. Not all ED projectors can even accommodate high-definition signals. The Epson MovieMate 25, which sells for $1,200 and was the best-selling front projector during the fourth quarter of 2005, combines a DVD player and surround-sound system in one box. But its inputs accept only standard-definition broadcast television signals. Other models that can display images in the ED 480p format include the IN72 from InFocus, $1,300; the CL-410 from Runco, $3,495; and the DT-100 from Sharp, $1,300. D.L.P., L.C.D. OR LCOS? Today's front projectors use microdisplay technologies rather than three standard cathode ray tubes to produce a picture. This enables manufacturers to shrink the size of their units considerably. Deciding which technology to purchase D.L.P., L.C.D., or LCoS often comes down to a matter of personal preference. L.C.D., or liquid-crystal display, technology uses no moving parts. D.L.P., or digital light processing, uses a spinning color wheel; some viewers, however, see rainbow-like streaks in the image. D.L.P. projectors are said to be able to produce higher contrast, but projectors using L.C.D. chips can more easily shift the image away from the horizontal plane, so the projector doesn't need to be placed squarely in front of the screen. LCoS, or liquid crystal on silicon, a version of L.C.D. technology, is used by companies like Sony in high-end models. Compared to L.C.D., LCoS pixels are closer to each other, producing a smoother image and eliminating the screen door effect (a grid pattern on the screen) generated by L.C.D. projection. Mr. Ciacci of Consumer Reports said there was no consensus on which technology was best. BRIGHT, BUT NOT TOO BRIGHT Front projectors made for office use create a very bright image, so that conference participants can easily see PowerPoint presentations in a room with fluorescent lights. In video projectors made for home entertainment, brightness is reduced to enhance contrast, allowing more shades of gray and deep blacks. But too little brightness can make the images hard to see. Ms. Pratt and others suggest purchasing a projector that produces a brightness level of at least 1,000 ANSI lumens. Runco's top model, the SC-1, offers a minimum of 9,000 ANSI lumens. With its high light output, the unit is capable of producing theater-size images up to 40 feet wide. HOW BIG A PICTURE? Front video projectors can produce images from as small as 40 inches to those rivaling the size of a movie theater screen. The optimal image size depends on several factors, including the brightness output, the projector's resolution and whether you are watching standard or high-definition programming. (Projector manufacturers generally provide recommended image sizes.) Many models include zoom lenses, allowing users to increase the image size without physically moving the unit. And Web-based calculators, like the one found at www.infocus.com/ProjectionCalculator.aspx, can be used to determine how far a projector needs to be from the screen to achieve a certain image size. DON'T FORGET THE SCREEN Manufacturers claim that front video projectors work in dimly lighted rooms, but the best images are produced when the room is completely darkened, just like a movie theater. But few viewers are eager to stumble around in the dark to grab some popcorn in their own homes. To maximize image quality in less-than-ideal conditions, a proper screen is necessary. Projecting onto a white wall is an option, but unless the wall has been painted to provide the proper reflectivity, the image will appear washed out, with inaccurate colors. Modern screens now come in shades of gray, allowing the material to absorb light in the dark scenes, increasing contrast. Screens are rated by "gain," the amount of light they reflect. Brighter rooms need higher gain screens to make the image more visible. Most new screens roll into compact tubes. But if you are planning to store the screen in a closet, remember that even a relatively small 80-inch diagonal model is more than seven feet tall in its case. ================================ George Antunes, Political Science Dept University of Houston; Houston, TX 77204 Voice: 713-743-3923 Fax: 713-743-3927 antunes at uh dot edu Reply with a "Thank you" if you liked this post. _____________________________ MEDIANEWS mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
