Big Screen Televisions

Looking for a big screen tv for the big game, blockbuster movie release or hot new video game?

There are many choices when it comes to big screen televisions for the home theater ranging from flat screen televisions such as LCD televisions or Plasma televisions to rear projection televisions such as DLP televisions to front projection televisions.  For a truly immersive home theater experience a home theater television should be a widescreen television with a screen size of 40 inches or more. 

Several years ago there was little choice in television technology.  The choice was pretty much limited to CRT technology (cathode ray tube).  One of the biggest drawbacks of these bulky tvs is the sheer size of the sets.  With a depth of about 30 inches, these big screen televisions took up a significant amount of space in the home.  A big advantage of today's digital big screen television technologies are their slimmer size.

When television shopping keep in mind that nearly all televisions will be widescreen (16:9 aspect ratio) capable of displaying high definition content at 720p, 1080i or 1080p.  Check out High Definition Television (HDTV) for more information. 

Many of todays leading electronics manufacturers such as Sharp, Mitsubishi, Hitatchi, Philips, Panasonic and Sony have widescreen, flat screen television Plasma or LCD models available. 

Plasma HDTV

These flat screen televisions are able to produce stunning picture quality and also be aestetically pleasing by being able to be hung on the wall.  A plasma television is able to produce a high quality image by a technology that utilizes gas cells.  Lets face it, chances are you are concerned about how the picture looks and probably about how much it costs, but could care less about the specifics of how it works, so for the time being we will save the technical aspects and inner workings of how the tv is able to produce such an incredible picture for another time.  Plasma televisions can produce image quality that is hard to beat.  It can produce darker blacks and its picture has a depth to it that almost gives it a 3D feel.   

The most popular plasma screen sizes are 42" and 50" along with models in the 60"+ range.  Todays plasma televisions range in price from around $1000 for a 42" model to about $2500 for some of the more popular 50" models, while a 60"+ is typically around $6000 on up.  If you are really looking to splurge and will not be satisfied with anything but the best, why not spring for the world's largest plasma, the 103" from Panasonic which was on display at the latest Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.  You can get this tv for a bargain price of about $70,000.

Some of todays more popular plasmas to consider are from Panasonic and Pioneer.  Philips, Hitatchi and Samsung all have popular lines as well.

Check out our Panasonic 1080p Plasma TV review.

Check out our Pioneer Plasma TV review.

LCD HDTV

In the past, this technology was known for laptop and computer monitor screens.  In recent years LCDs have become a popular flat screen television choice, especially in the 40" and under flat screen market.  LCD quality has been improving dramatically and prices have dropped drastically of late.  These screens are often time the favorite choice for computer users and gamers because of high resolution and because of the fear of burn in from competing technologies such as Plasma.  Although plasmas have recently shown great strides in eliminating burn in, to the point where it is almost a non-factor.  LCDs are generally perceived to be brighter and thus are good for use in bright areas.  When shopping for televisions in bright retail showrooms it is not uncommon for LCDs to stand out and get your attention because of their crisp, bright picture.

LCD's are a natural choice for flat screens at 40" and under and prices for these flat screen tvs can be $500 or less.  Prices on the 40" - 50" range are anywhere from $1500 - $3000.  Larger LCD's really jump in price on models larger then this.  

Some of the popular LCD's to consider are the Sony Bravia line, the Sharp Aquos line along with flat screens from Samsung and Westinghouse.

Check out our Samsung LCD tvs review.

Check out our Sharp Aquos LCD review.

Rear projection (DLP/Lcos/LCD)

Another option is a rear projection television.  DLP televisions are another popular choice which produce a stunning picture through tiny mirrors color wheel.  These rear projection tvs, like their crt rear projection counter parts, are capable of large screen images of up to 60 inches or more, however they are much slimmer then the crt based tvs with a typical width of between 15 - 20 inches and some models as small as 7 inches.  The DLP is also recognized for it's smooth picture and accurate color reproduction.  Other popular rear projection televisions include Lcos projection televisions which are included in Sony's popular SXFD rear projection HDTVs.  Sony also makes an LCD rear projection television.

DLP's and rear projection tv's can range in price from around $1500 for a 50" model$ to $3000 and on up for 60"+ models. 

Popular rear projection models to consider are DLPs from Samsung, Toshiba and Mitsubishi.  Another very popular line is Sony's KDS line utilizing Lcos technology (or SXRD as Sony calls it).  

HDTV Projectors

To get the largest picture possible you will need to get a front projector.  Projectors are best able to reproduce the feeling of being at the movie theater because of there ability to produce images of 100 inches or more.  To be able to enjoy the movies or video games on a projector though you will need to be able to control the amount of light in the room and you will need to have a room large enough to maintain an optimum distance from the screen.  It is also important to have a high quality screen to view the image on.

Projectors can range in price from just under $1000 for a reasonable 720p projector to many thousands of dollars for the ultimate projector. 

Check out the high definition projector section for a wealth of information dedicated to home theater projectors.  

The Choice is Yours

So which technology is best for you?  The technology has improved rapidly over the past few years.  In the early days you had to take into account off some of the trade offs such as picture burn in for plasmas, to low quality black levels and dead pixels in LCDs to the Rainbow effects of DLP.  Each technology has been able to make vast improvements in these areas while also lowering the prices, both of which benefit you and I the consumers. 

The right choice is up for debate.  There are good options available in each technology.  Is 1080p a necessity for you or are you satisfied with 720p/1080i?  For the largest screen size you could go with a projector, unless you have the means to spend the equivalent of the cost of a Ferrari on the Panasonic 103" Plasma.  For screen sizes of 50"+ you may want to consider a plasma, DLP or other rear projection model or a front projector to truly immerse yourself in a theater environment.  If you want a flat screen that you can hang on the wall then you should consider plasma or LCD.  LCD is also a popular choice for those in well lit areas and for those used predominantly for video games.  Most of the new digital televisions described above are capable of producing vibrant colors and crisp cinematic picture quality, especially with Hi-def content.  It is certainly an exciting time to be in the market for a new big screen, widescreen HD television.   

Once you choose your new flat panel check out the Flat Screen TV Wall Mount page for instructions on how to wall mount your new tv.