Projection TV Full Story

All projection TVs now include an ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) compatible digital tuner. That means that these TVs will be future-proof when the FCC turns off the analog bandwidth in 2009. An integrated digital tuner means you'll still be able to get over-the-air TV with an antenna when broadcasting officially switches from analog to digital. If you get your TV through cable or satellite, the tuner issue really doesn't affect you, since cable and satellite signals are delivered in a totally different manner.

TVs equipped with a digital tuner need just an antenna to receive digital signals over the air. For cable subscribers, if the digital tuner is QAM capable, you will also be able to watch non-premium, unscrambled HDTV and other digital channels. (QAM, which stands for quadrature amplitude modulation, is the transmission scheme most cable companies use to distribute digital TV signals.) For premium programming, most people will still need a cable box.

All current rear-projection TVs have full 1080p resolution, but DLP uses a little technological trickery to get there. LCD and plasma TVs with 1080p resolution have all two million physical pixels normally required to achieve a resolution of 1920 x 1080. However, 1080p DLP sets use a technique called "wobulation" to create that resolution. The heart of the process is a Texas Instruments DMD (Digital Micromirror Device) chip that has fewer actual pixels. Each pixel (which is actually a microscopic mirror) interacts with a larger, rapidly oscillating mirror to increase the apparent resolution. While initially skeptical, reviews say the technology works very well, especially at typical viewing distances.

Best rear-projection TVs

We saw the best professional and user feedback for Samsung's latest rear-projection TVs, particularly the 61-inch Samsung HL61A750 (*Est. $1,850). That TV, which is part of Samsung's Series 7 line of DLP projection televisions, replaces the single standard lamp in other DLP RPTVs with three LED lights instead. The advantage is longer lamp life -- around 60,000 hours according to Samsung; contrast that with the lifetime of the lamps used in normal DLP projectors, which are rated at around 3,000 hours. Also, since the TV uses fast-cycling colored LEDs in place of DLP's slower traditional lamp and color wheel, rainbows are largely suppressed (though there are reports that those most sensitive might still occasionally see them).

Everyone who's reviewed the Samsung HL61A750 has come away impressed, but no one more so than CNet.com's Kevin Miller. Miller loves both the picture quality and the relative value, even though he adds that the Samsung HL61A750 is expensive for a rear-projection television. CNet is so taken with the RPTV that they name it an Editors' Choice. It's not only the top-ranked RPTV, but it ranks highly on the site's list of all HDTVs using any technology.

Picture quality for the Samsung projection TV is excellent. Miller notes that only minor user adjustment is needed for the set to deliver extremely accurate color. If you are the type who likes to fiddle with picture settings, critics like Chris Chiarella of BigPictureBigSound.com are impressed with the Samsung HL61A750's "enhanced level of tweakability." Black levels are solid and, if your viewing area is well light-controlled, can be made even better by dialing down the LED backlight's brightness. Chiarella says that he found the picture a little soft, but adds that things look better with higher-quality inputs, such as from a Blu-ray player. Like most projection TVs, off-angle viewing isn't great -- the picture looks better in front of the TV than from the extreme sides. Sound quality is merely adequate, but most users will want to pair the Samsung HL61A750 with a home theater audio system to get the maximum impact that the projection TV can deliver.

The Samsung HL61A750 isn't overly feature-rich, but has a few tricks up its sleeve. Like many current DLP RPTVs, the HL61A750 has the ability to display images in 3D. To do so, you need a kit that includes special glasses and software such as the DDD 3-D Single User Pack (*est. $150), as well as a reasonably powerful PC with a video card that has a DVI output. No special content is needed, and you are able to watch 2D DVDs or other videos, play 2D games and more in 3D (though special 3D drivers might be needed for some games). There's also a USB input for playing music or viewing photos and a single-tuner PIP (picture-in-picture) function. If you want an even bigger screen, the set is available in a 67-inch model as the Samsung HL67A750 .

If you have a smaller budget, Samsung's Series 6 DLP projection TVs have gotten a smattering of positive professional and user feedback. ConsumerGuide.com gives the 56-inch Samsung HL56A650 (*Est. $1,400) a nice rating, saying that it's "a set that will turn heads -- both for the picture, and the price." User feedback at BestBuy.com and Amazon.com isn't overly abundant, but taken together paint a picture that shows that most are happy with the Samsung projection TV.

Unlike the Series 7 sets, this Series 6 TV uses a standard DLP light engine with a lamp and spinning wheel instead of LED light. Because of that, it might not be the best choice for those few who can see the rainbow effect. Otherwise, features and capabilities are very similar (though there's no PIP) and picture quality is excellent. ConsumerGuide.com describes the image quality as "bright with colors that are both clear and lifelike." Black levels are described as "above adequate."

At just under 13.5 inches deep, the Samsung HL56A650 is certainly deeper than a flat-panel LCD or plasma set, and it can't be hung on a wall. However, price-wise, it's impossible to get a 1080p flat screen anywhere near this size at anywhere near this price. Other sets in the series include the 50-inch Samsung HL50A650 , 61-inch Samsung HL61A650 (*Est. $1,500) and 72-inch Samsung HL72A650 (*Est. $2,380).

Mitsubishi is the only other current maker of projection TVs. However, as of this update, very few of the company's rear-projection sets have been professionally reviewed. In addition, user opinions are too sparse -- and too mixed -- to be useful.

The one exception is the 65-inch Mitsubishi WD-65735 (*Est. $1,570). That TV is part of Mitsubishi's least expensive line of DLP RPTVs. CNet's Kevin Miller compliments the TV for its value and great black level. However, he is less than smitten with the picture quality. Miller complains of colors that are inaccurate, and there are too few user controls to do anything about it. Image softness is another strike, in his eyes. He compares the Mitsubishi rear-projection TV directly to the Samsung HL61A750 and says simply that in terms of picture quality, "the slightly larger and slightly less expensive Mitsubishi has a hard time keeping up."