DLP or LCD Rear Projection?

Anything but SONY!

Depends on what you are looking for. Unquestionably more technically exciting and less bulky, these two new rear-projection TV displays all share a number of advantages over CRTs, but they are also more expensive. The biggest advantage is that they never need convergence alignment so are essentially maintenance-free, except for the projector bulb. Both use a fairly expensive user-replaceable projector bulb as the light source, which is claimed to last from 3,000 up to 8,000 hours. Replacement cost varies between $300 and $500, depending on the brand of the set. DLP sets produce a very bright, sharp picture viewable in normal room light, with excellent black levels, almost the equal of a CRT set. So far, in my judgment, the best-looking DLP displays are from Samsung. Prices begin at about $3,000 or less for a 46-inch DLP RPTV. DLP sets use a Texas Instruments 1280x720-pixel chip that yields excellent HD clarity. With DLP rear-projection sets, the picture tends to get noticeably dimmer at extreme viewing angles (this does not occur with DLP front projectors). And about 20% of viewers see ???rainbow effects??� with DLP sets???streaks of color when they move their eyes quickly while looking at the screen, although newer sets with faster color wheels are said to be essentially free of these effects. LCD rear-projection sets are also getting very good indeed, especially the LCD RPTVs from Sony (the Grand WEGA sets) and Hitachi, with black levels much better than in the past and close to that of DLP sets. HD resolution and sharpness is comparable to DLP, even better with some sets, with perhaps a bit less overall contrast than DLP. Like DLP, no convergence or maintenance is required, except for bulb replacement. Lifespan of DLP and LCD RPTVs is unknown, as the technology is too new, although in theory they should last at least as long as a typical CRT RPTV.