5 VIDEO DISPLAY OPTIONS

There are basically five video display options for today's home theaters. Generally, speaking video displays

1. Direct View Television: direct view television sets are standard televisions, seen everywhere from sports bars to your Aunt Helen's house, that use cathode-ray tubes (CRT) to create an image. Direct view televisions are perfectly suitable for home theater purposes; however, a 27" screen (measured diagonally across the screen) is generally considered the starting point for home theaters. Given the importance of quality in home theater, it is also important to buy a high-definition television (HDTV) or high-definition compatible or upgradeable television.

2. Rear Projection Television: rear projection televisions, which project an image using mirrors onto the screen, have come a long way in recent years. Rear projection televisions offer the advantage of size over the direct view television (uncustomized models are available up to 80") but may not provide the same great image quality.

3. Front Projectors: front projectors offer the best in terms of image size and quality. Front projectors are located in front of a film screen, projecting an image directly onto the screen. There are several types of front projection technology available to the home theater owner; however, projectors using Digital Light Processing (DLP) technology, such as SharpVision and InFocus, provide brighter and lower maintenance solutions than CRT projectors.

4. LCDs (Liquid Crystal Displays): Some of the most recent innovations to hit the market have been centered on LCD technology. Once relegated to the world of watches and computer screens, LCD technology has been used to design several HD compatible midsize televisions and is likely to be a high area of concentration for manufactures in the future.

5. Plasma: plasma televisions are a favorite for the modern, design-conscious home theater owner who may be unwilling or unable to commit an entire room to a theater. As plasma technology matures, price breaks are making the higher resolution plasma televisions increasingly popular.
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