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Thursday, November 21, 2002

By Don Lindich

Question: I am thinking about purchasing a home theater system and have checked Home Theater magazine for its recommendations. It seems that there is a dispute over whether the new plasma tube big screens are preferable over the front-projection systems such as Runco's. It seems that both systems are in the same price range. But which would have the best quality or value in the long run?

-- Larry Lorenzi

Answer: This is an easy question to answer. Front projection systems using a projector and a separate screen are still considered to be the king of the home theater world, and for good reason. Not only does a video projection system best resemble the film projection of an actual theater, the combination of large image size and picture quality can be absolutely stunning.

I have seen front projection systems projecting HDTV on a 100-inch diagonal screen and it is truly a sight to behold. It looks so real, you feel like you can walk into the screen. You will find most home theater magazines have a strong preference for front projection systems. If you haven't seen HDTV on a quality front projection system, do yourself a favor and find a retailer who has one set up and see for yourself. When you compare it to the plasma set, I don't think you will have a problem making a decision.

Front projectors make special demands on their users. Besides the considerable room size required, they also perform best in a room that can be totally darkened. This limits their appeal for many users. Though the popular LCD and DLP (Digital Light Projection) projectors don't absolutely require professional installation the way the large red/green/blue tube CRT models do, they certainly benefit from it, and this may be an additional expense depending on who you buy your projector from. If you have the money and the room for it, though, front projection provides the best viewing experience available.

Plasma television is an interesting technology, but it is not quite mature yet. They certainly look neat hanging on the wall like a picture, but I have yet to see a plasma display that can match the picture quality of any of the other television types -- direct view (tube), rear projection or front projection.

There also is the issue of life span. Currently, most manufacturers rate their plasma sets as having an expected life span of 20,000 hours. If you watch a lot of TV, you could be looking at a very expensive set dying in 10 or fewer years. With an LCD or DLP front projector, you will need to replace the lamp occasionally, but the projector should be an investment that will pay off for a long, long time.

Q. We are in the market for a new TV. We can buy a 36-inch TV for the same cost of a 32-inch flat screen. Which would you recommend? I think the flat screen has a much better picture. Should I definitely go with HDTV above all? We are about 15 feet from the television and we watch DVDs and cable television.

-- Maria Fox

A. For non-HDTV televisions, a good viewing distance is at least three times the diagonal of the viewing screen. This is the minimum distance where the TV's scanning lines will not be visible. For your viewing situation with the TV 15 feet away, this would be a 60-inch screen. That suggests to me a 36-inch set would be a better choice for you. I'd recommend a compromise -- a good non-HDTV flat tube television.

Have questions about audio, video, computers or photography, or need some help using and enjoying what you already own? Don Lindich welcomes your questions and will be answering them in this column. E-mail him at don@multimediaanswers.com.