Rear Projection TV Reviews

Many are predicting the demise of rear projection as prices of large-screen LCD and plasma TVs continue with their fast downward trend. It is only natural therefore that those in the market for a big screen TV ask if rear projection is still the way to go.

We therefore thought of expressing our opinion on this issue before proceeding with our rear projection TV reviews.

Market analysts are predicting that this would probably be the last year for rear projection HDTVs. Truly unfortunate if this were to happen as rear projection has still a lot to offer in terms of picture quality without breaking one's bank account.

OK... this hold true as long as you would not opt for Mitsubishi latest laser powered 65-inch rear projection HDTV, the Mitsubishi LaserVue L65A90! The LaserVue is selling at a price that is in line with Panasonic TH-65PZ850U 65-inch premium plasma HDTV.

But according to a rear projection TV review published on hdguru.com, the L65-A90 is capable of delivering superior overall performance. In other words, according to HDGuru, this expensive rear projection HDTV is capable of delivering more for the screen size with respect to other display technologies.

It remains a fact however that despite the latest developments in rear projection technology associated with laser and LED powered light engines, one cannot but admit that with major brands like Sony, Panasonic, Hitachi, Toshiba and Philips out of the rear projection TV market, rear projection is approaching the end of the line.

This means that for those looking for a large screen rear projection HDTV, the only remaining brands are Samsung and Mitsubishi. Admittedly, these two TV giants are delivering rear projection HDTVs whose picture performance is among the best, irrespective of technology.

Sets like the 61-inch Samsung HL61A750 with its LED light technology  - available at amazon for around $1,500, and the standard lamp-based Mitsubishi 65-inch WD-65735 DLP TV - available at $1,400, are among the best sellers within the rear projection TV category. This is all thanks to their exceptional picture performance, extensive feature set, and best overall performance to price deal.

Still... does it really make sense to opt for a dying-breed technology?

First of all, we believe that the present recession may very well help rear projection survive longer than expected. At these difficult times, a larger number of those in the market for a 60-inch plus big screen TV are ready to give up the slim advantage of flat panel TVs in favor of the slightly bulkier but more affordable rear projection HDTVs. For the informed buyer with a limited budget, this is the best way to go especially when considering the exceptional picture performance of present-day rear projection televisions.

As we would further explain in this rear projection TV review article, it is possible to enjoy a 60-inch premium rear projection HDTV from a top brand like Samsung or Mitsubishi for the price of a 46-inch LCD HDTV!

Interesting to note here Samsung's press announcement during the release of its present DLP rear projection TV line and during which Samsung commented that they are committed to remaining a leader in the DLP space with a strong investment in product development.' In other words, this TV giant intends to remain in the rear projection TV business for the years to come.

Similarly, Mitsubishi latest investment in its LaserVue laser-based rear projection HDTV line seems to impart the same message to the industry.

But even if these two giants were to exist the rear projection TV space within a year or two, experience shows that major brands have always continued to provide support to customers for their archived products.

In other words... As long as major rear projection TV makers are still in the game, there is no reason why you should not consider a large rear projection HDTV as an inexpensive option to a big-screen premium-quality HDTV.

We say 'premium quality' because many things have changed since the days when the 'big box TV' was the supreme king in home entertainment.

In particular, rear projection TVs have got slimmer, making floor space requirements less of an issue. The latest slim line Series 6 and Series 7 1080p HDTVs in the 2008 Samsung DLP TV lineup start at 12.7-inches in depth for the 50-inch HL50A650, while Samsung top-seller in the 2008 lineup, the  61-inch HL61A750 Samsung LED DLP TV referred to above, is just 14.4-inches deep. This is also in line with the latest Mitsubishi WD-735 series of products; for example, the Mitsubishi 60-inch WD-60735 is also 14.4 inches in depth. And to top it all, the latest Mitsubishi L65A90 65-Inch LaserVue Rear Projection HDTV is no more than 10-inch deep - making wall-mounting a truly possible option.

But rear projection TVs did not only get slimmer. Developments in digital projection technology have also led to brighter, larger, and sharper images.

Furthermore, the latest use of LED light technology to replace the traditional lamp color wheel set-up in DLP HDTVs as in the case of Samsung LED DLP TVs, has led to rear projection HDTVs that are capable of exceptional picture performance, with deep blacks, accurate colors, significantly lower power consumption, faster startup times, and equally important, extended lifetime of the LED light pack. Samsung is quoting 60,000hrs for its third generation LED rear projection TV sets. This would result in a lower cost of ownership as these sets would not require any lamp changes for the whole duration of their expected lifetime. This contrasts heavily with standard lamp-based DLPs which require expensive lamp replacement every few thousand hours.

As most rear projection TV reviews have shown, the possibility that the viewer will ever experience the famous rainbow effect - so much peculiar with lamp-based RPTVs - is non-existent with Samsung LED DLPs and Mitsubishi LaserVue HDTVs.

Yet there is even more to rear projection TVs... The use of wobulation techniques in DLP RPTVs to generate the 1080p image from a 960 x 1080 pixel imager chip, has an added benefit over 1080p plasma and LCD display panels. Wobulation in rear projection TVs helps create a more film-like image with no apparent pixel breakup than that possible with plasmas and LCDs.

And as if this is not enough, all premium rear projection TVs released during this last year are 3-D enabled. This feature makes it possible for the viewer to enjoy 3-D games, movies, and other programming using DLP® HDTV 3-D format (when used with 3D compatible LCD shutter glasses and relevant hardware). In fact, both Samsung Series 6 and Series 7, as well as Mitsubishi Series WD-735, WD-736, Diamond Series 835, and Mitsubishi LaserVue, come as 3-D HD ready.

This does not mean that rear projection is the perfect display technology; it has its disadvantageous as well. Apart from their slightly bulkier size, RPTVs lose brightness and picture fidelity when seen from off-angle. But then, this is the same as flat-panel LCDs; to a certain extent, the latest very expensive LED LCD TVs with local-dimming technology from both Sony and Samsung suffer even more from this issue. Rear projection TVs also tend to suffer from picture geometry errors and brightness uniformity especially as one moves away from the center. However, as most rear projection TV reviews show, these picture quality issues are just subtle and are more than overcome by the general solid picture performance thanks to their deep level of black and very accurate color.

This is apart from the extensive feature set normally found on today rear projection HDTVs that is typical of premium plasma and LCDs, and the big savings in respect to flat panel TVs especially as one moves towards the 65-inch screen sizes.

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Rear Projection TV Reviews Roundup

Rear projection TV sets start at about 50-inch diagonal though the only product we are aware of at this screen size is the 50-inch Samsung HL50A650, this in view that the price advantage of rear projection HDTVs becomes significant mainly as one moves towards the 60-inch plus category.

Most common sizes in RPTVs vary between 60-inch and 67-inch, though 70-inch plus RPTVs are also readily available. The largest and most popular rear projection DLP available today is the 73-inch Mitsubishi WD-73736 1080p HDTV; this is presently selling at amazon for under $2,000.  It is within these sizes that rear projection TV manufactures are pushing to take advantage of the price difference over alternative display technology.

All rear projection HDTVs come with a native display resolution of 1080p. It is true that the hot spec of the moment is 1080p HDTV, but when it comes to rear projection televisions, 1080p is not just a matter of trend. 1080p HDTV was made for the big screen and a rear-projector TV is a great way to enjoy it.

Rear Projection vs. Plasma HDTVs

Price-wise, the 50-inch Samsung HL50A650 rear projection 1080p HDTV would set you back by about $1,000. This is basically in line with entry-level 50-inch plasma HDTVs. However, an equivalent 50-inch premium plasma HDTV from the same TV maker, namely the Samsung PN50A550 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV retails for about $500 more.

This price difference gets more pronounced as one starts approaching the really big screen sizes. Samsung popular 61-inch HL61A650 slim-line DLP is selling at $1,100 while Samsung best-selling top-of-the-line LED DLP, the 61-inch Samsung HL61A750 is selling at amazon for around $1,450. In contrast, the slightly smaller Samsung PN58A550 58-inch 1080p plasma HDTV is selling at $2000. And you will have to pay even more on 2009 equivalents; the new Samsung PN58B550 plasma HDTV is selling at amazon for $2,200. And this price difference would shoot upwards as you cross the 60-inch border; the 63-inch PN63A650 Samsung plasma TV is presently selling at close to $3,300.

It is therefore more than obvious that at these prices, if you are after a large-screen TV, rear projection gives you the biggest screen size for your money.

This does not mean that a rear projection TV purchase may be taken lightly; in monetary terms, these large screen HDTVs still represent a substantial portion of any home theater budget. We therefore hope that you will find the rear projection TV reviews featured under this section of some assistance during your selection process.

Rear Projection TV Choice: Samsung vs. Mitsubishi

When it comes to rear projection TV, it is either Samsung or Mitsubishi. At present, both TV makers have a rather reduced lineup. Samsung lineup for 2007 consisted of 17 models while that for 2008 covered just 7 models ranging in size from 50-inch to 72-inch. And this now seems to have been further reduced to five with the largest in the lineup being the giant 72-inch HL-72A650 model. The 50-inch and 56-inch version originally present in the 2008 lineup appears to have been removed from the present Samsung lineup of rear projection TVs for the simple reason that at these smaller screen sizes, the price difference between an equivalent plasma HDTV and a rear projection TV does not provide enough incentive for consumers to opt for rear projection.

Mitsubishi lineup offers a bit more of a choice with 10 lamp-based sets apart from the 65-inch LaserVue model already referred to in our introduction.

Samsung DLP TV Sets

Samsung is surely the top TV maker in the world - irrespective of display technology and has always been innovative and a leader in the field with sets offering a comprehensive array of features and connectivity options, affordability, and excellent picture performance.

The latest line of Samsung DLP HDTVs is no exception. These sets are extremely popular with many home theater enthusiasts and have so far gained lot of positive consumer feedback in many rear projection TV reviews posted on major retail sites.

Samsung present lineup comprises three series: Series 5, Series 6, and Series 7. As will all 1080p DLP rear projection TVs, Samsung RPTV sets use the Texas Instrument 0.65" Dark Chip Digital Light Processor chip as the microdisplay imager. These DMD chips come with a 960 x 1080 micro-mirrors and use a pixel-shifting technique based on an optical actuator to offset (wobulate) the image by ½ pixel 120 times a second to create the 1920 x 1080, 1080p 60Hz image.

Series 5 is Samsung entry-line and covers just one rear projection TV, the 67-inch 1080p HL67A510. This set comes almost with the same specification set as the step-up Series 6 lamp-based rear projection TVs and the real significant difference is the slightly reduced feature set and a somewhat deeper profile than Series 6 and Series 7 HDTVs. Mind you, at 17.8 inches, it is just a bit deeper but is still relatively slim for a rear projection TV of this screen size.

Samsung Series 6 DLP HDTVs continues to build up on Samsung 2007 lineup. In particular, with respect to 3D-HD support. Series 6 comprises four DLP HDTVs: the 50-inch Samsung HL50A650, the 56-inch HL56A650, the 61-inch HL61A650, and the 72-inch HL-72A650. Update: According to Samsung official US site, the 50-inch and 56-inch models are no longer being featured as part of this series; instead, Series 6 DLPs covers the 61-inch and 72-inch sizes only.

Housed in a slim cabinet, the new Series 6 DLP HDTVs feature a narrow bezel and hidden speakers with a rather aesthetically pleasing design. These sets also include extended connectivity - including Samsung's Wiselink USB2.0 port and three HDMI Ver. 1.3 with CEC support.

While indications are that present Samsung DLP HDTVs use the same TI DarkChip 3 as used 2007 lineups, yet, rear projection TV reviews published on various sites seem to agree on that fact that present lineup (brought forward from 2008), performs much better thanks to an improved light engine and an improved mirror system. The new sets also come with a better analog and digital tuner and a much stronger and slightly deeper chassis that corrects many geometry issues caused by the UltraSlim 2007 design. On the other hand, the present lineup lacks the second RF input found on 2007 models and the second S-Video port. Also, the supplied remote is no longer a universal remote. But picture-wise, the present Series 6 sets perform much better.

Samsung quotes a 2500:1 contrast ratio for the Series 6 when that for 2007 and the rest of the 2008 lineup is 10,000:1. We believe this is a misprint in Samsung's literature. Apart from the fact that all Samsung DLP TVs use the same TI DLP chip, rear projection TV reviews published elsewhere confirm that the new Series 6 HDTVs outperforms last year lineup. Even more interesting is that many of these rear projection TV reviews also seem to point that Series 6 Samsung HDTVs outperform present lamp-based Mitsubishi rear projection TVs despite that Mitsubishi RPTVs use the newer TI Dark Chip 4.

But there again, as we say in our article 'The Contrast Ratio Game - Playing with Numbers', contrast alone does not make the picture, and in the end, what matters are not the big numbers but the overall picture performance.

Samsung Series 7 LED DLP HDTVs represent Samsung flagship rear pro series. It comprises two models, the 61-inch HL61A750 and the 67-inch HL67A750. The Series 7 represents the third generation of Samsung LED DLP TVs. It continues once again to build up on the already successful 2007 line of 3D-ready HL-T87S LED DLP HDTVs we reviewed on our site last year.

Samsung’s Series 7 LED DLP HDTVs new Cinema Pure™ Color Engine is powered by the long-lasting Generation 2.4 LED light source; it is rated at 60,000hrs - which means that you do not need any lamp replacement for the expected lifetime of the HDTV.

But there is even more. The new Samsung LED light source is based on the latest PhlatLight™ LEDs by Luminus Device Inc. It is capable of 40% improved brightness - even at the larger 67-inch size, and uses 230W; that's almost half the power requirements of a typical 60-inch plasma HDTV.

Other features include a wider color gamut support, a restricted one tuner PIP function, Simplay HDMI compliance, a new Remote with specially designed 'hot keys', a new user interface and menu system for a simplified total system convenience experience, and Wiselink 2.0 with support for MP3 and JPEG files.

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Note: A detailed rear projection TV review of the Samsung Series 7 LED DLP HDTVs is available on our site here.

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Mitsubishi Rear Projection TVs

WD-60735 60-inch 1080p DLP HDTV Mitsubishi Best-selling Rear Pro HDTV

Mitsubishi is the TV maker that has come up with the widest range of rear projection models - 11 in total - their LaserVue L65A90, and 10 lamp-based sets starting with Mitsubishi entry-level C8 series, and topping up with the Series 835 Diamond range of rear projection TVs. Screen sizes covered include 60-inch, 65-inch, and 73-inch. Furthermore, all models irrespective of series come in a slim cabinet and are characterized by an ultra slim bezel.

Finish is glossy black with a platinum black metallic accent on all models except the Diamond series which come with a pleasing blue accent design.

The C8 Series is Mitsubishi entry-level line; it comprises three models - the 60-inch WD-60C8, the 65-inch WD-65C8, and the 73-inch WD-73C8. These sets come with a reduced feature set but are still 3D-ready and come with a full set of connections - including 3 HDMI inputs and a USB port.

Next in line is the popular 735 Series pictured above. It also comprises three models - the 60-inch WD-60735, the 65-inch WD-65735, and the 73-inch WD-73735.

Main step-up features over the entry line include xvYCC support for a wider color space, Mitsubishi exclusive - DeepColor technology - aimed at maximizing high definition color performance by creating smoother transitions between different shades, and Mitsubishi's Easy-Connect. The latter helps make connectivity through the set numerous inputs, a straightforward process by simplifying set-up and day-to-day use.

Mitsubishi premium line is the WD-736 Series. It covers two models, the 65-inch WD-65736 and the 73-inch WD-65736. These sets come with a number of enhancements over the 735 series - including an extra HDMI for a total of four inputs, Mitsubishi DeepField Imager which helps improve the set brightness and contrast on the fly, and NetCommand - a feature designed to help you control all connected AV devices through a single remote thanks to a library of preprogrammed codes and a learning function.

Mitsubishi top-of-the-line in lamp-based sets is the Diamond WD-835 Series, with its 65-inch WD-65835 and the 73-inch WD-73835 sets. As expected, this flagship lamp-based series comes with a never ending list of features.

Main enhancements over the premium line include Smooth 120Hz - designed to help remove motion blur and improve motion performance, SharpEdge to enhance the image edges for a crisper, sharper image, Dark Detailer - designed to help improve contrast on the fly, and Perfect Tint - another Mitsubishi exclusive that provides the user with the ability to adjust the tint of the six basic colors in the set light-engine, independently of each other and separately for every input.

Performance wise, Mitsubishi lamp-based rear projection HDTVs are generally solid performers though they tend to be slightly more expensive than the competition.

Still, they provide plenty of screen for your money, come with a compact aesthetically pleasing styling, numerous features, and equally numerous connectivity.

However, the few rear projection TV reviews available on major sites - while commending the Mitsubishi deep level of blacks, often complain about the color accuracy of these rear projection HDTVs. In particular, Cnet in their rear projection TV review of the WD-65735 stated that its picture quality does not match that of the competition (Samsung).

On the other hand, the flagship line, the WD-835 Diamond Series, appears to score much better especially when it comes to consumer feedback. Customers tend to be extremely satisfied with the performance of these sets - in particular once properly calibrated with an appropriate set-up disc.

Mitsubishi LaserVue Rear Projection HDTV:

The LaserVue L65A90 65-Inch Rear Projection HDTV represents Mitsubishi top-of-the-line 1080p rear projection HDTV. The LaserVue started shipping only in late October 2008 and represents the latest in rear projection technology. A 73-inch version is also scheduled for release later this year. The Mitsubishi LaserVue uses three separate lasers as its primary light source - sort of similar to Samsung LED-based rear projection HDTVs. But the use of lasers has brought about a number of enhancements in the overall performance.

According to a hands-on review by HD expert Gary Merson/HDGuru, the Mitsubishi LaserVue delivers one of brightest images around  - even brighter than the brightest LCDs, while still achieving a jet black screen during a 0 IRE black screen test. Color reproduction is excellent by any display technology standard, with a color gamut that far exceeds that of Rec. 709 HDTV standard. And overall picture performance is more in line with top displays from Pioneer Kuro Elite plasmas than any other premier rear projection HDTV.

Furthermore, Mitsubishi claims that the LaserVue - at around 135W of total power requirements - consumes only one fourth the power plasma TVs require and one third the energy LCD sets need - despite a significantly brighter screen than either Plasma and LCDs.

Other than this, the Mitsubishi L65A90 comes with an almost identical feature set to the Mitsubishi Diamond WD-835 lamp-based RPTVs.

But...

There is only one real problem with the Mitsubishi LaserVue, and this is its price tag. At $7,000, this is one of the most expensive HDTVs around - irrespective of display technology. But those lucky few who can afford it, will surely be getting a big screen HDTV that can deliver superior picture performance - one that according to HDGuru, 'rates in the stratosphere of top displays, specifically the Pioneer Kuro Elite plasmas, the LED backlit Samsung 950 LCDs and the 65” Panasonic Premiere TH-65VX100'.

Interesting is that the HDGuru is rating the Mitsubishi LaserVue performance on par with that of the Panasonic TH-65VX100. The TH-65VX100 represents Panasonic premier plasma designed specifically for the custom installation market, and sells for around $12,000! In other words, while it is true that the Mitsubishi LaserVue is expensive, yet its level of performance compares favorably with that of even more expensive HDTVs.