I want to set-up a home theatre in my shed, what would be the best option, DLP or LCD?

Question

The shed can be kept quite dark, with the roller doors down, and a black curtain over the window, and I do have a 70" wide screen. There are alot of models out there, and I have a price range of about au $1000, give or take.

I would use this mainly for music DVD's, kids DVD's, TV, so would like a pretty good picture.

Answer 1

First, you need to decide whether you want a microdisplay (also known as a rear-projection set) or a flat panel, such as a plasma or LCD TV. There are three basic types of microdisplays: LCD (liquid-crystal display), DLP (digital light processing), and LCoS (liquid crystal on silicon).

Microdisplays are thinner and lighter than the CRT rear-projection sets that are still kicking around, but for the most part, you still can't hang a microdisplay on the wall. By contrast, you can easily hang a plasma or LCD TV on the wall, but they are not widely available in very large sizes, and they cost significantly more, inch for inch. Each type of microdisplay has its pros and cons, but they all use a lamp that needs to be replaced every few years, so that shouldn't be a factor.

The rainbow effect you mention has been an issue specifically with DLP rear-projection sets, which use a color wheel to create red, green, and blue. Some viewers can see streaks of color on DLP TVs, especially when moving their eyes across the screen. Newer and faster color wheels, however, have significantly reduced the rainbow effect, and most people never see it at all. Furthermore, DLP has some performance advantages over competing technologies, including the deepest black levels of any projection technology (though LCD is coming on strong) and a 1,280x720-native-resolution chip that shows every pixel of 720p HDTV, resulting in a very sharp picture with high-definition sources.

As far as plasma TVs go, that danger of burn-in has been greatly exaggerated. Burn-in occurs when a relatively static image such as a stock ticker, a network logo, or a letterbox bar gets etched permanently onto the screen. The potential for burn-in is greatest during the first 100 or so hours of use, during which time you should keep contrast rather low (less than 50 percent) and avoid showing static images or letterbox bars on the screen for hours at a time. After this initial phase, plasma should be as durable as any television technology. Many panels also have burn-in-reduction features, such as screensavers and pixel orbiting. Under normal viewing conditions, you should have nothing to worry about. The picture quality of plasma TVs varies considerably depending on the make and model, so if you do opt for a flat panel over a microdisplay, be sure to read our hands-on product reviews before choosing.

For more on the pros and cons of different TV types, take a look at our feature "Fat or flat: 4 styles of HDTV," which is part of CNET's HDTV World. And best of luck. my choice lcd

Answer 2

I'm assuming you are looking for a front projection system since you mentioned you have a 70" screen already.

The brighter you need your projector, the more money you will pay for it.  In your case though, it sounds like you can get away with a fairly inexpensive - less bright unit.  The other major contributing factors that determine picture quality are the contrast ratio and resolution capabilities.  Keeping all those things in mind, check out some units.  There is a good chance, at that point, DLP vs. LCD will be determined for you.  If you still have a choice, go with a DLP.