What is the difference between a flat-screen tv and a projection tv?

Question

I want to set up a home theater, and I'm trying to decide between a flat-screen tv and a projector with a large screen. Is there a difference in resolution? Do both have HD? Are there clear advantages, in terms of picture, of one over the other?

Answer 1

Consumer level flat panel TVs get up to 65" reasonably (if you consider $6000 reasonable). Where you can get the same resolution and same size rear projection TV for about 1/2 the price like a Mitsubishi DLP or a front projection TV with a screen starting aroung $3000. Quality isn't really the deciding factor for most people though. Consider these things.

1 - Your environment. If you have uncontrolable light streaming into the room then the front projection TV is not the right TV.

2 - The rest of the system. If you are going to get an audio system anyway then your choices are open but consider that a front projector really isn't a TV at all but a monitor since it has no tuner or speakers. You will need to connect it to a sound system and a cable or satellite tuner to make it work.

3 - Budget. Of course you are going to think about how much you are spending now but also consider that there are additional costs with a projector. $300-$1000 every 3-5 years with a front projector for the bulb isn't cheap. The rear projection TVs aren't as bad at $200 every 4-6 years (This depends on how much you use it of cource). Plasmas and LCDs will last much longer (at 5 hours a day you are looking at 30+ years before these TVs dim to half the original brightness.

I know this has been largely cleared up but some people still think that plasmas "leak gas" and have to be "refilled" from time to time. There is no such thing as a gas valve on a plasma or a refilling station. Yes plasma have about 3-6 million chambers filled with xenon and neon gasses but they don't leak and once they loose brightness (30 years later) you will be ready for the 3D OLED 80" to paint on your wall or something.

Advantages:

Plasma: long life, great brightness and contrast, great viewing angles, great in motion, cheaper than LCD on large sizes.

LCD:long life, great brightness and contrast, good viewing angles, good in motion if you buy more expensive 120Hz models

Front Projector: Sizes 70" and up, theater feel

Rear projection: sizes from 40"-73", Cheaper than equiv. flat panel, very light weight nowadays.

Disadvantages

Plasma: Still slightly succeptible to burn in(very slightly) trouble if you watch Bloomberg channel or fox news for 1/2 the day but if you watch a normal schedule of programming and movies then no problem at all. Especially since the plasmas have technique built in to protect from burn in.

LCD: more expensive than Plasma especially at larger sizes, have to spend extra for 120Hz refresh rate for motion to look right.

Front projector: prices all over the map, needs audio system and tv tuner, needs dark room OR a special screen which costs more to compensate for the ambient light

Rear projection: The only TV not flat to the wall, requires a stand, angle of view not as good a flat panel TVs.

Have fun

Answer 2

I like flat-screens better because the picture quality is crisper. With projections you have to sit right in front of them, with LCD you can sit anywhere and still have a great picture quality.

Answer 3

a projejtion tv is like not a tv u have to have a white pull down screen thingy and itz a lot of money

so im saying a flat screen is the best

Answer 4

A flat screen is a Plasma or LCD.  A rear projection is a DLP, which is not much bigger, but it is usually about 12 to 18 inches deep.