Introduction to High-End TVs

[Tyler]

All TVs can be grouped into one of two categories: those that "burn-in" and those that do not. TVs in the first category uses electricity to blast tiny particles called phosphors that glow when energized. Over time, the phosphors wear out and dim.

Read the rest at the Firing Squad.

[vee_ess]

CRT rear projection ... offers the best picture quality of any TV at any price.

What a refresher, that article is surprisingly accurate, especially coming from a computer site. I would definately recommend this over many other guides that are found on the Internet.

[Jason425]

if DLP is crt rear projection, they're full of crap... DLP is the worst technology EVER and I dunno what the deal is.. if that pos image out of every DLP i've seen is supposed to be good, the TV industry is in a very pathetic state... When a bargain bin computer CRT (or LCD) is far clearer than a $2000+ TV, there are serious issues...

In my experience, LCD tvs are the best overall

[Tyler]

I don't know a whole lot about TV's, but I read an article a long time ago that said Plasma is pretty much a stepping stone towards bigger and better LCD TV's. True?

[StinkyMojo]

my nighbors have a 42" plasma, never seen anything better in quality in my life.

[Jason425]

plasma sucks.. no way i'm spending that kind of money on something that can burn in...

[vee_ess]

The undoubted (disputed by a few [unknowledgable folks]) king in the picture quality arena s the Pioneer Elite (RPTVs) from 2003 and 2004 (they discontinued that line to pursue smaller [in depth not diagonal size] options).
DLPs are considered RPTVs, but not CRT RPTVs like they were referring to as being the best. DLPs are silicon chips whose structure is arranged like a grid of mirrors and reflect a beam of light. So while it avoids most types of analog interference, it still has its own set of vulnerabilities. Up til now, DLPs have come almost exclusively from Samsung who can't make quality monitors to any degree (only monitors with exceptional performance for the value market). Mitsubishi, with arguably the best overall lineup, has put several years research into them now, and they are putting out some very good DLPs, not too far off of their Diamond Vision line (their best line; CRT RPTVs). Don't discount DLPs yet, they have quite a bit of potential granted the right companies pursue it.
Plasmas are, in fact, good stepping stones for LCDs. LCDs have advanced as fast as they have due to this. Many of us know how LCDs work; one electrode in a horizontal array of them, an address electrode, completes a circuit with another electrode from a vertical array, which is on the other side of a chamber of liquid crystals. This forces the current through the liquid crystals allowing them to heat and change their refractive properties (needing a light source to refract). Similiarly plasmas have two arrays of electrodes, but the chambers between them contain neon and xenon gases that emit light when current passes through. So, yes, it's true that advances in plasmas lead to advances in LCDs.