Ron Schenone

HDTVs – Both LCD & Plasma Popular – But What Happened To DLP?

Posted by on Nov 20, 2009 | 10 Comments

I read an article yesterday at PC World about how to buy a new HDTV this holiday season. I read the description between an LCD and Plasma sets, read the reviews about different models and brands, when I recalled the DLP sets. These sets were popular a few years ago, but were not even mentioned in the review.

Samsung had been the major company that produced the DLP sets. I recalled about 4 years ago, my buddy Denny buying a Samsung DLP and so did my middle daughter and her husband. In fact the kids bought one of those 65″ sets that set them back about $4k when they bought it.

So I took a spin over to Best Buy and the only company I found still selling the DLP sets was Mitsubishi. But over at Amazon they still have plenty of Samsung DLP sets available.

But I found this on a forum after doing a Google:

The main advantage of DLP sets was that the rear-projection design scales up to bigger screen sizes with proportionately less manufacturing cost increase than plasma and LCD. Manufacturing cost efficiencies have improved with LCD and plasma for sets up to 60 inch diagonal to the point where DLP lost most of its advantage. With costs being nearly equal, the DLP sets are not as attractive due to the triple disadvantages of greater depth, more limited viewing angle, and the potential for costly bulb replacement.

What is your opinion? Are DLP sets history already? Are the only choices going to be LCD or Plasma?

Share your thoughts.

Comments welcome.

PC World source

Forum statement here

  • Denny

    There Outlaw-in Plasma TVs in Cal.
    I went with DLP because of Global Warming

  • Goose

    I noticed it was warm at Denny’s house….

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

    Denny – I don’t believe where you live is on this planet! LOL

    Goose – LOL

  • Gary Bing

    DLP just doesn’t cut it in my book. It is a lousy technology necessitating expensive repairs and maintenance. (not to mention lousy picture) I sold 5 year warranties with every one I sold. When the warranty ran out I told my customers a renewal notice would be sent to them if they chose to keep the set.I didn’t even discuss the option of going without. I don’t hate my customers but I sold these things with every rear projection set I sold not because it lined my pockets. I took an order from people who wanted 40″ tube type TVs only available from one vendor, Mitsubishi. I would not actually SELL them I just took their money.I didn’t tell them an extra warranty was available for this passing fad, they had to ask for one. This TV was so stupid ( if you can call an inanimate object as such, I think this one qualifies) The gravitational forces of the earth messed with the TV’s picture, necessitating the use of a device that reminded me of the quackery displayed by Dr. Bombay on the TV show, Bewitched from the 60′s. Any one still have working examples of these hulks in which two grown men have difficulty moving these things without dropping them? There is a new kid on the block now. He’s sharper, leaner, and requires little outside power as he’s quite resourceful .He doesn’t come cheap now, but we know that won’t last long as fortunately for us, production costs will go down right at the time when enough people will adopt. That is when I’ll replace my tube type TVs which use far less electricty than our current flat panels. The kid’s name? That would be LED.The same lighting we have in our traffic signals and in some new cars you can see it in their taillights.

  • Goliath

    Well, in 2007 I bought a Samsung 56″ Widescreen DLP, did my research and at the time found that as long as you bought a decent manufactured DLP you made the better choice over the smaller LCD’s and the extremely high cost of plasma. That LCD’s lose their pixels, Plasma is far to expensive to repair and has a short life expancy, where DLP is the better buy and choice because the picture quality can be extremely crystal clear on a very large screen at the fraction of the price of Plasma.

    I have never had my DLP repaired, never had a problem with it, Samsung had the highest review in workmanship, they all had Texas Instrument DLP Technology in them, and I paid under $1500 for mine brand new with a 10 year warranty that I have not had to utilize as of yet and it is on pretty much every day for many hours. Bulb is the only fix it will ever need at a managable cost of approximately $100….sounds perfect, so perfect in fact it is not worth it for companies to continue making them if they don’t make money off a new set sold to a household at least every year.

    Make something too perfect, stop selling it or make it less perfect. Companies do not care about our planet, only profits.

    None the less, I’m happy with my DLP, sad to see them off the market. I agree I have seen vast improvements on picture quality, but have also seen some nasty attempts too where regular movies look so clear in fact it looks like raw footage as apposed to a theatrical experience. But, we all have our opinions and are welcome to having them.

    Only my take on the DLP

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

    Thanks Goliath for sharing your experience with us.

  • Stephen

    I had a 52″ Mitsubishi DLP that I paid $3k for a little over 4 years ago. I made the decision because it was sold to me as a TV that will never go bad, you just have to replace the bulb every 3-4 years. 3 years later, the TV’s chassis went bad and I was told it would be $1k to fix it; Definitely not the bill of goods I thought I had bought into. In fact, 3 of my friends whom also had bought DLP’s had the exact same problem with varying models.

    If you do a google search for DLP’s intermittently turning off or chassis problems, you’ll see it’s pretty widespread and it all happens around 3-4 years from the purchase date (conveniently outside the 3 year warrenty). You can even go to eBay and see there are auctions for people who will rebuild the chassis for you; Again, it’s become a well known issue with DLP.

    Needless to say, I took the money that the repair was going to cost and bought a Panasonic Plasma instead. I wouldn’t recommend a DLP to anyone.

  • Steven

    I guess I’m in the minority… but I think DLP was and still is superior. I spent about $4k on Toshiba DLP back in late 2003. When I went to look at TVs I didn’t know what DLP was. It was right when plasma tvs were starting to come down so the price was about the same for plasma vs DLP and the DLP had a clear advantage (depth) over traditional rear projection monsters (which were still around) so really it was DLP or plasma. Ultimately, it came down to picture quality for me. Side by side, I consistently perceived the DLP to have a superior picture with the exception of the “rainbow effect” that I could perceive (my wife couldn’t) if I jiggled my eyes back and forth – but who does that?

    The tipping point for me was the bulb. Just replace the bulb every few years rather than the TV like I would have to with a burned in plasma.

    Now I realize not everyone actually received that benefit! I’ve heard most people say their bulb only lasted 2 to 3 years and a TV repair guy told me he NEVER saw one that lasted more than 4. I only just recently put in the 2nd bulb. And the 1st still works, it was just clearly getting dimmer. So for $168 I have a brand new TV again.

    I’m now looking for a new TV but not to replace this one… just for a 2nd room. And I wanted another DLP but alas they’ve gone the way of the dinosaur. It kind of ticks me off because I haven’t yet seen an LCD that has as good of a picture during even moderatly fast motion sequences. Even a non-action film like Up where the baloon was leisurly floating across the sky… I’m watching that scene at a store on a wall of LCD TVs and they all have a stuttering edge on the trailing side of the balloon. I went home and watched it on mine to be sure it wasn’t just the movie and sure enough it wasn’t there.

    I’m not considering a plasma because I found out how much electricity they use. I’ve been focusing mostly on LED but they appear even worse with that stuttering motion.

    Anyway, I just wanted to state that my DLP is still strong and I still think it has a better picture than the mid-range modern TVs (I’ve only been looking at sub-$2000 models). I remember back then that they said a 3-wheel DLP was in the works that would elminate the rainbow effect problem and increase color depth even more… but I guess that’s a no go.

  • nightroddude

    Well, let me say this, I think my almost 5 years old Samsung 56″ DLP (still with the original bulb) is probably one of the best purchases I have ever made. I mean the thing is still running great (hope I didn’t jinx it), even using it to play games (Wii), picture is still sharp.

    I guess what I should do is stuck up on bulbs for replacement later on when the original bulb goes out. BUT DEFINITELY, THIS IS ONE TV I WILL RECOMMEND (SAMSUNG DLP). Too bad Samsung stopped making it.

    • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

      The Samsung 56″ DLP is a great TV.