Which TV technology is best for me ???

(The following input is based upon over 20 years in the electronics business, hope you find it helpful)

Advantages:

Plasma

• Best picture quality... of all the 'newer' technologies, the plasma gives you the best picture quality*, both standard definition or high definition**
• Size... along with the DLP, the plasma will give you the size you are looking for (reasonably in the 50's inches)
• Proven technology... many people thing Plasma is new technology --- not so !... Plasma screens have been used in commercial applications for many years, the reason why it is newer to 'us' is the simple fact of affordability;  it is now able to be produced at a cost which is consumer-reasonable.

DLP

• Size... if you are looking for the biggest, then go DLP
• Price... for the bigger sizes, DLP will be within more people's budget
• Brightness... the DLP's use a single light source, so when they are newer they have magnificent brightness

LCD

• Kitchen/Bath/Small-Size-Locations... unlike the Plasma & DLP's, LCD comes in smaller sizes at reasonable prices
• Proven technology... has been in our laptops for years

Disadvantages:

Plasma

• Price... Plasma will be the higher priced of the three technologies
• Installation... if putting your set on the wall, installation may be an added cost... not to mention what to do about the hanging wires (if in finished house/room)

DLP

• Life... although the set may last a good long time, the light source will have to be replaced about every 2 years***... and there will be some loss in brightness as time passes... the cost of this will be @ $200-$300 per bulb (hopefully this price will go down over time)
• New technology... this is the only true new technology of the three, implying the uncertainty of the unknown

LCD

• Price... this only applies to larger sets... in the 37" & larger, you will pay a premium price
• Size... the LCD's are limited in size, you will not get larger than a low-40's" size at any reasonable price
• Trailing... when there is fast motion on the program you are watching, you are liable to see some shadowing (known as trailing)... LCD's cannot process the information as fast as Plasma !

* = of course, the technically best picture quality will be in a small tube tv !! (more pixels per square inch & the superior cathode ray tube technology)... too bad there's no way around it's bulk !!

** = High Definition... everyone should know what this means by now... simply put: a signal capable of the best picture quality currently (Note: ED is enhanced definition, a lower quality to HD)

*** = Replacing the DLP 'bulb'... it's a piece-of-cake, don't let anyone charge you to install it !!!