I am a TV repairman by trade. I see all of what is available to the consumers today as far as TV sets are concerned. And I see WAY more serious  problems with the "new technology" TV sets(Plasma, DLP, DILA LCD and LCOS), than with "traditional" "CRT-Type" sets. The shop I work at is overflowing with defective "light engines" that have been changed out in these type of TV sets that average only 2 years old!! And EVERY one of these light engines(the assembly that has the "heart" of the set(the picture producing components) costs from $500 to OVER $2000!!

  If a person buys one of these non-CRT type TV sets, they MUST be aware of several, SERIOUS issues that often develop with them--or they could face a VERY expensive repair bill($800-OVER $2500 is NOT uncommom!!)

First off, on ANY projection type non-CRT set, (such as DLP, DILA LCOS and LCD), there is the issue of the projection lamp. ALL of these sets use these.  This is NOT an ordinary, filamant-type of lamp, like those in your living room. Rather--it ia a Xenon-mercury-type arc lamp, much like the new car headlights in expensive cars. It HAS to be this way, to provide the correct color temperature, to produce pure white and no flicker.

And like those car headlamps--it is VERY expensive. The cost for a replacement lamp averages about $250, and  they last on the average about 2 years with normal viewing habits.

Because of the way this lamp operates there are some SERIOUS operational issues that arise. First and FOREMOST--these sets MUST not be turned off by a cable box or satelite receiver. They MUST be allowed to have power to the set for at least THREE minutes after the power is turned off at THE SET, either by hand or with the remote. The lamp operates at high temperature and must be allowed to "cool down" for several minutes at turn-off, from the air generated by one or more fans in the set. If the power to the set is cut off by a cable box or power strip, the lamp will "hot soak", with no cooling and its life will be GREATLY reduced, down to 500 hours or less(about 3 months normal use!!)  And--in a few cases, the lamp can EXPLODE, making a VERY loud POP soundl like a firecracker, and scare the homeowner.  While this is not dangerous(the lamp is sealed behind a protective glass lens for this reson) it can be unnerving. This can also happen under NORMAL conditions--some Panasonic LCD projection sets were nortorious for this problem.

Also--any projection set with a lamp should NOT be "short cycled", that is, turned on for a short time and back off again--only to be turned on a short time later. Doing so will also reduce the life of the lamp.  On these sets--it is advisable to turn the set on, and LEAVE IT ON for the period it is going to be used. Unless it is not going to be used for at least TWO hours--do NOT turn it off, leave it on.

Besides the projection lamp, the "Light engine" in these non-CRT projection sets also causes some special problems.  This is the assembly that contains the projection lamp, the optics assembly, and the picture-producing devices(LCD or DLP chips). ALL of this is sealed into a NON REPAIRABLE  assembly, that MUST be replaced as a unit, other than the lamp.  Due to some VERY close assembly tolerances--this is not something that can be repaired in the "field".

Needless to say--this part is EXPENSIVE.  A new light engine costs anywhere from $350 on the LOW end to OVER $2000 for some Sony sets!!.

Light engines are VERY delicate in regards to "enviromental" aspects. In other words--they can be "contaminated" very easily--and then need replaced. This is because of 2 or more (up to 5) fans that constantly draw room air into the LE, to cool it.  but the air also carries dirt with it--and this  can ruin a LE in short order under some circumstances.

What circumstances can ruin a LE??  To start  with,the WORST thing in the world for a LE is smoke. If a New tech projection set is placed in a room where a number of people smoke on a regular basis--this is a recipe for disiater for the LE!! The same applies to a wood stove. These produce soot that WILL ruin a LE in short order(1 year or LESS!!)

What about filtering the air?? Well, most sets DO have air filters in the airflow path--but these WILL NOT STOP the soot or dust   from contaminating the LE. They HELP, but in a smoke or dust filled enviroment--they are not enough.

The bottom line?? I WOULD NOT BUY ONE OF THESE SETS!! But if you must do so, you MUST buy an EXTENDED warranty for them. Otherwise--if you lose a lamp, a LE, a ballast or a digital module, you could be facing a repair bill of ANYWHERE from $500  on the LOW end to OVER $2500.00!! There is just NO SUCH THING as a "cheap repair" on these sets, when there is a problem with them.

As for plasma sets. I am sorry--but I CANNOT recommend them. They do NOT have the LE or lamp isues of the projo sets--but they have their own issues. The use a LOT of power(over TWO times that of a regular CRT or NT type set), they run HOT, they can suffer "scren burn" VERY easily, the front glass is NOT rugged as on a CRT set, but is VERY thin and easy to break, they tend to be unreliable, they do not produce black well, etc, etc. Like the above mentioned sets--repairs are VERY expensive for these sets!!

If you must have a flat panel set--get an LCD set. These DO have a lamp, but it is one or more fluorescent tubes that last over 20,000 hours on average--so that is not an issue. Thet often ARE "front fragile", like plasma sets. they DO NOT ues a lot of power and DO NOT run hot. They do NOT burn, but can suffer a similar effect  where the pixels get "lazy" from dissuse and the effect is the same. They do tend to be considerably more reliable than plasma sets--but likewise--repairs are costly.

 SO... ON ANY type of NT(new technology) set, repairs are COSTLY, and therefore, you MUST have an extended warranty, unless you want to face a HUGE repair cost. But BEWARE:: NONE of these EW's will cover BREAKAGE of the glass on  Plasma or flat-panel LCD set. !!

I am doing this as a service, to alert the unwary consumer of the pitfalls of the NT sets. Myself--I will continue to use my 13 and 15 YO CRT sets--I can fix them easily, and parts are cheap. If I HAD to buy new--it WOULD be a CRT set. I know they are heavy and  awkward--but they are more reliable then the NT sets--and MUCH cheaper to repair!!