Shopping for a new TV is often a joyous experience for the whole family, although certain dads might disagree since he is happy with standard definition, while other family members go on and on about High Definition. Where do you draw the line? Of course, the ultimate say still boils down to the almighty dollar, but assuming money is no object, what are your other criteria when it comes to purchasing a color TV? While High Definition sets are nice to look at and all, they certainly cause a sizable dent in the average family’s budget. What will it be - rear-projection TVs, LCDs, or plasmas?

Several TV manufacturers have already taken the step to replace bulbs in rear projection TVs with lasers as well as LEDs. This is definitely a fundamental change since lasers and LEDs don’t beam white light, relying instead on red, green, and blue building blocks to get the picture across. Such beams are emitted in a narrow band of wavelengths that are close to pure colors, and thus you end up with a brilliant result that boasts vivid color hues in a broad range. Better colors are not the only advantage though, as lasers and LEDs are rated to last throughout the lifetime of the TV set itself, whereas rear projection bulbs need to be replaced all too frequently.

Lasers are the next big thing though, and this technology is even more impressive than LEDs. As with LEDs, you don’t have to worry about lifespan, while lasers boast a wider color range compared to LEDs. You do lose out on the thinness of LCD and plasma panels though, but rear projection sets that utilize lasers could potentially be slimmed down further by taking advantage of advances in folded optics. I still hold fast to the idea that if you need to use a purchase now, don’t bother reading about upcoming technologies. You will never be able to stay ahead of the curve, so might as well make the best of the current situation and pick out a TV of your choice.

Source: New York Times