features, pros and cons

On the territory of Russia, the very name «projection TV» is not very common, not to mention the device itself. Although this technology was used in the middle of the last century. It was used in television receivers, in which the image was broadcast using cathode ray tubes. How this technique works, and what types of it are presented on the modern market, this review will tell.

History of projection televisions

Throughout its existence, the technology has gone through the peak of popularity to its almost complete extinction. The very first TVs with projectors had a lot of drawbacks:

• poor viewing angle;
• low quality screen backlight;
• insufficiently good level of contrast and brightness.

Therefore, it is not surprising that with the advent of modern LED TVs, projection models have almost completely ceased to be in demand.

Soviet projection TV

However, with the advent of high-definition HDTV channels, it has become necessary to display high quality images on widescreen televisions. Projection models began to gain popularity again. The technology used to create them has become the most popular in TVs with a diagonal of 50 inches and more. As it turned out, a high-quality image has become cost-effective precisely on projection TVs.

In Western Europe, Japan and the United States, the real popularity of new technologies came at the end of the 2000swhen there was a boom in the purchase of projection TVs. Gradually, cheaper flat-panel LCD and plasma TVs entered the electronics market, and large projection models quickly began to lose their popularity.

Since Russia is somewhat behind the progressive countries in the field of high-definition television technologies, projection televisions cannot be found on official sale. However, some connoisseurs of modern and unusual devices order them through online stores.

Projection TV Features

Image formation is based on the design features of projection devices: they contain special small-sized projectors. They direct the image onto the screen through a complex system of lenses and mirrors. In general terms, it looks like the video is shining through from a TV.

The main difference between projection models and standard TVs is that the video on them has a very high brightness. And thanks to special optics, the image will not be blurry, regardless of resolution.

It is very easy to distinguish projection TVs from modern models — they look more like old devices, their thickness can reach 40 cm. This is due to the fact that there are a lot of different parts in the design of technology.

Projection TV design

There are devices with front and rear projection (It should be noted that the release of the latter has been discontinued since 2014). The picture will begin to «begin» in a small size source using CRT tubes or LCD display. Then, through a system of optical lenses, it is transmitted to the screen.

The apparatus includes the following parts:

• projector with optical system;
• boards responsible for creating the original image;
• backlight;
• lenses and mirrors;
• cooling system.

Imaging type

In devices of this kind, there are three types of image formation. They divide the TVs themselves into the following groups:

• kinescope (CRT);
• liquid crystal (LCD);
• on micromirrors (DLP);
• D-ILA (combination of LCD and DLP).

CRT

In the first version, at least three kinescopes with basic colors — each will form a picture in its own color scheme. High quality can be noted, but this technique also has significant drawbacks — with still images, areas burn out, it has significant weight and dimensions.

LCD

An LCD projection TV produces an even higher quality picture (before screen projection, light passes through liquid crystal matrices — from one to three). The big drawback is the likelihood of pixel structure. One of the most recent developments is LCoS — liquid crystals on silicon, which use a special matrix. This makes the image incredibly realistic.

DLP

The DLP system is recognized as the most modern. It is a chip in which millions of micromirrors are hidden. The number of chips varies from one to three. Needless to say, the screen displays a bright, high-quality and contrasting picture with high color reproduction and clarity.

But even in the most successful projection developments, there are some shortcomings. This so-called rainbow Effect, which manifests itself in short-term flashes of green, red and blue flashes. This often happens when a bright object moves quickly against a dark background, or when the viewer’s eyes skim across the screen.

D-ILA

There is another type of image formation called Direct Drive Image Light Amplifier, which combines the capabilities of DLP and LCD technologies. The development belongs to the Japanese company JVC. Here it is based on the same LCD matrix as in LCD models, but the work here is on reflection (similar to DLP). Technologically, it looks like this: the image is formed by adding the light fluxes coming from the three matrices of the device. The main feature of this idea is softness in color gradations and anti-aliased pixels (relevant for large-screen devices).

Recently, such projectors have lost their popularity, but now we can note a significant revenge on this technique. It is promising in terms of the ratio of its «talents» and prices. Users appreciate these devices for short response time and the absence of many of the problems that are inherent in plasma and liquid crystal counterparts.

Advantages and disadvantages of projection TVs

Projection TVs are most often used by those who are trying to create a good home theater experience. In addition, they have the following advantages.

1. Scaling. Thanks to the ability to adjust the optics, any source image can be broadcast without quality loss. In this case, the resolution does not matter. Thanks to scaling, the price is practically independent of the size of the diagonal. Therefore, it often becomes much more profitable to buy large TVs.
2. The weight. The screen itself is lightweight. And the weight of the TV parts is exactly the same for models of different sizes.
3. Economic repair. If there are any malfunctions in the TV, then it is not necessary to change the matrix entirely. Most often, it is enough to buy a new lamp or optical unit.
4. In addition, it is worth noting excellent image quality, brightness and contrast levels.

However, these advantages cannot outweigh all the disadvantages of this type of TV and therefore do not make them popular.

1. Due to the fact that the parts responsible for forming the image are located at the bottom, and the optical system is at the back, all projection models have a very large dimensions.
2. Insufficient vertical viewing angle. You need to watch the video as straight as possible. If you look at the screen from above or below, you will see only a black picture.
3. High noise level. The fact is that during the operation of the TV, the backlight lamps get very hot, and they need to be cooled. To do this, fans are built into the device, which make a lot of noise.
4. In addition, projection televisions difficult to purchase in Russia. You can do this through online stores, but you need to choose only the most trusted of them.

Due to the design features, the dimensions of projection TVs are quite large.

Overview of projection TV models

These models are difficult to find in household appliances stores, but it’s quite realistic to buy them on sites like Avito or Yula.

Model LG PF-44SZ40 is a micromirror device. The TV itself has a diagonal of 38 inches with an operating frequency of 130 Hz (what this parameter affects can be found in the article on choosing a screen refresh rate). Excellent color reproduction and sound (two speakers included). However, despite numerous positive reviews, it is unrealistic to meet such an option in stores.

The Samsung SP-70L7 received positive reviews for excellent color reproduction. This model has a large pixel space. Other technical features include the use of an LCD matrix. And the clarity of the picture gives the use of an oil film. By the way, it is quite possible to connect headphones to the model. You can buy such pleasure at a price of about 50,000 rubles.

TV Thomson 50DLY644

One of the most modern models is Thomson 50DLY644 – in addition to the large screen, the viewer will like the use of microscopic mirrors. TVs rarely have problems with graininess, and if the picture seems very bright, it can simply be readjusted. The price is less than the previous option — you can buy equipment for 40,000 rubles.

Another option with a good optical system is embodied in Toshiba 43D8UXR. Many users praise him for wide screen, noting that watching movies on such a device is a pleasure. A special matrix is ​​responsible for good graphics and color reproduction. Despite the lack of an oily film on the kinescope, which usually gives clarity, the detail of the scenes is, without exaggeration, amazing. The price is slightly higher than the proposals already considered — in this case it will be 60,000 rubles.