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rear-projection

RIP, rear-projection TV

Rear-projection TV is dead, and there's little reason to think the technology will pull a Lazarus anytime soon.

On Monday Mitsubishi confirmed it has already ceased production of its last RPTVs, and told Twice.com that inventory is almost gone.

"The decision to exit the category was based on lack of profitability in the big-screen TV business," according to Max Wasinger, executive VP at Mitsubishi Electric Video Sales America. "MEVSA will honor all product warranties. Consumer relations will continue to support consumers and dealers' product service related needs." He added that there are no plans … Read more

Rear projection vs. LCD vs. plasma

Rear-projection TVs used to be the only way to get the "big-screen" experience at home. With the advent, and diminishing price of, large flat-screen LCDs and plasmas, the RPTV has become something of an endangered species. In fact, only one company, Mitsubishi, still makes RPTVs.

Many people still enjoy their RPTV, and I've received several letters recently asking if it was time for them to upgrade.

Are RPTVs a viable alternative to flat panels? When should you upgrade your old RPTV? Let's break it down.… Read more

Who needs a 92-inch TV? Mitsubishi, the guys who make it

Editors' note: The lens used in recording the video above makes the television appear smaller than it really is in relation to the presenter, Scott Stein. Scroll down to see a photo that more accurately presents the 92-inch size of the TV.

Does a 92-inch TV sound like overkill to you?

To many, it may. But for the company that makes it, Mitsubishi, it's pretty much the only way to distinguish itself among its competitors and try to stay in the TV business.

Next month, Mitsubishi will officially start selling the behemoth of a television it first introduced at CES in January. … Read more

Mitsibishi rear-projector goes big for less

If the heyday of the gigantic-screen rear-projection HDTV is over, somebody needs to tell Mitsubishi. The company is the sole remaining proprietor pushing out 60-inch-plus TVs too thick to hang on the wall and too inexpensive to merit a cameo on MTV's "Cribs." Its 2009 lineup features two series of what it calls home theater TVs--to differentiate from its flat-panels--and the WD-737 is the cheapest.

The main reason for buying this TV is to get as much screen for as little money as possible, and the WD-737 series fulfills that role admirably. It can't match the … Read more

Fully Equipped: Is rear-pro the way to go for a large-screen HDTV?

Around the holiday season we get a lot of e-mails from readers agonizing over what TV to buy. With the economy the way it is, consumers aren't completely shying away from buying new TVs, but they're on tight budgets and appear to be predominantly interested in screen sizes 52 inches or smaller. The big problem with going bigger is that you jump into a whole new price class when you start looking at the Panasonic 58-inch plasma--and it gets worse when you check out Pioneer's 60-incher.

The exception to all this is DLP-based rear-projection HDTVs, where Samsung … Read more

Is rear-pro the way to go for a large-screen TV?

Around the holiday season we get a lot of e-mails from readers agonizing over what TV to buy. With the economy the way it is, consumers aren't completely shying away from buying new TVs, but they're on tight budgets and appear to be predominantly interested screen sizes 52 inches or smaller. The big problem with going bigger is that you jump into a whole new price class when you start looking at the Panasonic 58-inch plasma--and it gets worse when you check out Pioneer's 60-incher. The exception to all this is DLP-based rear-projection HDTVs, where Samsung … Read more

Report: Rear-projection's 60-inch niche

A press release describing a new report (PDF) says that rear-projection HDTVs, including DLP-based microdisplays, now serve only a niche market of people who want 60-inch or larger televisions. The report by Quixel research shows that in the second quarter of this year, the 60-inch and larger screen sizes accounted for 86 percent of sales of all rear-projection HDTVs; up from 32 percent in 2007. The firm's spokesman says that the reason has to do value. "The market has changed and there is no value for 42-inch, 46-inch, and 50-inch MD RPTVs, but there is great value in the screen sizes above 60 inch," said Tamaryn Pratt, Quixel Research principal.

… Read more

Samsung HL61A750 reviewed, nabs Editors' Choice

CNET's review of the Samsung HL61A750 just went up, and if you're still open to the idea of a rear-projection HDTV, it deserves a long look. With the HL61A750, you'll get a 61-inch 1080p HDTV for less than $2,000, which is one of the best screen size-to-price ratios you'll find. Not only that, but the HL61A750 bests the competition in terms performance, with very accurate color and respectable black levels. (Granted, that competition only includes Mitsubishi, as just about everyone else has left the rear-projection biz.)

Perhaps the more interesting question is: how much longer … Read more

Flat-panels to kill off rear-projection TV sales by 2011

Will rear-projection TV sales plunge to near zero within the next 48 months? That's what a new study from IDC Group claims. With ever larger plasma and (especially) LCD flat-panel HDTVs becoming ever more affordable, IDC sees sales of RPTV sets--those utilizing DLP and LCoS microdisplays--dropping to under 30,000 units by 2011. That's a dramatic drop from the peak of 3.51 million sold in 2004 (according to the CEA).

None of this is shocking news, of course--the trend toward flat panels has been increasingly irreversible as large plasmas and LCD screens continue to break key price-point … Read more