Maybe you’re tired of watching Alias in its regular low-resolution format. Or perhaps you finally came to your senses and realized that DVDs should be experienced with a wide-screen image. Whatever your reason, you’ve finally decided to buy a digital TV. (It’s about time!) If you haven’t ventured into a consumer electronics store recently, you’ll be happy to see that TV technology options have dramatically expanded in the last few years. There’s a set to suit practically any need or desire. The following pages provide complete and up-to-date product listings, which are divvied up into categories that we think are likely to get your attention for one reason or another. Brief descriptions of these categories and what each one has to offer are also included. Elsewhere in this issue are more-detailed explanations of the technologies and features that we mention here.
Direct View CRTCathode-ray tube (CRT) displays are the most common type of TV. Their advantages include relatively low cost and generally good picture quality across the board. With screen sizes up to 40 inches, CRT displays are well-suited for smaller rooms. Typically, they offer brighter images than their big-screen brethren, making them appear sharper. (They’re not, really.) Contrast and color fidelity on CRT displays also tend to be excellent. The downside is having to house a big black or silver box in your living room.
Flat PanelIf it’s time for you to get with the age of The Jetsons, or if you’re tired of the French country armoire that houses your tube TV, then you probably want to consider a flat-panel display. Flat panels are the Lara Flynn Boyle of the TV world and come in two types. Smaller displays are typically made with LCD (liquid- crystal display) technology. Larger panels tend to use plasma technology, though there are some fairly large LCD sets. The important thing is that both technologies allow the TV to be four inches thick or less, for ease of mounting on a wall. The main advantage of a flat panel over a CRT should be obvious: It saves floor space. Flat panels also have excellent geometry and uniformity. The former means you won’t feel like you’re looking through a fishbowl, while the latter means that light output is even from one side of the screen to the other. Flat panels, particularly LCDs, can be bright, but may not have the deep, dark blacks and image depth of better tube displays. This is a small price to pay for convenience, especially as flat-panel prices drop and performance improves. Large screens—42 inches or larger—are a good choice if you sit at least five feet from the screen. If you sit closer, consider a smaller panel.
Digital Rear Projection Larger living spaces require bigger screens. If you don’t want to take the plunge with one of the larger flat panels, then a digital rear-projection display may be the ticket. By "digital" we’re referring to displays that use a digital technology to create the image. These include rear-projected LCD, DLP (digital light processing) or LCoS (liquid-crystal on silicon) technologies. The internal projection requires slightly more cabinet depth than a plasma or LCD display, but the image can be substantially brighter and picture quality can be excellent. Digital displays, however, don’t require the large, deep cabinets that CRT-based rear-projection sets need, and the digital image is not susceptible to burn-in. Burn-in occurs when a really bright object (e.g., the CNN logo or the white-lettered news ticker that scrolls on the bottom of the screen) becomes a permanent imprint in a plasma or CRT display’s picture.
Video Processors
Scalers and line doublers, generically referred to as video processors, used to be the province of the ultraelite. Prices have dropped dramatically in recent years, however, thanks to the proliferation of models and vendors. While CRT front projectors practically require a video processor to create a decent picture, most digital displays now include some form of video processing already. You might still choose to add a better-quality external model to improve the picture even further. The processor will even route all your signals through one connection to the display, thus eliminating wire clutter.
CRT Rear Projection
CRT rear-projection displays, though somewhat enormous, are relatively inexpensive and can provide excellent performance. In fact, short of a CRT-based front projector, the rear-projection display may offer the best performance of any display type. Though the technology that actually creates the image is analog, the sets listed in our directory should all accept and display high-definition digital television images. They just may not be as sexy as a good flat panel.
Digital Front Projection
For true cinematic performance, or a feeling that you’re on the sidelines at the Super Bowl, you’ll want a front projector. Our directory lists all the digital (again, think single-lens technologies like LCD, DLP and LCoS) projectors in one grouping. These projectors are typically capable of big, bright images with little or no maintenance. None of the projectors include screens, which are available separately from companies like Stewart Filmscreen, Screen Research, Draper, Da-Lite and Vutec. Gray material or negative-gain screens are a good choice for use with these projectors, as they absorb some of the picture’s excess light, improving image contrast and making the black parts of the picture darker.
HDTV Tuners
You’ll want an HDTV (digital) tuner to receive high-resolution images if you purchase a high-definition display. Once you get used to HDTV, you’ll look at standard- definition pictures as though they’re cave drawings. There are numerous options to choose from, including cable, satellite and terrestrial reception. (See our "Guide to Getting Digital TV" beginning on page 26 in this issue.) The listings on the following pages also include DVRs (digital video recorders), the new-age version of the VCR. If you don’t yet own a DVR, which uses a computer hard drive to store TV shows, you might think about hocking the horse and buggy to help pay for your entry into the 21st century. 
CRT Front ProjectionFor the absolute best picture quality, you can’t beat three-gun CRT front projectors. Granted, this endorsement comes with certain caveats. For one, the viewing room has to be completely dark. For similar reasons, we insist on the use of plain white screens with a gain rating of at least unity (expressed as a gain of 1.0). Screens with some gain, about 1.3, for example, might be better. Also, the screen size should be kept between six or seven feet wide to achieve the best quality picture. Finally, CRT projectors require careful alignment by a qualified technician on a regular basis, which adds to the unit’s already high cost. If you want the absolute best picture, however, there is no substitute.
Depending on what you are looking for, what you are willing to deal with and how much you are willing to spend, we can almost guarantee that there’s a display, tuner and processor out there that will meet (perhaps even exceed) your TV technology needs.