Sizing Up A Really Big TV

CBS' Larry Magid Reviews A 61-Inch Rear Projection TV

(CBS)  If size does matter, the big advantage of rear screen projection TVs is that you get more for your money. That's because the cost of the screen itself is pretty low. It's basically just translucent material. The real guts of the TV is the projection unit and the lenses at the back which, regardless of the size of the screen, are pretty small.

There are several different technologies used in rear screen TVs. Some of the older units had CRTs which generated an image that was projected onto the screen. Although these CRTs were a lot smaller than the TVs, they were still relatively big and bulky which is one reason some of those earlier rear screen TVs came in very large cabinets.

Modern rear screen systems use much more compact "microdisplay" system to generate the picture. These systems consist of a lamp that focuses light through a small chip onto a screen. In general, these small microdisplays are capable of creating excellent high definition images for both regular TV viewing and computer displays.

There are three different microdisplay technologies: LCD, DLP (Digital Light Processing) and LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon). The JVC unit I reviewed uses LCOS. There are various schools of thought as to which technology is better. JVC's LCOS technology, which it calls HD-ILA (ILA stands for "Image Light Amplifier"), uses a three chip process which it says is brighter and produces less flicker than DLP or LCD technologies. The current models display high-definition at 720p. JVC plans to introduce TVs at 1080p which, it says, will be even sharper.

The TV has a built-in tuner and built-in stereo speakers but there are also plenty of input and outputs connections that enable it to work with multiple devices such as cable boxes, satellite receivers, DVD players, VCRs, camcorders and even PCs. I have mine connected to a Dish Network high definition satellite receiver which works great. I've also hooked up a DVD player and an external speaker system. The TV also has a cable card input which allows you to eliminate an external cable box with some cable TV services.

Thanks to JVC's ILA technology, images look good even in a reasonably well-lit room. There are a couple of minor issues with this and other rear screen systems. To prolong the life of the lamp and dissipate heat, the TV has a fan which comes on at different times. It's not terribly loud but it can be audible, especially if the TV is at low volume. Although the TV set itself looks great, the remote control, while functional, is pretty ugly and it requires you to go to an onscreen menu when changing input source.

At the end of the day, what matters in a TV is that you enjoy what you see on the screen and this JVC rear-screen model delivers where it matters. Now all I need is a bigger room to put it in.

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A syndicated technology columnist for nearly two decades, Larry Magid serves as on air Technology Analyst for CBS Radio News. His technology reports can be heard several times a week on the CBS Radio Network. Magid is the author of several books including "The Little PC Book."