RPTVs handle everything from image processing to projecting the image internally and look like a standard TV enclosure. Digital display technologies like DLP, LCD, and L-COS have now taken over the rear-projection maket making CRT driven displays difficult to find if at all.

Most, if not all, stores and manufacturers have dumped the venerable CRT driven RPTVs from their lineup, leaving only the cheapest CRT RPTVs available with DLP and LCD driven RPTVs the only choice for the mid to high-end market. The superior, but bulkier, CRT TVs have been replaced by the thinner, brighter, and sharper digital technologies out there. CRT offered better video quality, but the brightness, sharpness, size, and look of the new TV technologies is what won consumers over.

Soon DLP will be able to beat CRT's image quality, so for those of you who want a videophile quality image, it's right around the corner with new 3 LED light DLP technology. More on that later.

Both rear and front projection have their advantages and disadvantages, and both bring a major impact to your home theater with their immense screen size.

Rear-Projection
Rear Projection TVs offer a more affordable solution than front projection when you take picture quality and input options into account. A good RPTV can be had for around $2500 on up. TVs that have a lot less features, and lower quality internal components, can easily be found for less. The better RPTVs come in the $2500+ range.

It makes little sense not to purchase a widescreen HDTV with HDTV broadcasts increasing in availability, and the DVD format taking advantage of the resolution HDTVs offer. In fact, you'll be hard pressed to find a non-widescreen rear-projection TV.

HDTVs have a lot to offer. They upconvert any non-high definition source such as satellite/cable signals and VCRs to a progressive scan format. Progressive scanning results in no visible horizontal lines (like you see in standard TVs) and a smoother looking image.

HDTVs can also handle the "quasi" high-definition signal from progressive-scan DVD players instead of relying on the TV to upconvert the signal. Getting the "quasi" high-definition signal directly from the DVD player instead of having the TV upconvert it makes a huge difference in video quality since you're removing the number of the paths the video signal has to make before being displayed. Less paths equals less conversion processes, which usually equals better image quality.

Which Technology, CRT, DLP, or LCD?
RPTVs today are run by a few different types of technologies, DLP/LCD (digital) and CRT (analog). CRT based TVs currently have the advantage of offering the best video quality due to over 50 years of progress leading to where they are now. DLP/LCD based TVs use a digital chip to display the image and offer some key benefits over CRT. DLP/LCD displays can be much brighter, and suffer from zero burn-in, allowing them to be used to display video games and computer images without worry.

The downside of DLP/LCD rear-projection TVs is that they use a light bulb that needs to be replaced every 3,000-8,000 hours at at cost of around $300-$500 dollars. Another downside is that DLP/LCD RPTVs suffer from video problems such as grey looking blacks, and color banding issues. Manufacturers are making improvements every year, and DLP is coming into it's own with more expensive TVs that use more advanced chipsets and technology that allows for smoother color and richer blacks levels.

DLP's shortcomings come with mainly only one big issue... the rainbow effect. DLP TVs use a spinning color wheel that is timed with the imaging chip to produce color. The main problem is that it's hit or miss as to who is susceptible to the rainbow effect which can result in nausea and headaches when watching your TV. When looking at DLP RPTVs, be sure the store has a good return policy as you won't be 100% certain that you're not bothered by the rainbow effect until you live with the TV for a few weeks. For those that are bothered by the rainbow effect, a TV driven by LCD, CRT, or Plasma technology are your only TV technology options shy of keeping a puke bucket nearby. The 3-LED light DLP technology will eliminate almost all of DLP's shortcomings entirely.

DLP will soon overtake CRTs image quality with the advent of 3 LED light DLP display devices coming out in mid-late 2006. These are definitely the TVs to look out for. The 3 LED light DLP technology offers more colors than CRT, over 20,000 hour bulb life (10-20 years), and no rainbow effect due to the color wheel being replaced by 3 LED lights (red, green, and blue).

DLP and LCD technology provides a much brighter and sharper image than CRT. The biggest advantage is that the digital display chips don't degrade over time; theoretically providing the same image quality at 10 years of age as the day you brought the TV home. The only heavy maintenance issue is replacing the light bulb every few years.

LCD tends to smear motion, but many LCD RPTVs display a great image. If you're susceptible to the rainbow effect incurred with DLP TV, then LCD or Plasma is the better technology for you.

Line-Doubling
All HDTVs sold today come with a line-doubler that upconverts any non-high definition signal. You will usually see heavy artifacting, distortion, or noise with upconverted sources unless you get an HDTV with a good line-doubler.

The feature to look for in a line-doubler (one that imparts the least noise and artifacting on the image) is 3:2 pulldown. A line-doubler with 3:2 pulldown changes the frame conversion rate when line-doubling either video or film sources which use different frame rates. It's only among the cheaper TVs that you need to check for 3:2 pulldown as all mid to high-end TVs will have this feature.

For cable and satellite viewing, even the best line-doublers can only produce a decent picture. The simple fact is that these sources are low resolution, and are highly compressed so cable and satellite companies can cram in more channels. While the image is certainly "livable", it is by no means excellent. You'll have to view HDTV broadcasts to get great video quality over satellite, cable, or antenna sources.

With DVD, on the other hand, you have the great option to use a progressive-scan DVD player that eliminates the line-doubling process within the TV altogether. You can get an good picture having the TV line-double the source from a standard DVD player, but you'll get a huge step up in picture quality using a progressive-scan DVD player instead. (See DVDs for more info) The only time you would want to use the TVs line-doubler for DVD playback is when your TV has a drastically better line-doubler than your DVD player.

Screen Modes
Most, if not all, new HDTV RPTVs will offer screen mode switching that'll allow you change how the image is presented on the screen. This is especially useful when watching letterboxed DVDs. You'll want the image to take up as much of the screen as possible without geometric distortion.

NOTE: do not consider purchasing any HDTV RPTV that doesn't let you switch screen modes for any DVD source, you'll be forced to watch DVDs that are not "made for widescreen TVs" in a scrunched screen mode.

1. Standard mode is used to display "enhanced for widescreen" DVDs and HDTV sources.
2. Expand mode simply crops off the top and bottom of the image forcing the sides of the video image to match up to the sides of your screen. This is great for letterboxed non-"widescreen enhanced" DVDs and TV programs.
3. Zoom mode crops off the top and bottom like expand, but also crops away the sides of the image as well. This mode is very useless and practically not needed.
4. Stretched mode is an alternative to expand when watching TV programs. This mode fills the entire screen without cutting off information from the top and bottom like Expand mode does. The compromise is that the sides of the image are stretched more and more as you get away from the center to fill the screen. This can be a good mode for sportscasts and news programs where filling the screen is desired without the loss of on-screen information.
5. 4:3 mode puts the standard 4:3 screen square in the center of your screen with gray or black bars flagging the sides the image doesn't fill. This is perfect for programs you want to see the entire image without any type of stretch, crop, or distortion.

Note: the screen modes listed above are based off Mitsubishi HDTV models. The names of the modes may differ from other manufacturer's HDTVs, but they should all offer similar screen modes. Consult your TV's instruction manual to see all the screen modes and naming conventions your HDTV uses.

HDTV broadcasts work only in the standard 16:9 mode with no mode switching available. Some of the latest TV offer enought processing poser to allow for screen mode switching with HD signals.

The Right Size
With a rear-projection HDTV the real benefit is that you can sit however close you want to. Since everything is line-doubled you won't see the lines that make up the picture unless you sit really close.

The only item to take note on is that satellite and cable broadcasts will look clearer when you sit farther away from the TV. The closer you sit, the more you'll be able to see the video compression.

However, when viewing DVDs or HDTV, you can sit almost as close as you want and the image will still look great. You could even sit a mere 8 feet away from a 65 inch screen to make it feel like you're in the front row. It's not the you would, but that you could.

So, in short, buy whatever size you think would be comfortable for your viewers and that fits your room best.

HDTV
HDTV programming is available in most areas of the continental US, and many people can receive HD broadcasts over-the-air with an antenna. Even though the line-doubling feature on an RPTV is not used with HDTV and progressive-scan DVD players, you still want to focus heavily on the line-doubling feature of any HDTV your considering. The line-doubler will be essential to your overall satisfaction with your HDTV while watching standard-definition formats such as cable or DSS.

With HDTV broadcasting and a progressive-scan DVD player, the image quality of an RPTV is simply draw dropping and easily rivals, or even bests, the picture quality of a movie theater.

Recommended Brands: (in alphabetical order)

• Mitsubishi (www.mitsubishi-tv.com)
• Panasonic (www.panasonic.com)
• Pioneer (www.pioneerelectronics.com)
• Samsung (www.samsung.com)
• Sony (www.sony.com)
• Toshiba (www.toshiba.com/tacp/)
• Zenith (www.zenith.com)

If you are looking to get a RPTV you shouldn't even look at a model that isn't an HDTV with a 16:9 display. Within the life span of the unit, the HDTV format is really going to take off. You'll be sorry you didn't go with an HDTV that can take advantage of HD broadcasts, and makes the most of what the DVD format offers.

Definitely look to spend somewhere around the $2,500+ range to get a high quality rear-projection HDTV. If your budget requirements are lower, you may want to look into getting a direct view set, or wait for heavily discounted $2,500 TVs when manufacturers update their models.