Of the many high definition displays today, rear projection televisions (RPTVs) still provide the best image quality. They are not fixed pixel displays like flat-panel; thus providing sharper, crisper images and have overcome most rainbow, ghosting, and artifact effects. Their physical size might scare off those on the fence, but those who value picture quality will accommodate their added depth over their flat-panel competitors.

There are four types of rear projection technology: CRT, LCD, DLP, and LCoS. CRT is outdated and just doesn’t have the technology; LCD and DLP make up most of the current RPTV market; and LCoS is only offered by JVC currently. DLPs are likely what you’ll find in most RPTVs these days. Rear projection LCDs never had the advertising behind them like DLP and LCoS has had a total of three manufacturers behind them since their inception, with only one remaining.

DLP televisions use a single light source and mirrors to project images on the screen one color at a time. Having only one color on the screen at a time can lead to rainbow effects. Manufacturers have gone to great lengths to reducing this in today’s models. Their response time is also slower than its RPTV competitors, so gaming on these displays can feel a bit out of sync when playing fast-paced shooters.

LCD RPTVs use three light sources to simultaneously project the image on the screen, eliminating the severity of DLP’s rainbow effects. Unfortunately however, because of the use of LCDs, the screen door effect is still prevalent in these sets.

If you’d like the benefits of both technologies, LCoS is the way to go, providing you can find one. They use only one bulb that simultaneously displays all three colors, eliminating any rainbow effects; and eliminate the screen door effect completely through the use of mirrors as in DLP. While JVC is the only current supporter of LCoS, you might find some older Sony or Philips models still lingering around.

Big players like Sony and Panasonic have left the RPTV scene in lieu of the sleek and sexy flat-panels while JVC, Mitsubishi, Samsung, and a few others press on. Unfortunately, there’s no telling if or when these companies might abandon the technology as well.

Believe it or not, there is a light at the end of this bleak, dark tunnel - and it’s lit by a laser. Although laser televisions have yet to appear in mass markets, they appear fully capable of proving the superiority of rear projection once again. Touting to have eliminated all rainbow and screen door effects while providing more than twice the color we’re used to, laser RPTVs might just have what it’ll take the revitalize the rear projection tech. Laser televisions are scheduled for a fall 2008 release.