I am planning to buy a new HDTV for my basement. I want a screen size between 50-60 inches. I have found myself looking at plasma, LCD or DLP rear projection, and flat panel televisions. The grand question is which one should I buy?

The most expensive option with the best and brightest picture is a plasma HDTV. Plasma technology has the ability to produce light independently at each pixel on the screen. Each pixel is a combination of a red, green, and blue color that is able to excite an electrode that produces a vibrant and brilliant picture. Plasma televisions are sleek and thin, with a depth of about 4 inches, which makes them wall mountable. Plasma high definition displays can produce a very bright picture that can be viewed in a well-light room. The viewable angle of a plasma TV is about 160 off axis which gives more sitting room for a home theater. The picture is also very crisp and geometrically correct to the very edge. The only downsides to a plasma television are they are the most expensive of all the technologies and are somewhat susceptible to burn-in from static images. Newer models are implementing “pixel-orbiting” to negate the effects of this burn-in problem. Also, prices continue to drop every 6 months. There are several 50 inches plasma HDTV models under $2000.

A second option to plasma displays are rear projection DLP or LCD televisions. The larger LCD rear-projection televisions can exhibit a “screen-door” effect in which you may be able to distinguish individual pixels. The DLP rear projection sets are a little cheaper than the LCD counterpart, but are a little more bulky and the picture is less bright and vibrant. With improved technology these drawbacks are becoming less noticeable and most consumers will not recognize these considerations unless they are specifically pointed out. Rear projection sets will usually need a lamp replacement after three or four years, which may cost a couple of hundred dollars. Both LCD and DLP rear projections are an excellent alternative to plasma displays – mostly because they are about 25% cheaper and most viewers will not mind the minor drawbacks.

Another option is a flat panel LCD television. The LCD panel displays are just as vibrant and crisp as plasma televisions. LCDs contain a light engine stream of white light through tiny cells filled with a liquid crystal material. Each pixel has three such cells — one each for red, green and blue components of the signal.

The newest option in HD televisions is LED. An LED display is a video display which uses light-emitting diodes. It is important to note that the LED designation refers to the backlight system used in many newer LCD Televisions, not the actual chips that produce the image content. Most consumers will not notice the difference between a good LCD or LED television.

When it comes to flat-panel HDTV displays, the choice between LCD and plasma displays is a matter of personal taste. I personally think the best thing to do is go to a store and compare the size and picture. Select the one that you think has a decent picture for the price. One thing to remember is the television you buy will always be cheaper a year from now.