73 hdtv
Laser TV Versus OLED TV – Which Technology Wins?
Laser TV - What Is It?
There is much hype around this type of TV, yet the technology has been around for a number of years. The term Laser TV refers to the principle of literally firing a laser onto the inside of a TV screen in order to produce an excellent quality image. This process is more efficient in producing an image compared to our current plasma and LCD TVs. When you consider the range of colors that are visible to the a human eye (known as color gamut), plasma and LCD can only manage to produce 40% of these colors, whereas laser TV technology can produce an excellent 90%.
The Technology Behind Laser TV
Lets take a simple look at the principle behind the technology, to truly understand how it works.
Current TV technology produces red, green and blue light (RGB). In principle it is possible to combine these three colors to produce a complete full range of visible colors, however in reality, visual displays are only capable of displaying a limited range of these colors. However, in a Laser TV, three distinct wavelengths are used, these are simply light beams which project accurately and brightly onto the screen, producing brilliant blacks.
The whole technology is based around the principle of projection, with this in mind Laser TVs are a perfect improvement on our current rear projection TVs, these are TVs whose images are projected from the rear of the TV on to the back of the screen. A typical rear projection display tends to measure from 50 inchs to 100 inches and are regularly used in public spaces. It is the ultra High Performance Lamp (UHP) which is the basis for the technology, however laser technology essentially replaces this and as a result very much suits the larger screen size.
What Laser TVs Are Available To Buy?
Mitsubishi became the first manufacturer ever to make a commercial Laser TV available to consumers in stores in November 2008. Aptly named Laservue, this TV was priced at around $7,000. A little pricey for today's market. The Laservue is available in 65 inch or 73 inch versions and is also 3D ready and as you would expect these days it is perfect for wall mounting.
Rumors of Toshiba entering the market are spreading rapidly. Whether many other manufacturers wish to enter the race remains to be seen.
LASER TV vs. OLED - How They Stack Up?
To be honest, as the two technologies stand at the moment, Laser TV is suited to one end of the TV market and OLED the other. Laser TV technology currently suits the large display market and at present OLED technology suits the smaller display market, of course this will change as both develop over time. The two technologies are not yet going head to head in the TV market.
Take a look at the features of each:
LASER TV:
- Wider range of colors displayed (roughly doubling standard HDTV's)
- The intensity of the laser is maintained for the lifespan of the TV, meaning a high
quality image is maintained throughout the life of the TV, unlike current HDTV
technology
- Laser TVs utilize roughly a quarter of power used by current TV technology
- Laser TVs tend to be half the weight of current HDTV's
- First TV commercially available in 65 and 73 inch versions
OLED TV:
- Excellent image quality at 1000000:1 contrast ratio
- Better image quality means wider viewing angle of 180 degrees
- Ultra thin screens measuring 3mm thin
- Power consumption is less that current technology since no backlight is required
- First TV commercially available in 11inchs
So What Are The Disadvantages?
There always seems to be a worry around any laser technology, scare mongers will raise issues around potential eye damage from a laser should a Laser TV become damaged. These concerns are yet to be proven. However it is suggested that special filters can be fitted within the TV to remove this potential fret.
Another concern is the speckle effect. Laser TV technology can produce an effect on the human eye which resembles speckling, this is caused by a number of waves joining together to produce a wave with varying intensity. This issue is being addressed by manufacturers, expect this to be overcome in near future.
Which Technology Wins? - Laser Or OLED
Laser TVs are on sale now and available to all....well to most, if your bank balance can support it and your home is large enough. If this suits your circumstance then laser TV is a possibility for you at this time. OLED TV is cheaper by comparison, but not at the prices the average consumer would be happy with and screen sizes do not reflect what we have become used to for our homes.
As yet, laser technology has a way to develop, as more manufacturers take up the challenge. Prices should decrease and so will screen sizes. Likewise OLED screen sizes are set to increase. There does seem to be more of a buzz and excitement in the industry around OLED. Image wise these two technologies are truly head and shoulders above the rest and once these TVs truly develop and become TVs we can afford and want in our homes then there could be more of a head to head battle.
Which technology is better you ask? Considering all other factors, at this stage, it is just too early to tell.
For more info on Laser TV and any other Laser or OLED based hardware, please check out the site: OLED TV - Explained Simply
About the Author
Will Caulderwood was born in London.
Educated in Computing and Technolgy. He started his career in IT before moving into a career in consumer electronics for the last 10 years.
For more info on OLED TV and any other OLED based hardware please check out the site: OLED TV - Explained Simply
 |
Mitsubishi WD-73638 73-Inch 3D-Ready DLP HDTV List Price: $1,799.00 Sale Price: $1,079.88  |
|
3D Technology Checklist This product is 3D-related. To help you get a great 3D experience, use our checklist below to ensure that you have everything you need. If you have any questions or want to learn more about 3D, we invite you to visit 3D 101--our center for everything 3D... |
 |
Mitsubishi WD-73738 73-Inch 3D DLP HDTV List Price: $2,099.00 Sale Price: $1,299.00 |
|
The 3D Ready Mitsubishi WD-73738 DLP HDTV.Click here for a larger image. Mitsubishi's 73-inch WD-73738 1080p DLP Home Cinema HDTV utilizes the same core DLP technology that's used in the vast majority of 3D movie theaters... |
 |
Mitsubishi Diamond Series WD-73838 73-Inch 3D DLP HDTV List Price: $2,599.00 Sale Price: $1,529.95 Used From: $1,499.99 |
|
3D Technology Checklist This product is 3D-related. To help you get a great 3D experience, use our checklist below to ensure that you have everything you need. If you have any questions or want to learn more about 3D, we invite you to visit 3D 101--our center for everything 3D... |
 |
LG 47LK520 47-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LCD HDTV List Price: $999.99 Sale Price: Too low to display Used From: $603.81 |
|
If you want high definition for your HD content, games and Blu-ray entertainment, there's nothing better than 1080p Full HD. And if you want sports and fast action to be as a crisp as they are exciting, TruMotion 120Hz virtually loses the blur and keeps the sizzle... |
 |
Philips 32PFL3506/F7 32-inch 720p LCD HDTV, Black List Price: $369.99 Sale Price: $285.99 Used From: $275.00 |
|
Philips 32PFL3506 32" LCD TV - 16:9 32PFL3506/F7 130 |
 |
LG BD670 3D Wireless Network Blu-ray Disc Player with Smart TV List Price: $199.99 Sale Price: Too low to display |
|
(March 2011)Internet-Ready Devices Internet-ready devices use your broadband connection to deliver dynamic content to your television, whether it's streaming video from Netflix or a quick glance at today's weather forecast... |
 |
VIZIO E3D320VX 32-Inch Class Theater 3D LCD HDTV List Price: $499.99 Sale Price: $514.71 Used From: $429.95 |
|
3D Technology Checklist This product is 3D-related. To help you get a great 3D experience, use the checklist below to ensure you have everything you need. 3D viewing requires: A DisplayFirst, you'll need a 3D-ready display--whether it's a 3D HDTV, 3D projector, or 3D computer monitor... |
 |
Mitsubishi WD-82738 82-Inch 3D DLP HDTV List Price: $3,499.00 Sale Price: $1,829.00 |
|
The 3D Ready Mitsubishi WD-82738 DLP HDTV.Click here for a larger image. The world's largest 3D Ready HDTV for the home, Mitsubishi's 82-inch WD-82738 1080p DLP Home Cinema HDTV utilizes the same core DLP technology that's used in the vast majority of 3D movie theaters... |
 |
JVC Replacement Lamp for Rear Projection JVC HDTVs List Price: $162.99 Sale Price: $50.49 |
|
eReplacements Replacement Lamp TS-CL110UAA-ER Projector Lamps |
 |
Samsung BD-D5500 3D Blu-ray Disc Player (Black) List Price: $159.99 Sale Price: Too low to display Used From: $61.00 |
|
3D Technology Checklist This product is 3D-related. To help you get a great 3D experience, use the checklist below to ensure you have everything you need. 3D viewing requires: A DisplayFirst, you'll need a 3D-ready display--whether it's a 3D HDTV, 3D projector, or 3D computer monitor... |