DLP Ideal Display for Gamers

Joe Wilcox saw Samsung's DLP promotional tie-in with Halo2 for XBox and liked the notion but asks whether it could be more than just marketing.  Samsung does note that their sets offer easy A/V hookup for video game consoles (like nearly every TV on the market today) and digital image processing. But Samsung and TI, the makers of DLP technology, have really dropped the ball here, because it turns out that DLPs may be the ideal display technology for videogames, and I've yet to see any marketing pushing that message.

Here's what they should be saying:

• DLP sets are big -- the smallest DLP is in the 40" range -- providing an immersive experience.  You haven't played Halo2 until you've lived Halo2, and for that you need a display that occupies your peripheral vision.  A 25" set just isn't going to cut it.
• Even compared to CRT (tube) -based HDTV sets, DLP provides extremely sharp, well defined images.  For movies, some videophiles prefer slightly softer, more filmlike images you get from CRT or LCOS (aka JVC D-ILA and Sony SXRD).  But for video games, it's perfect.
• Unlike plasmas and CRTs, DLP sets do not suffer from static image burn in.  Playing a video game with a static image on screen (life meter, corporate logo, outlines of a car or spaceship "window") is the surest way to ruin that multi-thousand dollar plasma. 
• The other way to burn in a CRT set is to turn the brightness way up.  However, many games seem to demand insanely high brightness levels (try playing Star Wars: Rogue Squadron on a properly calibrated TV - the TIE fighters blend right into the Death Star background). DLP sets are blazingly bright with no fear of overdriving the set.
• Unlike LCD sets - which aren't currently as big as DLP sets - DLP has no problems displaying fast motion.  However, DLP "rainbows" are worse/more visible on video games than standard video programming.  Rainbows are where you see color fringes around fast moving objects due to the way DLP creates persistence of vision. Innovations in color wheel technology have helped alleviate the issue considerably, but TI can and should do more.   

People definitely make big $ hardware buying decisions based on gaming opportunities.  I remember dropping $3,500 on an early PC system back in college just to play the first version of Wing Commander (and that was almost 15 years ago).  VooDoo and AlienWare (and Dell's XPS division) sell gaming PCs in that price range today.  It doesn't seem too far fetched to pitch a $3,500 HDTV as a gaming display - or at least as a secondary reason behind watching DVDs or HDTV.  DLP may be the perfect display technology for video gamers, but somebody needs to get the word out. TI?  Samsung?  Anyone?

-avi

Comments

[HDTV Ratings]

I have to say, the XBOX 360 has some really fantastic graphics. I'm used to playing Guitar Hero 3 on the PS2. The other day I was in Best Buy and saw the XBOX 360 hooked up and I was very impressed. I don't even know if they were running it on an HD screen or not, but it looked super.