I have a Sony 51" rear projection TV, 16:9 aspect. Fairly new (About a year or so.) I watch DVD’s on it mostly, but my PS2 gets its share of time on it as well. GTA3:VC…ahhhhh.
My question: Do modern HD-ready projection screen televisons suffer from screen burn in?
In my PS2 manual, it specifically warns against using it with a projection TV. In my TV manual (both Sony, mind you!), there is a picture of a family enjoying some quality time, playing a PS2 on their 51" Sony TV.
I have that burn-in is indeed a problem. I have also heard that with the latest crop of HD ready projection TV’s, that it is not a problem.
So what’s the straight dope on burn-in and projection screen TV’s?
(Granted, I am giving this TV to my parents soon, but I want to know for when I get my next big screen if there are some brands that are more ‘tolerant’ then others.)
‘Burn in’ is still a problem on projection tvs because they still use the color projectors of old, but not if you keep a few things in mind:
Mitsubishi’s manual (Mitsu 60" tv in my house) doesn’t tell you not to watch letterbox format, or have black bars from different formats, or play video games. They tell you to limit the total exposure of this format to less than 30% of total viewing time. The manual say one format (black bars or games with static images) should be less than 30%.
thee gist:
If you are playing one video game over and over, and it dominates the screen, and there are static images which are not transluscent, and it’s it continually over 30% of the time, expect burn in.
I would say that 50-60% of my tv time and my neighbors (55" Sony) are dedicated to video games. But no single video game or image is hogging over 30% of the time. We play a variety of games. We have no burn in issues. I knew an old lady who was addicted to some video roullete game from Nintendo or something, and you could see the images burned in, especially the leading zeros in the bet amount. tv was trash after that.
My neighbors’ biggest concern is DVDs with the wide screen format (bars at top and bottom) because it is quickly becoming the most popular format he views. He got hooked on surround sound and dvds, but the dvds all are letterbox format. those black bars are spending a lot of time on the screen.
I watch such variety of DVDs, tv, sports and video games that no one thing will sit idle on my screen for 30% of the time. No way.
But 30% is a guide. I can double check the manual, but I think it’s around 30%.
http://www.avguide.com/product/Rear_Projection_/TVs_Displays/Mitsubishi/WD65000DLP_/21.jsp
Some new tvs don’t burn in!!! if this link is down, search on ‘DLP rear projection burn in’ at www.google.com
Mitsu and Samsung make DLP projection tvs.
Even some non DLP TVs are less prone: newer Mitsubishis (2000 and newer) in the platinum line-up are less susceptible to burn in as well. Newer, high quality rear projections are less susceptible, which might explain why my 2001 Mitsu lets me enjoy a fair amount of static imagery without burn in, and why the manule doesn’t discourage it, but just encourages it be managed.
Using the 30% max on static images why not set your TV timer to turn itself on in the middle of the night for a couple of hours to help balance out the “static image ratio”. Just make sure you don’t tune it into a station that signs off and make sure you turn down the sound.
Excellent. My time is probably 65%/25%/10% DVD’s (‘regular’ and letter-box), PS2, and TV. In other words, I don’t seem to be in serious danger.
The shopping expedition was horrible. Every friggin TV I looked at, in the 57"+ range, was excellent, and roughly comparably priced. How is poor fool like me supposed to decide?