Samsung shipping LED based DLP - HL-S5679W
By Matt Burns 
posted Jul 17th 2006 6:47PM
posted Jul 17th 2006 6:47PM
We are so ready to see these things. We have been hearing about Samsung's LED based DLPs for...well...it seems like forever. There were reports that they were shipping a few months ago but that didn't pan out and then they got delayed! But it now seems like they are shipping for real, although you probally won't be able to get one till Augest as the offical product page states. The HL-S5679W is going to MSRP for $4,199 with a street price around $4,000. In case this is all news to you, let us give you a little background. DLPs are based off of three major things: a set of tiny, tiny mirrors (called the DMD), a color wheel, and a lamp. These new LED based sets replace the last two items and simplify the process. Instead of sending light through the color wheel and then off the tiny mirrors to achieve all the colors, the whole process is based off of red, green, and blue LEDs. Therefore you get more consistent colors, no rainbow effect and also, a lot longer life then light bulb based models.
Since the idea behind this 'LED' model is the same as with the old one, shining one color light to the DMD at a time, there is a strong possibility that some of us still can see the rainbows. AFAIK they haven't disclosed how fast they will switch from one color to the other. The only way to get totally rid of rainbows is to a) use 3-chip design b) go for somethin else. I know I'm gonna invest my money on this 1080p round to LCOS/SXRD.
Whether a display uses a color wheel, or separate colored LED's, if the color is built sequentially (over-time, instead of all the lights mixing at once) and hence the rainbow-tear artifact is still entirely possible.
The problem with "rainbowing" had less to do with the color wheel itself than the speed at which it rotated. Virtually every major review of the current generation of wheel-based DLP's agrees that a higher-speed wheel solves the problem; given that you should be able to control the color changes in an LED with infinitely greater granularity implies that the only legitimate complaints about rainbowing will be coming from those realizing they could have had that great HD picture at a fraction of what their trendy plasma counterpart took from their wallets.
LCOS is a technology on life support after having been nearly abandoned for dead in its first iteration. There are a few adherents, but its still a niche technology in this market.
DLP is proving to be a real thorn in the side of LCD (with its dead pixels and slow response) and Plasma (with its separating layers and burn-in) with its lower cost, better blacks, better contrast, higher longevity, and fundamentally superior technology. And, no, I don't work for anyone selling DLP sets - I just recognize a winner when I see it. And LED-based DLP will simply raise the frustration bar for competitors that much higher. Awesome choice for consumers.
need one of these, badly!
Just waiting to win.
Satellite
another contest, i can always try, but i never win.
OTA still the best
I want this ! Looks wonderful. I cant get one yet.Great contests.
OTA is the best way to go! Best crisp picture by far!