The quality of your rear projection television can vary greatly, and it’s not just screen resolution that makes the difference.  In this article we’ll discuss a few factors that can affect the quality of your projection television.

The first thing you need to consider when choosing a projection television is aspect ratio.  Put simply, the aspect ratio describes the shape of the projected picture.  The ratio of traditional televisions is 4:3.  What this means is that for every 4 units the screen is wide, it will be 3 units high.  For example, if you were to purchase a TV with a 4:3 ratio, it could be 40 inches across by 30 inches deep. 

Many modern televisions come equipped to display a widescreen ratio, widths that are 16:9 (again, this means that for every 16 units the screen is across, it will be 9 units deep).  The widescreen ratio looks a little like looking through a letterbox, only bigger.

The next factor is image resolution.  The resolution of modern televisions is measured in pixels (those tiny primary-colored dots you see when you get really close to a screen).  The higher the number of pixels, the sharper your image will become.  High definition TV screens have a pixel count approaching 1 million (i.e. 1920 x 1080 pixels).  Most current rear-projection televisions have a high-definition screen quality. 

Something else you should consider is your viewing angle.  Rear-projection televisions are best watched while sitting directly in front of them.  As you move further to the side the brightness fades, so your picture quality will not be as high.  This isn’t an issue in front-projection TVs, as the image is projected onto the screen from in front.

The best advice in choosing a projection television is to consult a salesperson or someone else who is trained to know about these things.  They should be able to advise you on how to choose the best quality projection television.  Happy shopping!