With the advent of new technology, television has undergone several changes. Now, there are different types of TVs in all sizes and shapes. Each type has its own advantage and disadvantage. Basic understanding of each type helps in buying the right choice of television. The different types of television are direct view TV, rear projection TV, and flat panel TV.

The direct view TVs are superior to all the newer technology in terms of image quality. The price of the tube is less when compared with flat TVs and this makes it very affordable. Moreover, technology used in this type is very familiar and the size ranges from 9 inches to 40 inches. This TV can be viewed best from any angle. The concerns about the direct view type are the tube weight, depth, and TV size.

Rear projection type is the general category for different varieties of TV. The two basic type of rear projection TVs are CRT and microdisplays. The CRT has excellent quality of image display and they produce subtle blacks when compared with other types. The best CRT model can be bought within the strict budget. CRT requires high maintenance and viewing angle is restricted. The weight and cabinet size of this CRT model is also high.

Microdisplays are used to create an image and this again is divided into many types such as LCD, DLP, and LCoS. LCD produces sharp image at the right distance because of the gap between pixels. This does not produce any rainbow effect, and thus the image looks very clear. The black level of LCD is not as good as other models and because of large gaps between pixels, it creates screen door effect.

DLP have better black level when compared with LCD and it produces smooth picture because of its smaller gap between pixels. DLP models produces video noise and also rainbow effect while quickly moving the eyes. LCoS models produce smooth image just like glass and have high resolutions of about 1080 × 1920. The price of LCoS is higher than LCD and DLP and it does not have good black level handling.

Flat panel or thin TVs come in two basic variant plasma and LCD flat panels. The plasma has better black levels, available in different sizes, and a great value for money spent. LCD flat panels produce solid image and does not burn in. The price of this model is extremely high and does not have wide viewing angles.