Q: Televisions used to be simple, and there were only a few options possible - screen size, black & white or color, remote or not. That was it! So what the heck are all the new television types available now?

A: Television types may appear to be excessively complicated, but they really aren't.

There's basically four types of televisions available on the market today:

• CRT (Cathode Ray Tube)
• DLP Rear Projection (Digital Light Processing)
• LCD Flatpanel (Liquid Crystal Display)
• Plasma Flatpanel

• CRT

CRT stands for 'Cathode Ray Tube', which is the older and bulkier style of televisions that was prevalent for many, many years. On the positive side, CRT displays are easily viewable from any angle, are very durable, and last for many years. They're also now priced substantially cheaper than other types. On the negative side, CRT displays are big, bulky, and heavy, and are only good up to around a 40-inch screen.

• DLP Rear Projection

DLP stands for 'Digital Light Processing', and signifies that projection technology is used - meaning that light and images are, at some point, projected from one spot onto something else. DLP is used in all types of projection devices, from home projectors that weigh only a few pounds to large rear-projection TVs, all the way up to cinema projectors in movie theaters.

DLP-type televisions can be spotted by their size - although not as deep as CRT models, they're still fairly deep compared to LCD or Plasma types. When introduced, DLP televisions were capable of larger screens than the CRT types that came before it, and of course they were thinner and lighter also - two big positives. On the downside though, DLP screens had diminished viewing angles, where viewers mostly had to sit directly in front of the set for a clear, bright picture. Additionally, because DLP sets were basically self-contained projector systems, the projector 'lamp' needed to be replaced from time to time, which was often costly. Lastly, some models experienced a 'rainbow effect', which is a type of screen distortion.

• LCD Flatpanel

LCD stands for 'Liquid Crystal Display', and it's a term that's slightly deceptive. Technically the term 'LCD' refers to a type of screen rather than a particular type of television, but many companies, salesmen, and technicians use the term 'LCD' to refer to the 'LCD Flatpanel'. This can be confusing since LCD screens can technically be found on DLP models, too. So the proper term for a television of this type is 'LCD Flatpanel'.

That being said, these types can be spotted by their thin size, and in contrast to DLP models, the ability to get a clear picture from wider angles of the screen. Besides its size, weight, and superior picture quality, LCD Flatpanels don't need projector lamps replaced either, or suffer from the screen distortions sometimes present in DLP and Plasma types.

Pound for pound, the LCD Flatpanel is the best television for the dollar.

• Plasma Flatpanel

Plasma Flatpanels are often confused with LCD Flatpanels, as they both have a thin size, vibrant picture, and wide viewing angles. However, Plasma Flatpanels generally have an edge in picture quality and brightness, and many people consider them to be the pinnacle of television quality.

Plasma models do have their downsides too, such as pricing, which is often considerably higher than comparable LCD Flatpanel models. Additionally, Plasma Flatpanels often suffer from 'screen burn-in', where images remain on the screen even after the television is turned off. The overall tradeoff when choosing a Plasma Flatpanel over an LCD Flatpanel is generally price.