At the Society for Information Display conference in San Francisco last week, manufacturers were showing off some big displays. I mean really big!

A 100-inch LCD HDTV by LG.Philips
A 100-inch LCD HDTV from LG.Philips

102-inch plasma HDTV by Samsung
A 102-inch plasma HDTV from Samsung

These are certainly impressive displays, but why do they build them? Certainly, they aren't commercial products (though I've been told that a few people in places like Southern California have offered to pay whatever it costs to get one of these for their living room). The point is that these are technology demonstrations, and show that the companies are able to work with enormous sheets of glass to create HDTVs. This translates into economies of scale, which I will discuss tomorrow.

Which flat screen display technology is the best choice for you: LCD or plasma? Get Professor Poor's Guide to Buying HDTV and be sure.