But it's more common to use a prism which makes it necessary for only one optic, instead of three, and therefore removes the problem of color separation. According to DLP.com, the three-chip projectors used in movie theaters can produce 35 trillion colors, which many suggest is more than the human eye can detect. The human eye is suggested to be able to detect around 16 million  colors, which is theoretically possible with the single chip solution. However, this high color precision does not mean that DLP projectors are capable of displaying the entire gamut of colors we can distinguish.

Light source

The main light source used on DLP-based rear screen projection TVs is based on a replaceable mercury vapor arc lamp unit (containing a quartz arc tube, reflector, electrical connections, and sometimes a quartz/glass shield), while in some newer DLP projectors high-power LEDs are used as a source of illumination.

For mercury types, during start-up the lamp is "ignited" by a 5000V pulse from a current-regulating ballast to initiate an arc between two electrodes in the quartz tube. After warmup, the ballast's output voltage drops to approximately 60 volts while keeping the relative current high. As the lamp ages, the arc tube's electrodes wear out and light output declines somewhat; eventually, the required startup voltage will also rise to the point where ignition can no longer occur. In the rarest, most extreme situations, the quartz arc tube can crack and/or explode; however, practically all lamp housings contain heat-resistant barriers (in addition to those on the lamp unit itself) to prevent the red-hot quartz fragments from leaving the area.

The first commercially-available LED-based DLP screen was the Samsung HL-S5679W in 2006, which also eliminated the use of color wheel. Besides long lifetime eliminating the need for lamp replacement and elimination of the color wheel, other advantages of LED illumination include instant-on operation and improved color, with increased color saturation and improved color gamut to over 140% of the NTSC color gamut. Samsung expanded the the LED model line-up in 2007 with products available in 50", 56" and 61" screen sizes. For spring 2008, the third generation of Samsung LED DLP products are available in 61" (HL61A750) and 67" (HL67A750)screen sizes.

Ordinary LED technology does not produce the intensity and high lumen output characteristics required to replace arc lamps. The special patented LEDs used in the all of the Samsung DLP TVs are PhlatLight LEDs, designed and manufactured by US based Luminus Devices. The PhlatLight LEDs are used in a new class of ultra-compact DLP front projector commonly referred to as a "pocket projector" and have been introduced in new models from LG Electronics (HS101)and Samsung electronics (SP-P400). Home Theater projectors will be the next category of DLP projectors that will use PhlatLight LED technology. At InfoComm, June 2008 Luminus and TI announced their collaboration on using their technology on home theater and business projectors and demonstrated a prototype PhlatLight LED based DLP home theater front projector.

Pros

• Smooth (at 1080p resolution), jitter-free images.
• Perfect geometry and excellent grayscale linearity achievable.
• Usually great ANSI contrast.
• No possibility of phosphor burn-in.
• Less "screen door effect" than with LCD projectors.
• The use of a replaceable light source means a potentially longer life than CRTs and plasma displays.
• The light source is more-easily replaceable than the backlights used with LCDs, and on DLPs is often user-replaceable.
• New LED DLP TVs and projectors eliminate the need for lamp replacement.
• Unlike their LCD and Plasma counterparts, DLP screens do not rely on fluids as their projection medium and are therefore not limited in size by their inherent mirror mechanisms, making them ideal for increasingly larger high-definition theater and venue screens.

Cons

• In single-chip designs, some viewers are bothered by the "rainbow effect," explained above.
• Some viewers experience eye strain, headaches, and migraines when viewing DLP screens.
• Some devices may have fan noise.
• Silk screen effect
• "Screen door effect" (SDE) may be visible at close distance and/or with lower resolution models (720p resolution and lower). SDE can also be perceived as artificially sharp looking and not film-like.
• Dithering noise may be noticeable, especially in dark image areas. Newer (post ~2004) chip generations have less noise than older ones.
• Error-diffusion artifacts caused by averaging a shade over different pixels, since one pixel cannot render the shade exactly.
• Mediocre on-off contrast compared to CRT reference.
• Response time in video games may be affected by upscaling lag. While all HDTVs have some lag when upscaling lower resolution input to their native resolution, DLPs are commonly reported to have noticeably longer delays. Newer consoles such as the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 do not have this problem as long as they are connected with HD-capable cables.
• Color rendition can be off, especially the bright reds and yellows when at maximum brightness.
• Poor viewing angle on rear projection displays.