As some of you may know, I put an offer on a house and got accepted. Am due to close Aug 17th and so am busy preparing stuff I need for the house.

Went to Video Only yesterday and got one of those pushy Salesman. Well, he tells me that he has a free 5 year warranty to give on any TV that I wanted to buy. Told him I did not know which set I wanted as I need to move in and see how big of a TV I can put in my living room (small room measuring about 11 x 13'). So he says if I put down $20 towards a future purchase on any TV, he would give me the 5 year free warranty.

Well, there is a Panasonic 1080I 51" for 1,399 rear projection (total with tax $1,525) and then there is a Hitachi Ultravision 50" MD LCD for $2,699 + $299 stand (total with tax will be around $3,260). If I buy the Panny, I doubt very much that I would notice the difference in picture clarity once it is in the house. And if something goes majorly wrong with the TV after 5 years, I can afford to junk it. If I get the LCD, after 5 years, I may wind up with a very expensive decision.

Just throwing it out to see what you guys think. I would imagine most of you are going to say LCD. I am definitely leaning towards the Panasonic.

 

It all depends on what you watch.
What are your viewing habits??
Do you watch regular TV?
Do you watch HiDef Sat or off air??
Do you watch DVD's??
What outputs do your sources have??

Let me know, I can help!

I am of course, a professional!!!

 

Just a reguler TV watcher. Most times, my gf and I just catch movies from the cable company. Have not been to a theatre in ages. Am not a TV perfectionist.

Have not even watch HDTV yet? That is how far behind I am.

 

I'm in the same boat as you eggplant. the lcd rear projection screens look so much better than the regular rear projections... I was all set to buy a 56 inch toshiba at best buy but then I saw the lcd next to it...now I can't decide.

 

Glad to know someone else is in the same boat as me.... LOL.

 

it sucks though...I had a $1500 budget planned for this tv...and found one I really liked for $1300....

I didn't even know there was a such thing as lcd projection.

now I'm considering spending a lot more....

 

I do not like LCD TVs. The contrast ratio is shit (if you wanna keep the brightness).

Either go with a DLP unit, or stick to CRTs. If you do get a CRT, have it tuned by someone who knows what they are doing. If they just use the auto-convergence - they DO NOT know what they are doing.

So I gather you watch mostly TV and not movies? Do you plan to get high-def service? If not, and you still want an LCD - look at the Hitatchi's. They look REALLY good with standard cable (run composite, not RF).

 

FYI -

I've done a lot of comparisons between HD plasma, projection, LCD and CRT displays. All have their strong points, but the CRT display still offers the best picture quality in my opinion. The biggest down side for HD CRT displays is their limited size, weight and bulkiness.

 

Where the hell were you when I was making my CRT arguement back in eclipse23's old thread......

 

If I had to do it all over again I would have went DLP instead of RP, but I'm happy with what I got for half the money of a DLP.

 

I have had my 56" Toshiba HDTV since 99 and it is great. I think DLP has a much nicer picture, but if you look hard enough, you can find the 57" for $1,500. I'd take 2 rear projection over 1 DLP.

 

On that note I love my Sony TV so much it replaced my g/f naked as the most watched thing in my place.

 

Realisticly (spelling), When will prices drop? Is Intel's production of LCoS chips in full production or what?

 

they both have their problems, my boy has an lcd that he payed an arm and a leg for, he has had it serviced like 3 times for dead pixels. And projector tvs need to be serviced and refocused regularly. The best tv i have seen yet is my uncles 4 year old 42 inch sony wega flat screen Tube TV. Its HDTV ready and looks just as good as the other tvs, but lasts so much longer.

 

I'm in the same boat, still trying to decide what to get. I'll be using mine for pretty much everything - video games (gamecube and ps2), DVDs and TV (ideally HDTV). What would everyone here recommend?

I'm liking the Sony KP-46WT510 so far - good price for a decent size HDTV. Any problems with screen burn-in anymore, or is that a thing of the past? I'd be a bit pissed if I couldn't play games on it.

 

I still love my 61" Samsung DLP... Best picture. Period! HD is absolutely amazing

 

Then save your money and go with an RPTV. If you had some type of
HDTV source that had DVI out, then I would say go with the LCD, DLP or even a
DILA TV. These TVs only make sense if you have a Digital input. It what you
watch is TiVo or cable or DVD's, the the RPTV will do you just fine.

 

Aztec - you forgot about space. The thinner TVs will win.

As far as gaming, DLP is THE BEST bet.

 

Yes, very true, but he just seemed more worried about price.
I did forget to mention that RPTVs will burn in, so gaming is
NOT good for these, or plasmas. He didnt mention gaming
at all, so I didnt go into it. For gaming, any of the digital
formats will sufice, and they will NOT burn in the screen!!!

 

The gaming thing was directed at TommyH.

 

AHHH, I have only read Eggplant-EX post and your post!!

HEHEHEHEHEHEHE

 

What, am I on your ignore list AztecRol? Didn't think I have said anything THAT obnoxious in my 100-some posts

Thanks for the points about the rear projections and gaming. I knew it was a problem on big screens of years ago, I thought it would have been solved by now. Guess I need to save a bit more $ to go DLP or LCD Projection. Too bad, I was hoping to have a big screen by the time GTA: San Andreas came out...

 

[QUOTE=Tommy H]What, am I on your ignore list AztecRol? Didn't think I have said anything THAT obnoxious in my 100-some posts QUOTE]


HUH?? WHAT??

Did you say something Tommy??

 

Just ignore him and response to the Senior member (senority rules) LOL!!!

Yup! I am concerned with price (I'm cheap) and I do not play games on the TV...

Thanks for all the input..

 

In that case Eggplant, you might want to have a look at the model I mentioned above: price is unbelievable, most reviews I've read seem to be fairly positive. If you're not gaming, seems like a good way to get a pretty big HDTV on the cheap.

And what do you mean, seniority rules? Check when I registered!

I'm just quiet

 

Thats Right Dlp Is By Far The Best Way To GO When Talking About Television For The Money Especially Vs. Plasma

 

pardon my ignorance but what is dlp?

 

I'm thinking about something like this...opinions?



Mitsubishi 48" Widescreen HD-Ready Rear-Projection TV with DVI Interface

Model: WS-48313

This projection TV delivers full-blown (1080i) HD display capability, a 48" theater-ratio 16:9 widescreen and 2-tuner picture-in-picture for watching two shows, movies or sports events simultaneously. And the motion-adaptive 480-line 3D digital comb filter ensures that, no matter what the action, the picture comes in with superb clarity.

HD-ready: Fully capable of high-definition display when connected to an optional HDTV source. Conventional analog TV reception is provided via a built-in NTSC tuner.

Progressive scanning maximizes the picture quality of progressive-scan DVD players, set-top boxes and digital video recorders

DVI input (with analog stereo audio inputs) provides a direct digital video connection to compatible devices, bypassing A/D and D/A conversion step for cleaner video

Integrated Diamond Shield protective screen guard protects your investment

3 sets of component video inputs render superior color from your compatible DVD player, PVR, DVR or satellite set-top box

Motion-adaptive 480-line 3D Y/C comb filter, 480p upconversion system with Automatic Film Mode (3-2 pulldown), Dynamic Beam Forming, White Balance, selectable Black Level Expansion and DefinEdge image enhancement circuit improve video from any source

2-tuner picture-in-picture with split-screen, multi-image, channel preview, selectable sizes, still, exchange and move functions

11 different picture format modes for various effects from both 4:3 and 16:9 source signals let you customize your display

64-point digital convergence for a great corner-to-corner focus

PerfectColor auto/manual color correction

Sleep/On timers

Automatic channel memory

MTS/SAP stereo sound with 2 integrated 5" full-range stereo speakers and 20W stereo amplifier; simulated surround sound circuitry emulates surround sound using internal TV speakers

Multiple parental controls include V-Chip ratings, V-Chip lock-out, TV lock by time and front-button lock

Inputs: 3 sets component video, 3 (1 front, 2 rear) S-video, 3 (1 front, 2 rear) composite A/V, 2 coaxial RF antenna

Outputs: Composite A/V, fixed and variable audio, coaxial RF

Multibrand illuminated 5-device remote

 

Digital Light Processor. There Are Little Chips Inside Of The Tv With Little Mirrors That Reflect Light Off Of Them The Picture In Return Is Very Percise And Not As BLurry as Some LCD May Be. LCd's Become Blurry If The Picture On The Screen Is Moving Fast The Crystals Have To Respond To The Motion Therfore It Causes Blur Both TV's Are Still Great However DlP Is Still Better

 

Digital Light Processing to be exact. Read about it for yourself: www.dlp.com

 

that's my advice... i watch last year's SuperBowl at someone's house with that TV, and the picture was amazing!!! I got there kinda late, so I to sit off to the side... and I still had a good picture. I also have a client with the same TV, and he's the kind of guy that will do every research in the world to make sure he's making the right decision... and that was the TV he decided on. Dollar for dollar? The best money can buy. They also have them in 50" (I think, either that... or 51") and I think they used to have 42" too.

 

Plus... I believe most or ALL DLP's are HDTV, where as all of the cheaper plasmas (less than $4k) are EDTV only.

 

whats the best 40+ inch tv for $1500 or less?


if that won't get dlp thats fine....but what would you guys recommend?

 

Beetroot..

good choice. I may look into that one as well, since I have a feeling even a 50" may be too big in my new house.

 

At the moment the highest resolution you can get on a DLP is 1280x720.

So it is HDTV - 720p. But you can't view 1080i or 1080p. (well, you can, but it won't
look any better than 720p)

Supposedly there is a 1080 vertical DLP chip in the works, but it ain't out yet.

 

The new JVC 3 chip DILA projector will be in my office tomorrow for a demo.
It will do 16 X 9 1080P!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We also have the brand new Faroudja DVP-4000 combo unit in our office.
It is a DVD player that has a Native Rate Scaler built in that will put out
whatever native rate your display is. And it puts it out on DVI!!!
We hooked it up for a customer with his 1 chip DILA JVC projector.
OMG, BEST PICTURE I HAVE EVER SEEN!!!!! HANDS DOWN!!!!

Best part, the 4000 is only $15,000.00.
http://faroudja.com/prod_dvp-4000.phtml

And you guys are worried about spending $1500.00???????
LIVE A LITTLE!!!!!!

 

Aztec - you didn't happen to get all the way out to InfoComm in Atlanta did you? There were quite a few displays that would have made JVC cry. You won't ever get that eye popping display with just one projector.

Faroudja is teh shit though. I love the DVP1000/1010.