Okay, I've been living in the dinosaur age. My current Mitsubishi VS60805 seems to be on the way out. I've been reading these forums and found lots of opinions, but I'm sorting them all out in my mind. Here is my exact situation

I plan to put the TV in general family room. I already have a huge cabinet full of DVDs, Stereo Equipment, and CDs. We don't have a blue-ray, x-box, or PS3, but I plan to get one. We occasionally play the WII on the television. I have a dumb wall of windows on the south. The TV sits on the East wall. I have blinds and usually have to keep them closed with some leakage to watch TV. The light is quit annoying in letterbox for HDTV. I'm a college football fanatic and like to spend my Saturdays glued to the television from morning to night watching football and highlights in the fall. I also enjoy just watching regular television. I want a TV that doesn't give me fat face either if I need to watch a 4x3 SD television program.

I looked over some LCDs, Plasma, and recently LED DLP Samsung HL61A750. I'm more of your average Joe. I really don't like the 50 to 52" screens they seem small. I seem to like the Samsung PN58A650.

Also, I don't want to break the bank. Would I be totally unsatisfied with the LED DLP Samsung? WIth the difference in cost I could buy PS3 or xBOX plus some other fun stuff.

Thoughts?

Okay, I've been living in the dinosaur age. My current Mitsubishi VS60805 seems to be on the way out. I've been reading these forums and found lots of opinions, but I'm sorting them all out in my mind. Here is my exact situation

I plan to put the TV in general family room. I already have a huge cabinet full of DVDs, Stereo Equipment, and CDs. We don't have a blue-ray, x-box, or PS3, but I plan to get one. We occasionally play the WII on the television. I have a dumb wall of windows on the south. The TV sits on the East wall. I have blinds and usually have to keep them closed with some leakage to watch TV. The light is quit annoying in letterbox for HDTV. I'm a college football fanatic and like to spend my Saturdays glued to the television from morning to night watching football and highlights in the fall. I also enjoy just watching regular television. I want a TV that doesn't give me fat face either if I need to watch a 4x3 SD television program.

I looked over some LCDs, Plasma, and recently LED DLP Samsung HL61A750. I'm more of your average Joe. I really don't like the 50 to 52" screens they seem small. I seem to like the Samsung PN58A650.

Also, I don't want to break the bank. Would I be totally unsatisfied with the LED DLP Samsung? WIth the difference in cost I could buy PS3 or xBOX plus some other fun stuff.

Thoughts?


Whatever you do, don't get the rear projection TV (RPTV). It is an obsolete technology, and very few manufacturers even make them any more; Samsung and Mitsubishi are the only two I know of, and these will probably disappear soon. The see-through screens never were satisfactory, since the are very directional, and, unless you sit very far away, appear dark around the edges, with an overly bright spot in the center. And you have to sit in the very center, otherwise the picture will look dim and washed out.

If you want a really big screen, get a front projector. The projectors are very compact, and can even be mounted to the ceiling, if you wish. Some of these also use DLP technology, but have none of the drawbacks of the RPTV's. You will need a dark room, however.

If you don't want go that route, get a plasma or LCD set. The best brands are Pioneer for plasma and Sony for LCD. Panasonic and Samsung also have some excellent offerings in both technologies.