[jcardona]

I'm getting ready to buy a Panasonic 75u projector. I am a little concerned about the impending digital copy protection scheme, that my new panny will become useless for HDTV and any other digital media. There's no way I can get my wife to OK another projector 2 yrs down the road. What are your impressions and opinions?

 

[jcardona]

Nobody is worried about this?

 

[Carl Brinkman]

It's not that nobody is worried, there are many, many posts arguing this issue till the cows come home. The problem is that all of the arguments are speculative since no one really knows what will happen and when.

 

[Cambridge Bob]

Carl said it well. "Buy or wait" is a complicated, personal decision. OTOH, I hate to think of yet another person wasting endless hours trying to get to the bottom of this issue. So, FWIW, after endless hours of research, I decided to delay my purchase of a new display until later this year. My rationale for doing so will not apply to everyone.


Good reasons to wait for a DVI/HDCP-equipped (or Firewire/DTCP-equipped) projector: You appreciate the additional detail and clarity afforded by an all-digital system; This will be your main projector for 7 years or longer; You like the idea of "renting" movies over cable or satellite instead of going to the video store; You are a cautious person and you're in no particular hurry to buy a new projector.


If you flip each of these around, you'll have a list of good reasons NOT to wait.

 

[Carl Brinkman]

A lot depends on your attitude. If you want to buy your "perfect projector" you may end up waiting forever. Which means watching what you now have forever, that may or may not be a problem depending on what you have now.


If you decide to just buy something thats "good enough" for right now there are a lot of good values at almost every price points. And while they are likely to improve or get cheaper, what you buy today will always perform just as well if treated with care. It will never get "obsolete". Many much smarter and more in the know than I can speculate what will happen with HDTV in the future. But as is is essentially a political and economic issue it is under no ones control.


I just heard a good summary of your dilema on TV this week. When Carol Burnett doubted whether an expensive new dress was worth it as her daughter would be another size larger in 6 months the sales clerk simply asked... " so she shouldn't be beautiful for the next 6 months? ". YMMV!

 

[robertmee]

Quote:

Originally posted by Carl Brinkman When Carol Burnett doubted whether an expensive new dress was worth it as her daughter would be another size larger in 6 months the sales clerk simply asked... " so she shouldn't be beautiful for the next 6 months? ". YMMV!

If I had Carol Burnett's money, I'd buy a new PJ now too

 

[Carl Brinkman]

Robert, The point is that even with all her money she was still reluctant to buy something. This dilema is universal, not just about "can I afford it".

 

[robertmee]

Carl, the point was, I was kidding.

 

[jcardona]

After reading everybody's posts about pj, I want one now. I'm considering buying the AE100 and then upgrading when needed. I've heard some talk about analog inputs not being copy protected nor down-rezzed, only the digital domain. Has anybody heard this as well?