[Agrajag]

I am in TV hell and need to find an exit!


I own a Sony 36" XBR250 that I absolutely love. But widescreen and HDTV have been calling out to me for some time now.


While in Tweeter a couple weeks ago for a cable (yes, a typical wife horror story of returning home several thousand dollars lighter), I noticed one RPTV that looked stunning and that got me thinking that I might actually go for this. I should have done research and know better but impulse got me and I bought a 65" WV700. It showed up a few days later and died within 48 hours. Meanwhile I was dissatisfied with the 4:3 programs and worried all the time about burn-in (one guy even said he cycles between news shows to avoid logo burn-in!) So, the replacement showed up and had a horrible image so I sent it back, went to the store and managed to sell myself on the 60" XBR800 LCD TV.


It showed up and, at first everything was great. Then I watched a hockey game and it was washed about, LCD motion blur was horrible. XBox games blur with movement. Dead pixels seen from 12' away. The picture isn't sharp.


And now my 300 pound TV is in the bedroom after much sweat and a near hernia. So now I'm wondering what next.


Right now I have a 40" XBR on order thinking I can watch HDTV on it and widescreen is 36" on it so it's not too small until the next big technology comes and provides a solution.


But now I'm reading about 4:3 HDTV on a 4:3 TV having bars and such. Egads!!!! Ignorance was bliss.


I'd jump all over the 34XBR800 widescreen but it seems too small to me. I could also wait until July easily. What should I do???? How do I get out of this hell and find a TV that's the right size, has a great picture and works for regular TV, HDTV, Xbox and DVDs and that everyone universally sees as a Wow factor?

 

[DWhite]

If your only connection to the TV is through component cables then yes there will be bars when watching 4x3 material. Most people in similiar circumstances will add another connection to their tv via s-video.

So if you have an HD STB you would have component cable out from that to your TV and then another connection from the STB via S-video.

When you want to watch HD programming you toggle the TV to the component input setting. When you want to watch regular 4x3 SD programming you toggle back to the input for S-video.


Hope this helps.


DWhite

 

[KadMan]

Yes. Lot's of topics on this one, some of them very recent. Basically, there are solutions out there for almost any set you decide to buy. The flip side is that there are always going to be compromises with all of the choices as well. Spend some time browsing around here and I'm sure you'll find what you are looking for. If after that you have more specific questions, fire away and I'm sure you'll get plenty of responses. It sounds like image size is an important factor for you and the 40XBR that you have on order is a great option. I am really loving mine. Others have the 34XBR and love it, too. You just need to read, ask questions, and get whats right for you. Good luck!

 

[DNINE]

In the rptv posts I noticed something on Sony GWII tweaks.I think it was written by someone named umps do a search alot of threads on how good this guy was at fixing all problems with GW IIs. good luck


This is it! UMR Does GWII

 

[ricbayer]

Agrajag


I am little confused. If you still want a widescreen, want to avoid burn-in, and a 34" widescreen is too small, you may want to consider a DLP RPTV. There is a ton of stuff about that on the RPTV part of AVSforum and the only downside from what I read and folks tell me is the fear of replacing a bulb too often. If you don't have the TV on all day, that may be the way to go.


The Loewe 38" widescreen direct view is an option to but it is a ton of $ ($4000 to $5000). I know plasmas burn in but you might want to consider plasmas too. I know they all burn in at the airports but most folks on the forum think we direct view people are too paranoid about plasma burn-in. From reading the plasma forum most (but not all) owners stretch to 4:3 material to avoid burn-in on plasmas. Some of your decision may be based on what you watch (mostly widescreen stuff like HDTV or DVD? or mostly 4:3 stuff like NTSC?) and how far back do you sit?


If you want a big 4:3 direct view, then you may as well get the Sony 40xbr800 now. It is the "big daddy" of direct views and there does not appear to be a new model coming out in the 40" this year (or Sony is keeping it a secret - ).


Rather than TV hell, maybe you are just gaining experience? Good luck.


Rick

 

[Agrajag]

I considered DLP but two things I saw that bugged me right off were dithering and the rainbow effect. I saw both of them on the Samsung that was next to the Sony in the store. The interesting thing is that I had a great discussion with a guy tonight who said my 60" LCD is just too big for what I want out of it and it's just magnifying all the problems and that a move down to 50" will solve 90% of it. The motion blur will be reduced, the lack of sharpness reduced, and, nicely, the price. But I will look at the DLP systems again.


I had been trying to talk myself into the 34XBR HDTV but it just seems way too small for me.


I also have already applied UMR's tweaks and some helped greatly while others did didn't.


If I go for the 40" (and a calibrator today said of the 20 or so he's seen, not one has had fixable geometry and hears the same from other calibrators) thanks for the note on component AND composite to fix the issue.

 

[cajieboy]

From your post, you already have more TV buying experience than the majority of the foum members here. Sorry to hear about your problems w/the Plasma Screen, ouch!


You really can't go wrong w/any TV's in the Sony XBR tube lineup. Just figure out your special needs and criteria.


I own the 40XBR and love it. Excellent PQ in both aspect ratios. At least 90% of the channels in my area (TWC) are SD material, and these I have Video 1 Input connected w/S-Video to the STB, which gives me a beautiful 40" Full Screen. Of the 8 channels that are HDTV, there are 6 channels that broadcast HDTV only for about 3-4 hours in the evening (if I'm lucky). For those few 8 Channels, I use Video 6 Input connected w/component cables to the STB, and receive a fantastic 16:9 Screen approx. 37" diagonal. Switching back and forth from Video 1 to Video 6 takes about a nano-second...well, maybe a tad longer. No problemo amigo.


Make a few trips to the stores and look at EVERYTHING. If you can narrow your field down to 2-3 TV's, then read all you can get your hands on, and then go again to the store and compare. Take your time. Hopefully, you will fine tune your criteria, and can come down to the one TV that best suits your price, size, and specific needs. Good luck.