[redsox]

FOR STARTERS THIS IS HANDS DOWN TH0000ST FORUM AVAILABLE TO CONSUMERS. OK HERE GOES, I AM LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT WILL GIVE ME APPROX 1 - 1.5 YEARS OF VIEWING PLEASURE. I THEN PLAN ON PURCHASING SOMETHING LIKE A SXRD OR DLP 3 CHIP RPTV. I DONT WANT TO COMMITT TO MUCH CAPITAL TO (HER) ANYWHERE FROM 1-3K. I HAVE DIGITAL CABLE BUT WILL PROBABLY GETTING DIRECT TV.

BELOW ARE SOME OF MY THOUGHTS:


- -LOOKING IN THE 35-50 INCH WIDESCREEN

- -WOULD I BE BETTER OFF WITH CRT,RPTV,HD READY,HD UPGRDBLE?

- -I'VE SEEN THE MITS 50+'S AND THEY COME IN HORRENDOUS WITH DIGITAL CABLE AND NONHD CHANNELS ALIKE

--I WOULD LIKE SOMETHING THAT GETS AN ABOVE AVERAGE PICTURE

THIS IS WHERE IT GETS HARD

--PROGRESSIVE SCAN DVD

--MUST BE ABLE TO RECEIVE 480P-720P-1080I HD

--I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MY XBOX WORKING WITH HD

--I WILL ALSO HAVE TIVO

--LAST BUT NOT LEAST I WILL HAVE A 5 SPEAKER MIRAGE OMNISAT MICRO FOR SOUND SET.

--OH YEAH I ALMOST FORGOT, I WANT TO BE ABLE TO PLAY MY COMPUTER MP3'S AND PICTURES TO THE SYSTEM...MAYBE WIRELESS?


BY THE SOUNDS OF IT, I AM LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT TV ? AM I BETTER OFF WAITING FOR SXRD AND PAYING TOP $$ OR IS THERE A JACK OF ALL TRADES WITH A GREAT PICTURE THAT WOULD FILL THE BILL WITH ALL MY REQUESTS?


AM I DREAMING ??

 

[PhilB]

Redsox,


First of all, typing in all caps is considered to be yelling and not very good netiquette.


I can't help you with your immediate needs as I don't know of any TV which meets all of those needs, but I can tell you that I hope you have an extra $30K or so sitting around if you want to get a 3 chip DLP or SXRD projector.


-phil

 

[redsox]

Sorry about the caps. I dont think sony would price a competing SXRD at 30k. Although speculation I believe the prices should come in around 8-15k. In the mean time I am looking for something to hold me over.

 

[mnilan]

redsox:

I have a 50" Samsung DLP and digital cable. I am amazed by HD and DVD on this monitor. Premium and digital channels are very good. Standard definition analog channels are okay. This set is very sensitive to the quality of the input signal and will show all flaws (this means that you shouldn't go DirecTV because of their compression).


There seems to be an inherent problem with all the early DLP RPTVs (might also be a problem with the front projectors but I don't know) with occasional banding on curved surfaces - you will see it talked about as "clay faces" for example. You will rarely see this on a well-tweaked (e.g., ISF or equivalent) set but it is there. If you are suseptable to rainbows (due to the color wheel) they are there but most who are suseptable (I am not) say that it ceases to bother them after a short while.


The set is invulnerable to burn-in, weighs under 80 lbs., and is less than 2 feet deep. It has a bulb that Samsung claims will last 8,000 hours and it costs (est) $200 for a new bulb. So, it appears to be quite durable. You can get one for between $3,200 and $3,700 depending on who you deal with.


I see this set as an interim solution meaning that new, great stuff is just around the corner but I get to watch amazing widescreen HD and DVD NOW. I am very happy with my 5-month old set and have yet to see anything under $10K that I would trade my DLP for. We'll see what the future brings...

 

[redsox]

Great, thanks for the suggestion. Do you happen to know If it will support all my bullet points ? DLP definately has peaked my interest. I am hoping to get more suggestions, so I can start to compare.


Thanks Again

 

[Vermonster]

If you're just looking for something to last you 1 and a half to 2 years, I would't go with the DLP or rpLCD. They're nice, but more along the lines of a long term investment if you ask me.


I would go for a plain old rpCRT. The only thing that concerns me is that you want to play video games...and maybe a bit of computer video. Burn-in is of course the little nasty I'm referring to.


As far as the computer part goes, if you just use it for videos you'll be fine. Just don't use it as a long term monitor...surfing etc. You said you wanted to play mp3s...well those are audio files - you'd just hook your computer up to your receiver for that.


And as far as the video game thing goes. As long as you don't leave the game paused for too long, or play one game for longer than an hour or so, your risk of burn-in should be greatly reduced. (of course you should keep contrast down below 50% as well.) If you tend not to be a worrier about such things, then rpCRT would be fine for you, especially if you don't mind taking care of it. Some people, myself included, don't like the idea of spending over a grand for something, and then having to worry about doing the things they like with it for too long (watching things in 4:3 mode, varying viewing, limiting video game time, etc.). For my personality type it's too much of a nuicance, but for others, well they could care less.


DLP and rpLCD are more durable and you can therefore beat up on it more (leave video games paused all day long), but like I said earlier, if you're looking to get into HD for cheap right now, and plan on replacing it in a couple of years anyway, then rpCRT seems the best way to go. Nobody is going to argue that the picture you get with rpCRT is vastly inferior to any other technology out there. CRT is tried and true, and if you tweak your set properly, you'll get a gorgeous picture that'll knock your socks off.


Just don't get a Mits, because from what I've heard they don't support 720p...which menas no high end x-box games. I'd get one of the new Hitachis, Sonys, or Toshibas. I'd buy from a brick and mortar store that has a great return policy (CC, Sears, or BB), and I'd return it at the first hint of unfixable dissatisfaction.


And remember to get into a 43 inch DLP, for example, will cost you around three grand. Getting into the same size rpCRT will cost you half that. So like I said, if you're looking for a short trem investment, go with the rpCRT. And who knows, in two years when it comes time to trade up, you might like your rpCRT so much, you'll just end up keeping what you've got instead.

 

[rogo]

Course for a short-period with a mind toward resale, a DLP or LCD might be a better bet than a CRT-based set. The buyer can be convinced they can "renew" the lamp-based set anytime. The CRT will just age away, by contrast.


Mark

 

[Vermonster]

Hadn't thought of that...that's a good point.

 

[DICK CONWAY]

If you are living in Ca., and looking for a low priced set, I recommend that you get over to Fry's ASAP (are there Fry's in other states???). While in Sacramento today, I saw Fry's ad in the local newspaper. Listed was a "Panasonic 47" Widescreen HD-Upgradeable Projection Television" for $999. While there, I called for more info (I didn't go to the store). Its the Panny PT-47WX42....for $999! No DVI/HDCP, but for the money and SD-DVDs (HDMI-DVI/HDCP will be needed for 1080i/720p from the future prerecorded HD-DVDs, IMO); go for it. Dick

 

[redsox]

Thanks everyone. I forgot to add, I will be keeping this as my basement tv. So the crt Rptv is probably better. I want to wait till the Hitachi, Mits, toshiba or philips comes out with their new models in the next couple months. Any thought on which one might be superior ?

 

[htwaits]

The May/June issue of "The Perfect Vision" makes the Sony KP46WT500 46" table model sound pretty good for MSRP of $1,899.

 

[Vermonster]

Why is it that people say that DLPs (or is it rpLCDs) aren't good in low light conditions? That seems very strange to me. I can see being bad in conditions that had a lot of ambient light...but low light? Doesn't make sense to me. Why would contrast be a bad thing?


Anyone care to demystify this one for me?

 

[htwaits]

Quote:

Originally posted by Vermonster Why is it that people say that DLPs (or is it rpLCDs) aren't good in low light conditions? ... Anyone care to demystify this one for me?

I think they are referring to the quality of detail information in the "low light" areas of the image not the viewing room.


With ISF calibration or good "tweaks" details in dark images can be improved over the image out of the box.

 

[WOLVERNOLE]

Quote:

Originally posted by htwaits The May/June issue of "The Perfect Vision" makes the Sony KP46WT500 46" table model sound pretty good for MSRP of $1,899.

No thanks. Nad gonna pay close to $2000 for something that you cannot even converge except by pushing a button...and then getting mediocre convergence.

 

[Vermonster]

"I think they are referring to the quality of detail information in the "low light" areas of the image not the viewing room."


Are you sure about this? I could have sworn I read a thread not too long a go where someone was talking about how they weren't gong to get a particular tv because it was going to be in a room that was "too dark." Maybe I just misread it at the time...

 

[PhilB]

Quote:

Originally posted by Vermonster Why is it that people say that DLPs (or is it rpLCDs) aren't good in low light conditions? That seems very strange to me. I can see being bad in conditions that had a lot of ambient light...but low light? Doesn't make sense to me.

It could be because bulb based sets (this includes DLP, LCOS and LCD) can't achieve inky black like CRT. This is even more apparent in dark rooms where you have a good reference for black.


-phil

 

[Pocatello]

Quote:

No thanks. Nad gonna pay close to $2000 for something that you cannot even converge except by pushing a button...and then getting mediocre convergence.

Wolvernole, what do you mean?

 

[htwaits]

Quote:

Originally posted by htwaits The May/June issue of "The Perfect Vision" makes the Sony KP46WT500 46" table model sound pretty good for MSRP of $1,899.

I have no interest in this set myself, but one point that the reviewer made was that it was possibly the easiest set to do an ISF calibration on that he had ever seen. I would assume that the ability to do "good" convergence" would be a given. I have no first hand knowledge. Just thought it might be a set that fit the original question.

 

[Pocatello]

I read the same review in TPV. The reviewer really liked the 46" Sony. (Sony KP46WT500.) He mentioned something about how easy it was to do an ISF calibration... not the typical fight that is involved.


That is why I didn't understand the comment from Wolvernole.

 

[htwaits]

Maybe Wolvernole likes to play with his "convergence" while he watches TV.