Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion The Water Cooler How big is Yours?

My wife and I are discussing the difference between a 42" and a 50" TV - (cost not the primary issue), and we can't decide whether we want gargantuan, obnoxious size, or smaller size and more clarity.

While avoiding a discussion over which is better - DLP, RP-LCD, LCOS (if it ever really arrives), Plasma, etc. - I want to know how big your TVs are.

Apparently we all love great sound. But how many of us are buying $2500 sound systems and watching movies on a $500, 27" TV? (Me....)

So, my questions are -

(1) How big is your main HomeTheater TV?
(2) What kind is it - DLP, CRT, etc....
(3) Are you running HDTV content?
(4) Any notable impressions/cautionary tales about big screen that the rest of us should know about?

In reply to:

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But how many of us are buying $2500 sound systems and watching movies on a $500, 27" TV? (Me....)

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My tv cost $300, 6 years ago. I am clearly long overdue for an upgrade.

I've got close to $5000 in audio, and a 32" JVC 4:3 tv.

I'll be saving my pennies for a new TV next year. The new DLP xHD3 chip sets seem very promising. 1920x1080 DLP!

As far as size goes, everyone has always told me to get the very largest set you can fit/afford. It only looks huge for a few weeks, and then you're completely used to it.

true true.

i'm waiting on those next gen DLPs/LCDs as well. the last thing i want is a big bulky rear projection set.

maybe a year or so

In reply to:

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As far as size goes, everyone has always told me to get the very largest set you can fit/afford. It only looks huge for a few weeks, and then you're completely used to it.

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So, you get used to the size, but what about clarity? Any concerns?

Probably about $4K in audio (components, cables, speakers, stand, etc.). Scary when I just added it up...big upgrade from my OLD ~$300 system.

1) & 2) 42" plasma (Panny 42PWD6UY which is an EDTV, not true HDTV). Big upgrade from my 10 yr old 27" Zenith. Pretty decent TV, now my parents are using it.
3) DirecTV HD Samsung TS360 via DVI. Waiting w/ baited breath for release of HD D*Tivo and for some place to have price below MSRP. Pain in the a$$ to not have a pause ability...
4) True HD programming is stunning, even vs the best DVDs. I even catch myself watching HD commercials on HDNet. The Spiderman 2 trailer was OUTSTANDING, both visually and audio-wise (yeah Axioms!). Audio can be great as well, some of the OTA ABC shows transmit in Dolby Digital, so the sound is great. HOWEVER, just like w/ Axioms and any good speaker, bad recordings will show as bad recordings. SD content can vary greatly, from passable to absolutely horrendous. SD DirecTV is just so-so. Bummer because it would be nice to be able to watch those new Clone Wars cartoons in HD.

I guess that could depend a great deal on how close you'll be to the set.

Do not own a television. My parents gave me a second-hand Emerson when I was 15 and I threw it out six months ago b/c the green gun went out. The roommate has a nice tv (sony 36" wega or something like that) so we use it.

I'm waiting for HD to settle down. When I pull the trigger, it'll probably be a heavy-a$$ 42" HD tube television. I can't stand plasmas. We have three plasmas at work that range from 8 yrs old to 2 yrs old and they all look like crap to me...and they're high dollar units...it's just the damn plasma...(being a video editor I'm incredibly anal about monitors - takes the fun out of television). LCD is too new. A tube televsion is "mature" technology. In one of our suites we have a professional Sony LCD critical monitor (switchable 16:9/4:3 - we shoot digibeta in 16:9 and pan/scan to 4:3 for delivery). The monitor in the other suite is a pro Sony HR Trinitron critical monitor (8 yrs old and also switchable) and looks better than the new LCD - to my eyes...more realistic chroma. Plus, I'm waiting for HD to be more available and for the formats to settle...SD starts to fall apart if you get much bigger than 36"...unless you get far enough away that you can't see the pixels.

HD looks good on the plasmas and the LCDs, but the technology is too new...I don't want to drop $2500 for something that will degrade in picture quality to a point where I won't watch it in five years (that's about the life of the plasma screen).

Enough rambling.

^billy

I am still piecing together my HT. The hardest part for me to decide on is the video portion.

I still haven't a clue what to get, as for size I imagine the best good picture you can afford that suits the room and your viewing distance. The amount of light in the room is also a consideration.

I am currently using a 32" crt tv.

(1) How big is your main HomeTheater TV?
50" Toshiba RPTV 50HDX82 Cinema Series (wedding present from my wife)

(2) What kind is it - DLP, CRT, etc....
Already answered.

(3) Are you running HDTV content?
In Canada?
Are you kidding?

(4) Any notable impressions/cautionary tales about big screen that the rest of us should know about?
Tell your brother-in-law never to use the Touch Focus button when you are not home.