Since I seemed to have hi-jacked my own thread, I figured I should start a new one here.

As you all know, I want a new TV.

Pretty much my only requirement is that it handle 1080p. (I think it should go without saying that it has to have a good looking picture)

So far LCos has been the only technology with this capability. I've been doing some snooping and it seems that good old T.I. has a new DLP chip coming out. The xHD3...their first 1920x1080 chip! This could solve all my TV problems.

Texas Instruments DLP

More. Note the last paragraph.

Hopefully it will come in around that $4000 mark in 60"+ sizes. Can't wait til that day comes.

Likewise. Of all the new TV techs I've actually seen, DLP has always looked best to me. LCD had crap blacks, plasma always had digital artifacts...a 1080p DLP would be sweet.

I agree completley!

I don't. Go big, go cheap. Look again in 5-10 years. Too early to bet on anything new. My $.02.

Good point. But, if your an old goat who could be in your grave in 5-10 years, there's no point in waiting. I took the plunge last summer with a Sammy DLP, and I just watched the Red Wings whip the Avalanche in HI DEF. Wonderful!

BigWill has a point. This will be my next purchase:http://www.projectorcentral.com/BenQ-PB6100.htm

I would only be using it for movies off DVD, and according to this http://www.projectorcentral.com/benq_pb6100_pb6200.htm it would be tough to beat for the money.

Also see this:http://www.projectorcentral.com/rpt_top_10_free.cfm

In reply to:

---

my only requirement is that it handle 1080p.

---

I think Toshiba stopped production on the LCoS sets due to problems. The earliest availability for xHD3 DLP sets is probably Christmas (or maybe early 2005), and prices will likely be very high.

So I don't think any 1080i/p native digital HDTV is currently available. I'd go with an existing LCD or DLP rear projection set. ABC, ESPN and eventually Fox will be broadcast in 720p anyway, so 1080 doesn't help for those. The current 1080i broadcasters limit bandwidth at about 1400 horizontal pixels to reduce compression artifacts. So even if you had a 1080i/p set right now, there's no true 1080 signal to receive, from anybody. There's a little true 1080 material on D-VHS tapes, but selection is very limited.

Even on 720p sets, the limiting factor is source material quality, just like Axiom speakers. On my Samsung HLN-507W 50" DLP, HD broadcasts vary in quality from barely above analog NTSC to so clear it's like a picture in space. Having a 1080i/p display wouldn't change that.

The biggest challenge for HDTV adopters isn't 720 vs 1080 displays, but quality and availability of HD source material, and ability to record it for time shifting. Unless you want to be physically present for each HD broadcast, you'll need to budget an HD Tivo, Dish DVR-921, etc.

Eventually in a few years decent source material will be available on HD-DVDs, and then 1080 displays will be more worthwhile.

There's always new tech. around corner. I'm in the same shoes and after looking around, I finally settle down with Sony LCD 50". My main source is DVD and picture quality is good. I've been using sony tv , so i'll go with LCD this time...:)

I don't see much different in quality between Samsung DLP and Sony LCD.

I'm essentially buying a new tv for DVD and HD-DVD playback. I don't watch much else on my tv. Cable/Broadcast tv pretty much sucks. What little I do watch doesn't need to wow me with PQ.

I'm probably at least a year away from getting anything anyway, so if 1080p DLP is still a little ways off, no biggie.

I hear ya Spiff...I don't have cable or satellite, though I've had my share of both and have enjoyed some benefits of both. I do miss the music stations...but I figure I'm saving $40-60 a month...more money for DVDs and CDs! Commercial Free...all the time

I thought I loved DLPs, too, until...

Rainbows. If you don't see 'em, great. But if you do, it's unbearable. Won't be an issue at some point. But I do find fast motion hard to watch on a DLP as well. Looks blocky for a brief moment.

As an owner of a Sony GWIII LCD RPTV, I want to comment on the black level issue. Out of the box, they aren't great, you're right. But if you're willing to go tweak in the service menu, you can get outstanding black levels, and reduce/eliminate the crush. I promise you.

If you don't want to wait, go see a tweaked Sony GWIII, and I think you'll be very surprised.

Take care,
Rich