I figured I'd ask my questions here, since this place even though more geared to audio is friendlier than most other places I frequent...
I probably shouldn't even be asking yet, as my purchase is a good 6-9 months away, but what the heck...
Some background: Okay a pic is worth a thousand words, so here it is, but first a couple notes: yes, speaker placement is less than ideal, but I had to balance asthetics with performance, and it was a compromise-plus it keeps them out of harms way from knee-biters..Also, the "hollow" space above the TV has been closed off with a 6x1 and have acoustic dampening foam inserted in front of it both for asthetic reasons and to keep sound out of the "hollow" behind the TV, and to allow a mounting surface for a center channel. The Quintets have been sold and replaced with 5 identical mini-bookshelves with larger midbass drivers for a better "blend" with my sub, and now also own M60s flanking my stereo cabinet as well, and an SVS sub (not shown).
Okay, when I started this mess in '03 I just wanted something "cheap, but better than your typical HTIB". So far, I have been EXTREMELY PLEASED with the results of all my purchases EXCEPT my Quintets; a hard lesson learned-but they are long gone.
Now that my audio is just where I want it, now I find myself wanting to upgrade the video (damn this hobby). I have done the requisit research, and for various reasons think I am wanting to go with a LCD RPTV. Here is why, and here are my questions as well:
1) Cost: When my house was built, obviously it was before the era of "flat panel" TVs took off. I have the space for a convential TV in that "cubby". So my PRIMARY reason for RPTV is cost: CHEAP-I don't have any specific need for a "flat panel", so I figured why waste $$$ if I can help it.
So, aside from bulb replacement issues, is there some other reason I should steer away from this technology?
2) WEIGHT: When I put our existing TV in the cubby, it took FOUR OF US. Yes, the TV is a 2 man lift, but when we had to life it that high, that 200+ pound monstrosity took every bit of what we had to get it in there. Not that you move a TV much, but if for whatever reason I need to, I would like to be able to. Our current TV cannot be moved again, period (until I have a replacment, and have to gather 3 other guys again).
3) SIZE: I thought a 36" TV was pretty big, but as I get older, I find I have a hard time seeing it. For whatever reason our 24" in our bedroom seems easier for me to see. Maybe our living room is just too big. Anyway, so far, I have found one specific model TV that is the largest screen I can fit in the given space: 42" widescreen. The largest flat-panel I have found that will fit there is currently a 40" (and it costs almost twice as much), so currently I can get a larger size LCD RPTV for cheaper than I can a smaller LCD flat panel.
Some specific concerns:
I know viewing angle is very good on these newer sets, but since my TV is higher than normal, how is viewing angle from UNDER a projection screen (not by a lot, but sometimes a little can make the difference bewteen watchable and unwatchable!).
How do they look? okay, I haven't shopped yet, but...and this goes a ways back...every RPTV I have seen (all CRT based i think) all are very dark, which isn't a big deal since we rarely watch TV in there, its mostly movies at night, and all have seemed "fuzzy" our badly out of focus. I have never saw a RPTV that I thought looked good, but its been a good 5 years since I have seen one.
Last question. This concerns cabling, and not the TV itself. I have about 30' cable runs in wall going behind my current TV. I have one each of: RF, composite w/audio, S-video w/audio, component w/audio. Obviously I will want to add a couple cables. HDMI for one, and the other VGA for our Xbox360. Has anyone successfully ran a good length of VGA cable without serious degredation to PQ? My runs are about 27' in wall, and with 3' "jumpers" from the sources to the wall plates makes about 36' total length run.
Thanks for any answers and suggestions!
-Alan
