1) How big is your main HomeTheater TV?
I have a 50" Sony Grand Wega II LCD (GWII) , 50XBR800. Including the Axioms, probably have $8500- $10,000 tied up, (the equipment is listed in my profile), but I don't expect to do this every couple of months. The room could support 60", but this is more than adequate. Took zero time to get used to the TV's size. Now, watching other small TVs (27" to 40"), everything else looks too small.
(2) What kind is it - DLP, CRT, etc....
See above
(3) Are you running HDTV content?
Yes, I have the DirecTv HD package. HD is just fabulous. Also, DVDFs on this thing (while not HDTV) knock your socks off.
(4) Any notable impressions/cautionary tales about big screen that the rest of us should know about?
What I found out/considered as I was in the hunt and doing research:
Regular CRT TVs - Best pictures. Screens are too small for something I will own for 10+ years and technology moving forward. WAY too heavy. Lower end of the expense scale.($800-$2100)
Big Rear Projection Boxes - Too bulky, but the top could hold components or a center speaker. Viewing angle limited. Convergence/setup hassle. High risk of burn-in. Decent picture. Lower end of the expense scale. ($1400 - $3000)
DLP - Beautiful PQ, color and black levels. Slim and light; easy to work with. No threat of burn in. Technology still struggling a bit. Difficulty in getting discrete codes for a universal remote. Some see rainbows and/or experience nausea watching the picture (I did both). Quality control (especially with Samsung) was a concern based on research. Middle of the expense scale. ($3000 - $6000)
LCD - Beautiful PQ and color. Some complain about black levels; not an issue for me. Slim and light; easy to work with. No threat of burn in. Sony discrete codes were easy to obtain. Small percentage experience stuck pixels. Middle of the expense scale. ($2800 - $6000)
PLASMA - Way expensive (except for EDTV). Burn-in threat. Picture can degrade (although not for a number of years). PQ, color and black levels good. Did I mention expensive? Based on the expense, I didn't spend much time here. Top of the expense scale. ($5500 - $10,000). As an aside, when I was looking, the EDTVs hadn't really appeared. I might have considered one of these (42" or 50") at $2500 to $4000.
Never really considered front projector.
