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

(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?

(1) 45" Panasonic PT45LC12
(2) LCD
(3) HD OTA via SIRT-151 - AWESOME PICTURE!!!
(4) LCD is still too new. I don't know if it will ever be as good as DLP can be. But for HD watching, it rocks. We don't watch much TV, but now it's pretty much HD or nothing!

I have a toshiba cinema series 36in direct view. It weighs more than I do and I would like to replace it with a DLP, but am waiting for there to be more HD content and for the prices to come down on the sets. Though, I live in San Fran so there is plenty of free HD content if I get a receiver.
I also don't have cable or dish so have a hard time working the cost of a $3000 HD tv into my budget when I really only watch DVDs and a little bit of over the air TV. In addition to that I'm a computer gamer so a TV that will let me play at a nice resolution (1600x1200 preferable 1280x1024 acceptable) is required.

jr

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.

I guess I should chime in too...

27" Sony Wega CRT - purchased in law school some 4 years ago. I thought that it was a huge upgrade from my Panny 19" model.

Comcast HD is available in my area (D.C.) and I will get into it when the TV time is right...

Oh, this is about TV set screen size, my mistake. I have an old fashioned 32" CRT and its a magnavox to boot. Poor, poor, pitiful me. Other than that my wife hasn't complained.

My A/V system probably cost about $2300-2500, all told, not including the TV. And that's before I've gotten decent speakers or center/surrounds! The TV is a $300 27" CRT. Which ain't going nowhere until the HD thing settles down. Then I get to start begging for a bigger TV...

yikes, yeah, that's bad...

(1) How big is your main HomeTheater TV?
my main TV is a Toshiba 36HFX71 flatscreen

(2) What kind is it - DLP, CRT, etc....
it's a direct view CRT capable of 480p

(3) Are you running HDTV content?
no (for obvious reasons) but DVDs look amazing on it

(4) Any notable impressions/cautionary tales about big screen that the rest of us should know about?
Well, I suppose I'm pretty happy with the tube. I needed something a couple of years ago and at that point it was either direct-view or rear projection. I'm still very pleased with my choice because pq is fantastic (with DVD/sat signals) and was, in my opinion, far superior to any rear projection sets available. Once the HD thing settles out, I'll probably be looking for either a front projector or a DLP based set. IMO, CRTs are still a safe bet if you don't mind replacing in 5 years.

(1) How big is your main HomeTheater TV?
92 inch diagonal (front projection pull down screen)
(2) What kind is it - DLP, CRT, etc....
LCD fp
(3) Are you running HDTV content?
Yes via comcast cable. very awesome for sports, concerts, etc. Overkill for typical viewing on the big screen.
(4) Any notable impressions/cautionary tales about big screen that the rest of us should know about?
Consider a fp setup. Can be cheaper than other alternatives. Very close to true theater experience for movies (often better actually). One weekend I watched the first two LOTR at home, then the third in the theater on Sunday - I was disappointed. High WAF factor, I can basically put everything away when not in use (and use a regular 31 inch tv for regular viewing). Downside is the setup can be a bit less than plug and play, but we're mostly geeks that like to tweak anyhow. Other downside is bulb life - they last a year or two then you need to replace.

I've got a 51 inch widescreen Hitachi Ultravision (RPTV). I paid about $2300 for it a little over a year ago. I am completely satisfied. I would not get any sort of flatscreen at the moment, as the technology is still evolving, and it is not clear which flat panel technology will become predominant. RPTV is a mature technology, and if you can deal with the size and limited viewing angle issues, they have a great picture.

I have about $4k tied up in the audio side.

I have a hi-def cable box, and watch several hours a week of hi-def programming. Sporting events and the Sopranos are great in hi-def. I can't wait until more content is available.

Mark