I am looking to buy my first HD widescreen video system. I have 2 important constraints - I can't use my first choice, front projection, and I am limited to a cabinet depth of about 18 inches. At first pass, I've found that plasma and rear projection DLP, LCD and LCoS (liquid crystal on silicon) all would seem to work. My main question is what are the advantages & disadvantages of each of these technologies, particularly image quality (primarily for DVD viewing). Thanks for any advice.

The only rear projection DLP I have seen is the Samsung (not sure if there are any others out). I see the dreaded DLP rainbows very badly on that set.

What size of TV are you looking for, I believe that the Toshiba Cinema Wide 42" RPTV is right at 18", and very good looking RPTV in my opinion.

I would ideally like 50+ inches if it meets the depth requirements.

Looks like the 51" is 22.5"....just cut a hole in the wall =)

and why is front projection a no go?

The room has too many windows to effectively darken to get a good front projection picture.

Well, our "living-room HT" essentially has one entire sidewall as untreated glass windows facing the backyard. Of course, we cannot use our front projector before dark, so we kept our old 32" tube TV in the built-in shelf for daytime viewing (which we use very rarely anyway). For nighttime viewing, a pulldown screen comes down in front of the built-in, and voila, the living room is transformed into a cinema theater!

sushi,

Your couch's proximity to the right front speaker worries me.

Yeah, as you see in this picture that I've linked here many times by now, our two couches are arranged in a kind of U shape facing the screen. The seat closest to the front speaker on either side is clearly the worst one (they still are ~7' away from the speakers, though -- the front-wall picture is a bit deceiving). The best seat is obviously the one right in front of and below the projector, where I run the MCACC. That's MY seat, too, incidentally (oops... didn't have to declare that here. ).

In reply to:

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That's MY seat, too, incidentally

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I know how you feel.

In the former arrangement of our living room -- my wife gets a bug to rearrange every few months -- there was no seat facing the TV and speakers. When I prepared to watch a movie, I'd bring the loveseat out in front of the TV, making sure one side (and not the whole chair) was centered. That was MY side.

It's all better now since we've got the big couch facing the TV.