Well, is getting to the moment I need to upgrade my TV in order to finish my HT setup. I am using a friend's Sony RPTV, SD, no widescreen, model from yr 2000.
I might have the budget in the next month or so, so I am starting the research on TV sets.
Can you share your experiences with different TV brands, various technologies (DLP,LCD,Plama,RPTV), and any recommendation about it.
Brands I was reading about: Sony, Samsumg, Optoma, and others. Size I am looking for: --BIG-- 50 to 65 inches..., I watch DVD and conventional cable (may switch to HD cable after I get the TV of course).
I will appreciate your comments.
Thanks
I would suggest that you go for one of the 1080P models. I am waiting for the Samsung 6168 or 6178 DLP to be introduced later on this month. Preview reports are encouraging but I want to see one, live in person, before I take the plunge.
Right now I'm focusing on DLP technology because I want a 61" screen and I don't want a projector. 61" is a little large for LCD and is a little too expensive for plasma.
I have a 65" Mits; You know, ancient and tested rear projection CRT technology and all-no surprizes here!!
It has a fabulous picture and will probably last for years and years. I can't say one bad thing about it....
except....
I had heard about "burn-in" with RPCRT, so I was ready to be carefull.
I had absolutely no idea of just How Carefull you have to be! Within less than three months of(near continuous)use, there is already indications of "Very Light" burn-in.
RPCRT is without question the most mature technology availabe and the PQ can't be beat.(unless something happened in the last couple of months to change things significantly) And of the major manufacturers; Mitsubishi and Hitachi seem to have the highest reputations within the greatest number of forums I've visited. And "Sears" is the vendor most respected!
Just watch out for those "Black Bars"!!!
Rich.
OOPS! My Wife; Bless Her! Reminded me of something that escaped me: That we took delivery of our new TV on Valentines Day!(How could I forget?) That's nearly four months-of very nearly continuous use! We have a four year old Grand Daughter who is having problems sleeping. so we got in the habit(a bad Habit!)of leaving the TV on all night so if she wakes up and gets up she won't feel so alone and will usually fall back asleep, in the living room, without waking up G'Ma or G'Pa!
I normally turn down the contrast and brightness when bedtime arives so the CRTs aren't smacking the phosphors quite so violently, and also read on at least two ocassions that turning the set on and off is more damaging than leaving the set "on" and turning down the brightness and contrast. for the short periods that the set may not be being watched.(An hour or two, or three)
So, on average, maybe the time on out TV is closer to an average of, I dunno, eight to ten months, maybe a year? In that case, the amount of Burn-in may not be all that severe. At any rate, burn-in is something to be aware of and taken into consideration.
Rich.
I have the Diamond Star 65" Mits and have to agree, it is a terrific TV. Haven't hooked up my HT yet, so I'm using its internal speakers which sound surprisingly good. Thing is huge though.
Well Yeah, 2x6, I guess so!
2x6 has a Diamond; top of the line Mits! His set has the legendary and near-discontinued-by-everyone-else 9" CRTs while the rest of us mear mortals have the 7s. The picture on my Mits has been described, in HD, as being like looking at life thru a well cleaned picture window. On 2x6 set, it's like without the glass!
Does your "Mits" have the 1080P electronics or the 780P?
Rat,
From what you've read is Samsung going to make a 50 inch 1080 DLP? Have you seen MSRP on any models?
bug: yes. Read post #1 in the attached link. It is very comprehensive and the BEST that I have seen anywhere for Samsung. It is updated as needed.
Samsung
Hey, I get a gold star for finally getting the link function to work. Post #1 has it all: sizes, dimensions, tentative MSRP, picures and reviews.
The short answer, Rat: Neither 1080P OR 780P is supported by my 65" Mits!
There were(at the first of the year)rumors of 1080p in the future; my set has 1080i, but had no support for 780p at the time I bought the set in Feb.(at the time the TV was purchased I pretty much stopped researching for fear of what I might learn, and end up with "buyers remorse"! Although, Mitsubishi does send out periodic software updates, so that these formats may be supportable at a later date, since my understanding was that there were no hardware issues, such as scan rates, which is pretty close to the limit at 1080p, involved.
I was given the impression, back then at the first of the year-and I may be way off base here, but I was given the "impression" that 720p was more for gaming, and other "non-TV"(computer hook-up, etc)inputs. That cable has the ability to use 720p, but due to bandwidth concerns probably won't. That HD DVD may use 720p(but can be up-converted in the TV to 1080i)with no discernable change in PQ, so...720p was, to me anyway, "at the time", a Red Herring. I was also given the impression, again "at that time" that the average person wouldn't be able to "See" the difference between 1080i and 1080p anyway, I dunno....
We made the decision that seemed best "at that time". I have no doubt that if I were to start researching again today, I may well come up with a different result in the "next" four or five months. The industry just won't hold still long enough!
The fact still remains that the TV has a fabulous picture, lots of comprehensive inputs, mature technology, exceptional reliability, has no bulbs to burn out, is somewhat upgradable, is emenently affordable, weighs a whopping 330lbs and takes up almost as much space as a King Sized bed!
We LIKE it!
Rich.
Since your TV has 1080I, I would be surprised if it doesn't already support 780 P and I. Most of the 1080 I sets "upconvert" from the 780 and lower formats.
The best description of the difference between 1080I and P is watching a horse race. With the I the horses' legs are a blur, with the P you can see the legs.
Some over the air broadcasting is 1080I, some is 780I or P, it depends on your area and your station. I think that the same is true for cable. Depends on your cable provider.
In any case, the new 1080P Samsungs are supposed to be out on the street in a couple of weeks. I'm going to take a long, hard look.
Enjoy your TV, it sounds like a good one.
Rat,
Great job on the link!
Long but very informative post.
Thanks
Have you considered going with Front Projection? You say you want to go big, how does 100+ screen sound
It is a hell of a lot easier to get a 10lb unit worked on, if needed, than a large television.
There are also a lot of units available that will display HD (720p) or above in jaw dropping clarity.
I definitely will like front projection, but that is for me a future plan, for a permanent setup. I am living in a temporary fashion in an 1-bdr apartment, and its too bright at daylight, even with the shades on, and I dont want to obscure completely the place (actually the manager wont let me put black shades).
Don't forget that you can make shades which are black on the inside and white (or even, heaven forbid, floral) on the outside. Just take two different kinds of cloth and ask someone to sew them together for you...
One would think that anyone capable of calibrating an HT system could work a sewing machine, but apparently that is not the case
I have the Toshiba 52HM84. I did a tremendous amount of research prior to purchasing it. At the time, based on my research I thought it was the best DLP around. It's native resolution is 720p and it has HDMI (though I'm not using it yet). Here is a link to a review:
http://www.dlptvreview.com/dlptvreviews/toshibadlptv.html
I agree with doubting. got a good price from onecall with waranty i am not using hdmi yet either.