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Author Topic: HDTV recommendations?
Flux
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posted 09-21-2005 06:41 PM     Profile for Flux   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
I might be in the market for a new TV. Well, my FIRST tv really (been borrowing one from my parents all throughout college).

Can anyone recommend any brands to look into, or any brands to stay away from? Obviously something that's HD and widescreen.

I love having an income.

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doublefresh
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posted 09-21-2005 06:48 PM     Profile for doublefresh   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
I'm tired of arguing with you. Let's be civil.

I've got a 52" Toshiba DLP
We bought it last christmas. It kicks ass. The only problem we have had is that after only three months it burnt out it's first bulb. They replaced it under warranty. Bulbs are about $150 each and are supposed to last about a year.
HD channels look incredible but our provider only has about 20 hd channels at the moment. http://reviews.cnet.com/4511-5_7-4.html?qt=dlpeditorsratingtab
javascript penWindow('/Toshiba_52HMX94___projection_TV___52_/4505-6485_7-31151816.html?tag=aisle')


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AcidWarp
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posted 09-21-2005 07:13 PM     Profile for AcidWarp   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
I've heard that short of Plasma, DLP is the way to go.

Personally, I don't like LCD TV's. Every single one I've looked at had hideous motion blurring. Let me be clear, I'm not cranking on DLP, just regular LCD TV's

For LCD I'd go with a projector, about the same price and your screen can be as large as you want it to be.

[ 09-21-2005: Message edited by: AcidWarp ]

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“I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road.”

“Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.”

--Dr. Stephen Hawking.


Posts: 4363 | From: Waterloo, Ontario | Registered: Nov 1999  |  IP: Logged
RoGuEBiTcH
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posted 09-21-2005 08:45 PM     Profile for RoGuEBiTcH   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
I have a Maxent 42" EDTV Plasma, and I'm very pleased with it. If you're not sure you want to commit to an HDTV subscription, or if you primarily watch DVDs, you may want to consider EDTV. It's more affordable, and offers reasonable viewing for non-HD signals.

But then, I'm a casual television/movie watcher. I'm not a home theater buff - I just wanted something that looked good, was black, and saved space.

I paid $1700 at BestBuy.

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http://quake2world.net


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doublefresh
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posted 09-21-2005 08:48 PM     Profile for doublefresh   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
three reasons I went with DLP.

One LCD the size I wanted would have cost $8000.00

Two the sales person told me you are not supposed to play video games on the big LCD screens (which may or may not be true)

Three the sales person is a good friend and gave me a very good price.


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doublefresh
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posted 09-21-2005 08:51 PM     Profile for doublefresh   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
looks very nice RB. Certainly takes up less space than mine. I think mine is still about 15" -17 " wide. Did you do your own decorating?
It's very green. Minty like.

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Flux
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posted 09-21-2005 09:21 PM     Profile for Flux   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
aw - Thanks for the recommendation. I'm not crazy enough to drop $8K or more into anything that doesn't have an engine and 4 wheels and can get me to and from work. That being said, I do enjoy things in HD. The prices I'm seeing for big DLP tvs looks pretty damn good to me. I don't want to go much higher than $2250 if I can avoid it. Just something that is at least 50", digital cable ready and HD with component video input (for the xbox, and the revolution if it supports it). A Sony WEGA or one of the Toshiba models seems to rub me the right way.

df - yes, its true. the static elements on screen (health bars, lives remaining, etc.) can burn into the screen if you play games for a very long period of time. also, even if the tv is nice, I'll prolly stay away from Toshiba if their lamps give out that quickly. That won't be entirely avoided since the lamps are said to last only a year and the first replacement will most likely be under warranty, but still. I've looked up what BestBuy has on the floor that's closest to the model you have and it looks pretty good.

rb - nice setup. I'll prolly want HDTV tho. Thanks for the alternative. I'm not an HD freak, but I would like to have it. With the prices I've seen, thank god for DLP.

[ 09-21-2005: Message edited by: Flux ]

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Flux
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posted 09-21-2005 09:32 PM     Profile for Flux   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
forget the link i posted. its not DLP

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Acid
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posted 09-22-2005 12:53 AM     Profile for Acid   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
CRT is the best from what I've read and been told. The reason they aren't pushed in retail stores is because they're actually cheaper to make and don't look as appealing as thin TVs.

Pros- CRT does not burn in. Its cheaper to replace if the bulb goes out too. It lasts longer.

Cons- Weight (my dads weighs in around 250lbs) & Size (comparable to whats out).

But seriously. I love it. You don't have the gay glare either.

edit - i think he has the sony xbr series. cnet has it rated as like the top hd or something he said [a few months ago]

[ 09-22-2005: Message edited by: Acid ]


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AcidWarp
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posted 09-22-2005 02:39 AM     Profile for AcidWarp   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
DLP is as good as CRT . . . more or less.

Plasma pwns CRT. Sorry, but it does. The problem with plasma is that the set itself burns out in about 10 years.

My self, I'd go with an HD LCD Projector. You CAN play games on them, and I can have a 72" for a fairly good price.

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“I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road.”

“Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.”

--Dr. Stephen Hawking.


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dAm
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posted 09-22-2005 03:39 AM     Profile for dAm   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
I had a Phillips 34" Widescreen HDTV and had no complaints other than it being large and very heavy. Kept it about a year and a half and upgraded to a Hitachi 42" widescreen EDTV plasma this spring. I love it. The reason we went to the EDTV was because it had to fit inside our entertainment center. Since we were upgrading it had to for sure be larger than 34" and this was the only one we found that had detachable speakers which I was able to take off and make fit where I wanted it. I like it even better than the HDTV one we had. Normal channels look crisper and I can't see a noticable difference on the HD channels and dvd's.

There's also a little story that goes along with this EDTV. When we bought it I was in my truck and said "I want to take it with me". I hate having to wait for deliveries. So I take the reciept to the back and the guys say they'll be right out with it. After about 15 minutes the manager walks out and tells me the guys dropped the new one and it shattered. It was also the only one in stock besides the demo on the wall so I made them give me the demo until a new one came in. Had to wait another 20 minutes while they figured out how to get it down. No way was I going to walk away and wait 2-4 weeks for another new one to come in. It was give me the demo as a loaner or give me my money back. They happily gave me the demo and my wife even talked the salesman into giving us the demo DVD that they play to show off the high end tv's. Anyways, the new one came in 3 weeks later and I did a swap and all is well. Xbox kicks ass on it too.

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dAm
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posted 09-22-2005 03:42 AM     Profile for dAm   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
Might as weel include a link --> Myths about plasma tv's

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Shut-up and fish


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doublefresh
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posted 09-22-2005 07:12 AM     Profile for doublefresh   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
My bad bulb may have been a fluke. Another thing the sales person told me is all DLP TVs use the same chip from the same company, so no matter is you buy the sony, toshiba, samsung etc it's all exactly the same chip inside. again I'm not 100% it's true but thats what he told me.

As for weight it's light as pie. Maybe 40 -60 lbs, but it's BIG. I had a hell of a time getting it in the house and up on it's stand by
myself. I paid about$1500 and he included a whole set of monster cables and some special HD cable box conector that goes for $100 if you purchase it separately.

Again I've had it for almost a year and love it!!!
First night I ever watched it I had been drinking and it seemed so large I almost puked. Took about a week to get used to it's massive size. At first it felt like sitting in the front row at the movie theatre.


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RoGuEBiTcH
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posted 09-22-2005 07:43 AM     Profile for RoGuEBiTcH   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
2X, Yes, I do my own decorating. I restored my apartment when I moved in last March. I actually live in the David Coffin house, built in 1833. His family was pretty important around the peak of the whaling industry here in New Bedford. He was a whaling captain. The house has 4 floors, and a widow's watch. You should see the woodwork.

Anyway, I spent a solid month working on this place. The kitchen is bright orange, and theres a large oriental fan over the plasma now - but here are some more pics. There's also a second fireplace, marble, in my bedroom that I forgot to photograph.
http://jaydolan.com/images-apt.html

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http://quake2world.net


Posts: 3123 | From: Naples, FL | Registered: Jun 1999  |  IP: Logged
Acid
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posted 09-22-2005 09:16 AM     Profile for Acid   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
I've been told time and time again that DLP burns in just as easily as any other HD. They're also considerably more expensive.
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AcidWarp
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posted 09-22-2005 11:58 AM     Profile for AcidWarp   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
dAm, I didn't realize that plasmas were good for that long. I remember early on there were concerns about longevity of the display.

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“I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road.”

“Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.”

--Dr. Stephen Hawking.


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doublefresh
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posted 09-22-2005 02:21 PM     Profile for doublefresh   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
dlp cant burn in because it's just a piece of glass that a projector projects too. I could be wrong...
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doublefresh
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posted 09-22-2005 02:25 PM     Profile for doublefresh   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
RB, Nice looking place. Is it yours or are you renting? The trim work around the doors is beautiful. Please tell me you did not paint any
wooden trim work. I hate it when people do that :-( Wood is so much nicer looking than paint. Pretty impressive columns as well.

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RoGuEBiTcH
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posted 09-22-2005 04:40 PM     Profile for RoGuEBiTcH   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
Just renting. And no, I did not cover up any natural wood surfaces. It was all painted already - per the norm for that era and style of home.

The windows are the most impressive things in my apartment, I think. They're 11 feet tall, including the baseboard, and span from the floor nearly to the 12ft ceiling. The windows themselves are 6ft tall - lots of light. The split-hinge shutters fold away into the window bay, or may be simply swung into the room as I have them in those photos.

All of the rooms also have crown moldings. The hardwood floors are accented with mohogany and cherry boards. The ceramic bathtub is great. The mantles are enormous.. all in all, they just don't make 'em like they used to. That, and I'm 5 blocks from the water.

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http://quake2world.net


Posts: 3123 | From: Naples, FL | Registered: Jun 1999  |  IP: Logged
Broch
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posted 09-22-2005 05:51 PM     Profile for Broch   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
on a side note, i like the paint color. we are getting ready to paint a few rooms, and i wouldn't even considered lime green, but looks great.

quote:
Originally posted by RoGuEBiTcH:
I have a Maxent 42" EDTV Plasma, and I'm very pleased with it. If you're not sure you want to commit to an HDTV subscription, or if you primarily watch DVDs, you may want to consider EDTV. It's more affordable, and offers reasonable viewing for non-HD signals.

But then, I'm a casual television/movie watcher. I'm not a home theater buff - I just wanted something that looked good, was black, and saved space.

I paid $1700 at BestBuy.



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RoGuEBiTcH
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posted 09-22-2005 06:30 PM     Profile for RoGuEBiTcH   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
Thanks. Like 2x said, it's minty..not really limey. I picked it for a couple reasons: the fireplace is actually green/white tiles, and I own a lot of plants. With the hardwood floors, mint green walls, and large plants everywhere, the place feels very earthy and tropical

Also, it's Benjamin Moore paint, which, imo, covers like nothing else.

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http://quake2world.net


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dAm
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posted 09-23-2005 04:00 AM     Profile for dAm   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
Broch, is that an electric fireplace or a wood one? The house we just bought has an electric one upstairs and a wood one downstairs. The wife wanted to mount our plasma above one or the other but I wasn't sure if it would be a good idea if we actually used them.

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Shut-up and fish


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RoGuEBiTcH
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posted 09-23-2005 12:44 PM     Profile for RoGuEBiTcH   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
I'm RB, not Broch It's a 'real' fireplace, but the flue is closed. I'll never burn anything more than candles in it. Also, my plasma sits atop the mantle. The walls are horsehair plaster, and would not sustain the 40lbs of the television.

Just guessing, I'd say it'd be fine to mount one above the fireplace, especially if you have a mantle to deflect some heat. But that's just my completely uneducated opinion.

[ 09-23-2005: Message edited by: RoGuEBiTcH ]

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Posts: 3123 | From: Naples, FL | Registered: Jun 1999  |  IP: Logged
FS
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posted 09-25-2005 06:02 AM     Profile for FS   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
CRTs are the old bulky TVs and monitors. They do burn in and they flicker and generally don't look as good. However CRTs have much better refresh rates and no trailing or stuff like that.

LCDs do not burn in, and they last forever. If the lamp burns, you just replace it. Fine for playing games etc.

Plasmas do burn in, and their lifetime is limited (although pretty long). Plasmas have better contrast than LCDs.

Read this if you're buying a new set: http://graphics.tomshardware.com/display/20050309/index.html

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quote:
Originally posted by FS:
Wow, I can't believe I'm agreeing with FS on this one

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Cacophonous
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posted 09-25-2005 03:34 PM     Profile for Cacophonous   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
Your apartment looks nice Jay.

Our master bedroom is a ligher shade of a similar mint green with off-white trim. I would have gone with a more olive tone green but Steph liked the mint.

We painted the natural wood trim an off white in just about every room except the dining/family room where we left the natural wood since there are beams the same color as the trim. In the other rooms, the off-white trim contrasts great with the room colors which are all in the same tone but different colors that go together: green, yellow, mauve and blue.

A lezzy friend who does color coordination for a living picked the colors.

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GFKiller
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posted 09-26-2005 01:17 PM     Profile for GFKiller   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
FS was completely on point with his last post.

DLPs do not burn in. They provide a refresh rate closest to CRTs, and the picture is absolutely astounding. DLPs are cheaper than Plasmas or LCDs.


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RoGuEBiTcH
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posted 09-26-2005 07:08 PM     Profile for RoGuEBiTcH   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
Thanks Cac Pics!

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http://quake2world.net


Posts: 3123 | From: Naples, FL | Registered: Jun 1999  |  IP: Logged
outrider
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posted 09-27-2005 10:38 AM     Profile for outrider   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
CRT RPTV=big and cheap, but if adjusted properly some believe still offers best pic overall.

I've messed with crt rptv, lcd rptv and plasma setting up home theaters for family. HD content on a ED plasma tricks most people into thinking they are watching HD. DLP is best for sports. New plasma tech is supposed to out(maybe already out?) that eliminates burn-in and lasts much longer than current tech. I'm sure it's pricey though.

This site has tons of info and reviews on various HD options in TV forums:
www.avsforum.com


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Broch
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posted 09-27-2005 11:11 AM     Profile for Broch   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
Which why is best for playing Playstation? Burn in..yada yada..
Posts: 297 | From: Philly | Registered: Sep 2002  |  IP: Logged
dAm
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posted 09-27-2005 12:02 PM     Profile for dAm   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
quote:
HD content on a ED plasma tricks most people into thinking they are watching HD.

That is very true but it's a good trick.

Here's an intersting article I just found.

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Shut-up and fish


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Broch
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posted 09-27-2005 01:30 PM     Profile for Broch   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
wow, that article was great. i always had my own wrong interpretation of interlanced versus progressive.

now i want a 1080p

quote:
Originally posted by dAm:
[QUOTE]HD content on a ED plasma tricks most people into thinking they are watching HD.

That is very true but it's a good trick.

Here's an intersting article I just found.[/QUOTE]


Posts: 297 | From: Philly | Registered: Sep 2002  |  IP: Logged
GFKiller
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posted 09-27-2005 03:39 PM     Profile for GFKiller   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
Excellent, EXCELLENT article. Saves me a mouthfull when trying to explain this stuff to friends/coworkers. I'm just going to foward this link from now on.
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