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MalFUnXiON
PostPosted: Sat Jul 12, 2003 6:11 am 
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Don't know where this belongs Ali, just looking for some help so feel free to move it. I'm finally getting some cash together to step into HDTV world. Being a poor college student with $40k in tutions, trust me it has been a long ride. But hopefully by this Christmas, I will be able to enjoy television as it was meant to be seen. Choosing the perfect TV though has been an incredebily arduous task. After 2 years of research (lots of AVS forum), I still can't select a final model. So here's the criteria, please help in any way you can.

Obviously 16x9 is a must and I'm looking at a budget of approximately $2500 (could stretch to 2800), now here are the options:

Direct View:
I was pretty much set on the 34" Sony XBR, was just waiting for the new 910 model to come which has a new SuperFine Pitch technology that's supposed to revolutionize the direct view quality. Lately though, I have had concerns with the size. My viewing distance is around 10-11 feet and most sites say that's too far for a 34". Plus they are bulky and hard to maneuver, and that's not what the future looks like. Still, the picture quality is indisputable with deep blacks, and no burn-in risks, so I can't rule it out.

CRT Rear Projection:
I have a bright room, and wide viewing angles. So these are a definite no no.

LCD Rear Projection:
Can't live with the awful black levels.

Front Projection:
This set is for everyday viewing for which Front Projection isn't all that practical.

LcOS:
Still a very new technology and only one model available that's super expensive. So not a viable option at the moment.

DLP Rear Projection:
This is what I stumbled on just recently in my quest. They offer great quality (720p), vibrant colors, good for bright rooms, pretty good black level, all the inputs (DVI, VGA), easy to maneuver, and pretty decent price for the 40-46" range that I'm looking for. So what's the problem? They are currently only marketed by Samsung, a company that I don't trust very much. They have gotten very good reviews, but I'm reluctant to put my hard earned money into Samsung. I found a Panasonic DLP which is 52" (little too big for my cramped room), plus it didn't get as glowing reviews as the Samsung. There currently aren't many other reliable models employing this technology.

Plasma:
I wish!!!! Prices are still way too high for pretty low resolutions.


I have been waiting for a long time for HDTV now, so I would really like to settle the deal by the end of the year. At the moment I'm deciding between the Sony 34" XBR and the Samsung 43" DLP. One has the size restriction and the Sammy I'm reluctant to invest in. Now is the picture going to change significantly by next summer? Meaning will I be able to get a high quality 42" plasma in my budget, or will LCos become a viable option. I know Direct View's aren't going to get bigger plus they are supposed to be on there way out. So the Sony XBR is the only one I consider. Are other companies going to start with DLP TVs? So basically deciding between:

Sony 34XBR910 now
Samsung 43HLN now
Wait for other DLP's
Wait for LCOS to become popular and cheaper
Wait for good plasmas to become affordable

I would really prefer not to wait too long because I want HDTV. Obviously if I wait like 5 years, plasmas will be very affordable. But let me here your practical suggestions. All help is appreciated.
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ksingh
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 14, 2003 7:25 pm 
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I bought a sony 57inch widescreen HDTV 4 months back. Paid $2500 for the TV plus $349 for shipping from NJ to FL and bought a 5 year extended warranty for the TV for $320 dollars. When came time for me to buy a widescreen/HDTV I was stuck between the Hitachi and Sony 57inch tvs. I ended up with the sony HDTV because two of my friends ended up buying the sony tv.

Hope this helps!!
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MalFUnXiON
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 14, 2003 7:52 pm 
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Quote:
I bought a sony 57inch widescreen HDTV 4 months back. Paid $2500 for the TV plus $349 for shipping from NJ to FL and bought a 5 year extended warranty for the TV for $320 dollars. When came time for me to buy a widescreen/HDTV I was stuck between the Hitachi and Sony 57inch tvs. I ended up with the sony HDTV because two of my friends ended up buying the sony tv.

Hope this helps!!

Well, I assume you're talking about the CRT based rear projection TV. My room has 3 windows and susceptible to a lot of light plus my viewing angles go as far 60 degrees off center. Hence CRT Rear Projection will give me really bad pic quality. If I had a dark dedicated HT Room, or a basement, I would definitely consider it. But since this is for primary viewing in the family room, it's not a viable option. Thanks for the suggestion though.



Edited By MalFUnXiON on 1058214193
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MunnaBhai
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 14, 2003 8:09 pm 
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i have the 34" Sony XBR..i bought it a little less than a year ago. And trust me....the picture quality it can display is mind-blowing. The colors are the best part about it. Black-level is perfect for the most part. Picture is always crisp and clear! I even played "Enter The Matrix" on my XBOX on that tv because that game supports 1080i and i couldn't believe how clear it looked! I saw Star Wars Episode 2 on it, which is digitally shot and to be honest i didn't like it so much because it kinda looked TOO CLEAR. It didn't have the movie-feel to it and it looked like it was a cartoon because everything was so colorful and sharp. But anyways, this TV is awesome and it is really worth the price. I think that the only con it has is the size. I thought 34" was good enuf considering that people in india still think 27" is huge. But apparently it's not...i wish it was a bit bigger...perhaps 42" but that depends on you if u like big picture or not. Plus for crappy indian dvd's it's better to have a smaller tv cause a bigger screen would emphasize the crappy transfers even more! I was thinking...have u considered by a projector? If you're just gonna use it for movie-watching and hometheater purposes a projector is a great idea. They have really good ones now and you can blow up the picture as much as u want and it'll stay fairly sharp. So you should consider that too... :thumbs:
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MalFUnXiON
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 14, 2003 8:21 pm 
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Quote:
i have the 34" Sony XBR..i bought it a little less than a year ago. And trust me....the picture quality it can display is mind-blowing. The colors are the best part about it. Black-level is perfect for the most part. Picture is always crisp and clear! I even played "Enter The Matrix" on my XBOX on that tv because that game supports 1080i and i couldn't believe how clear it looked! I saw Star Wars Episode 2 on it, which is digitally shot and to be honest i didn't like it so much because it kinda looked TOO CLEAR. It didn't have the movie-feel to it and it looked like it was a cartoon because everything was so colorful and sharp. But anyways, this TV is awesome and it is really worth the price. I think that the only con it has is the size. I thought 34" was good enuf considering that people in india still think 27" is huge. But apparently it's not...i wish it was a bit bigger...perhaps 42" but that depends on you if u like big picture or not. Plus for crappy indian dvd's it's better to have a smaller tv cause a bigger screen would emphasize the crappy transfers even more! I was thinking...have u considered by a projector? If you're just gonna use it for movie-watching and hometheater purposes a projector is a great idea. They have really good ones now and you can blow up the picture as much as u want and it'll stay fairly sharp. So you should consider that too...


I agree the 34" XBR can't be beat in terms of picture quality (unless I break the bank on a super expensive plasma which I can't do). It has perfect black level and contrast, and the new XBR910 is supposed to be even better than the 800 because of the Super Fine Pitch. That's why it still heads my list. Only problem is the size, if it was at least 38" then there would be no question. My viewing distance is around 10 ft so I'm not sure about the 34" anymore.

As I mentioned in my post, this is for primary viewing (lots of cable TV included) in the family room which has lots of lighting. That's the reason that a front projector isn't an option.

Thanks for confirming my views on the Sony. It's still likely going to be my purchase.



Edited By MalFUnXiON on 1058214311
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Zoran009
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 14, 2003 8:47 pm 
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DIRECT VIEW..SONY NEW 34 inch XBR, u cant beat this for $2000, with tuner included..this was 8 grand when came out orig..

RPTV..I would recomend, PIONEER/PIONEER ELITE, with DUAL DVI, inputs..

If u want DIGITAL DISPLAY...

Samsung DLP, LCOS, DILA , or Plasma..Shop on ur own risk!!LOL
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ksingh
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 14, 2003 8:50 pm 
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Yeah I was talking about the CRT based rear projection tv. In my family room where the sony is placed there is almost no lighting but a lamp placed in the corner and lights in the rear of the room which don't affect the tv. The XBR series is the top of line for sony when it comes to rear based projection tvs. I wanted the 57 xbr tv, but it was too big to fit in my opening as compared to the 57wv series.
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Zoran009
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 14, 2003 9:04 pm 
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I would recomend PIONEER ELITE over SONY XBR for QUALITY, leaving aesthatic out!!
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Zoran009
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 14, 2003 11:28 pm 
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malfnxion/ksingh ji!! u might wait for this:

LG Unveils 71W-Inch Plasma-Display Panel

Gumi, Korea -- LG Electronics unveiled what it called the world's largest plasma-display panel featuring a 71W-inch screen.

The product was the highlight of a showcase of more than 20 new digital television-related technologies and products demonstrated for members of the Korean media and distributors at the company's manufacturing plant here.

Plans are to bring the 71W-inch panel to the U.S. market in 2004, according to a spokesman with Zenith, LG's core consumer electronics brand in the United States.

The 71W-inch plasma panel is said to produce 1,000 candelas of brightness and a 1,200:1 contrast ratio using a new advanced "KK module." The panel also includes LG's proprietary XDRpro digital picture quality-enhancing engine. LG will add the XDRpro technology to a wide range of its digital television products.

"Such products [71W-inch plasma panel] will be the starting point of its full-scale marketing activities," according to a company statement announcing the system.

XDRpro is LGE’s proprietary technology, which is said to be capable of reproducing "life-like digital images that are superior to other technologies," LG said.

Many of the other products showed at the factory had been displayed at International CES last January, including a pair of fully integrated plasma-display HDTV sets, with internal ATSC tuners, in 42W- and 50W-inch screen sizes.

The company also showed a 60W-inch LCD-based rear-projection HDTV set incorporating a built-in hard-drive personal video recorder. The unit is said to be capable of recording and playing full high-definition broadcasts.

A Zenith spokesperson said the rear projection LCD TV/PVR combo product is slated to reach the U.S. market in 2004 under the new upscale LG brand.

In other U.S.-related marketing news, the company said it would be prepared to begin meeting the Federal Communications Commission's digital tuner mandate starting in the second half of the year.

LG said it has developed internally a "Digital TV System on Chip (SoC)," which will receive U.S. ATSC-type digital broadcasts without the need for digital set-top boxes.

This will be used in a 50W-inch PDP, 52W-inch LCD projection TV, newly designed 32-inch and 28-inch Digital direct view TVs, and 40W-inch and 45W-inch rear-projection CRT TVs.

Other products on display included complete home theater packages, some incorporating wireless speakers.

The assortment includes the following:

* A premium system, featuring a 60W-inch PDP, DVD recorder, high-end amplifier, and tallboy speakers.

* A system with a 50W-inch PDP, super slim DVD player, and digital amplifier in matching colors, and tallboy speakers.

* A combination system consisting of a 50W-inch PDP, rear-side wireless tallboy speakers, and a DVD player.

* A system featuring a set-top box with high-definition broadcast playback and recording, all digital DVD set-top box, digital amplifier, and slim tall-boy speakers.

Meanwhile, LG officials said they intend to grab the market share leadership position in PDP by 2005, adding that its second-phase PDP production line is capable of more than 600,000 units per year.

The company said "it will be carrying out plans for an active marketing campaign" on the products, and is planning a formal U.S. media review this month.


*** No GUARANTEE against MALFUNXION.. :baaa: ??? :hmm:



Edited By arsh on 1058225336
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ganti
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 15, 2003 2:09 pm 
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I am living with a projector setup for the last 2 1/2 years. I have no regrets so far, except when watching the crappy quality Indian DVDs, but still my wife and son prefers to watch their favorite movies on this huge screen.
Before moving to this setup I have extensively studied and observed Rear projection HDTV’s. But I decided to have projector-based setup, mainly for portability, as we live in a rental place and may be needs moving a lot, I prefer some thing that I can carry, with out the need of movers. But I got more than I bargained for.
I understand you have no light control, so Projector based setup is ruled out so as rear projection TV. I have seen Sony XBR in action and really good, but small size.
I think at least a 42inch screen size is a must to enjoy all the wide screen movies in action. If I were you I will wait another 3 to 6 months for the plasmas to come down to your price range. I recently spent couple of days with our friend and watched his 42-inch Panasonic Plasma. And it does have killer black level and contrast.
Hometheaterspot.com is one good place to find lot of info about HDTV and related things. As you already know AVSForum is really good for Projectors, Home Theater Computers and Plasmas as well.



Edited By ganti on 1058278465
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MalFUnXiON
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 15, 2003 6:30 pm 
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arsh wrote:
DIRECT VIEW..SONY NEW 34 inch XBR, u cant beat this for $2000, with tuner included..this was 8 grand when came out orig..

RPTV..I would recomend, PIONEER/PIONEER ELITE, with DUAL DVI, inputs..

If u want DIGITAL DISPLAY...

Samsung DLP, LCOS, DILA , or Plasma..Shop on ur own risk!!LOL

Well the 34" XBR is my favorite too, but do you think a 10 feet viewing distance is too great for this size? That's my only worry with this TV. As I mentioned before a CRT RPTV isn't really an option for me, otherwise I would consider the Pinoneer Elite.

DLP and LCos are interesting, but I really want other companies to start offering it. They aren't as good as plasma, but significantly better than CRT RPTV. That's why I'm taking a close look at them.

And that 71" LG Plasma isn't for me, though a 71" Plasma would be quite a conversation piece.
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Zoran009
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 15, 2003 6:36 pm 
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what is ur concern, u wont see good at 10 feet?
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MalFUnXiON
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 15, 2003 6:39 pm 
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ganti wrote:
I am living with a projector setup for the last 2 1/2 years. I have no regrets so far, except when watching the crappy quality Indian DVDs, but still my wife and son prefers to watch their favorite movies on this huge screen.
Before moving to this setup I have extensively studied and observed Rear projection HDTV’s. But I decided to have projector-based setup, mainly for portability, as we live in a rental place and may be needs moving a lot, I prefer some thing that I can carry, with out the need of movers. But I got more than I bargained for.
I understand you have no light control, so Projector based setup is ruled out so as rear projection TV. I have seen Sony XBR in action and really good, but small size.
I think at least a 42inch screen size is a must to enjoy all the wide screen movies in action. If I were you I will wait another 3 to 6 months for the plasmas to come down to your price range. I recently spent couple of days with our friend and watched his 42-inch Panasonic Plasma. And it does have killer black level and contrast.
Hometheaterspot.com is one good place to find lot of info about HDTV and related things. As you already know AVSForum is really good for Projectors, Home Theater Computers and Plasmas as well.

Well, I would really consider Front Projector if it was practical for my case. The problems are lighting, and this will also be the primary set used for cable TV viewing. I don't want to fire up the projector every 5 mins to check the news and stuff like that.

A CRT RPTV isn't for me either because of the quality and their bulkiness. The new DLP's and LCos are much thinner, and offer better picture, that's why I was considering some options there.

Regarding the Panasonic Plasma, the 42" that's in the $3,000 range is the lower resolution (852x480) which isn't capable of displaying true HDTV (720p or 1080i). The higher end 42" which does display true HDTV at a resolution of (1024 x 768) is around $6,500. I don't want to buy a cheaper plasma and get stuck with subpar picture quality.

I'm waiting till winter anyway, so if true HDTV plasmas with the higher resolution come within $3,000, I'll be a happy man. But since that doesn't look like a great possibility, I was looking at other options.

Thanks for your suggestions.
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MalFUnXiON
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 15, 2003 6:42 pm 
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arsh wrote:
what is ur concern, u wont see good at 10 feet?

Well most HT sites give a recommended distance of 5-7 ft for that TV to really see the detail and get properly immersed in movies. That was my concern. At the moment I'm living on a 27" so it would still be an upgrade. But I'm looking to experience proper HT :) .
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Zoran009
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 15, 2003 6:44 pm 
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Those RULES, not apply, same to DIRECT VIEW!! You should be fine!!

34 inch WS WEGA, IMHO, is HARD TO BEAT..AWESOME VALUE!

Go to show room, stand or sit at 10 feet and see ur self! LOL..
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