Recommend an HDTV...

[Mallus]

So I've decided to make the jump to HDTV (and I'm trying to make some precise, calculations or I'll fly through a sun or end up in mired in credit-card debt or something, you know, bad...).

Right now I'm leaning toward a widescreen LCD flat panel, around 32' or so. Primarily for DVD's and games (PS2, Xbox). I'm after image quality and a better aspect ration for films.

I don't have satellite or digital cable, and don't plan on getting either until there's more content I'm interested in.

I know HD CRT sets are supposed to have fantastic pictures, but I'd like a set that didn't require a robotic exoskeleton to move. And a small/slim profile is a big plus. Plasma sounds nice, but I'm afraid a good set costs more than I'd like to spend.

Suggestions? Brands? Different technology? Models I've been looking at: Sharp AQUOS, Samsung, Syntax Olevia (definitely a discount brand, but the price point is sweet, and I've seen a number of favorable reviews on the Intarweb).

Thanks in advance...

 

[The_Universe]

Best buy usually has a big TV sale at the end of the summer, and another big one immediately after the Superbowl (if you can wait that long). We bought a 52 inch GE Hi-Def rear projection for under a thousand last august. It's been *awesome*.

 

[Mallus]

We bought a 52 inch GE Hi-Def rear projection for under a thousand last august. It's been *awesome*.

I've heard projection TV's have come a long way recently. And a sub $1000 price tag is nice. IS the unit really big/heavy? The (old) projection TV's I'm familiar with were massive. And I have a pretty pressing reason to keep this new TV on the small-ish side (it involves keeping my family happy...)

 

[The_Universe]

I've heard projection TV's have come a long way recently. And a sub $1000 price tag is nice. IS the unit really big/heavy? The (old) projection TV's I'm familiar with were massive. And I have a pretty pressing reason to keep this new TV on the small-ish side (it involves keeping my family happy...)

It's *big* (as any 52 inch screen will be), but it's really not heavy. I can move it around by myself (because it has wheels) and 2 people could move it up and down stairs if they needed to.

 

[GlassJaw]

Toshiba, without question. I have a 50" Toshiba RP that I bought about 2 years ago and I love it.

 

[Arnwyn]

Can't help you with LCD nor with 'small'. I've got a 57" Hitachi HDTV, and love it - and will likely only go bigger next time, to a 60" or 62" screen (all DLP, not LCD).

LCD does have a potential problem of dead pixels - but if small is what you're going for, it's your best bet for sure. As far as I've heard/read, all the brands you listed would likely do you fine.

 

[Bobitron]

If I had budget restrictions that limit size to 32" or so, I would stick with a high-quality tube TV by Sony rather than an LCD. The quality will be better. The biggest benefit (besides the cool factor) of LCD TV's is the lack of bulk compared to a tube. While the quality has improved dramatically over hte last few years, they still aren't quite 'there'.

 

[Rackhir]

A 34" 16:9 CRT set is probably going to weigh in the 150-200 lb range. Not light certainly, but pretty easily moveable with two people. They are pretty affordable, $1k-1.5k. Depth of CRT TVs I've not found to really be an issue unless you are talking about some really confined spaces.

An RPTV (rear projection) is likely to be physically the largest, but many of them also include the equivalent of a TV stand built in. However, while they have improved dramtically, you will still have sigificantly lower picture quality at extreme angles and will washout in bright light. However, they will get you the largest picture for the lowest price. Most use bulbs that will burn out eventually, so replacing them is a potential cost of ownership several years down the road.

LCDs are still substantially more expensive than a CRT or RPTV, for a smaller screen. A 30"-32" start at around $1.5k.

Plasmas seem to start around $2k.

One thing to check for on low end plasma and LCD TVs is that many of them will not display full HDTV resolutions. These sets are frequently refered to as ED (Enhanced Definition) sets.

Basically, unless you have like $3k+ to spend, a CRT or RPTV is still going to be your best buy by a significant margin.

One last issue. 90% of TV material broadcast is still in a 4:3 format. This means that on a 16:9 TV, you will either have to "TV Block" it (big grey bars on the slices costing you about a1/3 of your screen size) or stretch it which will distort the image.

You are not necessarily golden with DVDs either. Not all movies are in a 16:9 aspect ratio. They can be wider or narrower, still requiring black bars of one sort or another. You will want to make sure that your movies are in Anamorphic widescreen. Unless it is, you will not get the full resolution of the DVD on your widescreen TV and image quality will likely suffer.

 

[Mallus]

So direct-view LCD tv's aren't quite 'there yet'? I've noticed they're become extremely popular. Could anyone go into a little more detail? Size isn't my main concern, image quality is.

 

[Bobitron]

LCD's biggest issues are lack of true blacks and limited useable contrast. You can crank the contrast, but if the black end of the spectrum is really a dark grey, it's tough to get any effective detail in shadows and dark scenes, especially on movies.

Direct view CRT's like this one from Sony will give an excellent picture at a very reasonable price. It's pretty tiny, though, so it depends on your viewing distance.

For a bit larger set, I would start with a 50' or so rear projection. You should be able to find plenty of excellent ones for under $2500. Toshiba, Hitachi, Mitsubishi, and Sony are all great brands. I haven't seen a Panasonic I've liked in years, and the same goes for GE/RCA (sorry, The_Universe, but I'm picky ).

I have a Pioneer 53" CRT rear projection from a few years back. Love it. Great picture from as little as seven feet away.'

Edit: I know you stated that size isn't a primary interest for you, but consider something larger. It makes movies much more exciting and theater-like.