Finally something i really know about in these forums
~Shard~ said:
I know there are similar threads on this topic, and I have read through most of the ones I could find, but I thought it would be useful to start a definite "checklist" and get some input from the knowledgeable MacRumors members on their recommendations and opinions on what I am looking at for my HDTV purchase.
First of all, no Plasma for me. From what I've read, it doesn't last as long, there seems to be burn-in issues, etc. They also don't seem to have as many benefits as LCD or DLP. Agree, disagree?
(I also am not interested in the whole front projection setup, btw, just personal preference.)
LCD versus DLP - thoughts? I have heard many great things about DLP, however I know some of the drawbacks of LCDs were that they didn't come in large sizes and were expensive - two traits which seem to have been resolved as of late.
How about HDCP. HDMI. Essential?
Contrast ratio - what's good? How about response rate - is 8 ms good?
I'd like to wait for 1080p - is this silly of me?
How about for HDTV signals - do some/none/all sets have built in tuners yet, or would I eventually need to get a set top box receiver/decoder type of unit for a few extra hundred $$$ to make my TV truly HD? Just thinking about future-proofing.
What else should I be looking for, or put a priority on?
Lastly, FWIW, I won't be buying for a few more months, so I have the luxury of waiting for price drops, new technology advances, etc.
Please share any thoughts you might have on this - I'd really appreciate it!
first of all, i sell TVs for a living... so i like to think that i know what i'm talking about.
As far as your first comment about no plasma... let me tell you this. the older plasmas, yes, they did have some problems. now, though, mitsubishi and samsung are using a new hybrid gas rated to last 60 thousand hours (27 years at 6 hours a day). Older plasmas used a gas that was very high in red content that caused them to have an un-natural picture. the bad part of that was that the high red content caused the gas to burn very hot and when something burns hotter, it burns faster. Mitsubishi has solved this problem with their PD-4265 model, yes a little pricey, but very worth it for a plasma. as far as burn in, it takes a static image set on the screen for up to 6 hours to burn in, so if you're using it as a computer monitor, then yes, you may encounter this problem, but if you don't plan on leaving DVDs paused or not turning video games off then you won't have this problem.
as far as LCDs go, Sony's KDL-V40XBR1 is currently the hottest selling flat panel TV on the market, just go to Circuit City, Best Buy, or Sears and ask for one. Currently the larges flat panel LCD available is 42" made by mitsubishi and it retails for 7999. The Sony has a MAPP of 3499, more than half cheaper for a 2" sacrafice. Toshiba also makes a 37" flat panel with built-in DVD that i sell for 2899 model number 37HLX95 I believe.
Rear-Projection (RP) LCDs are great if you aren't concerned about mounting one on the wall. Generally they are 14" to 18" deep and range from 42" to 62''. Sony's KDF-E42A10 and 50A10 have PC inputs (15-pin Blue VGA) with speakers on the bottom with a respective width of 39.5" and 46.5". Their 55A20 and 60A20 have the same features the speakers are on the sides, cosmetically different. Mitsubishi makes their WD-52527 in silver and WD-52528 in black with a few more features than the silver that both measure 49" wide with a 52" screen. Both of those models are available in 1080i resolutions in 52" and 62" screens... no 1080p RP LCDs yet.
As far as DLPs go, if i were buying one i'd go with the Mitsubishi WD-52627 or 52628 with the same dimensions as the 52527. They, along with the 56" Toshiba, are currently the best 1080p DLPs available. My suggestion, since DLP is such a new product and so sophisticated that Texas Instruments is the only company that manufactures the light engine, is to purchase some sort of extended protection plan since they are very hard to work on.
LCD vs. DLP specifically, viewing angles are about the same, roughly 165-170 degrees. DLP does give you a better quality and generally a brighter picture.
LCoS - Liquid Crystal on Silicon is the new set being manufactured by Sony (model numbers can be found at sonystyle.com) is their rival for the DLP. Since Texas Instruments is the only one who manufactures the DLP engine, and Sony is so proprietary, I'm assuming that is the reason that Sony went LCoS over DLP. The LCoS has 3 color panels with 2 million pixels a piece, giving it, technically, the best resolution on a rear projection set being manufactured today. That TV is available in a 50", 60", and 70" set.
Most HDtvs are equiped with HDMI terminals, which is better than DVI because HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) carries both audio and video where DVI carries only video. Most cable/sat. boxes have HDMI terminals, as well as up-scalling DVD players and the new game systems like XBox 360 and PS3. HDMI is definitely a plus.
As far as the signal itself goes, your TV can only be as good as your signal. Nothing is being broadcast in 1080p yet, and from what i understand the BCS Bowl games are the first things being filmed in 1080p. If you're waiting on price then the 1080p will be a while, but if you need something now, jump on 1080p because a TV of that calliber is an investment, not just a purchase.
As of August '05 every TV manufactured over 32" is required to have an ATSC (high definition) tuner built in to it (HD Ready). Having a tuner, though, only allows you to receive over-the-air (antenna) signals, unless the TV is DCR (digital cable ready) with a CableCARD, which allows you to receive digital and high definition signals without the set-top box. CableCARD has its pros and cons, though, which i can explain later if you're still interested.
Basically, it boils down to how much space you have and if you're on cable or satalite.
PM me, or email me at
basic12@gmail.com, if you have any questions or comments that you would like me to follow up on. You can also reply to this post, because i will be subscribing to the thread.
I hope this helps... enjoy...
