TV Preference

kberg

With all of the current large screen (>34") TV formats, which one is your favorite?

danger boy

HDTV

Toxis

Mitsu Diamond CRT RPTV. Can't beat the picture from a CRT. Period.

Now if you take that out of the equation, LCoS all the way. DLP sucks for sports (seriously, watch basketball on there and look at the grain on the floor... it's not there!) and LCD has the screendoor effect that I see on all LCD's. LCoS seems to be the only one I don't find to many issues with. Less noise, that's for sure.

Dennis Gardner

DLP or LCD front projection at 80-100 inches wide (not diagonal)

It costs less and has alot bigger WOW factor!:D Then buy a 30something CRT 4:3 TV from Walmart for $300 for news or casual TV. Alot more people are doing this since their audio systems have gotten bigger than the screen sizes.

Skynut

I have not gone shopping yet but for x-mas this year we are going to buy a new t.v. and keep saying plasma. but I have not looked yet.

I am interested in what the other posters on this site think.
I hope mor people answer, if not I will have to wait till dec. to figure it all out.:p

gregure

As someone who works around TV's all day, I can honestly say that I still prefer, wait for it..., tube tv's. Tube is still the best picture in my opinion, and if it weren't for the fact that all these new tv's that are bigger, thinner and lighter are out, we'd all still be more than happy w/ tube. I love my 30" Widescreen Trinitron, and the KD34XBR950 is a great tv.

That aside, as far as the newer technologies go, I really think Fujitsu Plasmas are the ****. Best PQ, best motion software. AVMII rocks-their proprietary advanced motion chip is so far superior to all the rest, I see motion trailing on every tv w/ Hi-Def signals, but Fujitsu has the least by far.

Pioneer Elite plasmas have excellent pq also, and by far the deepest, richest black levels, but they are fussy when it comes to pq w/ DVDs. I've seen a Pioneer Elite look like **** when using a 5910 DVD player thru high grade comp video cables. Granted, the quality improved a bit thru HDMI, but thru comp vid it looked like SD programming, and that just shouldn't happen w/ that level of equipment.

All in all, I think Fujitsu makes the best non-tube tv, and their current models are the nicest I've seen. Even the 42" EDTV version is superb, and for under $3k to boot.

DLP is decent, the new Samsungs being very good, however lots of motion trailing w/ Hi-Def, although that's more a compression issue than anything else.

kberg

Interesting posts so far.

As for me, I'm going to keep an eye on the LCoS technology. Although new and pricey because of it, it may be an excellent contender.

The problem I have with plasmas is not so much the burn-in issue, but rather the potential life expectancy. I mean, dropping thousands on a TV that could have a half-life of 13 years doesn't really appeal to me. On the other hand, I don't like the trailing effect of DLP's and screendoor effect of LCD's (even though they are typically expected to last about twice as long).

I also agree with gregure - you can't beat the tube sets - but damn, if they could only be made with large screens and remain thin/lighter weight!

TrappedUnder Ice

I have a 65"CRT, 46" DLP...soon a FP LCD (when HT room is done) My fav so far is the DLP. I can only say from what Ive owned. I might true Plasma HD better...but that will be in the future
My 32"/27" tube TV's..though outdated...still have good pics.

unc2701

CRT has the best picture, hands down... but they weigh 2 feaking tons and you can't go much over 34" WS with it. Of the rest, LCD projection is my favorite. My eyesight is pretty bad, so I can't actually see the screen door effect (at normal distance), whereas I can see the trails on DLP and CRT projection is just too clunky (and off angle viewing tends to suck). Front projection does give you a huge WOW effect, but you really need a basement room for that to truly work.

madmax

I voted plasma. Previously I would have never considered one but after lucking onto one for 75% off I have been converted. If mine broke today I would buy another at full price if necessary.
madmax

huggies

Still love my 40" Mitsubishi tube tv. But it does weigh a ton, well almost, right at 400 lbs. Great picture though.

beardog03

I have a 36" Toshiba...
Outstanding PQ..!!

Weighs a lot though...

We were looking at the new "thin" TV`s, but the ones I really liked...no way I`m paying that for a TV..!!

Samsung, and believe it or not...Pioneer have nice pic`s

F1nut

Tubes are still the best, IMO.

Roy Munson

Back in Sept. my old Mits 36 incher finally bit the dust, so out I went on a search for a new set and I brought home a Mits 48 inch Widescreen HDTV CRT RPTV. It's a great set and if you haven't seen HD you are really missing the boat!

Shizelbs

Tubes are my favorite. Its such a shame that their footprint is so big.

MacLeod

I too think tubes are the best TVs.

Especially considering the bang for the buck. You can get a 35" Toshiba CRT for $500 at Best Buy and 32" sets can be had for under $300!!!

However, the only set that made my jaw drop in a showroom was a Pioneer Elite plasma. Simply breathtaking.

mulveling

Well, my current set is a direct view HD CRT (KD-34XS955 - man I love this TV), but since they don't get over 34" I'll have to go with RP HD CRT for this poll. I just can not live with the problems digital sets (LCD/DLP/LCoS/DiLA) display. Projection LCD is the worst offender in my eyes (I used to own an LCD FP), but all of them are lacking in dynamic range and color accuracy compared to a top-notch tube. I guess if I had to go with a digital set (which may be the case as tubes continue to get phased out) it would be plasma - at least they have reasonable colors and contrast. Tubes rule!

fireshoes

If you're in the RP CRT catagory, you'd better buy one while you can. More and more manufacturers are stopping production of them.

MSALLA

I just bought a new 50" Samsung DLP. The picture with the HD box is great. I don't see any trails in the picture.
I will say that our 32" tube set still has a better picture when the HD is Not on.

billbillw

I'm for the RP CRT. I don't like the rainbow and silk screen effects from DLP and I don't think LCD or LCOS have true enough blacks yet. Plasma is outta my price range.

My adversion to DLP may change as we start seeing the next generation of 1080p microdisplays from Samsung.

At this point, IMHO, when a RP CRT is properly converged, tweaked, and calibrated, they look as good or better than most of the the other competing technologies, except for plasma.

Gaara

Sony KD34XBR960 is still my favorite set for overall picture quality (when the geometry and convergence are good).

If I personally had to go above 34in I would probably go for a DLP, such as the toshiba 46HM84. I still think that any properly calibrated RPTV will beat out a dlp, lcd, or lcos, but the gap is closing. In my situation it would not be possible for me to go with a RPTV, hence the vote for DLP.

With the new 1080p sets coming out like the samsung HLR dlps, or the new toshibas with the TalenX chip, perhaps dlps will be able to overtake RPTVs.

Jared

bknauss

I prefer CRT for standard def stuff and RP DLPs for HD stuff. I haven't had much experience with front projectors, so I'll stay out of that realm of comments.

gshisme

RP CRT...Best bang for the buck.

aaharvel

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goingganzo

front projecton is the way to go 120+in diag for less than 2k and you do not have the box in the room

Polk65

Originally posted by Skynut
I have not gone shopping yet but for x-mas this year we are going to buy a new t.v. and keep saying plasma.

I have a 26" Mitsubishi that just turned 20 years old. One trip to the repair shop five years ago after I plugged the S-video out from my computer into the TV at the other end of the room. I learned the $100 repair way that sometimes AC outlets can be out of phase. :rolleyes:

CRT's beat the hell out of changing bulbs every 2,000 hours. I've been thinking about buying a Plasma from Auctiondrop but still have not made the decision. DLP is a close 2nd.

Auctiondrop sells plasma's every week with local pick up in Fremont California. Apparently they have a no-hassle return policy. Some are scratch & dent's but others "appear to be new" like this one: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5773993896

Skynut

Fremont is not too far, (probably an hour) I will keep that in mind.
We will have to go out and audition several sets before we decide what to buy.
I never knew there were so many issues with newer televisions.

billbillw

Originally posted by Gaara
Sony KD34XBR960 is still my favorite set for overall picture quality (when the geometry and convergence are good).

If I personally had to go above 34in I would probably go for a DLP, such as the toshiba 46HM84. I still think that any properly calibrated RPTV will beat out a dlp, lcd, or lcos, but the gap is closing. In my situation it would not be possible for me to go with a RPTV, hence the vote for DLP.

Jared

Jared, all DLP sets are RPTV (except for the front projectors) as are LCOS and all of the non-flat panel LCDs sets. I think you are confusing the term RPTV. There are many different types of RPTV. The oldest and most familiar is the CRT based RPTV, but the DLP based, LCD based, and LCOS based are still RPTVs because they project an image from behind onto a lenticular screen. The difference is that CRT sets use 3 small CRTs to project onto the screen, while LCD, DLP, and LCOS uses a bright light source which is then manipulated into an image using the digital chip(s) or LCDs.

landry_p2000

I have a CRT (RPTV), but I am wanting a LCD tv for the longevity and the "burn-in" resistance to video games and long pauses on dvds. No complaints on the PQ of my CRT tv.;)

Lsi9

when you guys complain about LCD picture & blacks I dont think you guys have seen the Sony's out there, they stand far above the competition and look about 30% better than RPTV crts in HDTV



This 55"RP LCD has better quality than any Mitsu RP CRT, and considering the size just as good quality in proportion to any tube hdtv
LCD is the future, especially since they will soon be made with ultra bright LED back lighting, only one on the market today w/ LED, a 46" $15,000 sony

billbillw

Originally posted by Lsi9
when you guys complain about LCD picture & blacks I dont think you guys have seen the Sony's out there, they stand far above the competition and look about 30% better than RPTV crts in HDTV

30%? Really? How did you measure that? I find that hard to believe that a 1280x720 display looks 30% better than a 1080i display (approx 1280x1080), even with less resolution.

Yes the Sony GWIII series look nicer than most of the 3-panel LCD RPTVs, but they still do not produce true blacks. If you put a properly converged and calibrated CRT based set next to a GWIII that has been calibrated and try and watch a movie on both sets in a dimmed room, you will see the difference between true black and gray. The LCD sets get away with this by making the overall image brighter, which is fine in a brightly lit room, but try watching a movie at night in that torch mode.