Help on new RPTV (1 Viewer)

[Kevin Silence]

Good morning everyone in home theater land.

I am asking for advice on good RPTVs. Here is my situation and thoughts. I want to spend less than $1,500, and I am in no hurry. I will wait for the right deal to come along. My room is 16 x 22, with the TV on the 16 ft wall, and couch at other end. New HTB-544 surround system. I currently have a 27" 4:3, just not big enough.

I think I am in favor of staying 4:3 without HDTV. First, we only have basic cable, and 80%+ of viewing will be regular TV 4:3 format. Correct me if I am wrong, a 42" 4:3 will view the same widescreen picture as a 42" widescreen TV, just with black bars at the top or bottom. To me you have black bars one way (4:3 TV - horizontal black bars viewing widescreen format)or the other (16:9 TV - vertical black bars viewing 4:3). In my situation, I think I would rather deal with black bars 20% of the time (when viewing DVD). I don't think I need HDTV. It's just not worth the $ difference for me with little to no HD programming. But, looking downb the road, maybe HDTV compatible or something like that is worthy?

I am in favor of RPTV, because it appears that is my most bang for the buck. I don't have to have a 50"+ TV, anything above 40" will be a huge improvement.

Any comments or thoughts would be appreciated, especially concerning brands/models (Toshiba? Panasonic? other?), and other things to look for. Digital combing?

Also, someone talked about some TVs squeezing widescreen to 4:3 or vice-versa. If a wide-screen TV squeezed /stretched 4:3 format without black bars and looked good, I might consider that if the price was not too bad.

Thanks

Kevin

 

[Mike I]

Do not spend that much money with out getting at least HD ready....In most areas of the country there is plenty of HD programming available now....By the end of the year just about all the rest of the major local affiliates in the country will be digital...You can by an hd ready set for as little as 1500 and 1900 for a widescreen HD ready set...If your local affiliates are not digital yet, get an hd ready set now and you can get the digital set top box later...There is also HD available on both DBS systems..

 

[Roy H]

Hmmmm, Mike with all due respect could you point me toward the HDTV sets (READY) in the $1,500 price range that are over 40". I would love to find them if they are available. I may be a bit worried if the brand was not one of at least the top 5 sellers. Unless Brands like Onkyo or the likes have them on the market I am not aware of them. I also have a house in Vero Beach Florida, and I have the local digital cable and the picture on my analog 32" Sony Trinitron is great! As far as HDTV being available in most areas soon or even in a year is simply not true! In fact the HDTV market is at best 3 years away 2006 is the actual projected full change over! By that time we will all be buying HDTV (ready) sets for a fraction of todays cost.

Just my .02 worth.

Roy.