Regretting my RPTV 16:9 purchase (1 Viewer)

I purchased the Toshiba 65H80 about a year and a half ago, and all of my friends have 36" HD tubes and the picture is a world of difference. Digital cable and component cable game systems (GameCube PS2) look so much better/vivid than my set. I believe the latest tubes/rptv upconvert the signal?

I was talking to my wife tonight and even though we are big Netflix DVD customers, standard cable television makes up about 90% of our weekly viewing habits.

Has anyone else regretted purchasing a RPTV HD set over a HD tube? Don't get me wrong I love my set playing DVDs from my progressive scan Toshiba 9200 DVD player, but that accounts for so little of my time in front of the TV.

Then there's the fact that I have an infant who watches TV and I think Barney is scary enough without being blown up to 65"

Any input?

Nope. My TW40X81 DVD picture completely demolishes everything. So there

WTF? You're regetting buying a 65" HD-ready set over a 32" one? Was there something strange tasting in the breakfast yesterday?

get it calibrated by one of the many calibration specialists who frequent these boards. it makes a world of difference.

>>WTF? You're regetting buying a 65" HD-ready set over a 32" one? Was there something strange tasting in the breakfast yesterday?

Tommy, have you calibrated it in any way? Try running the Avia dvd on your set. Besides, would you be able to step down to a 36" set after watching a 65" for a year and a half?

If 90% of your viewing is cable TV then a 65" widescreen RPTV is probably not the best choice. I use my Tosh 56" widescreen almost exclusively for viewing DVDs and love it. I watch football games on it occassionaly and get a decent picture. However if I watched mostly regular cable I never would have purchased it.

Most of the rave reviews about picture quality on widescreen RPTVs concern high quality sources (DVD & HDTV). I think everyone pretty much agrees that cable TV & satellite can be a problem.

When I originally purchased this set I was still single (ahh the good ol days) and did not watch television (sat or cable). Now that I'm married and have a little girl, my family watching of children's shows has taken over ( I sold my 200 DVD collection earlier this year).

One interesting fact is that my daughter sits in the floor (a great distance) from the TV, but the rear projection has a viewing angle that is not in her range.

I guess the real problem is with me and not the set. I don't want to pay an ISF technician to tweak a set that is not right for me anymore. I have and currently use the Avia disc.

Mark, I was actually looking at the new Sony KV-40HS500 hopefully coming out in July/August. That would be the best compromise coming from a 65" behemoth.

Now what's a fair price for a used set like this?

>>Mark, I was actually looking at the new Sony KV-40HS500 hopefully coming out in July/August.

Do you have to get an HDTV?? You can get a decent 32incher for less than $ 500, but since i don't follow those displays i can't help you with price.
You can probably get something for the price of an ISF calibration, and being somewhat of a veteran at HT, i'm sure you have already sunk some doosh into making the picture nice and crisp already.
If its not a big issue, go ahead and get a tube set for non-primary viewing.
After coming from a 65incher, the PQ will be so crisp you won't feel a thing except lack of size.

Oops, the model # should have read KV-40XBR800.. I was just adjusting the 32 for 40 from the KV-32HS500
http://www.appliancemagazine.com/zon...fm?newsid=1523
http://news.sel.sony.com/pressrelease/2019

>> Do you have to get an HDTV??

Thanks Tommy. I saw that one on the Sony site. It's a 4:3 though so I won't buy it. I've bought my last 4:3 set. I'll only buy widescreen now.
So far the only 16:9 that I've seen over 34" is the RCA. I'm not a big fan of RCA so I hope that Pioneer, Panasonic, Samsung, and Sony get in gear and offer bigger 16:9 DV's. The wife is really not happy with the idea of a big RPTV.:frowning:

You don't even need a professional calibration to get a decent picture.

Just calibrate with Avia or VE (a MUST, it is IMPOSSIBLE to set contrast and brightness by eye alone).

Disable SVM.

Restack the screen, if you don't have kids or pets.

Get the professional calibration later when you have some extra money.

I'd also strongly recommend getting a good cheap 32" set for "regular tv" and keeping the monster for dvd and upcoming HD use. One can buy decent analog 32" tubes for $500-600, from JVC, Toshiba, and for a good cheapie look at Sharp.

Depreciation on that 2 year old 65" is gonna be outrageous, and if it still works great for dvd I would not give it up.

Getting a cheap analog for regular tv is also going to save a lot of wear and tear on that expensive widescreen set.

Hi Tommy,
At the time of your purchase, you bought a set that met your requirements. After a while, those requirements changed. Can't see why you'd "regret" your purchase unless you knew then that your viewing habits will change.
If you think you'll continue to watch 4:3 programs, then you might want to consider liberating the widescreen set, letting someone else enjoy it, and getting yourself a 4:3 set.
Hope you don't "regret" later on though that you sold the widescreen if and when you switch back to widescreen viewing again.
r,
Errol

Tommy
Picture quality with standard definition seems to be the most overlooked issue with RPTVs. Other than those who watch mostly HD material, picture quality with cable, satellite and other standard definition material should be given more weight. Couple months ago when Consumer Reports did HDTVs they gave the most weight to sets that gave the best image quality on standard definition. On HD, they were all great. Only 2 stood out on standard definition. The Hitachi 4:3 53udx10b and the 16:9 Pioneer 533.
I have a line doubled 35 inch tube that meets my needs. If I was replacing it, I don't know if I would go with an RPTV or the Sony 40XBR800. Even with discounts, the Sony, a stand, extended warranty,( I would not buy Sony TV without extended warranty), delivery-setup, would probably be over $3000.
The 40XBR has gotten excellent reviews.
Artie

He doesn't seem to be extremely concerned about Std Def PQ - if he is, and that's the only issue, it is easy to buy an iScan and get 480p on a 65-incher.
He seems to be more concerned about his daughter and her lying on the floor. Of course, if it were me, i'd just plonk her on the sofa and be done with it!