$1000 - Please Help! (1 Viewer)

[Father John A]

Dear all,

I am not a videophile, which is why I need all your advice.

Try not to laugh, I want a new TV and am poised to spend around $1000-$1200. Here is what I want:

16:9

A picture at least as good as my Trinitron (the main reason I have stayed away from rear projection, though I notice they are getting better)

HD but not necessary to have the tuner as I watch very little broadcast.

40-50"

I don't know if this is possible with either projection, tube or front projection. I am a real stickler about picture quality.

I realize I am asking for a lot but thought this would be the best place to ask.

Thank you very much.

Fr. John

 

[Eujin]

Hello and Welcome to HTF!

Your present budget is going to present you with some challenges and there will be compromises that have to be made. As far as 16:9 sets go, the only thing that comes to mind is the Samsung--can't remember the model number, but it's pretty easy to find as Samsung only has that one 16:9 tube set. It runs about $1000. The big downside is that it's only 30". Anything bigger is going to cost you more. As far as tube sets go, that's the only thing that fits your budget. If you're willing to go 4:3, the options get a little better, with decent 32" and even 36" sets from Sony, Panasonic and Toshiba--maybe a couple of JVCs and perhaps the new Zenith line. If you move up in your budget range, you'll encounter the 34" 16:9 Toshiba, which will be somewhere around the $1700 mark.

On the 16:9 rear projection front, there is the baby 42" Toshiba, but that's going to be in that $1500-$1700 range too. There are also the Panasonic PT line with, I believe, a 47" set for around the same price.

If you're willing to buy used and keep an eye out for deals, your options might get a little better. But used displays are always tricky. There's the possibility that you could get a decent LCD front projector for around $1200 (used), like the Panasonic AE100. However, watching regular cable or satellite would be both impractical and pretty much unwatchable on a FP set-up (I know, I have one) and you'd need to keep that old Trinitron for regular "every day" viewing. But if you're only using this display for DVD movie viewing, the scale of the picture tends to make up for a lot--watching an 8 foot-wide picture tends to be pretty involving ;-) The good news is, there are a number of cheaper projectors coming on the market soon--stuff that's well under $2000.

I think you need to evaluate your viewing habits and either revise the size of the set you're looking for, the aspect ratio you want or the size of your budget. I'm sure other members will have lots of input on this subject as we've all been there before and are probably living with the compromises we've had to make. For me, I went down the rear projection road over a year ago with a Tosh 50H81, only to sell that and get an LCD pj. You're in a tough spot right now, but it's a good one because you haven't spent a cent yet. Good luck!

 

[Jack Briggs]

I would avoid buying a used television. Otherwise, Eujin covered the territory.

Is picture size that relevant to you? If not, Zenith is marketing a 27-inch fully integrated HD set that has been favorably reviewed, but there are some engineering issues about the model with which I take exception.

But if $1,000 represents your baseline, I wouldn't consider anything other than the new ATSC-based technology (i.e., "digital"); spending that much or more money on an NTSC-only set at this time is, in my opinion, not wise. (Remember the recent FCC mandate about digital tuners; the future is rushing upon us.)

You might shop around and see what kind of deal you can find on a Sony KV-32XBR800. Though a 4:3 set natively, it has a 16:9 mode that's user-selectable, and can do 480p and 1080i. It's a really nice set, and it would handily outperform your non-WEGA Sony.

Hope this helps, sir.

 

[Eujin]

Zenith is marketing a 27-inch fully integrated HD set that has been favorably reviewed, but there are some engineering issues about the model with which I take exception.

Jack, what are these engineering issues with the Zeniths? I have a friend who's interested in this set--I think it's the CV22 or something like that (the one with the VGA input)--and I'd like to be able to warn him before he takes the plunge. Thanks!

 

[Evan Hartnett]

Jack, what are these engineering issues with the Zeniths? I have a friend who's interested in this set--I think it's the CV22 or something like that (the one with the VGA input)--and I'd like to be able to warn him before he takes the plunge. Thanks!

I'm not sure if this is one of the issues that Jack was thinking of but, from what I have read, the Zenith won't accept a 480p signal through the component inputs.

 

[Jack Briggs]

Evan nails it. I don't want to have to rely on the set's internal line doubler. I would prefer to feed it a 480p signal from a good prog-scan player.

 

[Father John A]

Thanks for all the input so far.

As I suspected it seems too early yet to look for a new set. I don't want the XBR as it is too small, I want at least 40 inches.

The FP is out also, I don't want both it and a TV for broadcast.

I ahve been waiting to replace the Trinitron for a few years (it is 12 years old and going strong other than a shorted video-in which needs wiggling).

Simply put I am tired of watching high quality DVD's of my favorite movies, letterboxed on my 27" down to what seems like 10 inches.

 

[Jack Briggs]

I watch and thoroughly enjoy widescreen films on my bedroom unit, a three-year-old 27-inch 4:3 Toshiba (amazing color on that set). Try "tuning out" the letterboxing bars (for example, watch your film in a darkened room). My concern is mainly the limited input selection you have on that twelve-year-old set.

Since you've determined it's "forty inches or bust," you're left only with RPTVs. The sole 40-inch direct-view model, the Sony KV40XBR800 WEGA, is out of your price range (even when discounted).

The enormously popular Panasonic PT47, a big hit here at HTF (and which Eujin mentioned), would be an excellent choice (your reservations toward RPTVs notwithstanding). You might be able to find a dealer who will sell it for around $1,500.

I have a saying, Father, one that I've mentioned here: Picture quality is more important than picture quantity. It's your money, but I would recommend opting for the very best technology and quality you can get for your $1,000-$1,200 than for size. But that's my take.

JB

 

[Lew Crippen]

Jack has mentioned enjoying his bedroom set and enjoying DVDs on it. As furtherance to that, I have the 30”, 16:9 Samsung (mentioned by Eujin, in his post) as a bedroom set. Though not large, my wife and I watch a lot of DVDs on this, as the picture quality is very good. I think that the price point on this set is quite good.