Annoying trend in current Direct-View design. (1 Viewer)

[Frank@N]

Like allot of people, I have a fancy wood entertainment center.

As you know, most ECs only allow for a 32" TV (usually no more that 35" in width).

Problem: most manufactures seem to have embraced the 'speakers on the side' design causing product widths to ballon in recent years.

They seem to feel that 'wider is better', even if they're just adding fake inches by way of speakers (who uses these anyway?).

The only exception I found was a Toshiba:

http://www.epinions.com/pr-Televisio...ay_~full_specs

Impressive, this 34" 16x9 CRT is only 33+" in width.

I wish more manufactures would place speakers under the screen to maximize screen size vs. width.

Oh well, maybe I should just junk the EC and get a DPL.

 

[Frank@N]

Much as I like Sony, I think their new 34" 16x9 CRT is something like 40" in width.

My guess is that manufacturers aren't really concerned with fitting anything into your existing EC, this way they get to sell you a new stand with the TV!

 

[Darryl]

I've been frustrated by the same problem. My EC can handle a cabinet 38" wide. There are certainly a lot of sets that fit into that width, but some really good options in the 34" - 42" range add as much as 9 inches to their cabinet width to accomodate speakers I won't be using anyway. I'm hoping for a 40-ish inch plasma, but so far everything around that size is a little too wide. Maybe next year's models...

 

[Darryl]

My guess is that manufacturers aren't really concerned with fitting anything into your existing EC, this way they get to sell you a new stand with the TV!

There's no way I'm replacing my $2k EC with a TV stand.

I'm curious, are Frank and I in the minority here, or are other people also annoyed by the unnecessarily wide cabinets on so many sets?

 

[Dwight Amato]

I have always hated this wide sets. When I bought my Panny 27" Superflat 10 years ago, it looked so much smaller then the competing sets because it did not have these obnoxious speakers that all of the other sets had. Now things have gotten even worse. I am looking at getting a 32 or 36" Panny, which is still inches smaller then other brands out there...

Same goes with my 47" Panny I bought 2 years ago. I have a notch in the wall that it just fits in, where competitors 46" set was inches bigger. Less is more in my book.

 

[Frank@N]

In an ideal world, every set's overall width would be *less* than the diagonal screen size.

This would give us the biggest screen in the smallest package.

It can be done and (rarely) is done.

Till then, I guess we'll all keep looking.

 

[Ronnie Schildha]

Darryl,
I have an EC that has a 38" opening (face of trim to face of trim) but the actual inside is about 39.5". Mitsubishi makes a 42" 16X9 wt 42313 or wt 42413. Both are 38.7" wide.
With a little work they will fit if placed in EC from the back (back panel will have to be removed and any shelving will need to modified but it did not take much work on mine and it looks fine. Maybe this might work for you.

 

[Frank@N]

With regards to installing a larger set in ECs...

I've got trim on one side as well.

But I always imagined that you could go in on an angle and pivot. Does this work in practice?

In some cases it might be possible to remove the trim also.

 

[Johnny/B]

EC's suck. :frowning:

 

[Jonathan:H]

I believe the reason why most TV makes put speakers on the sides is because it gives more of a "stereo" sound since the speakers are farther apart on the side than they are on the bottom. Of course, this would only apply to people using the TV speakers and not separate speakers.

 

[ColinM]

Frank - no, the pivot trick won't work. I tried it with my new Tosh 32AF43.

I had to shop for a set that was less than 35" wide, too. I wanted the Sony 32/210, but it was 35.125.

Samsung's HD 32TXN71 (?) fit, but looked so absolutely crappy I returned it. This was after doing everything possible in the svc menu, etc, to make it look good. The Toshiba 32AF43 is 34.375 wide, and fit like a glove. It had to go in from the back, though, due to trim. A much better set than the Sam., but it doesn't do blacks well (What's up with that?)

In a couple of years I'll get a FPHDTV, probably, and burn the EC.

 

[Garrett Lundy]

I think they put speakers on the side of a TV because it creates a better stereo effect than having both speakers within 6" of each other.

 

[Eric*B]

This was one of the most frustrating aspects of upgrading my television - I ended up w a Mitsu 55" Gold RPTV and moved my EC (reall an entertainment armoire) into the bedroom. I had an older Sanyo 32" that fit great in the cabinet but I wanted to upgrade to a 32" Flat tube. Wasn't a single one I could find that would fit.

I think it's all marketing - when they drop the speakers on the side, it gives the TV the overall same shape as a widescreen (ie, makes it look "expensive"). Most of the speakers in those TV's are crap anyway - given the choice, I'd rather have a TV with NO internal speakers.

Another thing that irritates me is that all the manufacturers seem to think that everyone wants a Bright Silver case on their TV. Frankly, I find it rather annoying to watch TV framed by a bright silver bezel. Give me a matte black TV any day of the week (if you can still find one!)

 

[Robin Banks]

I feel your pain...

I am actually at work now, surfing the web to look for another "affordable" entertainment center because my current EC won't accomodate the new Sony 34XBR910 that I want.

I need another 4 inches of width to make it to 40 inches. I even called the manufacturer of my EC (Gusdorf) to find out if they make a new EC that would accomodate the set. And, I also asked if they could custom build one that was similar to my model, but only wider in the television section. (Of course, the answer was "NO". And the snooty woman on the phone in customer support was no help at all.)

The frustrating part for me is that I have to totally redo my HT system furniture setup just to accomodate the set. Instead of paying for just the TV, now I have to spend even more just to get the set. Thoughts of building the EC myself have started to creep in mind. LOL!

I really like the Salamander Designs furniture. Their Synergy line is right up my alley. This picture shows exactly what I want to do.

http://www.salamanderdesigns.com/syn...l_svdotowersma

The only thing is, it costs more than the TV set!!

:frowning: :frowning: