bang for the buck? (1 Viewer)

[Todd Christ]

ok - trying to help out my brother - he's looking for a big-screen TV (rear-projection), want's 43-inch (or bigger if price allows for it)
bad news, he's looking to spend $1200 (or less) on the unit... he doesn't need HDTV or any "special" functions - he just got a DVD player for Christmas and is realizing that widescreen on a 20" panasonic tube just doesn't cut it anymore....
got ideas? Search has provided a plethora of ideas, but looking to consolidate into one thread
thanks...

 

[Scott Hayes]

Last year a friend got a Hitachi 50+ for 1300$. Its pretty good. 4x3 personely i prefer the widescreen sets.

 

[Todd Christ]

ok - so here are a few that I'm investigating...
Phillips 60" 60P8288 $1299
Toshiba 50" 50A61 $1399
Magnavox 55" 55P8288 $1299
Samsung 54" PCL541RX $1198
not sold on any yet, the Phillips looks to be a good deal for the price though...

 

[Gregg Loewen]

The Panny 47" can be had (so Ive read) for as little as $1500. This would be the hands down winner when viewing DVDs in all the glory of progressive scan and 480P. Can he swing the extra couple of bills??

 

[Todd Christ]

well i'm going to convince him to go up a bit, probably < $2k including taxes

which Panny is recommended?

 

[Jeff Leeds]

I think that is good advice, an exta couple of bucks today and it makes the TV good for alot longer, a cheaper non-digital big screen will be a pain the butt in 4 years when digital is more standard and you're stuck with a big screen you want to punt.

 

[Todd Christ]

anyone have the above models that can comment???

 

[Michael St. Clair]

I hate scan lines, so I would never consider an interlaced RPTV. I'd have to sit 20 feet away to not see scan lines, and that is just not feasible in my house.

There are several digital RPTVs in the 40+ inch range that street for under $2000.

 

[Todd Christ]

how about this panny?
he's looking to do his shopping at BestBuy because he got some giftcards for christmas

 

[Hank Frankenberg]

Todd, I bought the Samsung at BB a week ago. I bought it to last for about two years until I get into front projection, so I wanted an entry-level, low-dollar RPTV. It did look better in the store than the Magnavox and RCA, but was rather soft. I expected to have a ho-hum reaction to the new one delivered to my home. I have to say that I (and others) are very surprised at the display quality. I haven't run my VE disc yet - just letting it "burn in" for now. Of course I lowered contrast to below 50 and brightness down to just under 50 and sharpness almost all the way off. I am very pleased with this set. I found service menu codes on a HTSpot thread for another Samsung model, but they very well may work for this model. I did enter the code to bring up the 64-point convergence grid, and voila - there it was.

In summary - no complaints and pleasantly surprised. It's an entry level set that I expected to have the lowest quality display, but it is better than at least two other brands that I have considered in that category. I believe Samsung has progressed in their designs and showed some DLP-based RPTV's at CES that look very promising.

 

[Todd Christ]

thanks! btw - which model Samsung was it? the 54"?

 

[Guy Kuo]

There is no reason to wait for a set to "age" before doing the basic video adjustments like those in AVIA, Home Theater Tune-Up, or VE. Doing that right away will help get the display down to safe contrast levels. Jut remember to redo things after 50 and 100 hours of operation as the tubes will change dramatically during that time. The reason that "calibration" is not recommended until after about 100 hours has to do with professional grayscale alignment. Actually, that could be done immediately. It won't harm the display, but the reason for waiting is economic. The initial rapid change of the tubes light output would quickly cause a grayscale calibration to drift severely in the first 100 hours or so of operation. Nobody wants to play for another grayscale calibration so we generally have people wait until the tubes have aged enough that the drift over time has slowed enough that a calibration will hold true for a year or so. Also, that time lets you get a chance to get past infant mortality. You don't want to play for a pro geometry and grayscale calibration only to have a set die shortly therafter from other unrelated causes.

Somehow the idea of waiting to do a professional grayscale and geometry calibration has been corrupted into the oft repeated and incorrect advice to wait before doing the basic video adjustments. This isn't quite urban legend, but just ill advice based inappropriately generalizing an idea.

Basic Video Adjustments on a new display --- Just do it.

And yes, I did mean to say a year or so on professional grayscale calibration. They drift over time as the tubes age so having a pro come out every year or so and retouch the grayscale to keep it really tuned in is quite reasoanble. If that is all that is done, the charge shouldn't be too excessive to keep the display tuned.

 

[Hank Frankenberg]

Todd: yes, the 54" Regular price: $1299 at BB.

Guy: I immediately cranked down the contrast. It's now at 42 and brightness at 45. I'm waiting to do VE mainly because of my time constraints.