It all sux (1 Viewer)

[Oren]

[begin rant]

I'm convinced that any technology developed over the last 50 years sux. Consider TVs - and I need one.

Digital projectors - LCD and DLP are cool because the project a large image and the devices are small and light. But they suffer from visible grids, rainbow effects, poor converting/scaling/deinterlacing, light leakage, and are bloody expensive. Useless in any ambient light.

CRT projectors – these are also cool because they project a large image, but they are big and bulky, expensive, require professional installation and constant adjustment. Also useless in any ambient light.

Plasma displays – Not as big of an image as a projector, but still pretty big and pretty sharp. Bright, good in ambient light. Very expensive, resolution may be limited, and may suffer from screen burn-in.

Rear projectors – big, heavy and bulky, ‘reasonably’ priced, CRTs suffer burn-in. Somewhat washed out in ambient light.

CRT – the old standby from decades ago. Not so expensive, but quite often suffer from uneven color, warped geometry and other artifacts, and are big, heavy and bulky. Bright, good in ambient light.

LCD display – Extremely expensive, small displays.

So there is no perfect solution, and I’m beginning to think that the hassle factor is not worth it.

And don’t get me started on computers. Reliable (linux), easy to use (Mac), or plenty of software available (Windows)– pick any one.

[end rant]

 

[RobertR]

To quote a line from Star Trek:
Still using stone knives and bearskins?

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[DennisHP]

Look at the bright side... you have choices.

 

[Todd Hochard]

I prefer the half-full vs. half-empty approach.

Those who shoot for perfection are always sorely disappointed- Todd Hochard, 1993

Todd

 

[Brett DiMichele]

Oren,
Elaborate on this....
"Rear projectors – big, heavy and bulky, ‘reasonably’ priced, bulbs do burn out. Somewhat washed out in ambient light. "
What bulbs? LCD and DLP Projectors are the one's with very
overpriced bulbs that frequently burn out (ever 1000-2000
hours) I guess DLP and LCD RPTV's have bulbs but CRT RPTV's
do not.. And for me CRT is the only way to fly (even with
FP setups)
I agree there is no perfect awnser!
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Brett DiMichele
My Home Theater Site!
[email protected]

 

[Oren]

I suppose it makes sense that CRT projectors don't have bulbs but that LCD and DLP rear projectors do. But then again I vaguely remember my dad's old CRT *front* projector had bulbs so I would assume a rear CRT projector works the same way from the rear. Mmmmm.
I may have to amend my rant to point out that, unless you're willing to pay big $$ for one of the high-end new ones, your field of view is limited to pretty much dead center....
[Edited last by Oren on October 28, 2001 at 11:47 PM]

 

[Brett DiMichele]

Oren,
Well I can safely say there are *no* bulbs inside my
RCA 61" RPTV as I have been inside it and had the guts
out of it. CRT RPTV's use 3 CRT Tubes (R, G, B) that are
small (6-9") and very bright. The singular colored image
is projected from the tube through a focusing lens and all
3 colors converge onto a mylar mirror that then reflects
the image onto the Freshnell Lens.
RPTV's used to carry this "fragile" stigma but CRT RPTV's
are fairly robust in thier build quality. I can not vouch
for DLP or LCD.. DLP looks very fragile to me..
------------------

Brett DiMichele
My Home Theater Site!
[email protected]

 

[Chuck Frady]

Well, I guess your only option is to stick with the good ol fashion radio for your entertainment, since everything else sux's to you. Oh, wait, Analog radio sucks too. Sometimes poor reception, far too many commercials, same songs played over and over. So I guess you will have to wait for Digital radio to be more pervasive. Oh, wait, you will need to upgrade your equipment....damn...
How about just picking up a good book and sitting by a fire reading a Tom Clancy novel...damn...more choices. Do you buy the old fashion paperback / Hardback, or do you buy one of those EBOOK handhelds and download your novels...
But in order to download the books......
A bit of advice, get a decent RPTV and be done with it. There are no bulbs in there. Think of three tv screens in there, Red, Green and Blue. How often does a cathode ray tube go bad...hardly, and if it does, then after many many years of service...

Chuck

 

[Oren]

I'd never get an ebook!! More technology to break, fail, crash, etc. Books that expire after, say, 90 days? Yeah, whatever!!
You know, I may just go back to books. Perish the thought! I could pile a bunch in my 4x4 survival truck, and trek out to my isolated cabin without electricity or running water, etc.
Maybe even write a manifesto or two (on a manual typewriter, of course).
Seriously, I plan on getting a Sony 36FS13 WEGA 'real soon now' and using it until 2006 when then cut off analog tv.
But is it too much to ask for a small device that produces a large image usable under any conditions without defects, and costs less than $200?

 

[Yohan Pamudji]

But is it too much to ask for a small device that produces a large image usable under any conditions without defects, and costs less than $200?

Yes, it is.
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This screen has been formatted to fit your movie.

 

[Edwin-S]

Just out of curiousity, if it is against the rules to post the word "sucks" in a topic header then why would it be treated any different when it is spelled "sux"?

 

[JasonRH]

I had no idea that "sucks" was considered profanity
Is the word really that offensive that it is against the rules to post using it?

 

[Scott Merryfield]

But is it too much to ask for a small device that produces a large image usable under any conditions without defects, and costs less than $200?

While you're at it, why not ask for a new car that puts out 250hp, gets 40mpg, is ultra quiet and costs less than $1,000?
Personally, I think television technology is better than it's ever been. The picture quality available in the home via HDTV and DVD sources and the monitors to display them could not be imagined 10 years ago.
Nothing is perfect, but technology continually evolves and improves.
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My DVD Collection
AFI 100 Films to watch: 40 -> 2

 

[Edwin-S]

----I had no idea that "sucks" was considered profanity
Is the word really that offensive that it is against the rules to post using it?----
It is not profanity but I am sure I read in their rules that they did not want the word to be used in topic headers. I believe they don't want it used in headers because it is a generalized, unsupported statement that imparts no useful information or view. They don't care if you use it in the body of the message. I don't make the rules....I just reads them.

 

[JasonRH]

Edwin,
You're probably right. I seem to recall forum members responding to a header like that over in the home theater hardware section. Saying something sucks is very descriptive if you ask me

 

[Todd Hochard]

But is it too much to ask for a small device that produces a large image usable under any conditions without defects, and costs less than $200?

Man, did you pick the wrong hobby! A month's supply of DVDs costs more than that!

Todd