seeking advice on my tv purchase (1 Viewer)

[DavidAnthrope]

I've spent a week reading everything I could find here comparing the technologies, and I think I'm pointed in the right direction but wanted to solicit some comments just in case I'm missing something.

I have a 12x20 room, will be doing mostly DVD viewing and satellite-to-DVD recording - VERY little if any HD stuff. I'd like to get 60" and don't mind spending $4-5k. I ruled out front projection early on for various reasons. My primary criteria is picture quality, although the black bars and potential image burn are also concerns as well as maintainability. BUT I am absolutely NOT interested in hanging this unit on a wall, nor do I care about the coolness of the LCD & Plasma units being so thin etc...
So having a heavy/bulky unit like an rplcd or dlp is perfectly accepable, as it will sit on a stand with plenty of room.

I am currently considering projected lcd (rplcd if I understand the acronyms correctly). I am told that the quality of the picture will be every bit as good as a regular lcd. Do folks here agree? Please don't offer dated feedback (like the anti-plasma people seem to do with quoting the easily-burned early units). I'm talking new purchase -today- and presumably would get the newest stuff.

I was also told that they aren't susceptable to image burn, being lcd. And that the black is a true black.

So it sounds to me like anyone who doesn't mind the size/weight of the unit can get lcd quality for less money by going rplcd - is that correct?

Last but not least - are there advantages to one brand over another? More specifically, I've seen a Hitachi (2 actually) Ultra-Vision at 60" but I'm more inclined to go with the SONY Grand Wega (sorry I don't have model #'s but please feel free to offer them if you have experience with one).

Thanks in advance for any insight & wisdom you can share, there's a LOT of info to consider and I've been doing a lot of reading here. I think I've distilled it down, so I'm just looking for a little confirmation here if possible.

THANKS in advance and HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone
/D

 

[Dean_S]

Who told you that LCD black is true black??? None of the newer technologies do black correctly (DLP, LCD, Plasma). I personally think that LCDs are the worst of the three I mentioned and I own one (mines a flatpanel Sharp 37" not a projector). I do think the Sony GW looks the best of all the LCD projectors I've seen but still prefer a good CRT RPTV. Which technology you choose should be based on many factors with one major facotr being the amount of ambient light in your viewing room. CRT RPTVs seem better in dimly light rooms. LCD panels are great in bright rooms but I don't know how the average RPLCD does in the same situation. If I was buying a 60" TV right now, I'd probably buy a DLP with the HD2+ chip or wait for the xHD3 chip sets to come out next year although I think a nice CRT set with 9" CRTs would be better (I'm just not sure who's making good CRT based sets anymore since they don't have "bling").

 

[Alan Wise]

David,

I agree in general with what Dean has has stated regarding the black levels of LCD technology. If true black is that important (I emphisize "true black") then you might as well stay with a CRT-RPTV, and in my opinion Sony makes the best overall for the price. However, as far as LCD-RPTV's go, I went with the Hitachi over the Sony. I have been a Sony guy in the past, and still have a Sony CRT-RPTV that I love. But, the Hitachi was that much better in the LCD version, with one exception, the Sony XBR series of LCD-RPTV's. I just couldn't justify spending 2X the price of my Hitachi for the XBR. If it were me and space was not a concern, I would go with CRT. If space is a concern and price is not, go with the XBR-LCDRPTV.
With regards to plasma's, Sony has anounced that they are getting out of the Plasma business, and now so has Toshiba. The recent advances in LCD and LCOS technology, and the upcoming SED technology have made these heavy hitters refocus theirn future. I believe that you will see others follow soon.

Best Regards, Al. Wise

 

[Frank joe]

ok what about the 60" dlp fron hitachi its the directors series. i am considering either this or the sony xbr 60 on lcd. but im leaning tward the hitachi.
frank

 

[Alan Wise]

Frank,

I'm not aware of a Hitachi DLP. Where have you seen these?

Best Regards, Al. Wise

 

[Frank joe]

i guess i stand corrected its a lcd. the toshiba was a dlp.
frank

 

[nickMahler]

i have a mitsubishi 65" a 2003 model and it does a pretty good picture in all light situations except for the reflective front protective screen i wish it was removable like the newer models. i was looking at the mits DLP rptv but decided to go with a 120" screen with a Sharp Projector. SSeeya

nick