I'm not against those who BUY the technology although I do believe they are accepting way less than they should for the money they are putting out. Some gleefully so.
I only want to point out to those on the fence with limited funds who are not so unforgiving of the "swept under the rug" issues people are dealing with who would not accept many of those issues other more daring buyers rationalize away so conveniently.
1. Picture looks best on only ONE SOURCE that being HD. The rest of the source input requires a dumbing down of quality to various extents. That's NOT acceptable. NO where in out TV box history has that been an issue.
2. Need to spend perhaps another thousand dollars over the life of the set just to use it! Again nowhere in history has this been a requirement of watching TV.
3. Sets are plainly trouble laden with incomplete technology and manufacturers are VERY slow to cop to issues leaving a good portion of their customers on their own. This is evident by the owner's posts on ALL the forums. There should not be the amount of same serious issues across all the brands. There's even talk of a class action with regard to Panasonic and Sony.
4 With all that and more the relative little HD content available is simply not compelling and forced. That would not be so bad if someone did not have to pay up to $50 extra per month for boxes to receive that "free" OTA content on their Sat and cable services. Cable Cards are not even close to being ready and seem to be a joke.
5. The manufactures would like nothing more then to stop making RPCRTs because they are too expensive to make and cannot be mass produced like the flat panels so the flat panels are hyped from the distributor to the sales reps while the still better trouble free CRT is relegated to exaggerated lies and fear mongering. You're not "cool" if you have or smartly want a RP CRT at this juncture. All playing into the manufacturer's hand encouraging the release of the "WOW" factor all flash no substance solution to the "prehistoric CRT. Much of the limited Good source material looks fake overly bright,and comic book like on the FP displays and this is supposed to be a good thing. "Window to the world" my azz. Try "highway to your wallet".
It is my sole opinion to those on the fence to wait. Its not a bad technology. It's just still evolving and the issues are and will be worked out. Save your money. If you need a TV buy a great value HD RPCRT and wait it all out.You WILL save a lot of money if that matters.
Don't buy EW's and especially ANY products you are not confidant about where you are compelled to spend another 25% on an Extended Warranty. I put this class of fixed pixel (DLP/RPLCD) technology squarely in that corner.
There are those who will flame my posts. They may want others to buy unknowingly into the technology to support the continuation of R&D. Who knows. But they do take any contrary opinion to apersonal level. Their issue, not mine. I am comfortable in my opinion and the sharing of the same. Some will investigate further. Some will break out their wallets. Its all good.