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Bronze Member Username: TheoilslickVernonCanada Post Number: 14 Registered: Feb-05 | I am going to get a phat tax return at the end of the month and conveniently it is time for a snappy new TV. My problem, not nessisarly what brand to buy, but what kind. We are planning to spend about $1200 - $1400. We do not know if we should buy DLP, Plasma, or LCD. We play a few video games here and there but the majority of the time we are just going to use it to watch DVD's and T.V., TV being the primary use. I am really not sure on how big, if we go LCD, i imagine 30 -32", if plasma 42" like everybody else on the planet and if we go with DLP I have noticed 42 - 46" would be more then enough. So before I pick a brand I need to know the concencious on what product would suite me. Anybody that has some insite please go ahead, as I am really eager to hear what you have to say about the different products on the market. |
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New member Username: MspearlPost Number: 1 Registered: Jun-06 | I have not bought a HDTV yet, but have done a lot of research. After reading lots of horror stories from people who bought many different brands either online or at retail stores, I can only recommend buying from Dell. I am no way connected with this company, but I do have a Dell computer. The worst stories are online purchases from companies in and around Brooklyn NY. Here is a link to Dell. http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/category.aspx?c=us&category_id=5914&cs=19&l=e n&s=dhs&~ck=mn Good luck. Bob |
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Silver Member Username: DakulisSpokane, Washington United States Post Number: 965 Registered: May-05 | J.L., As a starting point, but by no means the final word, I like to read what CNET or a similar site has to say about the various options. In order of picture quality, here's the general scoop IMHO, CRT has the best picture but tops out about 40"; Plasma next best picture but has burn in potential and trouble with black blacks, (both better in 2006 models); LCD next best picture but problems with pixels going over time (some would switch plasma and LCD) but I'm giving you the general concensus; DLP next best picture and size is up to humungous if you want a 70" and easily found and cheaper than Plasma or LCD in your 40-42" range. (Replacement tubes run $2-$300 and you'll replace them every 2-5 years depending upon how you use the TV and some people swear the DLP has a better picture than Plasma or LCD - you're call - I don't think so, though); rear projection - not for me thanks; and, front projection - really not for me, thanks. Good luck, Dave. |
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Silver Member Username: Rysa4Post Number: 498 Registered: Jul-05 | SED= Way best picture. Not available. Plasma= Best available picture. Blacks are excellent. Burn in is a myth in the residential setting, especially with the Panasonics ( 50% market share of plasmas sold). Happens in commerical setting due to static image displays 24/7 ( airplane/bus schedules etc). Bad pixels dont occur over time- its either there at the git go or not. Best viewing angle. Variance in quality and characteristics among manufacturers. LCD- Good in bright rooms. never in a dark room. Light bulbs can ever make blacks. Limited viewing angle and refresh rates therefore more prone to motion artifcats. Light bulbs do go out over time giving a potential uneven picture. Samsung improved this on 2006 models. Flat and price competitive at 37 inches and below. probably will top out at around 45 inches as far as price competitive. CRTs- quickly becoming unavailable. Plants are closing. Somewhat of a non-player. But yes- best blacks except for SED. DLP- single color wheel technology is awful. Way inaccurate. Physically impossible to be accurate. Newer LED- DLPs are better than this, but still behind LCD and Plasma. Rear projection sets- poor PQ in general. Unrealistic. Front projection- a must for a true HOme theater buildout until the really big plasma big boys get released ( 80 inches and 102-3 inches). Best cinematic effect. Lots of effort to really get a good pic though. Usually bulbs dont have enough lumens to develop excellent contrast levels. An improving technology, but amazingly, old CRT front projectors dust a lot of the newer stuff particularly on SD -DVDs if professionally calibrated. High fiddle factor and sensitive to many factors ( screen type/distance/light) |
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New member Username: Jamescrew6Post Number: 2 Registered: Jun-06 | Hmmmm, picture quality is in the eye of the beholder. I disagree with Marc Sherman. I own a DLP set and the picture that I get is stunning. Blacks are deep, colors are vibrant, and I do not see any rainbows. I agree that you will get a better picture with a plasma but from what I have seen its not that much better unless you intend to view the tv from 4 feet away. I am curious why Marc says that SED technology gives the best picture when he states that it is not even available yet??????????? Maybe Marc works in a tech center that has a prototype of the SED technology working. Bottom line, I think that you would be happy with plasma, DLP projection, LCD projection, or an LCD screen. |
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Bronze Member Username: MspearlPost Number: 25 Registered: Jun-06 | I like the price of the extended warranty on the DLP televisions, but I'm wondering why there is a warranty limit on lamp replacements. The 4 year warranty at CIRCUIT CITY says this. If your original projection TV lamp fails, we'll mail you a replacement. I guess this means, if your replacement lamp fails, you are out of luck. Please tell me I am wrong. |
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New member Username: Jamescrew6Post Number: 3 Registered: Jun-06 | Robert, you would have to check with Circuit City on the exact meaning of the warranty. My guess is that since the bulbs are expected to last up to 5-years that if they replace one bulb it would be expected to last throughout the time of the warranty. That said, many warranties do not cover bulb replacements so at least you will get one replacement with Circuit City. You might want to check with Best Buy. I think that there is no limit on the number of bulbs they will replace via their warranty. Also, my experience is that Best Buy's warranty is much cheaper than Circuit City's. Circuit City's warranties are VERY expensive. |
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Bronze Member Username: MspearlPost Number: 26 Registered: Jun-06 | BEST BUY doesn't provide details on lamp replacement warranties on their web site. I guess I can get a copy at their store. Here are some customer reviews of one model DLP television. What I read in this is lamps don't last but about a year, so don't buy DLP without an extended warranty that covers unlimited lamp replacements. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002KQR3M/103-9746807-4849444?v=glance&n=17228 2 |
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Silver Member Username: Rysa4Post Number: 500 Registered: Jul-05 | DLP single color wheel uses a high speed spinning wheel to try and control/reproduce colors accurately which it cannot do. This is why single color wheel DLPs are quickly disappearing as production lines. The DLP industry is moving towards DLP-LED technology, which is an improvement. PQ can be objectively evaluated and is. EVen a simple calibration disk from AVIA/Digital video essentials is a big step in the right direction. D65 white light is measurable as well. If the whie light is off colors can never be accurate by definition. SED was on display in Vegas at the Consumer Elctronics show and stirred quite a bit of attention. Infinite blacks are an amazing thing. Anyway, DLPs are inexpensive relative to size for a reason. It is what it is. |