No offense, but even a nice 480P signal from any DVD blows when compared to a 720P or 1080i HD signal... I find watching DVDs are the equivilent of an old crappy VHS tape.


If you end up with a traditional CRT rear projection unit, stick with the Mitus, Hitachi's or Pioneer Elites.

 

I have a 4 yo 36" Sony Vega. it's a great TV. When I do my addition I am not sure if I will put this tv in the new room or buy a larger one. As someone said. This thing is a mother to move. even though it has built in handles it's still very awkard to carry.

 

I have the HDTV ready Sony 62" projection TV in my family room, and the 65" Mitsubishi widescreen in my media room. I can't tell you any specifics regarding image/performance- without looking at the manuals. I can say that in widescreen format, I belive my SOny has a sharper pic that the Mitsu.

My buddy has the 65" Panasonic HDTV- his is razor sharp too; another buddy has a 71" Mitsubishi widescreen.

My picture is perfect on the HDTV broadcasts, and the DVD's are like real-life, just about.

 

Dude I have the 36 as well. I am also not a small guy and if you can "carry" this tv on your own you are a beast. Aside from 200lbs its cumbersome as hell!! That was the last thing we moved from our old apartment, it took 3 of us just to get it in the truck bed (2 to lift and 1 to balance) what a b!tch.

 

Yeah, that's no lie- I had a 31" Sanyo (147 lbs.). That's not that heavy, right. The guy at Wally-World (Wal-Mart) helped me get it into the truck- I drove it home, and it started raining. I wanted to get it in the house, and set up before my wife got home from work. We lived in an apartment then, and as luck would have it- not a soul was within eyesight, or earshot. I can handle it, I'm a big guy. Man, the box was so wide that I could barely hook my fingers in it- but I thought I had it well enough to remove it from teh truck- keep in mind, it's raining.....

Once I got it out of the truck- that 147 lbs- solo, with a wide-awkward grip, felt like 300. I eased it onto the ground, and slid it to my apartment door- on into the apartment.
I couldn't lift the TV out because the box was so deep and my arms were too big to squeeze in there- so I had to cut the box away from the TV, and remove the styrofoam. Once I got all that BS off the TV- it was a lot more manageable. It's still awkward, it has no built-in handles so that makes it tricky; but at least out of the box- 147 feels like 147. So, I can relate- that little TV is heavier than my 62" Sony- (Which weighs 7 lbs. less than my 31" Sanyo) Why are the CRT's heavier than the big-screen TV's? Size-wise, you'd expect a big-screen to weigh 1,000 lbs.

 

$2500 will get you a very nice EDTV 42" Plasma.

 

screw the TV, buy a 13" and then buy a Mountain Bike. You will have a lot more fun.

 

I'm going to pretend I didn't just read that.

If your planning on an EDTV, then just give ME the $2500 and I won't have to hunt you down and pummel you for making such a horrible, horrible choice. Getting an EDTV now would be like paying today's sticker price for the 'all-new-in-97 F150'!!! Your buying obsolete crap. Please APT, tell me I don't have to come up to the north side to lay the smack down... you didn't *GASP* buy one, did you?!

 

I'd be with you, but biking in freezing temps @ 10-12mph through a foot of snow in the woods at night by yourself after work during the winter blows.... I tried it a couple times, almost killed myself. My love of mountain biking wasn't that strong... I'd get the TV!

 

already got a mountain bike. like "D" said, It's getting cold. i want to sit in front of a tv and watch some movies while the snow blows around outside. maybe i will get a game system and play on a "BIG" screen.
Are there any TVs you can connect to the computer?

 

Pretty much any TV, it depends how good you want it to look. Also, you may need to 'tweak' your video card settings or use a program to manually set the resolution & refresh rate to work with your peticular set. The Sharp Aquos line of LCD flat panels make excellent HUGE monitors!!!

Note you must have a nice video card that can support the high-resolutions & refresh rates of the HDTVs...

 

I am so sorry I didn't get to meet you when I was stationed in DC for 6 months last year for training. You are the most witty cat here!

 

the Plasma's that I've seen have some sweet options for monitors. Can use the TV as a dual monitor setup, switch the sides they are playing on, etc. Basically, it can become 2 TV's. Have one side for playing your Dish or Direct TV, and the other side getting cable or your DVD player, etc. Basically do the same if its hooked up to the computer. Play a DVD on one side, have the other for the internet, and your computer monitor for something else.

 

I have a 52" Sony rear projection HD. I LOVE it and more and more programming in HD makes it worth while. It is a big TV, but it is on casters and moves very easily on carpet. Man, people will sit and watch the HD pic and not move. lol. My problem since I got it is that I always check the HD channels first and almost refuse to watch if it is not in HD. I find myself watching PBS nature shows all the time.

 

I haven't purchased one yet, but am considering a Panny. The price delta between the a 42" Plasma EDTV and HDTV is about 75% currently. From my research, most people cannot tell the difference between the two sets at >8' viewing distance when fed with an HDTV signal. When fed SD or an EDTV signal such as a progressive scan DVD player, most say EDTV looks better than HDTV.

I won't subscribe to HDTV cable or Satellite service for a few more years, but will use antenna to get local broadcasts.
The best 42" HDTV Palsma I know of still does not have the full 1920x1080 resolution so why bother until that technology exists at a price I'm willing to pay? In a few years, the prices will probably be considerably lower than now. I think of it as a $2500 stop gap solution instead of a $4000 stop gap solution. In a few years, I predict 1920x1080 HDTV 42" plasmas for $2k.

Check out www.avsforum.com for more info. I think LCD technology will/has surpassed Plasma anyway.

But, I certainly don't know it all with TV technology, so if you have differing information, please provide. I plan to buy a TV (not necessarily a $2500 one) in the next few weeks. Waiting to see what Black Fridady has to offer, but I have access to BB employee discounts too.