A conundrum

[Talos4]

Here it is.  

The wallet in my signature is full.

I'm finally ready to add the last piece of gear to the collection... The big screen TV

Now the point,  Instaed of asking the usual question of what to get, I'm looking for a different direction.

What not to get. ??

I've settled into looking at.. RPTV's, 46-55", HDTV Ready, No need for built in tuner.  DTV subscriber. Budget $2,000 which includes the DTV tuner.

When you surf for opinions/reviews on manufacturers and models you get either glowing reports or it's trash.  You get the same thing from most of the big box sales associates.

Although I am planning on stopping at Flanners on Sat to check out the tent and the RPTV's.

I've begun schleping (sic)  around looking at sets.

I like what I see from the Toshiba cinema series, I'm waiting for the new 51" model to hit the stores.  Decent overall aesthetic appearance.  Pretty good picture (after dowsing the torches)

Given my budget, is there another line of gear I should consider?

Why? Other than Toshiba is &*(%^  and Brand X is better because that's what I have.  

I'm usually alot more gung ho when it comes to purchases. But, and it's a big but.

 I really don't want the better saying one night "you paid how much? and this looks better than our old TV?"

[borghe]

well, assuming you aren't looking at an HD Tivo, first we have to talk about the HD box... before anything I would make sure you can get the $99 box from D*. Try to get the antenna thrown in either for free or $50 as well (if you don't already have one). That would be $150 and leave you with $1850 for the TV.

As for what TV I recommend, for that price you should be able to start looking at Mitsubishi's or Sony's... IMHO there are only two TV's to look at in looking at the best (but not going to Pioneer Elite). Mitsubishi and Sony... They both make TV's with almost identical feature sets and at comparable prices (Sony tends to be a teensy bit higher). Out of the box I feel Sony tends to look more like a TV and Mits tends to look more like film, but when calibrated right (color temp, red push, etc) they pretty much end up looking the exact same with a tiny advantage to Mits.

As for models, I don't know, but I can honestly recommend just going to Flanner's and telling them what you have to work with. I have never received anything there but stellar service when making decisions... You can also try //www.hometheaterspot.com and check out the Mits and Sony sections to get some impressions.

Unfortunately I haven't bought a new RPTV in two years so my information is grossly outdated, but I am confident in my recommendation of Sony and Mits.. these are the two brands that have been continually fighting for my TV dollar for 10 years now...

and for the record, Mits has won over Sony so far 3-0.

[mrmike]

Strange as this might sound, it might be worth consulting an ISF professional like Eliab about which sets have the strongest electronics / best lenses CRTs in that price range / size range.

[G-Man]

don't forget about Hitachi. they make good rptv's. they actually make some of the guns for mitsubishi check consumer report. and look at audioreview.com and check out some make and models of some tvs that you are considering. consumers post their impressions there.
another wesite hdtvoice.com.
G-man

[StarvingForHDTV]

Originally posted by Talos4
Given my budget, is there another line of gear I should consider?

Are DLPs cheap enough yet?  If so, I would strongly consider looking at that technology, or maybe even LCD or LCoS.

You should research these options versus CRTs before you make your purchase.

JMHO,

Starving

[borghe]

at his budget, he will have to stick with CRT.

As for Hitachi, they are good, but not on par with Sony and Mitsuibishi.. Mitsubishi is generally regarded as the best set before going to the very high end, though to realize the sets full potential you do need to have it professionally calibrated.. Sony is regarded as on par with Mitsubishi..

The next tier of sets are Hitachi, Toshiba, Panasonic, Samsung, Philips, and RCA. (there might be a couple more I'm missing as well) All of these are good sets.. Not great sets but for the average consumer they are very decent sets and will make most average consumers very happy.

And at the bottom is most of the "huh?" companies. Apex, Sanyo, and the ton of Chinese manufacturers out there..

The best bang for your minimal dollar will come from the middle tier. IMHO the best bang for your overall dollar will come from the upper tier, though it will cost a few hundred more... That's why I recommended Sony and Mits which your budget should be able to handle.

though like I said.. square away your tuner and antenna first... the difference between $250-300 and $99 is huge.. see how much you have to work with after a tuner deal from DirecTV....

[dlhoppe]

What I did was aggregate all of the info I uncovered in my research and pretty much calculated my decision regarding equipment choice.  I included demos, specs, features, consumer reviews/personal opinions, price, my needs, my budget, etc. and created a scoring system using a spreadsheet to record it all.   Don't take the "shortcut" of basing your decision on just a handful of posts in a forum. Some can seem well-stated, but just plain wrong. (I'm not implying that regarding any in this thread - no offense everyone) Instead, add them to a broader base of information.

Also, try and find people who will let you visit and see their equipment in a home setting too. Especially calibrated equipment. Much different than in a store setting. All of the folks on this site are more than open and helpful. I'm sure you could find many who would be willing to let you come by for a visit.


Take your time and good luck with your search!

[Talos4]

Thank you everyone, this is the kind of discussion I was looking for.  

CRT is most likely the route I'm going.  Re-filling the plasma displays could get messy:D

As far as the tuner and antenna, I will be calling DTV and inquiring about the upgrade to HD.  Antenna is no problem Been happy with my roof top and rotor for several years.

I steered clear of Mitsu thinking they were way out of my price range. I'll start looking closer.

I'm not really an average TV consumer but, budget is the controlling factor.

The "Middle tier" it is.

Thanks for the website addresses I'll be checking those out.

The hunt is really going to start this weekend at Flanners.

[borghe]

mits' have come down.. I know you can get bottom tier mits' (still at the top of the middle tier) for $1800ish for a 55" (vs. the $3000 I paid for mine 2 years ago). I believe you can get a 47" for around $1500... not sure but just what I remember... start adding tuners or better hardware and the price will climb.. good luck at flanner's.. it is where I have bought all three major TV purchases.. the only one I didn't buy there was my Sony Wega in the bedroom and that was because I already knew what I wanted and through deals and price matching got about 20% off of it at Best Buy....

[gparris]

I had a 60" 4:3 HDTV that is still working fine from 4 years ago, so I have heard, as I sold it to get my 65"widescreen, instead.
Now I have a 65" and 48" HDTVs...all are Mitsubishi.
Why? Because the solid performance these sets deliver.
I have seen ads at local chain stores for 55" Mits sets for under $1400.:eek:
If you are looking for great colour, deep blacks and more picture for the money, CRT rear projection is still the way to go.
Some prefer Hitachi, others Toshiba...also good CRT RPTVs.
Features that can add to cost are internal digital tuners, firewire and some optics that may or may not make a difference to you.
I would suggest that you get the Mitsubishi  HDTV set that not only fits your room size but where you will sit to view the set's picture.
 If you really think you need Firewire or other special cabling in the future, Mits has a "promise module" that keeps their sets sort of "future proof", allowing for upgraded connections, although component inputs are still the standard and most newer Mits sets have 3 inputs on them so you connect your HD box, DVD Progressive-scan player and a game box (if it uses component inputs) all at the same time.
When the set arrives at your house, let it get to room temperature, turn it on, run through the service menus and check for convergence, just to be sure.
Then play your favourite DVD and/or hookup your HD OTA tuner or HD sat box, as this is your preference.
Enjoy!:)

[Matt Heebner]

Another Mitsubishi owner here, and you can't go wrong with Mits. They might not be perfect out of th box, no RPTV's are, but with a little fine tuning they  can look spectacular.

I've had mine calibrated by Craig Miller, considered the finest Mits calibrator on Earth. I asked him when he was here why he chose to only work with Mitsubishi. He said that after they have been calibrated, not much can compare to the abolute stunning looking picture a well tuned Mits can provide.

I have to say (admittedly biased) that I have looked at other people's houses, and at stores, and I have yet to see a TV picture that can  beat mine....yet. I will say the DLP's are damn close, with blacker than black (or lack thereof)  being their downfall.

Definietly put them in your short list.

Matt

[GADGET71]

Not to get too far off subject here, I too am a Mits 55" owner, and have been nothing but pleased with it's performance.  I have had it for 2 years, and have not had any professional come in to calibrate it, nor have I messed with anything myself(I doubt that I would try it anyway.)  Any recommendations as to how often an RPTV should be calibrated?

GADGET71

MITS 55809
Sams TS151
MITS AV Receiver 5.1 - JBL speaks
CM 4228 mounted on 45 ft. tower
Winegard Preamp(ap8700)
________
buy vaporizer

[RickNeff]

Any recommendations as to how often an RPTV should be calibrated?

For a new set, after 100 hrs of use is what's typically mentioned as the starting point of when it should be calibrated professionally for the first time.

After the first professional calibration, it really depends on whether the set is moved, a CRT is replaced, or any other event that might affect the color settings or the like.

I had a re-calibration by Eliab after 1 year and it did make a difference on my older Tosh.  However, that was really more due to a new technique he started using.  Most of the time, the re-calibration won't make much of a difference until after a few years.

If you're not referring to professional calibration, I really couldn't say.  Things like convergence should be checked every month or so and adjusted appropriately, however.

[Rick Sass]

Have you thought about a pj? You can now get a IF 4805 for $1500 plus a screen 100" screen for $500.00. The prices are coming down and the quality is going up. Just another thought for the mix...

Rick

[HD Dude]

Ok, this is my very first post so please take it easy on me... I am just starting out looking at HDTV's and a friend of mine told me about this site.
 
I was wondering what you thought of a 50" Grand WEGA™ LCD Rear Projection TV (KF-50WE610).  My Brother has a 70" XBR® Grand WEGA™ (KDF-70XBR950) and that TV is incredible, well I can't fit a 70" TV anywhere and I cant fit a 60" TV either ( I know Sony makes the same TV as a 60").  But I was wondering if the 50" Grand Wega is a good purchase if it will compare to the XBR, or what will I lose because its not the "XBR".
 
I can spend in the $3,000 range, if there are other TV's that you would recommend that might be better I would appreciate that too.  I've been reading that TW is getting closer to the HD DVR and I cant live without a DVR so I would end up using TW's HD Box.
 
I will be checking things out at Flanners on Saturday as well.
 
Thanks for your help in advance.
 
Jim