HDTV Recommendations

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telstar1

Golden Member
Feb 14, 2001
1,206
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I'm looking to pickup a 16:9 HDTV.
Does anybody have any recommendations as to particular models or brands that they've had good or bad experiences with?
I'm looking for something in the 40-45" range.

Thanks,
Telstar
 
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WickedMotorcar

Member
Sep 25, 2001
152
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I just bought a Toshiba 40H80. It's a 40 inch 16:9 rear projection. Beautiful set with an awesome picture, even with cable! I used to have a Mitsubishi 65" and then a Mitsubishi 55" HDTV but decided to go with the Toshiba. Better picture than either of the Mitsubishis with none of the "red push" problems. I recomend Toshiba or a Pioineer Elite if you have the scratch.

 
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telstar1

Golden Member
Feb 14, 2001
1,206
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<< I just bought a Toshiba 40H80. It's a 40 inch 16:9 rear projection. Beautiful set with an awesome picture, even with cable! I used to have a Mitsubishi 65" and then a Mitsubishi 55" HDTV but decided to go with the Toshiba. Better picture than either of the Mitsubishis with none of the "red push" problems. I recomend Toshiba or a Pioineer Elite if you have the scratch. >>



Have you tried it with an HDTV receiver?
 
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telstar1

Golden Member
Feb 14, 2001
1,206
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I'm not sure. My one concern with a projection HDTV is the risk of using video-games with the system or watching too much non-16:9 TV which might result in burning in the sidebars. How realistic is this concern?
 
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conjur

No Lifer
Jun 7, 2001
58,686
3
0
Somewhat of a concern but as long as the set is properly calibrated you shouldn't have a problem.

Mitsibushi's picture quality (once properly configured by a qualified ISF Tech) can rival a Pioneer Elite at near 1/2 the price.

Check out The Spot
 
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Salvador

Diamond Member
May 19, 2001
7,058
0
71
You know.. Whenever I've briefly seen a widescreen tv with a regular broadcast, it always stretches the image to an annoying proportion. I'd hate to watch a 300 lb. Alley McBeil.

Do you have to watch the images distorted like that with the widescreen tv when watching regular non-widescreen broadcasts?

Sal
 
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conjur

No Lifer
Jun 7, 2001
58,686
3
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There are various format options on most TVs.

I typically keep mine on the Standard view which does make people squatter. But, really, I got used to it rather quickly. I'll sometimes use the next option, Expand, which crops the top/bottom but there is no distortion. That mode comes in handy on the cable news channels (FOX, MSNBC, CNN) to get rid of those annoying tickers and logos at the bottom. Next, there's a Zoom option that zooms a 4:3 image to fill the screen so there's cropping on all four sides. Next, is Stretched which keeps the center normal and stretches the left/right 1/3 of the screen. I hate this the most. Lastly, there is a Narrow option which results in vertical gray bars on the left/right and the 4:3 image in the middle. I'll use this sometimes, too.

But, that is one thing that annoys me about 16:9 demo sets at stores. Why can't they ever show a DVD playing? Or, now that DirecTV and DISH have several HD channels, put one of those on there!
 
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Beerinator

Member
Aug 19, 2001
134
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0
Yeah don't buy one, they are overrated and too expensive. The thing that people negelect to tell you is that you don't have HDTV signal
unless you get a sepearte decoder and then you have to pay for something like digital cable or satelite. Which by the way doesn't totally utilize the hdtv
all the time.

My advice save your money and get a big screen projection tv or a sony WEGA V series. Don't touch the S series and the XBR is nice but not definitely worth all that EXTRA DOUGH
 
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conjur

No Lifer
Jun 7, 2001
58,686
3
0


<< Yeah don't buy one, they are overrated and too expensive. The thing that people negelect to tell you is that you don't have HDTV signal
unless you get a sepearte decoder and then you have to pay for something like digital cable or satelite. Which by the way doesn't totally utilize the hdtv
all the time.

My advice save your money and get a big screen projection tv or a sony WEGA V series. Don't touch the S series and the XBR is nice but not definitely worth all that EXTRA DOUGH >>



I couldn't disagree more. Sure, one has to buy a separate HDTV receiver for satellite/OTA but that's not a bad thing as if that technology should change between now and 2006, one isn't saddled with a white elephant. DirecTV has HBO HD, a PPV channel, and HDNet (24/7 sports). DISH has Showtime HD, HBO HD, CBS HD, PPV, and a demo channel. For OTA, FOX broadcasts in 480p, ABC has several shows in HD, NBC has the Tonight Show and Crossing Jordan and will do some of the Olympics in HD. PBS also broadcasts some shows in HD. Also, HDTV-ready sets typically can display 480p signals so if one has a progressive scan DVD player (which can now be had for $200 or so) then a big increase in picture quality can be seen (and the 16:9 format can be utilized - note there will still be letterboxing for movies with an aspect ratio wider than 1.85:1). I've had my set for almost a year and got a progressive scan player right after that and do not regret the purchase one bit. Now, the same money I spent in March could get me a larger, one model step up from what I have now but I've enjoyed this set immensely.

Panasonic has a 47" that can be had for about $1700 (maybe less online) and Mistubishi has a 46" for under $2000. That's about the same price range as the better 4:3 RPTVs and less than those overweight, overpriced Sony XBR Wega sets.
 
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telstar1

Golden Member
Feb 14, 2001
1,206
0
0
I'm actually pretty well situated to take advantage of an HDTV. I already receive digital cable. And my cable-company will rent me a HDTV receiver for $4.95 a month ... so if I wanted to do that, it'd make more financial sense than purchasing my own receiver. I forgot about all of the viewing options (stretching/cropping/etc) but those sound as if they nicely solve the 4:3 vs 16:9 content issue.

The one thing that is a pain is how all of the units in the stores all feed from some single source. I'd like to see them with TV content, and some other things. Guess I'll have to look around a bit more. I've got a friend with a 42" Toshiba 16:9 set hooked up to digital cable, so I guess I'll check that out too.
 
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d1abolic

Banned
Sep 21, 2001
2,228
1
0
If i were to buy an HD set, it would probably be a Toshiba. The model someone mentioned, 40H80, is excellent, but it has been discontinued and replaced by 42H81, which you should consider.
 
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telstar1

Golden Member
Feb 14, 2001
1,206
0
0


<< If i were to buy an HD set, it would probably be a Toshiba. The model someone mentioned, 40H80, is excellent, but it has been discontinued and replaced by 42H81, which you should consider. >>



My friend has the 40H80 ... guess I'll check his out. Thanks for the advice.
 
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d1abolic

Banned
Sep 21, 2001
2,228
1
0
BTW, you should take a look at CRT projectors. You can get 2x the screen size and 10x the quality for about the same price. Definitely a good deal if you ask me. I was planning to buy an HD RPTV like you at first, but once i read about them, i changed my mind rather quickly.
 
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HombrePequeno

Diamond Member
Mar 7, 2001
4,657
0
0
We got a Mitsubishi. The picture quality is damn good. It was pretty cheap too. It's a 55" and I think it only cost around $1900.
 
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