If the price difference between a 60" and 65" TV is $200, which one would you get?

[bobdole369]

The appropriate sized set to buy is the one that fits both the intended viewing distance from the device, and the resolution of the content to be watched. Bigger isn't always better.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

And any prices saved by going DLP would be offset by the cost of replacing the bulb every 2-3yrs.
I also somehow doubt that the mitsu 65" DLP would have better blacks and contrast levels than a 52" Sony Bravia.

For the model in question yes but I have a 61" Samsung with LEDs instead of a bulb. I have no intention of replacing it and the LEDs are conservatively rated for 50k hours

 

[ManSnake]

DLP? I thought people stopped buying that 2 years ago...

 

[soulcougher73]

DLP? I thought people stopped buying that 2 years ago...

DLP is a great technology. Th only reasons its being phased out is do to the thickness of the sets vs. a plasma or LCD. People want thin, not what is best. Id get the 65" for only $200 more. Its a big improvement in size. This coming from someone who has pretty much the best plasma TV ever made (outside the $10000+ stuff).

 

[69Mach1]

As long as you have the room for it, I'd always go with the 65". But make sure it will fit first, they always look smaller in the store. One of my friends has a projection TV with an 8' screen, movies are awesome.

 

[CoinOperatedBoy]

To the people who think DLP is going obselete or useless .....

Black Levels / Contrast is quite good on a CRT DLP. Much better than LCDS, and noticably better than Plasma.

A 65inch DLP costs less than most 50 inch plasma's/LCDs.

DLP does have some shortcomings, but it's got some benefits too.

LCDs and Plasmas offer better brightness usually, but if it's in a light controlled environment, a DLP might have bett

I've been under the impression that plasmas have bested DLPs in black levels and overall PQ in recent years, especially considering the Pioneer Kuro line. I haven't seen Mitsubishi's DLPs, but they're pretty much the only RP DLP name left in town. Maybe they offer a nice picture for this price range, I don't know.

Have you looked at the prices on replacement DLP bulbs? The bulb will need to be replaced every couple years, and that's if you don't watch the TV very much. There are other moving parts in a DLP set as well, and repair / replacement may be costly. Something to think about, anyway.

Edit: And I realize that the bulb replacement regimen for DLPs might be considered a point in its favor vs. plasmas. A plasma's lifespan is not dependent on a bulb and there is no simple, inexpensive method to renew an aging plasma display. Then again, a good plasma will last for 60k viewing hours or more, which should equate to decades of ownership.

 

[sdifox]

As long as you have the room for it, I'd always go with the 65". But make sure it will fit first, they always look smaller in the store. One of my friends has a projection TV with an 8' screen, movies are awesome.

You mean projector?

 

[CoinOperatedBoy]

As long as you have the room for it, I'd always go with the 65". But make sure it will fit first, they always look smaller in the store. One of my friends has a projection TV with an 8' screen, movies are awesome.

You mean projector?

Yeah, I kind of doubt this friend has a 96" RPTV.

 

[69Mach1]

You mean projector?

Yes, I meant projector. It's mounted on the back wall of his living room, and from that distance fills the 8' screen he bought. With his 7.1 surround sound, it's almost like going to the theater. (minus the annoying people) It is a tv as well, but SD cable will make your eyes bleed, so he only uses it for DVDs. He has a 60" that he uses for watching cable. The 8' screen is mounted on the ceiling just in front of the smaller tv, so when it comes down you can't see the smaller screen.

 

[sdifox]

Yes, I meant projector. It's mounted on the back wall of his living room, and from that distance fills the 8' screen he bought. With his 7.1 surround sound, it's almost like going to the theater. (minus the annoying people) It is a tv as well, but SD cable will make your eyes bleed, so he only uses it for DVDs. He has a 60" that he uses for watching cable. The 8' screen is mounted on the ceiling just in front of the smaller tv, so when it comes down you can't see the smaller screen.

You should tell him to hook up OTA HD

 

[69Mach1]

You should tell him to hook up OTA HD

I don't think it an HD projector. He's had it for a while now, and I'm pretty sure he got it before everything went HD. It still looks really good with DVDs though. It's a Sony, but I can't remember the model.

 

[sdifox]

I don't think it an HD projector. He's had it for a while now, and I'm pretty sure he got it before everything went HD. It still looks really good with DVDs though. It's a Sony, but I can't remember the model.

Define a while ago

 

[69Mach1]

Define a while ago

4-5 years. He's been married for 3 years now, and he got it before that.

 

[lifeobry]

If you have room for a 60" then you have room for a 65". And $200 is negligible if you're getting a screen of those sizes.

 

[sdifox]

4-5 years. He's been married for 3 years now, and he got it before that.

it would be 720p probably. That is still hd.

 

[ChaoZ]

Seeing as 50" is already freaking huge in my living room, 65" is overkill. So, get one that suits your room.

 

[biggestmuff]

Bulbs in DLPs last a bit longer than the 2-3 years that people in ATOT always quote. That might be a decent estimate if you don't properly calibrate the TV and use the default settings which are quite bright. That would certainly reduce a bulb's life. I calibrated both of my DLPs with the AVIA DVD. My 42" is still doing fine after five years and my 61" is at three years with no bulb issues.

 

[goog40]

If you have room for a 60" then you have room for a 65". And $200 is negligible if you're getting a screen of those sizes.

The deal the OP is looking at is likely the one at Dell ($640 after cashback for the 60" versus $800 for the 65"). If it was $2200 versus $2000, the $200 difference would be negligible, but in this case it's a 25% increase in cost. I'd go with the 60", it seems like a better value.

 

[Muadib]

Bulbs in DLPs last a bit longer than the 2-3 years that people in ATOT always quote. That might be a decent estimate if you don't properly calibrate the TV and use the default settings which are quite bright. That would certainly reduce a bulb's life. I calibrated both of my DLPs with the AVIA DVD. My 42" is still doing fine after five years and my 61" is at three years with no bulb issues.

I hope you realize that you just cursed yourself.:biggrin: I've also have had luck with mine, but I know 2 people that haven't been as lucky. In the 3 years, 5 months that I've had mine, one of them just replaced his bulb for the third time. I just checked, and I have 4636 hours on mine, so if my bulb died today, I wouldn't complain.

To the OP, if it fits, get the 65". I had to get a 56", because my gf thought the 61" I wanted was too big. We were looking at tvs just weeks ago, and I was set on a 58" V10 panny, and she said why don't we get the 65". Unfortunately, it's too big.

 

[CoinOperatedBoy]

Bulbs in DLPs last a bit longer than the 2-3 years that people in ATOT always quote. That might be a decent estimate if you don't properly calibrate the TV and use the default settings which are quite bright. That would certainly reduce a bulb's life. I calibrated both of my DLPs with the AVIA DVD. My 42" is still doing fine after five years and my 61" is at three years with no bulb issues.

Two to three years is a reasonable estimate. There are always outliers, but I've heard of most people getting 4000 - 5000 hours from their lamps. If you assume a somewhat pessimistic 4000 hours and 4 hours of viewing on average per day, that bulb would last between 2 and 3 years.

If you have two DLP sets, each one probably gets less traffic since your viewing time is split between them, so of course it will be longer before you have to replace them.

It's all anecdotal, and unfortunately you can't even go by a bulb's rated hours. I've heard of bulbs rated for 8k hours dying in 4k, and bulbs rated for 4k still going strong at 6k. It's a crapshoot, but it's an extra expense one should consider when buying a DLP.

If I were to get a DLP today, I'd probably get an LED DLP. Don't have these bulb issues and there's no noisy color wheel either.

 

[TheAdvocate]

With all due respect, why in the world would anyone buy DLP anymore? What advantage does it offer? And the bulb issue...

Sears has the Panny 54" 1080p/600Hz plasma right now for $1099. It's an excellent deal on possibly the best bang for the buck TV on the market. It trumps the DLP all the way around.

 

[Linflas]

Just replaced the bulb in my 4 year old 62" DLP and it is like having a new TV. The brightness difference is amazing. The only real issue I have with it was I didn't wait for 1080p so it is a 720p/1080i set.

 

[Muadib]

With all due respect, why in the world would anyone buy DLP anymore? What advantage does it offer? And the bulb issue...

Sears has the Panny 54" 1080p/600Hz plasma right now for $1099. It's an excellent deal on possibly the best bang for the buck TV on the market. It trumps the DLP all the way around.

You're not comparing apples to apples though. How much is the 58" (closest to 60" I'm pretty sure), or the 65" ? DLP still trumps all if you are looking for the best bang for the buck.

 

[zerocool84]

You're not comparing apples to apples though. How much is the 58" (closest to 60" I'm pretty sure), or the 65" ? DLP still trumps all if you are looking for the best bang for the buck.

Yep in a couple months I'm ganna move up to a bigger HDTV. I have a 27" CRT HDTV right now and can't beat the price of a DLP. There are downsides to DLP as there are to Plasma and LCD. You just have to find out which is best for you.

 

[CoinOperatedBoy]

You're not comparing apples to apples though. How much is the 58" (closest to 60" I'm pretty sure), or the 65" ? DLP still trumps all if you are looking for the best bang for the buck.

I don't know, I just don't see it. You can get pretty great prices on LCDs and plasmas up to 60-65" and they have clear advantages over DLP RPTV in terms of maintenance and picture quality. If you're going bigger than that, why not just get a projector? (Even a DLP proj...)