Looking for TV recommendations in $1000-$1500 range

[sygyzy]

One thing I am not up to date with is televisions. I am moving to a new apartment next month and would really like to get a new tv for it. What are your recommendations as to specific models, brands, technologies, current hot deals, etc. Even if you can't recommend a specific model, it'd be helpful if you could just chime in with recommendations like "Get plasma over lcd, because ..."

Anything would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[Apex]

It's good you gave a budget (that's more than most people do).

What's your viewing distance?

What kind of source material will you be watching most of the time?

How many hours a day do you watch, typically?

How's your room's ambient light control?

 

[sygyzy]

Very good questions.

1. Not sure of viewing distance. It's a decent sized living room. It'd depend on layout of course. We have only seen a model unit briefly. The next time we'll see it is move-in. Large gap between signing the contract and actual move in. I don't even remember exactly how it looks to be honest.

2. Source will come from a nice Denon and Energy HT system. probably Sony DVD player, PS2, X-Box (movies), satellite TV and HDTV if I get a tuner, and ReplayTV. Almost all my TV watching is done through the Replay. I just watch recorded shows. Not too much live TV. Maybe 1 hour of live TV a day. The rest is recorded. I watch movies from my X-Box maybe 4 hours (2 movies) a week. I watch DVD movies maybe once a week.

3. I watch between 1-2 hours of TV a day. Double that on weekends.

4. I am not sure what you mean by this. Are you asking how dark I can make it? I am not sure as there is a sliding glass door that leads to the patio, in the living room.

I constantly move (about once a year). I know I can get a CRT set cheap but it'll be a pain to move all the time. Also, the apartment is on the second story so weight is a concern.

 

[Apex]

Well, in general, if you don't have good ambient light control (meaning, difficult to make it dark, or near dark), then you want a set that has good brightness. That normally means a digital set (DLP, LCD, LCOS, DILA, etc). However, that's difficult in this budget.

Do you have a viewing distance estimate? Are we talking 5' or 15'?

A big CRT based RPTV may be the best thing in your budget, but there will be some issues with the weight. A tabletop type set may work out a little better.

 

[sygyzy]

I'd really like to avoid CRT if possible. Viewing distance estimate would be ~7-10 feet.

 

[MAME]

do projectors have nice picture quality?

 

[Apex]

7-10", you'll at the very least want a 42" display. Very very least, especially if you're using HD, DVD, & digital SD source material.

Projectors are great, but not a good choice without good ambient light control.

 

[sygyzy]

42" is going to be expensive unless I get RP or CRT huh? I want to get RP LCD if possible. Or DLP? Any ideas on deals?

 

[Apex]

I'm guessing with that budget, viewing distance, source material, and level of light control, you'll probably be best off with a CRT based RPTV.