Projection TV purchase--what size to get?

[slag]

I'm looking for a site that shows the best size tv for the distance you are sitting away from it.

I cannot make up my mind whether to get a mitsubishi 60" square normal definition tv for $1700 or a hitachi 53" widescreen hdtv for $2100. We will be sitting 15-25 feet away from the tv.

Any suggestions? We will be putting it in our finished basement and hooking up DTV for reception.

Thanks

 

[TapTap]

From 15-25 feet you are "golden" with the 60"
The guys at BestBuy were very helpful for me, they asked how close the "closest" person would be sitting to the screen--in my case 9ft--so they could suggest a size. He had a little formula for that he said he lifted off a HomeTheatre article. He said 52 would be the most he would go. I ended up with a 50" Toshiba 16-9 HDTV Widescreen--at a great price--with 18 months interest free financing. Looks great, and coupled with the Toshiba Pro-scan DVD and Klipsch speaker set up it sounds kick-ass in my size house.

 

[NuclearFusi0n]

Go for the HDTV. Ever seen a good HDTV? *drool* It's like somebody inserted a peice of glass between you and the scene

 

[slag]

Well, We've decided to go with the 53 inch widescreen hdtv hitachi projection TV. It is a good looking tv, cheap enough, and sears has 10% off all items Sunday evening from 6-9 pm.

I also found the same tv online for a few hundred cheaper, so SEARS should pricematch without any problems, plus give me the 10% off. I plan on purchasing a 3 yr warranty via SEARS also.

 

[Mutilator]

Which Hitachi are you looking at?
From Sears.com:

Widescreen
53 in. Projection TV/HD Monitor w/6 Element Lens System/Dolby® Digital Sound - $3,499.99
53 in. HDTV Projection Monitor with 5 Element Lens System and Magic Focus? - $2,799.99

4:3
53 in. HDTV Projection Monitor with 5 Element Lens System and Magic Focus? - $2,499.99

I'm thinking about getting a bigscreen myself... especially if I can get a Sears card or some other form of financing.

 

[slag]

this one

53 in. HDTV Projection Monitor with 5 Element Lens System and Magic Focus? - $2,799.99

 

[Mutilator]

So where'd the $2100 come from?

 

[Adul]

i am jealous....

 

[Mutilator]

That $2800 is model 53UWX10B
Was just looking at some reviews for it and they're all very good... avg about 4.67/5.
Did you know that thing has built in progressive scan that's always on so you don't have to buy a special progressive scan DVD player?
Nice feature... since I doubt my sony dvd player is progressive scan.

 

[slag]

Sears pricematches with online merchants.

I did not know they also took into account shipping though, so it would be more like $2400.00 for the TV, minus 10% on Sunday after 6 pm. But I also plan on getting the 3 yr service warranty for $279.00 which covers virtually everything so it would be around $2500.00 after tax.

We are moving this weekend and so thats the only way I could afford to purchase something like this.
We saved enough for the move and have some left over.

 

[slag]

mutilator. can you post urls to the reviews you read? probably some of the same I read, but I wouldnt mind reading another couple reviews on this TV please.

Thanks

 

[Mutilator]

If you used google then you most likely already saw the ones I was looking at:
Link 1 - CNet Electronics
Audioreview.com
Epinions
The Perfect Vision

 

[slag]

well crap.. Sears says the warehouse is backordered, cannot order the hitachi.

However, there is a nice mitsubishi for 2799 I hope I could find a better price online and they have one in their storeroom.

ws 55809 is the model number.. Going to go read up on it.

 

[ultravox]

Get the biggest your budget will allow.....after a day of watching it, you won't even notice the size.

btw...get a 16.9 the hitachi's are nice.

 

[slag]

the hitachi I wanted and the mitsubishi I may end up getting both are 16x9

 

[Ameesh]

make sure you look at pioneers, they have the best zoom mode called natural wide, it makes 4:3 tv look great

 

[ultravox]

I just notice I must have had my mind elsewhere when replying...I was thinking Toshiba and wrote Hitachi. I love my Toshiba and when I bought it I was going to get a Sony.....

 

[RayH]

You're close to the price range of dlp projectors that will give at least a 100" image. Hook it up to a progressive dvd player and you'll start living in your basement.

 

[kami]

If you wanted total immersion (recreate the theater experience) you would want to be sitting 10 feet maximum away from a 60" screen. 8 foot would be optimal.

'course not many people care about such things

 

[Mutilator]

Kami... that's gonna be me.

 

[BillyBatson]

i personally HATE! peojective TV's, they have aweful picture quality compared to tube? television and you have ot be stting directly in front of the TV to acually see the picture, which basically leaves guests, oardon the pun, out of the picture when they come over and sit on side couches. Though the best projection picture ihave seen to date was a Sony, 40 or 42 inches... The screen was not made of the ruffled plastic that i am sure we all enjoy running out finger nails over, but instead was actually made of glass...

My cousin recently bought a Sony VVega 36", we are quite happy with it... HAHA yes we, i practically live over there because of that tv

 

[ultravox]

Of course projection TVs don't have a picture as nice as a cathode tube TV but when you're at home, you don't have the two side by side to compare.The older projection TVs had a problem with angle of view distortion but the newer ones seem to have eliminated this. My Toshiba is at least 6 yrs old and the picture is good anywhere you sit.
BTW the larger the screen, the worse the image is in cathode tube TVs. Compare the picture on a 36" TV with one from a 21" TV and you'll notice the picture is sharper on the smaller one.
If you have a good source like a big C-band satellite dish the picture quality is better. Digital Sat (DTV) is next then cable ,which really sucks.

 

[slag]

<< i personally HATE! peojective TV's, they have aweful picture quality compared to tube? television and you have ot be stting directly in front of the TV to acually see the picture, which basically leaves guests, oardon the pun, out of the picture when they come over and sit on side couches. Though the best projection picture ihave seen to date was a Sony, 40 or 42 inches... The screen was not made of the ruffled plastic that i am sure we all enjoy running out finger nails over, but instead was actually made of glass...

My cousin recently bought a Sony VVega 36", we are quite happy with it... HAHA yes we, i practically live over there because of that tv >>



You must be looking at older projection tvs. Newer ones do not require you to be sitting in front of the tv to see it. I can see the picture fine even at a 45 degree angle from the tv. Older projection tvs had that problem, but newer ones dont . Also, on most tvs now have a glass shield in front of the actual lens.