Recommend wide screen TV for non high definition use

[rhatsaruck]

Do wide screen (1.85 or 2.35) TVs exist that do *not* support high (or extended) definition?

I want to watch widescreen movies in their original format. I don't have (nor do I want) high definition cable service and I don't play video games so I have absolutely no need for high definition capable TV.

I want a TV that's at least 35 inches diagonally and I'd prefer one that's larger than 50 inches diagonally. CRT, plasma, DLP, or LCD technology doesn't matter to me; price *does* matter to me.

Do such products exist? Can anyone provide some recommendations and a rough idea of the prices?

Thanks.

RR

 

[CalvinHobbes]

There's only one format for widescreen TV's, 16x9 (approx 1.78:1). Any new widescreen is going to have HD support. There are tons of TV's in any of the different technologies to choose from although CRT is getting to be a very small portion of what's available.

What's your budget? Does your room have a lot of light?

 

[rhatsaruck]

Originally posted by: CalvinHobbes
What's your budget?

Under $1,000

Does your room have a lot of light?

It has some but not a lot. Let's put it this way: on a sunny day if I were sitting in the middle of the room with the curtains open I'd have barely enough light to read a book.

The room has windows on the north and south ends. The NS walls are roughly 15 ft long; the EW walls are roughly 30 ft long. I plan to place the TV just to the left of middle on the west wall.

 

[CalvinHobbes]

Originally posted by: rhatsaruck

Originally posted by: CalvinHobbes
What's your budget?

Under $1,000

Well the good news is that your budget limits your choices. That's also the bad news.
In that price range you'll probably have to find a very cheap CRT RPTV @ 46" or 50" or a smaller LCD TV (20" - 32").

 

[Dman877]

Look up 42 inch plasma edtv's.

 

[MBrown]

Not getting HD today is not an option IMO. HD is not that expensive nowadays. And plus by 2009 all TV broadcasts must be HD. So by 2009 you dont have an HDTV you will have to buy a converter or something to be able to watch TV on your SDTV.

 

[Geomagick]

Companies like Panasonic still do non hidef versions of their plasma screens, and as a result the cost is a lot lower. But why?

DVD's when played on a good DVD player which can upscale produces awesome reults on hidef screens.

 

[rhatsaruck]

Originally posted by: MBrown
HD is not that expensive nowadays.

Neither are brasseries from Victoria Secret. I don't have any use for them either.

Unless of course they arrive pre-filled. LolaWiz, are you there? ;-)

 

[Wingznut]

Originally posted by: rhatsaruck

Originally posted by: MBrown
HD is not that expensive nowadays.

Neither are brasseries from Victoria Secret. I don't have any use for them either.

Unless of course they arrive pre-filled. LolaWiz, are you there? ;-)

Are you sure that you won't want HD in a year or two?

I guess I don't see the point in getting a non-HD tv.

 

[rhatsaruck]

Originally posted by: George Powell
Companies like Panasonic still do non hidef versions of their plasma screens, and as a result the cost is a lot lower.

Ding ding ding! We have a winner.

Can you suggest a specific model number or two?

 

[rhatsaruck]

Originally posted by: Wingznut

Originally posted by: rhatsaruck

Originally posted by: MBrown
HD is not that expensive nowadays.

Neither are brasseries from Victoria Secret. I don't have any use for them either.

Unless of course they arrive pre-filled. LolaWiz, are you there? ;-)

Are you sure that you won't want HD in a year or two?

I guess I don't see the point in getting a non-HD tv.

Fair question. I won't be watching anything HD for the next year or two. Not sports, not movies, not pron, not news, not a thing.

I'm assuming that the HDTV market is subject, to a certain extent, to Moore's law pricing. In the world of Moore's law pricing, folks on the leading edge pay a significant premium to be on the leading edge. For those folks who can justify that premium the world is a great place because they can get their needs met.

However in my case there's absolutely no reason for me to pay a premium now for something I won't use in the next two years.

I'm assuming that, by going non-HD, I can save at least $200 now. That's important to me.

Am I overestimating the amount I can save by going non-HD?

 

[Wingznut]

Originally posted by: rhatsaruck

Originally posted by: George Powell
Companies like Panasonic still do non hidef versions of their plasma screens, and as a result the cost is a lot lower.

Ding ding ding! We have a winner.

Can you suggest a specific model number or two?

Yeah, but you aren't going to find a plasma for under a grand.

 

[rancherlee]

With a room that big I would go with a CRT rear projection wide screen. I picked up a 57" Toshiba HDTV wide screen (you are NOT going to find a regular def projection) for 1400$ last year, the 52" Version was 1200$ I'm sure you could find one for around 1000$ now new.

Cons
-SIZE, it takes up some room but you have a big room (my "theater room" is 14x18 and the 57" is a great fit for the room)
-Glare from light sources (problem with ALL flat TV's)
-Needing to "calibrate" the convergance every month or so (takes 5 minutes)
-can't hang it on a wall

Pros
-CRT rear projection has a better picture then LCD,LCD projection,Plazma, ect IMO
-PRICE = LOTS of screen for little $$$
-Big enough to weigh you house down so Aliens can't suck it up with a tractor beam

 

[MX2]

Originally posted by: MBrown
Not getting HD today is not an option IMO. HD is not that expensive nowadays. And plus by 2009 all TV broadcasts must be HD. So by 2009 you dont have an HDTV you will have to buy a converter or something to be able to watch TV on your SDTV.

I thought it was all broadcasts must be in digital, digital does not necessarily mean HD.

 

[Geomagick]

Originally posted by: Wingznut

Originally posted by: rhatsaruck

Originally posted by: George Powell
Companies like Panasonic still do non hidef versions of their plasma screens, and as a result the cost is a lot lower.

Ding ding ding! We have a winner.

Can you suggest a specific model number or two?

Yeah, but you aren't going to find a plasma for under a grand.

Exactly right.

Panasonics 8th Generation plasma screens are superb but even for standard definition you can be looking at nearly $2000. I only had a quick look at prices, living in the UK I'm not quite up there on US pricing.

For a high quality display going standard definition rather than high definition means getting another 5 to 10" of screen for the same amount of money.

 

[rhatsaruck]

Originally posted by: George Powell
For a high quality display going standard definition rather than high definition means getting another 5 to 10" of screen for the same amount of money.

Now that's a great trade-off from my perspective.

Given my budget it sounds like, even with standard definition, I have to look at the low-end of the traditional CRT or rear-projection markets. Standard definition plasma, LCD, and DLP are going to be more than $1,000 in the > 35 inch wide-screen formats.

Thanks for the feedback folks.

 

[JonnyBlaze]

if you want a widescreen tv to vew widescreen dvds you have to get at least edtv.

 

[Raduque]

Originally posted by: MX2times

Originally posted by: MBrown
Not getting HD today is not an option IMO. HD is not that expensive nowadays. And plus by 2009 all TV broadcasts must be HD. So by 2009 you dont have an HDTV you will have to buy a converter or something to be able to watch TV on your SDTV.

I thought it was all broadcasts must be in digital, digital does not necessarily mean HD.

Correct. No more analog over-the-air broadcasts.

To the OP: you don't want an HDTV because you're.... cheap?! $200 to go from SDTV to HD-capable is well worth it, imo. So I guess you plan on buying a whole new TV in 2 years? Instead of just being able to plug in HD gear and go? Your budget is a thousand bucks. I got a great RCA 52" rpCRT HDTV for that price. It's got a beautiful picture, and I use it every day in conjuction with my HTPC to watch/DVR my Dish satellite.

Ultimately, it's your money, you'll probably do with it what you want, regardless of what we say. But think about it: for your budget, you CAN get a 40"+ HD-capable TV with an HDMI input, and in two years, when you ARE ready for HDTV, all you have to do is get the box from you cable provider and plug it in.

Originally posted by: rancherlee
Pros
-Big enough to weigh you house down so Aliens can't suck it up with a tractor beam

:thumbsup: We have two in our house; I think it sunk into the ground a little bit after we installed them

 

[rhatsaruck]

Originally posted by: RaduqueTo the OP: you don't want an HDTV because you're.... cheap?!

That's one way to look at it. Another way to look at it is: I have no need for HD. The fact of the matter is, over the course of the last 52 weeks I've watched a maximum of 60 hours of TV/Cable. That's not per week, that's total over 52 weeks. So saving $200 - or even better using that $200 to buy a larger screen and forgoing HD - is a win for me. Because I watch movies on DVD a screen capable of 1.85 or 2.35 aspect ratios is a good deal for me.

$200 to go from SDTV to HD-capable is well worth it, imo. So I guess you plan on buying a whole new TV in 2 years?

Probably not in 2 years and maybe never.

My priorities are different (there's an understatement) from most people here.

 

[Raduque]

I barely watch any tv either, but I still have an HD set. DVDs upscaled on my HTPC look gorgous at 1080i. Well anyway, good luck with trying to find a true "big screen" SDTV. Aside from some EDTV plasmas, I didn't even know they made them anymore.

 

[Wingznut]

Originally posted by: rhatsaruck

Originally posted by: George Powell
For a high quality display going standard definition rather than high definition means getting another 5 to 10" of screen for the same amount of money.

Now that's a great trade-off from my perspective.

Given my budget it sounds like, even with standard definition, I have to look at the low-end of the traditional CRT or rear-projection markets. Standard definition plasma, LCD, and DLP are going to be more than $1,000 in the > 35 inch wide-screen formats.

Thanks for the feedback folks.

Where did you come up with the "5 to 10 inches of screen" theory??? I guess what you are saying is that you can get a 52" HDTV for $1000 or a 57-62" Widescreen SDTV for the same money?

I suppose it's a nice theory, but I'm fairly certain that a 50"+ Widescreen SDTV doesn't even exist. (With the possible exception of a plasma screen, that won't come anywhere close to under $1000.)

 

[BenSkywalker]

The fact of the matter is, over the course of the last 52 weeks I've watched a maximum of 60 hours of TV/Cable. That's not per week, that's total over 52 weeks.

Sounds like you watch about twice as much TV as I do(at least) and I would say without hesitation that getting a HDTV is worth it for watching movies alone(well, EDTV but there aren't many of them left).

Anyway- non HD widescreen 36" TV for $900.

52" widescreen HDTV for $1100. This one comes with a bonus DVD burner too.

BluRay and HD-DVD are on the horizon and being capable of watching existing DVDs in progressive scan make it so I would advise you to try and find the best deal you can on a HDTV set instead of focusing on trying to find a non HDTV device. Worse case scenario is you ignore the HD ability of the TV, given what is out there you are likely much better off in the long run doing that then trying to find a non HD set(which at this point is bottom of the barrel offerings).

 

[xtknight]

I'd also recommend a Plasma for best picture quality if you can afford it, or an RP DLP if not. Why don't you want HDTV? All (most?) the HDTVs still tune analog. Since there are hardly any big regular TVs anymore I'm not sure what you'd save yourself from. HDTV is a must for any TV fanatic... I love watching over-the-air (terrestrial), free content these days with my HD tuner.

 

[rhatsaruck]

Thank you to everyone who responded. I really appreciate your comments.

 

[justlnluck]

If you are really on a budget, I've seen some surprisingly attractive TVs at Walmart. You probably wouldn't think of Walmart as a place to buy a TV, but take a look at their electronics section. Their TVs aren't bad for the price. I would go for a 42" EDTV plasma if I was in your position.