what is a good rear projection tv?

zixxer

Diamond Member
Jul 6, 2001
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Size doesn't matter. Bigger is better.

I would like something with a retail price of $1600ish. I work at best buy; and thus get their discount so anything from there is excellent.

What is soooo good about hdtv? Is it expensive? What is 1080i, 780p? Are there any good HT forums/websites/reviews out there?

Thanks
se7


http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000093URP/ref=e_de_a_smtpd/104-8730360-0478345?v=glance&s=electronics&vi=tech-data


I can get that toshiba for $1359. Sound like a good deal?
 

apac

Diamond Member
Apr 12, 2003
6,212
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Originally posted by: se7enty7
Size doesn't matter. Bigger is better.

I would like something with a retail price of $1600ish. I work at best buy; and thus get their discount so anything from there is excellent.

What is soooo good about hdtv? Is it expensive? What is 1080i, 780p? Are there any good HT forums/websites/reviews out there?

Thanks
se7

Hm can't really help you on a brand, but I know a little about HDTV. The standard TV has 780 horizontal scan lines, while HDTV has 1080. Basically think about it like a computer monitor - higher resolution = better picture quality. This makes a huge difference on the larger TVs since they tend to blur the image if it's not an HDTV (not really an issue now since almost all large TVs are HD).
 

Nebor

Lifer
Jun 24, 2003
29,582
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I think the standard tv has 480 scan lines, while Enhanced Definition TV has 720p and HDTV has 1080. A good HDTV can display 480p, 720p, and 1080i. istands for interlaced, which has SOMETHING to do with progressive scan. Progressive scan DVD players playback DVDs at 1080i resolution, compared to regular ones that play it back at 720p.

I'm a noob at this, so this is just my theory. Some kind of HDTV genius will school us soon though.
 

BurnItDwn

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
26,353
1,862
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The "hometheatrespot" forums are quite good for this info.

I have a Toshiba 61in TV (its not HD though, and its a couple years old) and I love it. It hasn't given me any problems at all.
 

Apex

Diamond Member
Oct 11, 1999
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www.gotapex.com
Hmm. From the ones at best buy around $1600 or so, consider the Toshiba 51H83, or if you can squeeze it (I know employee accomodation prices rock there), the 57H83.
 

Nebor

Lifer
Jun 24, 2003
29,582
12
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You work there, but none of your coworkers know enough about the TVs to inform you? Scary.

Customer: So what do I need with this HDTV... What does 1080i mean?
BB Associate: That has to do with the dolby digital surround sound. You'll need a DTS reciever.
 

Mutilator

Diamond Member
Aug 22, 2000
3,513
10
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Here are a few links to help you out:
AVS Forums
Home Theater Spot
Onecall

Personally I like to recommend the 51" Hitachi 51SWX20B since I own one... I think the newer model # is 51S500. It's $1949 @ CircuitCity. The model right below it (51F500A) is $1,699. I'll let you do your own searching to find out what the differences between the models are. ;)
 

KLin

Lifer
Feb 29, 2000
30,481
780
126
Originally posted by: Nebor
I think the standard tv has 480 scan lines, while Enhanced Definition TV has 720p and HDTV has 1080. A good HDTV can display 480p, 720p, and 1080i. istands for interlaced, which has SOMETHING to do with progressive scan. Progressive scan DVD players playback DVDs at 1080i resolution, compared to regular ones that play it back at 720p.

I'm a noob at this, so this is just my theory. Some kind of HDTV genius will school us soon though.

actually EDTV is 480p, anything else above that is HDTV


Link
 

Doggiedog

Lifer
Aug 17, 2000
12,780
5
81
I don't think standard definition has 780 lines of resolution. It's more like 480.

The i and p stand for interlaced and progressive. Interlaced means the lines are drawn every other line and once the picture is complete, the unfilled lines are drawn. Progressive means every line is drawn after the other. Here is an excellent description of it.

If you have seen true HDTV which is 1080p (not i) you would not ask what the big deal is over HDTV. A 1080p picture looks 3 dimensional. It is really unbelievable. I saw an HDTV demo (actually I will see another one today in my office as some LCoS chip company is coming in) from Sony a while back that was 1080p of a Knick game and the picture was out of this world. I put my face up to the TV and it looked like little people inside the TV playing basketball. It was that good. I've got a 1080i TV now and the picture is fantastic but nowhere as good as 1080p.

DVD quality is 480p. The current crop of DLP and LCD RPTVs are 720p. There are no real true 1080i TVs as they do not fully do 1920x1080. Most of them are like 1600x1080 or 1280x720 or some sort of combination but less than 1920x1080. It seems LCoS will probably be the technology that can handle 1920x1080 but its pretty expensive right now.

But to answer your question, I would get a Hitachi. They make the best RPTVs IMO. Make sure it is one that has 9" CRTs and not 7". 7" are the previous generation. Like Mutilator said, the 51SWX20B is a good one. I was going to buy that one until I saw my Panasonic 50LC13 LCD RPTV.
 

jemcam

Diamond Member
Jan 3, 2001
3,676
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I bought a 51" Hitachi RPTV from Circuit City as an open box in about that price range and I don't regret it for a second. I love that TV. I can't wait to get my surround sound system!
 

Apex

Diamond Member
Oct 11, 1999
6,511
1
71
www.gotapex.com
Originally posted by: Doggiedog
I don't think standard definition has 780 lines of resolution. It's more like 480.

The i and p stand for interlaced and progressive. Interlaced means the lines are drawn every other line and once the picture is complete, the unfilled lines are drawn. Progressive means every line is drawn after the other. Here is an excellent description of it.

If you have seen true HDTV which is 1080p (not i) you would not ask what the big deal is over HDTV. A 1080p picture looks 3 dimensional. It is really unbelievable. I saw an HDTV demo (actually I will see another one today in my office as some LCoS chip company is coming in) from Sony a while back that was 1080p of a Knick game and the picture was out of this world. I put my face up to the TV and it looked like little people inside the TV playing basketball. It was that good. I've got a 1080i TV now and the picture is fantastic but nowhere as good as 1080p.

DVD quality is 480p. The current crop of DLP and LCD RPTVs are 720p. There are no real true 1080i TVs as they do not fully do 1920x1080. Most of them are like 1600x1080 or 1280x720 or some sort of combination but less than 1920x1080. It seems LCoS will probably be the technology that can handle 1920x1080 but its pretty expensive right now.

But to answer your question, I would get a Hitachi. They make the best RPTVs IMO. Make sure it is one that has 9" CRTs and not 7". 7" are the previous generation. Like Mutilator said, the 51SWX20B is a good one. I was going to buy that one until I saw my Panasonic 50LC13 LCD RPTV.

Hitachi doesn't make a single 9" CRT based RPTV.

True 1080i HD RPTV's:

Toshiba 57HLX82
Mitsubishi Alpha 82
 

Antisocial Virge

Diamond Member
Dec 13, 1999
6,578
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Originally posted by: jemcam
I bought a 51" Hitachi RPTV from Circuit City as an open box in about that price range and I don't regret it for a second. I love that TV. I can't wait to get my surround sound system!

I got a 54" the same way from the same place. pic
 

Doggiedog

Lifer
Aug 17, 2000
12,780
5
81
Whoops. I mispoke :)

I meant 7".

Anyways, I'm going to see some company called Spatialight now. They make LCoS chips for RPTVs. I'll see if my 720p TV is going to obsoleted in 6 months or so. ;)
 

V00DOO

Diamond Member
Dec 2, 2000
3,817
2
81
I just got a Hitachi 51S500 and loving it. I don't think Best Buy sells Hitachi therefore your choice would be Mitsubishi or Toshiba. Stay away from Sony for RP HDTV.