When your TV finally kicks....

AxeMental · Post by **AxeMental** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 9:56 pm

Consider a front projector. These things are WAY better then I expected and deliver a true cinema feel. For under a grand you can get a superb quality image (mine supports HDTV) at up to 120 inches even bigger if you have the space to sit back. I ended up getting a 100 inch electric screen and an OPTOMA HD 72 with a great rebate (a combo Christmas and Birthday gift).

Seriously, as long as its dark you wont be disappointed. I just watched 13th Warrior, and it rocked. I noticed details I'd missed even on the big screen. The rub is you cant watch it in the day, but if you don't watch regular TV (just DVDs and occasional cable) its a great way to go.

Mythmere · Post by **Mythmere** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 11:54 am

It's several hundred bucks, but you can't watch it during the day?

dcs · Post by **dcs** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 12:02 pm

When our TV kicks we're throwing it out and getting a piano.

stranger · Post by **stranger** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 12:08 pm

Axe, all I can say is PLASMA. I bought one a year ago and have been smiling ever since. Sure its only 55" but I can watch it all day.

AxeMental · Post by **AxeMental** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 12:12 pm

Myth: "It's several hundred bucks, but you can't watch it during the day?"

Yeah, if you don't have a basement to set it up in (or a windowless room) your screwed in that regard. Another option is blackout curtains, but I doubt that would be enough. Oh, and with it ceiling installed (as mine is) and an electric screen, you don't even notice it there when its put away (so you don't have to dominate your room with a television idol).

Also, the lamp life is 3,000 hours and $300 to replace.

Still, this works out fine for me as I don't watch television these days, accept for a couple shows a week (we use our normal TV for these), and only 4-5 DVDs (dito for my wife and kid who watch even less then I do). If you watch more television than that you'd probably be better off with a plasma or rear projector (though there much more expensive to get the same resolution and no where near the same size). I guess it really depends on how much you watch and when. If you have a good television for daytime, I really think this can't be beat.

stranger · Post by **stranger** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 12:22 pm

AxeMental wrote: I guess it really depends on how much you watch and when. If you have a good television for daytime, I really think this can't be beat.

Does owning over 1100 DVDs qualify as a lot? I buy at least 1 movie every week and some times as many as 6. Today I bought 4 new releases during lunch. Unfortunately some of them are boring crap purchased to keep the wife happy.

AxeMental · Post by **AxeMental** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 12:28 pm

You sick bastard. Send me half of those, thats too many for 1 person to own you capitalistic pig.

I just started messing with my new DVD burner but hope to be increasing my own number soon as well (presently I'm sure its under 100).

stranger · Post by **stranger** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 12:39 pm

I just finished building an entire wall of shelves to hold them. I still have room for about 500 more.

30 sections, 3 wide and 10 high each holds about 55 movies. I just need to put the moldings up and it will be finished.

TRP · Post by **TRP** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 12:40 pm

I rarely buy DVDs anymore. It seems I already own the movies I like watching more than once, and actually have more than I'll ever watch. Hmmm.. should probably look at selling off some of 'em.

I seldom give the tube my full attention anymore. I'm usually working or playing on the 'puter at the same time, so I usually need some light for that. Personally, I think the price of televisions that are other than CRTs, be they LCD, DLP, Plasma, rear projection LCD or whatever, is outrageous. The retail prices are well beyond the compensation for manufacturing and fair profit. As long as people pay $1,000 to $10,000, then that's what they'll cost.

Me? Sticking with my 36" flat screen CRT.

If you want a really, really great pic, then you have to go with a dual-chip DLP, but if you're in the 999 out of a thousand that can't see the supposed rainbow effect of DLP, then you're good for the single-chip at a tenth of the price of the dual.

TRP · Post by **TRP** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 12:41 pm

AxeMental wrote:You sick bastard. Send me half of those, thats too many for 1 person to own you capitalistic pig.
I just started messing with my new DVD burner but hope to be increasing my own number soon as well (presently I'm sure its under 100).

You do use bittorrent, right?

AxeMental · Post by **AxeMental** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 12:51 pm

Whats bittorent?

TRP: "If you want a really, really great pic, then you have to go with a dual-chip DLP, but if you're in the 999 out of a thousand that can't see the supposed rainbow effect of DLP, then you're good for the single-chip at a tenth of the price of the dual."

The Optoma HD 72 has the Dark Chip 2 DLP, Dual res. support ( 1280x768 ie. 16:10 and the standared 16:9 (native for 720p HDTV. Has the 7 segment color wheel. Its cool because the 16:10 will display full computer graphics without cutting off or compressing (though I haven't gotten around to playing any games on it yet), its bright enough also to double as a display machine for work, so I guess you could right it off (esp. with the 1280x768).

Anyhow, I'm dieing to try resident evil out on this.

TRP · Post by **TRP** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 12:58 pm

AxeMental wrote:Whats bittorent?

Google it. That's all I'll say.

Oops.. typo on my part. It's bittorrent.

AxeMental · Post by **AxeMental** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 1:00 pm

JRMapes · Post by **JRMapes** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 3:29 pm

DLP is great--

except for one major nagging factor.

The bulb is almost $500 to replace and burns out faster than any other type of bulb used in these new tech TVs. Even more so if you watch much HDTV.

Now there is a new system that Samsung has just came out with (about 10 months back) that actually makes the DLP worth the money.

Samsung 56" Widescreen 1080p Rear-Projection LED Engine DLP HDTV
Model: HLS5679W.

Samsung updates DLPs, reinvents the wheel

They have replaced the single bulb and color wheel with an LED system. The LEDs take ages to burn out even under heavy HDTV usage. So far there is only one Samsung DLP LED unit on the market that I am aware of and its a 56" unit and comes in around $3000. It also is set up to handle the top end resolutions and converts smoothly between 720p/720i to 1080p/1080i

If you go Rear Projection this is the ONLY way to go.

Now if you want to talk Plasma, the BEST by far is the NEC Commercial Grade models. Of course you will pay through the nose for them but they blow DLP, LCD, and all the other Plasma TVs completely away.

I like the idea of LCD but I have yet to see one specific model that is completely superior to any of the others, let alone superior or even remotely close to a plasma or DLP. If there is a damn good LCD out there, I would love to hear about it. We are looking at purchasing a new HDTV in the next few months and right now its between the new LED DLP from Samsung and a NEC Plasma.

Oh and daytime viewable is a must. Heh. It also needs to be between 50"-58". Our "TV Room" is simply too large for anything less than a 50" and anything greater than 60" would be way too much since no matter where we would put the TV it would be in front of a window and I can't stand having TVs or anything for that matter in front of windows. It makes it impossible for me to get the window to open or close it from my wheelchair.

Jerry