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We just purchased a home with the perfect family room for surround.
With the boys off to college, and after 24 years of marriage, I finally have the Mrs. permission to build my dream A/V room.I have selected Vandersteen surround speakers, which is pretty much a lay up given sound quality-to-price ratio. But the video selection is making me bonkers..................
I have $5,000 to spend on the set. I've researched, and researched until I'm blue in the face and cannot for the love of Mike make a decision. Virtually everything I look at has reviews range from WOW! to 'I get dizzy when I watch it'!
I'm afraid to move.
Here's what I'm considering:
Mitsubishi WS55711 55" CRT
Hitachi 57S700 57" CRTSamsung HLN617W 61" DLP (no HD tuner)
Hitachi 60V500 60" LCD (no HD tuner)
Sony KDF60XBR950 60" LCDIs there a front runner? Or do I throw a dart?
Thanks all!
Follow Ups:
My wife and I looked at every TV we could for under $15K 3.5 months ago. The only criteria we had is that the TV was not too deep. After looking at countless TV sets in showrooms we purchased a Samsung 61" DLP set for $4300. I also have the Samsung HD-931 DVD player (paid $279) that can upscale to 1080. The two are connected via a Monster Cable M500DVI cable (paid $120). The above mentioned setup is awesome, especially considering the price.If I was to do it all again and my budget was $5K, I would not change a thing.
Good Luck!
cdc
I have the Samsung HLN 4365W, basically the same engine. I love it. No worry about burn in etc. Replace a $225 bulb every 4-8000 hours, nothing about the screen to burn out. Comcast HD 5100 box for $5 more / month and no HD receiver. DVI, and computer inputs, 3 component inputs, 2 RF, 2 composite, 2 S video. Very light and shallow box ( my wife and move it when we need to).THat's where I'd go.
I've seen pioneer elite 730-hds on closeout for $5000 listed, said they'd go down to $4500, at that price I'd bet it would be the best set you could get. Then you could get the HDMI input, and with the new dvd players that are starting to come out get a 720p signal which would look awesome. Also have enough money to get the unit ISF calibrated, which I would recommend for any quality RPTV.
The Sony KP57WS510, top-rated by The Perfect Vision, can be had for a little over two grand (see link).I bought one from Sunshine, and it's great! It will be even better when I get the ISF calibration done.
I agree. SONY makes four sizes of this and I have the 51" version. My ISF guy said it was a great TV as he was calibrating it. It is enormously user friendly and has eight video inputs, all of which can be labled or bypassed. Add a Hi Def tuner or cable box and a progresive scan DVD player and you are all set. But do have it calibrated by ISF.
You said you were going to give us a report (but maybe I missed it--haven't been visiting here much lately).
I love it. I had a day or so getting used to how bright it is (came from an aging analog wide screen) but love how it accurately renders the four levels of picture I have (true Hi Def, upconverted
digital on Hi Def channels, laserdisc, and regular analog). I now realize that not much is broadcast in true high definition but that will change over time. And, as far as 5.1 Dolby Digital is concerned, a film has to HAVE 5.1 in the beginning so many of the films are actually in Pro Logic or plain old stereo, even though the DD light is showing.One neat thing my ISF wizard did as he did on my old set was a special 5400K "warm" setting for black and white movies (I have many in my collection). This, along with the TV's 3/2 pulldown, makes watching an old classic film a special treat. (Of course, many times I forget to go back to the 6500K setting until it dawns on me that
something is not quite right).I did do a comparison of a Hi Def broadcast of "The Road to Perdition" with my DVD played via prgessive scan and the Hi Def was definitely a noticable improvement.
How are you getting your Hi-Def broadcasts--over the air? I've been considering digital cable, but it's so damn expensive in my area--over $50/month with no premium channels!I'm waiting until my set has about 50 hrs on it before calibration. The company I've picked to do the work charges $275. What did yours charge?
As for 3/2 pulldown, you should really consider hooking up an external line-doubler. Although Sony's line doubler circuitry isn't bad, right now I've got DVD and NTSC running through a DVDO iScan Pro, and it's a noticeable improvement.
I get the hi def from Comcast cable and it cost just $2 more than what I had which is the next level up from basic (I hardly watch any broadcast TV).My ISF guy charges $300 a calibration but because I am a friend and his very first customer ten years ago he performed the two hour calibration for the cost of a pizza (lucky me).
I don't think a line doubler is the same as 3/2 pull down (which SONY
calls "cinemotion"). The algorhythm works to eliminate the extra frame added when film is converted to video (film is shot at 24 fps
and video at 30 fps so an extra frame is added to allow the transfer). 3/2 pull down is subtle but makes the experience more "film like".
If you get HD package from Cable or satellite, you will need their own HD receiver anyway, which usually has OTA HD capability also.PQ-wise, I prefer the Sony RPLCD of all the sets you mention. It has the brightest, most vibrantly detailed picture. Great for viewing in moderatley darkened room or in daylight even. If you watch TV in very darkened room, you should go with non-LCD as it is too bright in really dark rooms.
Since you already have HT speakers, you don't need Sony XBR's "better" speakers. You also don't need the built-in HD tuner as I said. It's also much heavier due to the big glass (too shiny for me) screen, not to mention the ridiculous price increase over WE610 models. I ended up buying 60WE610 instead. I use DISH networks' 811 HDTV receiver (free!) and home theater speaekers.
If I had a darkened room and/or didn't mind the huge depth/size of CRT RPTV, I would pick the Hitachi. I would get the 65 inch Hitachi. It has rich, detailed PQ, and for 65 incher, the price is very reasonable...
How did you get your Dish 811 free if you don't mind my asking? When I called they said it would 4 to 6 weeks and $149.00. Also my dish 500 is pointed at 119 the,Hd I want is at 110. Do I have to change the angle of my satellite dish? If I due that will I still be able to get my "regular" stations.
Go out and get a cheap $900 Infocus X1 at best buy, take it home and hook your dvd player to it (you won't need to hook up the sound for this test). Point it at any white wall you have in your room (you don't need a screen for this test). Place the projector far enough from the wall to get a 90-100" picture. I think you will be blown away buy this picture.Now, take the projector back to best buy and get your money back. While your there check out all the RPTV's, I think you will get my drift.
Of course you have $5,000 to spend on a projector, If the little $900 Infocus X1 can blow away all those RPTV's just think what another $4,000 will add to the picture.
I have the X1 in my audio room and a 55" HDTV in the living room, guess which one everyone wants to watch movies on.
Dave
How far do you have to place the Infocus XI from the screen to yield a 100" picture?
It's like a driving enthusiast choosing between an Audi RS-6, BMW M5, or Mercedes AMG 55.All are great cars -- each has its strengths and (minor) weaknesses.
Buy what your gut tells you is right. Because once it's in your home and you're enjoying it daily, you won't know the difference from what you *didn't* buy since you'll have no frame of reference, right?
By all means, have fun with whatever you end up with. It's sure to be excellent.
.
goldang!!! that's nice-looking and hot-performing car. What's worse, my wife's ex-boss drives one and his kid and ours go to the same preschool so we see it at least 2-3x a week.
I know 2 people who drive them all year round in Chicago. They are equipped with snow tires for winter driving.
I almost opted for a Mits 65813 CRT, but decided to go with a DLP-based Front Projector in the end. Quite a bit more expensive (especially given the screen expense), but lot more visual impact as well. I decided to keep my ancient CRT-based RPTV with serious convergence issues for non-serious TV viewing (e.g. CNN).If I were going Rear projection, I would have bought the 65813 though I have not seen the latest Pioneer elites. CRTs probably still provide the best picture, but digital is starting to catch up. Plasmas are still too expensive IMHO; the handful of LCD displays I've seen had unacceptable motion artifacts (though i've heard this could represent poor calibration by the showrooms), Some folks are susceptible to DLP "rainbows" but I've had no issues with DLP. The best RPTV I've seen is that Mits LCOS-based 82" but this out of the price range of most...
That's all I remember from last October's RPTV search.
February issue of Home Theater just did a face off of 10 HD-ready sets. Their fave was a Toshiba 65HX93 (CRT, $3700). It scored a "96" in performance and offered the most features for the money, including a built in HD tuner. Good luck.
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