rear projection tv

[smokinreefer]

hey guys,
i'm shopping around for a rear projection tv... 47" or larger...
know of any good forums to visit? or review sites? comparisons? experiences yourself?

thanks!

[Buccaneer]

For all things Home Theatre go here ... http://www.avsforum.com/

[LostMind]

My toshiba is decent.

Are you sure you want rear projection tho?

Quality is good and price is right for big screen. But much better quality picture available in other formats...

[StirCrazy]

I second the Toshiba.. I got the 50" HD one that is about 2 years old now and it is everything it is suposed to be.

Steve

[mark]

tons of advise at this forum
[/url]http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/idealbb/default.asp?sessionID=566FE7BB57984F378338E655662C 7D8D&catID=1

[smokinreefer]

My toshiba is decent.

Are you sure you want rear projection tho?

Quality is good and price is right for big screen. But much better quality picture available in other formats...

what other formats would you recommend?
the only requirement i have is that it is at least 47".
and of course cost is a factor. i can't afford a plasma.

and thanks for all the links. i'll look in to them.

[Buccaneer]

The best Rear Projector according to the videophiles we cant get here in Canada ( Mitsubishi ) ... I currently own a Sony and would not buy another ... I have heard that Toshiba is excellent ... my next large screen will be a Front Projector CRT style ... there is a guy in Van that is a tech and reconditions them to almost new condition ( units that would be $25K new you can get from him in the 1500 - 3500 US range depending on size of CRT ) ... he sells them on Ebay and privately as well. When I develop the basement in the new house I will be making a road trip to Van for sure.

Cheers

[Samw]

A friend of mine bought a Samsung DLP TV and really likes it.

http://www.samsung.com/Products/TV/ProjectionTV/TV_ProjectionTV_HLM437W.htm

[reefhawk]

Don't overlook the panasonics - have had one for just over a year and find it very good. My buddy has had his panasonic for a few years and the picture is still as good as new. The sony has better sound but with home theatres being so inexpensive its all about the picture quality now.

[Skimmerking]

they had 57" wide screens on sale for 3500 at the future shop.

in EDMONTON

[AJ_77]

the Samsungs that Sam mentions are amazing - compare them in the store and you'll be blown away. the DLP rear projection seems to be the hot technology right now.

[UnderWorldAquatics]

I stay away from the rear projection tv's I like the digital HD DLP projectors with a seperate screen, 8' wide screen and crisp and clear as any high end TV, prices have come way down!

[DiscusZ]

i love my 61" Toshiba

When my basement is done I will have a Home Theater room and wll probable go DLP or some Projector as the 61" will not make it down the stairs :)


Jim

[AJ_77]

i love my 61" Toshiba

When my basement is done I will have a Home Theater room and wll probable go DLP or some Projector as the 61" will not make it down the stairs :)

Jim
watched the hockey game on that same screen Jim, but I think we were sitting a little too close - not used to turning my head to follow the action on TV...
:biggrin:
nice and bright though, but could be a little clearer in my mind. does yours seem a bit fuzzy, or is it the distance thing?

[Buccaneer]

Hey Kyle ... Do a comparison between the DLP and the CRT ... you will be blown away with the picture on the CRT ( none of those square pixels and better colour using 3 guns compared to only one ) especially with 8" or 9" guns ... they are bulkier than DLP's but in a basement hanging from the ceiling I plan to make a nice case to enclose it.

Cheers

[Gujustud]

lcd is brutal. I can't believe how many tv's I've seen in the stores with burnt pixels. They still need a few more years, and better warrenty before I'd even think of lcd.

I've got a 53" widescreen pioneer. I haven't seen them around, as they seem more pricy than the other rear projections, but the quality from it, is still better than those i've seen in the stores (and this tv is about 3 years old)

[whaase]

You could make your own... :smile:

Walter

[smokinreefer]

projectors... i dont think its feasable in the room we'd be watching in...

lcds, my buddy just got a 60" sony lcd and it is nice.
should i clump lcds in with plasmas and wait a few more years before even considering one? maybe my next TV after this one? :lol:

panasonics... yes, i am looking into those.

picture quality is what i'm after... as i'm sure i will get a matching home theatre system (one of them in a box deals, not a high end system)

other than that, the only other thing is its gotta be at least 47".

[UnderWorldAquatics]

Hey Kyle ... Do a comparison between the DLP and the CRT ... you will be blown away with the picture on the CRT ( none of those square pixels and better colour using 3 guns compared to only one ) especially with 8" or 9" guns ... they are bulkier than DLP's but in a basement hanging from the ceiling I plan to make a nice case to enclose it.

Cheers

I have looked at both versions alot(guy I know runs a high end audio visual business) CRT projectors are the cats ass, but $15K-$65K for a nice one, and DLP's are improving ALOT!!!!!! I can run a 8' wide 96"x54" 16:9 screen with better pic quality than a high end sony wega tv, in "tv" terms that a 110" or so screen with a crisper pic then conventional tv, and it can be had for well under $5000. 4 player x-box with each player running the equivlent of a 55' widscreen is pretty killer too.... the pic quality of the CRT's is amazing yes, but the DLP's are now more than good enough for my needs, if I move up to a 12'+ wide screen I would start to look at CRT's, for now a 8' wide screen with better pic quality than most if not all conventional tv's still makes me giddy....

[Buccaneer]

crts, true the picture is nice, but they dont make em as big as i want... whats the biggest? 36"? like a grand wega!! woot woot.



I think you misunderstood ... I am not referring to a TV set ( crt ) ... I was talking about Front Projection CRT vs DLP Front Projectors

[Buccaneer]

.... the pic quality of the CRT's is amazing yes, but the DLP's are now more than good enough for my needs, ...

This is they KEY statement as it all depends what you will be using it for and the $$ you are willing to spend.

I plan on using it for HDTV ... it is true that DLP has come a long way but compared to CRT I would rather have a reconditioned CRT for the same price as a new DLP ... gaming would be awesome on either one though :cool:

[smokinreefer]

steve,
yeah i realized i misunderstood what you were talkin about and tried to edit my post before you saw it! :lol:

[Buccaneer]

steve,
yeah i realized i misunderstood what you were talkin about and tried to edit my post before you saw it! :lol:

:razz: :mrgreen:

[DiscusZ]

AJ_77 Never notice any clarity problems. There is a set distance you should be from the TV but I am tired and can not for the life of me remember what the minimum distance should be.

I also have a computer hooked into my TV (Linux box running MythTV (glorified PVR system :biggrin: and I have 520 gig on the backend for recording TV shows :smile:

Check out http://www.hribnak.com/mythtv for some photos of my TV (pictures are not the greatest as the were taken with m,y DV camcorders still photo. I should have my 5 MP Olympus camera next week :biggrin:


Jim

[DiscusZ]

0ne other thing to keep in mind is with the Big Screen TVs (rear projection), or any Big screen for that matter. You should have for someone to come in and completely tweak and setup the TV. They will spend a DAY fiddling and fine tuning it for optimum picutre etc. Price is steep though about $500 or $600, But I have been told it is well worth the money spent especially when your spending $5000+ for your TV (I was the one of the 1st people in Calgary to get the Toshiba 61" a few years ago. when I got it I had to wait 8 weeks for delivery, A*B sound only had the one Demo unit in stock, and they had to order it.. TV was $5000 plus also got the Progressive Scan DVD player for it at the same time PLUS my brother inlaw worked at A&B and we got a really good family discount :biggrin:

[StirCrazy]

0ne other thing to keep in mind is with the Big Screen TVs (rear projection), or any Big screen for that matter. You should have for someone to come in and completely tweak and setup the TV. They will spend a DAY fiddling and fine tuning it for optimum picutre etc. Price is steep though about $500 or $600, But I have been told it is well worth the money spent especially when your spending $5000+ for your TV

its a scam, all they do is set your convergence which you can do your self.. I asked Toshiba directly as some one told me it should be done every time you move your TV. they almost laughed on the phone and said the only reason to call some one is if after you set the convergence and you still have a lousy pic then call the repair man for warranty work.

Steve

[DiscusZ]

You can do the basic convergance, there is a convergence that you do not have access to, when I had my TV go wonky, someone came out to look at it (repair man) and he got into some weird menu, and the convergence screen there was none I have seen when setting up my own TV. The TV has a small grid where you could align almost every inch. So I did some research on it and found out there is definately a "hidden menu system" that allow for all sorts of tweaks. But the warning said if you did not know what you were doing to not go into this mode ,as it was not a straight forward menu, that you selected.

Also check out http://myweb.accessus.net/~090/how2adj.html#1.2 it even mentions that a Rear Projection needs to be tuned. Let me quota a couple sections fromthe above site.

Calibration is for the most part directed at the Home Theater enthusiasts who want to get the full potential that their television sets can offer. It also has the possibility of adding a 3-dimensional realism and a "film like" look to video. When done properly it has the potential to extending the life of rear projectors (R/P's) by limiting and lowering the average light level output.

FYI - Most non-calibrated R/P's loose somewhere between 25-30% of their total light output in the first 1000 hours of use. After the first 1000 hours, light output remains almost consistent throughout the remaining life of the picture tubes (about +/- 10,000 hours).


1.3 WHAT TELEVISIONS NEED CALIBRATION
Currently no manufactured television (Direct View or Projection) out-of-the-box offers true NTSC gray scale tracking. Most TV's suffer from overscan, SVM, etc. Calibration can bring most TV's closer to the true NTSC standard.

1.3a REAR PROJECTORS (R/P's)
Rear projectors (R/P's) need proper initial setup and calibration if they are to give the degree of focus and clarity comparable to that of a Direct View (tube) set. In general R/P's, geometry, though improved, still needs work. Even with the best possible efforts with the "French horn screws" or s/w equivalent, it is impossible to get the "roller coaster" effect out of the ticker crawls. Also, convergence drift is still a problem. The price of that tremendous light output continues to be more than average viewing hotspots

[AJ_77]

So if it's not a a scam, it's still what sounds like a major hassle... Don't know that I've ever experienced one that was set up properly - judging by what you've described, Jim.

Not a great sales pitch for the RP units, but I imagine that might change to see one live and in top form.

I still haven't seen any to match the DLP RP models... that Samsung called me from across the store.
:lol:

[UnderWorldAquatics]

that samsung DLP is very nice, my uncle just picked one up

[DiscusZ]

Well the reason they need to be tweaked is because the RP can go out of alignment when they are moved. I have had mine partially done when the guns where misaligned because of a weird problem (upper corner would not align via the user convergence menu, and someone came in an re-aligned it with the service menu.


Jim

[StirCrazy]

Well the reason they need to be tweaked is because the RP can go out of alignment when they are moved. I have had mine partially done when the guns where misaligned because of a weird problem (upper corner would not align via the user convergence menu, and someone came in an re-aligned it with the service menu.


Jim

how much did that cost you?

Steve

[DiscusZ]

nothing tv was under warrantee. they did not do the "full" tweak only realigned the upper left corner