wmunn

Hi.

I am in the market for a new crt technology based RPTV to replace my 5 yr old sony 32" wega flat screen.

I have a few criteria that are important to me other than PQ and size

I want to go large as possible for reasonable price and easy availability
55 inches or larger, 60 if possible
MUST have ATSC HDTV Tuner built in
MUST be available through local retail
MUST have some input flexibility

I have found several models at bargain prices, but almost all of the CRT rptv models do not have tuners built in.... I though this was supposed to be resolved last year when they added the tuner requirements for screens larger than 40 inches?

Also I would like to keep the budget under 2k if at all possible.
I would also NOT like something with a plastic mirror. the unit must be serviceable for longer life.

Hit me with your best recommendations please

As always, grateful for your time and consideration......

wmunn

just a slight addendum to this, my dvd player source is the widely hailed panasonic rp82 progressive scan player. Would there be any benefit to switching to an "upconverting" player, or is the rp82 still the king of all dvd players?

wmunn

Here are a couple units I found interesting, but having issues with no hdtv tuner built in

http://bestbuy.shoplocal.com/bestbuy...6StartRow%3d10

http://www.circuitcity.com/rpsm/oid/...pricePopup.jsp

http://www.circuitcity.com/rpsm/oid/...pricePopup.jsp

http://www.circuitcity.com/rpsm/oid/...pricePopup.jsp

http://www.tweeter.com/product/index...entPage=family

chipmac

You'll need to catch a sale to keep it under your 2k budget. Most HDTVs that size that include a built in HD tuner are over 2k. Now if you're lucky enough to get a sale or make deal you might be able to find a Mits 55515, 55615 or the new 55517. These Mits display are a great match for your RP82 because they have the ability to display 480p natively. Most other brands only allow 540p or 1080i. The one drawback for some people is that they won't display 720p from the few Xbox games that support 720p.

Are you sure you're in an area that you'll be able to use a built in HD tuner? Most people have DirectTV, Dish or cable and use their boxes to receive HD content. If you can't get HD OTA then the built in tuner is a waste of money.

wmunn

according to information I have read, Orlando FL has aroun 10 different HD OTA signals to pull in with an ATSC tuner from regular antena. I live just to the east of downtown, so reception should be no problem at all.

Believe me, I have debated the issue. I was looking for built in tuner only for the local stations, and if I ever need to disconnect from sat or cable I could still get some programming OTA for free.

chipmac

Well with the Mits the models with built in tuners also get you extras features like Firewire, real netcommand, etc so you'll get more for your money than just a tuner. i think I recently saw an ad for Best Buy that had a 55" mits with tuner for $1999. It might have been last weeks ad or next weeks.

wmunn

Well, I decided to go ahead and pick up a phillips 55" HDTV monitor today from BJ's Wholesale for $1200 including tax

I have it somewhat setup without my audio connected , I still need to pick up an
audio component rack. I did manage to get my RP-82 hooked up to it, and in progressive scan 480p mode, the picture is noticeably better than before on my sony wega 32" television.

The extra screen real estate is a large step in the right direction. I am thankful to have saved some $ and the 65's I was looking at would have been far too big for the room.

Now I just need to let it settle in, and get it calibrated to get the most out of it

I have forgone the built in tuner for now, I can address that situation later, especially if I pop for the new Dish network HD DVR setup I have been looking at.

chipmac

Well I guess it's hard to beat the price but I hope you didn't short change yourself on quality, features and reliability. Philips isn't exactly known as one of the top brands of HDTVs. Good luck.

wmunn

I agree its not top tier, but I figure at the rate things are changing, I can afford to ride this one for a few years while things settle down a bit.

I expect in 3 to 4 years prices will be dramatically lower, and I can score a 50 inch or larger lcd, dlp or whatever is nice for under 2k