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Help me to pick a 16:9 TV

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Help me to pick a 16:9 TV

Old 01-09-02, 08:28 PM
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Help me to pick a 16:9 TV

I need some help and I don't wanna buy the wrong thing again. I have a Sony KP-61HS10 61" rear projection t.v.
I want a 16:9 t.v. that is not rear projection. I would like to have a glass tube (or plasma, but can't afford it), and I don't wanna buy that RCA 38 inch. Does anybody have any suggestions of a 16:9 tv preferably flat, 36" or bigger, that is not a rear projection. Any links would be very helpful.
Old 01-09-02, 09:13 PM
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You have narrowed it down to only a few, but you won't find any larger than 36 unless you DO get the RCA I believe. Panasonic, Samsung, and Sony sell 34 inch direct view HDTV ready 16:9 sets, but I believe those are it. I have read that the RCA is a great tv, especially since it has the HDTV decoder built into it (if you have directTV) but the only downside is it isn't flat screen. The sony sells for about 4 grand and I believe it might also have a DTV tuner in it as well, but I'm not sure. You would find much better deals if you opened up your search to 16:9 rear projection units as well though. You wouldn't kill your back moving it either hehe. Anyway, that probably didn't help much, sorry hehe.
Old 01-09-02, 09:57 PM
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I have a 27" SOny Wega and I think its absoloutely great!! THe picture quality is barnone in my opinion! I just bought it this summer and I love it...Anyhow, I do believe Sony Makes a 36" Wega and I'm sure its just as good...even better than mine! I'd check out the wegas if I were you: Flat screen, 16x9, HDTV on the upper models.
Old 01-09-02, 11:31 PM
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Actually I second that. I know Wegas are overpriced and hyped a little too much, but they seem to be good TVs (XBR Models with HDTV support.) The 36 inch is about 1900 at most online retailers, and 1900 at Costco. The 40 inch model, the newest and largest, is quite expensive though.
Old 01-09-02, 11:35 PM
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What you got against RPTV? I'll put my Panny against any TV under four grand now that I've tweaked the holy heck out of it...
Old 01-10-02, 06:41 AM
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Originally posted by Gomez
What you got against RPTV? I'll put my Panny against any TV under four grand now that I've tweaked the holy heck out of it...
Nothing at all. I would just prefer a glass tube.
Old 01-10-02, 06:43 AM
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Originally posted by starship19
I have a 27" SOny Wega and I think its absoloutely great!! THe picture quality is barnone in my opinion! I just bought it this summer and I love it...Anyhow, I do believe Sony Makes a 36" Wega and I'm sure its just as good...even better than mine! I'd check out the wegas if I were you: Flat screen, 16x9, HDTV on the upper models.
These t.v.s are great, but they are 4:3
Old 01-11-02, 11:26 AM
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I am in the same boat as you. I would also prefer not to get a RPTV. The only other TV out there that is flat screen over 36" 16:9 is the Loewe's 38". But at $5995 you might as well get a Plasma. I have been looking at the Sony KV 40XBR7000. When it does the 16:9 squeeze it put out a picture that is about 36", which is bigger than the 34" 16:9 TVs from Sony, Philips, Panasonic, and Toshiba. Also, being that most TV is still 4:3, you have a 40" screen when not watching DVDs. The main issue I have with the 40" Sony is the stand. From what I understand, one can only fit 2 components in the stand. Is there anyone out there that has the 40XBR700 that is not utilizing the stand? I know the set is extemely heavy and I would be worried to place it anywhere other than on the stand that you can buy with it.
Old 01-11-02, 11:37 PM
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My personal opinion? $3000 = http://www.plushometheater.com/en/index.htm

Barry
Old 01-12-02, 09:12 AM
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Add me to the list of people wanting a 16x9 tube. I like the RCA 38", but the lack of a flat screen puts me off. Of course, if they have a big price drop, my concerns about that will be negated The one's I've looked at have incredible pictures.

The panasonic and samsung both look nice, but 34 inches seems a little small.

I'll be using it for a fair amount of 4x3 watching as well, and I'm frankly worried about burn in from the windowboxing bars on the side. I know RPTVs are supposed to account for this, but I've read where it's not perfect.

I've been looking at the way they stretch the picture, and it seems like the overall effect varies greatly not only from model to model, but from shot to shot in the program. A medium shot may look very natural, they the cut to a long shot, and the person looks like a chubby hobbit. I found it disconcerting and distracting.

I've been watching regular TV with an eye towards cropping the top and bottom. Getting rid of the bug at the bottom of the screen would be a definite plus! However, a lot of things are "top heavy" with peoples heads in the area that would be lost by simply zooming in on the picture, especially in wider shots. The slowly growing trend of letterboxed shows like Enterprise makes the cropping option much more interesting.

Finally, I'm not that crazy about plunking down $2000 for a product that requires an incredible amount of work just to get a proper picture. Maybe it's just the mac user in me talking, but when I buy something, I just want it to work. I know I'll have to adjust things like brightness, contrast, etc., but I won't have to physically take apart a tube TV, or call in an expensive technician, in order to get a better picture.

Last edited by Jason; 01-12-02 at 09:17 AM.

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