HDTV at Best Buy and Direct TV: Concerns
 

I was looking at this 65" widescreen HDTV this weekend at Best Buy. I believe it was a Mitsubishi and it was less than $3000. The in-store picture was glorious. They tried to sell me on Direct TV.

Currently I have a 35" Sony (non-projector) and cable tv (about $90 a month)

Here are my concerns:

Is HDTV projector technology quite there yet or should I hold off a bit?

Will Plasma be the way to go? (It is so expensive right now)

Yes...DVDs will be great on the Widescreen TV, but will the grey bars burn into the screen when I watch normal 4:3 TV? Do those grey bars annoy any of you?

Is Direct TV worth it? (i.e. does it take a long time to change channels...any other hidden problems or costs?)

Is the stuff they sell at Best Buy any good? It is so much cheaper than the higher end Sound Advice.

What Brands are the best? Any models in particular?

Thanks for any help you might give me.

Zimmer

Is HDTV projector technology quite there yet or should I hold off a bit?

Not yet.

Will Plasma be the way to go? (It is so expensive right now)

Eventually yes.

Yes...DVDs will be great on the Widescreen TV, but will the grey bars burn into the screen when I watch normal 4:3 TV? Do those grey bars annoy any of you?

The Mits TV's have a zoom mode that takes care of this although I did not like the way that looked.

Is Direct TV worth it? (i.e. does it take a long time to change channels...any other hidden problems or costs?)

Yes absolutely. You have no idea how bad your cable will look and you can get more Direct TV for alot less than 90 a month.

Is the stuff they sell at Best Buy any good? It is so much cheaper than the higher end Sound Advice.

That is a relative question. In terms of a Mits TV it would be the same as another Mits dealer.

What Brands are the best? Any models in particular?

For what? TV's? I like Sony, Mits, Pioneer Elite in big screens.

Thanks for any help you might give me.

Your Best Buy carries Mits? Cool.

You asked about HDTV projector technology. Did you mean front projector or rear projector?

For an inexpensive 65" Widescreen set I like Toshiba and Mits. These models include:

Toshiba 65HDX82 (65HX81 also)
Toshiba 65H82 (65H81 also)
Mits WS-65311
Mits WS-65411
Mits WS-65809
Mits WS-65819

For a little more money look at the Mits WS-65869 with a built-in HDTV tuner.

If you got the money the Pioneer Elite PRO-720HD is incredible.

I can't see Plasma being anything but a terrible value in the next 2 years.

Regarding Technology, the $3,000 Mits this year will probably be $1,500 next year. You can just keep waiting and waiting or you can make a good bargain purchase now and upgrade 5 or so years down the road. Fortunately, there is always something better around the corner. If you can receive your local Digital Channels and want to watch HD SEC Football and HD broadcasts of a good bit of the new Fall shows then jump in right now. ;)

Isn't this tuner OTA only? My local BB also carries the 65" Mits.

I think you are right. Nice catch. Nothing wrong with OTA HDTV though.

Not at all but he was asking about DirecTV. A buddy here at work almost bought that Mits with the tuner and thought he was good to go for HDnet, HBO-HD and Show-HD. He would have been pissed....

In my opinion Mits is one of the best if not the best maker of HDTV rear projection sets. Every one talks about the Pioneer Elite series and they are very good. The two top things the Pioneer models have is a very good line doubler and some say the best stretch modes for 4:3 viewing. For what it's worth I own a Mits 55819 WS set from last year's models and after calibrating it myself it looks fantastic for DVDs and tolerable for my cable company. I don't have Direct TV yet and I'm out of range for OTA HD. I have read professional calibrators say that after an ISF level calibration nothing can touch a Mits as far as color and greyscale tracking. Also keep in mind that whichever make you buy that you should include in your budget the cost of an ISF calibration to make it look it's best. You can tweak most things yourself if you are inclined to do so but there are certain things that can't be done without the proper tools.

It's my feeling that it will be many years before a good size plasma set will become affordable and I might be wrong here but I don't think plasmas are capable of 1080i only 720p.

Like I mentioned I don't have Direct TV yet but I'm getting ready to make the jump soon. Keep in mind that a large screen RPTV especially one that is HDTV ready will enlarge every poor detail from a non HDTV siganl, even one that is digital like satalite. So what looks good on a 36" direct view tube will not look as good on one of these sets. Now depending on your current cable signal and how bad it is Direct TV could be better but since they've been adding more and more channels Direct TV is compressing the signa; to fit them all in the same amount of bandwidth. Hopefully this will improve if their merger with Dish Network gets approved.

Now as for Best Buy and buying a Mits from them. They just started selling the Mits line but if your compare model numbers they are selling slight variations from the normal sets that everybody else is selling. They are rebranded sets specifically for them to sell and these models are lacking certain features that the real models have. The reason they do this is to get around their price matching policy. If their sets don't match feature for feature with the one sold at Sears then they don't have to price match. If you can do without these features and the price is right then go for it but remember to compare first.

Oh and as far as the Mits built in tuner models for HDTV; yes they are for OTA HDTV and digital cable only but this might be a good thing to have if you what to watch one HD program while recording another from your Direct TV satalite tuner.

Chipmac is correct. Be carefull...when buying a big screen projection HDTV. Standard definition cable...or even SAT may be unacceptable to your eyes.

I was speaking recently with a salesman at one of the local high-end Audio-Visual salons. He said they get lots of complaints from folks who buy based on how the picture looks in the store (with an HD feed)...they get it home...and are shocked at how bad their........1. cable TV feed looks......2. Their camcorder tapes......3. Their VHS recordings.....he said many even return the sets because of dissatisfaction with standard definition viewing.

for me, the built in OTA tuner is not worth it.

Why ? My HD signal will be coming from directv anyway, and the built in OTA tuner adds to the overall cost of the TV.

I'd rather save that cash and use it for a directv HD-receiver.

Just FYI, you must have the 18x24 elliptical dish, an 119 LNB, & an HD receiver to get the HD signgal.

Currently, most of the "HD signal" or HD material comes from the networks but of course your local affiliates have to be broadcasting DTV in your area and passing the HD signal. The built in OTA only tuner is not a bad option for someone who doesn't want DirecTV. They would just need an antenna and maybe a pre-amp to pick up the local DTV feeds.

look for a set with a DVI connection. It looks like this is going to become the standard HD connection.