I am buying a 55" Projection TV (standard 4:3). I'm having it delivered Friday. I opted to get the screen protector. It was $179.00, and looking online I couldn't find one for this model for cheaper.

Now I have kids, so I was thinking that it would be a good investment (plus I like the look of the glass screens). But after I made the purchase I remmebered someone on one of the forums talking about how they had to remove their protector for better picture quality. Or maybe they were concerned about how reflective it was. Anyway, what do you think? Is this a wise buy? Its a "RCA 55" Screen Guard". I can still cancel my order and get my money back.

How old are your kids?

I removed mine and would do it again in a second. But I have a room with a lot of light so reflection was a big problem. The picture is 10 times better without looking at it through another piece of plastic. Now I see it directly on the screen on which it is projected, and it's so much better!

If your kids are over 4 or 5 years old I would think you could teach them not to mess with it.

Well, the kids are 6 and 9 and VERY active. Its a small place so they play a lot of the time in the living room.

Just how bad is the reflective problem? How bad of a picture quality problem are we talking about? I've noticed that a majority of new big screens have protective screens, including those high priced HDTVs.

My Panasonic TV came with a protector as part of the TV. I'm not sure it can even be taken off can it?

Mine was really bad during the day (big windows, no shades) and sort of bad at night if you had a light on next to you. Mine was on a Pioneer, I have no idea how bad yours would be.

I've heard of people replacing their really reflective screens with a less reflective plastic that they got at a plastic shop. I find not looking through any plastic is much better whether or not it shows reflections. I'd price the screen and see what that would cost if you needed to replace it. It might not be much more than the protector.

The screen on my 47" Panny has taken some abuse from my dog shaking saliva on it to my three year old putting hand prints on it. I just clean it with water/rag which seems to do the trick. I can't imagine a replacement screen would cost a whole lot. I wouldn't consider a protective screen for my TV.

OK, i understand the reflective problems, but my livingroom is not all that bright. What I'm wondering about is if there is any picturw quality concerns. I want to know if these outweigh the chance of dammaging the screen (my kids) vs. the $179 price tag on the screen protector.

Its suposed to arrive tommorrow morning. i'm really on the fence here.

I have nothing to add. As I said, I don't like looking through it. Glare or not.

Can you tell them you won't get it unless they let you return it if you're not happy with it?

Very good idea, X. I'll give them a call. Thanks, that will at least let me decide.

If you can manage the sources of glare from windows and lights then I think the protective screen is fine.

Well?

Who else is waiting to see what the verdict on the acceptability of the screen was?

When the TV arrived I asked the delivery guy NOT to install the screen and instede show me how (pretty easy, only having the cut some pieces to fit). After my totaly nitpicky anal set-up procedure (drove my girlfriend nuts because I refused to watch a movie until every cable and wire was put back together and setup for my home theater exp.) We watched three movies. Saturday I installed the screen, and although there is some small glare durring dark shots, I found it perfectly acceptable. The only distraction came from realizing my computer faces the TV from the oposite wall. The computer MUST be off or it is completly visable, regardless of lighting.

My conclusion is the same as the advice I was given: If you can control the lighting I'd recogmend the screen protector.

PS: is it normal for there to be a lag from the time I hit the power on the Projection TV to when the picture pops up? Like 10 seconds or so?