I'm interested in purchasing a new T.V. and spending 2.5 to 3K.

I have been looking at the Sony Wega 42" LCD HD ready unit -

Sony Link

I have been very impressed with the quality of the image especially when compared with comparable models at CC, BB, Ken Crane's and a couple of other places.

Any suggestions/comments would be appreciated!

Thanks

oop....I just read that DVD Polizei is asking about the exact same unit. I will just wait for responses from his thread.

Sony's HDTV's are notoriously plaqued by quality control issues. They are great at SD tube TV's though.

Is there a reason you are wanting a LCD HDTV that has less video quality then a CRT based HDTV? For $2500-$3000 you can get a 64" CRT based HDTV that will blow away ANY LCD HDTV out there!

Name a few CTR's that look better than a Sony KF42WE610 ?

please do Frank.

Less video quality? Size is not the issue here Frank. It's the quality of picture which is most important.

CS

Pionner's SD and Elite series CRT HDTV's
Mitsubishi CRT HDTV's
Toshiba CRT HDTV's
Panasonic CRT HDTV's
Phillips CRT HDTV's
to name a few.

Are you telling me you think LCD has a better picture quality then CRT based HDTV's? You would be one of a very few to say so! That is unless you like substandard black levels, 720p max HD resolution, and the other LCD bugs.

CRT has its own share of short-comings. Those that choose lcd, dlp or lcos over crt are trading a little picture quality (of course just how much is subjective) for the advantages that those technologies offer.

Abosultely! CRT's do in fact have thier problems but if video quality is paramount then CRT is THE way to go. DLP in the next few years may come extremely close, and the new Laser projectors will blow even CRT based HDTV's away when they are produced!

Stupid question coming...

I am not familiar with LCD rear projection. I have seen LCoS and DLP which are both much smaller and seem sharper (in the store) to the CRT rear projection. Is Sony the only one that is making LCD models? How does it compare to DLP and LCos? Both seem inferior to CRT Tube models - I know, tube models are much smaller too.

Hitachi and Panasonic both make lcd-rptvs. The Panasonic is the least expensive but has the best inputs. Sompe people believe the Hitachi has the better pq.

The biggest weakness of lcd-rptvs has been the black level.

Frank S,

I guess if you don't mind having a 250lb monster sitting in your living room, this is fine, but for me, I really don't look forward to asking 10 guys to help move my CRT Widescreen set across the room, just so I can dust behind it. I've looked at Pioneer and other brands as well, and I just can't justify the enormous size burden it would be.

I think first generation LCD Projection TVs were less than desireable, but today, they are much better. You don't have to worry about burn-in, and if there is a chance you want to play your video games on the set, it won't hurt the LCD at all either.

Also, those having television DVD box sets at the 4:3 aspect ratio, may have a problem watching them on a CRT television for a length of time, as watching a video signal this way, will damage the CRTs. I wanna be able to watch my NYPD Blue for several hours without the fear of damaging my set.

LCD units only require a replacement bulb every two years (depends on use), and requires little work, making it easy for just about anyone to replace it, for a few hundred bucks. By doing this, you can put the LCD RPTV back to original specs. I like that. CRTs fade over time, and you can't get your set back to original specs unless you replace all three CRTs. And even then, that's no guarantee.

My 300+ lb. Pioneer has wheels. Luckily I have a hardwood floor so I can roll it over to me with two fingers when I want to watch it and tuck it in a corner when I'm not watching it.

10 guys to move a 250 pount TV! Man you must have some weakling firends. It only took me and another person to bring my 58" Pioneer into the house and down a flight a stairs. ALL CRT HDTV's have rollers so you need no help to move it around to get behind it.

I never said CRT HDTV's were small. What I have been saying is that CRT (Not tube) based HDTV's have the best video quality and if space is not a problem then that is the way to go.

The burnin comments are common mis-conceptions about CRT based HDTV's! If you calibrate your HDTV (with DVD's like AVIA) you don't have to worry about burnin. I watch 4x3 TV baxsets all the time and never a fear or reality of burnin. Yes, if some nozzle is stupid enough to have his contrast all the way up then he will most likely get burnin.

CRT's do in fact fade over time BUT it takes a good 10,000 hours or so to achieve a noticable deterioration in picture quality. Hardly a real concern unless you figure on keeping the TV for 15-20 years.

10 guys to move a 250 pount TV! Man you must have some weakling firends.

Hey, I live in Portland, OR. Actually, I would ask a few women to help me out as they don't whine and complain and want free beer for the next 5 years.

I'm sure we can debate LCD, DLP, and CRT till we get Red, Green, and Blue in the face. If anything, these technologies are all just as good, and we are only justifying our purchases. Hek, I don't even have a RPTV yet, and I'm already taking sides. I'm sure burn-in can be avoided, but why have the possibility of it even happening. Maybe I'm just too cautious. One thing I do notice is that RPTV CRTs have more of a diminished picture angle when viewing them, versus LCD RPTVs (i.e., it gets really dark from viewing the center of the screen, and moving to the side). I can't say this for DLP sets because I haven't compared any just yet. I'm not sure if this can be avoided.

Just wait for Laser projectors to come out late next year! They will blow everything else out of the water! I have talked to a couple of techs who have seen a prototype in action and they said everyone on the room has their jaws drop to the floor when viewing the projector.

When we get a new house (and it is getting closer that we may), I will want to get a new set. I have never had or REALLY looked at larger then tube TV's (My JVC 35" tube TV recently went out).

Sooo...where is a good site to learn about the different sets mentioned above? You know a "larger TV's 101"

I'm sure I will want HD Ready
I'm sure I will want WS
Won't have such space requirement that I would want plasma
I believe 46" to 50" will be the size I'm looking for

However, I like how small (thin) those new LCD HD's are. The Sony 42" in CC's ad is less then 15" deep.