A little over 4 years ago I got a Sony KP578WS500 57" RPTV from BB. It was/is HD ready, but that is about it.

Over those 2 years I have had all 3 CRTs replaced once, and the blue and green replace again on separate occasions.

I am not running the TV bright, if anything I have it a bit dark, due to fear of burn in and such, It was "calibrated" using video essentials.

Anyway, now the red is going. The black screens are now reddish, a sign of a problem when it happened for both green and blue.

My wife isn't opposed to a new TV, actually she would prefer something with a smaller footprint.

I am considering a RP-DLP since they are the most affordable. I have seen my Dad's Magnovox and have not seen any rainbows, so I don't think I have that problem. What is a good brand? I am thinking BB again, only because I have a bunch of GC from Christmas. Probably not Sony again, since I had a slew of problems with my current set.

Is there a reason to wait? I don't have HD-DVD or anything that would require 1080p, so that is not an issue. Is the end of the year a good time to shop, or is there a "best time" to buy last years models at a discount?

Lastly, what should I do with my old TV? What is the approximate value? I don't want to eBay it, seems like a hassle. Maybe put it in the paper or something. Is $500 too much, too little? I know when I see the receipt for the repiar, it is about $500 each trip.

Not sure what to tell you on your old tv, but as for a new DLP all of my research (in real life and online) pointed me to Samsung for DLP. I bought a 5087W just before christmas and I am extremely happy with it and would recommend it to anyone.

I bought from frys for about $800 less than Bestbuy sold it for, so think about that choice real hard and look around for deals. Check fatwallet.com in the hot deals forums and see what is out there now. The deal I got is long gone.

If you wanted to spend a little more, the Sony SXRD models are very good as well (slightly different technology, is LCOS instead of DLP). I wouldn't be afraid of the Sony name, just be more careful in the exact model picked

I spent some time at BB tonight looking at TVs.

All the reps seemed adament about lamp cost on the RPTVs (LCD or DLP) and pushing the flat panels.

On a side note, I told the rep about my problem with my current set, and he got a manager about the problem, and he got the manager and she told me to contact corporate. So now I need to fax my info to them about the lemon policy...again.

I like the Mitsu 57" 1080p DLP set (WD-57731) for ~$1800. BTW Does cable card work with TiVo?.
There was a flat panel Sony I like, but I am still undecided if it is worth the extra investment (~$3000). Although there is a 50" LG plasma that has a built-in HD-DVR
But I like my 57" size, and I want to keep in that range, and there aren't many flat panels in that size range.

I did research my current Sony, but I bought it as it was released, and the multiple CRT problem was unknown yet.

FWIW, DLP is a Texas Instruments tech. So, all of them are made by the same company. What is not made by TI is the light and the video processing. If you are going to compare models, compare on those 2 things. And warranty/reliability, of course.

I am aware of the TI thing.

I will search this forum for some more DLP/LCD/Plasma Comparisons

It is back again at Frys for $1499 shipped and can be had cheaper at Amazon for $1479 shipped.

I was reading this months IEEE Spectrum here:
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/nov06/4697

And in a nutshell said LCD for under 50" and RPTV for over 50", but did not really specify LCD vs. DLP. It also said Plasma is a dead/dying technology.

at amazon now for $1,448.88

Frys has a better DOA policy, I wouldn't buy a large screen TV from amazon unless I was saving 100's

at Frys a defective item can be swapped for another same kind item

http://shop4.outpost.com/template/he...gPurchases/#08

at amazon, you are screwed working it out with samsung warranty repair even if it is broken on the day you get it.

bulb cost is not that big of a deal over the life of the TV

$145

http://www.discount-merchant.com/Sam...7w-lamp-sm.htm

they last 5000-8000 hours

http://erms.samsungusa.com/customer/...ID=0&PROD_ID=0

I wouldn't consider it a big deal when plasma's cost $500 more up front.

I guess having the manager on you side actually helps. BB will be lemoning out my CRT-RPTV and I would assume crediting me the purchase amount (~$1900).

So this Thursday or after I can go and purchase a new set. I also have a 12% off coupon that came in the mail. I am now considering a Sony SXRD or a flat panel. I guess it depends on what piques my interest when I go back. The Mitsu DLP I was eyeing was on sale for about $1800 last time I was in. If I get 12% off that, then I could get a upconverting DVD player and still come out about even.

Well, it is done. I am now (or will be on the 11th) a new owner of a 57" Mits 1080p.

The first BB I went to the manager said that I cound not upgrade technology, and my TV would only be replaced by a Hitachi 50" CRT-RPTV. I asked how they could downgrade my size, and they held firm, but said they MAY be able to get a 42" Sony LCD-RPTV. I told them I would think about it.

I went to another BB about 10-15 mins. away and spoke with the HT department. The people there said the only 57" they had was the Mits, but I would have to pay the $100 price difference. SOLD!

The TV was $1800 last week, but is $2000 now (since they were offering some sort of discount), so I will just watch the price for the next 30 days and have it adjusted. I got the service plan again, since it worked out for me the first time, although I don't anticipate the same sort of problems.

Now I don't know what to hook up. I could get a cable card, then I could not use my TiVo with the digital signal, although I think TiVo degrades the signal enough that it does not really matter. I am also debating to get rid of the VCR to save space. I have not used it in forever, but I feel bad getting rid of it. I am on the fence about a upconverting DVD/VHS player, but I hate combined components of any sort. Are the $20 RCA antennas good enough for HD reception? I know it depends on location, but a couple of years ago I had an HD box, and was able to watch the Super Bowl using only a strip of wire as the antenna!

Then when my BB rewards come in (Since my purchase was actually $2000) I will buy an upconverting player. Move the progressive to the bedroom (although progressive won't be useful with a standard TV) and the old DVD to the basement for back-up.

The hard part will be waiting a week, but that gives me time to shop for a stand.

Congrats. I have the 62" model. You will love the TV.

Pilot - Do you have a Logitech Harmony remote?

This is my concern right now. My old Sony had direct input selection. I read someplace that the Mits has a menu selection. I bought my Dad a Harmony for his TV (Magnovox) and it had the same sort of input selection, and the remote worked poorly with this. So much so that I actually took the remote back. So much for simplifying his life. I just hope this TV works better.

I guess I will have to wait and see.

Well, it has arrived, and looks sweet. Well, the set does, I have to wait for the temperature to acclimate before turning it on!

After waiting a week, I have to wait 2 more hours!!
Oh well, it gives me time to make sure my components are hooked up, and to program my remote.

Plasma dying? LOL.

Well, after a couple hours of watching TV last night, I hear a high pitch whine when the set it on. I cannot tell if it is the power supply of the wheel spinning.

It drove me insane. I am going to try it out for another day or 2 and see if it dissipates. If not I am not sure if I am going to exchange it, or replace it (Currently considering JVC HD-ILA HD56FN97). I am just wondering about stuck pixels. The green blob SXRD thing keeps me away from Sony, since I ignored the problems when buying my previous set and it was nothing but headaches.

I have heard good things about the samsung DLP sets. To bad your mitsu is making noises. Sometimes sets will make that noise for the first few seconds then it goes away. But, are you saying that you dont even have a HD box for the TV? And i wouldnt waste the money on an upconverting DVD player. I see you have a xbox360, i would go with the HD addon for the 360.

My TV is now around 3 years old I think. Its a big and bulky RPTV. Im waiting for the next technology, i read about it in my sound and vision mag, i forget whats its called but the resolution is almost twice that of the 1080p which just came out. Its available right now overseas and think its coming sometime in the summer?

Twice the respolution of 1080p? The only way to display 1080p currently is using blu-ray or hd-dvd. TV stations do not and have no plans for displaying 1080p anytime soon and there is no technology on the horizon or probably in the next 10 years that will display resolutions above 1080p.

And dont forget the human eye can not even tell the difference between 720 and 1080 at normal viewing distances.

So why would one ever need something 2x the res of 1080p?

The noise is a high pitch electronic noise. I am trying to schedule an appointment to have a tech check it out and tell me whether or not it is normal. So basically my current position/choices are:
1) Noise not normal, replace TV (with same model, or another brand [JVC HD-ILA?])
2) Noise not normal, repair TV
3) Noise normal, replace TV [JVC HD-ILA?]
4) Noise normal, deal with it.

I notice it more times than others, but it is such a high pitch, it drives me crazy when it is there.

As for your questions, no I don't have an HD box. I have an OTA antenna which I get ABC,NBC,CBS,PBS, and FOX (plus an "i" station) using a $19 RCA antenna behind the TV. The closest antenna is 12.1 miles away, the furthest is 16.5 (for the Yellow, local stations).

I watched Cars on my progressive player and it looked outstanding, although I think it looked better outputting 480p instead of 480i. I then watched Little Miss Sunshine. The picture was decent, but did not look as good as I had hoped.

I had thought about the 360 add-on, but I still want to wait. First, my TV apparently does not do 1080p over component. I select it with the 360 and the tv shows 1080p is the signal, but the screen is black. Plus I am not ready to begin spending over $20 for HD-DVDs yet. I will wait for the price to fall, and make a choice. Lastly, I have always felt that consoles are clunky when trying to operate as components. I don't want to have to control my DVD player with the joystick.

Well, I called the BB repair center. The sent me to a local repair shop. The tech ordered a new part sight unseen, I don't remember, light unit, projection unit?

I hope is comes quickly so I can find out if it fixes it before my 30 days are up. I think it is the cooling fan, because it does not come on right away, but stays on when I turn the set off.

Laser DLP and even some major plasma upgrades are coming this year. If your anything like us videophiles here you may want to wait few months.

The fan is supposed to stay on after the TV is shut off, to cool the lamp properly. Also, you shouldn't be turning it on and off frequently like with a tube TV. For instance, if you are watching TV, and plan to take an hour break and come back to watch more, it is safer to just leave it on for that hour than to turn it off.

This is a replacement for a defective CRT-RPTV, so I am not in a position to wait.

I only turn the set ff when I am done at night. It is on from about 5-10. When I do turn it off, the crenn goes dark (wheel stops?) but the whine persists for another 30-40 seconds. This is what leads me to think it is a fan.

The lamp goes off. I suppose the wheel stops about right then, too. And the noise is the fan finishing cooling the now shut-off lamp.

With any sort of digital projection TV, you don't want to mess with that fan's last 30 seconds. So don't unplug it or use any sort of box that totally cuts power to the TV. (like cable boxes with a power outlet for the TV) This would shorten the life of the lamp.

It has been 10 days, and I have yet to hear anything from the repair shop.

I am debating on whether or not to go back to BB and have them take this set and replace it with an SXRD, but I don't know about the "green blob" that seems to plague sertain sets. It appears that I don't have the best luck with new sets.