I am looking to buy a new projection TV for my new HT set up. Icurrently have a 36" Toshiba and 32" Sony and am happy with both. I am now upgrading to a rear screen projection and need input.



I know Sony and Toshiba are excellent, but how about other brands (Hitachi, Mitsubishi etc.). Budget is $2000-3000. I am interested in ownership experience and picture quality.



Screen Size? - I am looking at 52-61 inch. Any major differences to be aware of?



Thanks in advance.

Whichever Brand you may choose, I would be sure the television's screen is 16X9...there are so many DVD's available in anamorphic widescreen and more on their way. This is the best in picture resolution when viewing an anamorphic DVD!!!

I have it narowed down to:

Sony KP53XBR300
Hitachi 53SDX89B
Toshiba TW56X81

Any comments?

Whats the deal with ISF calibration. How often are they necessary in real life?

I currently have a Sony 53in which is two in a half years old.....Picture is as good as it was when I first carried it home on my back to save on delivery!!!

As far as screen size...it all depends on the room in which you will be sitting. 53inches is alot of TV in most standard Family Rooms so unless you are in a room which is capable of housing a 61in then 53inches should be all you need.

Hitachi and Mitsu. kick a$$. I have a Hitachi 27" from '92 in the bedroom which still works perfect and a Mitsu. 40" from 96 in the main room. I would say Family Room, but I have no family. I would recommend Toshiba, Hitachi, Mitsu., or(lesser known) Proton for a monitor.

Out of those three, I highly recommend the
Toshiba 56x81.
I have the 40x81 and love it. Does a great job with anamorphic dvds and combined with a progressive dvd player it is just beautiful.

quote:<HR>Originally posted by djones6746:
I currently have a Sony 53in which is two in a half years old.....Picture is as good as it was when I first carried it home on my back to save on delivery!!!

As far as screen size...it all depends on the room in which you will be sitting. 53inches is alot of TV in most standard Family Rooms so unless you are in a room which is capable of housing a 61in then 53inches should be all you need. <HR>

As far as I am concerned, if you are buying a 4:3 TV, the bigger the better since nearly all DVDs are in widescreen. I have a 50 inch Hitachi Ultravision which I view from a distance of only 8 feet. I actually wish I had bought a 55 or 60 inch TV sometimes. Anyway, a 50 inch 4:3 TV is equal to a 46 inch widescreen set. Definitely *not* too large to be viewed from 8 feet away. For $200 more, I could have bought the Toshiba TW40X81, but it was just too small for my tastes. Also, it is only equal to a 32 inch TV in 4:3 mode.

Many people recommend sitting way further back than is necessary IMO. A TV that may look too big at first may not seem so in a short time, especially if you watch a lot of DVDs. As far as seeing scan lines goes, I cannot see them at all. The picture, especially when viewed using component video, is excellent.