Assuming a tube TV is best, how about this Sony?
 

So, I need to upgrade my gaming system. I'll be getting an Xbox 360, and I need a TV around 30 inches.

I've been doing some research. I want to stay away from RPTVs because of their size and calibration issues. Plasmas (and RPTVs for that matter) have burn in issues. That left me with LCD, DLP or tube TVs. DLPs tend to be larger than I need. LCDs are light and look SO sexy, but to get one that would be good for gaming (high contrast ratio and fast reponse time) would be pushing over $2,000.

That pretty much leaves me with a tube TV. I saw a Sony 34" WEGA at Circuit City for $999.99. Now that same TV is on sale this week for $649.99

I know the major drawback is the TV's weight. At 190 pounds, I'd have to have some help setting it up.

I've always heard that a tube TV is the best display type for gaming. Is that pretty much the concensus here? This set has 480i/480p/720p/1080i screen resolution and a flat screen. Here's the link to the TV

So, the question is how will an Xbox 360 look on this? At the price, I'm seriously considering picking one up this week, but I thought I'd throw the subject out and see if anyone had an opinion or any advice. Thanks.

I'm not sure where you are pricing them but you can easily get a 30" LCD TV for less than a $1000, probably closer to $500-$600. I got my 42" LCD for $1500 4 months ago, they are even cheaper now. It has an 8 ms response time and I haven't noticed any ghosting.

I've read that the CRT TV's like the one you linked have some geometry issues. But all the major types of TV's have their issues.

Also DLP's are rear projection. Just curious, why the size limitation?

Which kind of TV looks best to you? Gaming performance isn't really an issue anymore, although google for any issues related to your specific tv just in case. I'd go with CRT if you have the space. I still enjoy that picture the best and it's definately gonna blow away a $600 LCD.

I bought a similar Sony about a year and a half ago, except mine's only 30". Honestly, I wish I'd waited and just got a plasma or lcd. While the picture quality is amazing, the thing weighs a ton. It's a huge pain to move, even if I'm just scooting the entertainment center out to add a new component. If that inconvenience doesn't bother you, it's a very solid television at a great price.

Plasma burn issues are no more on a modern set. Plasma also offer great gaming experience as it never encounters the blur effect that is still existant on some cheaper LCDs.

Another thing to consider is what you will do with this TV in the future. Once you decide to sell or whatever, no one is going to be willing to buy a tube TV in 4 years.

To answer your question, that TV is nice and will work well for what you are interested in.

Personally I have the 36XS955 from Sony and the picture is amazing. The one thing I would recommend though is to make sure you definitely purchase the extended warranty.

As far as the weight issue goes, just make sure you know exactly where it is going to go when it gets delivered. PERIOD. My set weighs in at 240 and the wife when it arrived had given my new set the dubious name of BUBBA. Also of course make sure whatever stand you will have it on can take the weight of course.

Selling is gonna be a big issue. Noone will take my 30" CRT HDTV now. Even at $200. Makes me wanna cry.

Those Tv's are HEAVY. I was somehow able to get rid of my 32" sony HD for $400 a couple months ago. I went for an LCD and love it. Tubes were "better" for gaming systems when they only outputted at 480p, but now that the next gen systems are in HD, the LCd/plasmas are just as good/better,

Sorry, but Plasma burn issues are still a problem. Three of my friends have plasmas and have had to return them to Costco for a refund and end up buying another, then another. Two of them have problems with videogames the other is a news junkie and has burn in from stationary images on CNN, FoxNews, and MSNBC.

All within the last 6 months, and 3 different makes/models. Their owner's manuals even make reference to the possibility of burn-in.

My bad, I should have said "quality plasma". Any plasma worth a darn has burn-in protection these days.

agreed

The consensus is, if you calibrate the screen out of self-nuke mode (aka: out of the box settings) and be nice to it during the first few hundred hours, there's no need to worry.

No guarantees on the iffy brand names, but there should be no problems with a Panasonic, Samsung, etc.

I was looking at a Sharp AQUOS, but it was almost three times the price at $1800.

I don't mind the weight and I have the room to allow for the depth of the set, so I think I'm gonna pull the trigger on the Sony.

I'm actually leaning toward a DLP TV for my next home theater set - A Mitsubishi 65", 1080p. I'm hoping that my RPTP TV holds out a few more years though. HD signals look incredible on it, but the pain of calibrating the geometry is taxing.


Thanks for the input all.

But it makes some sense that it's 3x the price since the set you were looking at was probably the 42" for that price, which is about double the area of the 30". LCD prices for similar sized sets are pretty equivalent to the CRT.

Anyways, enjoy the 360 in HD there are a ton of games you can pick up cheap now.

Panasonic still issues warnings in their material: Panasonic FAQ

Same here. Paid about $800 for it, could easily have gotten an off-brand LCD for the same price a few months later.

:) Yes, and their manual also has a milion other things to beware of and use caution on, its a legal thing. Apparently there are people out there running their TV's in tanks of water... do CRT's work under water?

Anyway, burn in is not a problem unless you plan to play for 5 days straright without turning your TV off. But guess what? A CRT can burn-in at that point too.

I'd get that Sony TV if you have room. I have the 30 inch, 2 models back from this and the picture quality kicks ass. It's even better than my friend's LCD Sony Bravia. Picture Quality is in a different league, it looks more colorful but natural and the blacks are really deep.

Matter of fact, I'm going to tell my brother about this deal, he was thinking of getting one when it was a grand. There's also a 10% off coupon on the hot deals forum.

i just went from a 42" CRT RPTV to a 37" LCD and it's a night and day difference, LCD all the way.

I personally can't see ever going back to a tube TV, especially one that's 30". That's a huge pain in the ass. I can move (albeit with some difficulty) my 42" LCD. Last time I helped move a 32" TV my friend needed two others to help him and we had to use an elaborate system of carts and blankets to move it upstairs in his house.

Your TV is 190 lbs. Give that some thought.

So I went down to Circuit City last night and got the TV. Yes, it is heavy, but the picture is so nice.

I actually saved some money. The salesman offered me an open box one for $50 off. I said, make it $100 and I'll take it. $549.99 - full warranty. Can't beat that.

That's a great deal for $549.99

I would have asked for $1 off per pound of TV :D

I totally agree. Kinda like buying a VCR.

Who the hell cares how heavy the TV is? How often do you move a TV if you're not moving to a different place?

Good choice on a tube, though, especially for the price. I love my widescreen 24" CRT monitor on my PC.

A heavy VCR!