HDTV experts?

[SmellyFed]

I'm looking into purchasing an HDTV in the next 24-48 hours. Anyone experienced with them here?

ie. what to avoid, what to look for.

I've got my eyeball on one but it's a small fortune (for me) and don't want to make any expensive guffaws.

[Eagle1]

really depends on what you want for a set besides the HD.
plasma? DLP? rear projection? projector? advanced rear projecton? LCD?

[SmellyFed]

I think LCD is the TV for me. Plasma's dont have as sharp a picture. Projections are fine but take up a lot more space.

Looking at an LG 37" LCD - DU-37LZ30

[SmellyFed]

I think LCD is the TV for me. Plasma's dont have as sharp a picture. Projections are fine but take up a lot more space.

Looking at an LG 37" LCD - DU-37LZ30

[Rhino]

I have a 65" Mitsubishi HDTV, but it's rear projection. The size is no big deal for me because it's sitting where the 52" RCA was sitting before I bought the new one. It's wider cuz it's wide screen of course, but otherwise the size isn't much different. I got a big living room. Plasma and LCD are just too expensive right now. DO NOT get HDTV intending to receive DirecTV broadcasts!!!! I made that mistake. They only offer about 12 channnels in Hi Def, most of those I don't watch, and they want an extra 12 bucks a month for Hi Def broadcasting. I'm paying enough already. We get our Hi Def programs over a standard Off air antenna. Looks kinda old school up on top of the house, but the picture is gorgeous! NFL games in Hi Def rock!!!!

[SmellyFed]

Ended up pulling the trigger on a Z37LZ5D (Zenith 37" LCD HDTV) - came with a home theater system. Took me awhile to get it hooked up right and firing on all cylinders but really enjoying it now.

Enjoying the local HD channels through conventional antenna. I have DishNetwork but don't have a HiDef Receiver yet.

Sometimes the local channels get blotchy and stall momentarily though - interrupts the sound as well... any suggestions for clearing that up?

[Rhino]

HDTV signals are directional, so re-aiming the antenna may help. Better yet, if the budget can afford it, get one of those rotator motors that you can control from inside the house. I also get that problem on occasion, but it seems to have improved lately. I suspect it has something to do with the digital conversion at the station, rather than so much the reception or TV itself, but I'm not certain of that.

[BeerRun]

This (http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx) is a good site for helping you choose an antenna to snag digital off-air stations.

As for the tv, (and as mentioned above, I think), stay away from plasma. Not only is their long-term reliability questionable, you'll also see a noticible jump in your electric bill.

Just make sure it's HDTV, not EDTV. Also, if it's "HD-ready," you'll need to buy a seperate tuner to get true HD.

Good luck! You'll love it!

[SmellyFed]

I steered clear of the Plasma because the pictures were soft and burn-in is a worry.

I'm very pleased with the LCD set I got. Its true HiDef, has an integrated tuner, and at 37" is plenty big for me. Some guy on another forum was insisting that you needed 50" minimum for a 12' viewing distance. That seems really excessive... my eyesight isn't that bad. The 37" already looks a little excessive in my 15' square room in my opinion.

The one knock against my new set is a lowish contrast ratio but in true hi-def the picture looks crystal clear and the colors are vibrant - I think we'll be more then satisfied with it.

We're not big-time TV watchers so I really didn't need the sports-car edition...

[DoctorDoom]

One has serious misgivings about investing beaucoup bucks in a TV that displays the same mindless telecrap with far greater clarity.

[BEST45CAL]

We bought a Toshiba 44" DLP (HDTV) and couldn't be happier. It has greater clarity and contrast than anything out there. DLP also has the longest life span. They can run continuously for about 20 years. (LCD is second in longevity).

Our Toshiba is a rear projection type, but it is only 13" thick and weighs about 58 lbs. I carried it in the house by myself from the bed of the truck.

DVDs never looked better because you cannot see any black lines between the pixels. The image is made up of millions of microscopic mirrors that reflect light from a color wheel.

When a particular color from the color wheel is projected onto the optical semiconductor (DLP chip), the mirrors will instantaneously flip toward the colored light and reflect that color back onto the screen. If you are close enough to the screen, you can see the pixels flickering like mad, shining on and off. The screen seems to glitter.

Clarity from DVDs is so good that you can see the makeup and fine wrinkles on the actors. You will see lots of those types of imperfections while watching DVDs, but you get used to it. I was watching I, Robot one time and noticed that Will Smith was wearing lipstick.

If you do not want a large screen, then go with the LCD. If you want a large screen, then DLP is the way to go.

I do not recommend plasma at all. The clarity is not there. You can see little squares on the screen, just like a regular TV. Longevity is not there, either. There have been improvements with that, but they will not last nearly as long as DLP or LCD. Plus, they get very hot and still use heavy glass screens. They are still ridiculously expensive.

A 42" plasma screen HDTV weighs over 100 lbs. They usually have to be delivered by freight because they weigh so damn much.

Plasma technology has been around for 40 years now. DLP has been around since 1987.

We paid $1800 for our HDTV. Prices are even lower now.

[BeerRun]

One has serious misgivings about investing beaucoup bucks in a TV that displays the same mindless telecrap with far greater clarity.That may be so, but the NFL looks GREAT in hi def. It's so crisp, you can see your friends in the stands, and which players use jeri-curl.

[DesertFox]

Must be my eyes. I've watched the HDTV's in the stores, and they do come in more clearly than my first-class under-$200 Mitsubishi tv -- but so marginally better that it sure isn't worth the difference in price to me. I figger, give them another decade and HDTV will go for a buck and a quarter.

[SmellyFed]

Must be my eyes. I've watched the HDTV's in the stores, and they do come in more clearly than my first-class under-$200 Mitsubishi tv -- but so marginally better that it sure isn't worth the difference in price to me. I figger, give them another decade and HDTV will go for a buck and a quarter.

If they aren't tuned into HDTV programming they don't look any different - in fact they can look worse. To really see the difference, your HDTV needs to be receiving HDTV programming and if you can't see the difference then, well... the television isn't your problem. Talk to an optomitrist.

I watched SNL on Saturday night in HDTV and there was a phenomenal difference between a conventional satellite/cable/antenna signal and the HDTV signal.

It's like comparing apples and Orangutangs.

[DoctorDoom]

I prefer watching DVDs on the 19" Viewsonic G90fb. From two feet or closer, it's as large as watching a big screen from ten feet away, with startling clarity. Speaking of seeing every little skin blemish ...

[SmellyFed]

I prefer watching DVDs on the 19" Viewsonic G90fb. From two feet or closer, it's as large as watching a big screen from ten feet away, with startling clarity. Speaking of seeing every little skin blemish ...

Well there's certainly some truth in that which is what's presumably driving the PSP movie sales.