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Need help making TV decision

I'm looking to replace my ancient Proton 27" CRT with something new. I've poked around AVS forum and CNET but still feel confused and underinformed. Would welcome advice here and pointers to other sources of information.

Here's our situation:

-- Can accomodate up to 40"-42" wide display
-- Use Comcast digital cable box through TiVo box as main source; also DVD
-- TV (not DVD) probably 80% of viewing
-- Viewing distance is about 8 feet
-- Can accomodate the depth of a CRT or rear projection, but a flat panel would be just fine (will sit atop 40" AV cart)
-- Don't need built-in audio as I route audio signals through an AV receiver
-- Price not too much of an issue

So....LCD, Plasma, DLP or CRT? HD or ED? One of my main fears is that I will get a set that kills on DVD or HD but leaves me unhappy when I watch an old movie or a Seinfeld rerun or any non-HD TV program. There's also the issue of our addiction to TiVo and the absence of an HD TiVo box for digital cable (as far as I know).

Thanks for any guidance you can provide.
drubin

Showing 2 responses by semi

semi
649 posts
 
If your primary source is digital signal, stay with micro display technology (LCD, DLP, LCOS, SXRD) or plasma/LCD. Using HDMI/DVI to transfer reduces the number of conversions and produce better pictures, though not significant with 42" display.

I own both plasma & LCD rear projection (Sony GWIV). For the same reason as Dlstephenson, I did not go for DLP. What bothers me more about LCD is SSE, not SDE. I recently saw Sony SXRD in store and it still exhibits some SSE, but absolutely no SDE. All of the rear projections fall short in color saturation when compares to plasma. Given your screen size requirement, I think it's a no brainer, plasma rules when it comes to color.
semi
649 posts
 
Drubin,

I will take plasma over CRT any day. CRT makes beautiful pictures, but I can't stand the size and weight.

It's true plasma will wear out. But life expectancy is defined at 50% brightness level, not 0%. Given many plasma are rating their panels at 80000 hours, you can do the math based on your viewing preference. You can further prolong its life by lowering its default brightness and improve pictures at the same time.

It's NOT true rear projection unit don't wear out. Sony tech is coming in tomorrow to replace my light engine since it has "grown" from 2 to 10 dead pixel in one year. I work in semiconductor and DLP are known to have "fatigue" and will eventually have dead pixels as well in addition to the bearing failure on the color wheel that Samsung is known to have.

No technology is perfect including the trust worthy CRT. But at $300 a year average for a plasma using 10 year life span I still think it's a good investment. For rear projection, if you factor in the cost of bulb at $200 every 2 years and 20 years of life span, I don't think you will come out that far ahead.
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