You will find extensive posts and responses on this subject at the AVS Forum (link to www.avsforum.com). Highly recommended site for things video and related topics. Here is the link to the Rear Projection devices section of the forum. Bob
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Just bought an 52" LG. Not perfect but prefer the skintones to to the Samsungs which seem a bit saturated. The LG is rumoured to use plastic ball bearings (instead of metal) which makes them quieter...esp. over time. Sammys are rumoured to whine and need work after 6 months. Would have bought the JVC LCOS 52" but they are not for sale yet in my area. Hope this helps. |
I have had a Samsung HLN507W for about 6 months, so far so good. I really like the picture on it, and the colors are very adjustable. Negatives- 1) it has a bulb that needs replacement every few years ~$250 2) I've noticed it occasionally has difficulty with picture when you first turn it on. The sound goes on immediately, and then the picture takes about 10 seconds to come in normally. About one in four or five times that you turn it on, no picture has come in after 30 seconds, and the set turns itself off and then back on. It hasn't had to do this twice so far. Other than that I'm very happy with the set. |
There is a relatively definitive guide to DLPs at http://www.digiupdate.com, which includes an in depth discussion of the new chipsets used in various models, known defects, etc. You should def. view one under decent conditions before buying tho', b/c some percentage of people report seeing something called "rainbow" effect that detracts from video quality. Not everyone sees it tho'. |
I own two Samsung DLP RPTVs. One is a slightly older HLN617W that is the display in my HT. The other is the newer HLP5063 in my bedroom. I like both very very much, have had no trouble with either, and can recommend Samsung highly. I did a lot of comparisons in making the decision to go with the HLN617W. The HLP5063 purchase was not based on comparisons as I was fully satisfied with Samsung, and had been tracking the design improvements at avs forum. One comment is I believe the digiupdate page was the one that Arun Gupta ran, but unfortunately Arun was killed riding his bike and the page is no longer up to date. I second the recommendation to go to avs forum to get the latest information. Just as no technology is perfect; e.g., some see rainbows although I never have, I expect no one brand is perfect, so you need to weigh the pros and cons of each. Samsung was the only game in town when I was doing my comparisons (primarily Samsung DLP to Sony GWIII), so I cannot comment on other DLP brands. If DVD viewing is a priority, then one thing I would look for is the ability to accept a 720p feed via either DVI or HDMI, and the ability to display that without any intervening processing, so you can take advantage of an upconverting DVD player. The Samsungs can do this. RCA has/had a model that could not. It downconverted to 480i/480p and then rescaled to the native DLP resolution of 720p - needless extra processing. I would appreciate feedback on any comparisons you do between different brands of DLP RPTV. Thanks Bruce |
I like the Sim RPTV, but it is quite expensive. At a far more reasonable price, the RPTVs from Optoma look pretty good. I am not a fan of the Samsung sets. Even when the sets are suppose to be calibrated, the colors look odd and artificial. I saw the JVC LCOS set at CES. The colors are decent and the picture is very detailed, smooth and natural looking. The weak point is black level and shadow detail, which is not up to what DLP sets can do. I understand that LG or some other company has announced a 55" backlit LCD set. If they have licked the problem that LCD sets have with motion artifacts (slow response of the set to rapid changes in the image), it could be a top contender. I like the color palette of LCD sets and black levels are getting better and better. I expect to see at CEDIA the ultra thin DLP RPTVs that several manufacturers have been touting. I wonder what picture quality compromises had to be made to make a 55" set only 5-7" in depth. |
I just saw the 70" Sony SXRD (their proprietary version of LCOS) RPTV at CEDIA. The source material was 1080i from a blu-ray. Incredible detail, low video noise, very little obvious motion artifacts, beautiful color, pretty good black level. In short a fantastic picture, that bests anything but the most exotic machines. Aside from a Sony G90 CRT front projector, a Faroudja D-ILA projector ($42,000), the Sony Qualia front projector, this was my favorite display device at CEDIA. At $10,000, nothing approaches this set. The 82" Mitsubishi LCOS set was also displayed at CEDIA. It suffered by comparison, primarily from poorer black level. The 61" DLP set that is only 7" in depth was being shown by In-Focus (RCA was showing their version, which is identical). I was surprised that it had reasonably good focus at the edges, given that the beam must be hitting the edges at an extremely oblique angle. My only concern was that, with the material they were using, I saw a bit more of the "rainbows" than I like to see. Can't say if this was an inherent quality of this technology. |
The Samsung HLP5085(with pedestal stand)looks nice , but Sony and Toshiba looked good also at CC today all on sale right now). I was just about to make a decision today until I got the bug to go plasma with its crystal clear picture . Now comes more deliberation (of course double the price for plasma except for an open box 50' for $4,000+ (can't remember the brand). |
I checked out both the Samsung and the LG models. Preferred the LG picture quality and color though they are quite close. Heard that the LG color wheel runs on synthetic ball bearings while the Samsungs use metal ones which tend to make noise over time...could be urban myth. Bought the LG 52" though I would have bought a JVC LCOS if they had them available in my area. |
Thanks. I am into my third month with SAMSUNG 5063 (50" 3rd Genration DLP) The oddity is I used the DVDO-HD, so everthing runs through that; time and energy and "if it isn't broke...) has kept m from seeing TV without DVDO-HD. A easily fixed intereaction quicks, fixed by DVDO update, and it looks and functions great. I am going to splurge for the $350+ for ISF adjustment ***** Any one do this on this set?? ***** Well, I am happy as I can be and even the changer looks good. Thanks all. |
Mitsubishi just came out with their DLP and it was well worth the wait. It runs rings around the Samsung DLP. Samsung jumped the gun to be first but, it's picture and repair record are rock bottom. Mitsubishi uses a much more expensive chip for a better picture. It also waited to work out all of the kinks before it put it's DLP on the market. The 52 inch Mitsubishi DLP costs about $500 more than the Samsung, but it's worth the difference. All DLPs, and LCDs have limited peripheral vision compared to plasmas which cost double. For me the best compromise of cost verses quality is the Mitsubishi DLP. |
A lot of misinformation re Mitsubishi DLP sets. First, Mitsubishi came out with a DLP set before Samsung came out with their set. It used the quite inferior early generation HD1 chip (I know, because I own that set). Mitsubishi briefly got out of the DLP game before coming back with a new model. I am no fan of the Samsung sets, but, it is incorrect to say that Mitsubishi uses a more expensive and superior chip (if by chip, you mean the mirror device itself). Current Samsungs use the best available chip (HD2+) and Samsung is expected to be the first manufacturer to use the next generation chips. |
The newest LG 52" has a "air" berring for the color wheel which supposedly has no friction. Also given there latest price move to 3k, $500 less that the 50" Sam and it has better color-especially in the flesh tones-and 2" bigger with the same 7 segment hd2 color wheel....Seems like the Sam has some real compitition....LG also makes a 44" at $2500-Same tv but smaller... |