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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.
Ag insider logo xs@2xdrubin
Ag insider logo xs@2x
drubin OP
3,275 posts
 
Thanks Rysa4. If I purchase something like the Panasonic through an online retailer, should I pay for installation, or is there not much to it?

It has one open slot, so I could put a cable card in it (except then what happens to TiVo?) or add a second component video or a DVI or HDMI. TiVo outputs component as does my current DVD player. Would I want an HD STB with an EDTV? (questions, questions....)
reubent
7,061 posts
 
Drubin,

Absolutely get an HD STB with the EDTV Panny. I have the consumer version of the EDTV Panny Plasma and I love it. It looks incredible when fed an HD signal from my Time Warner HD Digital cable box/DVR.

I'm not sure there is a Cable Card available for one of the slots in the commercial version, but you won't want to use CableCard anyway if you already have an HD STB. It would be redundant.

Enjoy,

TIC
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drubin OP
3,275 posts
 
My thought about the cable card was to use it in lieu of the STB, not in addition to.

Does the consumer version have more than one set of component video inputs? I would need two at least (TiVo and DVD), and it appears that the commercial version has just one, so I would need to purchase the additional card. If the STB has DVI or HDMI (not sure if they do), then it would be good to also have that input and be able to take a direct feed from the STB for best quality when I can watch live (sans TiVo).
donbellphd
205 posts
 
Does the commercial version of the Panny 42 plasma include audio? I use a separate HDTV/TiVo tuner, so I don't need an internal tuner, but I rarely feel the need to fire up my audio system for watching TV programs, so internal audio from the HDMI feed of the HDTV/TiVo tuner would be a big plus.

db
reubent
7,061 posts
 
Drubin,

I have the previous version of the Consumer Panny EDTV (TH-42PD25). It has 2 sets of Component video connections, plus HDMI, plus the cablecard slot.

I like using a STB because I have the combo HD STB w/DVR and I really like it. It records HD programming in HD resolution which my TiVo could not. If I didn't need PVR, I would probably use CableCard and save some shelf space and money!

db,

The commecial Panny does not include speakers, but I think it does support external speakes via a built-in audio amplifier and speaker outputs. My guess is that an HDMI connection would send audio to this output and you would just need a couple of speakers.

The consumer version has speakers and a built-in HDMI connection, so it might be a better choice, especially since it is selling for around $1799 at many retailers. Since you would not need to buy speaker (and figure out where/how to install them), a tabletop stand or an HDMI blade, it might be more cost effective and offer a better solution.

Enjoy,

TIC
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