which technology really has the best picture

This has been helpful so far. More specifics: I can't fully control the lighting in there, as there are four windows and two big openings that lead to other rooms with windows. There is daylight in the room, which is why I haven't looked at a front projector.

I do know that CRT conventional tube tv is still best, but i'm looking for at least a 50 inch screen. The room is 12 feet wide, 21 feet long, and the couch will be 12 to 14 feet from the screen. Every once in a while I have 20 or so people watching, but mostly it's just 2 to 4.

So, if plasma is really better, there are some great deals on the Panasonic TH-50PX60u now, but it doesn't do 1080p. Thoughts? Thanks. -Dave

>> No rear projection TV can compete against a direct view TV. <<

Say what? RPTVs and CRTs have, without a doubt, the truest blacks. And their color rendition, brightness, and contrast are at least as good.

Take a $2,000 RPTV, get it ISF calibrated (for $300-500) and it will smoke a $4,000 plasma. It will also outlast the plasma by 7-10 years.

Plasma is over-priced marketing hype targeted at yuppies with more money than brains. Spend some serious time at AvsForum.com and you'll see the light...

-RW-

I have 2 tv's in the same room. One is the 9"crt,65" Mits. My most recent purchase being the Sony Ruby,a front projetor. This was my 4th projector and it is the equal of the Mits.--and 92" is bigger!! This is their XRCD technology and while it ain't a Qualia;it is stunning. The picture washes out more so than the RPTV so naturally it looks better at night.
I have preorderd the Tosh.A2 and it might arrive this week or next week.
For some reason sd dvds look so much better on the Ruby so I can only imagine what HD-DVD will look like. So which is the better of the new technologies?? Sony SXRD would be my guess.---Of course I don't go to the stores all that much; or make that as much as many.
I finally had a point of curiosity cleared up. I was watching Sam Runco on a cedia type show. His comments were about how the stores have a higher bit rate feed so you get home and hook your set to a lower bit rate source and your tv won't look quite as clean.
The coming of HD_DVD and Blue Ray changes that. Now you will see the same PQ at home.

Hello Again,

I am responding because you gave me more info to go and because the post from Rlwainwright was incorrect.

Plasma is the best choice when there is a lot of light and you want to be bigger than 42".

LCD has the least amount of reflectivity but Plasma is bright enough to punch through even though you will see an outline of reflected light because the front is shiny.

In spite of what Rlwainwright said they are very reliable if you get a top model. All problems related to plasma have been because they purchased cheap ones.

Pioneer Elite makes the best Plasmas and are allot less than Runco, Dwin, Fujitsu, and Loewe.

Over the last 12 years I have sold over 300 Elite Plasmas and I have only had 3 fail and Elite replaced 1 of them out of Warranty and repaired the other 2. There is no other TV technology I have had that great of luck with.

Good Plasmas have the closest to tube picture quality because they use phosphorous just like tubes.

Duane

Actually plasmas perform better in the dark due to their contrast levels and ability to show shadow detail; an advantage lost in direct/ambient light. Also, in drker rooms glare is eliminated entirely.

The best technology I have seen as far as PQ is SED. Infinite blacks. I have no idea if it will be affordable at larger display sizes or even commercially available ( when/if). LCD and Plasma prices have had the more expensive years which likely helped with R and D costs but now its price drops and basically balls out competition.