Aaaargh. Please help Viridian select a new TV.

The following set is relatively future proof and is what I'd buy if I were buying.

-60" LCD with LED light source (no need to replace bulb every 2-3 years (I hear prices for bulbs are falling, however.)

-At least 10,000-to-1 contrast ratio (15,000 is better).

-HDMI 1.3 inputs (two on back of set, one on front).

Make sure the "glare screen" isn't actually ADDING distortion to the picture. Get inches away and look for grain like you're listening for distortion in a speaker.
I'm amazed how many big screens have this "feature".
The best (smoothest) picture I've seen is a Panasonic 61" RPT retailing around $2500 -really fine picture.

Finally, make sure the CPU processor is fast enough to avoid
picture "break up" on complex scenes.
Motocross, marathon events, anything with lots of images moving together quickly can overload the CPU and the picture just falls apart (more like explodes) into a pathetic mess (high definition my ass...).

I must chime in here...

I sit 12" from my 70" Sony KDS-R70XBR2 and the picture is awesome, and yes I have both HD DVD and Blu-ruay to feed it. LCD's are improving, but I think they still need a generation or two to beat plasma. At 12" I would go as big as possible, I use 70" at that distance and it could be larger.

As for resolution, you would be foolish to buy anything that doesn't accept a 1080p feed, and preferrable 1080p/24FPS for best HD disc picture. As you said you keep your gear for a while, and a TV can last over 10 years. If you honestly think you won't buy some form or high def disc player in the next ten years, great! Save the $200 and buy a 720p set... Just don't come crying in a year or two when you have to replace it....

MarkPhD,

You're quoted formula for viewing distance and screen size is based on 4:3 TV's and not applicable, you need a larger 16:9 screen for the same viewing distance.

I must strongly disagree with you on DLP, Yes this technology has trickled down some. You do realize it is the only Tech certified by THX and will be? Runco uses it in there $$$$ projectors, and yes, Samsung does it well and cheaply! I used to have the 61" Sammy 720p set, it was a great TV, a good friend still uses it, but as above, I needed 1080p so it is gone.

As for inputs, for me one is fine, all my HDMI sources run through a switcher so I only run one feed to both my main TV and the plasma in the bedroom, so for me I only need one.

If you need wallmountability, you are stuck with only plasma and LCD, FWIW If I had to preplace my bedroom set, it would be with an LCD as I could get 1080p resolution for a song (I have found the Sony 52" XBR3 for less than $3K on line) but the new round of 1080p plasmas are already dropping in price.....

I guess by now you can see, there is no clear winner in this, go look, see what you like, and get 1080p (Ideally with acceptance of a 24 frame per second feed) to keep you future proof, then sit back and enjoy! Buy the biggest screen you can afford/want to spend on as it will always seem small the week after it's installed....

I also sit 12ft from my TV and have no light issues. I just bought a 71" Samsung 1080P DLP and am extremely happy with it, the picture is awesome. At 12ft, anything less than 70" will be dissappointing for getting the theater experience for movies (IMHO). Surprisingly, my wife thinks the same thing for the size of the picture (she rarely chimes in as long as it works). Also, you should definitely get a TV that can except (and is capable of) 1080P if you go higher than a 50" TV.

Another important thing I should mention is that the Samsung customer service has been great when I called in twice (not for problems but just general questions).

Vman71

Surprisingly when I told the wife I was buying a bigger TV she told me I was mad, but when it arrived she immediately said it wasn't so big...

KT