PRojector v. RPTV

Light control is pretty good. Somewhat of a tweaker. Would like a large screen if possiblew?

Well, "pretty good" and "somewhat" don't inspire a lot of confidence in recommending a CRT-based FPTV. If you are not a rabid videophile who cannot tolerate less-than-black-blacks you may be happiest with a LCD/DLP/D-ILA based projector. Done any homework on those yet?

The lines aren't quite as close a one might believe. 3 gun projectors still rule. However they are costly;and require special set up, sometimes outboard scalers/ doublers.

The one eyed lcds & dlps have there own set of complications. #1 with me is the Sony lcd light bulb/ it is a $500.item. #2 would be black level.

Everything I read about the rear projection 16x9 hdtvs, is their less than stellar performance on ntsc programing.If you watch sports,hbo,etc this becomes an issue for those of us with great older displays.(2/3 year old sets)While they all make your dvds better,that is't enough for me to take the big dollar plunge.--Just yet!

Both have trade offs, so it largely depends on your viewing and listening habits, available space, and lighting control. I went with an earlier Sony LCD 16:9 projector, primarily for movie playback and the occasional playoff game. My room can be darkened during daylight hours which is a big consideration with a front projection system. My viewing room is also my listening room so I didn't want a large RPTV sitting between my speakers. In this price range the RPTV will produce a better picture; sharper, brighter, better black shadow detail, and may be more free of artifacts. On the other hand front projection allows a much larger screen which gives a more cinamatic experience. IMO this makes up for any difference in picture quality. An 80" or larger screen is MUCH larger then your common 55" or 65" RPTV. These are some of the basic considerations.

The LCD will "white spot" when "crystal" burns out so they shoul be relegated to data and training viewing.

The FIRST choice is 4:3 vs. 16:9 and your room size plus light control on the side. They you are faced with a limited selection. In a smaller living room a direct view unit might work best.