TV Recommendations

For dvd's, a 16.9 screen is a must..that means Hi-Def is a must. If this is just going to be a dvd player and RPTV then it should be very easy for you. Pick a company that has a good service record for their products. After that, go to the usual suspects (circut city, best buy, ect) and pick a RPTV that fits the bill.

On the other hand, if your looking to setup a hometheater system..it's a whole nother ball game. Sounds like your more interested in option number one and many RPTV's will work just fine. Try the audioreview.com web sit for user opinions on many RPTV's.

Dave

Go to ecoustics.com to peruse reviews on both audio and video equipment. Type in the model # in the search and you're good to go.

I would get a used Denon DVD player with Progressive Scan (maybe the 2800 MK II) -- they almost all use the Silicon Image chip that usually puts them at the top of the list at hometheater.com dvd shootout.

Believe it or not, I went to a local Sears scratch and dent store and purchased a Hitachi 57 HDTV for $1500 (retail $3500) Perfect Vision rated it extremely high and I even called the PV reviewer to ask questions and he said he bought the same model.

I would definitely get a HDTV for the reasons mentioned above.

Best of luck

Thanks Guys....Always helpful people here.

I guess I was thinking of a Higher Def tv, just that I don't need the highest resolutions (1080I) to save money.

Isn't Progressive DVD just 480P??

Anyone else favor the digital projector idea?

Hadn't thought of that, $1500 projector $500 screen and cables??

Cheers

I've got both, My 55" HD-TV is in one room and my projector is in another. I didn't mention a projector in my above post because it did not sound like something you were thinking about.

My RPTV has a dvd player hooked to it but is used for general use (mostly TV viewing) and is in 12X18 living room. I would not use a projector in this non-dedicated general purpose room.

My projector is dedicated to dvd movies and a few Hi-Def sports so is not the problem it would be in the other much smaller room. It is a bang for buck projector (Infocus X-1) and does not get anyway near the use that the RPTV gets..I like it that way and planed it that way as I use my large room for music.

As far as a comparison between the two for movies, it's no contest..the projector blows the RPTV out of the water at less than half the cost but is not as easy to use and setup for all family members. Once you've watched a block-buster movie on a 80-120 inch screen in the privacy of your own home..their's no going back to a little RPTV, and they will seem little from that point on.

If you click on my system you can see some pictures of my yet to be finished room. The screen on the wall is not my real screen..I made this one for $40 as a test screen. I also do not yet have my projector hung from the ceiling yet but do have all electrical run for the ceiling mount. I should clear and finish the room soon.

Dave

Nice set up Dave!

General TV viewing is just bad for me, in fact I haven't owned a TV for 4 years. I do really like watching movies at home and am tired of using the computer.

Actually I just thought that projectors were too expensive, didn't know you could get them for $1k. The Infocus X-1 is really interesting.

How does it connect to the DVD? Some sort of componet to VGA converter box?

To use it for TV I assume you need a tuner?

Thanks again.

Nik