High Definition

[Twoback]

LCD 50s are a complete rarity on the retail market. The largest I saw was 46 and those JUST started coming out. Plasma 50s run about 2700-4000.

Not really - they've been around for at least 3 years- You can get them now for about $1500 and the 60' for $2100 - half price of plasma

When I was shopping I did find Sony TV's were rarity at Best Buy in my area but they were everywhere else.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000G5WGYW/ref=pd_cp_e_title/002-0465551-8888817?ie=UTF8

Boom, those LCDs you're seeing are LCD projection. NDub is talking about straight LCD, which is very similar to plasma in technology (and which some say will provide a better large-screen picture when it becomes more common).
And, for the record, plasma is not as expensive as it used to be, not really prone to image burn when dealing with regular TV viewing and very much worth it.

 

[shotglass]

Sam, the WEGA XBR is what I have. I can't put into words how flawless the picture is. And in my first eight months with it, I have not had to make one click of picture adjustment. It's been consistent from day 1.

(Which brings me to something else ... pay the extra bucks to have a pro install your system. Don't do it yourself.)

If the rest of my system is already in place, what more is there for a professional to do? (Not trying to be brash, too much of a guy or ultra-cheap ... if anything I can be labeled a bit of an audiophile snob who dabbles in this kind of thing) I already have the speakers in place - Bose 901s up front, 201s in the back, center channel, receiver, DVD and audio CD all humming right along. Other than putting the set in place - which will be enough given the weight of the TV - what more is there to do?

FWIW, it's a small apartment living room. Already too much audio there, but it will come in handy when I get some bigger life upgrades.

There's never too much audio.

Where the professional comes in is adjusting all the picture-related settings on the TV and also adjusting the audio levels and settings for each speaker, if you haven't already done that. I have not yet taken the HD plunge but have been told by many people that having a pro set it up is well worth the money.

Sam, the thing is, some of the default settings for color/sound/etc. aren't what's best for your viewing area. The pro will make it the best picture for where you are.

 

[Boom_70]

From Phil Mushnick's today:

Jets fans with high-def TVs had better hope extra hard for the Jets to stay in the hunt. CBS's HDTV gear goes only three NFL games deep. Fox's goes six . .

Explains why Jet game looked like crap on Sunday -

Makes sense though - CBS is skimping on camera investment

 

[patchs]

My 6-year-old RCA bit the dust in Jan. so I had to buy one on the fly and I got a $550 27-inch Samsung CRT Slimfit HDTV.
It's heavy but Circuit City delivered it into the house, took the RCA out.
Then I called DirecTV and they set me up with a HD box. Of course the morons who installed it used a S-Video cable instead of component so I had to correct them.
Some observations: Discovery HD looks stunning, the others, better than SD, but not jaw dropping.
I've read on a HDTV message board that DTV compresses them and that's why they look different, the board calls it HD Lite.
I am POed at the NFL because they make DTV charge you an extra $100 a season for the NFL Superfan package to get the games in HD (I can't get my locals in HD). I'm already paying $200+ for the regular NFL Sunday Ticket, the HD games should be included.
Even better, they had a free trial of the SF the first weekend. I found out when I got a card in the mail, the MONDAY after the first games.
Thanks guys, appreciate it.

 

[NDub]

patchs,

Use an HDMI cable instead of component cables. HDMI carries a true 720p digital, component carries a 480p/720i, not true HD. The HDMI cable will give you a sharper and more crisp picture.

DirecTV only offers Discovery HD and...I think HBO HD or ESPNHD in true 720p. All of the other HD channels from DirecTV are upconverted to 720p.

 

[Boom_70]

patchs,

Use an HDMI cable instead of component cables. HDMI carries a true 720p digital, component carries a 480p/720i, not true HD. The HDMI cable will give you a sharper and more crisp picture.

DirecTV only offers Discovery HD and...I think HBO HD or ESPNHD in true 720p. All of the other HD channels from DirecTV are upconverted to 720p.

Ndub - useful stuff - thanks