The HDTV Thread

[Gymkata]

I know JVC has a DILA set that works just like a DLP, but without a color wheel. You dont see the rainbow effect that way. I think some Panasonic TVs have a higher spin rate that gets rid of that effect too.

[MarkRyan]

CRTs are still the best in terms of picture quality. They don't get big--36" is the biggest I've seen recently--but nothing else matches their quality. Movies and regular TV look good on most set types, but I hate the way games look on LCDs, DLPs and plasmas. They have problems with viewing angles, contrasts, and pure blacks. I could appreciate a big projection TV for sports and movies, but when it comes to games anything less than CRT is annoyingly unsatisfactory.

[James]

Viewing angles! I was just poking my head back in after looking things up to ask about that. Ok, DLP is now scratched off the list of things I care about.

CRTs are huge and heavy, but for angle, color, and clarity I haven't seen them beat yet. I guess I'll be sticking to the old tech, unless I wait for 2007's nanotube revolution.

James

[Revoltor]

2 years isn't too long. Apparently there's legislation being thrown around to make the switch more affordable.

[TobalRox]

Viewing angles? what do you mean? I personally think everything has looks miles better on my TV than anything else. My aunt and uncle got a 4x3 HDTV (ugh), and I was housesitting for them, and I believe it was tube based since it was pretty damn big in the back (I could be wrong though), and everything looked like shit. I could barely tell the picture was HD, it looked basically like a good digital source (like say, when I ordered Wrestlemania), and not the high def picture that it should have been. I got them PS2 component cables as a gift because I knew they didn't know any better, and the games, even in progressive scan, don't look that much better. Am I just missing something here? Not to sound defensive since it's what I own, but you're the only one that has dogged DLP at all, and everywhere I go, people have always said DLP is the way to go for gaming.

Side note, first time I saw an HDTV in someone's house is at a friend of mine's, and he had his xbox hooked up to it, and it didn't look any better either... again, 4x3 HDTV (what is wrong with people?). When I first played DOA on my TV, I noticed a difference immediately, but on these two 4x3 TVs, I felt like I was just looking at my old 27" TV, just bigger.

[Revoltor]

More people should be concerned about hooking up their home theater speaker system instead.

[MarkRyan]

TobalRox, here's a good breakdown of the different TV types with their weaknesses and strengths at Crutchfield.

[TobalRox]

More people should be concerned about hooking up their home theater speaker system instead.

Why do you say that? HDTVs involve a format that all TV is going to be broadcast in from now on, and people are required to make the switch... surround sound is not a requirement. Some people just do not have the room the have one, or not living in a place where they can take advantage of it. For example, if you live in an apartment, I don't think your neighbors will appreciate you blasting your movies through multiple channels, but they certainly won't care that your TV looks better (and is able to play the stuff broadcast).

I didn't get my surround sound system until 6 months after owning my HDTV, and if it wasn't for the fact that it was christmas, I would have had to wait even longer. It's nice, but not a requirement.

TobalRox, here's a good breakdown of the different TV types with their weaknesses and strengths at Crutchfield.

Thanks... doesn't seem like the viewing angle is that much different... also, I have yet to have anyone complain about being able to see no matter where they sit in my setup, and we're talking a big room, so I think it'll be fine for most people.

[Master]

I love Crutchfield. I would never buy a thing there, but I love their site...

[sethsez]

stuff

If a CRT-based TV (standard or rear projection) hasn't been properly calibrated, it'll look like crap. I have a couple discs of test patterns for this, and my favorite is Digital Video Essentials. It's not exactly rare, either... you can find it at Best Buy.