New Member Needs Help Choosing TV

[therock]

Hi Folks, Nice Lay Out,

I promise all my posts will not be as long as this one.
A divorce has separated me from the 53" Hitachi RP TV. I still have my My Adio System.
I have been out of the loop on TV tech advances and need help on choosing a new unit. Gotta One-up her :B you know?
I'm looking at a 3k cost, lower being better but will entertain higher.
My application is:
HDTV is limited at my location so regular Cable reception must look GOOD at least.
50" minimum because the average distance in my room is 12 feet. The old 53" has me spoiled.
I want my audio components in a cabinet under it, so no built in cabinets.
The TV will go diatonically in a corner and a 12" subwoofer will be on the floor below and behind it.

So, to Plasma or LCD? That is the question. Rear projection is not a rule out if the cabinet is not tall. What brand, what model? I'm lost. Please help?
Your opinions, info, review links and vendors to stay away from, all will be greatly appreciated.

[aud19]

Welcome to HTG :T

If you don't mind CRT's cabinet size they still offer the best PQ and at the lowest price. The 50"+ models from Hitachi and Mitsubishi are what I'd recommend. If you have the space, the 73" Mitsubishi has STUNNINGLY beautiful 9" CRT guns (7" is the norm).
http://www.mitsubishi-tv.com/televis...ils.asp?id=187 :drool:

For anything approaching 50" in plasma/LCD you're likely to go WAY over your $3000 budget but...

For plasma, I'd get a Pannasonic for $/quality or if you can stretch the budget a Pioneer for quality over cost.

LCD, I recommend the Sony's and higher end Sharp Aquos but again you're looking sub-42" at your budget and/or EDTV resolutions as opposed to HDTV resolution screens.

Another option if you want to move to a digital display (as opposed to CRT) is the Sony SXRD RPTV's. They have the best PQ (closest to CRT) of any current digital display IMO with the higher end Samsung DLP's being next. If you're interested in DLP RPTV'S though I'd hold off until the LED lit models become avialable (should be summer/fall this year).

[therock]

Some Info that May Be Of Use.

We had a 53" Hitachi Ultravision HD ready set since 2001. It was moved twice from one house to another and finally a third with the wife (now X) on her way out the door. It is still going strong. Never a lick of trouble. The standard definition of a cable feed was absolutely great. HD was jaw dropping. We did not play games and the only thing we did to prevent burn in was not to leave the house with the unit left on.
To each his own, and my own says the technology is just too unstable for the cash right now. Samsung has the LED light engine comming and HP announces their LASER engine will be released soon. I feel like I did when I first got my Gateway2000 75MHz PC. It was high dollar and obsolete before it got to my door. At $1200.00 vs. $3 to $4k, I'll hang out a year or two and wait for it all to shake out. Just remember how USB 2.0 slammed FireWire.
The new Hitachi CRT's are as good or better and now shorter, lighter and thinner.
Read here from a post I did elsewhere:

The Hitachi 2006 XXF59 models are the same as the 2005 XXF710a but for minor cosmetics with several features missing!
I called Hitachi and got some of the info. I asked all kinds of questions and stressed the guy a bit. I asked why even release a new model if the PQ and components are the same? He said it is a new year model less some un-needed features and or minor insignificant changes.
So.... I just purchased the 2005 51F710a at CC for $1139.95. It will be delivered this Monday. I will report.
It was not listed on their Webb site and I had to call around to find it. I just had to have the extra 181 NTSC tuner and some of other features deleted from in the F59 series. I just about missed it. The only one in stock in the Atlanta \ Kennesaw GA area. They had one on the Acworth display floor but the price label had it as a 51F59 for $1234.99. I pointed out the error.
Some of the differences I see comparing their spec sheets online.

Gone are.
The 181 Channel NTSC Tuner.
Cable Card slot.
Auto Link Input Sensor.
TV as Center Channel.
Optical Digital Output.
AV Output with S-Video.
24 Watt Speaker System.
SRS Surround.
BBE Sound Enhancement.
It's 37 Pounds Lighter.

__________________
Thanks, 2therock

[aud19]

Well congrats on a great deal for the best damn display tech available :T