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Why LCD and Plasma? 37

It seems to me that LCD and Plasma are discussed most when it comes to TV these days, is there something wrong with other formats such as DLP, 3LCD, etc.?

I would like to purchase a new TV for our bedroom and I was looking at the $800 range, this had me loking at 32" HD TV's, at least those of quality; I'd prefer slightly bigger. I happen to look at a 37" Sony (KDF37H1000) that I thought looked nice, just under $900, and I saw that it was 3LCD, this is a rear projection TV.

Why do these formats get little discussion?

Any suggestions for a 37" (or larger) HD TV for a good price?
brianmgrarcom
tvad
9,467 posts
 
Stretch mode creates unnatural and skewed proportions. I don't care for it.

My viewing standard requires programming to be viewed in it's native aspect ratio, and that it look as good as or better than a standard off-air, antenna-based analog picture.
brianmgrarcom OP
1,317 posts
 
I agree with you for the most part TVAD on streych mode, but I think some programs could surprise you, as it did me, maybe.

As for your second part, if I follow you, you are talking of only a few channels, your local channels, yes?

Also, keep in mind, when purchasing a HDTV, generally people purchase a larger TV, this obviously makes things bigger, including the distortion that was always there in your tube set. Not to mention you view HD content, with vastly more content, going back to SD will never compete.
tvad
9,467 posts
 
Widescreen HD TVs satisfy an increasingly large viewership who don't watch SD programming or who don't care that upconverted SD programming on HD sets does not look as good as SD programming on a SD set.

I am not a member of that viewership, yet I am a professional in network television production. I know I am in the minority opinion.
brianmgrarcom OP
1,317 posts
 
Well, I am not sure we can compare apples to apples anymore. My new 42" TV plays a 4:3 picture at 34 inches, I am not aware of a high quality 34" SD only set to compare with. My new TV replaces a 27" tube TV and my new TV has a better picture than my tube TV when both playing SD, without question.

Either way, I suspect none of this matters, as you are settled/happy with where you are at as am I.

But as for your classifications of who buys HDTV's, I have no problem being in the latter. The programs I watch in HD are so much better than SD and I enjoy it very much.
tonnesen
74 posts
 
I also have the 36" Sony XBR CRT 1080i that I bought in 2004. It was the reference set for some reviewers at the time, and I'm still constantly amazed at the picture quality and color richness. I use it with standard DVDs, I tried a Toshiba HD-DVD and was not impressed with the color (maybe it needed to be calaibrated for the Toshiba HD-DVD). I've been wondering:

1. Do the newer plasma and LCD sets have better picture quality than Sony XBR CRT?

2. Is there any benefit of using Blu-ray HD with this 36" screen, at a viewing distance of about 6 feet? Or is the screen to small to benefit from HD?

thanks.
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