Help Me Get A New Tv

[dave_boo]

No, this isn't a plea for money (unless you're the generous sort!), but rather a request for information. I'm looking to get a new TV, and the wife really would like a flat screen.

Right now, we're using a DLP projector to get the "big screen" feel, but since it's only a psuedo 16:9 and is limited to 1280x1024 resolution, I wanted to go with a real TV. The plan is to create an outdoor theatre with the current projector, so it won't go to waste.

My question is; are there any stores that sell DLP TVs in Thailand. I've grown to love the rich blacks and awesome refresh rates that this offers and am loath to switch. Both Plasma and LCD tvs just don't get black enough for me, although the refresh on Plasma has never been an issue. I have seen some LCDs that have a "smearing" problem. I guess I could be persuaded to go with one of these other technologies IF they offered 1080p and there were no DLP sets on offer.

**edit**

Also, if the stores listed offered Onyko or Harman Kardon recievers and Infinity speakers I would like to bang those purchases out at the same time.

Edited March 19, 2008 by dave_boo

[dave_boo]

Bump to the top.

45 views and not one reply? /me is so sad.

[autonomous_unit]

My impression is that you may be disappointed going from a front-projected DLP setup to a rear-projected DLP cabinet. The contrast and viewing angle just isn't the same with any of the rear-projected screens. I actually think a direct-view large LCD looks better than most rear-projected screens, even with the other drawbacks to LCDs.

Do you really have source material to notice how your current setup is not high-def enough? I would think that improving your screen installation (to please the wife or the viewing quality) would be money better spent...

[dave_boo]

The DLP rear projection screens I've seen have had rather nice contrast ratios, although by no stretch of the imagination am I a videophile. The viewing angle also shouldn't be a problem since the seats are arranged in such a pattern as to offer a very limited angle to the screen--this was planned to take advantage of the sound system that is in place right now, which is quite sorry (some JVC combi unit).

I'm actually building my Blu-Ray library. Also, since I use an HTPC, all the videos/tv is upconverted(right word?). Right now the projector is ceiling mounted, and there's some ugly wall mounted cabling going on. Aesthetics are as important as anything else. Right now it's projecting onto a fibreboard that I painted a semi-gloss white. The paint job is really smooth, and when the projector is turned off you could almost mistake it for a dry-erase board. However, since it is being projected so large, the pixels are visible, and that drives me nuts. So the plan is to go with a higher resolution and a smaller screen, which should obviate that.

Another thing I've considered is getting a honking huge piece of plexi-glass and mounting that in a frame with a sealed box behind for the projector. The projector supports this mode. However, this would take up a lot of floor space, negating my plans for a nice clean installation.

I'm also looking to upgrade the sound system, I'm not sure if I should start a new thread for that or if I'll get some advice in this one.

[autonomous_unit]

Yeah, I can understand trading off the image for the room aesthetics... I just wanted to bring it up since you mentioned how you were spoiled by the current DLP images. Have you viewed the rear-projected DLPs in similar lighting to your existing room?

I used to "borrow" a DLP from work once in a while for movie nights, just projecting onto an actual 3x2 foot dry erase board... the image was incredibly good, once we tipped it back to make the specular reflection shoot up over our heads. I've never seen a rear-project unit in a store that matched that image quality... the ones I saw looked like you'd have to really dim the room lighting a lot, and I don't like being in a dark cave.

We don't have any high-def material here, just UBC and DVDs, so I just opted for a 34" direct-view CRT from Panasonic, after comparing a bunch side-to-side at a few stores and preferring its color and lack of flicker. Even this is almost too big as far as looking kind of blurry with the typically over-compressed UBC programs, so I am glad I didn't try to go high-end with a projector etc.

[BigSnake]

[LivinLOS]

Get a cheap secondary display (42 inch samsung plasma for <35k here recently) and use that for the daytime viewing.. Keep the projection system for movie time..

Thats exactly my setup, moving house again in a week so will be shopping for another secondary daytime display (possibly that cheap samsung as quality not vital) and have an Action One from Projection design (the HD2 chip DLP @720p) for movie watching.. Having recently viewed a 1080p Sony projections system with blu-ray I can see the difference but its much more incremental than the upgrades before.. x264 downloaded hidef and perfect DVD9's upscaled by HTPC are good enough for my critical viewing.