Anyone buyin a DLP telemavision anytime soon? Or have one already? HELP ME, FUCK

T

travelyan

Contributor
Veteran XX
I was at best buy just now for about four hours staring at different sets in the HDTV section and finally came down to either...

2005 Toshiba 52" HD-Ready DLP ($2499):
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=6355785&type=product&id=1076628953526

6355785_ra.jpg


Product Height 35-1/8"
Product Width 53-3/8"
Product Weight 85 lbs.
Product Length 15-1/4"
Screen Size 52"
Aspect Ratio 16:9
Display Type DLP Projection
Digitally Compatible Yes
Horizontal Resolution 720
Digital Capabilities HD-ready
Vertical Scanning Lines (Native Mode) 1080i
Pixels 1280 x 720
S-Video Inputs 3 (1 front)
Component Video Inputs 2
Click to expand...

What I liked: bright vibrant colors, sharp and clear
What I didn't like: silver bezel, front panel buttons hard to push


VERSUS


2006 Samsung 46" HD/DCR DLP ($2499):
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7126282&type=product&id=1110265593112

7126282_ra.jpg


Product Height 32"
Product Width 42-7/8"
Product Weight 66.8 lbs.
Product Length 13-1/2"
Screen Size 46"
Aspect Ratio 16:9
Display Type Rear-projection DLP
Digitally Compatible Yes
Horizontal Resolution 1280
Digital Capabilities HD built-in DCR
Vertical Scanning Lines (Native Mode) 720p
Pixels 1280 x 720
S-Video Inputs 3 (1 side, 2 rear)
Component Video Inputs 2
VGA/SVGA Inputs 1
Click to expand...

What I liked: black bezel, great interface, VGA/SVGA input (computer monitor!)
What I didn't like: didnt seem AS sharp as the toshiba, coulda just been different factory settings

So a 52" tv and a 46" tv, both $2499, samsung's a little newer and has VGA, HDMI, and firewire ports... toshiba probably has a very negligible neck up on picture quality

Cliff's: read the post and offer some advice if you got any please :sunny: :)
 
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Who presses front panel buttons anymore? They have these gadgets called remote controls now Travelyn. :)
 
me and my roomates are thinking about going with a projector, anyone have any experience with them?
 
uno said:
me and my roomates are thinking about going with a projector, anyone have any experience with them?
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I've got a Panasonic L500U. Great projector. Best resource is probably AVS forums (dot com). You need to decide on how much you want to spend, whether you want DLP or LCD, how much room you have for the throw length, the lumens you need for the room you are in etc.

If you want a large viewing area with no footprint then a projector is the way to go.
 
go to the avs forum (search on google) They have everything you could ever want to know about 720p vs 1080i and which is better for a tv's native resolution based on what you want to be doing with it. watching movies, playing console games, etc...
 
Ive got the next model up of that Toshiba. I think the only difference is an extra hdmi input and black trim around the screen. Ive had it for about 3 months now and have no complaints. The picture quality on the HD channels is really amazing, and standard cable is actually not as bad as some of the other hi def tv's Ive seen. Both the Toshiba and Samsung are very nice sets and you really cant go wrong with either one. I would have probably gone with the Samsung, but Video Only here in the San Fran area does not carry Samsung.

If you happen to live in Cali you might want to look for a Video Only. They got me the 52hmx84 toshiba for 2100 out the door. About 800 bucks less than Fry's was selling it for at the time. You also might want to wait a couple months for Samsungs new 1080p native monitors to come down in price a bit. Im not sure if they're out yet or what.
 
i have a 10% off coupon which expires june 30, so i definitely want to buy before then. i can wait longer for price to come down but how much can it possibly come down in 40 days
 
Well I really have no complaints about the Toshiba at all. It does everything I bought it for perfectly, but there are some things you should be aware of about dlp before you buy one. Standard Cable will not look as good on it as it will on a normal CRT television. Some channels look downright crappy. There is also the famous rainbow effect that is associated with dlp tv. It is definitely there in certain conditions, usually when the screen is dark and there is a single lightsource like a flashlight. It does not happen very often. I probably notice them 3 or 4 times a day in very specific situations. Really a non issue to me. Both the Samsung and the Toshiba will have this minor annoyance. Really those are my only 2 minor gripes, and its just the way the tech is.

The upside is that HDTV looks fucking insane. Sports and all the nature shit they show on the hd channels are really amazing to watch. Games are awesome especially 720p games like Amped 2 or Soul caliber. I essentially bought this TV for the next generation of consoles since they will all be in hdtv. That is when they will really shine. DVD's look great for the most part, althout some older ones really show grain. Anyway Im very happy with the purchase. Cant go wrong with either TV.
 
lil bastard said:
There is also the famous rainbow effect that is associated with dlp tv. It is definitely there in certain conditions, usually when the screen is dark and there is a single lightsource like a flashlight. It does not happen very often. I probably notice them 3 or 4 times a day in very specific situations. Really a non issue to me. Both the Samsung and the Toshiba will have this minor annoyance.
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This is definitely dependent on the person as well as which DLP you actually have as there are different versions (or whatever).

There are plenty of people on AVS forum who have never seen it (such as myself)...and there are plenty of people who have (yourself). It just has something to do with the way a persons eyes are wired. :)

ps...as far as the regular tv looking bad on yours. Have you ever owned a large screen tv before this? Because I agree it is bad on regular TV but they explain it on AVS forums nicely...if you take a low res pic (standard tv) and make it big...its gunna look like crap. (crap in...crap out).
 
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Vertical Scanning Lines (Native Mode) 1080i
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that's a misprint. both sets have the same native resolution (1280x720, aka 720p).

that said, i'd probably do what lil bastard said and try to grab an HMX series Toshiba (if you can find it) since it has two HDMI inputs (you'll want these for later). the only downside to the Toshibas is that they don't support CableCARD, but i'd probably go with Toshiba since their screen sizes are so much larger at the same price point. i generally prefer the Samsungs very slightly over their comparable Toshiba counterparts, but the PQ difference is negligible (especially once properly calibrated). if you like the idea of a CableCARD though, go with Samsung.

you might still even be able to find some of the 2004 model Samsung DLP TVs (HL-Pxx63) for a killer price since they're being phased out. the new models use TI's newest DLP chip, but i don't think it's significantly better than the HD3 chip used in the xx63's. i also really don't like how the new xx67 models only have ONE digital video input (HDMI)...the xx63 models had DVI and HDMI inputs! the xx63 models do NOT have a CableCARD slot, though.

in regards to the new 1080p Samsungs, it's still gonna be another few months before they actually make their way into stores. for you, it's probably not worth it to get one, but when they hit the market it will certainly drive the prices of the current 720p DLPs down. Samsung originally announced availability of the 1080p TVs for this February; they then pushed it back to mid-April, then to late May, and now i'm hearing June/July! vaporware++

in short, you really can't go wrong here, but i'd try to either find last year's Samsungs on clearance (my cousin got a 50" Samsung last weekend @ Circuit City for $1989 + tax) or i'd get an HMX series Toshiba DLP TV so you get an extra HDMI input. make also, sure you hit up Circuit City -- they were MUCH cheaper than the Best Buy here in DFW. gl!
 
LostDuck said:
This is definitely dependent on the person as well as which DLP you actually have as there are different versions (or whatever).

There are plenty of people on AVS forum who have never seen it (such as myself)...and there are plenty of people who have (yourself). It just has something to do with the way a persons eyes are wired. :)
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i have seen the DLP rainbow effect on every DLP display device (projector or RPTV) except for the Sim2 Seleco HT-300LINK projector ($15k) and the Marantz VP-12s2, s3, and s4 projectors (~$12k). i've been able to see rainbows on EVERY other DLP-based display i have ever seen (and i've seen quite a few). some hide it MUCH better than others, but if i really look hard i can see it on all of them except those two i listed above.

that said, it totally depends on the person's eyes as well. you can have 20/20 vision and not see it; it has nothing to do with that. a good 90%+ of the population can't even see them if they try. just do yourself a favor and don't try really hard to look for them cuz if you do they'll start jumping out at you all the damn time :(
 
i was just about to snag one of the previous generation samsung dlp 46" for 2099 just before they pulled them from the shelves for the new models, reason i wanna do best buy is the 10% off coupon will cover seattle's 8.9% sales tax nicely and leave me enough cash to get the service plan (i hear the bulbs/lamps/whatever dont last terribly long)

so i probably missed the boat by a week. odds of finding one are slim, and two best buys here claim to have sold completely out of them when they went on clearance. fuck.

i like the idea of a 52" tv for 2499, and toshiba looks good... i also like the idea of the vga input on the samsung for a big ass hi def monitor for my computer. i'm unbelievably torn ;)
 
Had my TV for over a year now...no bulb replacements. :shrug:

Remember to use your REWARDS card at Best Buy...that will be worth some money back too.
 
Travelyan said:
i was just about to snag one of the previous generation samsung dlp 46" for 2099 just before they pulled them from the shelves for the new models, reason i wanna do best buy is the 10% off coupon will cover seattle's 8.9% sales tax nicely and leave me enough cash to get the service plan (i hear the bulbs/lamps/whatever dont last terribly long)

so i probably missed the boat by a week. odds of finding one are slim, and two best buys here claim to have sold completely out of them when they went on clearance. fuck.

i like the idea of a 52" tv for 2499, and toshiba looks good... i also like the idea of the vga input on the samsung for a big ass hi def monitor for my computer. i'm unbelievably torn ;)
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well if you're in seattle, you can go to the actual OneCall.com store (it's called Huppin's Hi-Fi and they're based somewhere in Washington). i saw a deal on the net saying they're doing a big clearance on the 56" HL-P5663 Samsung DLPs for like $1999. you should check them out!

edit-- found the link: http://ww2.onecall.com/PID_22990.htm - this is the best deal on an HDTV of ANY type that i've seen in a LOOOOOOONG time.
 
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The only advice I can give is to see the sets in person in as many places as possible. People have various opinions on what they consider good but you are paying for the set and you have to be happy with your final decision. Go to a few stores and see the models you are interested in displaying SD, HD, DVD etc.. and then make you final decision.

I have the older Samsung HLP set and it is wonderful. I went through CC since the price was better and Best Buy did not have the model I wanted in stock anyway.

This is what you can expect as far as gaming, Trav.

tv_samsung1.jpg


Text is the only thing that is difficult to see but it does have a zoom feature that I used when I played WoW.
 
I am buying the 2nd one in the original post before football season.

while marantz is in this thread, in your opinion, what is the best home theater speaker set (incl. subwoofer) for under $400? this is for a 5.1 setup, no more...
 
Picture quality is going to annoy you far more then the color of the plastic trim pieces (unless it's like hotpink).
So you need to be looking at PQ, features (inputs, stands/mounting, etc) and total cost of ownership (warranty, known repair issues such as bulbs).
 
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