Opinions Wanted: Big Screens

[Mark]

It looks like it's finally time to make the jump to big
screen / HDTV.

Given the options available, and not being a wealthy man,
I've put rear-projection, and specifically Toshiba at the
top of the list.

Anyone care to agree or differ?

 

[LASERandDVDfan]

Given the options available, and not being a wealthy man,

I've put rear-projection, and specifically Toshiba at the
top of the list.

Toshiba is a good choice.

Consider Sony, Hitachi, and Toshiba.

If anything, definitely consider Hitachi over Toshiba. Although I think the
Sonys look a bit better, but that's me. - Reinhart

 

[Leonard Caillouet]

Mark,

CRT based RPTV is certainly the best value, and the best performance
overall.
My recommendation would be Mitsubishi first, Hitachi, Sony and Toshiba
second, maybe include Panasonic, and stay away from everything else.
Mitsubishi and Hitachi are the best in terms of customer support. All of
the first four are similar in terms of service support, with Hitachi getting
kudos for opening their service literature to any servicer for free.
Toshiba has been more tight on parts inventory in the past couple of years
and Sony is shrinking its internal service support network. Overall,
Mitsubishi is hard to beat. They seem to be responding to input from sales
and service dealers in the design of new products and perform well under
most signal conditions compared to the others. Some people like the
"stretch" modes on the Toshiba better.

Compare model to model and check the options for service. If your dealer
does not do his own service make sure that you buy a brand serviced by the
most experienced RPTV tech in your area.

 

[James Sweet]

Mark,

CRT based RPTV is certainly the best value, and the best performance
overall.
My recommendation would be Mitsubishi first, Hitachi, Sony and Toshiba
second, maybe include Panasonic, and stay away from everything else.
Mitsubishi and Hitachi are the best in terms of customer support. All of
the first four are similar in terms of service support, with Hitachi getting
kudos for opening their service literature to any servicer for free.
Toshiba has been more tight on parts inventory in the past couple of years
and Sony is shrinking its internal service support network. Overall,
Mitsubishi is hard to beat. They seem to be responding to input from sales
and service dealers in the design of new products and perform well under
most signal conditions compared to the others. Some people like the
"stretch" modes on the Toshiba better.

Compare model to model and check the options for service. If your dealer
does not do his own service make sure that you buy a brand serviced by the
most experienced RPTV tech in your area.

And either way, as soon as you bring it home, do a proper calibration on the
picture, you can get inexpensive DVD's to do this, I think mine is Digital
Video Essentials, but there's another one I heard is better, either will
work though. From the factory the brightness and contrast is generally
cranked WAY up, this dramatically reduces picture tube life.

 

[Leonard G. Caillouet]

James is probably thinking of the Avia disc. I hear it is easier to
navigate but may not have as many patterns in various formats. I use the
DVE as well, myself.

Leonard Caillouet