OjLeno
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Oct 9, 2008, 7:19 PM
Post #1 of 4
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My budget is $3000
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Well, if I sell a couple of my toys, I could stretch this to $3,300.
Thanks in advance. I know you regulars here must be tired of these questions. I come to you because I'm unable to find clear answers to some questions I still have after weeks of research. Perhaps there aren't clear answers... but I need to at lest make an attempt to educate myself before taking the plunge. I don't want to depend on the sales rep to educate me on the spot.
Some facts: I sit 15 feet away from my current TV (which is a 32 inch rounded [non-flat] non HD tubed TV).
I have a window to one side of the room which is 4.5ft tall by 12ft long (a big window), which faces pretty much to the west.
As much as I don't want to say it, I believe my primary concern with the purchase of a new TV is going to be reflection/glare. As of a year ago, I was hearing that LCD's were the way to go if you were concerned about glare. They sales rep at Best Buy states that plasmas have become better (caught up) on this issue. We, at the time, were discussing the Pioneer Kuro PDP 5020FD plasma TV.
#1 So... are the new plasma displays indeed catching up (anti-glare-wise) to LCD displays? If this is "in certain cases only" or "with certain coatings only", what coating should I be asking for? Or, in general, what manufacturers tend to be known as good in this department of glare issues? Also, should this really be my first priority in the first place? (Are both LCD and Plasma displays going to be much less reflective than the tube TV I have now?) Should I just take a flashlight to the store with me to try testing this myself?
There is only about 1-1.5hrs of the evenings (thanks to a large overhang) where I have to draw the curtains in order to see my current TV. I know that the problem is exacerbated on my current TV because of its glass surface and because that surface is convex. This may be offset (on the flip side) by the fact that the new LCD or Plasma that I purchase will be much wider than my current TV. Another point I would have to add to both sides of the equation is that I live in sunny San Diego (but I don't complain about that too much :).
#2 I have the budget to actually purchase the Pioneer Kuro 50inch PDP5020FD. However, CNET's HDTV for beginner's website is showing me that I really should get a 60-inch display, which the website states has a max viewing distance (for a 16:9 display) of 15ft.
If this is true (and I do trust CNET), then I all of a sudden feel constrained (even with a $3,000 budget). Most websites say that above 50-52 inches, plasmas are better on your wallet. So if it IS the case that I should go with LCD due to glare (which I'm hoping you can all shed some light on for me), then I can no longer afford the proper size LCD display for my room. Am I looking at this right? My mindset right now is that I should purchase a display between 56-60inches.
#3 I really really really had my mind set on getting a GOOD quality (it doesn't have to be "highest quality") 1080p display. My idea (a few years down the road) was to purchase a low-profile (mini) PC and to use that PC (along with a small array of large-storage hard drives) to store movies on and/or what not.
If you have any pointers, I'd love to read them. As you can see, I'm struggling on the point of how to align my priorities in the purchase of a new display. I've been holding off (due to purchases of other things/furniture/stuff the wife wants) for 3-4 years now, and I always told her this would be about $3,000. I'm looking to buy around Dec/Jan/Feb (Christmas bonus/PTO cash out/IRS tax return).
Thanks again!
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