Help with 27-32" wide HD

[terpfanatic]

I changed my TV search criteria for the time being. I was looking into a big screen (rear projection most likely, or projector if i found an apartment/house that would allow it) well the housing search is going slowly, so I am going to start looking for a smaller 27-32 inch television. I want widescreen and HD.

I didnt realize that these televisions could easily reach 1k in price. Ive seen a couple that are aound the 500-800 mark. I'm looking for some input as far as what to look for. I dont want to spend the premium money for flat panel. So I guess I'm looking at tubes.

Are they in danger of burn-in or are they similar to there non-HD/wide counterparts. I will be using this TV in my bedroom, for some movies, and videogames.

thanks

[woodman]

I changed my TV search criteria for the time being. I was looking into a big screen (rear projection most likely, or projector if i found an apartment/house that would allow it) well the housing search is going slowly, so I am going to start looking for a smaller 27-32 inch television. I want widescreen and HD.

I didnt realize that these televisions could easily reach 1k in price. Ive seen a couple that are aound the 500-800 mark. I'm looking for some input as far as what to look for. I dont want to spend the premium money for flat panel. So I guess I'm looking at tubes.

Are they in danger of burn-in or are they similar to there non-HD/wide counterparts. I will be using this TV in my bedroom, for some movies, and videogames.

thanks

Any and all direct-view CRTs are susceptible to what's erroneously called "burn-in". Also, a set with the screen size you're talking about will not make effective use of HiDef signals.

My advice? Get yourself a 32" Toshiba conventional analog set to watch until your housing search is resolved. Then, you can go ahead with a HiDef "big screen" that will be suitable for the environment in which it will be placed. Do not waste your money on a more expensive direct-view set with a 16:9 ratio screen and HDTV capabilities.

[This Guy]

I'm gonna second Woodman. I bought a 32" Toshiba 32A43 a little over a month ago. Great picture quality, great price ($380+$100 for 4 year extended warranty+tax comes to a total of around $525). I like it, slightly better picture quality of the $480 RCA that decided to fail on me after 1.5 years. Don't get the cheaper 32" Toshiba makes, it doesn't have enough inputs for all your uses. You could even go with the 36A43 and still have money to spend. Woodman knows what he's talking about, he's one of the main reasons I picked this TV ( consumer reports reassured me aswell).

-Joey

[terpfanatic]

Well, I already have a 27" tv, that is working fine. I was only looking to purchase an upgrade, but it sounds like what I was looking at wont be much of an upgrade. I guess this freshly graduated enginering salary will have to burn a whole through my pockets another way.

and yes I can see that Woodman knows what he is talking about. he gave me some good advice on a projector, and If I ever find a place to live, I already know what ill be getting.

Thanks for the advice!

[AVMASTER]

. Do not waste your money on a more expensive direct-view set with a 16:9 ratio screen and HDTV capabilities.[/QUOTE]
Why would you recommend not buying such a television? perhaps this is for his particular situation?

[woodman]

. Do not waste your money on a more expensive direct-view set with a 16:9 ratio screen and HDTV capabilities.

Why would you recommend not buying such a television? perhaps this is for his particular situation?

I do not recommend the purchase of a "widescreen" 16:9 direct-view CRT set for any situation because of the exhorbitant cost of the tube. Although outright failures of CRTs are indeed rare, they can and do happen - making the purchase of one a definite gamble. If one were to buy one of these sets and the picture tube failed shortly after the warranty had expired, the poor, unfortunate owner would be faced with buying a whole new set for another large chunk of cash, since the cost of replacing the tube would be about the same as the price of another new set! In my view, this sort of a gamble is just not worth the risk.

Those that insist that direct-view CRT sets are capable of waaaaay better picture quality, are simply being misled by the smaller screen size (which automatically makes the pix appear to be "better"). In television, the smaller the screen size, the "sharper" - "crisper" - "better" the pix will look ... always. The simple fact of the matter is, that CRT-based RPTVs today are capable of pix quality that's right on a par with the direct-views - which is not to say that they always deliver this level of performance "right out of the box", but the capability for it exists nonetheless.

[AVMASTER]

ok, so what is your asessment of something like the Samsung 26" widescreen HDTV ($600.)? Given the fact that any display device could fail, this set is relatively inexpensive, widescreen and has the ATSC tuner- would you say that under the given circumstance for Terpfanatic, that this set actually meets his requirements? I'll take it that you suggested the 32" analog Toshiba based mostly on price but don't you think he would be better off with something "future-ready"? not looking for a fight- just curious

[woodman]

ok, so what is your asessment of something like the Samsung 26" widescreen HDTV ($600.)? Given the fact that any display device could fail, this set is relatively inexpensive, widescreen and has the ATSC tuner- would you say that under the given circumstance for Terpfanatic, that this set actually meets his requirements? I'll take it that you suggested the 32" analog Toshiba based mostly on price but don't you think he would be better off with something "future-ready"? not looking for a fight- just curious

If the viewer could sit within 3-4 ft. of the screen, such a set might make some sense. If not, then I'd call it an oxymoron. I certainly would never buy such a set for my own use. I'd rather have a 36" 4:3 set for about the same amount of money. It would give a much larger picture even when viewing 16:9 ratio programming than a 26" widescreen. But again, if the CRT in that 26" widescreen set were to fail in the 25th month, I for one would not be a very happy camper to have to go out and spend another $600 for a replacement - would YOU?

[terpfanatic]

these all seem like very good points, thanks for giving me more info.

Actually i usually do sit 4 feet from my TV in my bedroom. I mostly play video games, which by the way are in 480p (XBOX). And I also usually watch movies as I go to bed which is about 7 feet away. Its a small bedroom, 9 X 11 I think. Does it still seem that my plans would not be much of an upgrade from my current analog 27".

I dont know that I'm concerned with the possibility that a tube TV will break and It will cost the price of a new TV to fix or replace, Unless ofcourse that possibility is high.