4-year-old CRT RPTV Nicer Pic than new DLP?

[JLA1]

I have a 4-year-old 55-inch CRT RPTV 4:3 Toshiba, and I recently viewed some new DLP/LCos/LCD 60-62 inch 16:9 RPTVs using some of my own favorite DVDs (Gladiator, Sense and Sensibility). The new RPTVs were all linked via HDMI to the dvd player (for those sets with HDMI connectors).

Frankly, I was rather dissapointed -- I really felt that my old CRT RPTV had a better, cleaner pic. I viewed all the sets -- including my own in my den (connected to a high-end Pioneer progressive scan DVD player) -- with an 11-foot distance. The LCos/LCD sets I saw had rather poor blacks so that the sets -- no matter how the stores adjusted them -- always seemed to have a slight white/foggy haze over the entire screen and the black bars. The candle-lit scenes in both dvds were particularly dissapointing. The DLP set I saw was much better in this regard but the picture of my old RPTV seemed sharper and cleaner with less noise.

When in letter box mode, my CRT RPTV has a 48-inch diagonal size or about 12 inches less than the new TVs I viewed. Does the bigger 60-inch size contribute to the apparent worsening of the picture clarity/quality? I was really expecting to be blown away by the new sets and to feel like junking my old one -- the revelation to me was how good my old set still seemed to be, its only main disadvantage was size and 4:3 layout. Will the new 1080p sets be better in this regard?

Thanks for your comments and advise!

[cam]

I have a 4-year-old 55-inch CRT RPTV 4:3 Toshiba, and I recently viewed some new DLP/LCos/LCD 60-62 inch 16:9 RPTVs using some of my own favorite DVDs (Gladiator, Sense and Sensibility). The new RPTVs were all linked via HDMI to the dvd player (for those sets with HDMI connectors).

Frankly, I was rather dissapointed -- I really felt that my old CRT RPTV had a better, cleaner pic. I viewed all the sets -- including my own in my den (connected to a high-end Pioneer progressive scan DVD player) -- with an 11-foot distance. The LCos/LCD sets I saw had rather poor blacks so that the sets -- no matter how the stores adjusted them -- always seemed to have a slight white/foggy haze over the entire screen and the black bars. The candle-lit scenes in both dvds were particularly dissapointing. The DLP set I saw was much better in this regard but the picture of my old RPTV seemed sharper and cleaner with less noise.

When in letter box mode, my CRT RPTV has a 48-inch diagonal size or about 12 inches less than the new TVs I viewed. Does the bigger 60-inch size contribute to the apparent worsening of the picture clarity/quality? I was really expecting to be blown away by the new sets and to feel like junking my old one -- the revelation to me was how good my old set still seemed to be, its only main disadvantage was size and 4:3 layout. Will the new 1080p sets be better in this regard?

Thanks for your comments and advise!

I was also looking at the dlp's and was not all that impressed either. And add to that you will probably have to shell out $300 every 1 1/2 for a new lamp. If I was you I would just stay with your current crt rptv if you can. Plasma tv's have really been dropping in price and if you ask me, they have the best picture of any big screens. Plasma's resemble a crt tube tv with blacks and viewing angles. I am still using my 27 inch panasonic gaoo analogue 4:3 tv because I have been waiting for years for the technology to be perfected and for the prices to drop.

I know what I plan on doing, dumping my 27 and getting a toshiba 34h85 crt tube widescreen tv so I can get hdtv now, and then if all goes the way I think it is, getting a 50 - 55 inch plasma in about 2 years and then demoting the toshiba to bedroom duties.

Plasma's are now rated to 60,000 hours and they do not have the burn in issue that people think they have. Some people think that if you watch cnn for too long the cnn logo will burn in. They are not like that, they can burn in but it would take a week of a still image to do so. And if it does burn in, I know the samsung's have a feature that can erase any burns.

If you buy a 50 inch Plasma right now you will be spending more then a 50 inch dlp. After a few lamp replacements for the dlp, the dlp could now be costing you more.

[EdwardGein]

I'm in total love with my Mitsubishi 48" rear Projection widescreen VTR HDTV (cost all of $1600 new a year or so ago including delivery & installation)- picture is perfect & I honestly haven't seen any better. Based on that, I bought a 30" Samsung widescreen CRT HDTV for around $750 including everything also around a year ago for my bedroom for which the TV is on top of my dresser, I might be able to go up to 37", no bigger, because of space limitations.
Anyway, the picture is very good but unfortunately, there is still a night & day difference between that & the 48" one. Going through places like Circuit City & others, I didn't really see any CRT HDTV's under 37" that had a notceable better picture- afew of them looked more cosmetically high tech which I like but the pictures were pretty much the same. I did notice that on some, that is the keyword, some, LCD's between 30-37", the picture was noticeable better. Unfortunately, I don't have $1500 or so to buy one now & psychologically I just am not ready to spend the same amount on a 32" one that I did on my 48" one. I keep checking Craigs list & other places in search of a bargain, but I haven't seen any, in fact some of these morons list used TV's for not that much less then what you could one new.
As for non HD 4:3 shows, the bars don't bother me but I'm not thrilled with the picture either on both sets. This doesn't have anything to do with the set, its the 4:3 format & the
cable company, so I would accept that part.

[ToddL]

If you are looking for a new set and cost isn't number one on the list check out the Sony SXRD it comes in 50, 60 or 70 and you should notice a difference in the black levels and also reds(they are not orange!) Also motion is good and there are no visible pixels. It blows away all other sets that I have seen.I have heard good things about a similar JVC 1080P but haven't seen it.