I'm in the market to buy a television & need assistance.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Yes, the JVC comes with the stand shown.  Had to be assembled, which took me about an hour with no help.  BTW, the Best Buy price of the TV was $2499 only 2 weeks ago, and now it's $2249.  I would complain, but since I only paid $1999 for the TV I had to have replaced under warranty and another $100 for this TV, I still did alright.

IMO, the LCD projection pic is 95% as good as plasma on average.  In fact, LCD flat panel is more expensive than plasma.  The reason plasmas are so much more expensive than LCD projection is that...
A.  It's 'cool' to have a plasma.
B.  The picture is slightly better, so people with a lot of money will pay a lot more just to have the 'best'.
C.  Plasmas are tiny and can be wall-mounted.  They have a small 'footprint'.  LCD projection TV's are about 15" deep and must be on a stand.

I would say that better Sony (the $3500 one) is noticeably slightly nicer than my JVC, and the technology is more advanced (not $1000+ better, but better).  However, I would put the JVC up against the cheaper Sony any day of the week.  Plus, the bigger JVC is on sale, too... if you want to step up to 56".  I would have to say my 52" seems just as big as the 57" CRT projection TV we used to have, because it's that much clearer.  Also, I would really look hard at the Toshiba and Samsung DLP TV's.  Definitely great sets.  Really, it's all about getting the settings just right for your TV.  The $30 or less you'd spend on a DVD to set up your audio and video settings is worth every penny.  I got the Avia DVD, and after customizing the color/sharpness/etc settings, I couldn't believe the difference.  Most of the TV's on display at Best Buy are set up for factory settings.

Again, have no delusions... plasma is super-sexy and will give you the best picture possible in 50"+, but by how much is the question...  However, once you start to get burn-in or fade (usually within 5-7 years), your TV is as good as dead.  Whereas an LCD projection TV has no known reason to not last quite some time, excepting a bulb replacement (might run you in the $300 range) every 4-5 years or so.  And if you aren't amazed my the picture quality (especially in HD) of your LCD TV, you could always go back to Best Buy within 30 days and trade "up" to a plasma.

As for the CableCard, I think you could get HD with it, but not use OnDemand at all.  I would recommend starting out with an HD box from Comcast and doing the research on the CableCard later.

P.S.  Kudos on having zero debt.  Most people at least have a car payment or a mortgage.  But why not get a TV that's way nicer than anything you've had before, along with a quality surround-sound system and everything else you'd need with your money, instead of spending so much on a TV that you're worried about $5/month for the HDTV digital cable box?

[Susquehanna Birder]

anyway btwn me and my girl we have over 10 g's coming back to us courtesy of uncle sam...so its not as if im spending all my loot

As an aside...it sounds like you need to adjust your withholding. It's great to get a nice check from the government, but if you can keep more each payday, you'll probably be better off.

Just a thought FWIW.

[Susquehanna Birder]

IMO, the LCD projection pic is 95% as good as plasma on average.  In fact, LCD flat panel is more expensive than plasma.  The reason plasmas are so much more expensive than LCD projection is that...
A.  It's 'cool' to have a plasma.
B.  The picture is slightly better, so people with a lot of money will pay a lot more just to have the 'best'.
C.  Plasmas are tiny and can be wall-mounted.  They have a small 'footprint'.  LCD projection TV's are about 15" deep and must be on a stand.

I think you're coloring things a little to favor your argument, but you're not too far off, I guess. There is an issue of off-center viewing, too. RPs have gotten much better, but they still don't hold a candle to plasma. And my personal experience is that there is a pretty remarkable difference in picture quality. I've had at least 4 different neighbors, all with RPTVs, tell me how much brighter and clearer the picture is on my TV.

However, once you start to get burn-in or fade (usually within 5-7 years), your TV is as good as dead.

Hogwash.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Not hogwash.  Even proponents of plasma admit that permanent burn-in and burn-out is a real problem.  That said, it all depends on how often you watch TV.  A good screen should last 10 years under use on the light side of average.  I somehow doubt IGY would watch his TV on the "light side of average", though.

And you talk about RPTV's as if they're all the same.  CRT != LCD, especially in viewing angles.

A good LCD projection TV has viewing angles that are plenty wide.  Seriously, how "side angle" would anyone want to watch their TV on a regular basis?  Also, the LCD flat panels now rival plasmas in viewing angle.

I know, like every other plasma owner, you don't want to feel you threw away money.  Guess what?  You didn't.  You bought what is hands-down the best type of overall big-screen TV available on the market.  That said, the price jump to plasma from the best RPTV's out there is still high for anyone that doesn't have/make a ton of money.  The bottom line is that the newest LCD technologies put out a picture that is amazingly good and they cost roughly half of a similarly-sized plasma screen.  Are you going to sit here and argue that the picture on your plasma screen is literally anywhere close to TWICE as good as the picture on my LCD RPTV?  Didn't think so.

The reason I'm suggesting he not go with plasma is that the picture quality will be stunning for him either way, since it's his first HDTV.  And since he's even the slightest bit concerned about an extra $5/month for the HD cable box or paying for any kind of adequate supporting sound system, it's obvious that he's not in an income bracket where he might as well get the absolute best available at any cost.  You don't have to be dirt poor to appreciate a good value.

[Susquehanna Birder]

Not hogwash.  Even proponents of plasma admit that permanent burn-in and burn-out is a real problem.

Sure, if you abuse the screen. But for anybody who actually knows what they are doing, your "in 5-7 years it'll be dead" point is way out of line. And plasma makers these days say that the current screens offer a lifecycle quite comparable with direct-view CRT screens. The current "half brightness" figure is usually 60,000 hours. If you watch 8 hours a day, that's more than 20 years.

And you talk about RPTV's as if they're all the same.  CRT != LCD, especially in viewing angles.

I know they're not all the same. But even the better ones still have to rely on a projection system, regardless of how the image is created (CRT/LCD/DLP). There are definitely some good ones, but I still see distortion, even if it is more off-axis that what most people use.

Seriously, how "side angle" would anyone want to watch their TV on a regular basis?

On a regular basis is one thing, but there are definitely times when it is an issue. Say if you have a room full of people watching football, you really can't park everybody directly on front of the screen. Or in my case, my family room and kitchen are connected via a large opening, and if I want to watch something on the screen while sitting at the kitchen table, I don't want the annoying distortion.

Also, the LCD flat panels now rival plasmas in viewing angle.

Agreed, but that's not what I was talking about.


Look, I'm not arguing that your advice to IGY bad. I just wanted to clarify a few things. This is one of those semi-religious issues where I tell people to avoid getting advice from others, because it all comes down to a value judgement based on personal preference. It's best for people to take their time, go out and test drive all the technology out there, and select the best thing, with the features they want, that they can reasonably afford.

[ice grillin you]

As an aside...it sounds like you need to adjust your withholding. It's great to get a nice check from the government, but if you can keep more each payday, you'll probably be better off.

i know this...im bad though...right now i like the lump sum payment and cant get off it even though i tell myself to do so every march


as for the plasma argument...i wont pretend to even know a little bit about it...BUT...the best buy sales associate told me last night to NOT buy a plasma for that burn in reason...he said even he never recommends them...that they are for limited viewing...watching big events...not for extended viewing...he said its for people who have money and tell themselves that they will get the best product on the market and thne in five years they will just buy another one...

anyway

i did it....

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start?ProductSKU=KDFE55A20&Dept=tvvideo&CategoryName=tv_hdtv_projectiontv_55%22to80%22

$2399.00


couple questions on the accessories...i got this stand http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start?ProductSKU=SURG11M

for $300 bucks...is that generally what youre going to pay...or can i find something more cost effective

dook at the store tried to sell me component cables for $80 per cable...sounded nuts to me so i didnt get them...should i have???


surge protector = http://www.powersystemsdirect.com/Monster_Cable/Monster_Power_MPB1100_Stage_2_Powerbar_Surge_Protector_103.php

will that do what i need??

[Wingspan]

you need good cables. but they dont have to say MONSTER on the package. radioshack sells the generic equivelant for about $14-$25 and they do just a good of a job as monsters.

[ice grillin you]

radio shacks will be marked as generic component cables??

[MURP]

http://www.radioshack.com/sm-component-cables--fi-2032246_cp-2032058.2032228.html

[ice grillin you]

word em up

thanks

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

That TV is teh hotness, IGY.  BTW, since I really liked the 50" version of the same Sony, I was hoping to find the stand for cheap, so I could justify it.  No such luck, so I bought the TV with the stand included to save a couple hundred.

So, the $300 you paid for the stand is expected.  Don't know if you needed to spend $200 on a surge protector, but that will definitely be everything you need and then some.

HD box + cables from the "Shack", and you will be straight pimpin'.

[ice grillin you]

the surge protect was actually 170...but oh well


HD box + cables from the "Shack", and you will be straight pimpin'

excellent

thanks again...if we ever run into each other i owe you a beer or six

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

You owe me nothing, but I learned from a wise man long time ago to never turn down free beer.

[SunMo]

excellent

thanks again...if we ever run into each other i owe you a beer or six

what do i get for my misinformation regarding HD TV?

[ice grillin you]

your consolation prize is an official wild bills anti squirrel bird feeder...its my last one...it electrocutes squirrels when they sit on the bar and try to eat the bird seed...because you know...birds cant have their feetsies electrocuted


you also get a years supply of rice a roni the sdanfrancisco treat...a case of turtle wax...and a set of encyclopedia britannica