LCD v DLP v plasma

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BruceinFL said:
The DLP bulb is very bright, therefore hot. That's why there is a cooling fan that runs to cool it down after the TV is turned off. In case of a power interruption, the cooling fan doesn't run and if the power comes back on too soon or the TV is turned off and then back on right away, the bulb may fail. Fortunately, I had a salesman who was up on this and suggested an uninerruptible power source (UPS) because we have short term power interruptions /failures all the time here in FL especially during the rainy season with lightning strikes. As a result, I have had no bulb failures in the 2 years I have had the DLP. I also wait at least 30 seconds-1 minute after turning the set off before we turn it back on again. So, if you get a DLP, or for that matter any new TV, use a back-up UPS to protect it just as you do with a computer or any other piece of valuable electronics equipment.
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My grandson does use a UPS but it hasn't prevented the failures.
 
A UPS is a good idea, since it doesn't really cost much more than good quality surge protector anyway. Digital tvs don't have a high wattage, so a small UPS does it nicely.  I didn't do that on mine simply because I didn't think of it until after I had bought a surge protector.  Then it was  HPOF!  ::)

My Panasonic fan runs til the bulb is cooled, which I think is the way they all work now-a-days.  I don't think a rapid off/on cycle harms anything except it is another power cycle, which is a  wear & tear factor by itself.
 
RV Roamer said:
My Panasonic fan runs til the bulb is cooled, which I think is the way they all work now-a-days.  I don't think a rapid off/on cycle harms anything except it is another power cycle, which is a  wear & tear factor by itself.
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The manual (Samsung) sez to wait before turning back on again so I do.

We just love HD. Looking at regular TV is like trying to read without my eyeglasses on.  ;D
 
BruceinFL said:
We just love HD. Looking at regular TV is like trying to read without my eyeglasses on
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Hey Bruce, just for clarification, are you talking about HD on a HDTV set, regular programming on a HDTV set, or both? Do you get your channels via cable, satellite or off the air?

I'm currently on satellite and I understand I need both a triple LNB dish (or even a 5 LNB dish for more sets) and a different box in order to get HD signals, although I can watch regular programming using my existing setup. I'm told by a neighbor that I can get HD local signals from a terrestial antenna.

TIA
 
Tom said:
Hey Bruce, just for clarification, are you talking about HD on a HDTV set, regular programming on a HDTV set, or both? Do you get your channels via cable, satellite or off the air?

I'm currently on satellite and I understand I need both a triple LNB dish (or even a 5 LNB dish for more sets) and a different box in order to get HD signals, although I can watch regular programming using my existing setup. I'm told by a neighbor that I can get HD local signals from a terrestial antenna.

TIA
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Talking about HDTV channels on the DLP. I get mine via cable. Don't have satellite. You can get HD signals from local stations but that's the majors and some PBS stations. Trouble is, there's not much actual HD programming except for some sports events and specials. Besides, most of, the programming on the majors (ABC, CBS, NBC, etc) stinks. Most of the reality shows, sitcoms, etc are enough to make a reasonably literate person gag.
 
BruceinFL said:
Trouble is, there's not much actual HD programming except for some sports events and specials.
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As far as I can tell, that's also true on Satellite. BTW I'd switch to cable if it weren't for the fact that we take one of the satellite receivers with us in the RV.
 
I use cable and get most HD programming, except for a few extra cost HD channels. We get several dedicated channels of HD, e.g. HBO, Showtime Discovery HD, etc.  Football in HD is a real knockout - enough to get me watching some football again after a long hiatus!  The network channels have some primetime HD.  Had to get a new cable box for HD, but it was no extra charge because we already had digital cable service.  At this time I wouldn't pay any extra to get a tv with an HD tuner built in - just get an HD-ready tv and let the "box" (cable or satellite) handle the tuning.
 
Good to know about the cable HD channels Gary, thanks. Also, you're making me rethink the tuner issue. I've procrastinated for the last two years, I might as well take another two to make up my mind.

Last time I went through these gyrations Mitsubishi made the largest tube set - 40". By the time I made up my mind to buy one, they no longer made them and all the stores had sold out. That's how I ended up with a 36", which is now at our daughter's house. I just hope the tubes in this 42" rear projection set from our prior house last long enough for me to decide. The picture just gets dimmer and dimmer.
 
Tom said:
As far as I can tell, that's also true on Satellite. BTW I'd switch to cable if it weren't for the fact that we take one of the satellite receivers with us in the RV.
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We have a very small cable Tv company here - maybe a couple of thousand customers. We get 17 HD channels al be it some are pay. We have one that I'm not so sure how many others get which is called Wealth TV HD. The program pictures are fantastic quality in keeping with theiir name. There ads are something else. Like a tour of a used Gulfstream IV that can be yours for just $28 million or this yacht for only $150 million. No toothpaste ads on this baby.
 
Thanks Leo. I just can't wait to see the ads in HD  ;D
 
Tom said:
I just hope the tubes in this 42" rear projection set from our prior house last long enough for me to decide. The picture just gets dimmer and dimmer.
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Tom

I don't know, our 37" Mitsubishi rear projection set was bought in 1983 and is still going strong
 
Bernie,

This rear projection is a Sony and, as I think back, we haven't really been happy with it since we bought it sometime around 1990. I think that's one reason I bought a tube TV as a replacement. A huge difference, but now I'm back to the old dim candle again and it's not pretty. Sounds like the Mistubishi was better from the git go.
 
If you have moved your old  projection tv around a few times, the color guns are very likely out of alignment and giving you a fuzzy picture.  But even wioth color gun projectors, the technology has improved tremendously - the ones in the store look great and cost about half of an LCD/DLP projector. I don't know how well they stay in alignment, though.
 
Gary, I wondered if the guns might be out of alignment, but IIRC this set has been somewhat dim from day 1. Of course, the guns might have been misaligned from day 1.

The newer projection sets (not DLP) are physically too big; I don't have the depth to accomodate them on the raised corner section of hearth where the set is to sit. Bad planning on my part when we remodelled 5 years ago, although I didn't have much of a vote anyway.

Wall mounting a plasma would be nice, but the only free "wall" we have is all glass. I've wondered if I shouldn't be thinking of a mechanism like the ones used onTVs in some of the large coaches that raise and hinge the TV up out of the way and suspends the TV while in use, but that's too much hassle. Even a rear projector with a roll-up screen, but I doubt the ambient light in the room would allow that to work. All this just to watch TV!
 
Tom

>> I don't have the depth to accomodate them on the raised corner section of hearth where the set is to sit.<<


The Samsung 42" DLP is only 13 1/8" deep & the 50" is only 14 1/8" deep....I have the 42" in our cabin in Idaho fed by a HD Tivo & really like it.

 
Thanks Terry. I understand that DLPs are relatively slim - I've been measuring them in stores (the 56" Samsung measures 16" front to back). My "available depth" comment was related to traditional (non-DLP) rear projection TVs. The 42" one we have right now is almost twice as deep as current DLP sets that have much larger screens and essentially takes up all the available space.
 
Tom,

Just stick the thing in a closet somewhere and bounce the picture off of a few mirrors into your viewing room. ;D ;D ;D

Of course you'll have to have the correct number of mirrors or you'll be reading those "WARNING: This movie contains mature content....." messages backwards ::)
 
Karl said:
Just stick the thing in a closet somewhere
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LOL Karl. You couldn't possibly know how much of a sore point the issue of closets is. We eliminated a bunch when we remodelled and Chris says I haven't quit complaining about lack of storage.
 
Thanks for all the inputs. DLP won out, although I considered a couple of variants:

  • JVC's HD-ILA (3-chip LCoS).
  • Mitsubishi's 1080P (higher resolution).
  • Sony's offering is very nice, but way too expensive.

Size turned out to be a non-issue. We made a cardboard template and took it along to the stores. It got lots of laughs from salespeople and other customers. We bought a 62" Toshiba, but are considering taking advantage of the 30 days return policy to switch it for a 70".

Haven't yet hooked up the HD receiver or installed a HD antenna; Still thinking about options of alternate HD receiver and cable instead of existing DTV.
 
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