high definition tv

lcd
plasma
sed
dlp

which one?

ybps want our hard earned cash to go that sick high definition setup. when we come home from leading projects, dealing with co-workers, or even entertaining our brethren, the high definition setup gives a comfort of ‘yeah, im doin alright’. so what’s first?

the first question you should ask is ‘how important is high definition to me’ and ‘how often do i watch tv’. if you’re like me, you’re traveling every week, rarely get to watch your home setup, but enjoy the weekend programs (like football) in high definition. by the way, sports and discovery channel hd is currently the ONLY thing giving justification to hd right now when it comes to over-the-air broadcasts. b/c of my situation, i got a modest 23-inch lcd from samsung. its nice enough to exploit the hdmi connection and a 3000:1 contrast ratio, modest enough to fit in my 1-bedroom in downtown chicago, but also not breaking the bank at $600.

second question is ‘what is my living situation’. why? well, part of enjoying ‘living’ in a ‘living room’ is the one appliance that is more active than any other. right now, i’m still trying to get myself settled. one day, i envision myself with the nice loft, not travelling as much, and enjoying the abode where i lay may head down. if you’re currently in this situation, i’d say either invest in at least a 20 incher for the bedroom and a 32+ incher for the living room. also consider the home theater setup. if you’re looking for ‘home theater’, then you’re going to want to go at least 40+ inches and expect to pay in upwards of 3g’s for the entire setup. for basic living room setups, consider the a quality tv that can accept at 1080p connection. not just 1080i. what’s the difference? tech specs here and here. basically, 1080p is better and more rich than 1080i. in fact, 720p is better than 1080i. how? deets here. if you want a bigger picture for the price, then a dlp tv is your best bet. its a lot clunkier and imposing than flat panels like lcd and plasma, but the texas instrument technology is trustworthy. if you’re a baller, go plasma. just make sure, 1080p, contrast ratio, and number of connections is important for bigger tv’s. it’ll be noticeable (except for the # of connections) when you turn the lights out for the home theather.

third question is ‘how much can i afford’. while i’ll spare the lecture of assests vs. liabilities and going into debt, i’m a ‘bang for the buck’ kind of guy. i also prefer and prioritize quality over quantity. you won’t see me in walmart buying the 60inch westinghouse…..unless it gets a dynamite review from cnet or other people who’ve had it for awhile love it. don’t buy anything without a review no matter how good the price. remember, if its 26 and below, don’t worry about 1080p. if its above, stick to 1080p but also look at contrast ratio and reliability of brand name. if you go with a monitor instead of an actual ‘tv’, be careful of the response time. the human eye can detect at or above 17ms. my rule of thumb is 12ms and below. let’s also get real. hdtv is expensive. even if you’re a baller, spending 3-4g’s on a tv is insane. but do what it does….just do it smartly.

the last question is ‘what am i using it for’. this may seem like a silly question since most people ‘watch’ their tv (duh). but the question implies will you be watching regular tv (no high definition cable box or directv), watching a tv hooked up to a high def box (there are only about 25+ hd channels right now), playing video games (ps3 vs. xbox 360), sharing it with my computer, watching a majority of dvds (component cables needed), or watching high definition movies (blu ray vs hd dvd). if no high def signal, then no need to for an expensive high def tv. you’ll have two black lines on the left and right side, be pissed, and hate me. lol. all broadcasts right now will not be digital until 2008. ps3 will output 1080p gaming…something xbox 360 lacks. dvd’s using component cables output 720p or 1080i.

so why all the advice for a 1080p television?

well, you’re right. my thought is that you dont want to buy a piece of technology that you know will be obsolete in the future. just because are current infrastructure can’t support ‘desperate housewives’ in 1080p, doesn’t mean the market won’t push for it. you’re saying you’d like to have you’re nice sleek flat panel obsolete in a year or two?

so whats the verdict? if lcd, go samsung. if plasma, go pioneer 60 inch (so amazing). if dlp, doesn’t matter. i’m sure sony’s sxrd is great, but they turn over tech so fast, i say its not worth their sticker price.

or….

you can wait for SED technology which promises 50,000:1 contrast ratios (similar to your tube tv now) and cheap prices.