urgent ..need info on large size TV
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We are very confused. So many technologies.

Would like a 50 to 56 inch TV or thereabouts.

We have a large room.

max budget around $1300.

There is DLP, Plasma and LCD  etc ..

Which one is better and why ?

Walmart, Frys, Best Buy , Circuit City all offering different
products,
technologies etc.

We Don't care about brand and
not very particular on fanatastic picture quality.

Just want a good reliable TV that gives us best value for the money.

That can last 6 years or so.

Also any info on TV stands ? what to avoid ?


Pls advise.


Thanks
Linda

Yes, this is very confusing to most - but factors below will
help sort out what you may wind up with...

This eliminates the best technologies, the LCD and Plasma
panels, preferably in 1080p, but leaves the best of the DLP
and LCD projectors...

With the best HD TVs with good source material, it is a
waste to sit 35 feet from the TV. Rearrange the furniture
for best positioning of the TV, sound, seating, and lighting
for best results. It doesn't need to look like a "home theater",
though...

Tough..., but with compromises, a 50" projector is possible.

I prefer the best LCDs (room lighting is less critical than
plasma, cheaper for the same resolution, brightness doesn't
go down with age, brighter, runs cooler with less power).
A projector has more problems with off-axis viewing, but
can be very bright, and the bulbs are fairly easily replaced
(and you get a bigger TV for the money, though not as
good a picture).

Very confusing - and if you are critical of picture quality,
they can all look bad, but in different ways (for instance,
see how different the rendering of text is on different brands,
especially high contrast edges with diagonals and curves
[a VERY few pass this test...]).

?????????
So why spend the money???
Buy a highly-rated smaller screen LCD or plasma, maybe
pay a little more for it, set things up properly to optimize
its picture and sound, and ENJOY it instead of wishing
you had compromised (though I guess most people really
don't care about great TV picture and sound, and so miss
a LOT of the potential experience - and large is often not
better...). BTW, you do not need surround sound for
good sound (especially from those miserable packaged
systems) - you can properly place your stereo speakers
relative to the TV (no center channel or "subwoofer" needed
with any decent stereo speaker) and plug the TV audio into
your audio receiver or amplifier.

Any decent brand... (our LCD is rated for 26 years of use
at 6 hours per day..;-).

Any that will not reliably not hold the weight of the TV.
From what you say, though, you may like a 50" DLP
projector - and it doesn't need an additional stand.

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