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[bigfreak]

I'm in the process of picking a new high def TV.  I'd rather not get the TV home to find out 1.) xbox can't interface with it or 2.) the image is stretched or squashed due to aspect ratio mix up.  3.) have the picture quality be no better than S-video.

What inputs and I looking for to insure my xbox will plug in?

Any hum-dinger sets to stay away from?

And lastly, In your opinion, whats the best TV I can currently get for $2500-$3000?

Thanks for your time.

[irfan]

if ur in the 25-3000 range... you can get a DLP RPTV and not worry about burn in..

alomost every HDTV will be 16:9 these days...

any HDTV will support xbox interface with the right cables/.

personally id go with a DLP rear projection... they are better with contrast than LCDs typically...  most likely the rainbow effect wont affect u, but it might..

i like the looks of the samsung DLPs ...

4:3 television (standard cable) will be stretched out.. or it will be boxed in with gray bars...  i usually am not bothered with a streched pic.. some of the sets only stretch the edges making the cneter look normal... see how the stretch looks in person in the store... ask to see NON-hdtv channels... hdtv channels will always look crystal clear on any HDTV set these days

[Mr Ed]

QUOTE (bigfreak @ Aug 5 2004, 09:56 AM)

What inputs and I looking for to insure my xbox will plug in?

 Every HD TV will have the inputs.  The trick is finding out if it supports 720p as they don't usually make that clear.

You didn't specify what size you were looking for.  For that price, you are looking at a Hitachi rear projection CRT (which can get burn in) or a Samsung DLP which doesn't suffer burn in.  They should both support 720p.

Most XBOX games support 16x9 so you don't have to stretch them to fill the screen.

[MrBones]

If you wanna spend the money, wait a few months and look for the Mitsubishi DLP coming out.  It looks amazing.  If you're looking now, the Samsungs look nice.  I saw a 61" for $4500, which isn't bad if you ask me.

[bigfreak]

This is the first I've heard of DLP.  I'm not 100% sure I've seen it in the stores yet.  Not to shoot off my mouth or anything, but the rear projection TVs just don't look as good as tube and plasma tvs.  It also seems when you step to one side the screen washes out like a bad LCD screen (remember pasive matrix?).  Then again, I'm not 100% sure if I've passed by one of these DLP jobbies yet.

I was kicking around the plasma idea.  I found a Sony Wega one I liked for $3599.  1.) that's quickly leaving my budget and 2.) the half life is like 15 years?? 3.) read someplace that you have to run the wires behind the wall??  that could be a pain.

I found a nice tube TV for $2500 or so (40" Sony Wega).  The thing is though it weighs 305lbs!!!

Thanks for the input guys and the tip on the DLP.  I will definately find one on display I can look at.

[bigfreak]

kind of funny.  I'm trying to get specs on the viewing angle of DLP rear projection TVs.  The info is no place to be found.  Plasma screens seem to have to 160 max degree viewing angle.  And it seems like 170 for LCD TV's.  But then I check out the the rear projection TV's and it's like.... silence....  not a big selling point?  LOL

[CryztalDeath]

The Mitsubishi Rear Projectin Tv's are quite nice.  They have the "Diamond" screen so it doesn't distort if you look at it from an angle.  Best Buy carries a variety of them.  I've got a 55" and it's a great TV...........and It was $1,600


Sorry, didn't know it didn't accept the format.  My bad.  

[Mr Ed]

QUOTE (CryztalDeath @ Aug 6 2004, 07:53 AM)

The Mitsubishi Rear Projectin Tv's are quite nice.  They have the "Diamond" screen so it doesn't distort if you look at it from an angle.  Best Buy carries a variety of them.  I've got a 55" and it's a great TV...........and It was $1,600

Uh, he specifically asked for a TV that was fully compatible with his XBOX.  That Mitsubishi is NOT as has been stated repeatedly on these and other boards.  

[preiter]

Not compatible? How is a TV not compatible with XBox? No component inputs? BTW, I have a Mitsubishi 42413 and XBox looks great on it. Especially XBMC.

I just went to the store and chose the one that looked the best to me. That's what really matters.

This post has been edited by preiter on Aug 6 2004, 10:33 PM

[Mr Ed]

QUOTE (preiter @ Aug 6 2004, 02:32 PM)

Not compatible? How is a TV not compatible with XBox? No component inputs? BTW, I have a Mitsubishi 42413 and XBox looks great on it. Especially XBMC. I just went to the store and chose the one that looked the best to me. That's what really matters.

Try playing Amped2 (or any game that supports it) in 720p.

Your TV doesn't understand 720p, it just ignores the signal.  This is true of a lot of rear projection CRT TVs.  Toshiba and Hitachi both support 720p though.  Not sure about Sony.

Once you get into DLP and LCD, they usually support 720p and 1080i although not always on the same input, requiring you to swap cables behind the TV depending on the game you are playing and what rez. it supports.

In order to make sure my HDTV supported 720p, 480p, 480i, and 1080i all on the same (single) input so I didn't have to worry about patching or swapping inputs based on the game I was playing, I took my XBOX to the store with some games that supported those modes and actually tested them out.  That was the only way I could be sure.  Salespeople always say, "Of course it supports 720p"  But they are often wrong.

This post has been edited by Mr Ed on Aug 7 2004, 12:38 AM

[Mr Ed]

BTW here's a thread comparing the look of 480p and 720p.

http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=235750


Here are several threads regarding this topic.

http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=230652

http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=240471

http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=218429

http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=221263

http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=217747

http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=190220

[XboxforU]

I got rca 52 inch widescreen..good deal 1300...doesnt support 720p but who gives a shit..most xbxo games are only 480p and the few that go up to 720 are very few....halo2 will be 1080i sobasically its no big deal...I get my hdtv broadcasts in 1080i...so 720p is good but you aint gonna find much that supports it and if it does it usually supports 1080i and I rather watch 1080i...lol

[Mr Ed]

QUOTE (XboxforU @ Aug 7 2004, 12:36 AM)

I got rca 52 inch widescreen..good deal 1300...doesnt support 720p but who gives a shit..most xbxo games are only 480p and the few that go up to 720 are very few....halo2 will be 1080i sobasically its no big deal...I get my hdtv broadcasts in 1080i...so 720p is good but you aint gonna find much that supports it and if it does it usually supports 1080i and I rather watch 1080i...lol

That's cool and I'm glad you're happy, but most XBOX games that support HDTV, only support 720p.  Also, the only HD camcorder on the market (JVC) only does 720p as well, although I can't afford one yet.     To me it was an important feature, to some it isn't.  I just try to teach people about it before they purchase it because I've had several people tell me they regretted the purchase.

Everyone can weigh their options, and certain things are more important to them.  I considered returning my Sony KDF-60XBR950 because the integrated HD tuner doesn't support the full tuner FireWire spec by having built in timer recording functions so it cannot control my computer or D-VHS VCR over FireWire for tuning and recording ATSC broadcasts unattended.  I decided I could live without that feature, although it did make my D-VHS VCR nearly worthless so I returned the VCR.

BTW HDTV enabled XBOX games as of 8/8/2004:  

CODE

HD mode(s)     Name 720p           Amped 2 720p           Crash Nitro kart 720p           Delta Force: Black Hawk Down 720p, 1080i    Dragon's Lair 3D 720p, 1080i    Enter the Matrix 720p           ESPN Major League Baseball 2K4 720p           ESPN NBA Basketball 2K4 720p           Freedom Fighters 720p           MVP Baseball 2004 720p, 1080i    MX Unleashed 720p           NBA 2K3 720p           NBA Ballers 720p           The Sims: Bustin' Out 720p           Soul Calibur II 720p           Steel Battalion: Line of Contact 720p           Street Hoops 720p, 1080i    Syberia 720p           Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines 720p           Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 720p           Tony Hawk's Underground 720p           True Crime: Streets of L.A. 720p           World Series Baseball 2K3

[Mr Ed]

BTW here is a good related thread to this one:
http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=218429

Notice at one point I got an offer for a Samsung 61" DLP for $3499.  Good price shopping info.

[irfan]

DLPs are pretty widely availbale in stores these days, you realyl need to check them out, they are pretty amazing and are all digital, no burn ins.. and the viewing angles are getting better... i dont even know why passive LCDs were brought in this convo since they arent really sold these days...

but for ur price range, i think u need to atleats LOOK at a dlp RPTV