16:9 or 4:3 aspect ratio

16:9 is the only way to go if you have just one tv. Normal tv programs that are broadcast in 4:3 look just fine on a 16:9 tv. If money is an issue then a 4:3 might make sense. Remeber one thing, buying a 4:3 tv means you are buying into obsolescence.

 

if you are looking for a big screen most hdtv big screens are in the widesceen format but a good number of them can stretch a non hd 4:3 image to 16:9. now if you are looking at a smaller tv around 36 inches or so most of those are still 4:3. when you watch an hd signal the 4:3 tv will have bars on the top and bottom of the picture. there are some 16:9 smaller tvs such as the sony xbr 34 inch. it presents a great quality picture at not too bad of a cost. $2500. final note though, most stuff will be in a 16:9 format when they get all hd channels broadcasting. so, for my money on a smaller tv buy a widescreen, and for the larger tv buy a widescreen.

thad

 

I bought a big screen 2 years ago and wound up buying the 4:3. Most (98%) of what my family watches is TV, and the 16:9 sets don't do well with the 4:3 format. You either have a stretch picture so everyone looks a little wide, or you have the black bars on the side that could 'burn in' if used too often. I also figured out that based on the size of the space I had for the bigscreen, the largest 16:9 screen I could buy gave me the exact same sized picture as the 4:3 when I put the 4:3 in letterbox mode. The 4:3 was a no brainer for me, and it's worked out great.

 

i did A LOT of research over the years and as someone who has been to well over 50 audio/video shows over the years. LCD and Plasma still suck IMHO. PERIOD!!!!

Go tube!!!

Best deal out there right now is the Sony KV-40XBR800 for $2,500 and includes a stand. You get a VERY large HDTV and a HUGE normal TV. It does ALL HDTV formats and works great! Alas, it weighs in at 300 lbs so be prepared!

Yes, also checked out DLP and the like... remember, i attend "state-of-the-art" audio/video shows and have seen Runco 9-inch CRT projectors, DLP, line quadruplers and the like. Simply got tired of playing the waiting game and for "only" $2,500 the 40-inch Sony is a great deal and it is VERY hard to beat a REAL tube TV. Naturally i calibrated mine to the Nth degree

Of course the above are simply my humble 2 Yen. Your milage may vary. For a limited time. While supplies last. Objects in mirror are close than they appear.

 

16:9

But, I suggest you wait if you can. The technology on the flat / dlp screens is getting better (not that great now) and the costs are expected to go down considerably next year.

 

Given the paucity of HD Tv programming, i'd be less concerned with an HD Tv right now-particularly if you are on a tight budget- and more focused on getting the best looking set. Also, the issue of aspect ratio is important regardless whether you are watching an HD signal. I agree with Steve that plasma is nasty-it's a status symbol and its cool to have a thin-line cabinet, but i have yet to see a plasma picture that looks at all natural or filmic.
Frankly, the most impressive set-up is front projection, which used to be big money. The DLP projectors have brought the price down, and as newer chip-sets become state of the art, i would expect the low cost DLP projectors to be pretty serviceable. If you can connect, via DVI connections, directly into the projector, you eliminate some unnecessary D/A conversion and that makes a huge improvement in the picture as well. But, i would assume that you're still talking close to 5k for a modest projector, probably close to 2k for a good screen and the DVD player with DVI can be gotten pretty cheaply. Then you need light control in the room; if you can put up with that, you will blow yourself away. A far better investment in my book than a plasma, and a lot more oomph, at least when watching DVD's. Broadcast and satellite signal still leave something to be desired when watching on a front projection screen; HD looks great, but i'm tired of watching nature documentaries, and the vast majority of movie programming that is shown on HD channels was not shot in HD, but is simply broadcast that way. (I don't watch much programmed television anyway, so i'd easily give up the HD capability to watch movies, via DVD, on a large scale screen). My .02.
PS: I am currently using a single chip DLP projector the Marantz- via an HD Leeza processor and feeding an SDI signal out of a modified DVD player. It gets projected onto a grey Stewart screen. For those of you who have never seen a properly set up system like this, it will silence your criticisms of the current state of DLP technology. (This system replaced a big three gun projector with outboard line doubler and fancy Meridian DVD player and is way better).

 

I boght a 65" sony proction 16:9 about 9 months ago and just love it. My wife who was almost in tears seeing it on the loadind dock and made me promise I'd take it back if she didn't like it in the house after the weekend. We kept it and she loves it now too. As Steve said, it is not as clear as a tube TV, but it is so cool to watch movies on. There are black stripes on the side during most TV viewing, and that was one of my wifes biggest objections, but after a day or 2 she didn't even notice it anymore and they don't burn in, because black means the screen is off, it's white means all on, the sony bars are actualy grey, so part on to keep the wear or burn about even with the rest of the screen. Also, more and more shows are going to the 16:9 format. Anyway, there are a lot of reasons to go one way or the other, but I love the 16:9.

 

for 1500 check out the non-xbr 34 inch widescreen sony.
www.sonystyle.com it has specs there
www.circuitcity.com you can buy it online and have it shipped for free

thad

 

Can a mod turn this into a poll? Oh yeah, mods here suck
(again, just for Aura! )

Get 16:9, xbox never looked so sweet.

 

X-box! Booooooo! ps2 all the way

 

Come back when you can plug it into a Runco with an HDTV adapter listening to a Ferrari F355 in PGR2 screaming down the Ring with more then five speakers each one with it's own distinctive sound

Oh yeah, it can't do that

Actually no, you're right, I really wish sometimes I got a PS2 because of the gaming library, but my xbox is my mp3 server.

 

Ive playstation got a 70 inch tv, with surround. thats about it.

 

I just noticed that we both never go to sleep early