Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Everything Else => Topic started by: Stingray on January 04, 2006, 09:45:27 am
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If you're one of the cavemen like myself who have still been using the crappy built in speakers on your TV, you have no idea what you're missing. I finally broke down and bought a decent reciever and a set of 5.1 surround speakers. After hours of slinging wires, I finally got everything hooked up correctly. Oh my frackin' gods! The difference is just unbelievable! I sat up way too late last night listening to beautiful explosions rattle the windows. If you don't have a home theater system, you really should bump it up on the priority list.
As if I don't watch way too much TV already. ;)
-S
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Just wait until a phone rings in the movie from behind you. Or if you hear people talking behind you and telling you to do things, bad things. Especially if your tv is off.
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Once the novelty wears off your wife will tell you to turn it down every time you watch TV.
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I was in the same boat up until a couple of months ago.
I purchased a cheap ass HTIB (Home Theatre In a Box) 5.1 system and was floored.
Since then I have become some sort audio-whore-a-holic. It's all about doing it proper now. The new house that I am having built is going to have a dedicated home theatre and I it is being wired to 7.1 specs.
Your next stop into nirvana will be a DLP front projection system and a 92" screen.
The proper audio and video make all the difference.
Thankfully my wife is on board and digs the home theatre idea and is 100% supportive.
-Goz
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I have a mental image of wires hanging from the deer head trophy on the wall, and the speakers mounted to the still in the corner.
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Projectors and 5/6/7.1 go together well. The still would be a bonus.
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A real home "theater" includes a projection booth and either 16mm or 35mm motion picture projectors not video.
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Thankfully my wife is on board and digs the home theatre idea and is 100% supportive.
Mine too. She didn't know I was putting it in until she got home last night (although we have been discussing it a lot lately), she was blown away. She actually said, "it doesn't matter what this cost, it was worth it"! :)
I have a mental image of wires hanging from the deer head trophy on the wall, and the speakers mounted to the still in the corner. ;)
Pretty close. The wires are still hanging everywhere. Cleaning up the mess and concealing the wires is a job for this evening. I don't actually own a deer head, nor will I admit to owning a still. ;)
-S
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A real home "theater" includes a projection booth and either 16mm or 35mm motion picture projectors not video.
Yeah.... ok
I trust your opinion on games and repair Ken, but am going to have to differ with you on Home Theatre. I've spoken with proffessional HT installation companies and done a lot of research. I've not found one Home Theatre with a projection box and actual motion picture projectors. The DLP projectors seem to be what everyone thats last name isn't Gates is using. I've got a hefty budget for this project and not once has it even been suggested.
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A real home "theater" includes a projection booth and either 16mm or 35mm motion picture projectors not video.
Well sorry Ken. Just hooked everything up to my existing TV/ DVD/ VCR/ Satelite stuff. Yeah, I know it's not a real "theater", but it's still pretty damn cool for someone just crawling out of the audio dark ages. :)
-S
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That's an antiquated thought, anyway... that definition predates things like DVD and DVI interfaces.
I'd be ecstatic with an LCD projector, component signal, and 5.1.
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The newer HD DLP projectors with the DarkChip3 setup look amazing. Some of the older technologies still put out a hell of a picture and as Chad stated with DVI and component signal it can be done very well under 2K or as has as 40K
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The THX ad right before the movies start is awesome when you have the surround sound set up. When you crank it up you feel like the whole neighborhood knows you're watching a movie.
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I grew up in small apartments most of the time... when I do that, my mother still says "you can hear that outside". "So?" "Well, the neighbors will hear." "So?"
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Lucky for me I live way in the boonies. My new system is pretty loud, but not loud enough for the nearest neighbors to hear.
(I found out that it is loud enough to rattle the windows though) ;)
-S
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Your next stop into nirvana will be a DLP front projection system and a 92" screen.
You don't need that.
Art
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Your next stop into nirvana will be a DLP front projection system and a 92" screen.
You don't need that.
Art
Need is subjective to your addiction
Ok in his case a kegerator and a pole for the mrs to dance on.
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(I found out that it is loud enough to rattle the windows though) ;)
That probably means your windows are loose more than that the system is freaky. Mine is good but not awesome and rattles things in my house because the house is getting old.
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Need is subjective to your addiction
Ok in his case a kegerator and a pole for the mrs to dance on.
These both sound like noble suggestions. ;)
(I found out that it is loud enough to rattle the windows though) ;)
That probably means your windows are loose more than that the system is freaky. Mine is good but not awesome and rattles things in my house because the house is getting old.
Don't rain on my parade, man! ;D
-S
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I'm guessing some of you guys have those projectors running already...I've been considering getting one, but don't like the idea of always having the lights off to watch tv (news, Seinfeld, etc).
Is that an issue with the newer systems still, or do they handle amibent lighting better nowadays?
Xar256 ;D
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They are better, yes, but I would recommend that for regular stupid TV just having a regular TV around. You don't need to be watching the news in 90" HD. What's the point?
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I remember the first time I got my subwoofer hooked up and watched an action movie with helicopters.
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You don't need to be watching the news in 90" HD.
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I'm guessing some of you guys have those projectors running already...I've been considering getting one, but don't like the idea of always having the lights off to watch tv (news, Seinfeld, etc).
Is that an issue with the newer systems still, or do they handle amibent lighting better nowadays?
Xar256 ;D
The newer systems handle the light dithering better, but it is still optimal to view under the dimmed lighting. The trick if viewing in a lit environment would be to use a projector and screen combo with the appropriate lumens rating. You can see a chart here (http://www.projectorpeople.com/tutorials/lumen-guide.asp) <- this is just one site with some helpful info on projectors and decent reviews.
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They are better, yes, but I would recommend that for regular stupid TV just having a regular TV around. You don't need to be watching the news in 90" HD. What's the point?
Obviously you don't rely on The Naked News (http://www.nakednews.com/) ** Link is NSFW
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Is that broadcast in HD? No? Then who wants pixellated cheesecake?
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Is that broadcast in HD? No? Then who wants pixellated cheesecake?
Anything can be upscanned (well not anything)
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I get my news from two places:
EE and Chris Berman.
Anything not mentioned by either of the two is not worth my time.
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On a sad note, something happened to my subwoofer and it doesn't work anymore. I keep spending all my damn money on arcade stuff and haven't replaced it yet.
Bummer. After the first time I heard something onscreen explode, my subwoofer became one of my most favoritest (it's a perfectly cromulent word) possesions. I'm not sure how I managed to live my life without it.
-S
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A couple years ago mine stopped working well all of a sudden... sound muffled. Then a month later it started rattling... well, I looked inside and damn if someone hadn't stuffed a buttload of legos into the vent hole. I took them out and it has been its old woofy self ever since.
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On a sad note, something happened to my subwoofer and it doesn't work anymore.
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A couple years ago mine stopped working well all of a sudden... sound muffled. Then a month later it started rattling... well, I looked inside and damn if someone hadn't stuffed a buttload of legos into the vent hole. I took them out and it has been its old woofy self ever since.
About 6 months ago, same situation. Mine was just extremely muffled and I was so upset. 12" Klipsh sub was my baby, I think the sub cost more than the other 6 speakers. Finally got around to taking it apart and there was a Spongebob resting on the speaker. SB died a slow death.
Cheers,
Tim
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Here's my configuration:
It's actually a warehouse outside my house that I've converted into a home theatre.
HP 6110 projector, 6.1 Marantz receiver, 5.1 speakers config.
It sounds awesome with all the speakers placed exactly on a 5.1 config.
The screen is just a piece of cheap white cloth which blocks light and stretched tightly over a 100" frame.
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Gotta love Klipsch, here is my humble theater with screen down, and screen up. Thats my 12" Klipsch sub in the corner.
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Both of you guys put my setup very much to shame. Very nice!
-S
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Thanks, here is one with the projector, kinda dark, sorry. It is mounted on a joist that runs the length of the basement that I dry walled. Come on Chad, lets get your basement a rockin!
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Both of you guys put my setup very much to shame. Very nice!
Ditto. Here is my theater setup.
(http://66.98.238.16/compfuse/media/gallery/great-pics-mang-14.jpg)
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Sweet!
-S
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That is Natural Selection in action.
I approve.
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Whoa......when I first looked at that I thought it was red tape.....geez, now I see the other side of that ( I hope ) strap, might I suggest a LCD, won't hurt quite as bad when you get your skull crushed.
Cheers,
Tim
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All this time I've been putting my televisions and monitors up against a wall and pointing out into the room. What a dumb daisy I am.
-S
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Isn't that the new Spank, Spank, Revolution Game?
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Isn't that the new Spank, Spank, Revolution Game?
Not sure I want to know what the controller looks like.
-S
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Isn't that the new Spank, Spank, Revolution Game?
ROTFL ;D
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That's the subtitle. The full title:
Al Gore's Internet: Spank Spank Revolution
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I don't know what you guys are going on about. (really I don't ::)) It's my dedicated byoac station.
Give me a bed pan and I'm set for a week.
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I don't know what you guys are going on about.
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I just saw a Philips Cineos LCD TV (http://www.nxtsound.com/index.php?id=556). Man that looked amazing. 1920x1080 resolution, so I guess they were running something special to show off the quality, but they ran the same movie on the plasma screens (costing even more) and they were all blown away by the brightness and crispness of this new TV model. It even has a media player built-in so you can play your DivX movies right on the TV over a (PC) network connection. The rotating monitor stand is pretty cool too. Sooooo gadgetty.
It's "only" 42", but I think if I just sit a bit closer to the screen I can replace my DLP projector with this TV. Now I have a screen measuring several meters in diagonal (don't recall exactly how much), but I need to sit further away to be able to see it all anyway.
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Now this is a real home motion picture theater:
www.muellersatomics.com/homepage/movie.htm
There's a picture of me installing the 1,000 watt xenon arc lamphouse on the back of the Norelco "AA" 35/70mm projector. Greg Mueller is not rich, but he sure has a nice home movie theater. It's even equipped with both Dolby Digital and DTS digital sound. The concrete walls are also a foot thick.
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Thats fine if you have the money,space to spend on it and if you don't want the comfort of your couch or chair to relax in. Besides, the majority of us want to watch some dvd's or football on our tv's. This would be nice if you just want to watch movies, but falls outside the realm for most of us. Guys still got a nice setup though
Tim
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I have a Sony VPH-1040Q hanging from my living room ceiling. Got it on EBAY for $250. Noone wants the old 3 tube PJs anymore.
If you are willing to spend 3 hours converging it and setting all the alignment controls, and aren't afraid to sit under a 80 lb box, then this is a great budget way to go.
Film? Whats film? Kens even into retro theaters. :)
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and aren't afraid to sit under a 80 lb box
Hey, WTF, I let Seph's mom be on top, this should be easy.
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Appearently, same as some of you here, I got the urge and got together a projector and a 110 in screen, and a woofer this past wkend also.
As for the wife factor, I think being recently divorced help, since I don't need to ask anyone for anything now.
For now, I'm still trying to finish up the molding to nicely cover the hole in the ceiling for the screen...
For now, its only 2.1... but with the woofer, it just have that kick that I had been looking for.... SOOOO NICE....
btw... I don't have cable... so, projector is for dvd movies only... still have a 32 in tv for normal tv....
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A real home "theater" includes a projection booth and either 16mm or 35mm motion picture projectors not video.
He he that's cute my company does film transfers and when clients want to screen their films they never look at the actual film. What they look at is the transfer from the HI DEF telecine to eather a D-5 or a HDCAM. Keep in mind they still watch it in a screening theater projected off a high def projector which costs in the neighbourhood of 135k USD. Heck even up-resing a standard signal to the projector looks great on the 50foot screen.
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hyiu, lets see some pics of the build.
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and aren't afraid to sit under a 80 lb box
Hey, WTF, I let Seph's mom be on top, this should be easy.
8000 is different from 80
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That's what I'm saying, train heavier than you play.
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Mmm. Getting a bit muddled again. Bleh. :P
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sure... here are the pics...
just got the molding done... but need to paint the screw heads to white...
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btw, I'm looking for some good home theater seats...
I have looked at salamandar... pretty good...
also checked out berkline...
but so far, have not seen any of them in real life...
anyone has any suggestions ???
also, I'm located in NYC, anyone knows where I can check them out and sit on them instead of just looking at them online ??
Thanks,
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I'll be happy with a couple recliners. Hell, I've been telling myself for years I'd buy myself a recliner for the living room, but never get it, I still sit in one of those floor level videogame seats.
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Real theater seats are distributed by theater equipment dealers. Generally they have some sample chairs on display that you can actually try out. In New York contact these fine companies:
Capitol Motion Picture Supply
630 Ninth Ave.
N.Y., N.Y. 10036
(212) 757-4510
Hayes Equipment & Supply
P.O. Box 29
Syracuse, N.Y. 13211
(315) 432-8183
They specialize in new and used theater seating and have a complete parts stock including seat recovering fabrics and retrofit cupholder armrests.
Entertainment Equipment
712 Main St.
Buffalo, N.Y. 14202-1720
(716) 855-2162
www.entequip.com
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Real theater seats are uncomfortable in the theater. Why would someone want them at home?
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Besides, you want seats taken out of actual theaters.
They need the unidentifiable odors, strange stains, and best of all the half-chewed jujubee that you stick to when you stand up.
Sticky floors optional.
Now, just add a machine to drop popcorn randomly on your head and you'll have a REAL home theater.
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The wife and I have agreed on possibly two rows of seats like these
(http://us.st11.yimg.com/store1.yimg.com/I/htmarket_1876_7152678)
with the second row elevated.
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They need the unidentifiable odors, strange stains, and best of all the half-chewed jujubee that you stick to when you stand up.
Sticky floors optional.
Anyone with kids already has that.
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Anyone that lets kids sit on the seats Goz just showed should have their heads examined.
I'd be afraid to sit on those seats. Any idea of price range on those, Goz???
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Anyone that lets kids sit on the seats Goz just showed should have their heads examined.
I'd be afraid to sit on those seats. Any idea of price range on those, Goz???
Costco has a set of 4 for something like 2K.
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I wouldn't want furniture in my house that the kids aren't allowed to touch.
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Real theater seats are uncomfortable in the theater.
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My 2 year old is constantly getting yelled at for touching my computers. With good reason.
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Nice floor.
Hey, leave stuff lying about and it's fair game. That's the rule in my house. If you don't want it touched, put it away.
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Shouldn't kids be taught respect for others' property?
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same way here santoro. you mess with something that's not yours, your in trouble.
art
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RE: The floor, it is my basement workshop. Thats why the kid is sitting on a piece of lexan.
I did give him the CD rom to take apart, I just figured it was a good joke picture.
But, you are right - even at two I think the child should have some respect for other peoples property. It takes a lot of reinforcing, but I think he gets the gist of it.
Every now and then he does do stuff just to be obstinate. Keeps it interesting.
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Ed - You most be rolling in the dough giving him a $10 piece of Lexan to sit on instead of cardboard!
:)
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Heh. Leftover from building robots. Its what remains of a 4'x8' sheet. The plastics place near me had a deal with our club... $100 for a 4x8 sheet of 1/4", so I stocked up. That was a coupla years back - the stuff has almost doubled in price.
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Robots rule.
Saint's a robot.
Saint rules
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I never said that they are allowed to drop things in the toilet. Intentional destruction of property is very bad.
However, if you are going to leave it lying on the table, expect them to pick it up and try to figure out what it is.
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As an alternative, you could just not have kids. That way you can leave anything where ever you like. ;)
-S
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As an alternative, you could just not have kids. That way you can leave anything where ever you like. ;)
-S
That would be great if you were SINGLE. When I got married, the first thing my wife did was put all my stuff in boxes and out in the storage shed. She seems to feel she can put her stuff wherever, but I have to keep mine confined to the play room.
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Well, as she demonstrated, obviously she can.
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Well, when I got married, the first thing I did was boxed up the wife and put her out in the storage shed. I think it's working better than your plan is.
Or at least that's what I plan to do if I can ever find a "wife".
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Keep taking that approach and you may BE the wife when you get married.
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Talking home theater, what do you guys think of plasma vs lcd vs projection?
I've been thinking of getting an hdtv, especially now since every place run no interest for some long time and/or instant savings.
First, I live in an apartment so it is possible to be too big. I find around the 40-46" size is the right size for the apartment. That's right at the crossover point between lcd and plasma. I know there are bigger lcds but 42" seems to be the largest you find in the stores. Also, I plan on having a computer hooked up to the tv.
Comparing brands it's pretty obvious which ones are the best. LG and Philips had the best picture and features, but were also the most expensive. Sony, Samsun, and Toshiba are good as usual. Everything else pretty much could not compete with the quality.
However, there was one exception. The 42" Philips lcd looked faded. Though that could have been because it was directly under one of hte ceiling lights, the other tvs had a shadow cst on them from a hanging sign, and a customer could have screwed around wtih the controls. But every other Philip's model was awesome.
The other thing I like about the lcd models is many had memory card and/or usb to hook up a digital camera (or play mp3s, but I have an ipod for that). Of course if I have a computer hooked up to the tv this is a moot point.
However, I read one of the samsung lcd user manuals, it said the lcd had a chance for burn-in. I though plasma was the only problem with that.
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My basic opinion is that I see no point in spending $2000 on a television, even for home theater. If you want to go big get a projector. They can be had for less than a grand and you're a lot more versatile that way.