Tube, Plasma, Projection, and LCD.

If you look at price/performance, I'd say go with either a traditional rear projection CRT model or a DLP front projection model. As far as I know, DLP fixed some of the issues with ghosting, but the problem is that bulbs on those burn out every 2000 hours or so.

It really depends on what you want from your HDTV.
Is aesthetics as important to you as picture quality and sound?
In my opinion, I would always opt for the CRT, as it still hasn't been matched, qualitywise, by any of it's contenders and I believe it's longevity and price are also more favourable.

If you go HDTV make sure the unit is 1080i. That way you won't have even your HD signal letterboxed on a wide screen tv...which can be disheartening at best.

If you have a windowless room, and it'll be mostly for DVD viewing, then get a front projection system.

If you'd like to occasionally watch TV and/or there's too much ambient light, go for a RPTV. Longetivity isn't that much of an issue, and neither is picture quality for that matter if you take a few precautions.

When you plug in your new RPTV, immediately dial down all the settings, especially contrast, sharpness, and brightness. The factory defaults are all set WAY too high (so they stand out in retail displays) and can lead to serious burn-in and ghosting. Run Avia or Video Essentials for some basic calibrations, but above all, keep those brightness/contrast settings near the low end.

After about 100 hours of use or so, get an ISF calibration (about $400-500), which normally results in a huge jump in picture quality.

If you take the time to care for your RPTV, it'll definitely give you the best bang for your buck, considering the much larger screens compared to CRTs.

Just what is an 'ISF calibration', and where do I get one, and what does it do?

OMG, sorry for the late response, but I completely forgot about this thread.

ISF is short for Imaging Science Foundation. They basically certify technicians for video calibrations. They number somewhere over 1000, and basically tour the country offering their services. They are the Jedi Knights of home theater.

When your TV is delivered from the factory, the settings are usually out of whack ("torch mode") and it's not uncommon to have your CRT tubes misaligned during shipment, and your color settings to be off. Some brands have default settings with too much blue (Sony RPTVs), while others have a noticable "red push" (Mitsubishi RPTVs).

An ISF calibration typically costs anywhere between $400-$600, depending on how many inputs you have calibrated, travel costs, etc. Granted, it sounds like a lot of money, but a typical calibration takes anywhere between 6-8 hours. Since the tech is also doing this in your home, it's more or less equivalent to the cost of at-home computer tech support.

Is it worth it? Well, based on testimonials I've read from a variety of websites/forums, the difference is like night and day. As good as the TV looks out of the box, or even after running Avia or Video Essensials, it doesn't compare to the comprehensive tweaking these guys do. I've never seen a properly calibrated RPTV, but I intend to have it done once I get my Hitachi in a couple of months.

Here's a list of services an ISF will do in a typical calibration:

• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Pre evaluation of the viewing environment
• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Pre evaluation of the display device, projector, and cabling
• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Removal of the protective screen (where applicable)
• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Mechanical disconnection of SVM circuit
• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Image centering
• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Minimization of overscan
• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Correction of major geometry errors
• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Convergence touch up of all NTSC modes
• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Electronic focus adjustments
• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Mechanical focus adjustments
• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Cleaning of optics
• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Herman TLV Maneuver for applicable Toshiba sets
• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Grayscale adjustment to 6500 D Kelvin
• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Centering of front panel controls when ever possible
• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Adjustment of front panel controls from within the service menu
• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Color decoder adjustment where possible, either via service menu adjustment, EEPROM Reflashing (I2C Fix), or installation of a red push attenuator.
• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Lens striping, when required, to achieve a color temperature variation of less than 500 Kelvin.
• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Computer generated report showing pre and post calibration settings

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Hope this helps.

Wow.

ISF sounds fascinating!

Jedi Knights indeed.