RCA HDTV question

More <a href="http://www.rca.com/documents/RCA_in_the_news_HD52W140.pdf" target="_blank">info</a>.

Looks like it has everything you'll need.

Note, I think that the built in hdtv tuner will only work with direct tv, but the tv comes with a DVI input for an external hdtv tuner of your choice.

The fact alone that the tv has an integrated dvd player rubs me the wrong way. It always has, I don't know why...

Why not got for a bigger <a href="http://www.circuitcity.com/detail.jsp?c=1&b=g&bookmark=60619&oid=60619&catoid =-8041" target="_blank">Sony</a> that goes for the same price. Or, better, a top of the line <a href="http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?e=11169446&m=1&cat=24&scat=25" target="_blank">Mitsubishi</a> that my boss and co-worker swear by?

I've seen the Mitsubishi, the care put into it lives up to the love it receives. Done research on it, been tracking the decreasing prices...that's the one I'm saving up for.

It doesn't have an integrated dvd player.

I have to be honest. I'm a bit wary of any TV that carries the RCA label. I say this despite getting to demo a 65" Scenium in a home environment, and I didn't notice anything wrong about it. Chalk it up to my general distaste for RCA tube TVs.

FWIW, I would stick with the proven RPTV brands: Hitachi, Mitsubishi, and Toshiba. Pioneer is great, but they're priced higher than the rest. Mits and Hitachi are highly tweakable sets, but if you watch a lot of 4:3 material, Toshiba is generally considered to have the best "stretch" modes.

Whichever set you pick, be sure to also buy <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/630551982X/qid=1053967754/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/104-1732203-5780729?v=glance&s=dvd&n=507846" target="_blank">Avia - Guide to Home Theater</a> to optimize your video and audio settings, and set aside some money to get your set ISF-calibrated after a few months of use.

No matter which TV you pick, none look their best right out of the box. The greyscale is way off, the geometry and convergence are usually out of whack, and most TVs come with overemphasized reds and high color temperatures to stand out more in retail showrooms.

I'm having my two main inputs (1080i and 480p) calibrated for ~$550 sometime at the end of July. I've heard the difference is like night and day, but I'll be sure to post my opinion after getting it done.

Maybe I'm being unreasonably picky, but I'd be REALLY careful about buying a used RPTV. Chances are you'll take good care of your equipment, but the seller might not feel the same way. Unlike a/v receivers and speakers, RPTVs can suffer from permanent burn-in, which both limits the life of the tube, and degrades the image display somewhat.

If it's a REALLY good deal compared to buying brand-new at the store, be sure to have him demo the unit for you. I know you've probably already done this, but be on the lookout for a few things:

See how he views 4:3 material. Hopefully, he's gotten used to the "stretch" mode and doesn't resort to putting the bars on the sides to watch TV in its OAR. Despite the use of grey sidebars in most modern TVs to reduce burn-in, the best way to prevent it is to stretch the 4:3 image to 16:9.

Check the video settings. Ask him about the different viewing modes the TV has (Standard, Movies, Sports, etc.), and which ones he regularly uses. Check the settings on each mode, and make sure his contrast, sharpness, and brightness settings are set at reasonable levels. 70% is too high for my taste, and anything above that is unacceptable, especially if you want your TV to last a few years with the cleanest, brightest image possible. If he left his contrast at the factory setting (100%), stay away from it at all costs.

Run "Ice Age" on DVD. Really, any movie with a lot of white will do the trick, so you might as well make it this one. When the screen is nearly all white, check to see if the screen is equally bright. If your friend is the type to leave his X-Box game paused overnight, if he steps away from the set and leaves his DirecTV channel guide on for hours, or even a news/stock/sports ticker, you'll be able to tell by looking for dark spots or stripes during those "white" scenes.

Hopefully, all goes well, and you can buy this TV for much less than retail, but make sure it's worth whatever you're paying in case he's trying to get rid of a torched-out RPTV.

Maybe I'm wrong on this, but I think Mitsubishi does not put DVI inputs on any of their televisions. I heard they consider it was a fad that will just fade away.

I think this is a problem with most giant TVs. I know that plasma TVs can run into the same problems, as can FPTVs. I'm not sure about DLP, but generally if you have to have massive amounts of power to get that picture, you're going to have to be careful with what you do.

Just remember RCA is an overpriced GE.

Crap in a box.

Really, for the same price or less get a Toshiba, Hitachi, or Mits.

In the end you'll be glad you did.

Exactly.

If you are shopping at CCity, buy Hitachi. They have some of the best projection tubes available. I bought the 43" Hitachi and couldn't be happier. It looks great, and this is their low end TV.
From what I understand, Mitsubishi TVs are quite comparable to the Hitachi's, though you will have to go some place other than CCity to buy it.

Nice! I have the same 43" Hitachi, and I agree that it looks great!

If you decide to buy a Mitsubishi, your first inclination would be to get it at Best Buy.

Don't go there.

Mitsu cut a deal with Best Buy to offer them "exclusive models". The Mitsubishis in Best Buy sell unique TV models that no other store offers. Pull out a newspaper and compare them if you'd like. They're look identical to Mitsu's regular models, but they're more scaled down features-wise. There are two reasons why Best Buy does this:

1. Higher profit margins.
2. Eliminate competition.

If another store is offering the near-identical Mitsu at a lower price, BB gets away from the pricematch by the technicality that it's a different model number.

Any other store that you go to will have the standard, full-fledged Mitsu TVs which are very well regarded in the world of big screens. I'd have to look up the exact differences between the regular and BB models, but at any rate, it's not worth it.

I heard rumors about that awhile back. Its interesting to hear that from another source. In the affodable RPTV range, I think Hitachi has passed Mitsubishi anyway over the last couple years.

I'd say go with the Toshiba, what I have. Has some of the best strech modes out there. You'll be using them a LOT so be sure to check it out. Just watching something that is set for 4x3 on it and use the different strech modes and see if it's acceptable. My Toshiba has a mode that keeps the center section the correct size and stretchs a little around the edges to fill the screen. So most things don't look short and fat.

It is funny when a girl is standing in just the right part of the screen it makes her ass look huge.