Home Theater TV

Well, I went with a 42" plasma.  I figured that would be adequate, and it's fine.  I got an LG for $450.  It's a dark room, so figured plasma was preferable to LCD/LED.  I already wear glasses. so no way would I want an extra pair for 3D...

I guess George Lucas is reshooting most everything, for the Star Wars BlueRay edition...  Which must be a new take on "do over."

Our Theater is adequate... We aren't paying for any TV service, and just on a roof antenna which is fine for the local flavors.  I do notice a lot of football droppping off the network feeds (for New Years Day, the only game we got was the Rose Bowl) so will probably have to do something for Dish or Direct TV if it leaves completely.  Which is a shame, since HDTV travels through the air and an antenna is enough.

How big are you going?  70"?  Jumbotron? 

Ace; I hid my BB gun from myself.

Our theater room is in a front corner of our walk-out basement, which means it's surrounded by 2 concrete walls and is below ground. It has no windows, just an entrance with no door that is draped by 2 heavy theater-type curtains. Although it's a finished room, we have no equipment or furniture in there yet.

The room is about 12' by 22', so we'll be wanting a large screen, probably about 72". I don't know how big plasmas get since I'm not looking yet, but that would be my preference due to the dark room. More important is to get a high quality sound system, since that's what makes or breaks a home theater system. As for 3D, we're not interested.
 
Last year we started listening to Dave Ramsey and he made sense. So we got rid of our only credit card and have been working diligently at becoming debt free. As soon as we hit that milestone, we'll start paying cash to complete the theater.

Check out what 40G will get you: Holy-honkin' mother of all big TVs
 
Scuzzy; almost IOU-free.

Shoot, I don't think I understand 4G all that well.  You know, the funniest thing about that link is the "View Larger" one for the TV...

I've decided to pay my credit card bill with my credit card.  That way they'll never catch up to me. 

Ace; you may as well charge life; you're not going to care when you're dead, anyway.

I might have to spring for that tube, since it's currently on sale for $10,000 off MSRP. That's not a bad deal for a TV that won't fit through my front door. At 485 lbs, it probably won't stay attached the wall anyway. I can park it in the garage and drive it to work while catching up on the latest flick.

I like your CC payment idea. Email your CC info to me and I'll give it a try.

Scuzzy; maybe I can borrow a few G's from JA.

I don't understand the comment you and Ace made about plasma vs. LED and dark rooms.  I was under the impression that LED was a brighter picture.  Is it the other way around?

Bill

Yes; exactly. Darkness works best in the dark.  Plasma tends toward dark, as its "default" mode while LCD/LED forces brightness.  So, if there's a lot of room light LCD's can "cut through" to my understanding.  If the room doesn't have a lot of ambient light, then plasma is suitable as it's deeper/mellower/toned down.  The viewing angle is preferable too, which is a factor to me.  If I remember right, a plasma at full power is white; an LCD is black. 

Ace; I usually get things backwards, though.

Plasma TVs achieve much better black levels than LCD TVs. As such, plasmas provide more comfortable viewing in dark rooms.

I had an LCD in a very dark room for a few months. Any scene that was suppose to be very dark come through as dark grey, not black, which allowed light to shine through the screen. If you compare a plasma next to an LCD in a blacked out room, the difference is very noticeable. As Ace mentioned, the viewing angles are much better with a plasma vs. LCD.

LCD TVs, which use considerably less energy than a plasma TV, are more suitable for bright rooms.

Scuzzy; the only time Ace is right is when he's wrong.

You're just astounded I got that right.  Well, it surprised me a bit, too.

As I remember, plasma is naturally black when nothing's firing those little gas lights... that's why it takes all it's got to go white.  LCD's are actually a light that's on, which is then blocked by this twisting little thing... making it work hardest to go dark.  I prefer dark to light, and the dark side for my TV.  Plasma can't be too small, but since I was into the 42 and up that wasn't an issue.  And the problem of "burn in" is greatly reduced, compared to the old days. 

Ace; even a dumb squirrel finds his nuts sometimes or something like that.

Although Ace is right (only because I'm standing to his left) I wouldn't pay much attention to him. Otherwise you'll end up watching I Love Lucy reruns on an old Zenith console B&W TV where you'll constantly have to readjust the vertical hold and rabbit ears. Or hold the rabbit ears.

Scuzzy; Lucyyyy!!!