Which TV should I get?

[Greg Alsobrook]

I think I'm about ready to take the plunge and replace the ole' 55" rear projection Mitsubishi...

I've got it narrowed down to two (i think)...

Sony - KDS-60A3000 60" BRAVIA® A series SXRD™ Rear Projection 1080p HDTV
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665153957

Samsung - HL-T6189S DLP® 1080p HDTV w/ LED light engine
http://www.samsung.com/us/consumer/detail/detail.do?group=televisions&type=televisions&subtype=dlptv&model_cd=HLT6189SX/XAA

Feel free to post pros/cons/thoughts/opinions...

Thanks in advance!

[Mike728]

I'm not a fan of RP LCD's. If those were my only choices, I'd get the Samsung DLP.

[GAM]

I've had the Sony KDS-60A3000 for about a month. It is outstanding! It is not LCD, it is SXRD which is LCOS - similar to DLP.

[Greg Alsobrook]

I've had the Sony KDS-60A3000 for about a month. It is outstanding! It is not LCD, it is SXRD which is LCOS - similar to DLP.

so..i guess your vote is for the sony? :D

[GAM]

I do think it is a great set but I haven't seen the Samsung so I couldn't make a truly informed vote. I just wanted to let you know if you do choose the Sony I don't think you'll be disappointed. Good luck!

[Greg Alsobrook]

ok.. thanks gam...

also.. i've heard that the samsungs with the led light engine tend to have a less vivid and/or dimmer display than the ones with the standard color wheel... has anyone else ever heard this?

[vlhgsd]

I looked at both of these in the store. We ended up buying the Sony. What a great picture even with SD signal!!!


I got mine thru circuitcity.com (cheaper than the store) Thru tomorrow, it's 1999.99 on the site, plus extra 10% off if you pick it up, so it costs 1799.99 for the unit. Plus if you have to finance, 24 months no interest.

We replaced our old 50" hitachi. Now waiting for Dish Network to install HD on Sunday and get rid of directv.

[sjso395]

I'd stay away from DLP. Go to AVSforum.com and do some homework. The SXRD is one of the best. If I was buying a new one tommorow though, I would go with the XBR3 52" LCD . I have 46" inch now and LOVE it.

[Greg Alsobrook]

I'd stay away from DLP. Go to AVSforum.com and do some homework. The SXRD is one of the best. If I was buying a new one tommorow though, I would go with the XBR3 52" LCD . I have 46" inch now and LOVE it.

well... that tv would be about double the cost... plus... i would like a little bigger than 52".... the 55" i have now was originally in a smaller room... and now i can support bigger... so I think a 60" would be a nice fit...

or i could just go for the 70" XBR for 33 grand :D

[Steve Mehs]

After being a Philips guy for years, I switched over to Sony. The quality on everything I have from Sony is excellent, and feature rich. I have a Grand Wega RP LCD HDTV, but the SXRD line is considered the best by a lot of home theater and audio/video enthusiasts.

[davring]

I have one of each, both LCD displays. The Sony has an edge, but both are excellent. I am with sjso395 and go with LCD over DLP or LCOS. IMHO

[Brandon428]

I would go with the sony. I have a 60a2020 model and I love it. If your crucial on detail and quality then forget samsung and go with the sony. Not to mention that DLP IMHO is a horrible technology. I had a 65" toshiba DLP and and I tried adjusting the picture for days and I couldn't get it to match the sony's detail. I also had the rainbow effect with the DLP which gave me headaches. My uncle bought a DLP a couple of months ago and he regrets not listening to me and getting an SXRD.

[bidger]

Samsung.

[MikeekiM]

I've got the Sony 60A2000 which is the predecessor to the unit you are looking at from Sony... We love it and have had no problems whatsoever...

Yes, I voted Sony...

I am sure there are pluses and minuses to both... An engineer friend of mine steered me away from the DLPs because of the increased moving parts (most notably, the spinning wheel that runs at ~14,000 RPM)...His big joke is asking how often they recommend for an oil change! His perspective as a reliability engineer was that his worse nightmare (from a work perspective) is moving parts...which will be quiet and reliable in the store when you watch it...as well as when you take it home... But his issue is that these sorts of moving parts have a tendency to start failing and/or making noise after many years (and we all want our sets to last many years, right?)

Both have fans to cool the bulb...but I guess that's unavoidable...

Please no flaming here... I am not personally making these claims... I am just letting you know what a friend of mine stated... I am no reliability engineer (nor do I play one on TV) :D

Personally, I have to admit to having a lot of friends with both DLP and LCoS...with no problems with either...

Oh, I guess the only other thing I would mention (and will take personal responsibility for making the claim)... If you are one of the rare folks that sees rainbows with DLP, than your choice is made... Don't go with a DLP if you know you see rainbows...

[leww37334]

I've got the Sony 60A2000 which is the predecessor to the unit you are looking at from Sony... We love it and have had no problems whatsoever...

Yes, I voted Sony...

I am sure there are pluses and minuses to both... An engineer friend of mine steered me away from the DLPs because of the increased moving parts (most notably, the spinning wheel that runs at ~14,000 RPM)... His perspective as a reliability engineer was that his worse nightmare (from a work perspective) is moving parts...which will be quiet and reliable in the store when you watch it...as well as when you take it home... But his issue is that these sorts of moving parts have a tendency to start failing and/or making noise after many years (and we all want our sets to last many years, right?)

Both have fans to cool the bulb...but I guess that's unavoidable...

Please no flaming here... I am not personally making these claims... I am just letting you know what a friend of mine stated... I am no reliability engineer (nor do I play one on TV) :D

Personally, I have to admit to having a lot of friends with both DLP and LCoS...with no problems with either...

Oh, I guess the only other thing I would mention (and will take personal responsibility for making the claim)... If you are one of the rare folks that sees rainbows with DLP, than your choice is made... Don't go with a DLP if you know you see rainbows...

I have a Samsung DLP sitting in my garage, bought in jan 2004 color wheel went out about three months ago......

[Greg Alsobrook]

i have a couple friends with the samsung... and i don't think i've seen the rainbow effect... what exactly is it? just that some people can see the rapidly changing colors??

[MikeekiM]

i have a couple friends with the samsung... and i don't think i've seen the rainbow effect... what exactly is it? just that some people can see the rapidly changing colors??

I am sure there is a more comprehensive description to be found, but you can start by checking out the wikipedia article on DLP... There's a section coving the rainbow effect in summary...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DLP

[smiddy]

I voted other...so I suppose I should explain. Initially I was going to put together a pragmatic response with a mini trades study and allow you to make the decision based on you set of criteria. But then I ran out of time since I went hunting this past weekend and am playing catchup to get on top of things again. that being said, my basic thoughts are why projection when there are other avenues that at least to me seem supperior to view for the same or similar price. I know nothing about the Samsung but if you can try before you buy, then go for it and try. If you can put it in the place where it will be first then make a decision then I would think you can make a very informed decision this way. Also, I am somewhat partial in that when I was looking a couple of months ago, the Hitachi's and the Pioneer Plasmas are fantastic, but size in this case may drive an alternate decision, as well as cost. those were my basic thoughts, sorry they weren't put together better...:)

[Greg Alsobrook]

no problem smiddy... thanks for the input... the location is my living room... it's a decent sized room... probably 18x24... kinda weird shaped though... and it has 12' ceilings... there is only one wall that the tv can go on... and i have a nice entertainment center there right now... so i really have no desire to mount the tv on the wall... the size i'm going for is around 60"... and from what i can see... any decent plasma or lcd in that size range is going to be quite a bit more money... thus, leading me to a rear projection style tv...

[MikeekiM]

no problem smiddy... thanks for the input... the location is my living room... it's a decent sized room... probably 18x24... kinda weird shaped though... and it has 12' ceilings... there is only one wall that the tv can go on... and i have a nice entertainment center there right now... so i really have no desire to mount the tv on the wall... the size i'm going for is around 60"... and from what i can see... any decent plasma or lcd in that size range is going to be quite a bit more money... thus, leading me to a rear projection style tv...

I was in a similar situation... I don't have a big room... But I needed a place for all my audio/video components anyway, so I was not really going to gain much by mounting anything on the wall... I planned to have an AV cabinet underneath jutting out a couple of feet from the wall anyway... So I opted for the SXRD...

Even if I picked up a flat panel, I would have likely have set it on top of my AV cabinet/stand...

The picture is fantastic... no regrets here...

[Sirshagg]

I'm not a fan of RP LCD's. If those were my only choices, I'd get the Samsung DLP.

I'm a big fan of the samsung DLP. For the current price difference I wouldn't even consider a LCD or Plasma over DLP in the larger sizes.

[C-Dub006]

Either the Samsung or the Sony would be good, but do yourself a favor. After dropping $1900 to $2200 or whatever on the tv, have it calibrated by a ISF calibrator for another few hundred $$$. It IS worth the cost. You and I can't get into the service menu without voiding the warranty or worse, rendering the TV worthless by pushing the wrong buttons. ISF calibrators also have the expensive and correct equipment to make sure it is calibrated with accurate color reproduction and overall sharper image.

[smiddy]

no problem smiddy... thanks for the input... the location is my living room... it's a decent sized room... probably 18x24... kinda weird shaped though... and it has 12' ceilings... there is only one wall that the tv can go on... and i have a nice entertainment center there right now... so i really have no desire to mount the tv on the wall... the size i'm going for is around 60"... and from what i can see... any decent plasma or lcd in that size range is going to be quite a bit more money... thus, leading me to a rear projection style tv...

I was in a similar situation... I don't have a big room... But I needed a place for all my audio/video components anyway, so I was not really going to gain much by mounting anything on the wall... I planned to have an AV cabinet underneath jutting out a couple of feet from the wall anyway... So I opted for the SXRD...

Even if I picked up a flat panel, I would have likely have set it on top of my AV cabinet/stand...

The picture is fantastic... no regrets here...

I'm a big fan of the samsung DLP. For the current price difference I wouldn't even consider a LCD or Plasma over DLP in the larger sizes.

I think you all sum it up nicely. I certainly appreciate your individual situations. This being my point I suppose with my post, it is very situational. Knowing the criteria is more than half the battle in making on informed decision. You've come to a fork and are seeking other opionions on these two, which I think adds some merit. I know Sony's reputation I do not know Samsung's. I own a 35" Sony XBR Trinitron which is being used in the kids playroom, it is still a fantastic television. It has been literally around the world and haven't had any problems being moved etcetera. Is this the quality you'll get with their projection TV? I would suspect so as this has been an area of their bread and butter. When I have viewed them at the stores in the St. Louis area their PQ is one fo the best.

That being said, I know absolutely nothing about a Samsung so other's opinions are needed, I'd think, in order to understand it more fully, I think.

My own case differs, but I'll let my pictures speak for themselves once I post my system photos.

[smiddy]

Either the Samsung or the Sony would be good, but do yourself a favor. After dropping $1900 to $2200 or whatever on the tv, have it calibrated by a ISF calibrator for another few hundred $$$. It IS worth the cost. You and I can't get into the service menu without voiding the warranty or worse, rendering the TV worthless by pushing the wrong buttons. ISF calibrators also have the expensive and correct equipment to make sure it is calibrated with accurate color reproduction and overall sharper image.

Agreed! I had this done on both my theater room Sharp and my living room wall mount. You have to have them setup right to get teh full effect.

[Sirshagg]

i have a couple friends with the samsung... and i don't think i've seen the rainbow effect... what exactly is it? just that some people can see the rapidly changing colors??

The wikipedia article referenced above gives a fairly good description of the issue. I had too look for it on my set and only then did I notice it very briefly. I rarely notice in normal TV watching and have not see it t all in my newest DLP set. This might be something that other technologies like to use against DLP but it's not really an issue

[Sirshagg]

That being said, I know absolutely nothing about a Samsung so other's opinions are needed, I'd think, in order to understand it more fully, I think.


Samsung has been widely considered one of (if not the) the best DLP manufacturer(s) for many years.

[Greg Alsobrook]

Samsung has been widely considered one of (if not the) the best DLP manufacturer(s) for many years.

i don't think that's disputed ... but the question is ... do I want DLP or LCOS?

[MikeekiM]

i don't think that's disputed ... but the question is ... do I want DLP or LCOS?

So you've got a lot of input so far... Maybe not enough to make a final decision (though I'd ask what other input you need to nudge you along to a final decision) :)

Based on the inputs so far... Are you at least swaying towards one side or the other? 51/49?

Or you on the fence 50/50?

[Greg Alsobrook]

well... i would say probably leaning more towards the sony... not knocking the samsung or anything.. cause it is an awesome looking tv... just seems that the sony seems to have less 'cons'...

on the dlp... lots of moving parts (aka... lots to break).. possibility of the rainbow effect... screen door effect.. etc...

also.. a coworker of mine had a samsung dlp... after just a few months... his light engine went out... he went directly through samsung for the repairs (since it was still under warranty).. and the repair company they chose to send out apparently replaced the light engine with the wrong piece... he tried and tried to get it properly fixed... but samsung kept sending out mediocre repair men who "didn't see anything wrong with the picture"... but my coworker estimated the picture at about 40% of what it was before the original light engine went out.. he ended up just giving it away to his church for the rec room it was so bad...

i have seen a few more stories to this effect on this forum as well....

i work in the car audio industry... and alot of my customers do home theater stuff also... and almost all have recommended the sony as well...

i'm still not sure though... i definitely appreciate all of the input you guys have provided... i will let you all know when i make up my mind :)

[Mike728]

Just for the record, my Samsung DLP has been flawless for the 2+ years I've had it.

Not too sure why you're still asking for advice when you seem to have all the answers you're looking for. Just get the Sony and enjoy it!

[ChicagoTC]

All else being equal a LCos TV will have a slightly better picture then a DLP. DLPs typically handle colors better but LCos handles blacks better. This leads 9 out of 10 people to say LCos sets have a better picture. That being said I currently own 2 Samsung LCDs and a 56" DLP as my main theater set.

Typically LCos sets are a lot more then DLPs, but if I'm looking at the right model numbers that Sony is 400-500 less expensive. If that's the case, I'd get the Sony.

[Brandon428]

well... i would say probably leaning more towards the sony... not knocking the samsung or anything.. cause it is an awesome looking tv... just seems that the sony seems to have less 'cons'...

on the dlp... lots of moving parts (aka... lots to break).. possibility of the rainbow effect... screen door effect.. etc...

also.. a coworker of mine had a samsung dlp... after just a few months... his light engine went out... he went directly through samsung for the repairs (since it was still under warranty).. and the repair company they chose to send out apparently replaced the light engine with the wrong piece... he tried and tried to get it properly fixed... but samsung kept sending out mediocre repair men who "didn't see anything wrong with the picture"... but my coworker estimated the picture at about 40% of what it was before the original light engine went out.. he ended up just giving it away to his church for the rec room it was so bad...

i have seen a few more stories to this effect on this forum as well....

i work in the car audio industry... and alot of my customers do home theater stuff also... and almost all have recommended the sony as well...

i'm still not sure though... i definitely appreciate all of the input you guys have provided... i will let you all know when i make up my mind :)

Believe me you won't ever regret getting an SXRD.

[Greg Alsobrook]

well... ordered the Sony today (http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665153957)

should have it wednesday or thursday... now I just have to find a stand...

also... how do I find an ISF calibrator in my area? and what does ISF stand for?? :confused:

[ChicagoTC]

You'll enjoy that set, after the customer I received on my recently repaired Sony LCD my next set will be a Sony

ISF - Imaging science foundation

Good thread on AVS with licensed calibrators

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=586330

[ajiuO]

http://www.mitsubishi-tv.com/j/i/18326/cid/5470/TelevisionDetails/WD73833.html

6 colors are better than 3.... come in other sizes as well

[Greg Alsobrook]

http://www.mitsubishi-tv.com/j/i/18326/cid/5470/TelevisionDetails/WD73833.html

6 colors are better than 3.... come in other sizes as well

ehh.. maybe so... but i have a Mitsubishi right now and I'm about ready to kick the screen in and light it on fire...

[Greg Alsobrook]

thanks for the info ChicagoTC!

[ibglowin]

I have had a GWIII for 5 years now. This was one of the first RPLCD's from Sony(see pic in my sig). It has never missed a beat, still has a fantastic picture and is still running on the original bulb! How many DLP's can say they have gone 5 years w/o a problem or burned out bulb!

I keep hoping something will die so I can get a new 60" A3000 but until then I guess I will get as much life out of this guy as I can since I paid $$$$$ for it 5 years ago.....:sure:

[MikeekiM]

well... ordered the Sony today (http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665153957)

should have it wednesday or thursday... now I just have to find a stand...

also... how do I find an ISF calibrator in my area? and what does ISF stand for?? :confused:

Congrats! Let us know how you like it when you get it...

Here is a stand that I use for my Sony 60"... It is fantastic...

http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/productDetail.do?oid=93807

It's currently not available, but may be back in stock at some point... It fits perfectly and I have had nothing but compliments when guests come over...

[Greg Alsobrook]

Congrats! Let us know how you like it when you get it...

Here is a stand that I use for my Sony 60"... It is fantastic...

http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/productDetail.do?oid=93807

It's currently not available, but may be back in stock at some point... It fits perfectly and I have had nothing but compliments when guests come over...

TV arrived today.... UPS freight is QUICK!!

thanks for the tip on the stand!! i REALLY like that one... went to best buy last night... and found a couple we liked... but I'm gonna go check this one out tonight...