After considerable research, strolling through the aisles and conversations with Twokota, I think that the Westinghouse 42" 1080p LCD will be the newest addition to the McBlah household this fall.
Why HD? Basically, I'm a techno geek and I'm all for getting the latest and greatest. However, I'm also a family man with a limited geek budget. HD is cool, but after a few years on the bleeding edge, prices are finally falling as they become more and more mainstream.
Why now? I've had my Xbox 360 running in standard definition mode for long enough. I covet all that great content that is always just off the side of the screen. The imminent release of the HD-DVD player add-on also makes me salivate. EK and I watched Serenity over the weekend, and I just couldn't help thinking how much cooler it would have been in HD.
Why an LCD? Anything bigger than the 27" we have now wouldn't fit in our TV cabinet, so for the sake of small questing fingers, we're going to mount it on the wall. A three-inch-deep LCD screen makes for easy hanging. And, as a neat twist, EK is going to find us some cool Chinese art to roll down over the TV when it is off. How cool is that?
Why 1080p? There is a raging debate that is going on now (and forever?) about what, exactly, "True" High-Def TV actually is. There are two main groups and several minor ones. The 720p, 1080i, 1080p and off-resolutions. Of all of them, 720p (or progressive) is the easiest to find and the cheapest. On the far end of that spectrum is 1080p - there is literally no higher resolution for video signal at this time. With that in mind, and with future technology upgrades in mind, we're shooting for the stars. And it also makes spaceships real purty.
Why the Westinghouse? Good question. A combination of price, availability, reputation, review and the fact that Twokota has one on the wall of his bedroom. If it's good enough for him (a REAL technogeek) then it's good enough for me. I'm getting the grand tour tomorrow. I'll let you know if it seals the deal for me or not.
With that in mind, I offer more links, for no particular reason:
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