help me, dear friends. help me to find a new picture box, a boob tube, a television.

[Jason]

Well, after a mania powered, nearly 48 hour frenzy (out of roughly 72 hours) of searching and comparing and contrasting, I've ended up with a Toshiba 34HFX85. (Check it out here.) It's a 34" widescreen direct view HDTV. I love it. It's got more inputs than I know what to do with, including two sets of component jacks as well as an HDMI input.

I don't have any HD programming to watch just yet, but I do have DirecTV, and man oh man, even SD stuff looks way better. (The TV upconverts all 480i signals to 1080i.) My only wish is that my DirecTV receiver had some component outputs. The best I can do for now is S-Video and Composite audio because I have the most basic receiver you can get.

DVDs are just absolutely freaking sweet. I watched Finding Nemo and LOTR: The Return of the King and pratically creamed my jeans. My DVD player is progressive scan, sends out a 480p signal, and the TV has the option of only scaling to 540p instead of upconverting to 1080i. This is the first time I've been able to make use of progressive scan and fully appreciate what it can look like.

I also can't wait to check out some PS2 games. Burnout 3 is going to be beautiful. It's too bad I don't have an XBox 360. I probably wouldn't leave the house for three days straight.

Overall, in case you couldn't tell by now, I'm super happy. Coming from an analog 27" Magnavox, one I've had for nearly a decade, and then arriving at this... it's like getting new eye balls. :]

[DoTheFandango]

Well, after a mania powered, nearly 48 hour frenzy (out of roughly 72 hours) of searching and comparing and contrasting, I've ended up with a Toshiba 34HFX85. (Check it out here.) It's a 34" widescreen direct view HDTV. I love it. It's got more inputs than I know what to do with, including two sets of component jacks as well as an HDMI input.

Good call my man, I have a toshiba from the last generation in my computer room that is alot similar to that, and I could not have been more happier with it.

[Send]

I just switch a few inputs and use my TV as a monitor and television. It's great.

[404 Not Found]

.

I don't have any HD programming to watch just yet, but I do have DirecTV, and man oh man, even SD stuff looks way better. (The TV upconverts all 480i signals to 1080i.) My only wish is that my DirecTV receiver had some component outputs. The best I can do for now is S-Video and Composite audio because I have the most basic receiver you can get.

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/imagine/HDDVR.jsp

DirecTV broadcasts in HD and has the HD box your looking for, and you can upgrade since your a current customer.

[bloodzombie]

good work, jason.

I got here late, but you did right and bought a quality tv.

whoever said to buy an lcd is crazy... why would you do that when the whole point is that you want to utilize your entertainment center? if you're less than 40 inches and you don't mind the depth, direct view is the way to go.

As far as the argument about sony tvs... I'm not a big fan of sony at all, I barely buy anything sony, but tvs are one thing they do well.