[Analyst]

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The only negative is that standard definition just sucks. I don't know if it's because Hi-Def stuff is just so awesome, but it really sucks to go from Hi-Def to regular programming. I also don't know if you're going to have that with EVERY Hi-Def set or not, but I have read in other "research" that LCDs are particularly bad for that.


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This is a very important point, and we recently purchased a conventional CRT instead of an LCD for exactly this reason. The flat panels look *awesome* on HD signals or DVDs, but fared poorly on conventional TV signals. Unless you (the OP) is certain of having an HD/DVD source for most of his viewing, a flat panel may not be a good choice.

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You WANT the good cables when you go to hook everything up, and they're expensive (I spent $75 each on cables to hook up my Hi-Def box and my PS2).

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In the audio world, cables are generally a huge scam. Buyer beware!

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The other "extra" with LCDs is that the bulbs burn out. And they're a couple hundred bucks each. I bought the Circuit City service plan, which has unlimited bulb replacement for 3 years.



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Sharp is quoting a bulb lifetime (to half-brightness) of 60,000 hours in their latest sets. If you're watching TV 8 hours a day, it'll take 20 years to get to that point. LCDs and plasmas have both moved past the short-lifetime problems of the past, at least for top-tier manufacturers like Sharp and Panasonic.