opinions on rear proj. TVs

annie68164

We had a new lcd flatscreen which got destroyed due to my toddler throwing a lego at it. So we want to go back to old school for a few more years and are looking at a couple TVs on Craigslist. I have never owned a rear projection tv and would love to hear opinions. Here are the two we are considering to choose from and the prices wanted for them:


43" Sony KP43HT20 $100
47" Samsung HCP4741W $225


Both sellers gave me the product page with all the specs on these however its about impossible to get a year these came out so have no idea how old they are. Both are HD compatible so I'm assuming they're fairly modern. Also I'm concerned about the screen, I'm thinking if a toy or wii controller hits it, it shouldn't "shatter" the screen elements inside.

hyunelan2

I have a 46" Hitachi RPTV sitting in an unused bedroom. It was my main TV, and prized possession when I bought it in 2005. We used it up until 2008 when I bought a 50" Samsung Plasma to replace it.

Some downsides of RPTVs:
First, size. They take up a lot of space. If you have room for it, not a problem.

Second, light. Just like a movie projector, these do not work well in bright rooms. They also have the issue of "disappearing pictures" if you get too far to the side of the TV

I haven't looked up those two TV specs, but if you don't have cable/satellite, make sure they have a digital tuner. A lot don't, as they are older TVs.

The HD level is often 720p/1080i. That may not matter, but look at the specs if you think you are going to watch 1080p BluRay movies.

Lenses, adjustment - & technology. RPs could be CRT, LCD, or DLP. DLP was common at the later end of RP TVs. Bulb life is finite and does require replacement eventually. My neighbor's Samsung lasted less than a year before he had to have the bulb replaced (warranty). That one lasted about 14 months (out of warranty). If it's CRT, it uses multiple lenses that have to be focused. Some have autofocus buttons to do this. Some require technicians.


I wouldn't pay $225 for a rear projection TV. I am likely going to sell mine to someone from work for $50-$75, because I feel that's probably all it's worth.

annie68164

Thanks for the abundant info, that helps alot. We do have a very bright living room as far as sliding door and huge windows everywhere so seeing the picture could be a problem for sure. I'd hate to haul it home then not be able to see it except when curtains are closed or at night. I did think $225 sounded very high.