I'm in the market for a new TV, but I have a feeling my price point is fast disappearing in favor of the large flat panels.

I just can't justify spending that much on a TV, even given the amount I watch. I do covet though. Covet, covet, covet.

in my mind...it hasnt happened yet.

Heh heh...bog.

3,000...it's all relative. I'm certainly not one to knock international travel as I do love it so..but to play the devils advocate..for which I do so enjoy...some might say that while a trip lasts a mere 10 days, the TV of the same value will provide you with pleasure for 8-10 years. Not a bad investment. Hey, there are plenty of people that think its positively absure to spend over $300 a year on a ticket to DL. Yet others spend thousands on season tickets to sporting events. It's all relative.

As I do love TV and movies, it's probably worth it to me to spend that much on a greatly enhanced viewing experience. And that's just the start. The sound system will cost twice more probably. Yet I don't spend money on things I see as frivolties that I see many others enjoy...starbucks every day, eating out for all your meals, constant acquisition of cd's and the latest gadgets. Everyone's different. I say, spend it as you like, just stay out of debt. So many people I know spend beyond their means and rack up credit card debt. They claim to not have money, but get a new cell phone, pda, or computer every month. Spend it wisely, but do it enjoy it.

Oh and to answer your question...$3,000 became reasonable when it came down from $15,000. :)

Yeah, I wish it was cheaper too...but it seems to have bottomed out...for a bit. Plasma's have been around a long time now.

CRT's are the best looking but like plasma's they have a finite tube/gas life to them. and the calibration drifts =)

LCD's are sharp good for computer text or gaming that you want to be close up into but have discreet pixles that can cause artifacting. The backlight can't be replaced on some models and individual pixle burnouts can't either.

Plasmas are more like a CRT in color depth they have a finite life and just start looking worse and worse color wise. out of the box they dont track that well and cant be fully calibrated to color or reach the deep blacks that a CRT can. Burn in is still a real problem dispite some tricks such as average picture level grey bars and pillars that make it fare better. But leave a videogame plugged in all day and you will have problems plus the picture looks better further away so using it for videogames probably not a good idea.

I have a rear Projection DLP TV and the bastard roomate gets more use than I do out of it he is running that lamp ragged. Picture looks wonderful in true HD like ass with Standard def. And glare is a real problem I added thick drapes because of this. Some people notice a rainbow effect from DLP and those people should never buy one as it will drive em nuts! (The related joke seems familiar GD I think I told it to you or vice versa in line for POTC) anyhow

DLP Projector on the wall would have been a far better way for me to go I have seen it at a number of freinds houses and its just seems fun.

BTW new technologys are quite a way away and CRT's especily HD CRT's are just not being produced by the best MFRGRs anymore due to enviromental regulations by the EU.

Nano tubes that will be phospher based and SED technology also OLED's exist but only as prototypes and raritys they still need to work out the details and make them cheap enough to bring the price to where people will buy one and not settle for LCD.

last two cents HD rollout in the states has been completely horrible consuber electronic side and content side and the bandwith redistrabution a travisty....

Amen to that, brother.
:snap:

I see TV's like operating systems. The last link in the chain. I always start with what work I need to do, look for the best applications for that job and then the best OS to run those applications.

With TV's I like my movies and that's the "job" I'm looking to accomplish. So far the "programs" to watch movies (HD and Blue-ray) both stink, so I'm not even looking at the "operating system" (tv) yet.