Elite HDTV soars into mainstream
By DAVE GUSSOW / St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times
You want a new high-definition TV. But choosing is far from a black-and-white choice.
The plasma looks really good, but, oh, that price. There's an LCD, but it's on the small side, or how about a conventional tube set with HDTV capability? And what exactly is LCoS and DLP?
Yes, it can be difficult to shop for a high-definition TV.
Or, as Mike Wood says, it can be easy.
"What looks good is what matters," said Wood, who is editor of Curtco's Digital TV magazine.
It's hard not to notice the TVs when walking past a display in an electronics store, all those vivid pictures looking real enough to touch.
The potential for sticker shock remains high, as some of the best, brightest and biggest sets can cost thousands. But, they're cheaper than they were a few years ago, and experts say people don't need to spend a fortune to enjoy high-quality HDTV.
"You can get one of these HDTV picture tube sets now for well under $1,000," said Jim Barry, a spokesman for the Consumer Electronics Association. Consumer Reports magazine listed some models as low as $550, easily competitive with comparably sized traditional analog sets. more...
