Largest 16:9 direct view???

[lynnbt]

What is the largest 16:9 direct view HDTV that is being sold today? In my limited research, the largest I've seen is 34".

Are there any 36"+ 16:9 direct view HDTVs out there???

[NorthJersey]

the 40XBR800 is still being sold, but Sony is phasing them out (3 generations behind). The 36" is now the largest being sold of the newer generation Directview's

[lynnbt]

Aren't both of those sets 4:3??? I'm asking about the larget 16:9 direct views that are out there.

[Adam Tyner]

The 34" is the largest 16x9 direct view CRT from Sony. Loewe and RCA both have 38" sets. Search this forum for "F38310" or "Aconda" if you'd like to read posts on those displays.

[RandyWalters]

The elusive Loewe Aconda is the king of all direct-view TVs. It MSRPs for over $5,000 and looks like a piece of art. I've seen a few at Goodguys before but the last time i was there they no longer had em. From what i understand they're really hard to get serviced when they go bad (and they go bad a lot).

For that kind of money, you can buy two Panasonic 42" ED plasmas :-)


http://www.avguide.com/newsletter/April_TPV/loewe_aconda_38.jsp


http://www.avguide.com/newsletter/April_TPV/images/loeweaconda.jpg

[Joxer]

The 40" and 36" models are 4:3 sets, not the requested largest 16:9 direct-view. Only the old Loewe non-flat expensive 38" HD widescreen tube is bigger than the common 34" 16:9 sizes. Beyond that, the plasma displays take over now and are quickly dropping in price. Producing bigger bulky larger than 34" for tubes is just too expensive and difficult to do anymore with the competion from the much lighter and thinner larger flat panel displays - thats why they have been disappearing in the past couple years.

[Jet Champion]

The REAL answer why they don't make widescreen larger than 34-inches is so that they can FORCE people to choose INFERIOR Rear Projection 42-inch LCD if they want something just a little bit larger and just a few dollars more. I gurantee you that if Sony wasn't big into Rear Projection LCD sets, because they refuse to pay Texas Instruments for chips in DLP sets,--you would definitely at least see 38-inch widescreen sets. If RCA and Loewe can produce them they're not impossible--in fact with the reduction in the cost of most electronics they would even be significantly cheaper now then when RCA produced them!

[wittmer]

Reconditioned F38310 available at overstock.com for a great price including stand and $2.95 shipping.

Anyone brave enough to gamble...

[sgtpeper]

The Aconda is no longer being produced - sadly. There are still a number of them for sale. Current price is 2800 on closeout - tell your dealer you wont pay the 3500 they want bc you know you can get it for 2800. These TVs are amazing and the screen is NEAR flat. Too big of a set to be flat - the 40xbr is 300lbs... At any rate if you really want the king I say go for it. They do not go bad as often as people would like you to think and Loewe has a 3 year parts labor onsite warranty. Its truly a wonderful TV.

HTH
Jeff

[Darren_C]

Was the new Aconda 9383 Basalt recently discontinued also?

[sgtpeper]

Yes the entire aconda line has been discontinued as far as I know. My tv - the articos has taken its place - but only comes in a 30" model. The larger models now offered by Loewe are the Aventos (their "cheap" line), the Spheros which is their plasma line - amazing tv - ~5500, and the articos which has my 30" tube version and also a 50" (I think) DLP version (I think its DLP but I know its some sort of RP).

Find a dealer that has all their models I highly recomend all of them - they might be pricey but the image is as stunning as they get :)

Jeff

[Q of BanditZ]

Wow, that Aconda blows me away! Must weight about 500 lbs.!

Sony XBR800 40 inch and the XBR 960 and 910's are the largest current (and best) CRT HD tube Tv's that I know of now...

[sgtpeper]

The 38" Aconda weighs closer to 250 not 500lbs

Jeff

[Playdrv4me]

The XBR800 is currently the easiest way to go a little bit beyond a 34 inch HD Direct view, as its 16:9 mode is about 35 inches or so, maybe larger. Also, it is a couple of generations behind, however it has arguably the best picture short of the 910 and 960 IF you get one without green blobs on the sides. The Aconda was a good TV I guess, there is TWO of them at a local high end electronics retailer in my area being blown out for 2500.00 since I guess they cant get rid of them.

One of them has a slight discoloration in the upper right corner of the tube and is a little fuzzy, and the other one has some sort of geometry problem on the upper left where the corner of the picture is bowed in and you can see the edge of the image. They did have a nice picture though.

I dont think you will see another 38 inch Direct view however, as there is just no financial gain for any of the big three to do it (Matsushita, Sony, and Toshiba), HOWEVER, as I mentioned before, you MIGHT see it from Samsung with their recent efforts to revitalize tube technology just a bit longer.

[Artwood]

If Samsung were to produce a 38-inch Widescreen Direct-view I think the main ingredient in its success would be to have a flatter tube than the Loewe that was also non reflective and somehow very great picture quality. I'm not saying Sony 960 quality, just something close to that. The other thing they'd have to do is make the 38-inch as SMALL and SLEEK as possible for all the Size complainers and have every input and output known to man, memory presets, and a multitude of as good as possible stretch modes and also produce it in both silver and black colors for the people who love or hate each one. If they did all of that I think it would sell. Doing all of those things isn't impossible. The hard thing would be to do all of those things and not charge a whole lot more than the 34-inch 960. If you,priced it at only $200 more and marketed it heavily as the biggest widescreen REAL TV in the world I think people would buy it!

[oryan_dunn]

Well not here in the states, but Philips has 36" widescreen sets available in europe. If you look at thier uk site, they have 24" wide, 28" wide, 32" wide and 36" wide tvs. I think that they should use those sizes here in the states as well. I'd like to have a 32" wide, just a bit bigger than what I have now, but not as big as a 34" that would look huge in my bedroom.

[cdcooker]

I think in europe, and Japan too, the size they used is the crt size, not the viewable size. In US, manufacturers used to use CRT size also, but I think some kind of lawsuit led to the use of actual viewable size. So an European 36" widescreen is the same as the US 34" widescreen.

[oryan_dunn]

I did not know that. I knew that they had to put viewable on crt monitors for computers, I didn't realize that went for tvs as well. I should i guess, just didn't think of that. I wonder if it says anywhere in the literature for the uk tvs what the viewable is?

[RandyWalters]

Originally posted by cdcooker
I think in europe, and Japan too, the size they used is the crt size, not the viewable size. In US, manufacturers used to use CRT size also, but I think some kind of lawsuit led to the use of actual viewable size. So an European 36" widescreen is the same as the US 34" widescreen.

This is correct - a European 32" is actually a US 30", and their 36" is our 34". We go by the "viewable area" where they include the 1" black border that surrounds the actual tube which is why theirs seems to be 2" more than ours.

You'll also notice whenever a CRT computer monitor is advertised, they state the screen size (17") and have a footnote (15.8" viewable). Result of some sort of false-advertising lawsuit that happened as a result of complaints that people's new 17" monitors were actually less than 16" viewable size and they felt cheated. This doesn't apply to flat panel LCDs or Plasmas because they use the whole stated screen size.

[Artwood]

What Samsung really needs to do is try to sell a 38-inch Direct-view Widescreen set at Wal-Mart. If it wouldn't sell there it wouldn't sell anywhere--if they used Wal-Mart I think they could get the price down to where it would sell like hotcakes!

[luftkin]

My HDTV should last quite a while yet because I don't have Cable TV, I shut the electric 'down' like a fan cooled notebook for a day, a week, or a month+.

[Kipp Jones]

Originally posted by wittmer
Reconditioned F38310 available at overstock.com for a great price including stand and $2.95 shipping.

Anyone brave enough to gamble...

That is an excellent deal.

[absolutic]

But does this RCA F38310 have a flat screen? The picture on overstock site shows a curved screen, sort-of old fashioned. Unless I am misled by the picture of their site

[Joxer]

You are correct that old RCA 38" HDTV model has a curved (non-flat) CRT.

[Artwood]

Anyone that still has a chance to buy any 38-inch Direct-view that still plays should go for it. They really do look alot bigger than the 34s!

[wittmer]

Yes, the screen is not flat. Really good price for the combo. I would suspect that many sales were lost due to the curved screen. It isn't the slightest bit distracting to me when the set is on. If TVs were sold in darkened rooms with the sets on, I doubt it would matter.

[Jordan420]

I told my parents about the 38310 and they ordered it on sunday & received it on friday. The stand was brand new in the original box & the TV only had a slight scratch on the side.

The odometer was at 0 when we pluged it in. 38" HDTV w/tuner for $1200 delivered is a great deal. I have had one for 2+ yrs and love it.

[PULLIAMM]

A quick calculation shows that a 40" 16:9 screen would actually have slightly less surface area than a 40" 4:3. Since the 40" 4:3 is being made, the 16:9 version could be too, at about the same depth and weight. Of course, it would blow even the most expensive 42" plasmas right out of the water, which is probably one of the reasons they don't build it.

[Berryrice]

Loewe pulled out of the United States about 4-5 months ago because of poor sales and terrible customer support. Loewe really shot themselves in the foot 5 years ago when they moved their plant out of germany....that was the point where they where producing a lot of unreliable sets....mainly the power transformers and control unit which consumers in the US generally where out of a beautiful "looking" TV for 3 to 6 months while repair shops and waranty centers where out looking to replacement parts. Loewe decieded to bring back their production back to Germany about 2 years ago and the reliabilty has improved quite a bit. So if you find a recent closeout Loewe Aconda 30" or 38" get it.....the picture is awesome!

Loewe Aconda 38" actually used the RCA 38" tube but added their internal scalers and anti-reflective coatings much like Bang & Olufsen Avant used Phillips tubes and souped it up.

Cheers

[Q of BanditZ]

[QUOTE=RandyWalters]The elusive Loewe Aconda is the king of all direct-view TVs. It MSRPs for over $5,000 and looks like a piece of art. I've seen a few at Goodguys before but the last time i was there they no longer had em. From what i understand they're really hard to get serviced when they go bad (and they go bad a lot).

For that kind of money, you can buy two Panasonic 42" ED plasmas :-)[/quote]

You couldn't a pile of those away to me.

That's flushing your money down the toilet on a product that isn't even an HDTV. $2000+ should yield anyone a full and complete HD product. Period.




http://www.avguide.com/newsletter/April_TPV/loewe_aconda_38.jsp


http://www.avguide.com/newsletter/April_TPV/images/loeweaconda.jpg

I'd much rather buy one of these vs. an ED anything. Full HD, pristine picture, and none of the bugaboos and worries that go with plasma.

Space permitting, this is an incredible choice! Easily worth every penny!

[CrocHunter]

I agree that's a rare gem there.:)

No contest, go HD!!!

I just can't see spending that much $$$ for an ED plasma that is only capable of 480p max!!!

You can get a quality CRT HDTV for much less and i guarantee it will blow away any ED plasma anyday!!!

IMO go HD or keep what you have already.

[Q of BanditZ]

[QUOTE=CrocHunter]I agree that's a rare gem there.:)

No contest, go HD!!!

I just can't see spending that much $$$ for an ED plasma that is only capable of 480p max!!!

You can get a quality CRT HDTV for much less and i guarantee it will blow away any ED plasma anyday!!![/quote]

Size and hanging it on your wall notwithstanding, of course. ;)


IMO go HD or keep what you have already.

Agreed 100 percent.

[Berryrice]

I think ED has it's place in Plasma but NOT in CRT directview. The crappy part about plasma is it's PQ fluctuates with you inputs (SD,DVD,HD air/cable). ED plasmas many times looks better displaying SD stuff and displays DVD's @ 480p very well but many HD plasmas display SD like crap. Yes...I still watch TV LAND, Threes Comapany, Knight Rider, and AirWolf. I often wonder why...I heard all the excuses like HD is sooo good that it shows all the faults of SD and amplifies it but in realty ALL new HD TV's should display SD as good or better than the 300 buck non-hd/ed sets at Costco. All CRT show SD far better than the plasma counter (even when display size are the same). I don't think their are very many ED CRT's out there left. As long as we see HD plasma's (in general) displaying poor SD pq and your comparable ED plasma is usually $500-1200 less and does better displaying SD ...ED plamsa's will be around for awhile. LONG LIVE CRT!!!

Cheers

[CrocHunter]

The funny thin is ED plasma is no different than an SD 480i CRT set.

Only difference is plasma ED is progressive and regualer SD crt is interlaced, they both have the same resolution so you can see why i say keep you r SD CRT if you plan on getting an ED plasma it's not worth it.

[Berryrice]

I agree....but some people want a TV bigger than 40" and still watch alot of SD and DVD's mostly and CRT unfortunately have not gone bigger. I think a 32" ED CRT looks better than a 32" lcd/plasma HDTV...I know that's crazy. But the best PQ out there possible and availiable is a 34" wide XBR960....which the market is saying that's tiny:(

[Q of BanditZ]

To be fair, I will say that the PQ on some ED plasmas is quite good.

[CrocHunter]

I agree, but only because it's progressive.

[Q of BanditZ]

[QUOTE=CrocHunter]I agree, but only because it's progressive.[/QUOTE]

I certainly wouldn't pay anywhere near the amount of money these ED plasmas demand, that's for sure.

[CrocHunter]

i know what you mean, that's why i say to people they are better off just keeping their SD crt set.

[Gecko85]

If anyone's still on the fence about the Sony 34XBR960, Best Buy has them right now for $1803.99, and Circuit City has them for $1804.99. This is the best pricing I've seen on these sets. (BB also has free shipping right now if you order online.)

This is the best 16:9 widescreen CRT you can buy.

[kny3twalker]

This is the best 16:9 widescreen CRT you can buy.

that should read this is best consumer CRT ever made

[rickmccamy]

What is the point of better SD pq, when so many stretch the damn picture to fill the screen?

[kny3twalker]

What is the point of better SD pq, when so many stretch the damn picture to fill the screen?

I think if more TV upscaled the 480i content to 1080i like the Toshibas
it would be less of an issue
I know I prefer my HTPC upscaling than normal mode on Sony which is a full 1.5-2" smaller image (in diagonal)

[PULLIAMM]

[QUOTE=Q of BanditZ]To be fair, I will say that the PQ on some ED plasmas is quite good.[/QUOTE]
If you read any of the posts in the plasma section about ED, they all start with "As long as you are sitting at least 7' away..." (even a lot of the HD ones say this.) A 42" plasma from 7' fills the same viewing angle as a 30" from 5'. Since I watch a 34" from 5' (possible because of the excellent PQ), I am actually getting a more movie-like experience than any of these 42" ED plasma owners watching from far away to avoid SDE.

[Q of BanditZ]

[QUOTE=PULLIAMM]If you read any of the posts in the plasma section about ED, they all start with "As long as you are sitting at least 7' away..." (even a lot of the HD ones say this.) A 42" plasma from 7' fills the same viewing angle as a 30" from 5'. Since I watch a 34" from 5' (possible because of the excellent PQ), I am actually getting a more movie-like experience than any of these 42" ED plasma owners watching from far away to avoid SDE.[/QUOTE]

Fair 'nuff. :)

[justsc]

[QUOTE=Berryrice]I think ED has it's place in Plasma but NOT in CRT directview. The crappy part about plasma is it's PQ fluctuates with you inputs (SD,DVD,HD air/cable). ED plasmas many times looks better displaying SD stuff and displays DVD's @ 480p very well but many HD plasmas display SD like crap. Yes...I still watch TV LAND, Threes Comapany, Knight Rider, and AirWolf. I often wonder why...I heard all the excuses like HD is sooo good that it shows all the faults of SD and amplifies it but in realty ALL new HD TV's should display SD as good or better than the 300 buck non-hd/ed sets at Costco. All CRT show SD far better than the plasma counter (even when display size are the same). I don't think their are very many ED CRT's out there left. As long as we see HD plasma's (in general) displaying poor SD pq and your comparable ED plasma is usually $500-1200 less and does better displaying SD ...ED plamsa's will be around for awhile. LONG LIVE CRT!!!

Cheers[/QUOTE]
I actually have a "for real" 27" ED CRT direct view set - and it's "to die for." Got it from Samsung a few years ago. And I think the excellent PQ comes from more than just progressive scanning. There's a bunch of video processing going on that the standard 480i sets just don't offer.

Clearly, it's not HD, but it was a darn good buy 3 yeara ago for $440.

[glabrecque]

Hey guys new here. Where on here can I go to sell an KV-40XBR800?