HDTV Forum

Properly operating equipment and cables are investment in the future. If you buy "smart" to begin with then you can use the product for the next 10-15 years instead of replacing it every 3-6 years as you "grow" your system.

Richard F. Fisher

I don't care HOW smart you purchase, to say that a smart purchase will lead to stuff good for 10-15 years seems crazy!

Maddog

Certainly not all of it! Be reasonable. You can use an AC synthesizers and line conditioners the rest of your life. Many of the displays are useable for 10 to 15 years. Amplifiers, speakers and cables fall into the same range and possibly longer. The right scaler can last 10 years. DVD? Mine is 5 years, a real good one, so instead I bought an external scaler and it still competes with DVD players in the $2-3K range.

STB? Extremely limited. D-VHS? Unknown. D-Theater? unknown. Recordable DVD? Could have fairly short life due to HD-DVD. HD-DVD? Could be replaced with the internet or an independent HD satellite delivery within a couple years of introduction. My OTA antenna is possibly limited. Surround decoders have had about 5 year technology cycles so far.


Richard F. Fisher

I didn't see you mention projectors, I DARE you to buy a projector that in 10 years, you would not be able to buy a projector 4 times better for half the price, most likely with completely different technology than is currently used.

You are REALLY talking about the 1% videophile niche when you start adding scalars and what not.

Maddog

Dare accepted.

Fro CRT Accurate Imaging Ultimate 9, Reference Imaging CinePro 9x Elite, Sony VPH-G90U, Accurate Imaging Accurate 8. For fixed pixel Runco VX5000C, Marantz VP12S1, SIM Seleco HT300. There are others. Will you be able to replace them for less - probably. Will it be 4 times better - very doubtful. When you buy the good stuff it takes a good while to significantly outperform it.

you are REALLY talking about the 1% videophile niche when you start adding scalars and what not.

Quality scaling has dropped in price significantly. The DVDO Pro is $600 and the Focus HD is $1000. Certainly a far cry from the $3000 - $20,000 of just 2 years ago.


Richard F. Fisher

PS. Lumagen scaling is $1000-1500 and raises the bar even higher for cost/performance ratios.

Quality scaling has dropped in price significantly. The DVDO Pro is $600 and the Focus HD is $1000. Certainly a far cry from the $3000 - $20,000 of just 2 years ago

So in two years the price has gone from $20,000 to $1000, and you think in ten to fifteen years these scalars will still be representative of / or comparable to the then current technology if you buy "smart" now?

I don't get it?

VCR's???...geeze think my BetaMax will do 1080?

Current projectors are cheaper, smaller, brighter, use different lamp, lens, and projection technology, have higher contrast ratios, accept HDTV signals through a variety of inputs.....

History just tells me you are at least stretching with your ten to fifteen year time frame.........

I can't imagine that most people on this board, including yourself, have not replaced most of their equipment ABOUT every 5 years, especially recently. I think the type of people that are into all of this (us), are NOT the type of people to keep tech toys that long regardless of potential longevity.... we want the latest best stuff, and we want it now!

If I bought "smart" and bought the best possible equipment in 1987...
Are you REALLY suggesting that it would be even remotely as good as my progressive DVD player hooked to my mitsubishi 55" widescreen (1987 = WHAT THE HELL IS WIDESCREEN?) and playing games with my X Box hooked up with component and optical for full surround sound?

Maddog

Maddog,

If it wasn