Bang-for-Buck Alternatives to Flat-Panel HDTVs

First came the slim CRTs, but here come the slim rear-projection TVs (or micro-displays, as they're called in the industry). Considering the plummeting prices of flat-panel TVs and the simultaneously rising lust for them, rear-projection LCD, LCoS, and DLP TVs have been placed on many people's deathwatch lists. But the makers of these bulkier sets, which offer brilliant HD on big screens for a fraction of the price of similarly sized LCD and plasma flat-panels, are fighting back.

JVC today announced and showed off its new series of shallow-cabinet rear-projection HDTVs. At only 117 pounds and just 10.7 inches deep, the 58-inch HD-48S998 (pictured) is lighter than a similarly sized plasma, making it arguably better for hanging on a wall (no need for reinforcements). The set, along with the 65-inch HD-65S998, uses JVC's HD-ILA technology, which is essentially LCoS, making for dense pixels (good for movies) and eliminating the rainbow effect you see on DLP TVs (a rainbow of colors that some people can see when they blink while watching a DLP TV).

 

Plus, both TVs are 1080p. But the real point of the TVs is the price, about $3,299 for the 58-inch model and $4,199 for the 65-inch TV, compared to $8,000 or so for Panasonic's 1080p plasma or $9,000 for the Sharp 65-inch LCD LC-65D9OU. The 58-inch model hits stores in January, while the 65-inch will be out in March.

From what I could see with the color-saturated content that JVC was showing off today, the images look crisp and realistic, even close up. They're plenty flat but not flat enough to outsex a plasma or LCD.

Would you be happy with a slightly thicker, quasi-flat panel such as these new models from JVC, or do you just want a bona fide flat-panel?