How about a flat, skinny, 43″, high-resolution TV? If this is your vice then a plasma TV is your medicine.
The Pioneer 433MXE focuses on video performance and leaves out extras like tuner and speakers. This will result in highest quality possible and low weight but means you have to know how to connect your video sources to it.
Most convenient is to use RGB out from your devices. Usually digital top boxes and DVD players support this. Your old VCR will most probably not support RGB but then you can use composite video or S-video.
Since there are no speakers on the TV you should really have an amplifier and set of speakers available to connect your video sources to.
The technology in a plasma TV allows the picture to be in higher resolution than a traditional TV. This will be mostly visible when connecting a computer to the plasma.
The Pioneer 433MXE supports 1024×768 pixels, which is enough for Internet browsing and giant gaming. A wireless keyboard and mouse is a final touch.
Geek warning: the TV supports many different input formats, which makes it ideal for multi usage. From highest to lowest quality the TV can handle progressive scan component vide, (DVI), RGB, s-video and composite video. It supports PAL/NTSC/SECAM.
Advantages: flat and skinny, high resolution, all purpose display
Disadvantages: high price, advanced connections, not as high contrast as some other models
Update 5th June 2007
The Pioneer 433MXE plasma gave up one morning after nearly 4 years of heavy usage.
There was a loud popping sound and now the plasma is inoperable. The red stand-by light keeps blinking at me (mockingly).
I sent it away for repair and it was quickly diagnosed as a faulty power supply – quite common apparently. Power supply £225 and labour £75 + VAT.
While browsing the USA Pioneer website I found an article about power supply replacement on second and third generation plasma TVs. A call later to the UK Pioneer customer service and I was told that they would get back to me.
I may have paid the repair costs unnecessarily 🙁
the living room looks sweet. I remember when you guys first got the place and it needed work. Very nice!