[1] Let's see... YUPPY CAR PRIUS: Fossil fuel => reciprocating engine => electric generator => battery => electric motor => wheels.
How stupid is that? How can that chain be efficient? Is there creative engineering there somewhere!?
MY CAR YARIS: Fossil fuel => reciprocating engine => wheels.
Hmmm.
It costs less, has to be more reliable, is more powerful, weighs less, and averages 39 mpg.
Hmmm.
What would the mileage be for one of those pipsqueak hybrid vehicles if it used its reciprocating engine without all that other junk to drive the wheels directly...?
[2] My first sight of a plasma TV was in an up-scale store. Breathtaking. The price tag? My first house cost only $2000 more, and it was on a lagoon.
Then I moved in closer and saw all those little plasma pixels. I don't know how they spec 'em (and quite frankly, I don't care) but any standard dot-pitch technique has to be embarrassing. They're not small, they were huge.
Plasma sets have perfect convergence; from there on, its downhill, IMO.
[3] CRTs: They're certainly through as a consumer product. The old RCA Lancaster CRT plant where the 15GP22's were made closed this year for a reason.
Hmmm.
Talk about poor 15GP22 reliability. I Wonder if some fifteen-year-old today will be able to find a working 2006 plasma in fifty years.
[4] CRTs: I think HD helped -- it didn't cause it of course, but it is a factor in the downturn of the CRT. You've probably seen pictures of my 38-in. wide-screen CRT set. It weighs in officially at
216 pounds, and that doesn't count the base and all the HT gear in there. Thank goodness it's on hardwood flooring and the rug rolls back so I can slide it out.
[5] I'm with you Chad. If I had to buy a new set it would be a DLP. Especially now that they've broken the 720p barrier.
[6] and finally, wide-screen formats: A hi-def ATSC image can be, and usually is, highly pleasing when in its 16X9 (1:77 or so) aspect ratio. Can't appreciate a DVD though in 2:35 or whatever ratio. FILL UP MY SCREEN for goodness sake! It's what I paid for! And I'm not cool with having you burn in my CRT with your half-assed odd-ball aspect ratios from a movie house release.
Pete