What would be best for a projection big screen...

As someone who's just done the research on the pros and cons of all the various technoligies at play in the big screen market I will unequivivbly state that CRT rear projection systems offer not only the best picture available (when properly tuned) but are the best bang for your buck on several fronts.

As this is far from new tech it doesn't carry the premium price tag of more 'up to date' systems so you end up with more picture for your money...I just purchased a 51 inch Hitachi for $699 with free shipping!

Another benefit is longevity. The typical CRT system is trouble free well beyond 60,000 hours of viewing, all without the hassle of replacing those expensive ($200 a piece) projection bulbs that are the achillies heel of LCD, Plasma and DLP systems. Sure, they're trying to resolve these issues and will in time...but not today!

Also consider the hassle of stuck pixels that is a major concern in the LCD field or cell die off in Plasma. Both are terminal conditions and not fixed by any other method than replacement. And DLP is not without flaws as well, with 'rainbow' optical faults being a real deal breaker in some sets. These aren't things the sales people will ever tell you, it cuts into their commision checks to deeply and for the most part they are tuelly ignorant of most of these issues.

I agree, technology is advancing but as of today it's still anyone's guess as to how it will all shake out. In fact both Sony and Mitsubishi have totally ceased further research and production of plasma TV's...kind of a scary thought that these two TV giants and leaders in the field would flat out abandon what most think of as cutting edge! My advice would be to save yourself some money and buy a CRT rear projection now and let the technology shake it self out until a dependable format finally becomes available at an affordable price. Trust me, after reading through almost 6,000 posts on this subject on various AV forums and web sites I feel this is the best advice I can give, backed up by my own hard earned ducats being dropped on the CRT system. Good luck which ever way you decide.