Hi Jeremy if your grazing,
I am holding on the DVD player purchase, 2 stops did not have your recommendation in stock, and another I�m interested in. For a less expensive choice also am waiting to see what the Panny 82 (out any sec) really does. Ran into this little gadget
http://www.crtcinema.com/pd1000.html
which looks like boutique dressing hype with nada performance/tech stats given on the unit itself but made me think I should perhaps research stand alone scalers for the ultimate in aspect ratio control, don�t know squat about those.
PS. Like you have the time, I just ran into this and thought if you had been happy with your 50� Sony, it looks like Sony is staying invested in LCD with 3 new models coming up. I wonder if they will stretch to installing the newest Sony projector 12? Model # in these releases, it should have better black level and brightness, I understand if they did. (Scroll down past chapt. headings little more than � pg. to Sony released LCD�)
http://www.tlc-i.com/texis/tmp/news/may2002
Too bad we don�t have the 900 dollars to send off for the full report detailing specifics on which technology the Asian manufacture�s are putting the big bucks behind.

I finally saw the new DLP in the store last weekend. How do I word this, in my non-techy way?
The lettering with texts (something I judge severely on displays) had wonderful clarity and crispness. Very impressive, no jaggies etc?
I did find the pic. mildly irritating with a frenetic mirror like loud sharpness in color and detail. It was beautiful but I thought it might get tiring. I suppose settings could be greatly toned down in that area, but wonder how much of that effect is created by the choice of display screen material used.

Each of us have very subjective tastes but when ordering custom professional 35 prints, I always choose �matte�, with 100 speed enlargements (don�t like the �screen door� effect in photography either). glossy�s are rarely appropriate to me except in a few specific-to-subject instances.
I guess I�m saying I was worried when I saw DLP I would go �ouch� on the recent Sony purchase. While I would like to have the greater text definition and the Samsung was fantastic in certain areas, I prefer the closer to film look of a progressive DVD displayed without the harsher mirrorlike effect. The largest Samsung still seemed much smaller than the Sony (even though it is only a 4� diff?) and I�m already used to the Sony�s size and dimensions. The larger DLP seemed to effect more of a 4:3 boxy styled shape on the cabinet than I personally like also.