This has always perplexed me. Why don't more receiver manufacturers incorporate a quadruple crossover feature into their products? I mean how many of us have exactly the same size speakers all around? It just makes so much sense to this novice audiophile. The only ones that I know of that do this are HK, Outlaw, and NAD with their Master Series.
Blazer: I agree with Jan. I'm of the simple type though. I'd rather have quadruple crossover rather than Hall, Cinema, Concert, and fill in your favorite DSP mode here.
Just like I'd rather have a TV that DOES NOT have any tuner in it NOR any speakers! Give me simplicity, but give me the advanced configuration features available anyday!
You'll only find this on the no-frills equipment, like H/K, NAD, Rotel, etc.
Stof - I'd have to check, but I believe the Pioneer Elite plasma's are still made as true monitors. They are a consumer oriented product. Obviously when you get into some of the pro video gear, there are some large monitors available at much higher costs than the typical consumer gear. However, Panasonic and Sony are in that market, you might check their lines of pro video monitors. CNN also shows on air the Hitachi 80" (?) screen which is cut into segments and is made as a monitor only. Naturally most projectors have no tuners or speakers.
Thanks Jan. I have seen some of those Pioneers and they are very nice, but also very expensive. Whereas the price of most LCD's and plasma's are dropping, Pioneer seems to charge more for their screens. I recently saw a 65" for over $6500, and this was at Micro Center. I don't really want to look at the Sony, but I imagine the other pro gears are really expensive too.
I'm looking at 42" LCD's at say Costco going for less than 2G and prices are dropping fast. However they have tuners and speakers. I think I should pay less to get something without them, but I've been remissed. Some of them advertise that you can take the speakers out. While that's great, I don't really feel like I should pay for it.
Actually, you will pay more for something with less. Less features, that is, but more quality. It costs a minimal amount to put speakers and a 10 watt amplifier in the package. What is costing today are the HDTV tuners which are mandated by law to be included in most TV's over 20". Hardly anyone will use the built in HD tuner and its use will only complicate the hook up and operation of the system. But to get around the requisite tuner issue, you have to be looking at the better monitors which are more often found in professional applications. The Pioneer Elites are often the TV of choice for plenty of broadcast stations due to their versatility of hook up and their overall quality. Sony and Panasonic are similar with Sony being typically "Sony Proud" of their gear. For the money spent, I don't think you can get a better TV right now than the Elites. They're expensive but worth every penney when you look at their picture with a good source. They can create a three dimensional image that most TV's don't even attempt. They can be found at some discount, if you shop. Otherwise there's a lot of junk out there right now. Check the Sharp's, they have a good track record in LCD after having been in that technology longer than just about anyone else. My understanding is Sony has stopped producing their LCD screens, so the market will loosen up a bit in quality but probably not that much in price. LCD's have been stubbornly dropping in price.
Yep, very true. That Pioneer is very very impressive.
Still I wouldn't mind so much paying for it, if I actually watched a lot of TV. As it is outside of watching movie, which we do on the projection, I hardly watch anything at all. So the point of better quality image is still lost on what I need which is a good quality large LCD without the tuner (with dual HDMI connector).
I really don't know how the current laws are written to make the distinction. It used to be a monitor was merely a video display without an on board tuner. One aspect of the Pioneer Elites which might be significant to the question is there are no provisions for anything lower in quality than a S-video connection. No RCA's and no F connectors. This tends to push them outside the typical consumer type of TV. The older (four years ago) models could also be switched between interlaced and progressive scan. This might have something to do with the distinction since this allows the Elite to be used in conjunction with a standard "monitor out" from a PC.
Stof, you've raised a good question that I will have to research. Please, this is not high on my priority list so don't expect immediate results.
It seems to me that manufacturer's don't really care if they are bundeling the tuner and charging you more for it. More pieces, more money, even if you don't really need it.
Stof: whatever drives their margin up. As I wrote, if it were up to me, no TV in my house would have a tuner or speakers. Okay, maybe the TV in the guest apartment.
Jan: my friends (and family) are somehow attracted to the pool and warm temperatures here in Florida! Go Figure! I got a house with a detached guest apartment... so they wouldn't be in my house!
" ... my friends (and family) are somehow attracted to the pool and warm temperatures here in Florida!" That's odd since Florida is second only to Texas in executions. Most of my family and friends will only meet me in Oklahoma City.
