I'm half tempted to keep quiet because threads like this are what make people looking for Empeg information stop reading the BBS. But I understand this is a BBS and therefore, a sort of socialization place for some.

Anyway, before you spend big money on TVs and DVD players, you might consider the projector/PC option. You get WAY better picture quality when playing DVDs through your PC and now 8x6 and 10x7 projectors are becoming affordable. LCD and DLP Projectors are also way brighter than CRT big-screen tvs and can create a MUCH bigger screen of course if you have the room for the screen on a wall (and your wife will let you decorate the room geek-style).

The best option is to use hardware MPEG decode on the PC. Software works ok, but every software DVD decoder has a particular problem and you need about a PIII 600Mhz to do it. The added bonus of the PC is you can add TV tuners, HDTV tuners, etc and do lots of picture in picturing. With a PC, you can also rip DVDs using the DivX (MPEG4) codec and store them on hard disk or CDROM. A typical movie compresses to about 650 MB pretty easily and is very watchable. But it's still a very evolving technology.

When you don't take advantage of progressive video, you're throwing away HALF of the data that the DVD holds. Interlaced is a good hack, but you really notice it if you're used to progressive and have to go back. Just imagine setting your computer monitor to 60Hz Interlaced.. Migrane city.

Anyway, just look into it before you spend bucks on a piece of equipment that you think will last you for 10 years. The PC option is definitely not for the non-technical. It's a pain in the ass to use, but if you're anal for video quality, there's no better way to fly.

-Hoagy.