Can somebody point me to the TV buying discussion thread?

[Izulde]

The search isn't working for me for some reason.

Thanks!

[moriarty]

Here's one:

http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/showthread.php?t=57215&highlight=HDTV

[moriarty]

Some more:

http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/showthread.php?t=50065&highlight=DLP
http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/showthread.php?t=52583&highlight=DLP
http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/showthread.php?t=57625&highlight=DLP
http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/showthread.php?t=51362&highlight=DLP
http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/showthread.php?t=34650&highlight=DLP

[Izulde]

Exactly what I was looking for! Thanks :)

[CleBrownsfan]

Giving this thread a bump. I'm going to be in the market for a TV and just wondering your guys thoughts on them. I'm going to be purchasing this at Best Buy because I have a $500 gift card (thank you Charter One). I would say my budget is around the $1000-$1600 range.

Some I was looking at: Samsung 46" (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung+-+46%22+Class+/+1080p+/+120Hz+/+LED-LCD+HDTV/9233607.p?skuId=9233607&ref=10&loc=Sunday%20Ad&id=1218064150665)

Another Samsung 46" (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung+-+46%22+Class+/+1080p+/+120Hz+/+LED-LCD+HDTV/9238835.p?skuId=9238835&ref=10&loc=Sunday%20Ad&id=1218065985439)
LG 47 (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/LG+-+47%22+Class+/+1080p+/+240Hz+/+LED-LCD+HDTV/9318623.p?id=1218084410226&skuId=9318623)"

Thanks for any input

[stevew]

I would say it is unlikely that they have the LG 47, or the Samsung UN46b6000 in stock. I would get the UN6000 instead of the UN7100, there's not that much difference there. The LG is pretty meh.

If they have a sharp 46LE700, i'd look into that, as it was my favorite LED from last year.

[stevew]

this one.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Sharp+-+AQUOS+46%22+Class+/+1080p+/+120Hz+/+LED-LCD+HDTV/9514359.p?id=1218117344678&skuId=9514359&st=sharp 46&cp=1&lp=1

[CleBrownsfan]

Thanks Steve for the input...

[Izulde]

I love Samsung's TVs, so that'd be my vote.

[CleBrownsfan]

Another tech question I have. I'm using component cables now for my Direct TV, Ps3, and XBox 360. Can/do I need to get three HDMI cables for these? Are there different HDMI cables for the three I need to hook up?

[Peregrine]

I love Samsung's TVs, so that'd be my vote.

Mine too - I really like Samsung TVs.

[stevew]

The new models are already coming in. I just put up a 46C7000 led with 3D capabilities. Very nice but we didn't get the 3D glasses in yet. I think it was about 2699.

If also look at the Samsung PNB850 50" ultra thin plasma. Really nice TV.

[stevew]

Dola

I should probably disclaimer that I an extremely biased against LG TVs. They shorted us units all year. I took so much flack over the LH90 LED model not being available that I was about to take a baseball bat to our display. And I also hate the LG phone I have to use for work.

(that being said I still bought an LG frontload laundry set the other day and it is f'n amazing)

[SteveMax58]

If also look at the Samsung PNB850 50" ultra thin plasma. Really nice TV.

Just got one of these 2 weeks ago. Couldnt be happier with the picture. Only (slight) negative I would give on it is the speakers are pretty weak. None of the flatscreens are all that great for sound (idea being that you'd hook them up to a surround sound system), but not even as good as my 32" LCD (which is 2 years old).

Overall, though...very happy with the TV.

[Swaggs]

I'm a big Samsung fan, as well.

The speakers are average, at best, though. That has been the one consistent nick against them according to Consumer Reports, too.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

When you come to the fork in the road, take it.

[evil homer]

Giving this thread a bump. I'm going to be in the market for a TV and just wondering your guys thoughts on them. I'm going to be purchasing this at Best Buy because I have a $500 gift card (thank you Charter One). I would say my budget is around the $1000-$1600 range.

Some I was looking at: Samsung 46" (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung+-+46%22+Class+/+1080p+/+120Hz+/+LED-LCD+HDTV/9233607.p?skuId=9233607&ref=10&loc=Sunday%20Ad&id=1218064150665)

Another Samsung 46" (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung+-+46%22+Class+/+1080p+/+120Hz+/+LED-LCD+HDTV/9238835.p?skuId=9238835&ref=10&loc=Sunday%20Ad&id=1218065985439)
LG 47 (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/LG+-+47%22+Class+/+1080p+/+240Hz+/+LED-LCD+HDTV/9318623.p?id=1218084410226&skuId=9318623)"

Thanks for any input

i bought the 40" version of the samsung LED for the bedroom a couple of weeks ago and am very happy with it.

[stevew]

Browns-
I know this is gonna sound kind of douchy but if I were you I'd go pick some brains at HH Gregg if you have some extra questions. Those guys have the most training of anyone.

[CleBrownsfan]

Anybody have the Samsung - 50" Class / 1080p / 600Hz / Plasma HDTV (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung+-+50%22+Class+/+1080p+/+600Hz+/+Plasma+HDTV/9789343.p?id=1218175322173&skuId=9789343&st=PN50C550G1F%20&cp=1&lp=1)? After doing some extensive research and seeing this TV in person I'm really impressed by it. And it's about $500 cheaper than the Samsung - 46" Class / 1080p / 120Hz / LED-LCD HDTV (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Televisions/LED-LCD-TVs/pcmcat193400050018.c?id=pcmcat193400050018) I was planning on getting once tax return comes.

Just want to see what you guys think of the plasmas. Thanks again for any input...

[Dr. Sak]

I have that Samsung. I bought it last year right around the baseball playoffs and love it. The picture is great and there is really no glare. The only downfall is that the speakers aren't that great for sound, but if you hook it up to your surround sound that point is all moot.

[stevew]

I just unboxed the 58" version of that TV yesterday, it's pretty nice.

[SteveMax58]

I have that Samsung. I bought it last year right around the baseball playoffs and love it. The picture is great and there is really no glare. The only downfall is that the speakers aren't that great for sound, but if you hook it up to your surround sound that point is all moot.

+1 on the picture & sound comment.

I have the PN50B550 model...probably the same for the big features/capabilities.

[CU Tiger]

I've aid here multiple times before, I personally prefer a plasma 5 to 1 to an LCD. However I refuse to recommend either to a customer, it is very much a preference thing.

For my money, you can not beat the Panasonic plasmas, next would be Pioneer. I like Samsung products in general but I had some bad experiences with their monitors/TVs and have steered away for ~3 years now.

[CleBrownsfan]

Okay - I think it's down to:

Panasonic - VIERA / 50" (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Panasonic+-+VIERA+/+50%22+Class+/+1080p+/+600Hz+/+Plasma+HDTV/9788953.p?id=1218175321979&skuId=9788953)

EDIT: I guess it's the Samsung: link (http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10462105-1.html)
Editors' note, March 3, 2010: Testing conducted on 2009 Panasonic plasma TVs, similar to this one, has revealed that black-level performance has become noticeably less impressive within what is typically the first year of ownership. As a result, we don't feel confident that the initial picture quality of this TV, as described in the review below, can be maintained over the course of its lifetime, and therefore find it difficult to recommend. Its Performance score has been accordingly reduced by one point to better indicate comparative picture quality after 1,500 hours of use

or

Samsung - 50" (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung+-+50%22+Class+/+1080p+/+600Hz+/+Plasma+HDTV/9789343.p?id=1218175322173&skuId=9789343&st=PN50C550G1F%20&cp=1&lp=1)

I love all the information you can find on the internet. I was dead set on getting the Samsung LED but after reading today about these two TV's it sounds like I'm getting a better TV visually then the LED.

[Eaglesfan27]

I've also been doing research for the last few hours on what new TV I'm going to buy. About a week ago, my Sony SXRD that was only 4 years old started showing terrible colors, everything was tinted green. I did research and found out yesterday that this is a wide spread problem due to a bad optical engine on the TV. It was so bad that they got hit with a class action suit which they settled. Lots of people got their TV repaired, but they are no longer doing that. Now, they are offering me a choice of 4 TV's which all have average ratings and a normal price range of 1200-1800 dollars. They are giving me 1,000-1,200 dollars off each TV. I decided to pick the free TV with the plan to sell it to someone looking for a low to mid-end HDTV. So, the purpose of this post is two-fold. If anyone is wanting a brand new Sony KDL46V5100 for 700-800 dollars, let me know. That is about 200 dollars less than listed in most online stores.

Secondly, I'm down to 2 TV's and wondering if any of the people in here have an opinion:

Samsung-58" Class / 1080p / 600Hz / Plasma HDTV-PN58B550T2 - Pro is that it is cheaper. If I sell the other TV, this TV will only cost me about 600-700 and it is among the best in Consumerreport.org reports for this size class. Con: It's a plasma, I've always had a bit of a bias against them, but this is reportedly an excellent set. Another plus, is that it appears very popular in user reviews with generally excellent ratings. The main issue appears to be some people complaining of a buzzing sound when the volume is low.

Samsung 1080 P/120 HZ/LCD-LED Model: UN55B7100 The positive of this TV is that I believe it is more energy efficient and it also has some excellent reviews. The downside is that it is more expensive and some reports say that there is mild motion blur with high action events.

[stevew]

Re the LED.

I'd either kick in a few more bucks and get the B8000(with 240hz and the crystal engine) or drop down to the 6000 series. I never found much use in the 7000 series.

Also sears is running the sharp 52LE700 for 1299. If you can get a prove match on that elsewhere(duck sears) I'd at least look into getting that. It was one of my top 2 to 3 TVs last year I saw(Samsung B850 plasma and LG PS60 plasma being the others).

[k0ruptr]

+10 on the Samsungs, thats all I buy anymore.

[CleBrownsfan]

Re the LED.

I'd either kick in a few more bucks and get the B8000(with 240hz and the crystal engine) or drop down to the 6000 series. I never found much use in the 7000 series.

Also sears is running the sharp 52LE700 for 1299. If you can get a prove match on that elsewhere(duck sears) I'd at least look into getting that. It was one of my top 2 to 3 TVs last year I saw(Samsung B850 plasma and LG PS60 plasma being the others).

I don't understand whats the difference between the B850/860 (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung+-+50%22+Class+/+1080p+/+600Hz+/+Plasma+HDTV/9301141.p?skuId=9301141&id=1218085598966) and PN50C550G1F (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung+-+50%22+Class+/+1080p+/+600Hz+/+Plasma+HDTV/9789343.p?skuId=9789343&id=1218175322173)

[stevew]

The 860/850 are less than an inch thick. Plus feature the Crystal graphics processor vs a standard depth on the c550 and a regular processor. Plus internet gadgets(which nobody uses). The 550 is much better value as it is probably 500 dollars cheaper. If money wasn't an object the 850(which is replaced by the C7000 3D plasma) is better but the 550 is really good value for price. We sold dozens of the550 plasmas last year and I never heard about humming or any other issues.

[gstelmack]

It was one of my top 2 to 3 TVs last year I saw(Samsung B850 plasma and LG PS60 plasma being the others).

I think "stevew's top 2 to 3 TVs I saw this past year" would make for an excellent thread that gets updated like every 6 months or so...

[stevew]

I'm pretty sure I'm turning in a notice within the next week or so and I don't think I will be selling TVs anymore. Sears has progressively destroyed their commission structure. That plus insane goals on stuff like warranties and attachments has eliminated all the fun I had at the job. These days I will work entire shifts and have no sales opportunities. Back in the day it was a kickass 15 dollar an hour part time gig. Now not so much.

[CleBrownsfan]

One more thing I need to ask - should I buy the Best Buy's extended warranty if I buy a plasma? They have a four year for $249 - I never buy warranties but I've read that buying one for a plasma may not be a bad ideal.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Did anyone get a chance to see the 3D telecast of the NHL game? I didn't even realize they were already telecasting in 3D for events. Sounds cool.

FOXNews.com - 3DTV: It's an Eye-Opener (http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/03/25/dtv-broadcast-stunning-experience/?test=faces)

[Kodos]

One more thing I need to ask - should I buy the Best Buy's extended warranty if I buy a plasma? They have a four year for $249 - I never buy warranties but I've read that buying one for a plasma may not be a bad ideal.

Consumer Reports recommends not getting extended warranties on plasma or LCD TVs. In general, they recommend against it for pretty much anything on the grounds that the cost of the plan usually is the same as what you'd pay if the TV does end up needing repairs.

[gstelmack]

Consumer Reports recommends not getting extended warranties on plasma or LCD TVs. In general, they recommend against it for pretty much anything on the grounds that the cost of the plan usually is the same as what you'd pay if the TV does end up needing repairs.

The only exception they ever give is for high end electronics, like a $5000 TV. In the typical $1500 on down, save the money for new ones or a repair if it really breaks.

[Kodos]

If you're buying an Xbox 360, get the warranty. :)

[gstelmack]

If you're buying an Xbox 360, get the warranty. :)

I did :p

$50 to protect a $400 launch console which is always a risky endeavor? No brainer!

[Kodos]

Stupidly, I bought mine at Target because it was more convenient than going to Best Buy... :(

[gstelmack]

Stupidly, I bought mine at Target because it was more convenient than going to Best Buy... :(

I took advantage of the Microsoft offer that was included in the console itself. My RROD experiences were very smooth while it was in that warranty.

[CleBrownsfan]

I finally purchasing my TV tomorrow - exciting stuff!

One final question. What surge protector do you guys have for your plasmas/LCD TV's? Do I need to purchase a "top of the line" protector. Right now I just have a $20 target surge protector but from what I've been reading I should get a higher end one to protect my "investment".

Thanks again for all your help guys...

[Dr. Sak]

I bought a monster surge protector. I thought if I am spending $1000 on a tv, I should get a better protector than just a cheap one from Target.

[CleBrownsfan]

This one (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00003CWDQ/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=A17JMGFJQ7S29T) good then?

[Dr. Sak]

That's the one I have.

[CrimsonFox]

I totally recommend a sumsung. They are awesome tvs.

[stevew]

Warranty-probably not. Depends on how much the item costs, and how easy it would be for you to replace. I lean towards no, but I've bought it on stuff like my front load Washer because I was getting a very good deal on it, and the concept of not having to worry about it for 5 years was good for me.

Surge-The Monster one is nice but basically cause it's priced correctly(33 vs 100) No way in hell I'd pay 100 bucks for a surge protector.

[CU Tiger]

Here is the deal on surge protectors.
The $10 wal mart ones are just a power strip with virtually no surge protection at all. But once you get into the $20 range they all do the same job. None of them will shunt a direct in-rush from a strike surge..

Above the $20 range you are typically just buying a pretty case and a warranty.

[Eaglesfan27]

So, my Samsung Plasma TV was delivered today and it looks very good with the default settings, but I was looking for some tuning suggestions and I went to the avsforum (and picked up one very nifty trick.) There, I also read multiple posts saying that any plasma TV should not have any settings above 50 for the first 100 hours or so that it is on, especially brightness or contrast. The default setting for this TV is Contrast 95 and it looks worse to me with contrast at 50. Yet, I want to maximize the life of the TV. Anyone here ever heard this guideline about making sure settings are below 50 for the first 100 hours with a Plasma TV?

Edit to add: They specifically say that lowering these settings helps prevent IR, which I just found out is image retention issues.

[stevew]

I don't think it matters at all. We will turn shit on max brightness from day one in the store, and it will still be great a year or more later(which is roughly 3 years of normal people use).



That being said I put my panasonic plasma on normal when I got it. And it has just remained there.

[CU Tiger]

I think most of the IR fears are unfounded these days.
I've had 1 IR complaint in the last 2 years and it was a guy who used his bedroom monitor as his laptop display and worked from home sitting in the bed.

He spent over 60k with us on his house so I gave him a new screen...but it was an extreme abuse scenario and still pretty darn faint.

[Mustang]

Upgraded our old 50" Toshiba projection HDTV to a Samsung 46" LED/LCD 120 Hz and 6500 series Samsung Blu-Ray player.

Holy shit have we been missing out on a good HD image... I feel like I've been living in the cave the last few years and have just now managed to create the wheel.

Now my wife wants to replace the TV upstairs too. :D

[JonInMiddleGA]

Speaking of TV's ... my mother-in-law got a new Samsung 32" LCD last week & while the HD channels look very good, the SD channels look consistently blurry, especially the broadcast stations (she's on Charter Cable).

I don't mean "blurry compared to the HD channels", I mean just blurry period. My son commented on that before ever seeing any of the HD feeds side by side, so I'm pretty sure it isn't just my eyes.

I'm pretty sure they aren't supposed to look like that since they didn't on her previous set & none of my regular stations look that way (coming from a Dish Network feed) even on an HD set. Is there some sort of setting that needs to be adjusted somewhere or what am I missing?

[CleBrownsfan]

Upgraded our old 50" Toshiba projection HDTV to a Samsung 46" LED/LCD 120 Hz and 6500 series Samsung Blu-Ray player.

Holy shit have we been missing out on a good HD image... I feel like I've been living in the cave the last few years and have just now managed to create the wheel.

Now my wife wants to replace the TV upstairs too. :D

I hear yeah! I ended going with the Panasonic - VIERA / 50" Class / 1080p / 600Hz / Plasma HDTV (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Panasonic+-+VIERA+/+50%22+Class+/+1080p+/+600Hz+/+Plasma+HDTV/9788953.p?id=1218175321979&skuId=9788953) and the quality of what I'm seeing on that screen is unreal!!!

[lighthousekeeper]

my only tv is still the 27" box i bought in 1999 when i got my first apartment, so i can't even imagine what i've been missing

[Passacaglia]

Speaking of TV's ... my mother-in-law got a new Samsung 32" LCD last week & while the HD channels look very good, the SD channels look consistently blurry, especially the broadcast stations (she's on Charter Cable).

I don't mean "blurry compared to the HD channels", I mean just blurry period. My son commented on that before ever seeing any of the HD feeds side by side, so I'm pretty sure it isn't just my eyes.

I'm pretty sure they aren't supposed to look like that since they didn't on her previous set & none of my regular stations look that way (coming from a Dish Network feed) even on an HD set. Is there some sort of setting that needs to be adjusted somewhere or what am I missing?

FWIW, we had a Samsung 46" and felt the same way, before returning it for a Sony, about a year ago. Fiddled around with the settings forever, looking up people's "optimal settings" online, but no matter what, the SD looked like complete crap.

[CleBrownsfan]

Who watches anything on SD anymore?? :p

[stevew]

sdtv is going to look like shit on an lcdtv. It is like you are blowing a wallet sized photo up into an 8x10. The tech of the tv is way better than most programming for now.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

I'm going to start shopping around for TV's soon for my business. Going to pick up around 4 32" TV's, 4 42" TV's, and 2 52" TV's. Anyone know of any big discount times between now and the start of August where they start discounting old models?

[stevew]

There probably aren't any discounted old models left, as most of the 2009 stuff sold through very quick earlier this year.

Price cuts should be coming soon.

If I needed to buy that many TV's, I'd go either LG, Panasonic or Samsung. If you go 32" LCD, and 42" and 50" Plasmas, you'd be roughly at 6K(retail), whereas LCD everything would be like at least a grand more.

Panasonic stuff is nice, cause it has the SD card slots built into it. If you were doing a wedding, it would be quick and painless to do photo loops on the monitors(of the couples)

[dolfin]

Anyone have any comments on DLP technology? I'm being drawn in by what looks to be good value for large screen sizes. Particularly, I've seen the Mitsubishi 73" model for as low as $1,500.

[stevew]

I always liked DLP tv's, but you have to be able to control the lighting, etc. A 73" for that price would be great for a basement. Otherwise you're better off getting like a 55" for around that price in an LCD, or about a 58" plasma.

Plus with DLP you will have bulb upkeep, I think they're between 1-200$ and need to be replaced every 5000 or so hours.

[SteveMax58]

I don't mean "blurry compared to the HD channels", I mean just blurry period. My son commented on that before ever seeing any of the HD feeds side by side, so I'm pretty sure it isn't just my eyes.


Yeah, blurry is what you get when your LCD TV is trying to compensate for information that isn't there. For Charter, this is highly localized for certain SD channels. The channels you'll probably see this (worse than others) on are the channels you also have available in analog form (i.e. on your TVs without a cable box).

With the amount of HD channels being added in cable systems, the SD channels (namely the ones also sent in analog form for reasons that are lengthy to explain) tend to be compressed heavily. Couple that with the possibility of not having very good video engineers in that system that can properly evaluate how to transport channels.

As a note...SD doesnt "have to" look bad on HDTVs. It "tends to", but it really doesnt have to.

[DaddyTorgo]

Question - now I will soon be in the market for a new TV as I'm getting my own place -- what's up with these new 3D TV's?? Yes? No? Nonsense?

[stevew]

meh. Wait til xmas if you have to have one. Margin on the things is roughly 1200, the price will surely drop a ton. Samsungs anyways.

[k0ruptr]

No, not until the tv and BR companies pick up the slack. wait 3 or rmore years to pick up a 3d tv imho.

[stevew]

most sears should have a functional 3d display

[DaddyTorgo]

sounds good. i figured it might still be too early in the life-cycle of the technology to get one, but just wanted to see what others thought. i'll take a look at them, but it's not a "must have" it sounds like

i should probably just start up a whole thread for shit about my new apartment i suppose.

[Kodos]

Anybody have the Samsung - 50" Class / 1080p / 600Hz / Plasma HDTV (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung+-+50%22+Class+/+1080p+/+600Hz+/+Plasma+HDTV/9789343.p?id=1218175322173&skuId=9789343&st=PN50C550G1F%20&cp=1&lp=1)? After doing some extensive research and seeing this TV in person I'm really impressed by it. And it's about $500 cheaper than the Samsung - 46" Class / 1080p / 120Hz / LED-LCD HDTV (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Televisions/LED-LCD-TVs/pcmcat193400050018.c?id=pcmcat193400050018) I was planning on getting once tax return comes.

Just want to see what you guys think of the plasmas. Thanks again for any input...

I just sprung for the Samsung PN50C550 too. It's down to $1,025 on Amazon. After biding my time on the sidelines, I couldn't pass up a nice Plasma TV any longer. My smaller Samsung LCD can step aside. :)

[markprior22]

Finally bought an HDTV (plasma TC-P42U2) last night after my CRT crapped out. This is my first foray into the world of HD. I like the HD channels but so far am really disappointed in the picture for standard def broadcasts. Are there any general adjustments that can be made to achieve a better SD picture. My setup is straight forward...Comcast box with HDMI to the TV.

Thanks for any help

[stevew]

Unlikely. Watch how much Zoom you're using. Ideally you don't want to stretch it on the cable box, and then on the TV as well. I have a P42S1 which is pretty similar to the U2. I think the SD channels are basically balls, but it's something you learn to live with. I dunno about your cable, but we're almost to HD everything now anyways.

I can't remember how, but I think you can set it to output SD channels to 480i instead of 1080i. You don't want the cable box to upscale the signal, and then the TV to do it as well.

[markprior22]

Thanks Steve...I'll give it a try. I love watching baseball and Comcast has a "blackout" on their extra innings package for HD. If a game is broadcast through Extra Innings in high def, Comcast subscribers to the EI package are stuck watching in SD mode. For most other things, HD is usually an option but not for what I happen to enjoy watching most.

[rjolley]

Looking to get a 37" - 42" tv for my office. Any recommendations for that screen size?

Also, I don't see Vizio's mentioned much in these threads. Is there an overall problem with Vizio's?

[dolfin]

I don't have any personal experience with Vizio's, but a couple of my friends have been very happy with their's and they look pretty good from what I've seen of them (though limited).

[DanGarion]

Unlikely. Watch how much Zoom you're using. Ideally you don't want to stretch it on the cable box, and then on the TV as well. I have a P42S1 which is pretty similar to the U2. I think the SD channels are basically balls, but it's something you learn to live with. I dunno about your cable, but we're almost to HD everything now anyways.

I can't remember how, but I think you can set it to output SD channels to 480i instead of 1080i. You don't want the cable box to upscale the signal, and then the TV to do it as well.

I'd recommend having the box send the signal 1080i to the TV, then your TV doesn't have to change resolutions when you change from SD to HD channels and you don't get the channel lag. If you set the box to 1080i the TV isn't doing upscaling only the box is.

[DanGarion]

most sears should have a functional 3d display

3d is an overrated gimmick. Don't pay for it unless it's the TV you really want. I can understand if you want a Samsung 7000, 8000, or 9000 (those things are 6k!) but understand that there is very little 3D content. From what I've read a number of people have issues with 3d, headaches, eye strain, etc.

[DaddyTorgo]

Okay...so my TV console I'll be putting it on is 54"...so I guess I can put a 54" TV on there...thinking LCD over Plasma...sofa will be I guess 13' or a little less across the room.

Do I go with the full 54" then (I know there's all sorts of "how big should it be if you're so far away" calculations)? Any general thoughts on brands from the knowledgeable folks here?

[Eaglesfan27]

At 13 inches away, I recommend going smaller than 54 inch screen ;)


Seriously, we have a 58 inch screen (and had a 60 in the past) in a 18 foot room where my chair was about 14 feet from the screen and I never felt the screen was too big. I think a 54 inch screen would be fine if you find one you like.

[DaddyTorgo]

oops...i put inch notations instead of feet

hahaha - will fix.

good to know EF

[stevew]

LCD/LED Sizes are going to be 46", 52", 55", and 60". Overhang is not an issue at all.

Good luck finding a 54 foot LCD dude.

Samsung or LG or Sharp are generally the way to go in LCD/LED

[DaddyTorgo]

lol....inches feet...wtf-ever. you all know what i mean

[DaddyTorgo]

what do you mean about overhang not being an issue? you mean it won't overhang a 54"?

samsung or lg or sharp...got it

[stevew]

well, the TV will overhang, but you're good if you go a few inches over on either side. The pedestal is the only important part that needs to sit on the stand. It's usually, say 35" wide or so on a 55" TV. I have a 42" Plasma on a stand that's like 38" wide and it looks fine.

Also, a 55" TV is generally about 52-53" wide anyways.

[DaddyTorgo]

that's what i assumed you meant steve, but thanks for the clarification.

now i need to do some checking online and see what's out there in sharp/samsung/lg

[stevew]

Samsung is usually the best of the 3. Sony stuff hasn't been that great in a few years.

[DaddyTorgo]

cool.

i'll prolly bounce out to a store and check it out too so i can actually see the pictures and all

[DaddyTorgo]

who are the best names in plasma, if i choose to go plasma?

[Eaglesfan27]

who are the best names in plasma, if i choose to go plasma?

I have no idea if they are the best name in Plasma, but Samsung's get rave reviews and I love the one we got recently.

[DaddyTorgo]

i was noticing the rave reviews for the PN58B860 online...that the one you got EF?

[Eaglesfan27]

i was noticing the rave reviews for the PN58B860 online...that the one you got EF?

Yes, it is. It's got a great picture.

[DaddyTorgo]

cool

[DanGarion]

LCD/LED Sizes are going to be 46", 52", 55", and 60". Overhang is not an issue at all.

Good luck finding a 54 foot LCD dude.

Samsung or LG or Sharp are generally the way to go in LCD/LED

The newest Sony's seem to be getting some good reviews lately.

[DanGarion]

Samsung is usually the best of the 3. Sony stuff hasn't been that great in a few years.

The main complaints I've seen with the Samsungs is that they tend to have light coming through in the edges that is noticable in a dark room during dark scenes.

[stevew]

who are the best names in plasma, if i choose to go plasma?

Panasonic

[lordscarlet]

You do realize that a 55" TV is not 55" wide, right? (with the talk about how wide your stand is)

[DaddyTorgo]

You do realize that a 55" TV is not 55" wide, right? (with the talk about how wide your stand is)


yep. i was considering a stand+hutch that would have been that width, but then eliminated the hutch idea (for now). not sure why i even brought up the size of the console to be honest...lol

[CU Tiger]

Panasonic


+1

For my money the only 2 Plasmas Id even look at are Panasonic or Pioneeer.
not going to start a brand war, but I doubt any other brand PLASMA will make you happy in 2-3 years

[CleBrownsfan]

I ended up buying the Panasonic 50" TC-P50G20 (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Panasonic+-+VIERA+/+50%22+Class+/+1080p+/+600Hz+/+Plasma+HDTV/9788953.p?id=1218175321979&skuId=9788953) and couldn't be happier with my decision!

I've got several "wows" when show them the screen. Avatar blu-ray looks insanely beautiful on it...

[henry296]

My 6 year old Sony 46" RPTV just developed a major red convergence issue. Red lines across the screen and major shadowing of any text, so I'm likely in the market for an TV. I assume this is probably about $400 to have a tech look at it and fix it which isn't worth it. Is that true?

Definitely want something bigger as the TV was bought 2 houses ago and was a much smaller room. I think a 55-60 inch is the way to go. Just need to figure out LCD vs. plasma and if I should buy table or hang on the wall. My TV cabinet fits the RPTV wellwith two cabinets flanking and a bridge over the top. If I hang on the wall, I'll need to figure out what to do with the cabinets which house my components.

[DaddyTorgo]

Do the new 2010 panasonic's still have the problem with blacks turning more greyish after like 100-something hours like the 2009's did?

[henry296]

I was just looking at the Samsungs and noticed that they only have HDMI inputs. Is that true because if so, how would I connect a Wii to that TV.

[stevew]

They should have HDMI, component and AV hookups Henry. At least everything 2010 from samsung that I saw had those hookups. Some of the TV's have adapters for the hookups, which is why maybe you aren't seeing the ports themselves. They're there though.

And DT, my 2009 Panasonic hasn't had any kind of black fall off, at least that I've noticed. And IIRC, i don't remember any of our 2009 displays having that happen at work. With TV's and such, all it takes is a couple people having an issue, and then like 1000 anti-this fanboys chiming in on a problem and suddenly something is "bad."

[DaddyTorgo]

interesting. i heard that panasonic actually acknowledged that there was an issue.

hmmm.

luckily i don't need to buy for at least another month.

[stevew]

I didn't see it, although it might have been the G series models that had issues, and not the S series.

[CleBrownsfan]

Do the new 2010 panasonic's still have the problem with blacks turning more greyish after like 100-something hours like the 2009's did?

I bought the Panasonic - VIERA / 50" Class (Model: TC-P50G20) a couple months ago and couldn't be happier! I have yet to see any fall off of the blacks...

[DaddyTorgo]

cool

[henry296]

They should have HDMI, component and AV hookups Henry. At least everything 2010 from samsung that I saw had those hookups. Some of the TV's have adapters for the hookups, which is why maybe you aren't seeing the ports themselves. They're there though.

And DT, my 2009 Panasonic hasn't had any kind of black fall off, at least that I've noticed. And IIRC, i don't remember any of our 2009 displays having that happen at work. With TV's and such, all it takes is a couple people having an issue, and then like 1000 anti-this fanboys chiming in on a problem and suddenly something is "bad."

The issue was with Best Buy's specifications. When I looked at the pictures, they were definitely there.

[henry296]

I ended up going with the Samsung 55" LCD. It was $1,700 online but $1,500 in the store. I also needed a new TV stand and the one I wanted for 50% of on clearance, so I got both for about what the TV would've been online. They will be delivered on Monday.

[k0ruptr]

sweet. I heart samsung

[DaddyTorgo]

I ended up going with the Samsung 55" LCD. It was $1,700 online but $1,500 in the store. I also needed a new TV stand and the one I wanted for 50% of on clearance, so I got both for about what the TV would've been online. They will be delivered on Monday.

which store?

[Kodos]

I've been very happy with the 50 inch Samsung plasma that I bought about a month ago. :)

[DaddyTorgo]

i'd like to end up in the 55-60 range and in the $1500 range

[henry296]

which store?

best buy

[DaddyTorgo]

thanks Henry - I'll check it out. That sounds like right about where I'd like to end up price-wise and size-wise.

[johnnyshaka]

Just moved and now I'm "allowed" to get a new TV so I'm looking in the 50+ inch range and likely an LCD/LED. I've been picking Travis' brain a bit as I know he's spent some time researching this stuff in the last year or two but I thought I'd put it out there to a few of you guys who've also done the research/work in the industry to help me out.

I'm able to get a deal on Sharp Aquos/Quattron LEDs (supposedly getting them at dealer cost) but I'm wondering if those in the know think this new Quattron is actually worth the price? Or should I look at something else (Samnsung, Vizio, LG) that might be cheaper (than even my Sharp discount)?

I'm not much of a console gamer so I'd like be primarily using this TV for movies and HD sports. It'll be in a basement so lighting will be rather low. Is LCD/LED even the way to go or should I be looking into Plasma?

Thanks!

[DaddyTorgo]

Okay. Here's my story.

I went out to the Jordan's furniture to buy my mattress yesterday, and figured I'd look in at Paul's TV and talk to the guys there. Talked to them about the Panasonic's...was closing in on one of them (I think it was the S1) when I looked diagonally down to the right from it and saw the most beautiful picture in the room. Hands down.

Last year's Mitsubishi Diamond Series (52" LCD). Instead of getting the entry-level version of this year's LED LCD, I went with the top-of-the-line version from last year (roughly $1000 off last year's price). The salesman threw up a couple different movie scenes and then put on some live golf, and the picture on the Diamond was really massively better than anything else in the room. The 18-bit color processing (versus the 12-bit in most other TV's) blew my mind in the way it was reproducing colors . Hands down the best color (and whites) reproduction of any of the TV's in the room. Things like seeing the brown spots on a golf course while all the other TV's were showing just green. Or the way the rear-end of a polar bear went from deep white to dingy brown down by its feet (and the other TV's showed basically just white with a hint of brown). And the Diamond series also has 18 speakers in a bar underneath the TV that reproduce 5.1 surround sound by using Yamaha's technology (it does something where it time-delays the sending of signals to different speakers and etc I guess?). So that saves me from having to go out and buy speakers and I'll still get nice sound.

So that's what I went with. Mitsubishi LT52249.

Mitsubishi LT-52249 Reviews (http://www.testfreaks.com/televisions/mitsubishi-lt-52249/)

[k0ruptr]

sweet. I heart samsung

SOB. I post this a week ago and yesterday I turn on my 50 inch plasma and its full of random ass colors and crazy lines and shit, no doubt its fucked. looks like its scrambled, but it doesnt matter what channel or input (no xbox on it anymore :(

I'm off to look for a new tv tomorrow. damnit.

[DanGarion]

Great article debunking much of the marketing crap on HDTV Displays.

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/features/display_myths_shattered

[CleBrownsfan]

SOB. I post this a week ago and yesterday I turn on my 50 inch plasma and its full of random ass colors and crazy lines and shit, no doubt its fucked. looks like its scrambled, but it doesnt matter what channel or input (no xbox on it anymore :(

I'm off to look for a new tv tomorrow. damnit.

Yeah - but you live in Hawaii so no worries ;)

[stevew]

SOB. I post this a week ago and yesterday I turn on my 50 inch plasma and its full of random ass colors and crazy lines and shit, no doubt its fucked. looks like its scrambled, but it doesnt matter what channel or input (no xbox on it anymore :(

I'm off to look for a new tv tomorrow. damnit.

Probably a board on it went. Depends on how much someone would charge to fix it, but it might be worth having it looked at.

[DanGarion]

SOB. I post this a week ago and yesterday I turn on my 50 inch plasma and its full of random ass colors and crazy lines and shit, no doubt its fucked. looks like its scrambled, but it doesnt matter what channel or input (no xbox on it anymore :(

I'm off to look for a new tv tomorrow. damnit.

How old is the TV, and did you buy it with a credit card?

[johnnyshaka]

Ended up buying this (http://www.costco.ca/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=10332325&whse=BCCA&Ne=4000000&eCat=BCCA|79|2341|3316&N=4008767&Mo=28&pos=0&No=4&Nr=P_CatalogName:BCCA&cat=3316&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-CA&Sp=C&ec=BCCA-EC13271-Cat2341&topnav=) on the weekend...it was $200 cheaper in store. During my research the reviews kept reiterating that it was probably the best performance for the price in that price range.

Thoughts? Things I should be watching out for?

[Sun Tzu]

After being a "Strictly Samsung" guy for years, I've been using a 240hz Vizio from Costco for the past 4 months. I have to say I've been quite impressed not only with the picture, but also with the easy navigation of the menus. I'm a big fan, and I might be officially converted for life.

[johnnyshaka]

After being a "Strictly Samsung" guy for years, I've been using a 240hz Vizio from Costco for the past 4 months. I have to say I've been quite impressed not only with the picture, but also with the easy navigation of the menus. I'm a big fan, and I might be officially converted for life.

Nice to hear...can't wait to get this thing out of the box!!!

[Alan T]

I got a $500 gift card from work as a thank you for being a workaholic lately and decided to buy a new tv for the bedroom. Ended up getting this one:


http://www.bestbuy.com/site/LG+-+32%22+Class+/+1080p+/+120Hz+/+LCD+HDTV/9811773.p?id=1218177896216&skuId=9811773

I like having netflix directly to the tv and have been taking great advantage of it, but the picture quality makes me very happy. Even though it is only a 32 inch tv, I find the picture quality far superior and more enjoyable to watch than my 37 inch cheepy Westinghouse lcd screen that I have in my home office.

[JediKooter]

Great article debunking much of the marketing crap on HDTV Displays.

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/features/display_myths_shattered

Good article. However, he could have explained contrast ratio a little better in my opinion. I do like how he brought up the uselessness of dynamic contrast ratio numbers though.

[k0ruptr]

How old is the TV, and did you buy it with a credit card?

after going through lots of phone calls and paper work, we got the ok today that we can return it and get a refund (YAY!) so we're not out any money, but still gotta pick up a new tv. its ok though, I'm going to cut down size so I'm in the market for a 42 incher i think. I don't wanna go 50 again, it was too big for our bedroom.


btw,will be looking at best buy, and or wal-mart (wal-mart tvs are not the greatest, but it helps the wallet since the gf is a store manager and gets a nice discount.)

[stevew]

this is just me. I wouldn't spend a dollar on a vizio product. I've seen too much of their stuff break over the years. And it is no longer cheaper enough for me.

[CU Tiger]

this is just me. I wouldn't spend a dollar on a vizio product. I've seen too much of their stuff break over the years. And it is no longer cheaper enough for me.

+1

I have kept an eye open though, and they are trying to improve their quality, but are saddled with a reputation.

They are kinda stuck in the transition phase, reminds me of the e-machines of the PC world. Both made a name by selling a fringe electronic product for the era for a bargain price. Attracted consumers that otherwise would not have been in the market solely on their price, then when they realized they had bought utter junk they were hooked. Either they now saw the posssibility of the "new technology" or the social stigma of retro grading forced the consumer into a market they never intended to be. Then once the manufacturer built a capital base they began to improve their product quality. Now the price must creep up to cover the increased production costs. However they still aren't on par with the premium providers and no longer the cheapest to market, but still stuck with the stigma of a customer base that is weary of product quality.

I'll be interested where they go from here.
But for now, they will not be installed by my guys even if purchased by an existing customer.

[johnnyshaka]

this is just me. I wouldn't spend a dollar on a vizio product. I've seen too much of their stuff break over the years. And it is no longer cheaper enough for me.

+1

I have kept an eye open though, and they are trying to improve their quality, but are saddled with a reputation.

They are kinda stuck in the transition phase, reminds me of the e-machines of the PC world. Both made a name by selling a fringe electronic product for the era for a bargain price. Attracted consumers that otherwise would not have been in the market solely on their price, then when they realized they had bought utter junk they were hooked. Either they now saw the posssibility of the "new technology" or the social stigma of retro grading forced the consumer into a market they never intended to be. Then once the manufacturer built a capital base they began to improve their product quality. Now the price must creep up to cover the increased production costs. However they still aren't on par with the premium providers and no longer the cheapest to market, but still stuck with the stigma of a customer base that is weary of product quality.

I'll be interested where they go from here.
But for now, they will not be installed by my guys even if purchased by an existing customer.

Well, where were you guys when I posted about looking for advice about buying a TV a couple of weeks ago?? ;)

Looking at dozens of TVs I can't say I saw many better than the Vizio I bought and I would easily say that 2/3 of the ones I did look at were all more expensive. For my money (and that Costco adds a year of warranty for free) I'm confident I made the right choice.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Well, where were you guys when I posted about looking for advice about buying a TV a couple of weeks ago?? ;)

Looking at dozens of TVs I can't say I saw many better than the Vizio I bought and I would easily say that 2/3 of the ones I did look at were all more expensive. For my money (and that Costco adds a year of warranty for free) I'm confident I made the right choice.

I've had 3 Visio TV's for 4-5 years. Haven't had a single issue with any of them. I'd buy another one in a heartbeat.

[JediKooter]

I have a 32" Visio that I bought back in 07 and it's been great the whole time. Now that I've said that, it will now probably crap out on me.

[whomario]

going to buy a new TV soon, can someone in simple terms line up the differences of 50/60 HZ and 100 HZ TVs in terms of the different types of uses (PS3 games, Blue Ray, DVD, HD-TV movies, HD-TV Sports) ?

The price difference is still quite substantial between the 2 alternatives with a ton of 50/60 HZ models available for the same price or actually quite a bit cheaper at 40 Inch where you´d get a 32 inch with 100 HZ.

With a limited budget it´s either a 32 inch with 100 HZ or a bigger one with 50/60 HZ technology.
I´ll naturally purchase one here in germany, but comparing a few TVs here and in the US i´d say in the US the value of my budget would be maybe 500-600 dollar, if that helps in helping me out ;)

[JediKooter]

To be honest (I was just at a Best Buy this past weekend), I was looking at TVs with the different Hz, 60 vs 120, and with any (well not any, but, quite a bit) fast motion from cable/broadcast, it was pixelated even with the higher Hz. As for video games, my TV is 60Hz and any fast movement is just fine with no pixelation and the same with DVDs. It only seems to be broadcast shows that have the pixelation problem on my TV.

That's my experience with the difference in Hz and I'm sure others can chime in with theirs as well.

But, to answer your question, supposedly with the higher Hertz, it's supposed to minimize the pixelation issue. Some people say they see ghosting (which I've never seen on any TV) on lower rated Hertz TVs and not really sure what they mean by ghosting. By pixelation, I mean that you will see the square blocks that kind of looks like Tetris on fast motion that's occurring on the screen.

[stevew]

for basketball you want 120hz. Handles motion better.

[whomario]

i did delete it seconds after you posted this and to my defense : No ones on the forum this time of day/night usually ;)

[whomario]

On the topic at hand :

Thanks for the quick responses :)

Basketball isn´t high on the list for TV as there´s maybe 1 game a week on TV (german league) and i watch most online anyway. Then again i should be able to hook up my laptop/notebook onto the TV with HDMI, right ?
Going to go to a store tonight and let me show a few things. Allways feel bad doing this though as there´s a much higher chance i´ll buy a TV online as it´s just a lot cheaper ... Although they do have a nice offer where for every product from 499 up you get a 100 euro gift card.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

OK, so this seems like TV gluttony at its finest. $1200 gets me 73" TV with HDTV tuners and 3D-ready capabilities. Goodness me.

Mitsubishi 73" WD-73C9 DLP 120Hz HDTV (3D Ready) - Slickdeals.net (http://slickdeals.net/permadeal/35692/mitsubishi-73-wd-73c9-dlp-120hz-hdtv-3d-ready)

[dolfin]

OK, so this seems like TV gluttony at its finest. $1200 gets me 73" TV with HDTV tuners and 3D-ready capabilities. Goodness me.

Mitsubishi 73" WD-73C9 DLP 120Hz HDTV (3D Ready) - Slickdeals.net (http://slickdeals.net/permadeal/35692/mitsubishi-73-wd-73c9-dlp-120hz-hdtv-3d-ready)

I just bought this tv 2 weeks ago from Dell. Absolutely awesome! I would definitely recommend.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

I just bought this tv 2 weeks ago from Dell. Absolutely awesome! I would definitely recommend.

I was considering a projecting HDTV, but 73" is awfully nice and it looks like it's not very deep in the back either.

[dolfin]

Its not deep at all. 18-19 inches I believe. Its pretty incredible.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Its not deep at all. 18-19 inches I believe. Its pretty incredible.

I'm considering purchasing it for our winery. Would be a nice fit in the inset next to one of our fireplaces.

[DaddyTorgo]

Wow. If I needed another 20 inches of TV that'd be a great deal.

Hurts that I'm paying more than that for a smaller TV...

[dolfin]

I'm considering purchasing it for our winery. Would be a nice fit in the inset next to one of our fireplaces.

That would look nice. My boss has the 82 inch version placed in a built-in cabinet (in his f'n pool house!).

You definitely wouldn't be disappointed, I've been extremely happy with mine.

[whomario]

and i thought my 42 inch i´m getting is considered a decently big TV nowadays ;)

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

and i thought my 42 inch i´m getting is considered a decently big TV nowadays ;)

Isn't that considered a 'compact' TV?

:D

[DaddyTorgo]

42-inch is fine. My parents have a 42-inch in their living room and they're shocked that i'm getting a 52-inch for my apartment. It's all about the size of the room and how far away you'll be sitting.

People can be a bit of size-junkies about their TV's too, and that's not necessarily the only factor that matters.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

42-inch is fine. My parents have a 42-inch in their living room and they're shocked that i'm getting a 52-inch for my apartment. It's all about the size of the room and how far away you'll be sitting.

People can be a bit of size-junkies about their TV's too, and that's not necessarily the only factor that matters.

A TV is never big enough. Size matters.

[dolfin]

Absolutely true. My brother-in-law has a 37-inch and looks perfect in their living room. Our 73 would definitely not work if we didn't have a huge living room, as its a behemoth.

Though I am a bit of a size junky too. :) I like the feel of a theater with the Blu-Ray and the 360 feels like I'm in the game.

[whomario]

42-inch is fine. My parents have a 42-inch in their living room and they're shocked that i'm getting a 52-inch for my apartment. It's all about the size of the room and how far away you'll be sitting.

People can be a bit of size-junkies about their TV's too, and that's not necessarily the only factor that matters.

oh, don´t worry. Perfectly fine with the size for me personally. Sure, my living room could house a TV that´s a bit bigger and if someone would give me the same type of TV in a bigger size for the same price i´d go for it (actually that´s what i did, amazon had the 32, 37 and 42 inch highly reduced in price and within 50 euros), but at a certain point i draw the line in terms of the amount of money i can and want to spend :)

But that´s not to say i would mind a 82 inch TV, if anyone would like to donate one to me ;)

Isn't that considered a 'compact' TV?

:D

I´ll tell that to my parents after they are done transporting it to me ;)


(works better that way, direct neighbours on holiday, can´t stay home for delivery or get it from postal office with no car)

[Alan T]

A TV is never big enough. Size matters.


Absolutely not the case at all. At least in the area I live, the style of houses built here lead to fairly narrow rooms. If you are only sitting 3-5 feet away from a television in a room, getting a 73 inch tv will actually cause a poorer watching experience than one sized correctly for the room.

If you are in a huge open area, or a large room, then yes a 73 inch tv would be really nice (depending on other factors) and I am thinking about getting this for my living room. But in my home office, this tv would be horrible.

So sometimes a tv is big enough.

[stevew]

42" is way more than big enough. My rooms aren't big enough to support anything else anyways.

[whomario]

mine actually would be but i simply arranged the furniture so that i´m watching on the narrow side, that way i´m about 10 feet away (on the long side it would be as much as 18), but can allways move it closer if need be.
Have a nice "corner shelve" for my DVDs and CDs next to the sofa to create the illusion of having 2 smaller rooms (the other half has my desk and books etc), hope i won´t have to move yet again in a few months as my contract is running out in september ...

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Absolutely not the case at all. At least in the area I live, the style of houses built here lead to fairly narrow rooms. If you are only sitting 3-5 feet away from a television in a room, getting a 73 inch tv will actually cause a poorer watching experience than one sized correctly for the room.

If you are in a huge open area, or a large room, then yes a 73 inch tv would be really nice (depending on other factors) and I am thinking about getting this for my living room. But in my home office, this tv would be horrible.

So sometimes a tv is big enough.

Obviously my sarcasm wasn't noted. ;)

This is one that you buy for a big room and slap some surround sound on it. TV's like this make me glad I live in an area where I can afford a house with big rooms.

[DanGarion]

The only problem with DLPs is if you put them up against a LED/LCD or a Plasma, the picture almost always looks washed out compared to it. And if you have a room that gets too much sun they tend to be harder to see.

[dolfin]

The only problem with DLPs is if you put them up against a LED/LCD or a Plasma, the picture almost always looks washed out compared to it. And if you have a room that gets too much sun they tend to be harder to see.


I had heard this quite a bit, but don't find this to be true at all. I have 2 very large floor to ceiling windows that let in way too much light during the day and there is virtually no glare and the DLP still looks amazing. Its nice to actually be able to watch movies during the daytime again!

Another thing that some have said is not good with DLPs is the viewing angles, but this is also not even remotely true. Mine has great viewing angles.

[DanGarion]

I had heard this quite a bit, but don't find this to be true at all. I have 2 very large floor to ceiling windows that let in way too much light during the day and there is virtually no glare and the DLP still looks amazing. Its nice to actually be able to watch movies during the daytime again!

Another thing that some have said is not good with DLPs is the viewing angles, but this is also not even remotely true. Mine has great viewing angles.

Well I'm going from my experience with the DLP I have and the number of DLPs that friends have...

[dolfin]

Maybe CA environmental laws won't allow your lamps to shine properly?;)

[DanGarion]

Maybe CA environmental laws won't allow your lamps to shine properly?;)

That's probably it! :)

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

60" TV that's 3D ready for under $800. Normally over $1100.

Mitsubishi 60" WD-60C9 DLP 120Hz HDTV - Slickdeals.net (http://slickdeals.net/permadeal/36566/mitsubishi-60-wd60c9-dlp-120hz-hdtv)

[sterlingice]

Is this our most recent tv thread? If so, might as well post here as I'm currently in the market for a tv. I've done some homework the past few days, but my knowledge is obviously incomplete and this is my first HDTV of any sort so here I am :)

I'm perpetually cheap so cost is always an issue with me. Some people get fixated on "I must have this tv" or "I must have this car", etc- not so much for me as I'm more of a sliding scale sort where the next tv is a quantifiable difference away from the one I'm looking at (i.e. some people will say "I must have a Brand X"- well, I would rate it, say, a 9 certainly but that "Brand Y I won't touch with a 10' pole" is a 4- but it's all relative; if I could get Brand Y for $200 and Brand X costs $2000- I definitely would go with Brand Y but if those numbers were $400 and $600, Brand X is definitely the way to go).

Why I started with that disclaimer is that if I throw a number out there, say, I'm looking to spend in the $1000 range- the immediate reaction of most people is to go look at the best tv you can get for $1000, even if there's an $700 tv that's only slightly worse than the $1000 tv but people will recommend the $1000 tv because, yes, it's better even if it's a worse deal.

So, I'm looking in the $500 ballpark, tho a little more would be ok if I can do better. This is going to be in a living room with a sectional but my wife and I tend to watch from different sections on the sectional so viewing angle might be an issue (adv: Plasma). Also, it's up off the ground a few feet above a fireplace we don't use so maybe that will also affect viewing angle. It's down in a mostly dark room so the plasma glare issues shouldn't be too bad.

This is not attached to a PC or gaming console or anything but a cable box and an upconverting DVD player but no BluRay and not a whole lot of HD yet. I might get a PS3 eventually that I'd want to hook up to it, but it's not going to happen for the next year or so, at least. Frankly, it will probably be used almost exclusively for movies and maybe some SD tv off the cable box.

I think this is more or less a practice run at an HD tv and, if we have the money in a couple of years, maybe go for another one for other uses- but, who knows, we may have kids then and we won't be able to have nice things so I don't want to just go with the cheapest thing I can find since this may have to last a while.

There was a nice deal at Fry's with an LG 42" LCD for $450 that is 120Hz and 1080p but they're sold out in Indy with no rainchecks. I'd have done that in a heartbeat.

Right now, I'm seeing the Samsung PN42C450 for $450-$500 just about everywhere this week but I'm still slightly leary about plasma and maybe I shouldn't be. The power consumption and a likely no longer valid fear of burn-in still remains in my mind but I might be wrong. Also, it's 720p, but I'm not sure that matters for my current purposes but if I can get something that's 1080p and is better for the future, then I'd much rather do that.

It seems to me that I like a lot of features about plasma (picture quality, lower price, seems like a better image when I put them side-by-side) but I'm pretty worried about longevity, power consumption, and future utility (problems if I wanted to make this a gaming tv or hook up a computer.

Anyone with some new advice I can incorporate or some great deals at the moment? Aside from the two listed above, I don't see anything going on this week and I can wait- it doesn't have to be immediate. But I'd like to keep doing my homework and, of course, I'd like to be watching a new tv sooner rather than later ;)

SI

[CU Tiger]

Not real sure on a model recommendation in that price range.
However a few general comments:
1) I wouldn't worry about burn it much at all with current plamas...you would have to try to get any image retention
2)This will probably spark some debate...but in the 42" size unless you are sitting less than 36" from the TV 720 vs. 1080 is a non issue...simple put your eyes are not good enough to see the difference. If you are sitting less than 36" from the TV for extended periods...your eyes certainly will not be good enough very soon to tell the difference...in short 720 is a a deal if it saves you money
3) Longevity....meh you will get tired of it before it burns up.

I am a big plasma fan...however it is a dieing technology I am afraid.
For years we would only install Panasonic or Pioneer plasmas...Honestly between the economy downturn and recent buyer interest in LCD/LED TVs I haven't hung a plasma in probably 3 months. I have had a few recent issues with Panasonic's TVs though...I still have 6 of them in my home and love the brand but they cheaped out last year and I think its biting them in the ass. They are not the screens they used to be but they may still be class leading, especially on the low end of the price range.

[stevew]

In Panasonic I would go with the S2 model because of the anti glare coating. It is also 1080p. I think it might bust your budget though.

[cthomer5000]

Would also be interested in a recommendation for best TV under $500. Would be used predominantly for gaming.

[Scarecrow]

Here's my new set up I'm ordering from Best Buy this week:

Samsung - 46" Class/1080p/120Hz/LED-LCD HDTV (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung+-+46%22+Class+/+1080p+/+120Hz+/+LED-LCD+HDTV/9832579.p?skuId=9832579&productCategoryId=abcat0101001&id=1218180677184) (UN46C6900)
Samsung - 2-1/2" Soundbar with Powered Wireless Subwoofer (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung+-+2-1/2%22+Soundbar+with+Powered+Wireless+Subwoofer/9761483.p?skuId=9761483&productCategoryId=abcat0205007&id=1218168617534) (HW-C450)
Samsung - Internet Connectable/Wi-Fi Built-In Blu-ray Disc Player (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung+-+Internet+Connectable/Wi-Fi+Built-In+Blu-ray+Disc+Player/9776791.p?skuId=9776791&productCategoryId=abcat0102003&id=1218171590034) (BD-C6500)

plus it comes free with:

Samsung - LinkStick Wireless USB 2.0 Adapter (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung+-+LinkStick+Wireless+USB+2.0+Adapter/9291795.p?skuId=9291795&productCategoryId=pcmcat175600050011&id=1218075420206)

[Chief Rum]

So I came into a football betting windfall of $610.

I am looking to get a TV. I have a piece of crap currently, an old box type, under 30". It's decent enough, but clearly TV technology has gone far beyond that.

I am willing to go over the $610 if need be (it would be silly not to be a high quality TV for $700 just because it's a little over $610, of course), but I would prefer to keep to close to or below the $610 figure.

I am not a big TV watcher with respect to shows. My primary use will probably be movies and sports. My understanding is that plasmas are better for this sort of viewing because they handle motion better. Would that make them where I should focus my research?

I don't pay for any HD channels currently, although perhaps I will down the line (I would plan on having this TV for a while), so I don't know what format works best with that, but it's not a primary concern.

Anyone have any recommendations for TVs or what I should be looking for that seem to fit here? I am aiming to go above 40" of course, but I would biew above 50" as unnecessary and not likely in my price range anyway. A 42" or a 46", for instance, is still a very significant upgrade from my current option.

Thanks for any thoughts.

[stevew]

Amazon.com: Panasonic TC-P42S2 42-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV: Electronics: Reviews, Prices & more (http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-TC-P42S2-42-Inch-1080p-Plasma/dp/B0036VO70Y/ref=dp_ob_title_ce)

I have the previous version of this one, and am pretty fond.

[sterlingice]

I decided going with a 42" plasma over LCD. I got the Panasonic, but I think you can't really go wrong with any of these three:

Samsung PN42C450 vs. Panasonic TCP42C2 vs. LG 42PJ350 - AVS Forum (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1256330)

Yes, they're cheap, low-end tvs, they're plasmas so you have a little glare issue (tho, frankly, I haven't noticed it at all in my fairly well lit living room- tho I have it fairly close to the ground), and you probably don't want to game on them for the possible burn-in issue.

However, I have been extremely happy with mine. I did run a burn-in DVD for about 100 hours before watching something with lots of static graphics (or a movie with bars on the bottom) and I've never had any burn-in issues.

If you check the ads, you can get one of these for $450 or less on a given week. You can also find the 46" equivalent of those for $600ish. Again, they're lower end, but for just movies or sports, it works great and you get a lot of bang for the buck.

I thought that LCDs cost a little bit more for less of a picture if you're looking at that price range.

SI

[stevew]

I gamed at least 7 full days worth of COD MW2 on my panasonic with no issues. Ultimately my issue now is that my couch is 18 to 20 feet from my 42. I need a 60 when I can swing it.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

42" TV on sale for $339 shipped if anyone's in need.

Slickdeals Amazon.com Deals, Coupons and Promos: 42" iSymphony LC42iF56 1080p LCD HDTV (02/10/11 2:20pm) (http://slickdeals.net/permadeal/46769/amazon.com-42-isymphony-lc42if56-1080p-lcd-hdtv)

[rjolley]

I remember reading through this thread and noticing that some of the guys worked at Best Buy, so I have a question: Did BB stop selling the Samsung PN63C8000YF? The wife and I were targeting that tv as a potential solution for our media room, but I can't find it on the site since last week.

Any insight into why they stopped selling it? The plasmas aren't selling well? There were issues? The tv was rated very well and looked great in store for a decent price for the size, so I'm surprised it's not available anymore.

[stevew]

End of the model year most likely. I'd hit up AVSforum.

[stevew]

There should be a D8000 version if they follow the normal release structure.

[rjolley]

stevew: Thanks. Looks like the PN64D8000 is rumored to be on the way...which means the one we're looking at should drop a bit if Best Buy tries to sell it's current stock. Might be able to pick one up for a good price.

[stevew]

the processing run on a 63" plasma is going to be substantially smaller than a regular sized TV. If you really like that model, you might have a hard time searching it out at this point. I'm guessing they would only be selling a handful of them out of each warehouse. Point being you can't play chicken with the price forever on something that's relatively rare.

[rowech]

Anybody recommend a TV with decent sound to put into a room that has a treadmill? Looking for a TV that will have good enough sound that I can hear it. Would like it to be around 26" or so.

[stevew]

I'm pretty sure that a 32 is going to be roughly the same price as a 26" these days. LG generally has good sound. Front facing speakers are probably going to be louder than downfiring speakers. That being said you may want to augment with an audio system or a soundbar at some point.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Holy Jesus. This has to be some sort of visual masturbation. 82" 1080p 3D HDTV. Pretty good price too at $1600.

82" Mitsubishi WD-82738 1080p 3D 120Hz DLP HDTV $1600 + Free Shipping - Best Buy Deals, Coupons and Promos (http://slickdeals.net/permadeal/53429/best-buy-82-mitsubishi-wd82738-1080p-3d-120hz-dlp-hdtv)

[stevew]

I'm really interested in their Laservue series but don't know of anywhere that sells it so that I can see it.

[CU Tiger]

Holy Jesus. This has to be some sort of visual masturbation. 82" 1080p 3D HDTV. Pretty good price too at $1600.

82" Mitsubishi WD-82738 1080p 3D 120Hz DLP HDTV $1600 + Free Shipping - Best Buy Deals, Coupons and Promos (http://slickdeals.net/permadeal/53429/best-buy-82-mitsubishi-wd82738-1080p-3d-120hz-dlp-hdtv)


Over under on the lamp...7 months.


Lol just realized I came here looking for advice and feeling a bit out of the loop...thats kinda funny for me.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Over under on the lamp...7 months.

Lol just realized I came here looking for advice and feeling a bit out of the loop...thats kinda funny for me.

Yeah, what do you know about home theaters anyway!!!!!!

:D

[MJ4H]

Any opinions on this TV? Can't find a review. Don't know much about televisions so anything is appreciated.

Newegg.com - iSymphony 37" 1080p 60Hz LCD HDTV LC37iF80 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16889150005)

[CU Tiger]

just off hand, having no experience with it in the flesh, seems like a tad too much coin for a 37" 60hZ LCD

[DanGarion]

Got an LG 55LV5500 at Best Buy, came with a free SB316 sound bar (which considering the crappiness of most TV speakers is a major added bonus) and $100 CinemaNow gift card for $1900. Plus 36 months no interest, which wasn't a big selling point but we don't have to worry about dropping 2k and can manage the cost.

It was my wife's suggestion we get a new TV, since she was complaining that our DLP was too dark. I'm like OK!!!

Seems pretty good, has internet and APPs. I'm hoping they get a Pandora App soon. Netflix seems adequate on it, but not the best NF app I've used.

[MJ4H]

just off hand, having no experience with it in the flesh, seems like a tad too much coin for a 37" 60hZ LCD

Really? It seemed like a great price to me. What part of the specs do you think is uninspiring, and where can I get a better TV for that price range?

Thanks.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Helluva deal on a 32" TV if interested. $199 shipped.

Westinghouse 32" (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Westinghouse+-+32%22+Class+/+LED+/+720p+/+60Hz+/+HDTV/2731608.p?skuId=2731608&id=1218347168874)

[MJ4H]

42" Sceptre 1080p

42" Sceptre LCD HDTV,1080p 60Hz, X425BV-FHD - Walmart.com (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sceptre-42-X425BV-FHD/16878627?findingMethod=rr)

Anything I should be wary of here? There is a 46" version of same TV for $430.

This $360 is more in my comfort zone price range. Is there better out there than this somewhere? I'd love some help. Desperately need a better TV (as some of my recent postings have shown).

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

42" TV

$189 for in-store pickup at Best Buy. Better hurry to get this one. It's still available.

42" LG 42LK450 1080p 60Hz LCD HDTV $189 + Free In-store Pick Up - Best Buy Deals, Coupons and Promos (http://slickdeals.net/permadeal/66518/best-buy-42-lg-42lk450-1080p-60hz-lcd-hdtv)

[gstelmack]

So we may be about to finally upgrade our old 200-lb Sony 34" CRT HDTV with something bigger and modern. We're still deciding between 50" and 55", but thanks to the beauty of smartphones we're going to give http://panasonic.net/apps/en/setup_simulator/ a whirl and see if it helps us decide. Pretty sure we're going to end up with a Panasonic Plasma, 55", either GT30 or VT30 depending on what deals I can get on the VT30.

Research seems to indicate that the plasmas run hotter, use more energy, and have more glare problems than LCDs, but the LCDs can have issues with uneven brightness and game input lag (a deal breaker for us), plus there's just a wide variety of quality out there, even within apparently similar models from the same manufacturer. You really have to pay attention to the specific model and the panel in use on it.

It's my understanding that the game input lag issue is fixable with game mode on many LCDs, as that turns off most processing, but that in general the bigger sets still need much of the processing, so once you get over 46" it's hard to find one where even game mode fixes the lag. Does anyone have any experience with that? And apparently the more modern LED sets with "local dimming" can overcome most of the uneven brightness issues. But game input lag will be a dealbreaker for us on any set we buy, so we'll probably end up with the plasma.

It seems like Samsung or Panasonic are the way to go on plasmas. LG is pretty good, but not quite up to the same PQ as those two, but still not a bad option. The difference between Samsung and Panasonic seems to be quality - if you get a good Samsung, it's fine, but Samsung's seem to have a higher initial return rate, where the odds of the initial set having a color issue are higher?

The other negative to a Plasma seems to be a need to do a burn-in run to break it in before calibrating to get the best picture. There are specific slideshows you can download to a USB key and show on the plasma, with specific timing settings for the slideshow. You're supposed to run these for 100 hours, or 4 days? I don't know if I can buy a TV and not actually use it for 4 days. Maybe have to buy it right before going on vacation or something.

I was drooling over the AutoCal feature that's part of the CalMan color calibration software suite. Grab a laptop, install the software, connect it to your network and an HDMI port in the TV, connect the TV to the network, attach your colorimeter, and run it. It can talk to the Panasonic's and some other TVs and auto-calibrate it by adjusting the settings on the TV for you over the network connection, rather than you having to manually make adjustments. I already have a Spyder 3, so I have the hardware, but the software runs about $400 - $500 for all the pieces you need. If only I knew enough people I could charge $50 to calibrate their TV for them...

[stevew]

I think that your reasoning and assessments are really good. I don't necessarily agree with the last two paragraphs about break in and I probably would not bother to calibrate. The Sharp Quattron's are in that 1400 range for a 60". I'm not sure about the energy differences anymore though. Should be some good deals leading up to the Super Bowl. One thing to consider is that model years are changing out. Might not be able to get the mix of good deal/size/model series on a Panasonic at this point. The good thing these days is that everything you're choosing between is basically going to be awesome.

[rjolley]

We're going to be looking at projectors for a home theater. Last year, I looked the Epson's and read good reviews, but that was last year. What's good in that area? We're going to project on a 100"-105" screen and have total control of the light. No windows in the room and no light under the door.

We're also going to be looking for speakers. I'm trying to not break the bank with them, but I want excellent sound. Is there a good set out there that won't kill a budget? When I looked last year, I listened to the Definitive Technology speakers at Best Buy and the Polk and PSB (?) speakers at Evolution Home Theater and all sounded great, but were all more than I'd want to spend. We will use the speakers for music, but the main focus will be for the movies.

[gstelmack]

I think that your reasoning and assessments are really good. I don't necessarily agree with the last two paragraphs about break in and I probably would not bother to calibrate. The Sharp Quattron's are in that 1400 range for a 60". I'm not sure about the energy differences anymore though. Should be some good deals leading up to the Super Bowl. One thing to consider is that model years are changing out. Might not be able to get the mix of good deal/size/model series on a Panasonic at this point. The good thing these days is that everything you're choosing between is basically going to be awesome.

Yeah, more reading is turning up mixed signals on the whole break-in thing, the only thing it really seems good for aside from setting the panel up for reference-level calibration is helping avoid burn-in, but there is debate on that even.

On calibration, that was just the geek in me talking, I think that whole concept described is a pretty neat tech step forward.

I'm hoping for some combo of Super Bowl deal + closeout on the 2011s, but we'll see what hits.

[Doug5984]

So I may be in the market for a new TV soon, I'd like something in the 52" range. What's all the 3d stuff about, I mean I don't want to pay extra for it really...but if its about the same price I'll get one with it.

I see Cinema 3d, and I think that's better because it's cheap glasses that don't have to be charged or anything. Am I right in that?

http://www.amazon.com/LG-Infinia-55LW5600-55-Inch-LED-LCD/dp/B004OOVIHW/ref=zg_bs_172659_6

Or save the few hundred $$$ and get something like this?

Amazon.com: LG 55LK520 55-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LCD HDTV: Electronics (http://www.amazon.com/LG-55LK520-55-Inch-1080p-HDTV/dp/B004OOS38O/ref=zg_bs_172659_25)

I'm not too picky, I just want a big TV with a good picture. The 42" plasma in my bedroom was like $400 a couple years ago and is perfect for me.

The DLP in the living room is what I'm looking to replace, the picture just isn't that great.

[SteveMax58]

Yeah, more reading is turning up mixed signals on the whole break-in thing, the only thing it really seems good for aside from setting the panel up for reference-level calibration is helping avoid burn-in, but there is debate on that even.

On calibration, that was just the geek in me talking, I think that whole concept described is a pretty neat tech step forward.

I'm hoping for some combo of Super Bowl deal + closeout on the 2011s, but we'll see what hits.

I got a 50" Samsung Plasma in January 2010 and had the same mixed data to go through regarding burn in and the like. The reality for me is that in the beginning (say, first 6 months), the screen had more image retention (which burn-in is really the permanent type of image retention) in the 1st few months of use than it does now. So people advocating for you to run it 100+ hours to reduce the potential for burn in are basically accelerating your product's age to be as it would be 6 months from now imho. So sure...if you don't use it for any real personal use and just let it run, its naturally going to age the display a bit and lessen IR. But whats the point of that?

All I really did was let it run overnight on some channels that tend to play movies (or at least dont have a static logo the entire time) that I knew would have content playing all night. If you have a CATV co...be careful with the movie channels and such and try to use something that is a basic tier channel (but the HD version) such as a local channel that does not keep a static logo up the whole time (otherwise...you may get the popup overnight asking you to click a button to continue watching).

IR is not that big of a deal but it is more prevalent in the beginning than once it gets some hours logged. I will say that even to this day I can see a little IR if the screen has been locked to something with a static logo (like Cartoon Network when I get home from work) but most Plasmas have a tool to clear IR (or severely degrade it) plus the IR will go away on its own after a short while. Usually relative to how long you had it on...it takes literally many hours for mine to have IR any more (and even then...its very faint) and generally about 10-30 minutes to clear itself.

[SteveMax58]

stevew...question for you since I think you work with and see a lot of TVs.

Do you see a lot of Mitsubishi DLPs including the LaserVue? I've been researching the 82840 or the LS -A94 (possibly...if prices drop a bit more on them) but I can't find anybody with those models in a store within 200 or so miles.

Seems everybody is convinced that rear projection sets are outdated technology and that there is no market for them. I guess I understand that thinking in terms of widespread appeal but I think there is a market for them especially in the larger room category.

Any thoughts on them if you are familiar? Or anybody else for that matter?

[stevew]

Didn't see any of the LaserVue TV's, I don't really live in a big enough area to have a Magnolia Best Buy. Back in the day, the Mitsu DLP's were pretty awesome, with some concerns on bulb life. I haven't sold TV's in awhile, though, and it's been way longer than that since I sold Mitsu stuff. I think that DLP is pretty much been rendered obsolete by LCD/Plasma now. You can get a perfectly fine LG 55" for like a grand now, and maybe even a touch cheaper Vizio.

I do like the Cinema now 3d tech, from what I see/understand about it. I can't geek over $150 a pair glasses, but the non active ones are dirt cheap. I was looking at a 699 Vizio 42" 3D the other day, and it was pretty sweet for the price/features.

[stevew]

Yeah, more reading is turning up mixed signals on the whole break-in thing, the only thing it really seems good for aside from setting the panel up for reference-level calibration is helping avoid burn-in, but there is debate on that even.

On calibration, that was just the geek in me talking, I think that whole concept described is a pretty neat tech step forward.

I'm hoping for some combo of Super Bowl deal + closeout on the 2011s, but we'll see what hits.

If you like the calibration stuff, I seem to remember the LG plasmas had some really nice features. It would be the Infinia series.

[Glengoyne]

When we bought our TV a few years back we went plasma, mainly due to the motion blur issue with LCD. I'm fairly susceptible to noticing it, and I couldn't watch sports on the LCD sets. I like the plasma, but my wife doesn't like the glare issues due to lights or windows.

My sister bought a 240 hz LCD at Christmas time, and I have to admit I really enjoyed watching sports on it. I had no trouble at all with the motion blur that I'm used to with LCD. The problem came with regular TV content. Everything on normal TV looked like it was filmed with a hand held camera. At first I thought this might be a problem with it also being a 3d TV, but now I've done some research and find that it is due to the increased hz. My take is that essentially the manufacturers are "filling in" the frames in between those that are actually included in the content. They are using algorithms to fabricate in between images, and the result is an ultra smooth picture that we aren't used to. The solution I've most seen, is to turn off the increased Hz setting for non sports content. I just don't find this a sustainable solution for the LCD market.

I also understand that a few years back manufacturers were taking a better approach to the motion blur issue, where the "extra" frames inserted for the 120 hz sets were black or just dimmer versions of the previous frame. These apparently completely solved the motion blur issue, but appeared to be "dimmer" when side by side another LCD set. So these just didn't sell. Too bad as far as I'm concerned. I can't warm up to buying a TV, whose best feature I need to turn off in order to watch Bones.

P.S. As a note for motion blur and the difference between LCD and Plasma, I learned that while a plasma is only running at 60hz, the fact that it goes "black" between frames eliminates any issue with blur. Where as frames on an LCD persist until they are replaced. It all makes more sense now.

[CU Tiger]

A few thoughts from me:
I am a plasma fan boi....they just work for my eye and viewing style.
That said: Burn in is a non issue for modern plasmas. Calibration...if you are coming from a CRT now, dont waster the time/money. Finally in my experience there are only 2 manufacturers that actually make a decent plasma set and both start with the letter "P" ;)

[stevew]

I'm kicking around getting an LED projector. Does anyone have one? I see several different 720P models. For now, I would primarily use this to watch movies in my basement(once I finish it). Thinking of getting a like an 80" screen on legs that i can move out of the way when not in use. I can make it completely dark, so i can probably get away with not a ton of lumens.

[stevew]

dola, this is the one I was kind of looking at

Amazon.com: Vivitek Qumi Q2 300 Lumen WXGA HDMI 3D-Ready Pocket DLP Projector (Black): Electronics (http://www.amazon.com/Vivitek-Q2-3D-Ready-Projector-Black/dp/B004FP3RYM/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1327616333&sr=1-1)

[cartman]

On an 80 inch screen, you'll really spot the difference between 720p and 1080p. My cousin just built out a media room, and his installer brought over a few models to show as a comparison. The 720p projectors got eliminated fairly quickly.

[stevew]

I'm probably not as picky as most. And there's probably no way I can touch a 1080p projector.

[CU Tiger]

Yeah you are getting to the size where it will really become apparent to even a non-picky eye.

That said I hate projectors...always have.
Hell even the new movie theaters look like shat to me.

[MJ4H]

Ordered this tv last week. Great price, good size. Looking forward to it arriving sometime this week.

46" Sceptre LCD HDTV, 1080p, X460BV-FHD - Walmart.com (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sceptre-46-X460BV-FHD/15739170?findingMethod=rr)

[gstelmack]

Bought my 55" Panasonic ST-30 Plasma yesterday. Target had it on sale for $1000, which is the best price I've seen it since starting to watch just after Christmas. No one else seemed to be running Super Bowl sales on it. Got it home and set up, avoided the hernia when moving the 200 pound 34" Sony CRT it was replacing. The TV is absolutely beautiful. I loved that it asked if I was using it for home or a store demo before running, and set the brightness and contrast to much more reasonable levels when I picked "home". I'm getting some saturation / lost detail with bright red bits, and losing detail in deep blacks, but otherwise the picture is gorgeous. I'll run through the basic bits of the Disney WOW Blu-Ray to see if I can clean up those 2 issues.

Looking forward to the Super Bowl this week...

[MacroGuru]

Bought this

E470VLE | VIZIO (http://www.vizio.com/e470vle.html)

Last week from Walmart, on sale and I can not complain..it is almost to big for my apartment living room. But it is nice having functioning HDMI again for Satellite and XBOX360.

[Doug5984]

Bought this

E470VLE | VIZIO (http://www.vizio.com/e470vle.html)

Last week from Walmart, on sale and I can not complain..it is almost to big for my apartment living room. But it is nice having functioning HDMI again for Satellite and XBOX360.

Not a bad price, part of me really wants to get a 52" 3d, all the good stuff- but really I don't think I'd use that, and 52 might be to big for the room it's in. This one has me thinking now- looks pretty nice for what I need. Right now I have a 42" DLP from 2005, and the picture just isn't that great anymore.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Here's a 55" 1080p for $600 at Target right now............

55" Westinghouse VR-5525z 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV $599 + Free Shipping - Target Deals, Coupons and Promos (http://slickdeals.net/permadeal/68166/target-55-westinghouse-vr5525z-1080p-120hz-lcd-hdtv)

[stevew]

"store" mode generally defaults back to settings if they are changed. You definitely won't want that.

[MacroGuru]

Not a bad price, part of me really wants to get a 52" 3d, all the good stuff- but really I don't think I'd use that, and 52 might be to big for the room it's in. This one has me thinking now- looks pretty nice for what I need. Right now I have a 42" DLP from 2005, and the picture just isn't that great anymore.

It's about 580$ right now at Walmart, It was on sale for 568 when I bought it. It is the perfect size for my room...I honestly think anything lager would take over the room.

[Carman Bulldog]

I picked up this (http://www.samsung.com/ca/consumer/tv-video/tv/plasma/PN51D450A2DXZC/index.idx?pagetype=prd_detail) 51" Samsung plasma for $469 on a Boxing Week sale, although I'm not scheduled to physically get it until this Friday (right in time for the Super Bowl). Felt it was a pretty good price.

What is the latest on having to do an initial hundred hour run to prevent burn in? Is that all in days of the past or is it still recommended?

[stevew]

I wouldn't bother, but I would make sure that the complete screen is filled with content(no black bars) for awhile

[MJ4H]

Ordered this tv last week. Great price, good size. Looking forward to it arriving sometime this week.

46" Sceptre LCD HDTV, 1080p, X460BV-FHD - Walmart.com (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sceptre-46-X460BV-FHD/15739170?findingMethod=rr)

Set this up Monday night. Spent some time fiddling with the picture settings last night and am now extremely happy with it.

[stevew]

Is there any rule/pricing method to determine how much to sell a used TV for? I would like to upgrade to a 60" panny, but should probably sell my 42" one first. Wife probably won't sign off on a grand, but probably on 6-700 if I get a few hundred for selling the other one.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

I just did something really stupid & bought this:
http://store.sony.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&partNumber=NSX40GT1

Can I afford it? No. But I'm currently watching a 19" tv I dumped in my mom's basement a few years back when I updraded. Had to leave that 110 lb Sony in NYC when I moved. Watching the 19" Zenith has been painful... This thing looks great! (Too bad it won't be here before Sunday...) At Target.com it is $569 right now

[stevew]

Nice. I have the 24" version of that and it is pretty sweet. Especially since the new google tv upgrade.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

42" TV for $330.

42" Sharp LC42SV49U 1080p LCD HDTV $330 + Free Ship To Store - Best Buy Deals, Coupons and Promos (http://slickdeals.net/permadeal/68380/best-buy-42-sharp-lc42sv49u-1080p-lcd-hdtv)

[Doug5984]

42" TV for $330.

42" Sharp LC42SV49U 1080p LCD HDTV $330 + Free Ship To Store - Best Buy Deals, Coupons and Promos (http://slickdeals.net/permadeal/68380/best-buy-42-sharp-lc42sv49u-1080p-lcd-hdtv)

Not really relevant to that TV- but I love slickdeals. Have gotten more than a few "great buys" using that website.

[sterlingice]

If not for the horrible, horrible ethics of most of their members, I'd be a lot better with them

SI

[Doug5984]

If not for the horrible, horrible ethics of most of their members, I'd be a lot better with them

SI

Very true

[CU Tiger]

HH Greg is doing a select market SB deal.
60" Panny plasma TCP60S30 for 899....smoking deal imho.

Grabbed 2 tonight

[stevew]

Trying to get my wife to let me do that. I'm sure it misses a few features of the "better" panny models. But I don't care.

[CU Tiger]

Trying to get my wife to let me do that. I'm sure it misses a few features of the "better" panny models. But I don't care.

Yeah no 3d, no built in apps (beyond the veirra stuff) and has the B grade screen coating not the gold...but its a quality set. Its got the expected (old) Panny blacks, handles glare like you'd expect, blah,blah,blah.

Thing is Panny puts more thought and innovation into their packing box than other manufacturers do into their set.

[stevew]

I managed to broker a deal for my older 42S1(or S2) 1080P panny so I was able to get a 60" for 898 at Wally world. Total upgrade is like 600 bucks after selling the older one. It's going to a good home as well. Probably won't unbox it for a week or so, right now I have nowhere to put it. And nothing strong enough to hold the weight.

[stevew]

Average power consumption for my 2009 42s1- 173 Watts.
Average power consumption for the 2011 60S30- 139 Watts.

That's kind of crazy.

[JediKooter]

At that rate, they'll be down to almost under 100 in 2 years.

[GrantDawg]

Alright, any advice on fixing vocal sound quality on a flat screen? I am going insane trying to watch movies, and having to turn the sound to max to hear people talking just to have my ear-drums blown out when music or sound-effects happens.

[gstelmack]

Alright, any advice on fixing vocal sound quality on a flat screen? I am going insane trying to watch movies, and having to turn the sound to max to hear people talking just to have my ear-drums blown out when music or sound-effects happens.

I have this problem a lot, it seems to be somewhat of a problem with the movies themselves. But having a 5.1 speaker setup helps a lot, where you can have a separate center channel that voices go to, and depending on the receiver an opportunity to boost it or whatever.

But then again nothing will overcome some movie deciding the score is most important, or having the main actor whisper a lot...

[stevew]

Depends on the TV model, but it's probably worth experimenting with different presets. AVSforum probably has a thread on your specific model that might be worth searching thru

[CU Tiger]

Depends on the TV model, but it's probably worth experimenting with different presets. AVSforum probably has a thread on your specific model that might be worth searching thru

+1

but like said the stock speakers suck and a good A/V r will solve mosyt of this,

[gstelmack]

Solve most but not all. Was re-watching Sherlock Holmes last night, and it's amazing how much louder the music is than everything else, even the special effects. And it doesn't help that Holmes is played as soft-spoken. Compared to, say, Jurassic Park where with the same setup you can hear everything just fine.

[Hoya1]

just bought this (http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product/lg-electronics-lg-60-1080p-600hz-plasma-hdtv-60pv400-60pv400/10183365.aspx?path=b87969c51651c8b6de50e081157c7104en02) LG 60" 1080p 600Hz Plasma for my basement.
picked it up for $899 plus the kid gave me $60 off the price and even gave me 2 yrs free service agreement. So far it looks pretty good!

[MizzouRah]

Ordered this tv last week. Great price, good size. Looking forward to it arriving sometime this week.

46" Sceptre LCD HDTV, 1080p, X460BV-FHD - Walmart.com (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sceptre-46-X460BV-FHD/15739170?findingMethod=rr)

Our 46" Sony is taking hours to warm up enough to rid itself of ghosting images on the screen, only 3.5 years old too.. never again Sony! I've figured out it's the LCD board, which is more than the TV is worth. When it works, we love it..

Anyway.. found this 50" TV at Walmart and even though it has only 6 reviews, all of them are 5*, so for $500 I'm thinking about picking it up this week.

Walmart.com: Sceptre 50" Class LCD 1080p 60Hz HDTV, X505BV-FHD: TV & Video (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sceptre-50-Class-LCD-1080p-60Hz-HDTV-X505BV-FHD/19793654?_mm=TopOneGiantItem)

How has your Sceptre been?

[sabotai]

Quick question.

Am I going to notice any difference between 1080p and 720p on a TV that's around 30"? I'm finally ditching a TV in the bedroom (old CRT) and ~30" is all that will fit on the desk. I'm wondering if spending more for 1080p would be worth it.

EDIT: According to what I was able to google, it might be. Close up (playing video games), apparently the difference is clear. So I guess 1080p it is.

[CU Tiger]

27" the differentiation length is ~ 3'. IF you sit closer than 3' to the screen then yeah you may notice a difference.

That is if they were side by side.
AT 40" you literally couldnt pick which is which assuming both were tuned properly, cable and signal quality equal etc.

[CU Tiger]

Spectre is another multi china TinbAwn.
Westinghouse, Spectre, Sylvania, and any of a dozen store brands'

[sabotai]

720p it is....went to the closest store (Walmart...should have taken my camera...) and they only had one 1080p with all the bells and whistles I didn't care about (3D). I really didn't feel like heading to another store (started getting a migraine and was going to probably get 720p anyway) so I grabbed the Samsung 32" they had and got out of there.

27" the differentiation length is ~ 3'. IF you sit closer than 3' to the screen then yeah you may notice a difference.

Only when I play Xbox 360, the maybe I'm around 3 feet away. Otherwise I'm on the bed a good 8 feet away, maybe more. And if I don't like what it looks like, I'll just keep using my computer monitor for the 360.

(5 minutes later)

Just gave it a test run. Looks plenty good to me and there's no way I'll be sitting within 3 feet of this TV.

[SteveMax58]

Just gave it a test run. Looks plenty good to me and there's no way I'll be sitting within 3 feet of this TV.

Yeah, 99% of the population wouldn't be able to see the difference between the 1080p60 & 720p60 models side by side with the same content & appropriate settings on a TV that size (or even 50"+ in some cases).

And don't feel bad about any other bells & whistle "image enhancement" features. I turn as many of them off as possible.

[stevew]

I always thought it would be cool if the evil Spectre organization from the Bond movies had given up on terrorism and switched over to making TVs. Or if the Spectre organization made all these TVs in an attempt to gain market share and then flip the switch to turn them into mind control agents.

[lungs]

What's the biggest, baddest, TV $3000 can get you?

My old 65" Hitachi rear projection TV has the ESPN logo permanently burned into the corner. I'd like to reward myself for being debt free (next month after I pay last of student loans off) by blowing a bunch of money on a new TV. Budget is a soft $3000.

[stevew]

I think you could get the highest trim Aquos for that money in 70", but the 80" is like >4000. I think that's possibly overkill on the budget, you can get nice stuff in the 2000 range.

[lungs]

No kids, no wife/girlfriend means I'm free to bust my own budget if I want :)

[stevew]

Oh, in that case spring for a 70" and surround it with 4 32's

[SteveMax58]

No kids, no wife/girlfriend means I'm free to bust my own budget if I want :)

How much room ya got? :)

Amazon.com: Mitsubishi WD-92840 92-Inch 1080p 3D Projection TV: Electronics (http://www.amazon.com/Mitsubishi-WD-92840-92-Inch-1080p-Projection/dp/B004ZL2O9U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1339463642&sr=8-1&keywords=92840)

[CU Tiger]

3k will get you a 70" sharp aquos quattron 240hz at costco right now
And I mean really, its as good as anything you'd want.

If it were my money ID save a few $$$ and go for the non 3d version.
Thats 2300 at bestbuy

[gstelmack]

As the proud, couldn't-be-happier owner of a 55" ST30, I highly recommend the Panasonic Viera Plasmas for picture quality, gaming latency, and all the other bells-and-whistles. So with a $3K budget I'd get:

Amazon.com: Panasonic VIERA TC-P65VT50 65-Inch 1080p Full HD 3D Plasma TV: Electronics (http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-VIERA-TC-P65VT50-65-Inch-Plasma/dp/B00752VLSG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1339464673&sr=8-2)

[MizzouRah]

Don't waste your money on anything over 120hz and seriously.. don't spend money on a big brand name without doing some serious research. Fuck Sony, don't waste your money on a Sony TV either.

When I was in the market for a 3D TV, the Panasonic Vera was by far the best, imho.

I'm going really cheap this time though. I'm still pissed after 3 years, I wasted $2000+ on this TV and it's shit unless you wait hours for it to warm up and work.

[cartman]

I've had the exact opposite experience with Sony TVs. I currently have 4 at the house, a 14 year old 36 inch Grand Wega tube TV, an 8 year old 42 inch rear projection (KF-42WE610), a 4 year old 46 inch LCD (KDL-46XBR5), and a 6 month old 55 inch LCD (XBR-55HX929). I've had zero issues with them. I'm sure I'm going to have to replace the projection bulb at some point in the 8 year old TV, but it is still running strong.

[MizzouRah]

I have 3 Sony tube TV's, one is 20 years old.. in fact, and all them have been great. My 46" Sony LCD HD TV however has limited time left and it's just over 3 years old. Sony told me it would cost more to replace the LCD board then it would to buy another TV. Sucks and gives me a sour taste for any might have been future purchases. It started to get lines on the left side, but would go away about 15 minutes after it was turned on. Flash forward to about 4-5 months.. it now has bad ghosting images on the left side upon switching it on and takes anywhere from 1 hour to 4-5 hours to clear up. When I researched that issue, seems like many with Sony Bravia TV's are having similar issues. It's too bad, because when it works, it has a beautiful picture.

Seems to me like I'd rather gamble on a $500 TV and if that happens, throw it in the garbage.. it's going to hurt to have to do that with this TV that cost me $2000.

[CU Tiger]

I was a Sony Premier dealer for 5 years. I dropped the line in 08, because frankly their quality control had gone to shat. Very hit or miss. In 1 years time we had 17 bad out of the box, no powers. Thats 17 out of ~45. And no they were not concurrent serials, they were dispersed through an entire year.

That said I know plenty on the 15+year range.

For my money you cant beat a panny plasma, but plasmas aren't for everyone. But yopu can get a 60" Vierra non 3d for sub $1500...thats what Id buy and what I did buy 3 of in January.

Id disagree strongly with MizzouRah on the 120hZ deal, if you are getting into the 60+" range it will make a difference. Especially with the processor difference, maybee more so than the actual screen refresh.

[MizzouRah]

There is too much made out of Hz and with today's tv's, 60hz sets are fine. I'm not expert though, so maybe at 60" and beyond, it is noticable. Remember, the source footage is never greater than 60hz.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2379206,00.asp

Do You Need Super-Fast Refresh Rates?
When flat-panel HDTVs were in their infancy, they suffered from motion blur. LCDs in particular tended to display distinct blurriness during very fast on-screen movements because of "ghosting," or the afterimage left after the image on the screen has changed. LCD technology has progressed a great deal over the past several years, and now ghosting and motion blur have been all but eliminated. If you've purchased an LCD HDTV in the last two years, it probably won't show noticeable blur at its standard 60Hz refresh rate.
Tastes can vary, and you might enjoy the potential judder-reducing, motion-smoothing effects of an HDTV with 120Hz or 240Hz modes. But they don't add any actual detail to the video, and they certainly shouldn't be considered dealbreakers when you're shopping for an HDTV. Even if you get a set that supports 120Hz or 240Hz (or even 480Hz or 600Hz) video modes, you might want to disable them, and watch the video without any interpolation or judder-reducing effects.