Can somebody point me to the TV buying discussion thread?

[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]

Originally Posted by 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?

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]

Originally Posted by 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."

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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

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

[k0ruptr]

Originally Posted by 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/fea...yths_shattered

[CleBrownsfan]

Originally Posted by k0ruptr

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]

Originally Posted by k0ruptr

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]

Originally Posted by k0ruptr

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 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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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%...&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]

Originally Posted by DanGarion

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

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/fea...yths_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]

Originally Posted by DanGarion

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]

Originally Posted by 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.

+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]

Originally Posted by 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.

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

+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]

Originally Posted by johnnyshaka

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

[dolfin]

Originally Posted by 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

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

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by dolfin

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]

Originally Posted by dolfin

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]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

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]

Originally Posted by whomario

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

Isn't that considered a 'compact' TV?

[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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Isn't that considered a 'compact' TV?

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]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

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.