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/...highlight=HDTV

[moriarty]

Some more:

http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/...&highlight=DLP
http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/...&highlight=DLP
http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/...&highlight=DLP
http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/...&highlight=DLP
http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/...&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"

Another Samsung 46"
LG 47"

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+-+...14359&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]

Originally Posted by Izulde

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]

Originally Posted by stevew

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]

Originally Posted by 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"

Another Samsung 46"
LG 47"

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? 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 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"

EDIT: I guess it's the Samsung: link
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"

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]

Originally Posted by 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).

I don't understand whats the difference between the B850/860 and PN50C550G1F

[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]

Originally Posted by stevew

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

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by 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.

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]

Originally Posted by Kodos

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]

Originally Posted by Kodos

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

I did

$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]

Originally Posted by Kodos

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 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.