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Tony
12-03-2006, 09:45 AM
Painting the living room (wife's idea), new couch (our idea), and a new TV (my idea!). I think this is a decent time to buy, sales-wise. It looks like the appropriate size for my room is 32", and maybe up to 37", but there aren't as many offerings in the 36" & 37" size. Try to keep it in layman's terms, last time this topic came up it got pretty high tech!

* I hear plasma tv's are falling out of favor for lacking longevity...is this true? Am I correct in looking at LCD HDTV flatscreens?

* The 37"s have 720 pixels, like the 32"s. Is this ample?

* Prices vary in the 32"'s from $900 to $1500. Is this due to brand name & features? If so, are the "name" brands worth it, or are some "low-name" brands just as good?

*What features are a must?


:beer:

RedDog
12-03-2006, 10:35 AM
I don't have one but I would go for the 1080p rather than the 720p. More cash but that is the latest and greatest. I was originally shopping for a rear projection but then started shopping the plasmas. I need one in the 50" range and I don't think the LCDs come that large.

I haven't heard of longevity issues or the new laser technology MP mentions

Kirk
12-03-2006, 12:01 PM
My TV & VCR died when we moved....
So, we purchased the 32' Sony XBR Bravia HDTV LCD. The networks broadcast HDTV Signals for FREE, the Bravia has a tuner built in so you can pick up anyone broadcasting in HDTV. I might suggest that anyone laying out that much coin purchase a Monster Power Center...the box cleans the power and protects anything plugged into it. It has already saved the set more than a few times, being at the beach we lose power alot and for extended periods of time.
Purchased @ Best Buy in April and paid about $2k for it.
Here are a few links:

Sony Bravia
http://www.learningcenter.sony.us/assets/hpd/hdtv/choose-bravia.php?%26LCID=LCTR_Showcase:HDTV:Choose:Bravi a:btnBravia#

Monster Power Box
http://www.monstercable.com/pro_audio/productPagePro.asp?pin=2140&LastPage=Monster%20Pro%20Power

DAULEY
12-03-2006, 12:09 PM
costco by us has sony 42inch lcd for 1299
also 42inch plasma for 1399

Tony
12-03-2006, 12:35 PM
costco by us has sony 42inch lcd for 1299

Do you think a Sony from Costco is the same Sony at Best Buy or Sears? Kind of like a John Deere at Lowes is not the same as one from a dealer...

Good replies, keep 'em coming.


:beer:

yeller
12-03-2006, 12:43 PM
Do you think a Sony from Costco is the same Sony at Best Buy or Sears? :beer:Yes. (Wife works at Costco buying office).

Tony
12-03-2006, 01:10 PM
Yeller...cool.

Kirk, the Sony Bravia sure does look good. I've had good luck with Sony...my old 3.2 mp digital camera w/ the Carl Ziess lens has been a fine product. Going from the S-series up to the V-series looks like a possibility, but I'd have to go to a 40" size! The Monster Box is a great idea, I'm sure, but after adding this and a modest set of surround sound speakers I bettter figure on a bit more cash-ola!


:beer:

Tony
12-03-2006, 02:03 PM
cnet (http://www.cnet.com/) has been a top quality impartial electronics site for many years.
They write an article here (http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-6449_7-6661274-1.html?tag=ms) that speaks about the difference berween 720p and 1080p, and if it is worth it.


:beer:

pmreed
12-03-2006, 04:37 PM
1080P is only worthwhile if you're within about 2 1/2 screen heights from the set. If you're farther away than that, your eye can't distinguish between a 1080P and a 720P resolution. Meaning that if your eye is more than about 4 feet from a 37" screen, you don't need 1080P. In 32" or 37" flatscreens, you have only LCD sets to choose from. Contrast ratio is a key number; the higher the number, the better it can display blacks. A low contrast ratio will give a washed out looking image. There's knowledgeable talk here (http://www.avsforum.com/).
As far as plasma longevity goes, I've had a 43" Pioneer plasma in my bedroom since November 2002 and it still looks great!!

Phil

Greg K
12-03-2006, 06:01 PM
You are correct...the ones at Costco are not XBR's
XBR's will have xbr in the model numbers. Costco has 720 S-series and 1080 V-series.


Is the one @ Costco a Bravia XBR, or one of the more entry level units shown on their website? AIR, when I shopped my current XBR, the ones at the clubs were not the XBR's..

DonziJon
12-03-2006, 06:49 PM
I guess I'm just and old fart. My 1987 27'' Sony CRT is still working fine. OH: I replaced the built in foam mounted speakers with external KLH little boxes because the foam in the TV speakers disintegrated. That was two years ago. Otherwise the TV is fine.

When I was a kid in the fifties, a Black and White TV was good for about three years before the picture tube needed replacement. Stuff is getting better. John

gold-n-rod
12-03-2006, 06:58 PM
Well, this old fart is even more backward. We had NO TV until 1988 when my 3 yo daughter asked, "How come we don't have TV?" So, we broke down and bought a JC Penney TV/VCR. Soon, she was asking, "Why don't we have channels like other people?" That lasted until 1993 when we bought a 19" set. No cable or local channels, just the VCR for signals.

The 19" lasted until about 3 years ago when we bought a 26" screen (old school, big as hell and heavy, too).

If it hadn't have been that she moved home from college and was willing to spring for the cable bill, we'd still be in the dark ages.

Plasma? Isn't that a blood product.
Flat panel? Drywall.... right?
Hidef? Isn't that what you do when the cops show up?

Call me old school......... real old!!!!!!!!!!!

pmreed
12-03-2006, 11:13 PM
Visio Scott; it's a California outfit that imports LCDs and Plasmas and brands them under their own name. Not top of the line, but very reasonably priced. They've had quality issues, but when you can just take it back to Costco and try another, you can get a good one.

Phil

Donzigo
12-05-2006, 02:13 PM
Sold my Corvette....................bought a 73" Mitsubishi TV with Yamaha sound system.................it's all relative, isn't it?