new tv

[gero1]

i am going to buy a new 42 in tv in the next month. don't know what to get, plasma or lcd?, what brand? just wondering what you have

[Ghost]

1080p (not 1080i) for starters.

[DonziJon]

LCD. I have a Sony 40" 1080P and like it...and I don't even subscribe to an HD service. Plasma is out. However you can heat the living room with a plazma in winter. :wink: John

[roadtrip se]

And I think the picture smokes any LCD I have seen. More color, less gray tones. I also like that you can be at an angle and pretty close, and still get a good view.

We sit right on top of the one we have in Michigan, because it is in a nook and I have never noticed a lot of heat with the early generation Sony XBR or the newer Panasonic that is there now. I'll sit closer when we get back as cold as it has been there lately...

The primary criticisims you hear about plasmas versus LCDs is burn in on the panel and lesser life. Neither are issues with current sets.

[Marlin275]

Sony, Japan’s largest consumer electronics company and the world’s second-largest, announced that
it would turn to Sharp for flat screens based on the most advanced LCD technology available.

http://www.forbes.com/2008/02/26/sony-sharp-lcd-markets-equity-cx_jc_0226markets08.html

Since developing the world’s first 14-inch color TFT LCD TV in 1988, Sharp has consistently led the industry leading edge LCD technology.

[zelatore]

Not that I'm any expert, but I've got a Sharp in the house and on the boat - no complaints about either.

Also, I'd tend to say LCD unless you are looking for really high-end, then I'd lean plasma. LCDs have come down in price so much you can buy a lot for a little.

[txtaz]

Don't forget to look at DLP. George had one and the picture is really nice.

I use LCD's and they are great. I would not worry about brand more than warranty and service since most parts and pieces are made by a few over seas companies anyway and re-branded. So what's in a Sony may be in an Ilo. Check with AV forums for more details.

More and more content is coming out 1080p so get the best resolution in your price range and you will be ready for the future.

Da Taz<---Yeah I have an AV hobby. Check out my new toy (http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=55712).

[gero1]

thanks for the help, what is dlp?

[FISHIN SUCKS]

Hey Robert, I don't know anything about anything (no surprise there:nilly:), but when you decide what type you want to go with (plasma, LCD, DLP, BMF, BFD, WTF, etc.), I have an online subscription to consumer reports that I can look up what they recommend. Feel free to PM me or write in this thread and let me know. C YA buddy,
tom

[wannabe]

Plasmas don't like bright, sunny rooms which causes screen glare. My bright sunny room has little effect on my LCD. Plasmas IMO have a more impressive picture. Gamers like plasmas better also.

[MOP]

Maybe the new Plasmas are better but aclose buudy has has two go bad and had gone to LCD. My pick would be the LCD form any well know maker.

Phil

[wannabe]

Maybe the new Plasmas are better but aclose buudy has has two go bad and had gone to LCD. My pick would be the LCD form any well know maker.

Phil

Agreed. My LCD is a Toshiba which I recommend. I made my decision for the glare factor and long term reliability.

[zimm17]

DLP I think is digital light processing- it's a spinning color wheel with light bulb that is basically a flat rear projection. My friend bought one a few years ago and had nothing but problems- sent 3 of them back. I don't recommend.

LCD is the way to go. 1080i (interlaced) is the standard. 120hz is the new buzzword- if it's not much more money, and you watch high speed sports like football/hockey then it might be worth it. TV (even HD) is 30 frames a second. These tv's actually take two frames and insert an extra frame in there, I guess it averages the two frames to make a third one. So you get 60 frames a second. It's supposed to smooth out fast moving action- I haven't seen them side by side, so I can't make a recommendation other than don't spend a lot of extra money on it.

Sony's are great, but little pricier. Next up is Samsung. I did weeks of research, and CNET, consumer reports, and several other tech websites all said that Samsung's are right up there. I have a 46" I bought last summer- it ROCKS. Awesome picture, great looking menus, 3 HDMI inputs, great looking frame too.

I'm also going to put in a plug for amazon.com I found the samsung for hundreds less than best buy and even on base. No sales tax and the free shipping also came in half the time they said it would, and was "white glove" delivery- they set it up for you, make sure it works, and take away the box if you want!

[BUIZILLA]

I think we have 4 Samsungs... not a second of trouble

[Tony]

For the 42" size, another vote here for LCD.
I was once told that you couldn't go wrong with the three S's...Sony, Samsung, or Sharp.
Mine is a 42" Sharp Aquos and I love it.

:beer:

[McGary911]

I think plasma v LCD is just a personal preference. To me, the Plasmas seem to have more of a lit up look to them which I like. Years ago, a valid argument for LCDs was that it's a proven technology, while plasmas were still a new technology which could have unforseen problems down the road. It turns out that plasmas are very reliable.

When I bought my 50" plasma about 2 years back, i did a lot of research, and found that Panasonics were a very good option. I had a consumer reports account at the time, and they gave them great marks. I really like mine. I have a 42" Visio in the bedroom as well. I like the PAnasonic better.

I saved a some money by getting a model that was exactly the same as a higher end model, but had lower quality speakers. I knew I was going to run the sound through my stereo anyway, so didn't really need any speakers.

It's easy to spend a fortune on the wall mount and cables. Go to www.monoprice.com . You'll be shocked how much you'll save. That mount they want $200 for at the electronics store will be around $20-25. Great selection of HDMI cables as well.

[Tony]

The prices at monoprice.com are insane.
Best Buy tries to sell you "Monster" hdmi cables for $75...at monoprice they are like $4 or $5.

:beer:

[Ed Donnelly]

McGary911; Where were you 3 months ago??
Cheapest wall tilt swivel swing etc.etc. for my sons tv. Paid well over $250.00:nilly:.......Ed

[DonziJon]

DLP is BIG csreen on the Cheap. Rear projection. Until you smoke the bulb....it's great. It has a big projection Bulb that cost's $300-350 whenever it Poofs.....if you can find one when it does..in two years maybe..It's already going obsolete in favor of LCD. Just sayin: John

PS: My last TV was a Sony 27" Tube. It went 22 years..and is still going strong with the person I donated it to. Now the're getting a Box for Digital. :)

[zelatore]

DLP is BIG csreen on the Cheap. Rear projection. Until you smoke the bulb....it's great. It has a big projection Bulb that cost's $300-350 whenever it Poofs.....if you can find one when it does..in two years maybe..It's already going obsolete in favor of LCD. Just sayin: John
PS: My last TV was a Sony 27" Tube. It went 22 years..and is still going strong with the person I donated it to. Now the're getting a Box for Digital. :)

I fully agree. DLP is a cost-saver, but not a replacement if you're looking for a flat screen.

As for Sony, I put them right at the top of any TV list short of ultra high-end where there may be some other players I don't know about. Back in the CRT days, the Trinitron was a technical stud - the shadow mask and the vertically flat tube really set them apart. I had a 32" Sony I bought 2nd hand from a friend in collage until only a couple years ago - I sold it to a guy at work for next to nothing and it was still going strong last I heard.

[zelatore]

Well, look what landed in my inbox this morning:


In appreciation of your support, Sharp is offering a limited-time Customer Appreciation promotion! Sharp is giving you the opportunity to take advantage of a very special offer; between February 2, 2009 and February 6, 2009, you will be able to save up to 45% on select Sharp and AQUOS® LCD-TVs. We will be offering great savings on a variety of models and quantities will be limited!

To view which models are included, along with promotional pricing, please visit http://www.sharpusa.com/customerappreciation and enter the following information when you see the login screen:

Your Personal Promotion Code: xxxxxx

Each unique promotion code is limited to three (3) units purchased for the duration of the promotion. The lower prices being offered for this promotion are the result of a limited-time Sharp Customer Appreciation promotion, not available at retail, and not able to be combined with any other offer.

Don’t hesitate to share the savings with your friends and family members; remember, the unique promotion code above is good only for three (3) units during the promotion period, so act NOW!

These Customer Appreciation savings won’t last for long, and right now is the perfect time to upgrade to a brand new high definition Sharp LCD-TV!

If you have any questions about this promotion please contact friendsandfamily@sharpusa.com.

Thank You for your support,
Sharp Customer Appreciation Team


They show a number of promo examples in the email - I can forward them to anybody who wants a copy, but you should be able to see the prices at the link above.

I can only do 3 sales on this promo; I might buy a new one (if I can make it fit) for my boat, otherwise that leaves 2 open for anybody who might be interested.

A year or so ago some friends and I bought a few TVs through this program and did OK with it. The deals vary depending on what model you look at, but some are pretty good.

[zelatore]

OK, you can't see the prices on the website unless you use the log-in code.

If anybody's interested let me know and I'll forward it along.

Here are a couple examples, all are HDTV LCD's and include shipping.
LC19D45U - 19" - $250
LC42SB45U - 42" - $800
LC46D85U - 46" - $1300

[Marlin275]

BTW, the article is 11 months old. I would assume the new generation XBR's released last summer are the product of the new joint venture..?

The article was 11 months old but it showed where the tech and money are trending, $3.5 billion bet by two of the worlds biggest on LCD technology.
Production is slated to begin by March 2010.

You don't have to worry about LCD technology if they are betting that kind of money on their future!
Sony, Samsung, and Sharp are the world leaders in flat panel TVs

My Sony XBR from 1987 just won't die and the repairman told me "don't kid yourself that picture is almost as good as most current flat panels."
Great color impressed me even yesterday with the Superbowl.

I have a 1080 LCD computer screen and a Sony Trinitron tube side by side, so I know the difference as I type.

[HOWARD O]

We bought a new 50" Samsung 1080p plasma a year ago and we love it. I play a lot of ps3 games and it's incredible. LCD or Plasma is just personal preference. I feel the plasma looks more natural looking and better blacks, but the LCD's colors are brighter, to me too bright. Lots of benefits to LCD though, no screen burn in, much less power consumption and oh yes, our plasma heats up the room BIG time. Nice in winter, bad in summer! We also have Dish Network and it is just fantastic...never miss a program and so much selection.

We went back and forth between HD and standard during the Superbowl and I swear the difference is mind boggling!

LCD or Plasma, whatever.......just get HD, it's like starting to watch tv all over again. :yes:

[BigGrizzly]

I got the 52 LCD Sammie and love it, I got it at Brandsmart, Beat the heck out of every other deal in Atlanta

[tom freeman]

Plasma has more depth of color, the new Panasonics will be 50% cooler than before. the plasma IS affected by ambient light. I have a room with good light control and i have a 63" plasma that is unbeatable, but in another room where glare is prevalent and I have a sharp LCD.

LG is a great brand as well, they have LCD and Plasma, but the Samsungs are the best sellers.

the prime manufacturing brands are Sharp, Samsung, panasonic and LG. and yes they all sell to each other and sell each others technology. Sony was the last one in and it really hurt them, they share factories with samsung mostly.

this years features will be...1080P, 240 hertz, internet connectivity, and thinness. the new Samsung 55's are 3/4" thin.

just my opinions

[KerrLake]

I have a 42" Panasonic plasma and also the same size LCD Toshiba. I would take the Panasonic any day over the Toshiba.

[gero1]

light bulb???? there's only one of me, i'll never get it changed in a dlp. it's out. kinda leaning towards the lsd. if i get a new hdtv will i have to get another antenna?

[McGary911]

light bulb???? there's only one of me, i'll never get it changed in a dlp. it's out. kinda leaning towards the lsd. if i get a new hdtv will i have to get another antenna?

Well.........now that's a whole different conversation :bonk:

If you're in an area that receives HD broadcasts (and don't have cable or satellite), you should get a new antenna that's designed to receive those signals. The TV will have the proper tuner to receive the digital channels, which will be the only game in town very shortly.

[BigGrizzly]

BTW, I am not putting in a plug, but Brandsmart BACKS up their stuff. My son had a problem with his big sharp and they broke their butt to fix the issue, I though he was dealing with Honda.:wink::wink:

[VetteLT193]

BTW, I am not putting in a plug, but Brandsmart BACKS up their stuff. My son had a problem with his big sharp and they broke their butt to fix the issue, I though he was dealing with Honda.:wink::wink:

I wish we had a brandsmart in Tallahassee, or someplace close. There aren't that many of them :(

As far as the TV goes... I have two plasmas. a 50" and a 56", both Panasonic. I have zero complaints. The 50" is 720P, 56 is 1080P.

There is hardly anything that is native in 1080P. Nothing is filmed at 120htz and probably never will be. 1080P over cable / air probably won't ever happen during the life of your current TV even if you bought it today. So, unless you are a huge movie guru or big time gamer (think Playstation 3 or BluRay) I wouldn't worry about 1080P or 120htz. Even if you are big into those things you may never tell the difference if the screen is under 50" or from a 'normal' seating distance away from the TV.

The best broadcasts today come from ESPN, which is at 720P. Most of the other networks send a 1080i signal, which is better for stills but takes up less bandwidth so the signal is actually not as good (720 x 2 = 1440 total lines over 1080 total lines) If you have a 1080 native TV with a 720 signal the set actually has to stretch fit in 720 lines over 1080 lines. If you have a 720 native set with a 1080 signal it will cut lines out. So, it's a win/lose situation.

In the end, I'd look for a good deal. If you get some extra features at a great price... fantastic. But if you find a smoking deal on a 720P set, I'd jump on it and go home with a fatter wallet and crystal clear ESPN.

[Ghost]

Vette has a real point. I made my post based on running with movie gurus who get fired up when they get hold of something in 1080p--I don't know how long it will take for significantly more 1080p sources to arrive.

[BigGrizzly]

Vette, your geek is showing again. Funny I told my oldest son that as a tech how did I raise a Geek. His response was "You raised A son who knows how to get things done the right way." The truth is he is a pretty fair tech. Btw the wife is i n the Is thing as well as both my boys. The oldest is in hardware and the wife in software. Me I have a tough time with underwear.

[VetteLT193]

Vette, your geek is showing again. Funny I told my oldest son that as a tech how did I raise a Geek. His response was "You raised A son who knows how to get things done the right way." The truth is he is a pretty fair tech. Btw the wife is i n the Is thing as well as both my boys. The oldest is in hardware and the wife in software. Me I have a tough time with underwear.

Too funny. maybe I should have lightened up on the details on that one.

Part of the geek thing is just learning new stuff... anything that 'works' is fair game for me. Sounds too me like your whole family is like that.

Since I'm home with my (sick) daughter, here's a pic of my main TV room... I did the built in surround, I like the clean look. The TV is hanging about 1/4 inch above the fireplace on a tilt mount. The Wii is wired in, if you look close you can see the Wii sensor bar in front of the TV. all the boxes are in the wall behind the set.

you coming to the Miami show? I can't wait to hit the water again.

[DonziJon]

Something else to think about. I've had DirecTV for years. It's Digital....but it's NOT HD. If I want HD it's a whole new ball game. No special deals for Old Customers from DirecTV. ONLY NEW customers get deals.

Throw out the old set top box and GET..Not Buy.. a new one for HD. OH Wait.. Now you MUST lease the box. You can't buy it and install it yourself anymore. You call them and they come out and install the box that you WILL Lease. Best Buy actually SELLS the box that.... you will actually lease. Figure that one out. :nilly:

BTW: My rooftop antenna that has been mounted in my attic (30 years now) works fine for picking up HD "Over The Air". No new antenna required. John

[BigGrizzly]

D Jon. There are two ways to solve the old vs new. Call up and complain. There is also the Dish network. I have Dish my friend Neil has Direct TV just because Speed on Direct is Hi def. Truth is He points out how good it is I don't see what he sees. He is into blue ray and all the techie stuff. Truth is He does a tremendous amount of research on this stuff. So when I want something I go over and ask. That is why I have a Sammie. Is it really better heck I don't know. If it is second best that's fine with me, it is all good.
Vette, I just tried to teach them not to be dependent on others and to be creative. I guess I did ok, both are straight shooters, You know, don't cheat on their girl friends and have a good amount of respect for life. As for Miami -Yes Me and my significant other(wife) will be there. It isn't all fun I have some prop business to do and some vendors to see. Sister lives in Pompano Hopefully we will meet. Do I need to pack a piece:wink:

[BUIZILLA]

Call directtv and tell em your leaving em for comcast's HD service.. Amazing what kind of deals they can pull out of the air when ya do that.. Janice tried this trick last month, I said nope, no way they'll bite... and astonishingly DTv fell over themselves redoing everything including a new dish and wiring...

total fee >>> don't laugh now >>>> $69 parts and labor

took the tech 4 hours....

:kingme:

oh, and they lowered my bill $50 monthly on top of that.... 5 receivers, 1 dish, full service channels everywhere, including tax, $79.83 month

[mike o]

http://reviews.cnet.com/televisions/... I used these guys. They rate them by size of the set brand for brand and the cheapest place to get one.:kingme: They really split hairs like the sound quality and even the clicker functionality ect. Happy shopping:kingme:

[DonziJon]

You guys have really got my interest up...well maybe. And..I HAVE thought about "holding the bastards up" with threats to go somewhere else.

BUT: Here's the problem: I AM A freakin TIGHTWAD and when I dig my heels in....Well..It ain't pretty. :lookaroun:...........And...I haven't become addicted to HD. Ignorance is bliss. You can't teach and old fart new addictions. :pimp:

My new (a year now) 40" Sony HD TV is fine for me. The picture is a great leap from the old Sony tube.

Besides: It's more fun to come HERE to the forum and see what everyone else is doin. Just Sayin. :bonk: My wife watches the TV. John (Tight Wad..Totally...and dam proud of it) :yes:

[RedDog]

...kinda leaning towards the lsd...

If you really want to go with the lsd, I'd skip the tv - you won't need it

[penbroke]

OK, you can't see the prices on the website unless you use the log-in code.
If anybody's interested let me know and I'll forward it along.
Here are a couple examples, all are HDTV LCD's and include shipping.
LC19D45U - 19" - $250
LC42SB45U - 42" - $800
LC46D85U - 46" - $1300

Just picked up the Sharp Aquos 46"LCD (LC46D85U) at Sears (of all places) for $1350 with the low end Sharp Blu-Ray player thrown in for "free". Awsome picture but the sound from the TV's speakers is weak. Works fine with the home theater sound system. Shop around...


Frank

[gero1]

after spending the last 4-5 hrs looking at tv's and blue ray's...my eyes are burning! i need welding goggles!!!! what a mess o s%$# kinda leaning toward the sony kdl46xbr6 and sony bdp 550. have to let me eye's and head rest before i go back and look some more

[gero1]

is the kdl46xbr6 something close to what you have?

[gero1]

z 4100