TV's

[lattedatte]

I'm braving the masses on the day after Thanksgiving to buy a 42-50 TV. I want to go as high tech as I possibly can for about $2k. I really know very little about the Plasma/LCD market, do any of you have any suggestions on a good TV for that range. Also, any help at all on the subject in general would be awesome. Thanks!!

 

[Irish Envy]

You should have no problem at all getting something in 42"-50" for $2k or under. I only spent $799 at Best Buy for my 32" LCD bedroom setup.

Do you know what kind of TV you want? What brands do you like? What do you watch? What hookups are needed and how many? Are video games played on them? DVD?

 

[BestBIrish47]

You are in luck buddy, I am a Manger at Circuit City was Best Buy 4 years

You are in luck buddy, I am a Manger at Circuit City was Best Buy 4 years

I have been a manager with Circuit City for 4 months now, and I was a Best Buy Manager for 4 years........the question you want to ask yourself is, flat panel, or DLP....if you plan to mount it on the wall, LCD or Plasma give you the best pic for the space.... but If you have some room on a stand, or want to buy a stand, your options are wide open!! And DLPs generally run you about 1699 for a 50'' HD 720p or 2299 for a 1080p. If you need anything else, message me!!!! Billy

 

[lattedatte]

You should have no problem at all getting something in 42"-50" for $2k or under. I only spent $799 at Best Buy for my 32" LCD bedroom setup.

Do you know what kind of TV you want? What brands do you like? What do you watch? What hookups are needed and how many? Are video games played on them? DVD?

I really have no clue SVO.. I will be playing dvds such as my 8 mth old watching Baby Irish on it... No games though..

 

[lattedatte]

I have been a manager with Circuit City for 4 months now, and I was a Best Buy Manager for 4 years........the question you want to ask yourself is, flat panel, or DLP....if you plan to mount it on the wall, LCD or Plasma give you the best pic for the space.... but If you have some room on a stand, or want to buy a stand, your options are wide open!! And DLPs generally run you about 1699 for a 50'' HD 720p or 2299 for a 1080p. If you need anything else, message me!!!! Billy

Wow, I did hit the Jackpot here. I will be putting it on a stand(will need to buy one).

I have some aditional questions:

What is a DLP??
I do want something thin, is a DLP thin?
What accessories will I need to buy to make the high def work?
Are speakers on the tv? I heard somewhere that they werent for plasmas?
What do these #s mean, 720p or 2299 for a 1080p?
What models do you recommend?
Do you think it is worth it to wait until the day after Thanx?

Sorry I'm really antiquated when it come to the fangled TV's?

Thanks for all your help and anyone else!!! I can't wait to buy one!!!

 

[SBDomer]

Sony ...hands down I purchased this model and could'nt be happier. Figure around $2,500+ Monster cable[HDMI]an extra $200 The picture in 1080i is fantastic! heres the link ...enjoy
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1149208957434&type=product

 

[BestBIrish47]

Tv questions!!!!!

Tv questions!!!!!

Wow, I did hit the Jackpot here. I will be putting it on a stand(will need to buy one).

I have some aditional questions:

What is a DLP??
I do want something thin, is a DLP thin?
What accessories will I need to buy to make the high def work?
Are speakers on the tv? I heard somewhere that they werent for plasmas?
What do these #s mean, 720p or 2299 for a 1080p?
What models do you recommend?
Do you think it is worth it to wait until the day after Thanx?

Sorry I'm really antiquated when it come to the fangled TV's?

Thanks for all your help and anyone else!!! I can't wait to buy one!!!

First of all I have to say congratulations for you to get a BIG HIGH DEF set!!! The IRISH COMEBACK NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD as it did in high def, last 7 qtrs not so much, but hey, we are moving on aren't we?


NOW FOR THE ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS......
1. DLP Stands for Digital Light Projection and instead of using Gas like the plasma, or Liquid Crystal like the LCD, It uses a highly advanced digital light source that in many cases rivals Plasma and LCD!! An avg depth for a DLP Is normally about 5-8 inches deep, also DLPs are normally lighter than the LCD or PLASMA because of the screen it uses isn't made glass!! Even some LCDs have a glass panel over their display.

2. Accessories- This one is going to be based on what you are using for cable, Direct Tv, Time wariner, Comcast ETC, I Recommend anything with a HD reciever box that includes a DVR- digital video recorder, And let me tell you my DVR has revolutionized my life, I actually get to watch every show I want when I want, I have watched the 4th qtr 4 times since saturday!!!!
CABLES- I do agree with the Monster Brand recommendation, they are the industry leader in high performance cables! I own many monster cables to I can speak to the quality.....

best- HDMI cable looks much like a usb cable and will run from your hd source to your television source = HD RECIEVER BOX....HDMI is the fastest signal transfer available for high def TVs.....highly recommend!! or you can chose the next section, component:
Good- Component cable, looks much like the composite, or RCA jacks but these do carry a high def capablity...only at a lower transfer rate.....which in english means not as good a picture compared to the HDMI......
Every major HD TV now has HDMI and component jacks so you are good no matter what kind of tv you get.

Other accessories-
Power center (monster recommend) basically works like a battery back up, or UPS, and regulates the energy going into your components....also protects vs surge and power outtages! Where I live in Texas, this saves people alot of money....

Now the first launch of the PLASMA the Televisions were only monitors, and did not include speakers in many cases, now every Plasma I have in my inventory has a speaker system built in, LCD AND DLP both come with speakers...just make sure the TV isn't labeled a Plasma Hd monitor- they usually won't have speakers(not as common)

What do the numbers mean?
The normal resolution for Televsions is 480p (P stands for progressive lines of resoltuion which is better than I, which stands for Interlaced)
High Def Starts at 720p or 720 lines of progressive resolution and now goes all the way to 1080p, which is new and gorgeous......and a little more expensive!
720p is equal to 1080i...so there is a huge jump when you move into a 1080p (progressive)
from a 720p. Note: current cable isn't transmitted in 1080p yet, only blue ray DVD so far in my market....but it will come!

Model recommendation
VERY THIN
Plasma- Best colors available, deeper richer colors because of the gas--longest life too
time to boast- I have a Phillips Ambilight 42'' 1080i, love it... the reason I bought it was because I had to mount it on the wall because of how my living room is....if I hadn't had to mount it I would have bought a DLP.... if you are a gamer or like to pause tv for a long time, screen burn in can be a factor with plasma..... just a thought
best brands- Panasonic, Phillips, LG, Hitachi, Pioneer

VERY THIN
LCD- Best contrast ratio with zero screen burn, so gamers and DVR pausers this is a good solution, very similar to plasma in size and look..... great picture
best brands- SONY big favorite, Samsung, Sharp tied for 2nd
THIN
DLP- Great overall response time if you are a movie lover, normally cheaper too with similar resolution specs as the previous 2! Tv stand a must.....but you won't need a wall mount so it balances out.... best deal right now because the market is so competitive with the manufacturers....
Best Brands-
Samsung big favorite, Mitsubishi, Sony close seconds......

let me know of any other questions you have..... I am excited for you, if you can tell I am really into this stuff, GO IRISH!!!

 

[lattedatte]

Wow, I did hit the Jackpot here. I will be putting it on a stand(will need to buy one).

I have some aditional questions:

What is a DLP??
I do want something thin, is a DLP thin?
What accessories will I need to buy to make the high def work?
Are speakers on the tv? I heard somewhere that they werent for plasmas?
What do these #s mean, 720p or 2299 for a 1080p?
What models do you recommend?
Do you think it is worth it to wait until the day after Thanx?

Sorry I'm really antiquated when it come to the fangled TV's?

Thanks for all your help and anyone else!!! I can't wait to buy one!!!

First of all I have to say congratulations for you to get a BIG HIGH DEF set!!! The IRISH COMEBACK NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD as it did in high def, last 7 qtrs not so much, but hey, we are moving on aren't we?


NOW FOR THE ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS......
1. DLP Stands for Digital Light Projection and instead of using Gas like the plasma, or Liquid Crystal like the LCD, It uses a highly advanced digital light source that in many cases rivals Plasma and LCD!! An avg depth for a DLP Is normally about 5-8 inches deep, also DLPs are normally lighter than the LCD or PLASMA because of the screen it uses isn't made glass!! Even some LCDs have a glass panel over their display.

2. Accessories- This one is going to be based on what you are using for cable, Direct Tv, Time wariner, Comcast ETC, I Recommend anything with a HD reciever box that includes a DVR- digital video recorder, And let me tell you my DVR has revolutionized my life, I actually get to watch every show I want when I want, I have watched the 4th qtr 4 times since saturday!!!!
CABLES- I do agree with the Monster Brand recommendation, they are the industry leader in high performance cables! I own many monster cables to I can speak to the quality.....

best- HDMI cable looks much like a usb cable and will run from your hd source to your television source = HD RECIEVER BOX....HDMI is the fastest signal transfer available for high def TVs.....highly recommend!! or you can chose the next section, component:
Good- Component cable, looks much like the composite, or RCA jacks but these do carry a high def capablity...only at a lower transfer rate.....which in english means not as good a picture compared to the HDMI......
Every major HD TV now has HDMI and component jacks so you are good no matter what kind of tv you get.

Other accessories-
Power center (monster recommend) basically works like a battery back up, or UPS, and regulates the energy going into your components....also protects vs surge and power outtages! Where I live in Texas, this saves people alot of money....

Now the first launch of the PLASMA the Televisions were only monitors, and did not include speakers in many cases, now every Plasma I have in my inventory has a speaker system built in, LCD AND DLP both come with speakers...just make sure the TV isn't labeled a Plasma Hd monitor- they usually won't have speakers(not as common)

What do the numbers mean?
The normal resolution for Televsions is 480p (P stands for progressive lines of resoltuion which is better than I, which stands for Interlaced)
High Def Starts at 720p or 720 lines of progressive resolution and now goes all the way to 1080p, which is new and gorgeous......and a little more expensive!
720p is equal to 1080i...so there is a huge jump when you move into a 1080p (progressive)
from a 720p. Note: current cable isn't transmitted in 1080p yet, only blue ray DVD so far in my market....but it will come!

Model recommendation
VERY THIN
Plasma- Best colors available, deeper richer colors because of the gas--longest life too
time to boast- I have a Phillips Ambilight 42'' 1080i, love it... the reason I bought it was because I had to mount it on the wall because of how my living room is....if I hadn't had to mount it I would have bought a DLP.... if you are a gamer or like to pause tv for a long time, screen burn in can be a factor with plasma..... just a thought
best brands- Panasonic, Phillips, LG, Hitachi, Pioneer

VERY THIN
LCD- Best contrast ratio with zero screen burn, so gamers and DVR pausers this is a good solution, very similar to plasma in size and look..... great picture
best brands- SONY big favorite, Samsung, Sharp tied for 2nd
THIN
DLP- Great overall response time if you are a movie lover, normally cheaper too with similar resolution specs as the previous 2! Tv stand a must.....but you won't need a wall mount so it balances out.... best deal right now because the market is so competitive with the manufacturers....
Best Brands-
Samsung big favorite, Mitsubishi, Sony close seconds......

let me know of any other questions you have..... I am excited for you, if you can tell I am really into this stuff, GO IRISH!!!

Awesome dude I really think i'm starting to get it. So a DLP, samsung is my lean. And I'll go to circuit city since you helped me out so much. Also, should I wait until the day after thanksgiving to get the best price??

 

[BestBIrish47]

The day after thanksgiving usually has great deals across the board. Most of the time the best deals are on Computer Packages, smaller tube tvs and alot of smaller gift style electronics. Most of the time their is a 20-27'' Tv for a great price, DVD player, Notebook PC, Desktop PC,MP3 players etc. Surround sound system like A HTIB, (home theatre in a box) usually has some mark downs......But High Defs are usually not a big driver of business that morning so the markdowns aren't Usually significant.... with that being said keep your eye on the Ads that come out before Black Friday (day after Thanksgiving) because usually financing is pretty good that day on High Def TVs... my email is w.rutherford@hotmail.com, if you wouldn't mind giving me a email so I have your Email Address I can let you know if I see anything Particularly valuable in your need area that week leading up to thanksgiving....usually the Managers get the ad info the week before thanksgiving..... GO IRISH.....I hope we put up 50 on that Circus in West Lafayette....and just like before...if you need anything else please do not hesitate to contact me!!!
Billy

 

[lattedatte]

just emailed you, my name is josh... Thanks man!!!

 

[NDgettysburg]

A couple things (JMO)...

1) Go look at DLP closely before you buy....some people see a "rainbow effect" on the picture. I was really sold on DLP and thought it was what I would buy but now I'm gonna be looking at plasma screens (significantly more cost but I want to get away from projection tv).

What is the Rainbow Effect? The DLP 'rainbow effect' is an artifact unique to single-chip DLP projectors. The artifact appears as a rainbow or multi-color shimmer briefly noticeable when changing focus from one part of the projector screen to another. It appears as a secondary image that appears at the viewer's peripheral vision and is generally noticeable when shifting focus from a high contrast area or bright object.

3-chip DLP projectors, higher wheel speeds, 7-segment color wheels, and archimedes color wheel designs (pending) are minimizing or may altogether elminate the effect.

2) Don't buy Monster Cable, it's highly overpriced. Go browse avsforum.com and see what the video geeks there think of it. These guys are WAY anal about PQ (picture quality) and if Monster Cable had any significant benefit, they'd be touting it. There is an online vendor ( http://www.monoprice.com/home/index.asp ) they prefer which won't cost you near as much.

3) Also check out this site for alot of info (even though plasma is in the name, they still compare the technology to LCD and DLP). Doesn't cost you a thing and I think will be beneficial: http://www.plasmatvbuyingguide.com

 

[lattedatte]

A couple things (JMO)...

1) Go look at DLP closely before you buy....some people see a "rainbow effect" on the picture. I was really sold on DLP and thought it was what I would buy but now I'm gonna be looking at plasma screens (significantly more cost but I want to get away from projection tv).

What is the Rainbow Effect? The DLP 'rainbow effect' is an artifact unique to single-chip DLP projectors. The artifact appears as a rainbow or multi-color shimmer briefly noticeable when changing focus from one part of the projector screen to another. It appears as a secondary image that appears at the viewer's peripheral vision and is generally noticeable when shifting focus from a high contrast area or bright object.

3-chip DLP projectors, higher wheel speeds, 7-segment color wheels, and archimedes color wheel designs (pending) are minimizing or may altogether elminate the effect.

2) Don't buy Monster Cable, it's highly overpriced. Go browse avsforum.com and see what the video geeks there think of it. These guys are WAY anal about PQ (picture quality) and if Monster Cable had any significant benefit, they'd be touting it. There is an online vendor ( http://www.monoprice.com/home/index.asp ) they prefer which won't cost you near as much.

3) Also check out this site for alot of info (even though plasma is in the name, they still compare the technology to LCD and DLP). Doesn't cost you a thing and I think will be beneficial: http://www.plasmatvbuyingguide.com

Hey thanks, this i quite helpful but adds more confusion to the equation...

 

[NDgettysburg]

Hey thanks, this i quite helpful but adds more confusion to the equation...

I don't think so really....you said you wanted DLP right? If you look at some DLP sets and don't see the rainbow effect, you're good to go.

I've been thinking hard about getting a new TV and because I'm pretty anal about that sorta stuff (especially considering the price tag), I research the hell out of it before deciding. I like to look at all the options (in this case, DLP vs LCD vs Plasma), that's all. That's why I posted the links for you....not to talk you out of DLP at all, just to give you more info before you sign the receipt.

Alot of people shop by price first, but when I'm plunking down the big money, I shop by quality.

The TV I have now is a 43" widescreen RPTV. It doesn't have the best picture in the world but the price couldn't be beat.....I got it for free using "frequent guest" points through Marriott. Have had it about 5 years. It'll make a nice TV for the basement once I decide what I want to replace it with.

Good luck with whatever you decide on.

Oh, here's one other tip that you may already know about. Alot of TV manufacturers set their TVs to what is commonly called "torch mode" (high contrast & brightness) when they leave the factory because they think it produces the most attractive feature. Most electronics stores like Best Buy, Circuit City, Fry's, etc never adjust the TVs once they put them on the floor. If you want to be really thorough you should ask for the remote and get the TV out of that mode and then adjust it to what you feel looks best. Then compare the models side by side.

 

[lattedatte]

I don't think so really....you said you wanted DLP right? If you look at some DLP sets and don't see the rainbow effect, you're good to go.

I've been thinking hard about getting a new TV and because I'm pretty anal about that sorta stuff (especially considering the price tag), I research the hell out of it before deciding. I like to look at all the options (in this case, DLP vs LCD vs Plasma), that's all. That's why I posted the links for you....not to talk you out of DLP at all, just to give you more info before you sign the receipt.

Alot of people shop by price first, but when I'm plunking down the big money, I shop by quality.

The TV I have now is a 43" widescreen RPTV. It doesn't have the best picture in the world but the price couldn't be beat.....I got it for free using "frequent guest" points through Marriott. Have had it about 5 years. It'll make a nice TV for the basement once I decide what I want to replace it with.

Good luck with whatever you decide on.

Oh, here's one other tip that you may already know about. Alot of TV manufacturers set their TVs to what is commonly called "torch mode" (high contrast & brightness) when they leave the factory because they think it produces the most attractive feature. Most electronics stores like Best Buy, Circuit City, Fry's, etc never adjust the TVs once they put them on the floor. If you want to be really thorough you should ask for the remote and get the TV out of that mode and then adjust it to what you feel looks best. Then compare the models side by side.

Wow, you have done some serious research, what would you recommend for around the 2k price range?

 

[NDgettysburg]

Wow, you have done some serious research, what would you recommend for around the 2k price range?

Hmm...that's a tough question. You're gonna have to weigh the pros and cons of each type of TV versus screen size. In the higher screen sizes, DLP will probably be your only option as prices of plasma and lcd start to go up once you get close to 50". If you're happy to stay around 42-43" (probably even 46) you could afford a LCD or plasma.

I would do a couple of things....read the pros and cons of the 3 types then take a trip to the store with no intention of buying.

Look at each type closely (within your price range) and try not to let screen size sway your opinion of the picture (I know....why would that matter...but I think we all want a nice big screen and maybe on some level the picture always "looks better" on the bigger screen).

Maybe that will help you narrow it down to a few. Then weigh out cost vs size of the ones you thought looked the best.

And if you want some "regular guy" reviews, check out avsforum.com.....there are probably even some threads asking a similar question (best buy around 2K)....just beware that the different types of TVs have their own fanboys and they'll be happy to tell you why the type they prefer is the best....some people completely despise plasma (burn-in, short life, screen glare, etc) and some hate lcd ("not a natural looking picture", blurry picture during high action scenes, etc) just the same. Some don't like DLP because of the rainbow and the cost of replacing the lamp.

In the end it's really up to your eyes, your budget & where you feel you get the best bang for your buck.

OH! Also, take into account the room you'll be using it in and how far you'll sit from the screen. That's fairly important. A guy on avs forum put up a rough chart for 720p/768p TVs and whether you would benefit from getting a 1080p set instead. First find the size of the screen you think you'll be getting, then check the seating distance next to it. If you're sitting further from the screen that the distance listed, you'd be better off with the 1080p set:

Screen Size - Ideal Viewing Distance using a 720p/768p TV
32 inches - 6 feet
37 inches - 7 feet
42 inches - 8 feet
50 inches - 9 feet
55 inches - 10 feet
60 inches - 11 feet
65 inches - 12 feet

HTH....it definitely can be confusing.

I definitely want something bigger than my 43" and have settled on 50". Once I realized DLP was projection I ruled it out. I don't really like the look of LCD so I decided I'm gonna go with plasma. So I'm looking for a 50" plasma. I also settled on Pioneer and now am going back and forth between the standard 5070 screen and the "Elite" 1140. The difference in price is somewhere between $1000-$1500. The Elite can be adjusted more finely, comes with double the warranty of the standard screen and also can be networked so you can stream video or slideshows from any pc on your home network. The standard screen runs about $3500 and you can probably get the Elite for another thousand. These screens only came out this summer so the price may drop around the holidays. I'm not in a huge rush so I'll probably wait a while and see where the price settles then.

In the meantime I'll figure out how to pay for it

 

[lattedatte]

you have been a great help, i definitely have a lot to think about!! I'm going to go the day after Thanx to try and get the best deal. We'll see.