Springing for HDTV, need thoughts

[Guest Len]

I just got off the phone with the DirecTV people. My HDTV satellite & receiver/DVR is coming on Thursday. Between now and then I must purchase a Hi-Def TV or monitor. I'm going 42" (perfect size for my viewing area) and it will be plasma/LCD in 1080p. Now the decision turns to brand/model.

I've heard postive things about Toshiba's Regza and am wondering if anyone has any experience with these or other brands/models they'd like to share. I'd like to stay under $2,000, but picture quality is the most important criteria I have. I can get the Toshiba under $1700 and have seen others in the $1800-$1900 range. I've heard that Sony is not actually "the best" at HDTV, but that they are still quality machines.

Who wants to chime in? I've got the cash, the time this weekend and the deadline of Thur, so I must be a man of action here. Let the enlightenment begin! Thanks!

[Guest BigBoostDSM]

I love my Samsung 61" DLP. It's not as thin as plasma or LCD but the picture quality is just as good and the prices are quite a bit better as well. I got mine from Best Buy for just under 2500 OTD with the 3 year extended protection plan. I did have a 10% coupon plus it was already on sale so that helped a bit. It is 1080p but most stuff I use the HD for (Xbox 360) only supports 780 so I can't comment on that, but 780 looks AWESOME so I assume that 1080 would look great as well.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8293777&type=product&id=1173577986482

That's the one I have. I would recommend it, but obviously it's a bit big for you. I have it in a huge room so I wanted bigger and I still wouldn't mind going 70"

[dunndw]

Samsung...every one I've seen has looked incredible.

Stay FAR away from Best Buy....too many horror stories about them not honoring their extended warranties, shoot...sometimes not even the "normal warranty"

Believe it or not, CompUSA has some decent deals on some REALLY nice big screens.

I also have a friend that MIGHT be able to help ya out in time, not sure though. I'll shoot him an email and see what his schedule looks like. He's up in your neck of the woods. He runs a custom home theater biz..so..he gets GOOD pricing.

[Guest EasilyObsessed]

Go to <insert name of huge corporate store here> and pick out the TV having the picture that looks the best to you.

[jgrauman]

are you needing to mount the tv on the wall? what's your angle of viewing? two questions to ask. lcd and plasma are only worth the money if you are paying over 5k for a 42" and need it mounted on the wall or an increased viewing angle. the processors in the cheaper ones aren't fast enough to prevent pixelating (refresh rate) which occurs in high motion veiwing ie. sports. you will see this on the bigger monitors (over 42) DLP rear projection is the way to go for the best price. the black levels and refresh rates are the best among widescreen tv's. they don't get all the hype becaue you can't mount them on the wall. do you have a blueray or hddvd player or xbox360? do you plan on getting one? if not, find a 1080i at a much reduced rate. NO hd shows are broadcast in 1080p and probably won't be for the time you have this tv so there is no need to purchase the P. rooms with a lot of light aren't good for plasma either they are best viewed in very low light areas for the best picture contrast. LCD's are a good middle ground but you're going to pay 3500 for one with a fast enough refresh rate to not be a disappointment during the game. oh and i have a four year warranty with bestbuy for my sony 1080i 51" i've had for three years and they've come to calibrate whenever i feel they need to, they have also come and picked it up, cleaned and adjusted the lenses as well, very happy with the warranty.

here's a link to a great tv at a great price

http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/productDetail.do?oid=174307&WT.mc_n=66&WT.mc_t=U&cm_ven=COMPARISON%20SHOPPING&cm_cat=DEALTIME&cm_pla=DATAFEED->PRODUCTS&cm_ite=1%20PRODUCT&cm_keycode=66

[fury2neon]

If you don't mind my asking what is DirecTV charging you in rental/lease on the HDTV receiver? I have the old DirecTV receivers and to upgrade they want an arm and leg or did two years ago.

[Guest Hyaloid]

We have a Sony SXRD and love it. Nowadays, just about any name brand will suit you pretty well. The image burn and screen life of plasmas are pretty much ancient concerns. Cost wise, anything over 32" in an LCD is probably unwise unless you have money to burn, as the price rises quickly. Over 32", I'd go with plasma.

Consider the SXRD types as well. They aren't "flat", so cannot be hung, but you get more TV for your money, and many times better contrast ratios.

Don't forget the HDMI cables (don't skimp on quality), and a kickass surge protector to protect your investment when calculating your budget.

Here in the Tricities, Directv doesn't have locals in HD, which sucks, but they just launched a new satellite and will be offering a ton of HD channels. Make sure you get the latest HD receivers with a current satellite so you can take advantage of it though. You can see what you need by CLICKING HERE

[Guest Len]

The new dish, cable, b-band converter, etc is all free installed. I need a new receiver, which they charge $99 for, $299 if you want the DVR/receiver. I'm getting the DVR version, so with taxes, etc the whole deal is running me just under $350.00. They really get you if you want the DVR...

Last time I called it was $399, so it is getting cheaper.

Thanks for the input everyone!!

If you don't mind my asking what is DirecTV charging you in rental/lease on the HDTV receiver? I have the old DirecTV receivers and to upgrade they want an arm and leg or did two years ago.

[KahrMan]

Ckeck out Vizio. You can get them at Sams and Costco. Great deal for the money and excellant picture quality. There 47" lcd is 1499 and the 42" lcd is 1199.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11195976&search=lcd&Mo=57&cm_re=1_en-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search〈=en-US&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Sp=S&N=0&whse=BC&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=Text_Search&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ne=4000000&D=lcd&Ntt=lcd&No=11&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11225206&search=lcd&Mo=57&cm_re=1_en-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search〈=en-US&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Sp=S&N=0&whse=BC&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=Text_Search&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ne=4000000&D=lcd&Ntt=lcd&No=6&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1

[fury2neon]

Thanks Len, thats much cheaper than the $499.00 for just one receiver a couple of years ago.

[2000silverz28]

check out the forums at slickdeals.net for good deals on lcd's!

[Guest CrazyLincoln]

If you have the option, go LCD. Plasmas are nice and the technologies have improved, but they still burn-in/burn-out after a while. LCD's do not have this problem, and a good warranty will protect against dead pixels (should you ever get any).

[Guest Len]

Well, its a done deal. Thanks for all the input folks. I am now the owner of one Toshiba REGZA 42HL167 42" 1080p LCD HDTV. I did all the research I could stomach and it seemed the best value for the money, and third-generation LCD technology to boot. So I went down to my local Electronics Express to look for myself. They had all the choices I was considering, and all displaying a college football game broadcast in HD. I liked the picture on the Toshiba the best (they were all awesome compared to my tube), so went home, got on the 'net and found the best deal. Amazon.com was $200.00 less than EE and had free shipping. Hmm, free shipping, 200 bucks less and no sales tax... No-brainer! Took the plunge and its en route.

By the way, I have never had a positive experience in an Electronics Express store. High pressure sales tactics by non-expert sales people. I don't know if this is common to all the stores, but this is what I have found at my local places.

Speaking of college football... Vandy is 1-0, UT is 0-1. I'm not complaining by any means, but did hell freeze over last night or something?

[dunndw]

Congrats Len..now...get a PC3 for BluRay and a 360 for the HD DVD player and you'll be seen in public again :-)

[fury2neon]

By the way, I have never had a positive experience in an Electronics Express store. High pressure sales tactics by non-expert sales people. I don't know if this is common to all the stores, but this is what I have found at my local places.

That is what I have experienced also.

[BimmerFreak]

That is what I have experienced also.

Yeah, EE pretty much blows.

If i can, I shop at BestBuy (hate CC) for most of my larger electronic purchases. (We purchased our Plasma in the living room there and it rocks)

I have an EE close to me in Tullahoma, and just have to keep in mind that I am dealing with idiots when shopping there.

That said, I just picked up a smoking deal on a 40" Samsung LCD (1080i) at EE for my bedroom wall last weekend.

I had to pretty much do all of my own research to make sure I wasnt getting fed a bunch of crap, but in the end I got a good deal.

[Guest CrazyLincoln]

Niiice TV...

By the way, I have never had a positive experience in an Electronics Express store. High pressure sales tactics by non-expert sales people. I don't know if this is common to all the stores, but this is what I have found at my local places.

Exactly. I went in to EE and said I wanted a 42" LCD 1080p. The dude spent half an hour trying to sell me a 32" 768p plasma. I will never go back. I'm sorry, but if you go somewhere and you ask for top shelf, and they try to down sell you when you know exactly what you want, that's not just bad business, they are too stupid to deserve my money.

[The Rabbi]

[towerclimber37]

I saw some graffitti(sp?) on a wall in Berlin once, it said "police control without, television controls within.".

that being said,

NICE TV LEN!!!!

[Guest GT_Rat]

I picked up a 42" LG 1080P yesterday at the new Best Buy in Murfreesboro. I got a great deal on it because it was mis-priced, so I got it for $150 less that what their computer said it should cost. <$1600 BTW.

[Guest Len]

Minnow's quote about TV being a "vast wasteland" is true, and perhaps even a vast understatement. However, TV has some redeeming qualities, which I shall list for the enlightenment of all:

1) Sports

2) The History Channel

3) Preponderance of good looking and/or scantily clad members of the gender you are attracted to.

4) The occassional witty or intellectual stimulating program.

5) The Weather Channel

6) Seinfeld

All 6 are enhanced by the wonderful invention called the DVR. I can watch the typical NFL game in about an hour, skip all commercials, and thus minimize exposure to the propaganda and other brain cell killers.

[Guest GT_Rat]

My TV viewing consists of Discovery Channel, TLC, History, Military, and occasionally some of the IN-HD channels for the pretty pictures. I only watch network tv for the CSI's collectively, Greys Anatomy for the eye candy, and The Unit.

[Guest Len]

Sorry, forgot about Discovery & the others. +1 for Grey's, although it got a little weird there for a while.

My TV viewing consists of Discovery Channel, TLC, History, Military, and occasionally some of the IN-HD channels for the pretty pictures. I only watch network tv for the CSI's collectively, Greys Anatomy for the eye candy, and The Unit.

[Guest Len]

It came the other day. Toshiba REGZA 42" LCD. Awesome. I watched UT get taken to the woodshed yesterday as my first major viewing event in HD. Impressive. Even the sound was the best I have ever heard from a TV.

I watched the news in HD last night, and the weather presentation was awesome. Channel 5's graphics are clearly designed with the HD viewer in mind.

I also checked out Discovery HD. Also impressive. Discovery Channel HD rocks!

If there is any disappointment, its with watching standard def TV, it really does not look as good as with a tube TV.

Thanks to all who offered their advice/input.

[Guest Hyaloid]

one thing we do is not stretch a non-hd channel to the 16x9 ratio. it makes the standard shows look better by keeping the 4:3 ratio.