TVs

[Holly]

I am waaaay behind on TV technology. In fact, I don't think I've even laid eyes on a broadcast in HD yet. We have a 27" CRT that was a floor model unit when I bought it about 10 years ago. Since then, I've seen all sorts of terms related to non-CRT TVs fly by: plasma, LCD and now LED apparently.

Can someone recommend a good primer on sorting these out for a purchase?

[BudGirl]

You know, I've given this some thought.  If I were to be in the market to purchase a new tv, I'd offer one of the nice guys around here beer to go with me to purchase a tv.  Taking them and their knowledge with me would be easier than trying to figure out what they said and go it alone.

good luck with your purchase.

[JimR]

You know, I've given this some thought.  If I were to be in the market to purchase a new tv, I'd offer one of the nice guys around here beer to go with me to purchase a tv.  Taking them and their knowledge with me would be easier than trying to figure out what they said and go it alone.

good luck with your purchase.

she might buy them PBR, though.

[BizidyDizidy]

she might buy them PBR, though.

Or worse, an apple-tini.

[BudGirl]

she might buy them PBR, though.

You get what you pay for.

[Trey]

I am waaaay behind on TV technology. In fact, I don't think I've even laid eyes on a broadcast in HD yet. We have a 27" CRT that was a floor model unit when I bought it about 10 years ago. Since then, I've seen all sorts of terms related to non-CRT TVs fly by: plasma, LCD and now LED apparently.

Can someone recommend a good primer on sorting these out for a purchase?

I recently bought my first HDTV.  I found cnet.com pretty useful

HDTV finder: http://reviews.cnet.com/4247-6475_7-1.html?tag=centerColumnArea1.3

HDTV buying guide: http://www.cnet.com/1990-7874_1-5108580-1.html?tag=hdtv;hdtvfd_l

[MusicMan]

I recently bought my first HDTV.  I found cnet.com pretty useful

HDTV finder: http://reviews.cnet.com/4247-6475_7-1.html?tag=centerColumnArea1.3

HDTV buying guide: http://www.cnet.com/1990-7874_1-5108580-1.html?tag=hdtv;hdtvfd_l

+1

Just my two cents - I just bought 4 Samsungs of varying sizes, and I've been VERY happy with them.

[Gizzmonic]

I was gonna suggest avsforum.com , but they desperately need a glossary.

[BizidyDizidy]

+1

Just my two cents - I just bought 4 Samsungs of varying sizes, and I've been VERY happy with them.

Same for me with 2 Samsungs of varying size and type (DLP and LCD).

[Matt]

Are cool.

Discuss.

[AtascAstro]

My first stop for researching anything: Consumer Search

Its actually an accumulation of reviews for each given subject.  Fairly concise and the "Full Report" tab should be sufficient education to make an educated purchase.

Given that you write code I would be shocked if this was somehow over your head technically.  That said, time to research is a whole different matter.  

There are many good options out there now.  FWIW, I have also been very pleased with my Samsung LCD.

[chandler44]

I've enjoyed my Olevia LCD.

[JimR]

huh?

my Philco transistor works great, but there are no pictures. what are y'all talking about?

[JaneDoe]

Love my Curtis Mathis.  Beautiful picture.  The wooden console is rather beat up.

[BUWebguy]

I've been happy (so far - 3 months) with the Vizio LCD I got at Sams.

[MusicMan]

huh?

my Philco transistor works great, but there are no pictures. what are y'all talking about?

Get out to the nickelodeon once in a while to check out the talkies.

[Ty in Tampa]

I, too, went with 2 Samsungs. Both LCD. Very happy with them.

[Guinness]

Sony Bravia, very nice.  Have a smaller Samsung which is nice, and previously had a larger Samsung that we were quite pleased with.

[JackAstro]

I've had a Westinghouse LCD for a few years, and recently added a Samsung LCD from the 550 series. Both make me extremely happy.

Here's what I think we can take from this thread:

1) Samsung is a good choice.
2) Other choices are good, too.
3) Having an HDTV makes you a happier, more agreeable person.

[MusicMan]

Here's what I think we can take from this thread:
3) Having an HDTV makes you a happier, more agreeable person.

Hells yes.

[JackAstro]

Hells yes.

We tried to tell you this. Frugality, you said. Priorities, you said. I am so glad you finally got your head on straight and did the right thing.

[BudGirl]

We tried to tell you this. Frugality, you said. Priorities, you said. I am so glad you finally got your head on straight and did the right thing.

I have my priorities straight and everything, would you buy me a new tv?  Imagine the sun-shining on the board with me happy.

[MusicMan]

I am so glad you finally got your head on straight and did the right thing.

The economy tanked, so I starded spending like a drunken sailor to help get things moving.  I even bought the TV's on the Fourth of July.  I'm a goddamned patriot, I tell ya.

[JackAstro]

I have my priorities straight and everything, would you buy me a new tv?  Imagine the sun-shining on the board with me happy.

Put it on your credit card, like all us other fine Americans.

The economy tanked, so I starded spending like a drunken sailor to help get things moving.  I even bought the TV's on the Fourth of July.  I'm a goddamned patriot, I tell ya.

See, that's the spirit, right there.

[Ty in Tampa]

1 word: Thirtysixmonthssameascash!

[AtascAstro]

I'm a goddamned patriot, I tell ya.

Meaningless until you've called Sean Hannity and had the sentiment echoed back.

[MusicMan]

1 word: Thirtysixmonthssameascash!

Amen.

[T. J.]

Watch slickdeals.net until a TV of your preferred size/price comes up on the front page.  Shouldn't take more than a few days.

[Holly]

Thanks for the links, endorsements and ideas. Actually I like BudGirl's idea, and might see if anyone wants to take up that offer. The volunteer would get to pick the beer Off to edumacate myself.

[Limey]

I second the recommendation of cnet as a good place for research.  Just remember though, unless they totally pan some aspect of a TV, the "flaws" are so incremental that you likely wouldn't notice in a month of Sundays.  Frikkin' nerds.

Get an LCD for a bright room.  Try to get one with 120Hz (because 24 frames per second divides exactly into 120, and not in 60).  HD obviously.  I like Sony, but they and Samsung offer incredibly comparative products so you really can't go wrong either way.  I'm sure other brands are perfectly good too, but the folks at cnet can tell you which they are.

[WakePhil]

I bought a Panasonic Plasma and was followed by two friends, my father and my sister. We are all very happy with the purchases.

Agree on cnet recommendation for research, that's what I used primarily.

[Holly]

Lots of good info there at cnet, thanks. I had been going straight to their affiliate shopper.net and not quite finding the buyers' guides I was hoping to find. Those were at cnet itself, which was tremendously useful (including the readers' comments on the articles). Looking ahead, I think I'm leaning towards just going with a 1080p rather than a 720p/1080i... especially since this is going to be combined with a PS3, so the BluRay makes the 1080 a no-brainer. (Our DVD changer is a Sony, and has 1080i already, so why waste what we have and will get on a 720, is my thinking.)

Limey, thanks for the heads-up about 120hz. That makes total sense, and since my husband and I watch a lot of action movies and like video games, I think it makes sense to include that feature. I wish our house/TV room were larger, but at least the viewing distance won't "force" us to buying a larger TV. The 27" CRT hasn't felt too small, so a flat-panel even 5" larger will feel like a huge size increase.

Leaning towards probably a 32 - 37" LCD. This Samsung has particularly gotten my attention, though the XBR9 Sony equivalent looks awfully nice, as well. Abesofmaine.com has a good deal on it right now, but I am going to wait and see what comes up during Labor Day sales... and if anyone knows of retailers who bundle PS3s with HDTVs, lemme know! Where were y'all getting/hearing the 36monthssameascash?

My husband took a bye on Father's Day and birthday gifts this summer, saying how about we combine them and Christmas and get a PS3. I told him I could manage that, but only if we upgrade our TV as well. He didn't argue. Smart man.

[JackAstro]

Absolutely, positively get 1080p. Anything else, and you're handicapping your picture needlessly.

[BizidyDizidy]

Absolutely, positively get 1080p. Anything else, and you're handicapping your picture needlessly.

Not sure this is quite a no-brainer, unless you plan to watch a lot of blu-ray dvds.

[Holly]

Absolutely, positively get 1080p. Anything else, and you're handicapping your picture needlessly.

That's what I got out of user comments, eventually, after reading up on the technology. For some reason the article authors at cnet didn't seem to think it was a big deal, but the bulk of the comments following disagreed with that pretty strongly. I found that kind of odd, but whatever.

Which models did you get?

[MusicMan]

Which models did you get?

I got a couple of the 550 series and one of the 750 series from Samsung, IIRC.

[Holly]

Not sure this is quite a no-brainer, unless you plan to watch a lot of blu-ray dvds.

We can't go out to see movies in the theaters as often now, with the baby, and we are movie people, so we rent a lot. Plenty of stuff out on BluRay, so yeah...

[BizidyDizidy]

We can't go out to see movies in the theaters as often now, with the baby, and we are movie people, so we rent a lot. Plenty of stuff out on BluRay, so yeah...

Yeah, then I'd definitely go for it. 95% of what i watch is TV, for which 1080p is pointless.

[strosrays]

huh?

my Philco transistor works great, but there are no pictures. what are y'all talking about?

You laugh, but this is me for the last 5 1/2 weeks.  Damn bet.

[Lurch]

Lots of good info there at cnet, thanks. I had been going straight to their affiliate shopper.net and not quite finding the buyers' guides I was hoping to find. Those were at cnet itself, which was tremendously useful (including the readers' comments on the articles). Looking ahead, I think I'm leaning towards just going with a 1080p rather than a 720p/1080i... especially since this is going to be combined with a PS3, so the BluRay makes the 1080 a no-brainer. (Our DVD changer is a Sony, and has 1080i already, so why waste what we have and will get on a 720, is my thinking.)

Limey, thanks for the heads-up about 120hz. That makes total sense, and since my husband and I watch a lot of action movies and like video games, I think it makes sense to include that feature. I wish our house/TV room were larger, but at least the viewing distance won't "force" us to buying a larger TV. The 27" CRT hasn't felt too small, so a flat-panel even 5" larger will feel like a huge size increase.

Leaning towards probably a 32 - 37" LCD. This Samsung has particularly gotten my attention, though the XBR9 Sony equivalent looks awfully nice, as well. Abesofmaine.com has a good deal on it right now, but I am going to wait and see what comes up during Labor Day sales... and if anyone knows of retailers who bundle PS3s with HDTVs, lemme know! Where were y'all getting/hearing the 36monthssameascash?

My husband took a bye on Father's Day and birthday gifts this summer, saying how about we combine them and Christmas and get a PS3. I told him I could manage that, but only if we upgrade our TV as well. He didn't argue. Smart man.

One other suggestion for you:

Try to find a model that has been out a solid year.  The tendancy would be to get the newest version of a model, but as you'll find reading through user reviews, many of the typical issues TVs end up having related to picture quality don't show up for many months.  You can often see this by sorting reviews of TVs that have been out for a while. It will start out fantastic and then 6-12 months in the number of complaints will be on the rise.  They'll tell you otherwise, but in all reality the very latest TVs aren't dramatically better than their predesesor from 1-2 years ago (though I wouldn't go any further back than that).  Most have run out of things to do so they're speeding up processors that impact things only video-philes would notice and/or adding additional HDMI ports that you may very well not need.

Also (and odds are 99% or better you won't want to go this way) if you really want to have fun with picture size, take a look at projectors.  You can get a fantastic HD projector that can show a picture from 4' to 30' for less than $1000.  We've had a blast with ours setting up movies etc outside, but also just projecting on the walls inside.  For the last month or so I've been watching an 8' HD picture on our bedroom wall!  Many of the shots of the players are actually life-size.  And then there's the porn...

[MusicMan]

You laugh, but this is me for the last 5 1/2 weeks.  Damn bet.

You've made it your month.  Why still going?

[chuck]

You laugh, but this is me for the last 5 1/2 weeks.  Damn bet.

Did you win or lose the bet? I'm unclear on that part.

[Holly]

Believe it or not, a projector is on MY wish list, but not until we are homeOWNERS and can have some say in room setup/configuration/mangling. Someone here in the Hill Country I think was showing stuff outdoors, and that looked like a blast. I'd love to do that, but I don't think converting the back yard and side of our storage barn to a drive-in theater would go over too well with the landlady.

[Trey]

Which models did you get?

I have a 550 series from Samsung as well.  So far, very happy with it.

I can't comment directly, as I have only what I have, but in researching this everything I read said that until you get above 40-45" you really can't tell a difference in 720/1080.  I imagine most larger stores will have both version hooked up to BluRay and you can see if you can tell a difference.

[strosrays]

You've made it your month.  Why still going?

The bet was, who could go longest without watching TV at all, but we would quit after a month, regardless.  So last Sunday it is one month, and I've managed to avoid watching altogether, even though there is a TV in nearly every room in my house, and someone usually has most of them on.

Anyway, we were doing this on the honor system.  So I go next door to settle up, my partner says he hasn't watched any, either.  I don't really believe him, but I'm about to concede and call it a draw when his wife, who was sitting at the bar listening to us, starts laughing.  Turns out she'd caught him sneaking into the den late at night a few times, to watch TV poker or something.

So I won, now I just want my case of beer; but my partner wants to double up, of course.  Puts his wife on the table.  Or she put herself on the table, I'm not exactly sure which.  But anyway, I'm looking at another month now.

[MusicMan]

The bet was, who could go longest without watching TV at all, but we would quit after a month, regardless.  So last Sunday it is one month, and I've managed to avoid watching altogether, even though there is a TV in nearly every room in my house, and someone usually has most of them on.

Anyway, we were doing this on the honor system.  So I go next door to settle up, my partner says he hasn't watched any, either.  I don't really believe him, but I'm about to concede and call it a draw when his wife, who was sitting at the bar listening to us, starts laughing.  Turns out she'd caught him sneaking into the den late at night a few times, to watch TV poker or something.

So I won, now I just want my case of beer; but my partner wants to double up, of course. 

This all makes sense.

Puts his wife on the table.  Or she put herself on the table, I'm not exactly sure which.  But anyway, I'm looking at another month now.

whadafuuuuuuck??!!

[Holly]

but my partner wants to double up, of course.  Puts his wife on the table.  Or she put herself on the table, I'm not exactly sure which.  But anyway, I'm looking at another month now.

Dude. I hope that bug-eyed look is because of the wife and not the er... "partner."  Never woulda figured you for the MMF 3-way type.

[BudGirl]

Dude. I hope that bug-eyed look is because of the wife and not the er... "partner."  Never woulda figured you for the MMF 3-way type.

NTTWBAWWT

[Holly]

NTTWBAWWT

If there's going to be that kind of 3-way, I'd prefer it be MFM than MMF.

[MusicMan]

If there's going to be that kind of 3-way, I'd prefer it be MFM than MMF.

A penetrating analysis.  Doubly so, even.

[Lurch]

mF   F

M  FF

FMF
FmF

FF  m

FF   ||   m

The end.

[Holly]

FF   ||   m

What's this one - you peeking through some closet door slats about 10 years minutes ago?

[Andyzipp]

What's this one - you peeking through some closet door slats about 10 years minutes ago?

You really don't know how to translate that?

[Guinness]

mF   F
M  FF
FMF
FmF
FF  m
FF   ||   m
The end.

I'll be adding this to the ever growing list of things I am clueless about. 

[JackAstro]

Not sure this is quite a no-brainer, unless you plan to watch a lot of blu-ray dvds.

It is a no-brainer. The majority of current model TVs are 1080p, and the price difference between 720p and 1080p is not vast. The majority of broadcast HD is 1080i, which obviously translates much more naturally to a 1080 line screen TV than a 720 line screen. Any number of input sources output to 1080p besides Blu-ray, including sub-$100 1080p upscaling DVD players, which look fantastic. DirecTV is currently broadcasting some selected sources in 1080p, and the list will continue to grow in the next several years, along with other providers. There are video games, there will be ultimately be 1080p streams, etc, etc.

It's a no-brainer right now, and anyway, consider that you're buying a TV that should be optimal for the landscape several years down the road, not today.

[MusicMan]

I'll be adding this to the ever growing list of things I am clueless about. 

Look at it chronologically.

[Holly]

You really don't know how to translate that?

Not the last one, no. Got it up to that point.

[BizidyDizidy]

It is a no-brainer. The majority of current model TVs are 1080p, and the price difference between 720p and 1080p is not vast. The majority of broadcast HD is 1080i, which obviously translates much more naturally to a 1080 line screen TV than a 720 line screen. Any number of input sources output to 1080p besides Blu-ray, including sub-$100 1080p upscaling DVD players, which look fantastic. DirecTV is currently broadcasting some selected sources in 1080p, and the list will continue to grow in the next several years, along with other providers. There are video games, there will be ultimately be 1080p streams, etc, etc.

It's a no-brainer right now, and anyway, consider that you're buying a TV that should be optimal for the landscape several years down the road, not today.

The only TV purchase I've made in the last 18 mos was a projector, but there's still a huge price difference in the space at least. Wasn't worth it for me given that we are a long way out from 1080p TV streams.

[austro]

Although it's hard to do in showrooms, try to get an idea of any fan noise that a unit might have. If you can hear the fan in the showroom, even if you have to be up close to the unit, I guarantee that you'll hear it in your room, and after a while it can drive you crazy. I have two plasmas (a 4-yr-old Panasonic and a 2-yr-old Pioneer Elite) and they're both very quiet (and have been fantastic performers, too). We also have a Sony Bravia LCD in the bedroom, and its fan is more noticeable. Not enough to piss me off yet, but I notice it. We used to have a Samsung DLP, and between its fan and the color wheel, there was a lot of noise, and that really did drive me to distraction.

FWIW, my Sony is also more prone to dropouts/pixelation than the Panasonic and the Pioneer, but that may be more of a function of the cable run it's on than the signal processing inside the unit.

[Astroholic]

I bought a Panasonic Plasma and was followed by two friends, my father and my sister. We are all very happy with the purchases.

Agree on cnet recommendation for research, that's what I used primarily.

x2.  Very happy with mine.

[HudsonHawk]

The only TV purchase I've made in the last 18 mos was a projector, but there's still a huge price difference in the space at least. Wasn't worth it for me given that we are a long way out from 1080p TV streams.

A long way?  Like what, 30 years?

[JackAstro]

The only TV purchase I've made in the last 18 mos was a projector, but there's still a huge price difference in the space at least. Wasn't worth it for me given that we are a long way out from 1080p TV streams.

This ain't the projector thread, fancypants.

[Noe]

The X-Box, through HDMI input, is a 1080p output and my 720 HD TV went crazy trying to display it.  It finally told me "Are you crazy!?!?".  So I used the regular X-Box 360 connection and it was fine.  My next purchase will be a 1080 dp enable TV, only because you're going to run into things like this with a 720 box.  I have so many things connected to that thing that I had to buy a switcher box just to keep up with everything.

[gleach]

Holly, I think we found you a tv

http://www.buzzfeed.com/bigcrush/flat-screen-tv-fail/

[Holly]

Work won't let me look.

[BudGirl]

That's too bad, looks like a great option.

[Holly]

I figured, with the fail URL. I'll eagerly check when I get home.

[Holly]

OK, so I went over to Best Buy (because it's right across from where I'm working at the moment) during lunch to see if my eye could pick out some feature differences. As I'm walking along looking at LCDs up close and from a normal viewing distance, I'm thinking "wow, disappointing... that stuff looks all lossy." Then I look in the back of the displays that aren't wall-mounted and see... they are feeding video in via a coax cable.

Idiotic, IMO. Why demo your high def TVs with a non-HD video source?

Well, they DID have some big-ass models on endcaps running demos straight from Blu-Ray discs that showed 240Hz split screen with 60hz (yeah, big difference on action sequences) and split against 120Hz (couldn't see the difference), but that was just one single monitor by itself at a time, and I couldn't compare monitors or brands that way, since they were a good 10 feet apart from one another.

So... for those who have done eyeball shopping, did you find that you COULD tell a difference in:

1. Refresh rates on LCDs
2. 720 vs 1080
3. Plasma vs LCD

I think I could see that 120Hz does show clearer pictures in high-motion sequences, than 60hz. Couldn't tell the difference when the scenes were fairly still. The demo I saw was showing the King Kong vs. T-Rex scenes from that Jack Black King Kong movie that came out a few years back. All the 720s were hooked up to coax sources, so I couldn't compare 720 to 1080 side by side in any meaningful way.

Cursory views I couldn't see a difference between the image quality of a plasma or LCD, though the reflective screen glare did show up some, so that's a factor.

As a side note: the 50-something" LED Samsung on display sure was a pretty picture, and the screen looked to have a matte finish, which is nice. Those things are waaaay too pricey for the same screen size, though.

Thanks. I'll hang up and listen.

[AtascAstro]

1. Refresh rates on LCDs

Yes, get the 120. I do get pixelation in my 2 yr old 40 inch LCD.

2. 720 vs 1080

Matter less the smaller the screen.  Most experts say somewhere between 32-40 the difference is negligable.  If you can afford it, get the 120 but this is really much luxury are you willing to pay for.  If you've gone this long without High Def, it may not matter.

3. Plasma vs LCD

Base this on your room.  If you have lots of light (windows, adjoining kitchen, whatever) then go with the LCD.  The plasma's work really well in bedrooms and dedicated media rooms.

All of the above technologies are proven and most of the brands are pretty equal.  You probably won't go terribly wrong with the best deal you can find for the size you want.

[Limey]

Matte screens will dull the quality of the picture ove a glossy screen.  However, if there's a lot of light around, you're better off with matte so as to limit reflections.

I'd only get a 720p if there was a significant price break.  1080p is what you get from Blu Ray so, if you are going to get into that, 1080p is a must.  PS3 is 1080p (and a Blu Ray player to boot), and I suspect X-Box is too. 

[Alkie]

Remember when CircuitCity went out of business and put everything on sale?

We ran down and got two Polaroid (I shit you not) 40 inchers to flank our "real" TV in the middle since they were on sale for something insane like $450 each.   

I'm not saying they're the best TV out there, but for that price (if you can still find it somewhere), it kicks ass.   The picture is surprisingly good and from what I'm told, as long as you don't make physical contact with the TV, they last at least 18 months.