Advice On Buying A New TV?

[jyl]

Thinking about buying the family a new TV for Christmas. Our current 19" tube TV is something like 17 years old, and seems to be losing its color.

Trying to spend < $1,500. Though < $1,000 would be better. Looking for "better", not "best".

Will be used for watching DVDs and cable programming via TiVo, mostly Oprah-like and Cartoon Network with very occasional sports, might be hooked up to a Wii console. Don't have a high-def DVD, don't pay for any HD channels. Won't be building a fancy "home theatre" around it, though do have a A/V receiver and satellite/subwoofer. I figure if I ever do become a couch potato, I can move this TV to the bedroom.

I'm thinking about 42" LCD 780p from a decent brand. Make sense? What are some decent brands? Any features I should particularly look for? Should I buy the additional warranties? And - when is the best time to buy, I was thinking Black Friday (Thanksgiving)?

[frogger]

Sony XBR LCD would do the trick, though I'm not sure what size fits your budget.

[RickM]

The Visio 42" plasma would be another contender in that price range. By Christmas prices for the 50" might even be in the ballpark.

[rick-l]

Originally Posted by jyl

Don't have a high-def DVD, don't pay for any HD channels.

I am sure in the SF bay area you would be able to receive broadcast HD with a set top UHF antenna (the little round one).

It may change your poo poo attitude to HD.

[jyl]

Supposing I did start watching HD, would 780p be good enough? Or do I need to go to 1080p? On a 42", would it be a noticeable diference?

[Neilk]

Over the air HD is typically the best HD signal you can get. Directv is known for degrading the HD signal and cable probably does too.

[RickM]

1080i is the only cable, over air or satellite broadcast I'm aware of.
If this will be your main TV for the next 17 years you may want to consider 1080p.

FWIW, the 1080i signal through my cable company is spectacular.

[masraum]

If you buy an HD capable TV, beware of the chain store prices for HD cables. They'll try to get you for $100-$150 (for one cable) for DVI or the new HDMI. THere are a few places on the net that sell HD type cables for 1/3 or less the cost, like $25-50. I've seen several tests of various cheap cables compared to the expensive ones. I believe the one test that I remember had both objective tests (like measuring SNR and the signal specs) and also objective (having folks look at the pictures and unplug-replug the cable 50 or 100 times. On most of the cheap cables the picture quality was as good or sometimes better than the really expensive cables.

[RickM]

Good point. I think I got my HDMI cable at Walfart for around $30.

[rick-l]

Originally Posted by jyl

Supposing I did start watching HD, would 780p be good enough? Or do I need to go to 1080p? On a 42", would it be a noticeable difference?

I have a 1080 line TV. FOX ABC broadcast 720 lines. CBS and NBC broadcast 1080. The difference in picture is very slight (but noticeable if you really look). There is no comparison to 480i.

I read that over the air is broadcast as 8 level vestigial sideband and cable is broadcast as quadrature AM and that cable should give a better picture. All the cable HD I have seen falls far short of broadcast.

1080 may exceed your price target and 720 may beat your low end.

[jyl]

OK, sounds like 780p it will be.

Plasma or LCD? I've done some reading, didn't seem like a huge difference for someone like me. True?

Does it matter if I get HDMI 1.1 or 1.3? I assume I want some flavour of HMDI.

BTW, won't keep this one for 17 years . . . tube TV technology basically stopped so was not a problem keeping the old Mitsubishi 19" for that long, but I accept that TVs are now like computers.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by jyl

OK, sounds like 780p it will be.

Plasma or LCD? I've done some reading, didn't seem like a huge difference for someone like me. True?

Does it matter if I get HDMI 1.1 or 1.3? I assume I want some flavour of HMDI.

BTW, won't keep this one for 17 years . . . tube TV technology basically stopped so was not a problem keeping the old Mitsubishi 19" for that long, but I accept that TVs are now like computers.

I know that I read several times back in the day that if you were going under 42" that you wanted LCD and over you wanted Plasma, but I suspect that may have changed.

[RickM]

If you don't have alot of windows in the viewing room plasma will give you more bang for the buck. Plasma TVs (for the most part) have glass screens that are quite reflective. LCDs have a matte surface that is less so.

Also, a plasma set will likely be 1080i whereas LCDs are more commonly offered in 720p, unless spending much more for 1080p

[RickM]

Check the links below...very informative and well regarded.

Top Plasmas: http://reviews.cnet.com/4323-6531_7-6509127.html

Top LCDS: http://reviews.cnet.com/4323-6531_7-6509128.html?tag=txt

Overall HDTV top picks: http://reviews.cnet.com/4323-6531_7-6509125.html?tag=txt

[rammstein]

Don't spend too much energy focusing on 720p, 1080i, 1080p. That's one of the LESS noticable factors.

Things like the contrast ratio, video-processing, refresh rate, and so on are MUCH more important in real-world viewing. The resolution differences are marketed heavily, which has over-emphasized its importance in the eyes of the consumer.

Whatever you do, view each TV on your list hooked up directly to a blu-ray or HD-DVD player with the same movie, one-by-one. This way, you reduce a lot of variables. Choose your set based on your viewing experience with each. Forget the specs. Its kind of like listening to speakers. You can have 2 different speakers, both with a range of 20Hz-20,000, but one can sound INFINITELY better than the other. Let your eyes do the choosing.

And the comments on cables are spot-on. Do NOT spend more than $30 on a DVI cable. Order some online ahead of time if that will help you avoid the temptation at checkout.

ALSO- if the wowy-zowie of hanging your TV on the wall doesn't get you going you can also check out the newest rear-projection tvs from Sony. They are pretty darn think now, and the picture is phenomenal.

[buttjoint]

Paid $6.00 for my hdmi cable for my 52" sony bravia. Just google Hdmi cable and there ya go.

[Joeaksa]

Might look here:

Tell me about new and refurb'ed LCD and Plasma TV's.

[azasadny]

About 18 months ago we bought a Dell (rebadged Phillips) 35" LCD HDTV and we have thoroughly enjoyed it. I bough some $7 HDMI cables, hooked it all up and put in a TiVO and Slingbox and went with DirecTV. Our 2 year contract with DirecTV is up in February and we'll probably switch to AT&T UVerse for TV, Internet and phone.

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Bought a 32" Sharp Aquos for $700.00 and a 37" Sharp Aquos for $850 for the in-laws. Great pictures, better to our eyes than sony. I really liked the Phillips better, but the price on the Sharps was great. Don't use worst buy, get it somewhere else. Our TV had an issue after 90 days, worst buy would not stand behind it and gave us the cess pool scrwe. Sharp stood behind their TV and made everything right!!! It was then we bought the second one, closeout from Sears. The 37" has a MUCH better picture, but you wouldn't know it if we hadn't put the two next to each other.

[RickM]

When I bought my plasma at PC Richards I purchased a renewable 2 year service contract. They wanted something around $250 but I negotiated it down to $125.

They told me that the second the set left the store it was up to Pioneer to warantee....and that was quite limited after 90 days. I typically refuse a service contract offer but feel differently with the complexity and cost involved with a product like this.