Need large screen TV advice and opinions. (Need videophile advice)

7/18/07 | Self

[Blood of Tyrants]

Okay, I am going to spend some of my mad money for a large screen HDTV. I want either a LCD or Plasma TV, no projection tv's. I want 1080p resolution. I'll have around $2000 to spend. What I need is advice on what is good, what sucks, what breaks, what keeps on working, plasma tv life expectancy, etc.

Hit me!

[misterrob]

Try Sam’s Club or Costco for selection and reasonable prices.

Try Consumer Reports for reviews.

Do some web searches and read where people gave reviews.

[divine_moment_of_facts]

Don’t buy Sony.

[fr_freak]

ping

[mom4kittys]

Really? Why?

[shadowcat]

Look in to laser TV.
Due around 2008.
Touting twice the bang for half the buck.

[SunkenCiv]

I have the same question. :’)

[Rome2000]

http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/olevia-542i-lcd-hdtv-969.shtml

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks, I’d avoid Sony also based on past experience with Sony products — overpriced and overrated.

[Revolting cat!]

Dude, it took me 6 months of research and decisions to get one. It was 37'', $699 (!) LCD, obscure brand, but showing identical features as a well known recommended brand twice the price. Hint, hint! The first box was defective, but was happily exchanged at no cost to me except gasoline.

There are 86 brands now, I read somewhere. You need to do a lot of your own research.One thing I can tell you from my research and experience is that all brands have quality problems, and service problems (I seem to have gotten lucky with the service part.) Good luck.

[Rome2000]

The Olevia 42" and 37" are CR Best Buys and you can get both of them for less than 2K, about $850 for the 37" and $1100 for the 42".

Try Beach Camera.

[Pharmboy]

I have an LCD 42” HD. Plasma better for fast action. No question. And don’t be too quick to dismiss the projection TVs...I was at my sister’s two weeks ago and they had a huge projection HDTV that was incredible.

[BreezyDog]

Do buy Sony. I have a 40” XBR1 (1080i)in the bedroom and a 46” XBR3 (1080p) for the home theater. Stunning picture on both. No problems what so ever.

[divine_moment_of_facts]

Sony does not have the best bang for the buck.. I have never been happy with their picture quality.

[NormsRevenge]

fwiw..

Plasma TV Buying Guide
http://www.plasmatvbuyingguide.com/

I wouldn’t mind a 50 inch plasma myself.

[RckyRaCoCo]

Could try searching at either slickdeals.net or fatwallet.com(hot deals forums)...good place for reviews/pricing info.

[SteveMcKing]

Supposedly plasma fades over many years. I’d be happy if someone could squash that as only a myth, because it kind of bothers me.

[mylife]

Thats what I have heard as well, and it makes me lean toward DLP. Sure the bulb burns out after 3 yrs but you can replace it

[expatpat]

Go to reviews.cnet.com for not only reviews of the different TVs but also where to get the best prices.

[redangus]

Panasonic plasma. Best picture by far, the most reliable per a friend who does warranty work for many of the big electronic stores here in Indianapolis, they have good connectivity also. Stay away from LCDs, at this point they don’t have the picture quality, black levels or reliability of the big plasmas. At your price point though I don’t know if you can get 1080P on anything larger than a 42 incher.

Plasma City and Plasma Depot are good online suppliers. The following prices were found on Plasma Depot.

TH-42PZ700U $2079
TH-50PZ700U $2979

Finally don’t buy into the old burn in issue with plasmas. That problem, which was never as bad as some would have had you think, has been a non-starter in high end plasmas for at least 4 generations of screens.

Hope this helps.

[george76]

http://www.hdguru.com/

[expatpat]

that’s http://reviews.cnet.com

[Arthur McGowan]

I don’t own a television machine.

But if I did, I would want an LCD. Plasma TVs flicker—though nothing like a CRT. In my experience, they are brighter than is necessary or pleasant. I find the absence of flicker a big plus for LCD screens.

As far as I know, LCDs last longer.

[Publius6961]

Supposedly plasma fades over many years. I’d be happy if someone could squash that as only a myth, because it kind of bothers me.

I used to feel the same way, until my son appealed to reason.

All TVs fade with time; always have, always will.

Plasma and LCDs just do it at one fourth the rate.

So where's the problem? I stopped thinking about it after that....

[Arthur McGowan]

Be sure to get a name brand, like Sorny, Magnetbox, or Panaphonics!

[redangus]

It’s a myth unless you are going to own the TV for 25+ years and watch it at least 8hours/day. The new plasmas have a life of 60000 hours, i.e that is how long it takes for the screen to lose half its brightness.

[redangus]

check the price on that replacement bulb it may change your mind.

[CanaGuy]

Don’t you think it’s time to STOP WATCHING T.V.?

Here’s why:

- TV makes people SICK!!
- TV enslaves you and Saps all your creative energy!
- TV hooks you like DRUGS!
- TV is obviously a “Vast Wasteland.” (This is common knowledge)
- TV is just plain BAD for you physically, mentally, and spiritually.
- Watching it will cause you great unhappiness in life and you’re more than likely to get CANCER or some other weird disease!!

If you absolutely must have your media injection, why not just read a good book?

(from: R.Crumb, Zap Comix, 1968)

[mylife]

Thanks for the info

[hole_n_one]

FWIW, don't post any screengrabs of Tammy Faye Baker on FR that you might happen to nab.

[mylife]

bout $200

[gcruse]

You want contrast, black blacks and no burn in. That means DLP.

[Mike Darancette]

Samsung or Vizio from Costco.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks, interesting... Google results...

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20556847-2,00.html
http://www.i4u.com/article5383.html
http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/19/laser-tv-no-plasma-killer/

[ejonesie22]

As an avid Video/Audiophile I am shocked to make this recommendation:

Samsung.

Ouch, got to let that settle.

Ok, I shopped for 3 years before making the HDTV Jump, I wanted something to fit my Adcom/Magnapan (now Klipsch, cat issue)audio side. I had been using a Sony XBR tube because I only bought Sony Video. Thats what the studios use, that is what the signal is normally engineered with.

Sony has had issues since all the management shake up back in 2000 or so. Their commercial division is still solid but less of that engineering has filtered down to consumer line.

That sent me shopping, for months. Finally got a Samsung 52 Inch Plasma. That was after cruising both low end and high end stores all over the Southeast.

Even their entry level units are good product.

It hurts, trust me. Samsung used to represent crap. But they are going after the Big Boys and doing a good job of it.

[BKerr]

Ahhhh! Finally, I can answer something with expertise! I was an area supervisor for DirecTV, and the first person in my very large office with a Level III certification in Broadband technology and FCC certified....well, you get the point.

Somebody replied never buy Sony, but Sony has a great picture. However, they seem to have bad hardware that tends to break (such as the buttons, etc.).

For your price range, I would recommend any Panasonic plasma TV. However, any Hitachi will also have a great picture.

As far as Plasma versus the LCD: Plasma all the way! Back in the day, Plasma got a bad rap due to its 1/2 light/brightness age. However, due to technology, you could now run a Plasma 24 hours per day, seven days per week, for about ten years before reaching half-brightness. In other words, your picture will last the average user until around the year 2040 (by then you’ll be ready for a new TV no matter how cheap you are).

If you really want an excellent TV for an excellent price, find a Vizeo plasma TV. Vizeo is among the cheapest with excellent reviews from all of the major consumer reporting companies. I have worked on them personally and also have found them remarkable.

If you need any advise on hooking up cables, etc., feel free to contact me via private mail and I will be glad to send you advise and instructions.

[jdm]

I sold my plasma for bigger plasma.

[BreezyDog]

All of my AV questions (owners reviews) are answered here:

www.avsforum.com (audio video sciences forum)

Click on it. You’ll see. I can spend hours there

[CMAC51]

Supposedly plasma fades over many years. I’d be happy if someone could squash that as only a myth, because it kind of bothers me.

It is not a myth it is pure physics. Plasma drops to 80% of its original brightness in two to three years depending on the type of usage it gets. Most users are not aware of the gradual fade. Some users are bothered because of the lighting or angles in their viewing room.

[Petronski]

You are illin’.

LOL

[Doogle]

...had very bad experiences with Sony..(6 repair jobs over a ten month period)
Now have a Sharp Aquos 37”.....excellent!!..and well within your price range.

Doogle

[Vermont Lt]

Put aside some cash for good connection wiring as well. You can spend a ton on a great TV and then try to connect it with cheap wires and it sucks.

HDMI connectors go for a lot more than I ever thought.

You might also want to think about whether you need additional connections to your TV. Do you have stand alone DVD players, VHS players—are you ever going to connect your PC to the TV...stuff like that.

I checked them out and got a TV model that did NOT have all of the bells and whistles...primarily because I KNEW I would never use them. Can save you $100 sometimes.

And yes, I would second the recommendation of Costco. They seem to have more TVs every time I go in there. Good prices too.

[38special]

My experience with Sony has not been good. I agree, avoid Sony. I’d recommend Panasonic.

[krb]

What about Bravia?

[Wheee The People]

http://www.avsforum.com/

[advertising guy]

when ya think about it,we some sick sob’s spending 1000 or 3000 dollars for a tv.

[fzx12345]

Avoid DLP if you’re concerned about reliability. As you know, DLP uses a million tiny mirrors to generate the picture. These are all MECHANICAL parts that can, and will break. Stick with LCD.

And yes, I am a video engineer.

[Incorrigible]

You can get a 720p plasma for $2,000 but you’ll be spending close to $4,000 for a 1080p plasma. I’m planning on a 1080p plasma myself but waiting for the holiday cost competition.

[ejonesie22]

Most top of the line manufacturers rate their displays at around 150,000 hours MTB.

That’s 17 years of constant viewing.

[Kirkwood]

I’m very happy with a 55” DLP. Much better brightness than LCDs and plasmas. That means you can use it in a sun-filled room, while LCDs and plasmas only look their best in a darkened room.