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Time to Purchase a TV HDTV Input please HDTV PING LIST PLEASE
12.02.11 | Chickensoup

Posted on 12/02/2011 4:36:08 PM PST by Chickensoup

I am now ready to buy my HDTV. I have been looking at the big Samsungs. Remember this is the first tv for a non tv home. We will mostly be watching CDs and downloads, not much broadcast...except for the Superbowl for my son (if I can figure out how to stream it on the net).

The big Samsungs often have 3D. Will the 3D affect the regular view? I am looking for a clear viewing set that will manage action

I keep reading that TV is changing and I wonder whether these TVs are old technology?

Can I actualy put an aerial on it?

Can these tvs live in a room that in the winter sometimes go down to 60's or even 50's? I would heat the room before I use it.

I have a BJs card and they sell them there. CNET also has them by price at their site.

One last question: is it better with respect to price, to buy now during the Christmas season or wait for the football season.

HDTV PING LIST PLEASE


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: addicted; eviltv; hdtv; hooked; lostsoul
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To: Chickensoup

Sony Bravia would be an excellent choice!

My son wanted the Samsung, but they ran out - so he got the Sony 40” as well. What an awesome picture this TV gives out. The contrast ratio is 3000:1 which is quite impressive.

To explain what I mean:
Quote:
If you take the brightest white on a screen, and the darkest black and compare the luminosity, you get the contrast ratio. For example, a 1000:1 contrast ratio means that the brightest white is 1000x brighter than the darkest black.
End Quote

I want one of these TV’s now that I think about it!


61 posted on 12/02/2011 5:20:24 PM PST by jcsjcm (This country was built on exceptionalism and individualism. In God we Trust - Laus Deo)
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To: Chickensoup

I bought my first digital LCD TV today. It was one of the cheap 19” models which were left over from Black Friday. Cost was $98.00 and I was not expecting too much.

I have it attached to my old outside antenna and I was a bit surprised that it works just fine. I get a total of 13 channels tho one is weak. This is exactly the same as my old standard TV with an adapter.

The picture is definitely clearer than the old style. I am now wondering if an expensive one would be even better but still I am pleased so far. Also has a whole lot of features that I was not expecting for the price.


62 posted on 12/02/2011 5:20:55 PM PST by yarddog
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To: Chickensoup

After 5 years of being completely without a TV, I went out and bought a big Panasonic plasma, 55”. It SAYS it has a 600mhz refresh rate...

For sports I chose plasma, mainly thanks to EVERYONE ON HERE & the rest of the ping list, FReepers are so helpful. Thanks everyone!

I made sure the 3D function can be turned off, so I’m not required to wear the specs - hey, I’m a noob to tv! - This thread has helped me decide NOT TO sign up for cable. You guys are so smart, thank you for helping. I’ll probably be back, asking lots of dumb questions, hehe...but FRiend, for sports...color, movement...E T C...I chose plasma.


63 posted on 12/02/2011 5:21:34 PM PST by spankalib (The Marx-in-the-Parks crowd is a basement skunkworks operation of the AFL-CIO)
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To: spankalib

I am going to print off this entire thread!


64 posted on 12/02/2011 5:24:55 PM PST by Chickensoup (In the 20th century 200 million people were killed by their own governments.)
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To: InterceptPoint

Bought a Samsung LCD 52” November with 240,000 MhZ (is that right?). I had watched prices for about year. It went from 2795 to 2495 and then 2095 with a 250 amazon discount.

Put in a Yamaha sound bar, LG Blue Ray and DirecTV. My computer guy built a computer and plugged it into the system. Love the Samsung and everything else for that matter. Using a logitech universal remote control.

All i need is a toilet and microwave and my cell and can meld into the furniture.


65 posted on 12/02/2011 5:29:38 PM PST by morphing libertarian
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To: Chickensoup

I KNOW!
Aren’t these guys amazingly helpful?
Fantastic bunch of people. Thank you all!


66 posted on 12/02/2011 5:30:22 PM PST by spankalib (The Marx-in-the-Parks crowd is a basement skunkworks operation of the AFL-CIO)
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To: buccaneer81
You can’t go wrong with a Vizio.

I hope they fixed all their problems. Vizio plasma TVs were notorious for failures. We had a 42 inch Vizio fail on us, two days after the warranty expired. Luckily, Costco honored it with a full refund even though expired. We then found out thousands of others had problems. We bought a Panasonic 42 inch and its been great.

67 posted on 12/02/2011 5:33:35 PM PST by roadcat
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To: Chickensoup
One last detail - as if you needed more - some TVs will only handle up to 720P (resolution).
Your new TV should be capable of 1080P.
Almost all do these days, but it's better to know before you buy.
68 posted on 12/02/2011 5:34:32 PM PST by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
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To: randita

Samsung makes many good products but for some reason, they have a reputation for making horrible blu-ray players, I don’t know why but I’ve read complaints from the very beginning of blu-ray.

I think they make pretty good TVs though.


69 posted on 12/02/2011 5:45:44 PM PST by dangerdoc (see post #6)
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To: morphing libertarian

I will say, the best thing you can do with these things is buy a universal remote. I bought one of the Harmony 900’s, and even though it cannot do some of the complicated scripting/macros some of the others do, it can go through walls (it is RF based) so I can put all my components in a closet.

I would go crazy without it. They are expensive, but well, WELL worth it.


70 posted on 12/02/2011 5:48:41 PM PST by rlmorel ("A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject." Winston Churchill)
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To: oh8eleven

I got a cheesy Samsung Blue ray for free when I bought my tv from Amazon, so when it dies, I’ll just throw it away...:)


71 posted on 12/02/2011 5:50:30 PM PST by rlmorel ("A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject." Winston Churchill)
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To: oh8eleven; dangerdoc

Ooops...sorry oh8eleven, meant that for dangerdoc...


72 posted on 12/02/2011 5:51:47 PM PST by rlmorel ("A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject." Winston Churchill)
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To: goldstategop
Sony Bravia 40” LCD 1080i HDTV. Great picture. Works great with an upconverting DVD player and HDMI cable.

I second that. We just bought a 46" Sony Bravia. First HDTV in our house and we love it.

73 posted on 12/02/2011 5:52:03 PM PST by SolidRedState (I used to think bizarro world was a fiction.)
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To: Chickensoup

“Seems as though any of the larger sets 55-64 inches are all 3D.”

For a high end TV, adding 3D costs the manufacturer almost nothing. If you aren’t interested in 3D, just ignore the feature, it has zero affect on 2D performance.

If you buy an upper end TV, it will probably have streaming built in, if not, buy a blu-ray player, almost all of them will give you multiple streaming options and renting a blu-ray is 50 cents more than a DVD and looks spectacular.

I have an antenna in the attic and wired it to the house cable wires allowing use of the antenna in any room. If you want to watch the superbowl, an antenna is the only way to get a watchable picture on a big screen.

Before you buy a TV, go look at them. Look at the screen, if you have a lot of windows and want to watch the TV during the day, you may want to avoid the Samsung with their shiny screens and look for a brand with mat screens. Plasma screens tend to be dimmer and don’t look as good in a bright room. If you like watching TV with all the light out, you want to either buy a more expensive LCD with good black level or consider a plasma TV.

Good luck.


74 posted on 12/02/2011 5:58:42 PM PST by dangerdoc (see post #6)
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To: Chickensoup
Go to Best Buy and check out their smallest screen HDTVs. This will probably be a 19 inch, altho I bought one of their 15 inch sets that I use as a kitchen TV and it's perfectly adequate, it does not seem small or deficient for viewing. You don't need a huge monster set taking up half your livingroom. You want a size you can live with after the football game is over.

My experience: If you plug it in the wall without an antenna, you get one channel. If you buy a rabbit ears indoor antenna, you get three channels. If you buy an $85 indoor antenna that looks like a laptop, and esp. if you stick it in your window, esp. if that window faces out onto an open expanse of ground, then you can pull in nineteen channels, many of them retro. You'll have more fun with the retro and 'smaller' networks like CW which runs your local news station's 11 PM news at 10 o'clock then has sports talk from 1030 to 11.

When you discover programming like that for free, you may find that you like watching TV all year round. You don't need cable at all.

75 posted on 12/02/2011 5:58:50 PM PST by Ciexyz
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To: eddie willers

Thanks for that information. Based on your post, I can tell you that the next time I am at Best Buy, I am going to look at these new Panasonic plasmas.

I love it when things are improved, and if there have been improvements in plasma TVs, I want to know about it! Thanks.


76 posted on 12/02/2011 6:01:20 PM PST by John Valentine
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To: roadcat

We have two Vizio LCDs which have done incredibly well, especially for the money. I have always steered clear of plasma for the very reasons you describe.


77 posted on 12/02/2011 6:01:48 PM PST by buccaneer81 (ECOMCON)
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To: oh8eleven; Chickensoup
One last detail - as if you needed more - some TVs will only handle up to 720P (resolution). Your new TV should be capable of 1080P. Almost all do these days, but it's better to know before you buy.

Under 46" you'll never be able to tell the difference.

78 posted on 12/02/2011 6:03:22 PM PST by buccaneer81 (ECOMCON)
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To: Chickensoup

To get High Def, your TV must have either an HDMI connection or a component (not composite) connection to connect to your cable/satellite box. HDMI only requires one cable because it transmits both video and audio. Component transmits video only, so you need a separate audio cable.

Both HDMI and component give virtually equally good pictures.


79 posted on 12/02/2011 6:04:16 PM PST by Signalman
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To: Ciexyz
channels, many of them retro.

I love MeTV.

80 posted on 12/02/2011 6:07:22 PM PST by buccaneer81 (ECOMCON)
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