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.