need advice on buying....

WBOB · Post by **WBOB** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 5:02 pm

and being in the market for a new HDTV!

brands, plasma vs HD vs ??
things to look for or avoid??
Big box stores vs others??
other?

an admitted lunk-head on this.

bassjones · Post by **bassjones** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 5:38 pm

Depends on your budget. Sony XBR is incredible. Definitely get a 1080P if you go LCD. For plasmas Pioneers are the best looking sets IMO. Those are big bucks too though. LG's are probably the best bang for the buck going.

Oh, and go to Ovation. If for nothing else than their very knowlegeable sales staff. Prices are probably going to be cheaper at Best Buy or Circuit City, but the guys at Ovation know their stuff.

fragile_funk · Post by **fragile_funk** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 5:56 pm

I would get something compatible with HDTV and Digital Broadcasting.

adam atherton · Post by **adam atherton** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 10:22 pm

GREAT thread.

how about some information for those of us also in the market, but have certain technical retardation problems.

what is DLP? HDTV? 1080I? etc, etc.

anyone with the know, i'd love to hear- and i bet some others would too....

bwohlgemuth · Post by **bwohlgemuth** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 8:00 am

DLP = Digital Light Projection Cheap, great picture, but the bulb has a limited lifetime, You will end up replacing one in about 3-5 years for the tune of $800.

LCD = Liquid Crystal Display. Nice picture, usually rock solid, but very pricey. You will eventually get dead pixels (little dots on the screen) which can be very annoying.

Plasma = well, Plasma. Very good picture, usually the most expensive of all. When it dies (in about 5-7 years) it will just go "poof" and you go out and buy another one.

My honest opinion...DLP. Best picture, great price, and the bulb may last longer than expected.

Resolutions:
1080i = 1,080 lines of horizontal resolution. Picture is interlaced which means every time the picture is produced on the screen, it only draws half the picture, and the next split second it draws the other half? What's the big deal? The screen can flicker very slightly. Usually not a big deal unless you watch it a whole bunch.

1080p - same as 1080i, expect it's not interlaced.

720p - 720 lines of resolution, not interlaced.

Shaggydoo · Post by **Shaggydoo** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 9:18 am

Agreed Ovation staff is very knowledgable. We went there, Sears, Best Buy, and Circuit City. We found CC guys to be very helpful and knowledgable too. Sears gave us some solid BS on reasons to get the extended warranty.

Whatever you buy just know that the 1, 2 or 3 grand that you will spend on the TV is only about 70% of the cost for the HD package. You will need to upgrade your receiver (dish, cable, etc.). HD cables will cost some bucks, new high tech surge protector will cost some bucks, the HD pkg from your provider will have an installation cost.

I just watched a close friend spend 2 grand on a nice plasma and he is still watching a lousy picture 2 mos later because he didn't factor in the upgrades.

Consumer reports online site has a great article and reviews on various models.

Haggard · Post by **Haggard** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 9:47 am

bwohlgemuth wrote:DLP = Digital Light Projection Cheap, great picture, but the bulb has a limited lifetime, You will end up replacing one in about 3-5 years for the tune of $800.

wrong. $130 per bulb. dlp is what i have and i feel it is the best of the big three. samsung! anyway i would like to know what tv all you have to go with your opinions?

Garr · Post by **Garr** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 9:59 am

Or, you could hold out until the lasers hit the market in about a year. They will be a bit wider than Plasma or LCD, but narrower than a CRT (cathode ray tube) with better color range, definition, and clarity than a Plasma at close to half the cost. I'll try to dig up an article. I had one bookmarked, but must have cleaned it out.

Oliver's Army · Post by **Oliver's Army** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 10:03 am

I am a 'wait'-er.

I am gonna wait untill they can pump data via fibre-optics right into my brain stem.

bwohlgemuth · Post by **bwohlgemuth** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 10:07 am

Haggard wrote:wrong. $130 per bulb. dlp is what i have and i feel it is the best of the big three. samsung! anyway i would like to know what tv all you have to go with your opinions?

I was quoted $800 including installation when I was thinking of DLP.

I have a 65" Mitsubishi Projection TV (old school style with da big tubes) which was a Father's Day present about three years ago (just before DLP came on the market). It does 1080i and I'm quite happy with it. I'll keep it until we move or it drops....

WBOB · Post by **WBOB** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 10:28 am

Great info thanks!

My budget (sic) is hopefully in the range
of $1,400 - $1,600.00 and looking maybe
in the size of 37" to 40" .

Got to get rid of malfunctioning analog set
so as to better view Colts/Bears/Irish
upcoming games.

As much as this dinks my budget, it'll pull
me out of perverbial doghouse possibilites
for a little while. Unfortunately much screen
time will also be wasted on blasted soaps.

Grindspine · Post by **Grindspine** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 1:09 pm

If you do any gaming, do not get a plasma TV. Plasmas are susceptible to burn-in from still images...