Help me find a television!

[alistarr*]

yeah, that's the thing, it depends on the prices at the time you need it. i think you did good. not that i can actually really pretend to be an expert at much other than remembering inane technical details and spending slightly more money than i have on various things.

oh, and pioneer were basically the king of plasma screens, but they recently announced they were stopping making TVs so it's not a name you'd need to remember, even if you did have a crazy huge TV budget.

sorry for hijacking your tv thread, silentsigh. we meant well!

[silentsigh89]

not hijacking at all! this is exactly the kind of advice I was hoping for! I was completely out of the loop when it came to TVs and already I have a much better idea. I feel better armed to march into a store with questions and be able to listen to the person, not just nod and smile and then walk out uninformed because I didn't know what the terms meant. So thank you! 

And, to make Milly feel better, I think I could probably go to 450 or 500 if the tv was really grabbing me. I'm going to have to look around and see if the monitor / tv thing is more important to me.

[Ignatius]

When you get up to that price, it's like you might as well buy a 32", but that would conflict with portability. They're still relatively light at that size, but otherwise cumbersome. You can definitely get a good 22-26" tv for $300-400.

[diesel_powered]

A few things:

1. Milly is right. With LCD's, the no-names (Sylvania, Westinghouse, Polaroid, Spectre, etc.) are usually re-branded Chinese crap. Not only does this mean that you end up with a lot of cutting corners (shitty remote, shitty technical features that I won't bore you with, but you'll miss if you go cheapo), but you're also pretty much fucked when it comes to tech support.

How do I know? I bought a 42" Westinghouse for my thesis installation last year and while all the initial reviews were stellar, ultimately the whole product line turned out to be a series of duds. No standardization from TV to TV, random DOA TVs, firmware problems, the whole thing was a mess and since it's not technically a Westinghouse (I think it's a Soyo or some other no-name Chinese manufacturer), Westinghouse really isn't supporting it at all.

Ultimately, you want a company that manages the workflow from design to manufacturing instead of cobbling together FrankenTVs from whatever parts are cheap at any given time and name brands are the only companies that do that. Incidentally, I think Vizio actually does manufacture their own panels and they seem to be improving in recent years. Same with Olevia.

2. Considering your size, LCD is pretty much your only bet. Plasma does get you a better picture, primarily in the darks, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a plasma smaller than 40". Also, plasmas are not in any way portable or easy to move. Honestly, I'd wait a bit for the new LED LCD TV's to get smaller and cheaper before buying as everything I've read about them says they're awesome. Considering the technology, LED's might actually be better suited for small TVs than large ones.

3. Every LCD will work as a monitor/TV thing if you have a DVI out on your computer. Essentally, digital TVs are just computer monitors with tuners stuck to them and all you need is a DVI-HDMI cable to connect everything up. If you still have VGA, you probably can find a good number of TV's in your price range that also have a plain VGA hookup in addition to everything else. Hell, if you look hard enough, you could probably find one that has a real DVI hookup if the computer/TV thing is what you're into.

4. If you can find a 1080p TV in your size and price range, go for it, the extra resolution is nice. However, it's not essential to look good at the size you're looking for, so don't let yourself get pushed into buying based on extra resolution alone.

5. Don't bother with built-in DVD. I don't think you were that interested to begin with and sooner or later you might be interested in investing in a blu-ray player (as one will be compatible with your new tv.)

[milly balgeary]

i think vizios are imported from china. they are probably the best tv you can get at wal mart which sells stuff like phillips and poloroid brands. better than best buy's 'house' tv, insignia,  for sure. insignia is the last tv i would buy. http://gizmodo.com/5198512/best-buy-and-safety-regulatory-commission-screw-customers-on-flammable-hdtvs

[silentsigh89]

I've made a decision, I think!!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824001280

I guess there isn't much of a way to tell about lag, but some of the reviewers seem to be glowing about how it handles PS3-- so I have faith! and it's on sale.

Thank you guys for all the help! Despite my lack of posting here, I've been reviewing your advice and checking prices all the time.

I haven't ordered yet, as there are a few more things I want to check out, but my heart is pretty much set.

[diesel_powered]

Samsung is usually a pretty solid brand. That being said, this seems to be an interesting hybrid of PC monitor characteristics and a TV tuner. 1920X1200 is a common PC resolution, but not a common TV resolution. That being said, from the reviews it looks like you can set it up to display standard HD resolution as long as you don't mind some black bars. Double check the reviews: http://review.zdnet.com/product/lcd-monitors/samsung-syncmaster-t240hd/33192334

For the money and the resolution, it looks like a winner to me. I kinda wish I could afford one of my own, actually.

[donblood]

For what it's worth, I've been extremely happy with the (admittedly much more TV-like) Samsung that I bought.

[diesel_powered]

Which one did you get?

[donblood]

The LN46somethingsomething.  46" LN series, ultra-thin.

[diesel_powered]

Niiiiiiiiiice. At some point, I'd like to upgrade to something really obscenely large and name-brand. The Westinghouse gets the job done at the moment, but it's far from ideal. Considering my finances, by that time OLED will have caught on.

[donblood]

Yeah, I don't buy TVs that often (last one was early 2000), so I decided to go crazy.  I'm glad I did, too.  Who knew there was all that detail on DVDs?

[andronicus]

In the fall I think I'll buy a TV that I want to use also as a secondary monitor for my computer, so something along the lines of Beth's choice might be just what I want.  I am somewhat biased toward Samsung in general, as well.

[silentsigh89]

it came today, it's set up, and I'm in love so far! I'm mostly just drooling over it right now. I've never bought a TV before! Always hand me downs! It's a great feeling.

[donblood]

If you're anything like me (and by all indications you aren't) you are simultaneously very excited and fretting about what you've become.

[silentsigh89]

haha! Apparently I AM like you. I'm ashamed and excited and I want to brag and then hide it.

I can only comfort myself with the knowledge that I earned every single penny of it! I think that's why I'm so excited-- I've had my eye on this for a while. It had its own savings account!

[girl]

It had its own savings account!

That is adorable! Enjoy your new tv, Beth!

[Andrew_TSKS]

Hah, I've never bought a TV in my life. I'm probably gonna have to at some point, but I'm gonna put it off as long as possible.

[auto-da-fey]

Any thoughts on this TV? I know very little about televisions, except that this would be the largest one I've ever owned, and it seems relatively affordable--possibly for a reason?

My stance on quality/special features/techie stuff is a fairly disinterested one; a lot of what I watch is on VHS, shot by Jess Franco, or porn, so it's not like it'll look any better on a super-plasma screen. at the same time, I'm really living below my means for the most part, so I don't need to grab the cheapest 32" TV that I find in three minutes of internet browsing, which is kind of what it feels like I might be doing here. (then again, that is kind of how I roll, and while others might not approve, I am satisfied with the way I live . . . though maybe buying a TV need not be related to one's philosophy--or willful lack thereof--of life).

so, yeah, is that one a big piece of shit, or no? I did bypass a few cheaper "recertified" ones.

[diesel_powered]

It's a big piece of shit. The thing with companies like Polaroid, Westinghouse, Coby, Insignia, Sceptre (I think), and all the other cheapo brands is that they're concerned with selling the cheapest TVs they can possibly sell. This means that their product is basically slapped-together components from wherever they can buy them the cheapest. Sometimes you luck out and manage to get a diamond in the rough (like my Westinghouse) but most times you get screwed (like certain features on my Westinghouse). It's a $400 crap shoot and for that money, you can definitely do better. Name-brands like Sony actually design and have parts manufactured for them and in the event of a burp in the system, have whole systems to deal with warranty fulfillment. Cheapo brands to not.

And really, $400 is pretty par for the course for a basic 32 inch LCD these days. Keep an eye out for sales and you should have no problem finding an LG, Panasonic, or a Toshiba for that or maybe a little more. And I mean, if you're cool with taking a little bit of a chance, you could probably find even nicer refurb units for around that price.

[auto-da-fey]

thanks, diesel, appreciated.

two follow-ups:
1. of the three you point out, any significant reason to prefer one over the others, or would you consider them roughly equivalent?
3. service plans: do people bother? I've been rejecting them for several years now on just about everything, but then, by my standards this is a pretty major purchase, and I'd kind of hate to regret it.

[diesel_powered]

I'd say they're roughly equivalent. If I had to choose one, I'd probably say the Panasonic is my #1 pick. Panasonic seems to rate pretty high around the AV boards and I've had relatively good luck with their HD equipment in the past. They also have pretty good service coverage, so on the off chance that you'd need warranty repair, there should be a Panasonic service shop in your town. My blu-ray player is a Panasonic and it rocks pretty hard. Plus, they have a proprietary deal going where their components talk to each other, so if you eventually picked up a Panasonic blu-ray player, you could control everything with one remote, among other conveniences.

I'd pop out to the stores and see which one looks the best to you, but keep in mind that in-store calibration is completely fucked so that everything is set way brighter than necessary. If the store will let you, you can noodle a little with the brightness, etc. to get something more comparable to what you'd have at home.

I usually get service on big electronics purchases, but that's mostly because I ride all my equipment pretty hard and can't afford a whole lot of down time when it comes to repairs. I guess I'd suggest researching the actual services you're paying for and researching their reputation on that service. I spent an extra $100 for service on my big flat panel from Best Buy because I use it as an exhibition display at times and Best Buy will basically fix anything, regardless of what happens. Some things to look out for with TV service is whether it's in-house or at a store, what policy they have on dead pixels (pretty much the most common problem with LCDs... BB will repair once you have 3 pixels in an inch and a half square or 5 pixels on an entire panel, which is pretty generous as far as those things go), and if it's the store that covers it or some kind of third-party agent. Some places also cover routine maintenance which is kind of moot on a TV, but certain plans will include sending a tech out to calibrate which is definitely a nice thing. I know you aren't dealing with the most exacting source material, but part of the new technology you're paying for gives you the potential for a vastly improved picture over CRT, so it's nice to take advantage of that. Generally, all the 20/20 reports on people getting screwed with extended warranties, etc. have done their job, so these days most stores realize that they're more likely to sell an honest service plan than a rip-off. That being said, caveat emptor.

[elpollodiablo]

Want an HDTV. Budget is 300 bones. What would you buy?

Answers like "well you should just spend another x hundred bucks and get ---" can go suck an egg

[diesel_powered]

What do you value? Size, features, quality, reliability?

[elpollodiablo]

Quality & size. We've got a 27" currently, and I'd like to keep it around the same size. I've never owned an HDTV before so I'll probably be blown away by the picture no matter what, but I'd still like to have the full 1080p if it's possible at that price.