HDTV Advice
by Dave on Nov 20, 2008 11:34 PM PST
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PrintRumor has it that somebody might have gotten a little somethin' somethin' as a bonus for Christmas, and somebody might be looking to spend that bonus on an HDTV in order to watch the Blazers more closely (or at least clearly). I know that many of you have already made the HDTV leap and so I'm opening this thread for any advice you might have or testimonials about your own sets that you've liked (or haven't).
At this point I am thinking either a medium LCD screen or a large, rear-projection DLP LED system (no bulbs!) will be the way to go. I don't think I want a plasma that fades over time and I don't think I want to be replacing bulbs every few months. I am willing to be talked around though. If you have any advice or first-hand experience with the LCD or newer DLP-rear-projection systems I'm especially attentive. To be affordable the LCD screen would be somewhat smaller but they are generally reviewed as being marginally clearer than the larger, rear-projection screens. Is that true? Is there a noticeable difference? Do you notice size or clarity more? So...many...choices.
This should really improve your Blazer coverage, right?
--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)
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No advice
I have a 17 inch tv in my room, a 50 tube tv in my room, and a 32 inch tv in the upstairs room I actually sleep in….
They all have nothing but viewing power.
However, I wanna say hoorah for you getting the opportunity to get such a potentially badace tv! :)
"if i started a beer company and sold one beer for every time he(timbo) replied to himself, i'd be a millionaire, check that, a billionaire". - prezofdeath
"14 points, 13 rebounds, 2 blocks, no turnovers. Standing ovation for Travis tonight." - Dave
by Outlaw is Rejector on Nov 20, 2008 11:39 PM PST reply actions
the first room i said is my room is actually the living room.
"if i started a beer company and sold one beer for every time he(timbo) replied to himself, i'd be a millionaire, check that, a billionaire". - prezofdeath
"14 points, 13 rebounds, 2 blocks, no turnovers. Standing ovation for Travis tonight." - Dave
by Outlaw is Rejector on Nov 20, 2008 11:40 PM PST up reply actions
I dunno.
I’m far from an expert, but a friend of mine purchased a DLP projecter and it has a beautiful picture. Very nice having the large screen size.
In the end, you’ll get just a tad more clarity from the LCD. Not a huge difference, but a noticeable one.
What’s your priority, size or clarity?
LCD or Plasma all the way. They are getting cheaper by the day. You can get a 42 inch 1080P Plasma for like $699 now. I have a Panasonic 42" Plasma, and I don’t notice any burn in or other ill effects (as Plasma’s once had). My Dad has a 42" Samsung LCD and loves it.
Just depends on your price range. Just do yourself a favor and avoid the bulk of a DLP TV. Even a 50" LCD is light enough to be carried by one person.
BP
Key is 1080p,
or you wont get the full benefit of HD. The smaller TV’s wont be able to do 1080p, 42 inch is about what you need.
There isn't even any 1080P programming
Right now, it’s still 1080i. The blue ray movies and some games are 1080p.
I could be wrong, but I know this was the case not long ago…..
Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game
Still
I bought a 1080P because, why start behind the curve, right?
Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game
yes but...it's been proven that the eye can't perceive a difference
unless you are sitting way too close to the television. Obviously this means on a 60+ inch TV you can tell if you get up to about 2 feet away from it, but sitting at minimum rec’d viewing distance and it’s all gravy.
1080p basically came about as a marketing tool for LCD’s to gain a competitive advantage over Plasmas as they can be engineered for higher resolutions much more easily
Rooo-D!
There is no way
that Networks will ever starting broadcasting in 1080p, their bandwidth just won’t allow it, so 1080i is just fine. If you have a Plasma, then it converts the 1080i signal to 1080p anyways so it really doesn’t matter. The only way to get the full 1080p potential is from blueray HD dvds or by hooking up your computer to your tv.
FWIW - there IS 1080P programming.
All Dish Network PPV programming is now 1080p…if you have the HD package.
by antediluvian on Nov 21, 2008 7:23 AM PST up reply actions
That is a falacy
Dish broadcasts in 1080i, however they promote it as 1080p because most HDTV’s convert the signal to 1080p.
I also just bought the Panasonic 42" plasma
Nobody told me about it fading over time…
But I went to CNet and read reviews. They are pretty good at telling you what’s up, and the setting guide for all my picture tweaks was crucial. I love the TV, it’s fine for Off-Cable stuff, but it’s awesome with the Xbox on HDMI. I recommend HDMI upgrades, period.
Have fun shopping, it’s almost more exciting than sitting on the couch watching the thing.
by FlyingOutlaw on Nov 21, 2008 2:41 PM PST up reply actions
FYI – CSN isn’t in HD, and the image quality is almost poorer that other standard definition stations. Consider a brand that has black bars on the side (instead of white), or that otherwise looks nice showing a standard definition picture.
Keep your old TV to watch CSN
I agree… unless the game is HD, I actually will go down to the basement to watch the game on my old tube TV. The image quality for non-HD games really sucks on my 40" Samsung LCD.
This is a key point about HD tv's
All HD sets will give a good picture when fed an HD signal. However, not all HD tv’s give a good picture when viewing non-HD content. Costco feeds them same signal to all their TV’s with all the picture settings in the same levels so that side by side comparison’s can be made. Also you can view the same channel from a non-HD source to see the difference. I recommend you ask to see both HD and standard TV comparison in the store before you buy.
Just got a 37" LCD from LP
It’s a beauty. I don’t think you can go wrong with any of these new types of TVs. I think a person would need eagle eyes to tell the difference between high end TVs. 37" might even be a little too big for most things. There are still far more non-HD programs out there that just don’t look all that great on a big TV.
Cost and reliability is what I would go by. Find the minimum size you want and look for the best deal. Oh, and for me at least, it was hard to judge size at the store because every TV is next to 10 others that are just as big. When we got the new TV home it looked so much bigger in the living room than it did in the store.
"It’s a good ol’ fashioned Rip City beat down!"
i won a 26" LCD Sony Bravia
at a guitar hero tournament…. it has magnificent picture quality! i love it. and i think the Bravias come in larger sizes too… so i recommend those. dont know too much about all the other brands out there, might want to shop around… congrats on the bonus Dave!
I've made eye contact with Chris Dudley....twice.
by RoodiePhirnandizz on Nov 21, 2008 12:01 AM PST reply actions
I have a 46" Samsung LCD and couldn’t be happier. Blazers games are spectacular in HD, decent in KGW standard definition, horrific in Comcast standard definition.
They always say that you cannot get an HDTV that is too big. It’s true. I waffled between a 42" and 46" and ended up with the 46". In hindsight, I would not mind even bigger. Go big. You will not regret it.
i have a 60" sony sxrd1080i
love it. did a lot research before i bought sony’s version of dlp and found this format to give the truest black outside of a crt tube set. yes, it is larger and heavier than lcd and plasma but space was not concern for me. as far as bulb life goes, just do some homework. my friend got a 61" toshiba dlp and bulbs burnt out in 4 months, mine has lasted over a year and a half(also purchased 5 yr warranty extension). if not for my tv i would have went with a lg lcd. if you’re going to spend the $ go with 1080i. and where i live in salem, i get some games on comcast in hd, ch 788. the bulls blowout was in hd.
"The man who trades freedom for security does not deserve nor will receive either"
You have a great TV
but it’s not a single-chip DLP TV. It’s SXRD, which is Sony’s version of a 3-panel LCoS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) TV. Unfortunately, they are no longer made, or I would highly recommend one to Dave.
"But we need a center", Inman said. "So play him at center!" Knight yelled back. - Bobby Knight on Michael Jordan prior to the Blazers' 1984 draft pick of Sam Bowie.
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Nov 21, 2008 12:29 AM PST up reply actions
LCD's are nice, but it looks as if you've done some reasearch..
If you want more bang for your buck, the new samsung LED rear projections are very, very nice. And actually have better color lcd’s. The main issue with DLP has always been the short bulb life but the LED solves that problem as well as the recent models solved the rainbow issue that some have had. Older projections or low end models sometimes had issues with distortion at the corners but that seems to be a thing of the past as well.
Amazon.com has some great deals on the LED samsungs right now, including free white glove shipping if you spend over $1000
Also keep in mind that 1080p is way overblown some say that it is necessary with larger screens, but some studies have been done and for even some video enthusiasts at the proper viewing distance they couldn’t tell on a 65" the difference between 1080i and 1080p. This means you can buy and older, but possibly more high end model of LCD for cheaper if it’s not 1080p.
And yes bigger is always better http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-HL67A750-67-Inch-1080p-Powered/dp/B001413DWQ/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1227255382&sr=8-2
is on my wish list personally :)
Rooo-D!
Dave,
I am a LCD freak and I have done tons of research and spent hours trying, buying, returning, and re-buying TVs.
If you want a big run-down of all the TVs I’ve reviewed and what I’ve learned, feel free to shoot me an email (it’s in my profile).
But my bottom line is this: Vizios at Costco come with a 2-year in-home warranty, they’re budget friendly, and yet they compete relatively well with the big boys like Panasonic and LP.
I have three LCDs at my house
Oliviá 37" (720p) (paid $700 2 Thanksgivings ago. Vizio 37 inch from Costco now would be about $650 or so. Vizio is a better brand and has a better warranty.)
A Vizio 42" (1080p) (paid $1000 June of this year, now at Costco for $849)
A Vizio 42" 120hz (1080p) (paid $1000 last week)
Concerning 120hz:
The 120hz makes the screen refresh at twice the rate of the normal HDTV (which goes @ 60hz), but currently most broadcasts are only at 30hz (even video games are usually 30hz), so it isn’t giving that much clearer of a picture. For me, I’m a little sad that I spent the extra $150 on the 120hz.
My suggestion is to get a 37 or 42 Vizio LCD at Costco. If you can get one over black friday (day after thanksgiving), that’s the best. Otherwise, just grab one at Costco and enjoy it. 90 day no questions asked return policy.
Again, feel free to email me or heck, you can even call me if you want. Just let me know.
—Josh
Whoever was posting Oden up....was just stupid.
by Eventine
by prezofdeath on Nov 21, 2008 12:20 AM PST reply actions 1 recs
Which by the way,
thanks to Costco’s 90 day no question return policy, I have the freedom to take my 120hz TV back and get one without 120hz, which I may do.
However, I’m anticipating a leap in video games that will utilize the 120hz technology, so I’ll probably just keep it. But it is nice to know that you have 90 days to return it if you get buyer’s remorse or find a better deal.
Whoever was posting Oden up....was just stupid.
by Eventine
by prezofdeath on Nov 21, 2008 12:23 AM PST up reply actions
This is the way I went.
Back in February with my tax return $$ I picked up the 42" Vizio LCD from Costco.
The problem I have with projection systems is they do not work well unless you have a very dark room to put them in.
I have been incredibly happy with the picture and performance of my Vizio, both for Blazer game HD broadcasts, and for the output from my PS3 for Blu-Ray movies and 1080p capable games.
Write-in Rudy for All-Star 2009!
I respectfully disagree.
I own a rear projection TV (Sony 50" SXRD) and do not need to darken the room. I close the blinds to avoid direct sunlight, but you would do that with any TV.
My TV is definitely bright.
Well, I was talking about...
…the projection systems that a number of my friends have, with a projector and screen, not the self-contained rear-projection systems.
I have little experience with those self-contained DLP units.
If you DO have a dark room, the projector&screen approach is quite effective, as you can get insanely huge screen sizes at a very reasonable price. Of course, this only really matters if you have a room big enough to justify such a screen in the first place.
Write-in Rudy for All-Star 2009!
Ah...
I figured that which is why I specified rear-projection. My friend has disposable income and space so he and his wife have a theater room with stadium seating, darkened windows and front projection. He did mention that it’s best for movies since the projectors can’t keep up with the fast sports action.
LCD technology's real limitation is reproducing black
Teh whites are good, but you can not achieve true black. THe contrast ratio of the set is the measure of how well the set can produce Blacks. Cathode ray tubes and Plamsa TV’s do very well on generating contrast but lose that over time as the Image fades (it will always outperform LCD technology)..And by the way LED’s fade over time too. It’s just that when an LED fails ther usally is no light (just like a bulb).
Black point is a concern...
…but it’s one of those things that humans are used to compensating for already. When reading a newspaper, for example, you don’t tend to notice that the text is any lower contrast than in a printed book, even though it is, and pretty significantly. Your brain compensates for the blacks being more a dark gray automatically.
Besides, the compression used on DVDs and even Blu-Ray disks limit the color gamuts to the point where the LCD blackpoint isn’t much of a limitation for most video sources anyway.
Write-in Rudy for All-Star 2009!
Dave, I've had a 1080P capable
50" Samsung DLP for about 2 years. It has been great. I expect the bulb to need replacing in about a year. ($200, I think). You can get these for around a thousand dollars, or maybe even less. Got mine through Amazon. I have Dish Net HD. We sit about 10 feet from the screen. HD is incredible, regular broadcast is a bit worse than a regular TV. I recently bought my daughter and her husband a 42" Vizio 1080P LCD at Costco for about $900. They sit about 8 feet from it, and the size seems fine. Bigger screens seem to be a bit more immersive, but it’s all relative, and you get used to what you have. The Vizio has a comparable picture to my Samsung, but less features. The ability to easily adjust aspect ratios is critical, and the Vizio has the adjustment buried in the menus, where as the Samsung has a dedicated button. I actually use the aspect ratio on my Dish Net HD DVR which sets the ratio from the satellite receiver instead of at the tv, which works better because Dish uses superior algorythyms. Comcrap HD (which my daughter has) has no way to adjust the ratio, so it must be done at the set. There are thousands of reviews on these TVs online. I would probably splurge for a 50 or 52" LCD if I was buying now, but it would set me back about $2000. I would definately not get a plasma, mainly because of the glare off the glass. When I bought mine, the new LED based DLPs were not yet available. They may be a good option. Some sets process regular (non HD) signals better than others, but good luck getting a store to display a regular signal for you to compare. It may be a confusing decision, but people will be pretty happy with the upgrade, as long as they splurge for the HD programming. Comcrap non -HD Blazer games are really bad on my TV.
Great so far!
I’m drinking it all in.
I have DirecTV so I don’t have to bother with Comcast. Anyone else have DirecTV HD? How is it?
—Dave
Read reviews about the current
equipment that Direct offers. They build their own, and it got so inferior that I finally switched from Direct to Dish. Maybe it has been improved, but at one time their second generation HD DVR was so bad there were countless posts from very angry customers, on any site that was related. It seemed almost unanimous.
The HD programming on both
Dish and Direct is far superior to Comcast, and maybe any cable provider.
Maybe I'd want to have a DirecTV receiever
but a store-bought HD-DVR? I think DTV will charge me for it anyway so if possible I could buy one somewhere else.
—Dave
I'm not sure
how well a stand alone TIVO would compare. Their ergonomics and functionality are far better than any of the DVRs, but I don’t think you can send the digital signal from the receiver to the TIVO. Integrated units, like Satellite/DVRs record the unprocessed digital signals. Two tuners at a time. I think that TIVO would necessitate a conversion process. I’m not sure about this, but I am sure that that would be a way more expensive way to go.
You are correct
You can’t use a standalone HD TiVo with DirecTV or Dish. You can use it with Comcast HD though.
"But we need a center", Inman said. "So play him at center!" Knight yelled back. - Bobby Knight on Michael Jordan prior to the Blazers' 1984 draft pick of Sam Bowie.
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Nov 21, 2008 2:23 AM PST up reply actions
It's not that simple
"But we need a center", Inman said. "So play him at center!" Knight yelled back. - Bobby Knight on Michael Jordan prior to the Blazers' 1984 draft pick of Sam Bowie.
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Nov 21, 2008 2:25 AM PST up reply actions
My .2 cents on DirecTV HD
I’m loving it. There are a lot of HD options and programming. I find myself always wanting more, however! Thankfully, they seem to be adding more channels fairly regularly.
I have the HD DVR, and while I hear people rave about Tivo, I’m satisfied with the DVR from DirecTV.
I had Comcast standard def over the summer, and can tell you that in my opinion, DirecTV (HD or not), is FAR superior in programming packages and price.
You can pick your friends, and you can pick your nose, but you can't pick your friend's nose.
-- Unknown
I have a Samsung 42 inch LCD 120hrz
I bought it at frye’s for $1,699 a year ago. I found out later that I could have taken that price offer to best buy and they would have matched it plus knocked of 10%. Best buy also delivers I believe. So anyone looking into buying a HDTV I suggest finding the best price and taking it to Best buy. I don’t really know how to post links, but here is the web site explaining best buy’s price matching offer.
I love the TV btw the 120hrz and the 3 tubes (don’t know if this is correct) supposedly reduces motion blur that can occur with some LCDs. I haven’t had an issue with motion blur after I switched from Comcast to Dish. I only increased my bar tab because I no longer have CSN.
Dave, can you give us some idea of your price range?
It makes a difference.
"But we need a center", Inman said. "So play him at center!" Knight yelled back. - Bobby Knight on Michael Jordan prior to the Blazers' 1984 draft pick of Sam Bowie.
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Nov 21, 2008 12:52 AM PST reply actions
At this point figure
50" and above only but probably not in the wacky, “I just spent $6,000 on my TV!” category. If I had that kind of money to blow I wouldn’t even ask, I’d just go by that ungodly big Pioneer thing.
—Dave
I'd take a high 40-inch set too, probably
We want to be well north of the friends coming over and saying, “Oh. That’s your new TV, huh?” but well south of Ben reporting, “Dave’s wife just killed him. Violently.”
—Dave
I'll echo what I said above
Go with a Vizio. The 47’s they have are pretty nice at Costco.
Whoever was posting Oden up....was just stupid.
by Eventine
Most people don't consider room size
How far is your couch/chair going to be form the screen? For a 50" TV you want to be at least 10ft from the screen. Really unless you hav one of those huge houses, anything bigger than a 40" screen is overkill and is jsut unnecessarily adding to cost without giving you anymore benefit. You really can’t see a difference.
I dunno, I think you can go bigger with a flat panel than you would have with a CRT screen. Bigger is better, especially for sports.
"Sergio is clearly the MJ of 3rd string point guards!" —Mortimer Pritchard
As I linked
The 67" Samsung LED DLP from Amazon.com
$1,879 with free 5-7 day White Glove shipping
Hard deal to beat IMHO
Rooo-D!
The size on that is enormous...
Enormously GREAT!
That had been one of my near-upper-end possibilities, providing it’s worth it. What I wonder is how it would compare to, say, a 52" Samsung LCD straight up…like one of their higher-end 52" ones. I think the 67" is actually cheaper, which makes me wonder how much clarity I’m sacrificing for that extra 15 inches. And of course no store within 6000 miles of here has either one in stock for me to look at.
—Dave
here's a good expert review, complete with a video on the 61"
Also just to let you know
Up here at Prospector’s Liquidators in Longview, they have a brand new released in october 52" sharp Aquos LCD for $1100. They run 1700 at Costco, and Sharp is probably the best LCD make imho. I have an older 26" Sharp Auqos myself and the thing is exceptional
Rooo-D!
I don't think clarity is the issue
with HD signals. The only clarity issue is that the bigger the screen on a HD set, the worse the picture with standard def. If you have the room for it, a bigger excellent TV for the same price would be preferable to a smaller ultra high end one. I live in a very rural setting in Southern Oregon, so we get our network feeds from Eugene over Dish Net. These are not uplinked in HD yet, and probably won’t be for quite a while, so we do end up watching some standard def. Otherwise, both Sat. services have almost everything else in HD. Incidentally, the DLP’s are a bit deeper than the LCDs and Plasmas, but if setting it on a table or stand it usually doesn’t make a bit of difference. You don’t see the depth from in front. Before settling on an LED based DLP, research. When they first came out there were some problems with the picture, but they have probably fixed that. DLPs also have problems w/ their color wheels. I think the LED based ones still use color wheels, but I’m not sure. If you want a 60" screen than you are pretty limited financially to a DLP.
Yeah, see this is what I was wondering
Diamonds are graded on both clarity and color, right? But the truth is beyond a certain point they’re all going to look clean to the eye, so after you’ve reached that point further clarity doesn’t get you as much visual gain as better color. Only an expert with a jewelry loupe could really tell you have finer clarity but most anybody can see the better color. Is it the same way with HDTV’s kind of, provided they have the same resolution?
I’m not married to the idea of a huge, 60" TV. I just don’t want to spend major money on, say, a 52" one and then find I could have had a far bigger one for the same price that would have been basically as good.
—Dave
You hit the nail on the head
I have an older 55" sharp CRT rear-projection and sitting 8+ feet away watching HD programming it doesn’t really look any different then the 46" Samsung LCD my brother just got.
Same with 1080p arguments, many experts can’t even tell the difference in blind studies
Rooo-D!
Yeah,
I think your analogy is good. It’s like in the “old days”, when we spent lots of money on stereo equipment. there is a price point where there are definitely diminishing returns. Can anybody really tell the difference between the $1,000 receiver and the $10,000 amp and pre amp? Probably yes, but is the difference worth it? Would you rather have 4 bottles of $20 wine, or one $80 bottle? In this case, you get your TV home, it looks a lot bigger than you are used to, and you are blown out by the picture, whether it’s the Vizio or the Pioneer. One other thing. I don’t think you will ever regret getting one that’s too big (provided my other comments about reg. def don’t apply), but you may regret too small.
Sounds reasonable
Especially since it’s not like I’m going to have that other TV sitting right next to mine to compare.
—Dave
Also in regards to non-HD programming
I don’t have first hand experience, but if you have or get a nice AV receiver many of them include upscaling of standard def to 1080. And of course you will want to have a nice AV receiver with surround sound and subwoofer as well….adds to the atmosphere a ton
Rooo-D!
That doesn't help much,
if at all. I was hoping that it would clear standard def up a bit, but it doesn’t. What it does do, though, is allow you to use just one cable (HDMI) from the surround receiver to the TV and one from the Sat. receiver to the surround. It’s late, I’m confusing myself.
where in Southern Oregon?
I used to live in Roseburg…
I've made eye contact with Chris Dudley....twice.
by RoodiePhirnandizz on Nov 21, 2008 1:32 AM PST up reply actions
Good ol' Glide
i went to Glide High my freshman year…
I've made eye contact with Chris Dudley....twice.
by RoodiePhirnandizz on Nov 21, 2008 1:54 AM PST up reply actions
hahaha
there is a reason i only went there for one year… RHS is a little better i suppose.
I've made eye contact with Chris Dudley....twice.
by RoodiePhirnandizz on Nov 21, 2008 2:03 AM PST up reply actions
My daughter survived the Glide system,
and even proved to be capable of higher education afterwards. It is a wonderful place to live, though, provided you love nature, are uncomfortable around people, and can tolerate rednecks. I come up to PDX about every 3 weeks these days, and each time I come home I say AHHH!, This feels good! Now what?
yeah
i’m in portland now. i do miss being down south though. i get to go down there probably one or twice a month to visit with family and i love it. good chance i’ll end up retiring down there, although it may change in 40 years when that time comes… :)
I've made eye contact with Chris Dudley....twice.
by RoodiePhirnandizz on Nov 21, 2008 2:16 AM PST up reply actions
I'm just the opposite.
I’m almost ready to retire, and thinking about moving to Portland. I do still love it here, but with family, including grandkids, in Portland, and my wife pulling on me, we may end up there.
yes
Portland is truly amazing! i plan on sticking around here for a long long time. and truthfully i would rather retire on an island somewhere. that probably won’t happen but ah well. southern oregon is a good alternative. Do you work at RFP? seems like everyone down there is these days… i did this summer, pulling 4×6s at the handpull in the planer…
I've made eye contact with Chris Dudley....twice.
by RoodiePhirnandizz on Nov 21, 2008 2:27 AM PST up reply actions
I am feelin' my Sawmillin' Bros.
Hampton Lumber Mills – Tillamook Division is where I’m at..
Back on topic. 50" Panasonic Plasma (SAMSUNG 50" 1080p Plasma TV – PN50A550). Research told me I wanted a 50 incher for viewing at 12 feet away. That is about as far away as I sit in the room. I bought it from Newegg after reading a few thousand customer reviews/ratings. Gots it bundled with a 3 piece Bose surround system (Bose sim, I know), for under $2K delivered to my door. It has been a very enjoyable experience for the last 90 days.
"You're really making me feel good about myself, little man," says Oden as he starts dancing after scoring a goal. "You better come harder than that."
Oh ya, one other thang
This 50" Plasma weighs in at under a hundred lbs.
I am still looking to dispose of my (quit working) 42", 300 lb. CRT!
"You're really making me feel good about myself, little man," says Oden as he starts dancing after scoring a goal. "You better come harder than that."
I just measured my old TV
36"
10 lbs./inch = 360 lbs.
Seriously, it takes two men and a boy (at least) to move this thing. We have got it outta the viewing area and there it sits, for now. I remember the Big rear projector we had before this one. It served us well for @ five years. My most vivid memory is, after having it repaired a couple times, is pushing it out of the back of my pick up, at the transfer station. Sad. It had to be a 500 pounder. I was younger then.
"You're really making me feel good about myself, little man," says Oden as he starts dancing after scoring a goal. "You better come harder than that."
Possibility: Buy a Rear-Projection TV with extended (5+ year warranty)
One possibility that the notebook computer salespeople at Fry’s always try to sell on me is to buy a cheap computer with a massive store warranty. If anything goes wrong near the end, they will replace it with a better model since a) even the lowest-end computer replacement will be much better and, b) off-brands are more likely to go out of business, leaving you with a better replacement brand.
If a retailer is willing to offer an extended warranty on a rear-projection, you may either a) have a great viewing experience for five years or b) wind up with a fine replacement flat-screen for free. Seeing as how one poster (near the bottom) bought such a warranty, and you were considering a rear-projection, perhaps this possibility might be an added bonus.
Schonely got a raw deal. NO ONE gives Schonely a raw deal.
I'm not an expert, but I do know a bit about the topic . . .
My parents have a 46" Panasonic Viera Plasma and it’s absolutely insane. It really doesn’t matter what you go with between LCD and Plasma. I would however advise against DLP unless you are looking for a HUGE screen (60"+) or an especially low cost. While they are great TVs they are still based on an inferior technology. It is also worth mentioning that Plasma TVs use more electricity than an LCD.
The one “major” difference is that Plasma is capable of much higher contrast ratios. This is because when a pixel is black, it is actually off. With an LCD, a black pixel is merely blocking the backlight, and thus can never achieve a “true” black as some light shines through. The result of this is that a Plasma’s picture is theoretically better, although if you find a human whose eye can truly tell the difference let me know. This difference also allows for better off-angle viewing with a Plasma (probably a whole half-degree of difference, oh my!).
The last thing to consider is: Where is this TV going? If the room is typically well-lit and fairly bright, an LCD is a better choice because of the anti-glare nature of their screens and their brightness. A Plasma will be much better suited for a dark or lower-light environment, because its high contrast ratio adds depth and warmth to its colors which really come out in a darker setting.
Regardless of what you choose you’re probably going to be very happy. HDTV technology is no longer in the dark ages, and most of the early flaws have been fixed (burn-in, viewing angles, etc.). It really comes down to your budget and what technology is best represented at your price point.
Things happen for a reason they say, but I say there's a reason things happen.
Best deal on a TV right now
http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-Viera-TH-58PZ800U-58-Inch-Plasma/dp/B001DSYNB0
Dave, you need to buy this TV if it falls within your price range. We initially bought a 46 inch Samsung LCD from Costco, and it was a good TV, but size wise it was just lacking. Also, I find LCDs to be a bit bright, and the colors not as natural. Plasma’s give you a much better black level, and thus the contrast is much much better in plasmas.
In any case, a friend of our who is a TV connoseiur and researches these things for fun found this deal for us. Read the reviews of this plasma on cnet, it is absolutely the real deal, and somehow it is being sold at a 1000 dollar discount. You also get a free blu ray dvd player. If you can spend up to 2500, this is by far the best tv for your money. The 58" screen is also massive and equally beautiful. The TV itself is amazing, and you throw in the deal, it’s an absolute steal.
When you know what features you want...
Look at this website www.slickdeals.net
They update any deals that they can find. If you are willing to take the time to look for a deal… that is where it is at. Also look up some sites that have previews of the ads for Black Friday. There are some amazing deals on HDTVs on Black Friday… just need to do your homework and possibly stiff arm the timid looking elderly lady who tried to take the final 42" 1080p DLP from you.
I have a 37" Sanyo LCD
And it looks every bit as pretty as the same sized Samsung (which is widely regarded as the best you can get in LCD TVs) but for nearly half the price.
As far as resolutions go, I hear the rule of thumb is go 720p for anything 40" and under because you wont see a difference from 1080p at that size. Anything over 40" and you should go 1080p.
I did quite a bit of homework before I bought my TV and I decided on LCD because plasmas have issues with “burn-in” when there are static images on screen for extended periods of time (the scores on sporting events, news tickers, health bars on video games, etc) and tend to fade over time and evetually die out. DLP is supposed to have a slightly clearer picture with deeper and richer black levels but tend to break down in one way or another very frequently. LCD is also better in rooms with a lot of light or windows that the sun shines through as they produce the least “glare” from light sources of the 3 types. Plasmas are best suited to very dark rooms.
Oh Yeah...
STAY AWAY FROM NO NAME BRANDS!!!
+1
Sceptre and West-something…ehh….Westinghouse…Mad Money Prez says DON’T BUY DON’T BUY DON’T BUY
Whoever was posting Oden up....was just stupid.
by Eventine
Thanks for the sickdeals link
Made me run across this… http://hdguru.com/psst-do-you-want-the-best-value-in-big-screen-hdtv-get-a-dlp-hdtv-at-an-incredible-new-low-price/319/
apparently that ridiculously huge TV might be had for even cheaper after this weekend Dave
Rooo-D!
The best advice I can give you
is to research whatever models you may be considering at the AVS forum – www.avsforum.com – if you are interested in getting the best video quality for your dollar. There are specific technical issues that are very important to sports viewing vs movie viewing and you can become educated on those issues there. Many of the experts in the video industry hang out there and will respond politely and with an appropriate level of technical information to specific questions that you might have – even basic questions. Just ask! I would suggest that you ignore most of the sites you find on the internet that offer reviews of video products. Stick to the AVS forum, that’s where unbiased experts and video enthusiasts hang out.
You will find dedicated forums there for LCD, Plasma, and DLP Rear Projection displays, as well as a forum for Flat Panel General (LCD & Plasma) comparisons and issues. There is a great search engine so you can just search on any issues or particular model numbers you may be interested in, and that will lead you to in-depth discussions on almost any current model including any problems the model may have. Popular models will have dedicated threads with sometimes hundreds of pages of information, and there are also threads comparing various key products. You will find some posts by “fans” of particular models, but the experts keep the discussion focused on technical facts and reality.
If you should wander over into the front projection forums and into the world of 8 foot wide HDTV images of Blazers games, I take no responsibility if it causes you to spend all of your money and you never want to go to the Rose Garden again. :)
"But we need a center", Inman said. "So play him at center!" Knight yelled back. - Bobby Knight on Michael Jordan prior to the Blazers' 1984 draft pick of Sam Bowie.
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Nov 21, 2008 2:11 AM PST reply actions 1 recs
AVS Forum forums
Display forums – http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=9/
LCD Displays – http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=166
Plasma Displays – http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=167
Flat Panel General – http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=40
DLP Rear Projection – http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=63
Front Projection – http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=24 (enter at your own risk!)
"But we need a center", Inman said. "So play him at center!" Knight yelled back. - Bobby Knight on Michael Jordan prior to the Blazers' 1984 draft pick of Sam Bowie.
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Nov 21, 2008 2:18 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
You can also search
for the exact model you are looking for. Great site.
I'm actually kidding
about the price of front projection. You can get good front projection these days for about the price of a high-quality (Pioneer) plasma panel. But you need a suitable room, and I wasn’t kidding about not wanting to go back to the Rose Garden.
"But we need a center", Inman said. "So play him at center!" Knight yelled back. - Bobby Knight on Michael Jordan prior to the Blazers' 1984 draft pick of Sam Bowie.
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Nov 21, 2008 2:31 AM PST up reply actions
Yes, but didn't I just say that above?
"But we need a center", Inman said. "So play him at center!" Knight yelled back. - Bobby Knight on Michael Jordan prior to the Blazers' 1984 draft pick of Sam Bowie.
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Nov 21, 2008 2:27 AM PST reply actions
Funny story: I was watching the Blazer games on the HD channel but watching it through the basic cable. That means
I was seeing a clear picture but it wasn’t HD. I just figured out that I had to input into the comcast cable box to get true HD. It’s amazing. I wondered why sometimes the games look better on HD than other nights. Someone was switching it from the cable box to the basic cable component.
Don’t let anyone mess with your TV.
Deals on Amazon
I picked up a 52" Samsung 650 series LCD for 2100 on Amazon.com in Sept. The same model was selling for 2899 at Best Buy.
If no one has recommended it, I’d take a look at Amazon for deals. I wanted to try their vaunted “White Glove Delivery Service”, and I wasn’t disappointed. They delivered it here, unpacked it in my living room, put on my TV stand and turned it on. We went through the basic functions to ensure it worked ok, then they left..taking the packaging with them. Worked out very well, and I got a heckuva deal.
You can pick your friends, and you can pick your nose, but you can't pick your friend's nose.
-- Unknown
My advice...
will be similar to what’s given already.
I recommend checking out Best Buy, Circuit City, Fry’s or whatever to see the picture, but then buying it from Amazon. I got my 50" Sony SXRD TV from there and saved about $600 and got free delivery and set up. My TV is too heavy/awkward for one person to move it, but doesn’t weigh that much for two.
When I bought my TV in early 2007, rear projection gave a better picture than LCD (don’t buy a plasma), but now I’d say they’ve all gotten so good you can’t tell the difference. My uncle has that big ol’ Samsung DLP with the LED source, but it just looks ok.
I would recommend Sharp Aquos or Sony Bravia LCD and wouldn’t get anything smaller than 42".
Dave
My advice is go Plasma, you will not be disappointed. Current Plasma TVs will last you over 20 years with little to no maintance. The fading issues or burn in issues that plasmas had were when they first came out, now the companies have developed technology to prevent it. Even with that, the only thing that can cause burn it is if you watch normal movies on a widescreen tv all the time as the side black bars can cause it, (however you can set them to grey and will never have the issue) or you can just watch things on widescreen like your tv was made too. Even if you decided to watch all normal size movies on your widescreen you would have to watch them for like 3 days straight with never turning off your tv to get the burn in. So my point it, don’t let the worry you about them.
Plasma’s offer the brightest contrast, colors, (including a very deep black, something LCD’s just can’t do) They also are better TV’s for your size range. Any LCD over 40" or so losses quality in picture. While Plasma’s normally start at aroun 42" and get better with larger sizes, their price per inch also stays pretty even as you go up, where LCD’s skyrocket.
DLP’s are great if you go really big, getting a 50" DLP is not what they were meant for, but if you want 60" or more and don’t want to hang it on a wall, go DLP (LED only!) and you will love your tv.
Hope i helped! Oh and if you live in Portland, don’t buy it anywere but at VideoOnly, and Dave please, don’t buy it online, :( that doesn’t help your local economy at all, plus if something goes wrong, all you can do is yell at a computer or over the phone. VideoOnly will beat any price, (just don’t pay the sticker it is like buying a car or sofa, you can offer less and they will take it. They will even throw in free shipping and set up to your house if you say you will buy if they do. )
If any of these TVs
have problems you will need to contact the manufacturer for service, no matter where you buy it. It is more important to check out the customer service of the manufacturer. Some have almost decent reputations, some are awful. I bought my Samsung even after reading a lot of dissatisfied customer relations stories. Luckily I haven’t needed them so I don’t have my own anecdotal opinion. Actually, some of the newer brands (Vizio) have better customer service reputations because they are trying to get established.
Just a quick note to agree with some...
Check several TVs you’re considering at a retailer, then when you’re ready, check with Amazon on price. They tend to be roughly $100 lower, and usually offer free shipping. I also found their prices chance roughly weekly….and that the absolute cheapest week of the year is the week after Christmas.
I’m partial to the Samsung plasma screens. Love the 50" size. Current generation plasma screens do not have anywhere near (none, really) the problems of early generation plasmas.
42" Toshiba 1080p LCD
I bought a 42" Toshiba Regza LCD last year, and I have to say the picture is absolutely amazing picture. The blacks aren’t as pure as plasma, but no bulbs to replace. If you want to know how good this TV really is, 2 of my roommates have also bought the same TV(yes we have 3 42" LCDs in our house….envy me)
Although Plasma Display Panels are capable of better image quality than LCD panels,
they are susceptible to “burn-in” (image retention due to differential phosphor aging). Although the manufacturers provide some limited mechanisms to reduce the risk, the problem still very much exists. If you read the owners manuals for these products you will see the warnings, and “burn-in” is specifically excluded (i.e. not covered) in the written warranty of Pioneer plasma panels, and as far as I know all other PDP manufacturers.
"But we need a center", Inman said. "So play him at center!" Knight yelled back. - Bobby Knight on Michael Jordan prior to the Blazers' 1984 draft pick of Sam Bowie.
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Nov 21, 2008 8:19 AM PST reply actions
I work in the industry
for the largest display manufacturer in oregon. While my focus at work is on displays for signage applications (which have distinct requirements from home video) I have had a chance to work with all of the existing technologies and attend InfoComm and CEDIA every year.
At this point the market for DLP is going away. TI (sole manufacturer of DLP engines) is in trouble as the home market has evaporated and flat panels have increased in size and decreased in price. Add to that brightness issues, cabinet depth (not an issue for everyone) and lamp replacements and I would stay away.
LCD is a terrific technology, and will come down in price significantly this January- combination of new manufacturing advances and the slowing economy will leave producers with lots of inventory and slowing demand. My company sells LCD exclusively in flat panel and while it is very bright, long lasting (60000 hrs+), uses less power, and weighs less compared to plasma I still believe plasma delivers a better experience viewing the types of content we watch on TV (especially sports). LCD cant deliver a true black yet….and the response time is still causing artifacts and motion blur and quick movement- football passes is a good way to see this issue-
Plasma has its downsides but unless you watch tv 24 hrs a day the display will last you a long time. You can find some 1080 sets and the size ranges are great. I wouldnt get hung up on resolution as WXGA is usually all the cable/satellite companies broadcast in and the game consoles are not there yet (I believe a Wii is only 480p still!)
The best solution is to go somewhere reputable (costco is fine) and actually watch the kinds of content you will watch at home…..notice at target and other retailers they play a special loop of content that looks awesome on LCD…lots of saturated colors and flash files…they rarely show sports because it wont look as good as plasma…. Demand that the retailer show you an HD feed of espn or another channel you will watch or bring in your own DVD or blu-ray disc.
LCD is getting better every year but I sell LCD for a living and I have a 50" plasma on my wall and I love watching the Blazers on it (except for the hideous Coincast feeds which looks terrible on any tv)
Hope this helps Dave…..good luck!
TP FOR 3
by WhereInTheWorldIsDontonioWingfield on Nov 21, 2008 8:26 AM PST reply actions
ESPN originates as 720p
so it isn’t a good source to evaluate the full resolution or picture definition of HD displays. TNT broadcasts NBA games in 1080i so it is a better source (higher resolution) to evaluate the picture definition of the monitor during still images. It is also critical to evaluate the picture definition and motion artifacts of the monitor during slowly moving images using a 1080i source. You will find some of the biggest differences between displays in that case because the deinterlacing technology varies dramatically between products. The best source for 1080i HD evaluation is actually an over-the-air ATSC broadcast from a local 1080i station, in this case KGW for Blazer games.
I would highly recommend not buying anything other than a full 1080p resolution (1920 × 1080 pixel) HD display, particularly for a 50" or larger display in the average living room.
Comcast provides excellent 1080i broadcast quality for Blazer home games (as does KGW), so apparently the hideous Comcast feeds you are talking about are standard-definition road games? Those feeds are normally not controlled by Comcast and look just as bad on NBA TV or KGW for road games.
"But we need a center", Inman said. "So play him at center!" Knight yelled back. - Bobby Knight on Michael Jordan prior to the Blazers' 1984 draft pick of Sam Bowie.
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Nov 21, 2008 9:16 AM PST up reply actions
I respectfully disagree about Comcast.
Their feeds look worse than KGW feeds. I actually watch the KGW feeds from the local Eugene affiliate, uplinked in standard def to Dish, and it always looks better (still pretty bad) than a standard def Comcast feed on NBA League Pass. I don’t have any idea why this would be, but putting the blame on the home team instead of Comcast doesn’t work. The Fox feeds of years past were superior to these new ones.
I've never worked for Comcast,
but video engineering is my area of expertise. I don’t doubt that you are accurately relating what you have seen, but concluding that Comcast is responsible is not necessarily true. I wrote a very lengthy explanation about what could be responsible for what you have seen, but then realized this was basketball forum and not a technical video forum. So let me respectfully just say that there may possibly be an apples vs oranges experience here.
"But we need a center", Inman said. "So play him at center!" Knight yelled back. - Bobby Knight on Michael Jordan prior to the Blazers' 1984 draft pick of Sam Bowie.
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Nov 21, 2008 1:11 PM PST up reply actions
I had to sign up just so I could jump in
When I worked at the TV super store the two best TV’s (obviously in my opinion) were the 32" LCD Sony and the 32" LCD Samsung. They are both Consumer Reports Best Buys and they rarely came back with any start up problems so they have that going for them… which is nice. They should probably be a little cheaper than they were six months ago ($800-$900). In full disclosure, I eventually bought the Samsung. People seem to like the Vizio’s but I don’t know too much about them. However, Consumer Reports did say that there were some start up problems. Thanks for all the great work and I am happy to finally be a part of the community.
by TheObjectiveMike&Mike on Nov 21, 2008 8:29 AM PST reply actions
What a great tax write off!
You lucky dog.
We bought a big Samsung 1080 (I can’t recollect if it’s an i or a p) projection TV a few years back and it’s been great being able to watch sports in HD… it really is a overwhelming difference in clarity. The downside is that the unit is huge (ahem… excuse me ladies) and has become a prominent piece of the living room decor. It’s not exactly art nouveau, you know?
That said, CSN doesn’t always broadcast in HD, although frequently it will simulcast the game on it’s non-HD channel 37 as well as an HD potpourri channel 788.
It’s fun to watch a game (of any sport really) and flip back and forth from HD to non-HD… it will blow your mind.
"When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car"
by you'vegottomakeyourfreethrows on Nov 21, 2008 9:41 AM PST reply actions
Dave, I studied HDTVs for about 2 months before i pulled the trigger...
Long story short, I ended up buying the Samsung LN46A650 and am 100% satisfied.
The picture is absolutely stunning.
Pros:
Picture
Beautiful Frame
120Hz processor (a must for sports)
Consumes a fraction of the power than my smaller plasma does.
For your HDMI cables and mounts, i would recommend Monoprice(dot)com.
when i get sad, i stop being sad & become awesome again. true story.
Ranger: i'm looking to buy the 630
what kind of mount did you get and how much was it? I’m excited to get this TV. Also, hows the glare on your 650? Are you using it in a sun-lit room?
nima,
Yes i am using in a sunlit room. glare is minimal. the ability to throttle the 120hz processor up or down per your situation is a nice feature as well. The 630 is a great set as well!
I have a contact at Video Only out in Clackamas so i was able to get this one for $1550 (approx. 45 days ago).
The mount is a telescoping (165lb rated) one i purchased off of Monoprice for around $80.
when i get sad, i stop being sad & become awesome again. true story.
I have one of each (LCD/Plasma)
The plasma is an older model (Pioneer PDP-4304) that supports 720P and the LCD is fairly new (Sharp Aquos LC-46D64U) that supports 1080P. The LCD has a better quality picture with regard to sharpness and moire. The Pioneer has much better depth-of-color and no banding issues (very mild in the Sharp, but present in pretty much every LCD I’ve ever seen). I’m happy with both.
My advice – do your research on AVSForum, try out each TV before you purchase any, and stay away from no-name TVs.
Good Advice
AVSForum is the best resource out there for monitors and displays.
by ColoradoBlazerFan on Nov 21, 2008 11:20 AM PST up reply actions
Another important thing to consider is a warranty.
This is all pretty new technology, and although some brands have certainly distinguished themselves in terms of quality, it can be tough to say what will last and remain quality down the road.
That said, I would strive for a lengthy warranty if possible. I bought a 37" Vizio from Costco about 6 months ago and I got a 2-year full Costco warranty, which comes on any TV you buy from there. I’m feeling pretty reassured knowing that, for the next year and a half, my TV is on warranty.
Oh, and the Blazers look great on there.
"I like blocks," Fernandez said.
Panasonic PHD-8UK
We’ve had our 50" plasma(720p/1080i) for over three years, and it still looks fantastic. We got it through Costco. Burn-in is really not a problem with reputable plasmas anymores, unless you run the TV during the first 100 hours watching nothing but CNN or the like (i.e. scrolling tickers) with the intensity cranked up. Most of the modern TV’s have an internal hour of operation counter, so you can run through the first 100 hours at a lower intensity, and then crank it up later on. Not only that, but more than 50% of the online programming is in widescreen format, so you don’t have to worry about protecting the two edges of the screen from ‘reverse burn-in.’
Regardles of whether you get a plasma or LCD, you’ll want to examine the screen very closely in the first few hours, and verify that there are no burnt out pixels. I had a friend who had to reject a top rated LCD (Samsung?) three times because of burnt out pixels! Crutchfield was pretty good with him – he eventually just went with a different make/model.
The contrast intensity of plasma is unbeatable, particularly if you like “dark” movies. I would buy my TV again in a heartbeat – mostly because it would be a few thousand bucks cheaper, now….
The advantage of the “monitor” style TV’s (those without built in speakers) is that the visual footprint is reduced considerably, and they are significantly cheaper. We have an AV receiver that already handles audio, so we didn’t need speakers for the TV, anyways. Sporting events actually have pretty cool surround sound effects – at times you can almost smell the beer and urine-soaked Pistons fan yelling incoherently from the seat down the aisle from you…
Best buy, hands down? Costco was selling Harmony remotes for $50 (after a 50 dollar instant rebate) last month. We went from 5 remotes down to 1 overnight, and there was much rejoicing. I can hit one button (WATCH TV), and it turns on the TV, the satellite receiver, the AV receiver, switches everything to the right formats, and leaves me top level buttons that control channel switching on the satellite, volume control and mute over the AV receiver and format control of the TV. I hit a different button (WATCH MOVIE) and it turns the TV input to receive DVDs, turns off the satellite dish, flips the AV receiver to DVD, and opens up the door on the DVD player.
One last thing: don’t blow a bunch of money on “monster cabling”. Snake oil hucksterism has reached new highs (lows?) in AV cable advertising. Don’t let fear of screwing up a high dollar component purchase drive you into spending ridiculous sums on pretty metal coils. Off the shelf (even discount!) HDMI cabling is plenty fine.
-t
Panasonic Plasmas are the best value out there in my opinion
I’ve had plasmas from Panasonic since they first came out and not only do you get the best picture for the money but they are reliable as well. I’m a total audio/video geek from way back in the day and they are universally acknowledged as being quality sets.
by ColoradoBlazerFan on Nov 21, 2008 11:24 AM PST up reply actions
Look at HD Projectors
Absolutely the best way to view HD content. I have an epson 1080UB, 110" image, looks amazing, extremely bright, and easy to move!
My girlfriend and I got a LCD vizio about a year ago....
She insists on leaving it on everyday while we are at work for our dog. I don’t think she realizes that he sleeps all day and is incapable of understanding a television show. Anyway, the tv has 1000’s of hours at this point and the picture is still as good as the day I bought it. I highly recommend one considering their price to performance ratio….
RUDY > MJ
Mitsubishi wd-73727
I bought this tv 2 years ago. It is a 73" DLP with a fantastic HD picture…….when it works.
It has a part called a light engine that has failed twice already. The only thing keeping me from using the lemon law is I bought the 5 year extended warranty. For 250.00 I have already got two 1700.00 light engines. I expect to use two more before the warranty is up. The company will lose money on this particular set. Punishment for my anguish. Save yourselves the trouble and stay far away from any Mitsubishi DLP. By the way, when the tv works the Blazers look great on a screen this big.
Pros, Cons, & Notes on each technology
AVS Formus is the definitive answer but below is what I’ve learned over the years of buying (and also currently looking for a new 55"+ TV). Short answer: if you have the money go Plasma. Also, I have Comcast but am planning on switching to Verizon FIOS TV soon. Have a TiVOHD & MCE for watching HD, both look great when Comcast is not degrading the bitrate (Verizon FIOS has the biggest pipes therefore the best theoretical HD picture).
Plasma
Pros:
Best off-angle viewing
Best contrast & blacks
No bulbs to replace
Cons:
Most expensive
Most power hungry
Can get some screen glare/reflections in bright rooms or opposite windows
Notes:
Fading & burn-in are things of the past for name brand screens (unless you watch it all day, every day, then it will fade after 15+ years or so)
I’m biased towards plasma, they have always won the eye test for me
LCD
Pros:
120 Hz can help motion blur somewhat
Least power usage
Cons:
Contrast & blacks not as good as Plasma
Off angle viewing is not as good as plasma
Expensive for larger than ~52" (and less selection)
Possibility of dead pixels (not a huge worry)
Notes:
In a year or so mainstream LCDs should catch plasma in terms of image quality and size
Rear Projection
Pros:
Cheapest per inch
Cons:
Non-uniform brightness & contrast compared to Plasma/LCD (may have brighter/darker “spots” but watch in person to see if it bothers you)
Off-angle viewing (horizontal & vertical) not as good as plasma
Bulb burn-out (unless you have LED)
Can’t mount it on the wall
Technology is going away so possible support/repair concerns?
Notes:
The irregularities of the lighting can be distracting but you get a lot of screen for your money. The new Mitsubishi Laser technology looks interesting too but its still kinda pricey.
Front Projectors
Pros:
Cheap for size of projected image
Cons:
Need dark room to get good picture
Bulb burn-out (unless you have LED)
Requires screen or wall treatment for quality picture
No speakers included
Can be more wiring than traditional TV setups (ceiling versus wall)
Notes:
Good for a theater type room but not great for a room that is lit normally. I’ve done the least amount of research on these so take this info it with a grain of salt.
Wow a lot has been written here, but since I'm in the same situation I'll throw in my two cents
Dave: If you’re going to get a LCD, which I think is best, you may want to splurge and get a 120hz. You can get a 60hz LCD for a few hundred cheaper, but let me explain.
Movies etc are shot in 24fps. half those frames are shown 3 times, half shown twice. this is called 3:2 pulldown. Using 120hz, it moves to 5:5 and results in a sharper picture during fast moving scenes like sports. Further, you might want to look at their anti-blur technology. I think Samsung’s is pretty nice.
Most bang for your buck? There’s a panasonic viera 42" 1080p plasma (I know you don’t want plasma) for $800.
Plasmas are generally frowned upon by those of us who play a lot of games because of burn-in. This is a problem in a game like halo where you have a radar on your screen in one spot for hours. For sports, though, the high action is not a risk for burn in.
Best features for price? LN40A630 or LN40A650. If you want a 46 inch, just replace the 40 in the model number with 46. The difference between these two are few. the 630 is generally slightly cheaper, has a slightly lower contrast ratio (that is negligible though), 1 less HDMI port, and most importantly, a MATTE screen. This reduces glare. I prefer it over the 650 which has a glossy, but reflective/glaring screen.
I’m going to get the LN46A630 as soon as it goes down to 1200 or so. I hope this helps Dave.
Plasmas Misconceptions
“Plasmas fade over time” is not an inaccurate statement but very misleading. Regular CRT tv fade over time. Any monitor that uses a lamp fades to a degree. The half-life output of current plasmas are outrageous. Unless you plan on leaving it on 24/7, you won’t see any difference for years with normal 6-8 hour usage. And then, when when and if you notice this horrible fading, you can pick up the remote and increase the picture setting. Crisis over.
Regarding this “burn-in” problem. This is way overhyped. Plasmas can have “ghosting” and “burn-in.” These two things are very different. Ghosting goes away fairly quickly and burn-in can never go away. You have to have a Plasma running with a really high picture/contrast setting (read-how much high voltage the plasma applies) and leave the image on the plasma for hours and hours for burn in to happen. I’ve played all sorts of video on even the original plasmas and never had any problem. Provided you have the picture/contrast setting at a normal level.
I’ve had Plasma for 8 years now (Panasonic) and from an image experience, I believe it is the most organic picture there is, and, it is easier on the eyes after prolonged viewing. Eye fatigue is different for different technologies and this aspect is rarely discussed but really important. LCDs can look very impressive and “sharp” or have images that seem to “pop.” However, if we reference our own self’s monitor (brain image processing) reality it isn’t like that. The eyes and brain know this and therefore eye fatigue occurs when viewing things unnatural. LCDs, DLPs, etc. have improved but there are some who are bothered by certain effects due to the nature of generating the image.
Part of my job is evaluating/obtaining high resolution images from an electron beam microscope (after I fix the dang thing) and so I know that “image is everything” as some of my images are up to 20 million times magnification. I mention this to illustrate that I have some experience with high end monitors and imaging equipment. Plasma to my eyes is the easiest and most natural image out there at this time for a reasonable price.
For some it’s not a problem, for others, after watching 4 or 5 hours of some types of TVs, they want to stop watching. So at least give yourself some time to really watch different technologies as different effects cannot be perceived with short demonstrations.
by ColoradoBlazerFan on Nov 21, 2008 11:51 AM PST reply actions
Panasonic Plasma
50", 1080P, Panasonic Blu-Ray and Verizon FIOS. .
Outstanding picture, especially from wide angles, can have 10 people in the living room and all can see the picture (unless it is comlast, worst picture quality of any station).
Got the TV for $1700 delivered, $1000 off the list and 800 less than best local price from Amazon about a year ago, very happy with it and the new Panasonic models are even better. I like it better than the Pioneers that were 2 or 3K more. It has an anti-glare finish which eliminates any problems from all but the brightest days (the tv sits opposite the a tall but narrow front window).
Blu-Ray discs are incredible. Upconvert to 1080i for older movies is very very good.
Xbox looks great on it too.
If you shoot the messenger often enough, the message stops being delivered.
A vote for front projection
Most of this has been said before, but I’m not sure that enough emphasis has been put on the upside of front projection. 110" makes 50" look like an old 19" CRT. No joke. Once you get used to that size, you will start to wonder why everyone else has such small TVs ;)
Light control is, of course, an issue. If you’re putting this in your brightly-lit living room, it’s probably not an option. I’ve got mine in a day-lit basement and do most of my watching at night. It’s just fine, even with some dim lights on in the room.
Speed is not an issue. Blazers in HD is stunning. As are blue-ray movies.
Just my $0.02. But I would say you should at least see it before buying anything else.
LCD
I have a plasma and an LCD and it’s not really close. My plasma had to go to the shop after only 9 months and I was without it for 2 months!!! That was probably Toshiba’s fault but still.
My LCD is a 1080 and has a crystal clear beautiful picture.
That is what I would go with.
This is Jack burton from the PorkChop Express and I'm talkin to whoever's out there.....
Panasonic Plasma also
yeah I love my 50" Plasma, way better to watch sports on than LCD from what I could tell and research- don’t worry bout the fade as that won’t happen for a really long time and then at least you can still watch, unlike LCD that when it is gone it is gone all the way. so imho i would say you can’t really go wrong with a good brand either LCD or Plasma but just get one – you won’t regret it!
REMEMBER: the signals and settings are always way jacked up in the big box stores, so it is so hard to tell how nice they really can be – and they all look great once it is in your living room!
oh I love my xbox 360 in HD!! WOW
GO BLAZERS! DFA THIS YEAR
i also have panasonic plasma — 42", 1080. if i was going to do it again, i would have gone one or two sizes bigger but i’m not complaining. the 42" still looks great more than a year later…
i regularly find myself in restaurants/bars wishing they had better tvs. that is the sign of a good tv i think — when public establishments have to step their game way up to compete with the living room.
my dad went huge and got a sony bravia lcd.
i think sports look sharper on my plasma than his lcd.
agree with ripped city above, xbox looks filthy in HD.
Power Consumption: LCD Much Better than Plasma
I haven’t seen this point mentioned yet.
I’m sure this can vary, but pound for pound, everything else equal, LCD’s are much more power efficient than Plasmas. For me, this was the deciding factor, especially since my 46" 1080P LCD was pretty good pricewise. This site (http://www.lcdtvbuyingguide.com/lcdtv-plasmavslcd.shtml) claims LCD’s hog about 1/2 the power used by plasmas. Both will use more than a CRT.
Miscellaneous confirmations of other posts:
- Insist on 1080P. I have a home theater pc and for that, it works great.
- Get ready to hate anything not broadcast in HDTV. The viewing experience is astounding and the media aren’t doing justice to the monumental difference. Especially sporting events. Everything (golf tournaments, soccer, football, and especially hockey) just blows your mind in hi-def.
Bill Simmons has some good rants about this; he’s the world’s most famous hi-def junkie.
Regular Comcast Is Barely Visible
My Toshiba LCD HD set is really good for KGW, ESPN and TNT. Comcast regular broadcasts (the majority) are pathetic and a big screen will accentuate their very inferior picture quality. Looks like a tape of a vintage Clyde game.
One more thing: HDTV means you can see more court space
The 16:9 aspect ratio in hi-def ABSOLUTELY lets you see more of the court; you’ll see off-the-ball stuff like never before.
Dave: you will wonder how you ever manged to watch hoops without this.
Amazing
Ask for a little advice and look at the avalanche! Since everything has been endorsed, supported, villafied and undercut what do you take from this? I get that people LOVE their TV’s. I’m just kind of amazed at the volume, haven’t seen this much commentary since Rebbeca Harlow dangled a shoe.
"Mother Nature started this fight, I think it's about time we ended it!"
My Experience
We ended up with about $2,000 of unexpected money so my wife and I set out to get the “biggest and the best TV,” that fit our needs and and was in that price range. One entire wall of my living room is glass, so in the daylight, I had to cover the windows in dark blankets if I wanted to watch TV. Besides glare, my other concern was refresh da kine, because sports are on the TV about 80% of the time it is powered on.
I used Wikipedia, Blazers Edge, and went to three stores before I bought a 50 inch Panasonic Vieta with glare protection and a TV stand that allows me to pivot the TV so I can watch it while I’m in the kitchen. We made sure it had that 1080whatnot because we don’t plan on buying another TV for at least 10 years.
My wife and I are both happy with the TV. We use an HDMI cable and almost exclusively watch HD channels since we bought it. How It’s Made is so lame and fascinating all at the same time. We have cable because our building doesn’t allow dishes.
Here is a picture of the first day I set it up. I ran an antenna out the window just to see the difference between cable and da kine antenna. The pivoting TV stand in always impresses visitors. We bought the TV and TV stand for about $2,100 and we have a sales tax here.
REMOTES MATTER
I helped my mom choose an LCD for my Dad and recommended an Olevia 537, based on reviews around the web. I’ve been sorry ever since. He’s got Comcast and the remote doesn’t work with the TV.
We tried a mid-range universal remote that worked for each, but it just wasn’t as easy to use with Comcast as their remote and they stopped using it.
The picture does look great, however.
I’ve got a 720p Sony now that I love. It is easy very easy to use and looks fantastic.
Hey Dave
I got a little bit of knowledge for ya on the subject. I currently own a rear-projection DLP HDTV (50", lucky, i know!). If you play video games along with watching sports, its going to be a little better for you because you won’t have to worry about images being burned into the screen like you would with both plasma and LCD. As you mentioned, another great thing about DLP is that you’ll get a little bit more bang for your buck as far as screen size goes.
Now, my brother has a 32" Olevia LCD TV, and I have to say, the picture with HD is at least somewhat better than on the DLP. The other nice thing about LCD’s is that there are wall mounts you can get if you’re a little space conscious, so it won’t eat up floor space at your house (which I’m sure is awesome)!
"Smile! You're on a poster!!" - Mike Rice
I've got a 40-something inch Vizio LCD in the living room and love it; a small Sony LCD in the bedroom (which cost nearly as much) which is so so.
……………… The new laser TVs are coming, but a 50-incher will run ya 7 large this year, so they’re a few years off yet unless you’re getting a Wall Street-sized bailout bonus. My dad has a rear-projection DLP and I wouldn’t trade my LCD for his under any circumstances. LCD is the way to go in 2008.
"Sergio is clearly the MJ of 3rd string point guards!" —Mortimer Pritchard
HDTVs
I have two. the living room is a HP 42" plasma and I love it. In my bedroom I have a Panasonic 36" LCD. I have had the plasma about two years, the LCD about one. They both have given excellent performance. If you are able to get satellite, i recommend DISH. I enjoy NBA TV and am able to get it with a less expensive package than I would be able on DIRECTV. I have used both services and prefer DISH for mutiple reasons. IMO either is better than cable. I did research on the internet. Cnet has excellent articles about HDTV and HDTV receivers.
I haven't read through all of the Thread so i don't know if this has been said
but I got a 32 inch Sylvania in my room and I love it. It is a rather cheap brand for a t.v. but I have had them my whole life and every HD and non HD t.v I have owned by them have been super reliable and really durable. They are very well price. If you aren’t looking to spend the money on a Sony I suggest the Sylvania.
I also have a 50in plasma LG in the living room and it is another t.v. that is well priced. I haven’t had it long enough to tell you how durable and long lasting they are. I really do not like the Plasma though because if you leave a still screen on it for 10-15 min you can see parts of it burnt into the screen for a day or 2.
Also if you leave a still screen on a plasma long enough it can permantely burn the pic into the screen.
Let us know what you get!
Person experience with Samsung 63" DLP
We bought two 4 years ago (one for my son in Portland) with our last windfall. They have been terrific! No maintenance problems at all. We are on DISH and he is on DirectTV. I won’t watch much that is not HD now as my eyes won’t tolerate it. But HD sports on the Samsung are wonderful. Very versatile and no distortion. These are 1080i and it is great.
I know you know how to read reviews and shop for best price so I will just offer my satisfied experience. If I were to buy another now I would stay with Samsung and DLP for the best quality and the most bang for the buck. Happy watching!
when you’ve been in a dry land even a little dew looks inviting —Dave
"When you want to win a game, you have to teach. When you lose a game, you have to learn." - Tom Landry
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