HD TV Advice?

[Panella]

So, I'm finally moving away from the life of roommates and I figured I would buy an HDTV. This will be my first one, so to be frank, I have no idea what to look for when buying one. Most of it's use will be for general TV watching and PS3. I have no real interest in hooking it up to a computer. Looking for an LCD around 40"-42". Price range is around $1,000 if anyone feels the need to point out something specific.

From looking around I came up with a few questions, namely:
I see some models advertised with 120hz, how important is this?

How many HDMI connections do you generally use?

Are there any particular brands that get a big hell no?

Does the TV range I'm looking at warrant 1080p? Granted, most I've found in that range are 1080p anyways.

How bad of an idea is it to order online? Particularly amazon or newegg. I kinda live in the boonies. The closest store that sells TV's that isn't a walmart is over an hour away. Should I suck it up and make the drive or is ordering online "okay"? I already know to look at it in person before buying. It's more an issue of how big of a pain in the ass it is returning a TV bought online.

Is there any general "make sure it has x" or "stay away from y" advice?

[zoobernut]

I would give a big Hell No to Mitsubishi or any of the major "budget" brands. They will be cheap but will give you nothing but heartache.

I usually use 2-3 HDMI inputs one for xbox360 one for ps3 and one for DVD.

At the size range you are looking for 1080p will make a difference and is worthwhile.

Around the $1000 price range you can probably find a nice Sony, Samsung, or Sharp those are my favorite three brands of TV's in the LCD market right now.

[Kimiko]

Hmmm... in that case, opinion on a specific samsung model:

Samsung - 40" 1080p Flat-Panel LCD HDTV - LN40A550

[Tythera]

I can't speak to the 120 Hz thing as I went with a Plasma, but have you sworn off Plasmas entirely? If not, the Panasonic plasmas are really nice and relatively cheap and I'd check out the TH-4xPZ85u line. They make a 42 and a 46 model, and depending where you go you could get a good deal on those. They're phasing those out as new models are either out or coming out shortly. It might be worth waiting for those if you're open to plasmas, as the newer models are not priced much higher (~$1200 for the 42 inch model). Either line, in my opinion, beats the pants off any LCD in that price range. If you're opposed to plasmas though, you probably shouldn't have read this whole paragraph >.>

I personally ordered my TV in person, as the best deal for it was at Best Buy at the time, but it really depends on the online seller as to whether or not it will be a difficult return. I'd try to stick to Amazon (as the seller, not just the site) since they usually offer free white glove service and are pretty good about dealing with customers. Newegg might be good too for TVs, but I can't say I've known anyone get one from there and have any issues.

The other questions already got answered to a point, though if you sit far (>6~7') from your TV you won't much notice 1080p. I personally use 3 HDMI at the moment though my TV has 4. I'd go for at least 2 on the TV, 3 is probably better if you can get it.

And overall, I'd say aim for a Sony/Samsung for LCD, Panasonic for a plasma. That's not to say other TVs might not be good, especially in certain price ranges, but they tend to look the best in their respective panel types.

[Tythera]

Hmmm... in that case, opinion on a specific samsung model:

Samsung - 40" 1080p Flat-Panel LCD HDTV - LN40A550

The 550 is a great TV at that price range. Going to be the best looking LCD compared to just about any LCD you can throw at it in the near $$.

[Kryssan]

Newegg has never done me wrong with any of my purchases and over the years I've put over thirty grand of purchases through them. I will, have, and intend to recommend them to everyone. Noone does it better atm than Newegg, unless you have a Frye's nearby and even they don't have Newegg's selection. Newegg also offers some very competitive extended warranties for high price products.



That said, what are you looking for in your TV? Size, color ratios, depth; all things you'll need to consider. Look at how they compare color ratios - do they actually use a color system or are they doing the black/white ratio? Also, look at warranties. LCD TVs should come with a dead pixel guarantee. If you go DLP, you'll probably want a bulb warranty as it'll save you some money in the long run. I don't honestly know enough about plasmas to recommend it. Personally, I love DLP because they are designed to fail - what I mean is that the bulb is going to wear out, but your TV won't. As long as the company still makes the bulb model, you won't have to buy a new TV. LCD will eventually develop dead pixels no matter what, and plasma - yeah. In the latter two cases that means buying a new TV. Of course, DLP aren't small and you can't hang 'em on a wall - so yeah. Just my personal preference. My DLP is a 62" Toshiba 1080i, for reference. I've had it since 2005 and I've so far been at a bulb every 8~9 months.


Any high end company is going to be worthwhile, and honestly, most of the time you'll get what you pay for. A few exceptions with some of the brand name TVs. If you want, and I'd honestly recommend, go to Newegg or a similar computer/electronic review site and review what people personally thought of the product before buying.

[Penthesilea]

everyone's covered what i'd say, but i want to reiterate that you shouldn't ignore plasmas. best picture quality on a TV set you'll see (unless it's mid afternoon and windows are shining on it from 3 sides)

[Calina]

Hmmm... in that case, opinion on a specific samsung model:

Samsung - 40" 1080p Flat-Panel LCD HDTV - LN40A550

i have this myself got it a few months ago and love it

use it for a PC monitor for 2 PC's and for my HD cable box and still plenty of connections left for other devices

its built in speaks are ok better then some others ive heard

only real problem i found with it is the crappy remote definitly get a logitech harmony or to repleace it soon as you can unless you like big bulky remotes with huge buttons that only control 1 device lol

ganna buy a 880 myself soon

[Furtwangler]

120 Hz will be a big deal if you watch lots of high action/speed stuff, such as sports (assuming you have an HD feed) You'll notice less blurring and more sharpness and a better picture overall.

I would always suggest buying irl, or as you've said at least looking at the models irl. even though specs may be better, some sets just seem to look better than others.

The 1080p and even the 120hz to a degree will matter on your viewing distance, anything less than 10ft I'd say you will notice a difference especially with the 120hz panels. I'm around tvs all day at work and I could pick the differences out with little effort.

I've said this in another thread previously but I think Toshiba's sets really get overlooked. I know of about 3 customers particularly that have had us special order Sony sets and although they look great, within a year they have something wrong with them, maybe just quicidence, idk. It's been 3 years where I work right now of us carrying toshibas and we haven't had one failure yet, + they look great.

[Boyiee]

Don't mean to hijack, but how good are the LED-DLP's?

I currently have a 46inch 720p/1080i dlp in my room and its nice for my xbox/ps3... my dad wants a new 1080p tv downstairs, and an LCD at 52inch is 2grand, where he found a 60inch LED-DLP for 1400. I hear the bulbs last longer and such, and a larger tv is always a win, just in the store I saw the 52inch LCD and it looked awesome.

[Tythera]

DLP what you gain in size you lose in viewing angle, if you sit primarily level with the TV and not too much to the sides then DLP is actually pretty decent.

[Furtwangler]

with most newer dlps, I would say the picture rivals if not beats even plasma in depth and how fine it is, IF you're at a good viewing angle like Tythera said. If you're looking at it head on and at the same level, it looks awesome, otherwise avoid it if you move around alot.

[Darkprophecy]

Hmmm... in that case, opinion on a specific samsung model:

Samsung - 40" 1080p Flat-Panel LCD HDTV - LN40A550

I agree everything in our house is Samsung, the monitor for PC and the TV in the familyroom/den... Sadly I get suck playing 360 on a shity 27" Panisonic old school tube tv from back in like 1998... lol.

Only real thing i'd stay away from is projection and plasma (lol such junk imo)

[Boyiee]

Like I said I have a dlp so i know it's a decent tv with a nice picture. The contrast ratio on the new ones is amazing, and we sit level with the tv. Viewing angle is the only issue but still, when you have to pay 2k for a 50"LCD, and can get a 60-70inch DLP for the same price, it's hard to decide.

I don't know much about the LED DLP's is the problem, I hear the problem with DLP's is the bulb dies and its expensive to fix, so the LED last longer or something.

[aalryn]

Word of advice: since you will be using it for ps3 do not by a plasma. Plasma run the risk of burn-in after periods of extended play which LCDs do not.

That being said, stay away from budget brands. You do not save much money going to them over others ever since the huge price adjustment this last December. Reliable brands include samsung and Sony (which are actually the same TV. They are even manufactured in the same factory) and Panasonic. If you go with budget brands your more likely to see dead pixels creep up.

120hz doesn't really mean much. Don't feel bad going without it. Look for 3-4 hdmi inputs unless you are planning on getting a home theater system with HDMI switching/upconvert.

If you want the best bang for your buck and can completely control the light in the room you may want to think about a projector. Prices are super low on them now. You can easily pick up a 1080p projector and a screen for less than most good 42" LCD tvs, and trust me when you have a 100"+ screen on your wall with a better picture quality than an LCD tv you'll never go back. I have had mine for a few months now and have yet to bother with my 52" Sony XBR LCD tv since. As far as a "big enough room". I'm only sitting about 11' away from mine.

If you want to look a little more into PJ systems check out avsforums.com

Ps. There is nothing better than playing SF4 or 4 player little big planet on an 8' wide screen on your wall.



Edit: saw someone mention toshiba. They make really good tvs too I have to agree.

[Tythera]

Burn in on good plasmas is a thing of the past. I ran a break in DVD for ~100 hours, only up to about 150 hours do you really run a risk of any kind of burn in. I've had my plasma for a while now and I've watched ESPN/2 or played a console with a HUD for ~8 hours straight and have yet to see any burn in.

[richardd]

just out of curiousity, would any of you consider buying a refurbished HDTV? im really leaning towards it tbh. You're buying a TV that you KNOW will work and has 0 dead pixels. The only risky thing is the warranty, but you can purchase a 3 year in most companies you get it from for an extra 200 bucks or so.

i want a 120hz fosho. If you walk into a best buy and see a standard 60hz and a 120hz next to each other, the difference is there. But the only problem is that the prices i want are are a bit cheap i guess than what the going standard prices usually are.

So here was my CHEAP solution

at 1st i was going to go to newegg and just purchase the samsung LN series brand new...

but i found a couple cool refurb HDTV's, if you want to take the risk.
this one stands out to me the most.
SAMSUNG LN-T5271F $1,349.95 - RefurbDepot.com

my friend just bought this EXACT tv, refurb and all, for her new apartment and invited me to watch a movie. The entire time i wasnt even focused and going crazy looking for dead pixels, scratches or anything you would normally expect from a refurb TV, but it was as if she bought it brand new. And its also glossy on the outside like the newer samsungs. Its packed with a 120hz but the only diff is this one is a 25000:1 ratio while the newer is 50000:1.

this is a pic i found on google to give you an idea on how close it looks to the newer red-touched samsungs.
http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/2344/43301109ln3.jpg

so your looking to spend approx 1300 depending on the dealer. not including the shipping/warranty. Which really isnt bad at all for a 50+ in 1080p 120hz HDTV


if you want to go the cheaper route, i also found this one:
VIZIO 47" SV470XVT LCD 120Hz 1080p FULL HDTV - eBay (item 290303439449 end time Mar-23-09 17:22:58 PDT)

i really dont know how i could go about recommending it though, which is why im having difficulty seeing if i need it myself lol. I only know 1 guy with a Vizio and its actually a plasma. He said he never had any problems with it but meh. I have a better gut feeling with Samsung..

but im still looking. If you all know any good deals out there, lemme know or send a PM. seriously!

[SnickySnacks]

I'm a big fan of DLPs (no burn in being the major factor in my original purchase).
My first Samsung DLP 61" cost something like $4500 and lasted almost 5 years before the bulb went (cost $230 to replace). Eventually sold the tv due to 2 dead pixels + a problem with the analog tuner.

Now I have a 67" LED DLP from samsung and it's even brighter and nicer looking than my 61" ever was (they've had some very nice technological improvements in the last 4 years) plus it cost only $1900 shipped.

I'm not saying DLP is perfect (the technology itself has it's own particular quirks) but I found it to be a good choice for gaming.

[Correction]

Hmmm... in that case, opinion on a specific samsung model:

Samsung - 40" 1080p Flat-Panel LCD HDTV - LN40A550

Not out of spite to Kimiko (I love Samsungs) but my bit of advice: Do NOT fucking buy your TV at Best Buy.

Same TV, 160 bucks less, free shipping:

Samsung LN-40A550 40" Series 5 1080p LCD HDTV (LN 40A550) at Vanns.com | features

Make absolutely positively sure you're getting the best possible price. I'm picking vanns because it's where I bought my Samsung, but feel free to look around for better prices. I can only speak to my positive experiences with the vendor I paid ~1700 for my 7 series. The shipping was timely, professional and best of all I didn't have to deal with GeekSquad or extended warranty upsells.

[richardd]

Not out of spite to Kimiko (I love Samsungs) but my bit of advice: Do NOT fucking buy your TV at Best Buy.

Same TV, 160 bucks less, free shipping:

Samsung LN-40A550 40" Series 5 1080p LCD HDTV (LN 40A550) at Vanns.com | features

Make absolutely positively sure you're getting the best possible price. I'm picking vanns because it's where I bought my Samsung, but feel free to look around for better prices. I can only speak to my positive experiences with the vendor I paid ~1700 for my 7 series. The shipping was timely, professional and best of all I didn't have to deal with GeekSquad or extended warranty upsells.

wow nice site. thanks man!

7 series is a beasttttt