HDTV assistance please
 

My dad has decided to make the jump to HD and is going big.

I would love some help finding him a few choices of 60" HDTVs around the $2000 and under range.

Found a Sony Bravia at Sears for $1699
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...000P?adCell=W3

the same TV at Newegg is $1999.

Any opinions or other options you may know about would be appreciated. Also, is the one at sears a good option or should I have him wait until next week for the superbowl sales?

God damn, the TVs are getting cheap. Thank you, worthless 3DTV technology.

I have a Panasonic Viera 50" plasma and a 42" Samsung LCD. I like them both very much. Sony makes good stuff, can't go wrong with any of these brands, really.

i <3 my Viera

Right now we are only looking at 60" TVs so those are the deals I looking for right now.

I am really curious about superbowl week though. Do they have big sales that week or only average.

It reviews out well, as best I can tell.

On a more personal note, a 60" is 43% larger than my measly 50".

Anytime in January is a great time to buy a TV.

Just to throw another option in there, here's a 73in Mitsubishi DLP for $1300.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...?EdpNo=6277547

As for Sony, they are supposed to make quality products. But I just wonder if they're really that much better. When I first looked at HDTVs 3.5 years ago, I remember seeing the Bravias in the stores and wondering why they were usually 1.5 to 2 times the price of some lower priced brands like Vizio. They didn't look any better to me.

Amazon marketplace seller has that Sony for $1306.

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-BRAVIA-KD...7&sr=8-2-fkmr0

The seller, 6th Ave Electronics is one I used when I bought my surround sound. Got a great price. So, if you're worried that its not directly from Amazon don't sweat it.

I had a Panasonic plasma I absolutely loved.

My parents have an older Sony Bravia they (and I) don't much care for.

Yeah, I have been seeing some dirt cheap DLPs but with it being kind of a dying technology I wonder if they are worth the investment. Also, you still have to replace the $200-300 bulbs every few years

I'd avoid a DLP, especially since plasma and LCD prices have come down dramatically.

LCD or Plasma? Either one better than the other? Does it matter?

Unless it's a 73" beast that is.

Same here. My parents have a 47" Bravia and I like the picture on my 50" Samsung plasma better. I also have a 42" Panasonic plasma that I really like.

For my money, plasma is where it's at. Unless you can afford the top-of-the-line 240Hz LED LCD models.

The reason the picture looks so much better on Plasma is due to the true blacks it can produce. LCD simply can't do that, the good ones come close. The fact that the refresh rates on plasmas are not an issue, helps too.

The bad things about Plasmas are the energy they use and the fact that they heat up.

An extra 13" of shitty picture? Where do I sign....

Discussed many, many times. I've had both, and plasma gets my vote. Best bang for the buck and much better contrast and deeper colors than LCD. Unless you have a very bright room, have no need for a TV 42" or larger, or can't get a TV that weighs over 75 lbs, plasma is the hands down winner.

New requirement. He is mounting this on the wall so that probably leaves DLP and Plasma out.

Is there anywhere on the net I can see next weeks department store ads in advance like blackfriday.net did for BF?

If you know the Pythagorean Theorem, you know how much of a difference 13 extra inches on the hypotenuse actually make. I liked the picture on my 50" DLP before I sold it just fine AND it was a 1080i TV. The only issue I have with DLPs is the light bulb problem.

Nowhere that I'm aware of.

Nothing special about the deal Sears is offering. Sony Style and Best Buy have it for $1699 as well. Sony is sponsoring/supporting the $800 instant savings on them. You can get the LED version of this TV at Sam's Club in Overland Park (Club#4707) for $1798. Better hurry though as they only have two left in stock.

Ton of good TV deals lately.

Samsung 63" 600Hz 1080p Plasma for $1499 shipped:

http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?t=2603589

that can't be wall mounted though right?

Only LCD and LED can do that I think.

Depth is listed as 2.8", weight 97 lbs. So it can be done, you would need a pretty solid mounting bracket to support it.

sure it can.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/su...09&cp_id=10828


Look for one rated for your tv weight, decide if you want fixed or adjustable, etc.

I am kind of an LCD guy. What kind of lifespan can be expected from todays Plasmas? I just don't want to steer my dad in the wrong direction.

Thanks man!!!! I didn't realize that monoprice sold mounts.

Monoprice is a lifesaver. They are like the anti-monster cables.

Most plasmas are 100K hours to half life.

Rod, where is this tv to be located? Is there a lot of ambient light? If so, I wouldn't go with a plasma. I would get LCD.

It will be in a 10' by 20' room with a large picture window on the west wall that a lot of light will bleed in on.

The salesman told me that high end plasma should last 10 years and a high end LCD should last 15.

Then I would say that your choice is obvious. LCD would work best. Plasmas have glass screens that create a glare in well lit rooms.

This is true. The good plasma screens have the anti-glare special coat on the glass, but I'm not sure how well they work. I never had an issue with mine, but it's never been exposed to sunlight so I can't be for sure.

there is one drawback to the LCD anti glare screens. Kids can scratch then the **** up. I just found this out a few weeks ago. Needless to say, my kids stayed away from me for a couple hours.:#

One thing about his room though, the sun does not ever get to the TV so I would imagine the only reflection he would see is the mirror reflections from the floor.

Hell, I don't think any of todays TVs are designed to last more than 10 years tops.

LOL

Give them some slack - they didn't know...

Fortunately the scratches are only noticeable when the TV is off. You can't even see them when it is on. It still ticks me off when I see them though.

You know they make an 82" now right? 82", 1080p and 3D compatible....this is what I'm aiming for. Bulbs be damned....it's 82"!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...pf_rd_i=507846

Holy crap!!!!!

JAYSUS CHRIST!

We just bought our second Panasonic plasma. A C-42" for our bedroom. Our other one is a G-54" in our living room. We TRIED to buy and use LCD in our living room and in our bedroom. The end result was we sent Sony, LG, and Vizio LCDs packing and bought outstanding plasma tvs for the two rooms we spend most of our time in.

We've come to the realization that we are plasma people.

This. I read that they would go thirty years at 8 hours a day before they lose half.

We have a Panasonic plasma as well. Fantastic TV with absolutely no issues.

Well, he didn't call me back tonight on if he wanted the plasma so he missed out on the deal. Oh well.

Guess I have to keep looking.

What on Earth were they doing to scratch your tv screen?

Hell if I know. It happened while I was gone. I do know it had to be my 2 year old based on where the scratches are. This is one time I really do wish all TVs still had glass screens though.

I've had a DLP for 5 years and have yet to change a bulb.

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_68960PK....html?tp=36003

Any opinions on this LG?

doesn't matter. He needs the TV to be wall mountable so DLP is out.

Plasma is your friend.

Opinions on this LG plasma for 1566

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16889005133

I'd be very wary of buying any Panasonic plasma right now. Their 2009 line of plasmas would have their black level halve itself after about 500 hours of usage. Without a significant adjustment in QC, caveat emptor.

That's a big plasma....hope there's a secure place to mount this bad boy.

Weight Without Stand 94.1 lbs.

I have a 42" Hitachi plasma in our bedroom and I'm very happy with it.

Just depends on personal preference. I happen to think plasma provides a better picture. I bought a Samsung plasma 2 yrs ago and havent regretted it for a second.

English, mother****er. Do you speak it?

:)

In the studs of course

Damn. He settled on this one Before I could tell him about this one.

I suggested he cancel the order but he didn't want to do that. Oh well. I'm sure he will still love it since he has been watching TV on a CRT all his life.

Crutchfield has amazing customer service IMO, so he definitely has that going for him. Nice purchase!

Agreed on that. They bend over backwards to help people.

I've read this. I've also read where aside from some AVForums that most people are not having this problem or if they are they don't notice the difference.

We've logged over 500 hours and have noticed NO decrease in blacks or anything which remotely resembles what the hysteria described. I think some people got defective units. Knock on wood, we were not one of them. Panasonic should address those who did. Unfortunately, their mismanagement of the situation caused what looked like isolated problems to appear to be widespread.

I would not hesitate to recommend Panasonic. We just bought our third. We did buy extended warranties just in case. But then I would buy it for any brand.

Pondering getting a 60-65 inch DLP TV. They are cheap and I like cheap.

Only question is...do they have the same clarity as LCD TVs?

Oh...this is the one...

http://www.amazon.com/Mitsubishi-WD-.../dp/B00166BNFS

It's a good thing it's cold there because I imagine that thing will be more effective than a space heater.

Why didn't he go LED LCD at Costco? They extend the warranty by two years.

They extend the warranty for no extra cost? Is this on all tvs or just LEDs?

It's all televisions. Even with the crazy sales tax here (9.75%), it's worth it to purchase from Costco.

They are high def just the same. I think the main reason they are cheap is that they are moving away from that technology. I looked at DLPs when I first started looking at high def tvs a few years ago. I remember them being just as good looking as other types of technologies. Except for the fact that when looking at them from an angle they aren't great for viewing.

That's really not that crazy. It's almost that much here now. :shake:
Well, it is crazy BS, yes. But its not exclusive to you.

I will definitely have to keep Costco in mind next time I look at tvs. My good friend is the meat manager at Costco in KC. I wonder if he could hook me up. :D

Oh, and they are thicker than LCDs and plasmas. Not as thick as old tube tvs, but much thicker than Flat panel LCS and plasmas.

Well of course they are hi def. I'm just wondering about the clarity/sharpness.

The sharpness of the picture on my current rear projection HDTV doesn't compare to LCD models I see.

I think they have just as much clarity (that's kinda vague, though) as LCDs and plasmas as long as you are looking straight on at the tv. I would recommend going into a few local stores that still have some DLPs for sale and comparing them yourself. You don't have to buy from them. Just go look to see for yourself.

Because this is what he wanted. Plus, we don't have any Costcos here.

If I'm not mistaken, LG got the Kuro Elite line of plasmas for themselves when Pioneer stopped making them. If that's the case, your dad probably bought one of the best PQ TVs out there.

Let me know in the future because they have an internet site that offers the same pricing as the stores (without tax).

I'll keep that in mind when I am ready to upgrade. :thumb:

Panasonic.

http://www.hdtvinfo.eu/news/hdtv-art...echnology.html