$1500 HD Plasma/DLP/LCD TV's... Comments, thoughts, suggestions...

[jAZ]

I've been looking for a new HD TV... I've got a $1500 budget and I want at least 42" screen.

I'm a complete neophyte on these things and I only know what I've been able to pick up in the last few days...

I've learned that with any projection screen (LCD, DLP, etc), I'll need to replace the bulbs in 3-4 years. Also, I guess they have side angle problems to some degree. But they are cheaper than the straight flat-panel like plasma and LCD.

I'm grateful for any thoughts in general. I'll be posting a few deals/models I've come across online or in the store. Any comments on those deals is welcome too.

[Infidel Goat]

I'd save a little more money and consider getting this one:

woo-hoo

--Infidel Goat

[Raiderhater58]

when ready to buy go check out www.buydig.com I bought my Toshiba 56" DLP from them for around 1200 less than the stores where selling them. I bought the 56HM195, Sears sold the same model for $3100. I ordered my TV on a Tuesday it was at my house by Friday

[Infidel Goat]

Originally Posted by Raiderhater58

when ready to buy go check out www.buydig.com I bought my Toshiba 56" DLP from them for around 1200 less than the stores where selling them. I bought the 56HM195, Sears sold the same model for $3100. I ordered my TV on a Tuesday it was at my house by Friday

I'd suggest using froogle to find the company with the best deal. On-line retailers (assuming they are well reviewed and legitimate) are almost always considerably less expensive than brick and mortar stores--especially BB and CC.

You'll have to add shipping charges (which aren't cheap), but you probably won't have to pay taxes which helps.

The buydig mentioned above does not carry Sony and won't necessarily be the least expensive legitimate on-line retailer for many tvs.

--Infidel Goat

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by Vegas_Dave

You definately need to go see them in person. Low Cost Plasma's are usually only EDTV in that price range and like someone else said, low black levels (that look more like Grey).

I would HIGHLY suggest DLP. I have the 42" Samsung DLP and frankly, as long as you are looking at it at viewing level, I have no "side view" loss of picture. I have seats up to a 150 degree circle of viewing (75 degrees from center on either side) around my DLP with absolutely zero picture quality loss.

Now if you set it too high or too low from a straight on sitting viewing angle, you can run into a little brightness loss there, but the picture is still great.

My model, I bought at $1498 many many months ago.

I am looking for a new TV as well and I really have decided on a Samsung DLP. Everywhere I have been the Samsung's picture is alot better than any of the others.

So are you happy with your Samsung?

[Raiderhater58]

no shipping , no tax

[jAZ]

Originally Posted by Raiderhater58

no shipping , no tax

Huh?

[jlscorpio]

a few places have no shipping. Best Buy and Circuit City both have free shipping if you order online. I'm likely buying a Samsung plasma in about 6 months. Samsung pretty much is the best brand across the board (Plasma, LCD, DLP) when it comes to HDTV. Pioneer is nice but very spendy, and I have heard good things about Panasonic and Toshiba as well. Ultimately, its whatever TV you fall in love with. I'd probably stay away from EDTV models, and as far as specs go, pay attention to what the contrast ratio is.

[jAZ]

So how much does the DPL bulb cost to replace on a Samsung 4666W? Or where do I look to find out?

[Valiant]

Originally Posted by jAZ

When I start looking at the specs, I start getting confused because I have not idea what's important and what's just mumbo-jumbo...

http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/nav...55&prDeTab=2#A

42" Akai HD Plasma TV ($1400)

Display:
TV system
Screen size: 42”
Pixel resolution: 1,024 (H) x 1,024 (V) native resolution for optimal HDTV performance
Contrast ratio: 3,000:1
Aspect ratio: 16:9
Brightness: 1,400 cd/m2
Viewing angle: 160° H/V
Response time:
HDTV compatible: 480p, 720p, 1080i input
Picture:

Digital comb filter: Digital 2D
Film mode pull down conversion: Yes
Color temperature control: Yes
“GAMMA” correction: Yes
Wide mode: Video: 5 modes (fill all, 4:3, letter box wide, anamorphic); PC: 5 modes (fill all, force 4:3, letter box, wide, anamorphic)
Audio:

Audio power: 20W
Audio outputs: 10W x 2
Tone control
Convenience:

OSD language: English
Closed caption decoder: Yes
V-chip parental control: Yes
VGA port provided for connection to computer
Input Terminals:

HDMI input: HDMI connector x1
S-video input: Mini din 4 pin x1
Composite video input: RCA x1
Component video input (480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i) RCA x 2 sets
Stereo audio input: RCA x 5 sets
Analog RGB input: D-sub 15 pin x1
RS-232 input: D-sub 9 pin x1
Output Terminals:

Audio output: RCA x1
Power:

Power source: 120V, 60Hz
Power consumption: 300w
Dimensions and Weight:

Dimensions: 29.7"H x 42.2"W x 5.2"D
Weight: 75 lbs.

I would stay away from akai and that price point on plasma's.. You are asking for trouble after your 30day return guarantee...

DLP's will give you the best bang for your buck at that price range for quality... You can go ahead and get the plasma just to say you have one, but you have a great chance of having problems with it...

[jAZ]

Originally Posted by Valiant

I would stay away from akai and that price point on plasma's.. You are asking for trouble after your 30day return guarantee...

DLP's will give you the best bang for your buck at that price range for quality... You can go ahead and get the plasma just to say you have one, but you have a great chance of having problems with it...

So last week it was shopping around online. Yesterday I visited Circuit City, Best Buy and Sam's Club. That's when I settled on either the Akai above or the Samsung DLP 46" also above.

Today I stopped in at CostCo and I might have added a new front runner.

It turns out that CostCo's return policy is unbelivable. They have an unlimited (time) 100% satisfaction guarantee return policy. If anything breaks (1 year, 5 years, 10 years) they will take the product back (with receipt) and credit you the original purchase price.

That gives me a lot more confidence in a lower price Plasma, knowing if it burns out, dies, looks weird or whatever, I can just bring it back.

So while I was there I found the Vizio 42" Plasma that's $1499. It's pretty decent and the online comments have been good-to-great. The image quality was fanstistic in the store. Noticibly better than the Samsung DLP which they also had.

I'm poking around now to make sure this is the best thing for me, but at this point its looking pretty good to me.

[jAZ]

That CostCo return policy saves about $325-$550 between shipping costs ($125-150) and extended warranty ($200-399).

[svuba]

Originally Posted by Valiant

I would stay away from akai and that price point on plasma's.. You are asking for trouble after your 30day return guarantee...

DLP's will give you the best bang for your buck at that price range for quality... You can go ahead and get the plasma just to say you have one, but you have a great chance of having problems with it...

Plasma hater eh? No need to justify your purchase by spreading misinformation.

Exactly what kind of data do you have that would suggest that the Akai TVs have a high failure rate? Has there been some documented history of people with failures of these tvs? Do you have some personal history with Akai plasma TVs. "you have a great chance of having problems with it" - - Exactly what facts are you basing this opinion on?

It is funny that there seems to be a group of plasma haters out there who spread misinformation about the technology, for instance one of the more common misconceptions is that the screen life is short, which may have been true for the very very early models, but the screenlife has been 60,000 hours on most plasmas for a long time now (6 hours per day for 27 years) yet you still hear people advising others not to buy plasma due to low screen life.

I prefer plasma (do not own one) over projection models because of the viewing angle problem. My BIL bought a 50" LCD projection, and the picture is really nice if you are sitting on the couch at the same level as the screen, but if you sit on the floor the picture looks horrible. He had a bunch of people over to watch a movie, and half of them couldn't really see it because there was only so much coach space.

[Kerberos]

Originally Posted by jAZ

So last week it was shopping around online. Yesterday I visited Circuit City, Best Buy and Sam's Club. That's when I settled on either the Akai above or the Samsung DLP 46" also above.

When I was selling TV's for a living MOST of the Akia models were made by Samsung.

When you called the warranty center they answered the phone as Samsung so that pretty much tells you who the manufacturer is!

Akai was a good affordable TV when we were selling rear projections.

DLP is a much better picture and is a good choice. If I were going to go with a new HD TV right now I would opt for the DLP just because of the prices that have come down considerably since I was selling them.

Good luck with your new purchase!

.

[Vegas_Dave]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

I am looking for a new TV as well and I really have decided on a Samsung DLP. Everywhere I have been the Samsung's picture is alot better than any of the others.

So are you happy with your Samsung?

Love it. I do wish it had more then 1 HDMI input but oh well. The only area that really takes some getting used to is whites & VERY bright colors.

Beacuse of the nature of the way that DLP technology works (miniature mirrors rapidly moving their orientation to reflect the color at different angles), you can get a "shimmering" look to it... bright white specifically.

However, once you get used to it, you dont even notice.

Also, make sure that you get whatever HD programming you can because Standard Definition looks like crap once you get used to HD.

Lastly, make sure that whatever cable/satellite box you use allows you to setup displaying in 720p. I know my cable box was set to only output in 1080i be default. This is fine for high detail... but for sports and fast action, 1080i sucks. You get a digital choppy picture with 1080i. With 720p, the detail may not be quite as high (though most cannot tell the difference) but when you get high action, you dont get the choppy picture.

With my cable box, I had to download the full PDF manual from the makers site (as Cox did not provide a FULL one) and was then able to turn on this feature. So now, my FOX, ABC, ESPN & UHD HD channels are all showing in 720p (since they broadcast in that format).

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by Vegas_Dave

Love it. I do wish it had more then 1 HDMI input but oh well. The only area that really takes some getting used to is whites & VERY bright colors.

Beacuse of the nature of the way that DLP technology works (miniature mirrors rapidly moving their orientation to reflect the color at different angles), you can get a "shimmering" look to it... bright white specifically.

However, once you get used to it, you dont even notice.

Also, make sure that you get whatever HD programming you can because Standard Definition looks like crap once you get used to HD.

Lastly, make sure that whatever cable/satellite box you use allows you to setup displaying in 720p. I know my cable box was set to only output in 1080i be default. This is fine for high detail... but for sports and fast action, 1080i sucks. You get a digital choppy picture with 1080i. With 720p, the detail may not be quite as high (though most cannot tell the difference) but when you get high action, you dont get the choppy picture.

With my cable box, I had to download the full PDF manual from the makers site (as Cox did not provide a FULL one) and was then able to turn on this feature. So now, my FOX, ABC, ESPN & UHD HD channels are all showing in 720p (since they broadcast in that format).

Thanks for the info.