So what should I get? (Television)

**HemiEd** · 05-13-2005, 05:36 PM

I bought a new 36 inch HD TV in January of 04, two guesses why.

Anyway I have had a lot of trouble (four break downs in 13 months) and have been successful in getting the manufacturer to take it back through Best Buy. ($1600) I do not like any projection TV that I have seen, thus I bought 36 picture tube model mentioned above. At that time the LCD units were well out of my price range. Does anyone have a recommendation? HD is a must, insights are appreciated and it has to come from Best Buy.

Fairplay · 05-13-2005, 05:54 PM

May i ask what brand of tv you bought that is giving you such trouble?

**HemiEd** · 05-13-2005, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fairplay

May i ask what brand of tv you bought that is giving you such trouble?

Toshiba, 36HF73. Incredible picture when it works. Damn thing weighs 160 lbs.

Fairplay · 05-13-2005, 06:03 PM

Tell me about the weight thing. Im going to buy a flat screen sony tv LCD when those things come down in price. The one i want (32 inch) costs currently $2200. Too much be be to justify spending at this point.

I was going to get a 34 inch Sony flat creen both those things way too much and are bulky.

Every review i read point to Sonys for best picture and quality etc. So personally im going with that brand. Which i have 2 and both have been very good.

**HemiEd** · 05-13-2005, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fairplay

Tell me about the weight thing. Im going to buy a flat screen sony tv LCD when those things come down in price. The one i want (32 inch) costs currently $2200. Too much be be to justify spending at this point.

I was going to get a 34 inch Sony flat creen both those things way too much and are bulky.

Every review i read point to Sonys for best picture and quality etc. So personally im going with that brand. Which i have 2 and both have been very good.

The weight grows proportionately with the screen size on a cathode ray tube. The glass thickness on the front part of this 36 is probably close to an inch by my guess. (I was in the TV business from 74-82, now they have progressed well past my competence)

Being a USA product homer, I bought this unit because it is made in Pennsylvania. The last time this thing broke down one month out of warranty, I took the chassis out and took it to the repair shop without the cabinet and tube. They sure did give me funny looks when I brought it in that way.

I am leaning towards a 50 inch LCD unit, but have no experience with them.

Fairplay · 05-13-2005, 06:17 PM

Projection tvs never impressed me at all. Thats good you're not going that route. Jeez Hemied i thought all tvs were made outside the US these days. Are you sure they still produce some in the states?

jspchief · 05-13-2005, 09:24 PM

I was going to suggest a Toshiba.

I have the exact same model you have, and love it. Like you said, the picture is amazing.

What kind of problems have you had? Hopefully you just a got a lemon, and mine will continue to perform well.

**HemiEd** · 05-13-2005, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jspchief

I was going to suggest a Toshiba.

I have the exact same model you have, and love it. Like you said, the picture is amazing.

What kind of problems have you had? Hopefully you just a got a lemon, and mine will continue to perform well.

It started out with going dead after a month. A power transistor went out. The tech said you should wait a least a minute between switching from high def to regular and back. (I was doing that a lot trying to get my wife to see the difference but she still can't)
2nd, it went just white. It was the high def board.
3rd, it lost horizontal sinc, another transistor.
4th. it lost blue. The people turned green and when you adjusted the hue to make them look right, the Jayhawk blue was muddy looking instead of blue. turned out to be another high def board. I did not believe the tech though, I think it was probably a color output transistor or something like that and he was soaking me and Toshiba since he knew we were jointly paying the bill.

I just asked them to extend my warranty for a couple of years and they decided to let me return it. Best of luck with yours, I agree I got a lemon.

jspchief · 05-13-2005, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HemiEd

It started out with going dead after a month. A power transistor went out. The tech said you should wait a least a minute between switching from high def to regular and back. (I was doing that a lot trying to get my wife to see the difference but she still can't)
2nd, it went just white. It was the high def board.
3rd, it lost horizontal sinc, another transistor.
4th. it lost blue. The people turned green and when you adjusted the hue to make them look right, the Jayhawk blue was muddy looking instead of blue. turned out to be another high def board. I did not believe the tech though, I think it was probably a color output transistor or something like that and he was soaking me and Toshiba since he knew we were jointly paying the bill.

I just asked them to extend my warranty for a couple of years and they decided to let me return it. Best of luck with yours, I agree I got a lemon.

Interesting. Sounds like a lot of your problems were related to hi def. I don't have a hi def tuner yet, so who knows if I'll have problems. I got the extended warranty, so it shouldn't matter.

**HemiEd** · 05-13-2005, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jspchief

Interesting. Sounds like a lot of your problems were related to hi def. I don't have a hi def tuner yet, so who knows if I'll have problems. I got the extended warranty, so it shouldn't matter.

Oh man, you are really going to like the picture when you get the high def.
This is the one time when I was wrong not buying the extended warranty. They wanted about a third of the price of the TV for it. I have a 12 year old 27" RCA that has never broken down and a 6 year old 32" Philips/Magnavox that has never broken down. I thought it would be a waste of money to buy the extended warranty. I guess I should be glad all of this crapt happened early. Best of luck with yours, get the HD when you can, you will love it.

**Fire Me Boy!** · 05-13-2005, 09:41 PM

Whatever you do, get a big screen... porno rules on big screens.

Miles · 05-13-2005, 09:54 PM

Have you looked at the DLP and LCD Rear projection sets?

Something like this would be nice.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1077628470384

**HemiEd** · 05-13-2005, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miles

Have you looked at the DLP and LCD Rear projection sets?

Something like this would be nice.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1077628470384

My buddy is trying to talk me into DLP, he bought one right after I got this one. It just pales in comparison to CRTs and Plasma in brightness. I have yet to see any sort of projection that does not have directional issues. They certainly are more economical than Plasma. I will look at the model you pointed out here, thanks.

Miles · 05-13-2005, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HemiEd

My buddy is trying to talk me into DLP, he bought one right after I got this one. It just pales in comparison to CRTs and Plasma in brightness. I have yet to see any sort of projection that does not have directional issues. They certainly are more economical than Plasma. I will look at the model you pointed out here, thanks.

Do you have a home theater store near you? They would probablly have a better chance of having the TV's set up correctly and not have all the overhead flourecent lighting.

My overall impression of the DLPs it that they can be really close to plasma. They have better black levels but not quite as crisp of a picture. Neither will have the picture of your CRT but IMO the CRT's are just not big enough.

If you find your set on plasma you may be able to find a decent 42" for 2k or so. I just saw one at my local frys today for that and it was true HD rather than the EDTV's you see going for that.

Valiant · 05-15-2005, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miles

Do you have a home theater store near you? They would probablly have a better chance of having the TV's set up correctly and not have all the overhead flourecent lighting.

My overall impression of the DLPs it that they can be really close to plasma. They have better black levels but not quite as crisp of a picture. Neither will have the picture of your CRT but IMO the CRT's are just not big enough.

If you find your set on plasma you may be able to find a decent 42" for 2k or so. I just saw one at my local frys today for that and it was true HD rather than the EDTV's you see going for that.

Im a huge DLP fan... They didnt have them out when I bought last... But for directional issues most big screens do not have the problem anymore... As long as you have the right cables and connections DLP are as close to plasma pictures and cost considerably less...

05-13-2005, 05:36 PM	Topic Starter
HemiEd Supporter Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ozarks Casino cash: $3180564	So what should I get? (Television) I bought a new 36 inch HD TV in January of 04, two guesses why. Anyway I have had a lot of trouble (four break downs in 13 months) and have been successful in getting the manufacturer to take it back through Best Buy. ($1600) I do not like any projection TV that I have seen, thus I bought 36 picture tube model mentioned above. At that time the LCD units were well out of my price range. Does anyone have a recommendation? HD is a must, insights are appreciated and it has to come from Best Buy.
Posts: 33,451

05-13-2005, 05:54 PM	#2
Fairplay A certain set of skills Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: texas Casino cash: $10026683 VARSITY	May i ask what brand of tv you bought that is giving you such trouble?
Posts: 25,265

05-13-2005, 06:03 PM	#4
Fairplay A certain set of skills Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: texas Casino cash: $10026683 VARSITY	Tell me about the weight thing. Im going to buy a flat screen sony tv LCD when those things come down in price. The one i want (32 inch) costs currently $2200. Too much be be to justify spending at this point. I was going to get a 34 inch Sony flat creen both those things way too much and are bulky. Every review i read point to Sonys for best picture and quality etc. So personally im going with that brand. Which i have 2 and both have been very good.
Posts: 25,265

05-13-2005, 06:17 PM	#6
Fairplay A certain set of skills Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: texas Casino cash: $10026683 VARSITY	Projection tvs never impressed me at all. Thats good you're not going that route. Jeez Hemied i thought all tvs were made outside the US these days. Are you sure they still produce some in the states?
Posts: 25,265

05-13-2005, 09:24 PM	#7
jspchief BAMF Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Your Face Casino cash: $9998710	I was going to suggest a Toshiba. I have the exact same model you have, and love it. Like you said, the picture is amazing. What kind of problems have you had? Hopefully you just a got a lemon, and mine will continue to perform well. __________________ Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the judgment that something is more important than fear. The brave may not live forever but the cautious do not live at all.
Posts: 27,207

05-13-2005, 09:41 PM	#11
Fire Me Boy! Cast Iron Jedi Join Date: Nov 2004 Casino cash: $9999900 VARSITY	Whatever you do, get a big screen... porno rules on big screens.
Posts: 35,253

05-13-2005, 09:54 PM	#12
Miles MVP Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Dallas, TX Casino cash: $1562400	Have you looked at the DLP and LCD Rear projection sets? Something like this would be nice. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1077628470384
Posts: 14,521