I'm in the market to buy a television & need assistance.

[smeags]

yeah, they just magically light up.

[SD]

Try to find something used or buy a floor model, you'll get a better TV for half the price. I saved $1000 on my flatscreen buying a floor model, 5 years later it still works as good as the day I bought it.

i did the same thing but you BEST get an extended warranty because replacement bulbs can be very expensive and the floor models are on 10plus hours a day everyday.

hes had it for five years...and didnt bulbs in tv's go out like 20 years ago with projection screen models

yup

and lol at buying an 'extended warranty' on anything. They wanted $650 for a 6 year warranty which - if I had wasted my money and purchased - would have expired next year. I'd rather put that money towards a new TV if this one breaks. It's a 40 inch Sony Bravia LCD XBR which is their top model and should give me 15 years of service.

[smeags]

ummm, there aren't bulbs in the LCD & plasma units? you sure ? thought they still used bulbs or lamps in t.v.s still and they are exspensive. when buying a tv new in the box, no i would never get a warranty but when a buying floor model you're taking a big chance and the warranty i bought was only $49.99 and it already paid for itself as the bulb in my DLP (yes five plus years old) was covered.

[ice grillin you]

since projection tv's in the 80's ive ever ever heard of someone having to replace a bulb in a tv at all...much less before its lifespan which is like 25 years...worst case a floor models lifespan might go down to like 15 years...and 49.99 is not buying you a 15 yar warranty

only a sucka would buy an electronics warranty...doing that is basically like buying a really expensive lottery ticket and then betting on yourself to win

[SD]

It's been 5 years so I'll either buy a new TV or replace the bulb if it burns out. So far that hasn't been a problem and the tv works great. I bought a 27 inch Sony Wega rear projection tv in 2003 and have never had a problem with the bulb.

[ice grillin you]

put it like this...retailers wouldnt offer those warrantys if the customers actually needed them

[smeags]

DLP's are done with but LCD's do use bulbs. obviously with plasmas using a gas they dont fall under this. but the life of these bulbs are not typically i think somewhere around 2k-3khrs which if you buy a floor model tv a lot of that life is taken away.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Bulbs are only in projection (including DLP-type LCD projection) TV's. Haven't heard about having to replace the bulb in a plasma/LCD flat screen. Also, the warranty is a great way to improve the bottom line of the place you buy the TV. They make much more money on warranties than on the televisions themselves.

[Sgt PSN]

since projection tv's in the 80's ive ever ever heard of someone having to replace a bulb in a tv at all...much less before its lifespan which is like 25 years...worst case a floor models lifespan might go down to like 15 years...and 49.99 is not buying you a 15 yar warranty

only a sucka would buy an electronics warranty...doing that is basically like buying a really expensive lottery ticket and then betting on yourself to win

I bought a Sony Wega in 2004 and last year had to replace the bulb.  Cost me about $200. 





I think you're getting confused with the difference between tube tv's (the ones we grew up with) and LCD rear projection tv's which are more recent technology.  Rear projection tv's were kind of like the bridge between old tube tv's and current flat panel tv's.  My Wega for example has a 42" widescreen display, but is only about 14" deep, so you can put it up against a wall and it's not going to stick out into the middle of your room.  But it's not thin/light enough to hang on the wall like you can do with flat panel LCD/Plasma tv's.

[smeags]

i never bought a warranty on an piece of electronics before but the samsung dlp unit which i bought had been on the display floor for a few months and the way my luck had been lately then i didnt want to take a chance. had it for just over a year and sure enough the bulb went. save about $130.

yeah, its like buying a lottery ticket but i guess i hit.


so, does anyone have a 3d tv? havent looked at one but are they worth it to look into now or maybe just wait a bit ?

[Sgt PSN]

From what I understand, the "experience" watching 3DTV is pretty good.  The problem is that (to my knowledge) no shows are being filmed in 3D and no networks are broadcasting in 3D, so the time you'd really use the 3D technology is through 3D BluRay/DVD.  So Avatar would probably be really cool but there just isn't a giant selection of stuff out there right now that you can watch in 3D.  

Kind of like when HD first came out and there were only a couple of channels broadcasting in HD quality.  Why spend the extra money on this new technology when there are serious limitations as to when you can use it?  Personally, I'll give it a couple of years until the majority of what's on tv is broadcast in 3D before I buy a 3DTV.  

[smeags]

thats what i'm thinking besides i get an incredible picture as it is and my tv's "should" have plenty of life.

[paco]

so, does anyone have a 3d tv? havent looked at one but are they worth it to look into now or maybe just wait a bit ?

Not worth it.  Not enough content, price will come down, technology will get better.

In fact, Toshiba has created a 3d laptop that doesnt require using those stupid googles, and they plan on using the same technology in their TV's in the near future.  (While the laptop 3D works only for one person at a time, the TV will support (I think) 14 people)

http://www.mobile-computing-news.co.uk/mobile-computer-news/9359/toshiba-unveil-3d-sandy-bridge-laptop.html

[reese125]

I feel bad for the 15th guy.

[paco]

Actually, it looks like they have already rolled out a glasses-less tv:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20018421-17.html


In 5 years, those glasses will look as out of place as a VCR does today.