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

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

The best 'name' brands out there are Sony, Panasonic, and Samsung. Shop around and compare picture quality and do some research on consumer feedback. If you go to CC or BB check out the floor models they have available, they're usually 25% less than what you would pay for something in the box.

Well, the best names really do vary based on technology.

Sony is downright overpriced.  Even if you get it on sale, you'd probably be better off getting something else on sale.  It's a solid 20% over comparable stuff (and yes, I know you have a Bravia, SD).  Samsung is the leader in DLP for LCD Projection, but it's not any better on flat panels than anyone else.  Panasonic is known for their Plasmas, but they lag behind on LCD et al.

Basically, you won't go much more wrong on any of multiple brands, depending on the technology.  Sharp ("Aquos") is still one of the tops for LCD Flat Panel.  Toshiba and Mitsubishi are around for some stuff.  LG, Westinghouse, Philips, et al are getting into the market pretty well.  Even the cheapos (Vizio, Maxent, etc) provide a lot of value for the money.

Frankly, most people don't have the other equipment (cabling, sound) for it to really make much of a difference.  However, if you plan on really doing it up, you want to check on two things: black level and contrast ratio.  The cheaper TV's usually don't do well here.  Also, if you're actually using the speakers on the TV, you have to be careful about the setup there.

As a footnote, I changed my mind on the LCD for the bedroom and decided it was basically a waste of money, which I'm documented to love quite a bit.  $950 + $199 for upgrade to the HDDVR from my standard DVR is just a lot of money to blow on a 2nd TV.  F that.

[Father Demon]

The thread that (thankfully) will not die....

I'm getting closer to a new TV to replace the 10 year old RP monster I have now.  I think I've decided on LCD HD, even though I will have to shrink from the current 53" to more likely a 46ish".  My viewing spots rang from 9.5' to 16.5' away from the TV.

What the Best Buy dude taught me:
1080p
120Mhz display rate
< 8 second refresh rate, especially since I watch a lot of football and some hockey
10,000:1 contrast ratio

I read this entire thread start to finish, so I get the stuff on the connectors.  I was leaning towards this one (Sony Bravia KDL-46W3000 46" 1080p LCD HDTV), but for roughly the same money ($2500-$2600), I found this one on Buy.com (Samsung HL-T5687S - 56").  It's DLP instead of LCD -- and I don't know much about that at all.

Thoughts and/or opinions??

[shorebird]

Sony is downright overpriced.  Even if you get it on sale, you'd probably be better off getting something else on sale.  It's a solid 20% over comparable stuff (and yes, I know you have a Bravia, SD).  Samsung is the leader in DLP for LCD Projection, but it's not any better on flat panels than anyone else.  Panasonic is known for their Plasmas, but they lag behind on LCD et al.

Basically, you won't go much more wrong on any of multiple brands, depending on the technology.  Sharp ("Aquos") is still one of the tops for LCD Flat Panel.  Toshiba and Mitsubishi are around for some stuff.  LG, Westinghouse, Philips, et al are getting into the market pretty well.  Even the cheapos (Vizio, Maxent, etc) provide a lot of value for the money.

I know a guy down the street who recently bought a Vizio, and the picture looks just as good as my next door neighbors Samsung. Both are LCD HD. I have a 53" Toshiba thats about 10 yrs. old, and these Vizio TV's are priced so low that it's really got me leaning towards heading over Sam's Club and buying one.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

I read this entire thread start to finish, so I get the stuff on the connectors.  I was leaning towards this one (Sony Bravia KDL-46W3000 46" 1080p LCD HDTV), but for roughly the same money ($2500-$2600), I found this one on Buy.com (Samsung HL-T5687S - 56").  It's DLP instead of LCD -- and I don't know much about that at all.

Thoughts and/or opinions??

Those two TV's are very different.  The Sony is a flat panel TV, and the Samsung is an LCD Projection TV.

Before choosing your next TV, you might want to grab a better hold of thw size you want and where you want to put it.  Flat panel TV's are the ones that can be wall-mounted.  LCD Projection is much sleeker than the old school RPTV's, though.  Mine is on a stand and I can put all the components underneath (DVD/DirecTV box/Receiver).

Basically, if you don't narrow down the search to what kind of TV you want, it will be nearly impossible to compare one to the other.

[mussa]

Well the Philips LCD I bought from costco a few months ago is giving me problems. I just moved it to my new place and went to hook it back up and the cable was not right. so i hooked up the xbox and nothing. hooked up a dvd and nothing. all 3 AVI channels(components) don't work anymore. I don't know how they got messed up. I didn't drop it or bump it hard. it was moved a mile up the road in the backseat of a car. padded and didn't move. this is so frustrating. emailed costco and have been on the line waiting for a representative for the past 15 minutes.....

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

User error.

But seriously, Costco will do right by you, I'm sure.  It might take more than 15 minutes, though.

[Seabiscuit36]

Costco is great for buying electronics usually.  They just swap shtein out

[SunMo]

plug it in

[paco]

My dad just got his xmas gift early today.  Its a 52" BRAVIA® XBR® series LCD Flat Panel HDTV (XBR4)

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

My dad just got his xmas gift early today.  Its a 52" BRAVIA® XBR® series LCD Flat Panel HDTV (XBR4)

Did you buy it for him yourself?

[mussa]

Talked to Costco and talked to Philips about my issue. Seems to be the back panel board which houses the component hookups is what went bad. they gave me a number to call to a local electronics dealer to come out and look at it. thank gawd for the warranty. i will probably be def. purchasing an extended warranty in the near future.

[phattymatty]

you must have gotten it from costco right after they switched their policy.  mine could break two years from now and i could return it for a brand new one.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

you must have gotten it from costco right after they switched their policy.  mine could break two years from now and i could return it for a brand new one.

Did you buy it today?


I'm probably going to be picking up one of the Vizio 37" LCD's pretty soon for a bedroom TV.  I don't see the benefit in paying nearly twice as much for a 1080p TV with a "better" brand name.  The specs on the Vizio (contrast ratio, inputs, etc) are fine.

[phattymatty]

my point was i have a lifetime warranty.  they changed their policy shortly after i bought it though.

[paco]

My dad just got his xmas gift early today.  Its a 52" BRAVIA® XBR® series LCD Flat Panel HDTV (XBR4)

Did you buy it for him yourself?

Its from both my mom and I.  My mom said "I will spend X amount" and I was going to thrown in money for an upgrade.  I was thinking a 500 dollar upgrade, but when it was all said and done, I ended up contributing 35% of the cost. 

(I was originally going to go with a mid level series, but then the damn salesman at best buy told me "Well, if he watches sports, you got to go with the XBR model".  Im a sucker)