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April 4, 2009
buying a flat screen TV
Have been to Best Buy, PC and surfed the web and although, i'm somewhat wise about electonics, I'm clueless about which TV to buy and what specs to look for. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. We're in Ditmas Park and use Cablevision, if that makes any difference.
thanks!
meg@megdarnell.com
Comments
Aparently LCD screens consume much less electricity then Plasma. So I would suggest LCD.
Also 1080p is better resolution then the 1080i. But you will only see it if you will use it with blue ray or one of the HDTV receivers or with computer. So otherwise it is overkill.
you can get 42" LCD 1080p for ~$750 in BestBuy. This is a good deal.
Posted by: bobjohn at April 4, 2009 7:36 PM
I'm about to buy a new tv too.
I've done a crap load of researching.
I've come to the following conclusions:
32 inch and below get 720p. 32 and under you wont notice the difference in resolution and you might as well save yourself a few hundred bucks.
Above 32 inch, get 1080p. Worth the expense.
The new tv's have "HDMI" which is a brilliant digital connection. To take full advantage you might have to upgrade your DVD player to one with HDMI, if yours doesn't already have it (I have to do that).
Personally I'm leaning toward Samsung. Consumer Reports latest issue has a huge break down of tv's and Samsung's did very well.
Personally I'm leaning heavy toward the Samsung LN37A550 (but the LN32A550 was also highly recommended)
As for stores, I only buy at B&H Photo on Manhattan. www.bhphotovideo.com
I've bought a ton of stuff from them, great prices, service, etc, etc etc.
I've bought a cheap digital camera there. I spent $40k on a corporate video setup there. Regardless I've always been treated the same (I might actaully head over first thing in the a.m. and buy myself the new tv).
Good luck
Posted by: christopher at April 4, 2009 9:18 PM
Where do you plan on placing the T.V.? In the basement, a bedroom or a kitchen? If you plan on having friends over for viewing sports or having a movie night in the basement, a screen over 32" would be wise. For bedrooms anything over 32" would probably be way to big and if you plan on placing it in a kitchen a small 19" would do. LCD definitely pulls less electricity than a plasma but they still draw a lot of power. Be sure that your electrical system is up to par either way. Do you plan on mounting the unit on the wall, placing it in a cabinet or placing it on a stand? A more light weight, sleek unit would be better for wall mounting. MAke sure that the walls/beams can support the weight if that is your intention. I prefer viewing wall mounted units. The wall mount kits can be pricey but make sure that you purchase an "arm" that fits the weight and screen size of the unit that you purchase. Depending on where the unit is mounted in the room, you may need a wall mount that swings out and tilts. Those are even more expensive than the ones that are stationary. For T.V.'s unde 27" Ikea sells a wall mount for under $25 that swings out and tilts the others go for $100 and more. Also take into consideration what you plan on connecting to the TV - Cablevision, Blue Ray DVD, game consoles, or other audio video units. Also although some of the lesser known brands have really good pricing, make sure you go with a brand that can supply after market service and customer support if needed. Hope that helps a little.
Posted by: Chaka at April 4, 2009 9:23 PM
I love our Sony Bravia, fwiw. Gorgeous, esp. with the hi-def receiver. Also cablevison here. Just remember that the monster cables are extra if you're going that route. And they go for about $75 bucks each.
Don't go into any store cold. Have prices in hand, from circulars or printed out from the internet. Look smart and ready to deal but don't be a sucker.
Like chris, I also read good stuff about Samsung.
Posted by: pattunia at April 5, 2009 4:29 AM
You can get the HDMI monster cables on Amazon for less than $2 each (shipping will be about ten bucks) that are just as good as the ones they'll try to sell you in the store for $75.
Posted by: mh at April 5, 2009 7:59 AM
Go to hometheater.com for help.
I assume you want a large TV, 40"+.
Your first decision is plasma vs. LCD, not the brand. Both have advantages. LCD is brighter, good if you watch a lot of TV in the daytime or in bright lights. Uses less electric. Downsides are weak blacks, off-axis viewing is not good, and motion smear.
Plasma is better if you mostly watch movies in a darker environment. Better blacks and shadow detail. Panasonic makes excellent plasmas.
So first you check the size, then the type (plasma or LCD) and only then do you get into the brand. Whatever type you choose, you want a TV with full 1080p resolution so you can use it for Blu_Ray and other hi definition sources down the road. As mentioned, you want a TV that complies with HDMI 1.3a specs, and at least two HDMI inputs.
If you need real help in purchase and setup, email me thru my profile.
Posted by: denton at April 5, 2009 9:53 AM
Hi Meg,
I researched HDTVs for, oh, the better part of a year, before finally pulling the trigger on a 42-inch 720p Panasonic plasma. (Bought it for $750 from Amazon.) If picture quality and cost are your primary concerns, there is no contest between LCD and Plasma. At this stage, plasma simply performs better--mainly because it is capable of producing deeper blacks, and therefore better contrast.
My reading led me to believe that, unless you're willing to shell out the cash, LCD technology simply isn't there yet. If you can afford one of the LED backlight models, then the difference between plasma and LCD is narrower. But if not (and most midrange LCDs today are still backlit with fluorescent lights, which means the light behind the image can be, and usually is, uneven) I don't really see a contest. Yes, LCDs eat less power than plasmas. But when you compare 720p plasmas with LCDs, the differential is not huge (my TV is Energy Star compliant).
I'm rambling now--need more coffee! But another point: Most videophiles will tell you that, on screens 42 inches and smaller, the human eye cannot appreciate the difference between 1080p and 720p. Your viewing distance is probably not closer than 10 feet, right? You're just not going to be able to see what you're paying for--not to mention the fact that 99% of HD channels are broadcast in 720p or 1080i. Unless you have a blu-ray player, it will be a while till you can see regular 1080p programming. A final thought: plasmas are heavier because they are made with glass, and if you're planning to move soon, take that into account--you cannot lay a plasma on its back during transport (or really ever). The glass might crack.
I and several of my friends bought plasmas last year. We're delighted with them. It's too bad that LCDs have come to dominate the market, because most of them just can't produce good enough pictures. LCD fanboys will say plasmas are susceptible to "burn in"--when a static image on the screen remains as a faint "ghost" after changing the channel. In the early days of plasma TVs, that was a serious limitation. But we are in the tenth generation of plasma. Manufacturers have addressed the issue.
Posted by: Iliad Force at April 5, 2009 11:04 AM
Someone mentioned Monster brand cables...
... they are great, but a less expensive but high quality alternative is Comprehensive http://www.comprehensiveinc.com/
I've used Comprehensive cables in digital broadcast environments with no complaints and great signal. At a lower cost than Monster brand cables.
.02
Posted by: christopher at April 5, 2009 10:18 PM
I recently bought the pioneer kuro 111FD. rated the best television you can possibly buy. it was marked down from 5k to 2.5k at 6th ave electronics.
the picture is amazing and almost looks 3D. the screen size is 50 inches.
go to cnet.com and see what they say about the kuro
Posted by: landlord at April 6, 2009 7:58 AM
Kuro definitely the best of the best. Good score on that price. Somehow I think more than the OP can handle :-)
Posted by: denton at April 6, 2009 9:05 AM
Just another point of view. I got a 32 inch LCD, which I consider more than big enough (perhaps because I'm not a sports fan)and I really could tell the difference between 720p and 1080p, despite all those big-tv sneerers who insist it makes no difference on the smaller screens. I watch a lot of movies, and I think the contrast and colors much better with 1080. And although I don't have a bluray, assume I will get on eventually, in which case it definitely will matter. So if you are thinking of going for a 32 inch, I'd spring for the 1080.
Posted by: westernnygirl at April 6, 2009 9:19 AM
Love my Sony Bravia. Decided not to mount it on the wall because it would have been a huge project, and it's been fine without it.
Some random bits of advice:
* Figure out how far away you're going to sit and look up one of the many charts telling you whether 1080p or 720p will matter, and what size you might need. (Google the key terms.)
* Cut out a piece of cardboard the size of the TV and hold it up in your living room etc., particularly if you're getting a big TV. What looks small in the showroom looks huge at home.
* Cables are all the same. Go to monoprice.com.
Have fun!
Posted by: BklynJace at April 6, 2009 9:24 AM
A couple of things to add to what others have said:
Go bigger than you think you need to, particularly if you plan to hang on the wall. HI-DEF tvs seem smaller than the old style ones, both because they look better close up and because they are wider.
The weak link is going to be your cable signal, which is compressed so they can fit lots of channels and as a result tends to pixelate during motion. Not sure how cablevision compares to TW in this regard, but TW is pretty shitty. So, that said, if you plan to watch mostly cable TV it's not worth investing much in super high quality components.
From what I understand, Samsung actually makes many of the LCD panels that other manufacturers use. Sony, for example, buys Samsung LCD panels, attaches them to their own processor and marks them up. Result: same exact picture, different cabinet and interface.
Cables are a huge scam. Buy cheap no-name cables, they work great. Order them in advance from monoprice.com so you're not tempted to buy them at the store just so you can hook up the tv the minute you get home.
Posted by: zgori at April 6, 2009 2:14 PM
Work in video engineering and TV. The last two comments, BklynJace & zgori, make a couple of good points.
Frankly, much too much is made by consumers of the differences between HDTVs. 95% of the variations between models is undetectable to any but the most trained eye. Additionally, most of the major brands get the LCD or plasma display in their sets from a third party, and they are often the same. 3 companies make 80% of the screens in the world. What the brand name gives you is a bunch of special features and warranties. You should make your choice on what the manufacturer can offer you in purchase protection or bells & whistles that you think you want; the technical specifications of HDTVs is a huge exercise in obfuscation, meant to drive the buyer to higher price points.
Size you want, cost you are willing to pay, reliability of the manufacturer should you get a bum set - this is what I recommend you look for. Go to nextag.com and settle on a couple of models, and then track the deals you can get for them. Don't make yourself crazy trying to figure out whose 'blacks are the blackest.' Someone above said it - the cable company compresses the image to feed it through the pipeline, and Blu-ray does the same thing. The fact is, unless you are running a production facility, no one ever sees a 'pure' uncompressed image on their screen. If you see artifacts in the image, dollars to donuts they are embedded in the image and not the fault of the screen. This is especially important to consider when you are in a showroom - DVDs, Blu-Rays, and cable feeds all give you compressed images. You want to see what the screen can do, bring video test-pattern generator, that's the only way you'll see distinctions.
Posted by: josereyes at April 6, 2009 2:39 PM
i second B&H video. That's where I got mine and they had the cheapest price for the model I wanted. Their price was about $300 less than all others. Bought it on Sunday online and they had it delivered on Monday. The guy carried it up to my apartment and left it on the floor in the box for me. Got my cables at monoprice, as well. do get them in advance as I was without cables for 4 days with my new TV sitting on the floor taunting me. I got 6' cables for a setup where the cable box and the dvd player were in a cabinet under the tv. 3' would have been too short after fishing it through the hole in the back of the cabinet, up the cable tie in the back of the tv, and over into the HDMI slots. So, factor that into your setup when buying cables. if you have kids, pets or are afraid about the tv falling (assuming you are not wall mounting it), you can anchor it to the wall through the holes used for wall-mounting. You'll need to buy the chain separately from a hardware store.
Posted by: GeorgeAppo at April 6, 2009 3:19 PM
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