Help on Buying HDTV Widescreen TV's

[T0R0NT0 M4PL3 L3AFS]

I'm starting to look for a new widescreen HDTV, not a thin Plasma. I know little about what's the best buy (no pun intended) for your buck these days. I've got and old 50" widescreen that's about had it. There's a huge price range on these. I'm looking in the $1000 to $3000 price range. I'd like a 50"-52" screen. I have digital cable with a cable box/remote and Sat. Do I still need a built in HDTV tuner? There's so much to consider. DLP,cableCARD,HDMI/DVI.

If anybody can give me any info or recommendation, I would really appreciate it.


Side Bar:

I read this off a tech forum and how true is what this guy says on advice?

"I am running a 44 inch Toshiba DLP, and High Def, first off HIGH DEF is a must, once you see it , it`s hard to watch standard definition, I would go Satallite as it is the ONLY true digital feed out there, HDMI and DVI are basically the same thing, where HDMI is both video/audio, and DVI is dedicated video, I am running a Monster DVI, it ran me 169.00+taxes Canadian, the pic is totally amazing. Keep in mind for DLP or LCD make sure you have the distance for proper viewing as far as distance goes or it will look like shit. Depending on you you talk to people are either all for DLP and against LCD or vics versa, I spent months comparing, and I went with DLP, if you go LCD Haitachi is the best of the Market, for DLP Toshiba, or Panasonic..Hope this helps."

 

[TH World]

Everyone has their own strong opinions on the best TV. It is normally the one they bought. I have a 50" Sony LCD rear projection which I really like. At least three friends have bought similar ones after they saw mine. You should really go to a decent store that has the TV's set up close to one another in a well-lit but not overly bright setting. Make sure they all have the same feed, preferably a HDTV one, so that you can compare them fairly.

You don't need a HDTV tuner unless you want to use over-the-air signals. If you use cable or satellite, you will need a HDTV set top box and feed the TV via component cables or HDMI cable.

TH

 

[A-ROD]

I agre with TH...
I recently purchase an LG 48" LCD rear projection TV. I am very happy with it.

If you can afford it, after you buy the TV...invest in quality power bar and cables. I bought "MONSTER" cables and power bar, they will help eliminate outside interference.

 

[Preferred]

Go with the new Sony. They can be viewed at Sony stores in most Malls.

http://www.sonystyle.ca/commerce/se...roductId=1001969&navigationPath=n32050n100187

more than your budget but the best out there. Better than Plasma, the picture quality fades after a couple of years.

 

[T0R0NT0 M4PL3 L3AFS]

Great advice so far, thanks guys!

 

[VERYBADBOY]

I have the 50" Sony LCD, the 620 model not the newer version released in late Sept., and I couldn't be more pleased. The newer version is better but is also slimmer in design.

A good time to buy will be in January and not in December. It is called the Superbowl effect as one saleman told me.

Newer technology with HDTV will be the elimination of having to get a box. That's right many of the newer TV will come with a built in tuner. So ask about it.

I can't really help you anymore as I am not a techie.

VBB

 

[Tyler1]

There are so many options right now it can be confusing. Plasma, flat panel LCD, rear projection LCD and DLP. I bought a Panasonic plasma in the spring because to me they have the best picture and that is what is most to me. For your size and price range, RP-LCD or DLP are your only options. I also saw a news article on TV that said big screen TV's go on sale before the superbowl. Internal HDTV turners aren't really needed as most people use satalite or cable as their source. An antenna will only get you a few local HDTV channels unless you install a big roof top antenna. I haven't looked into this too much because I have to go with cable or satalite to use a PVR. (these things are so awsome you would have to pry it from my cold dead hands to take it from me.)
As far as buying monster cables....DON'T. They're good cables but you're paying big bucks for the name and fancy packaging. HDMI or DVI monster cables form FS/BB will cost between $180-$200. If you buy a generic brand on-line like from Tiger Direct you can get them for around $40.

This is a great site for HDTV info. and to find out what the best TV's are from real consumers, not those crappy "cut-and-paste" on-line reviews.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/index.php?

 

[great bear]

little activity today thought I might go for ten in a row.

 

[twentynine]

52% of HDTV owners...

I can't remember where I saw it, but I read today that 52% of HDTV owners have NEVER actually watch TV in HD because they haven't set it up properly, and don't realise it.

 

[SilentLeviathan]

Don't forget that not every channel is HD and even then, with Rogers is any case, you need to get a DVI or HDMI cable to actually get true digital prictures otherwise you're just getting an analog signal.

As far as cabling goes, don't use the stuff in the box, but you don't need to spend thousands of dollars on MONSTER cable either. I've been in the home electronics business for about 7 years and believe me, MONSTER is way over priced. My cost for a $250 power bar is $52, I can get a $160 digital optical cable for $27.52. That should give you an idea of their margins. In any case the entry level monster stuff is more then you'll ever need. Acoustic Research also makes excellent cables at a much lower price point.

 

[tboy]

Yeah, I agree totally with the monster cable scam...While better cables make a tremendous improvement in picture quality, you can get the same effect without the monster price tag.

As for 52% of HDTV owners not watching HD, I can attest to that. Unfortunately I am in a situation where I can't hook up a sattelite dish and am forced to use LOOKTV. When I called them about HDTV their response was:

"Look communications does not offer, and has no plans to offer, High definition TV"....

Here is my opinion in what you should buy (in order of preference):

PLasma (60,000 hrs is a LONG life time)
LCD
LCD Projection)
HDTV rear projection

As for pricing, shop around, know what you want and what the street price is for that model, then when boxing day/week comes around buy when the buying is good. Also make sure that wherever you buy it has a 30/60 day price guarantee. That way if it does sell for less, you're covered.

For eg: A couple or three years ago I bought a rear projection Sony HDTV. I new the pricing and shopped around and haggled at futureshop until they threw in some cables and the extended warranty at n/c. I never did see the unit at a lower price (and I looked!) and I believe it is now discontinued....and it wasn't on boxing day that I bought it....

And don't forget to haggle, if they won't budge on price have them throw in cables, power bar, and anything else you can think of.

 

[A-ROD]

Here is a good site for those wishing to know a little more about HDTV.

http://cdtv.ca/en/index.htm

 

[A-ROD]

Don't forget that not every channel is HD and even then, with Rogers is any case, you need to get a DVI or HDMI cable to actually get true digital prictures otherwise you're just getting an analog signal.

As far as cabling goes, don't use the stuff in the box, but you don't need to spend thousands of dollars on MONSTER cable either. I've been in the home electronics business for about 7 years and believe me, MONSTER is way over priced. My cost for a $250 power bar is $52, I can get a $160 digital optical cable for $27.52. That should give you an idea of their margins. In any case the entry level monster stuff is more then you'll ever need. Acoustic Research also makes excellent cables at a much lower price point.

BTW:
I had a connection in the business and got all the Monster cables at cost + 5%, so I was happy. They are very pricy off the shelf.

 

[xix]

wait it out LAser HDTV

I was up on HDTV since the talks begun. Now it seems everyone from their grandma's baker is selling HDTV.

There are these formats: CRT widescreen ( heavy), LCD ( samsung, Sharp), Plasma( panasonic), Rear Projection LCD/ DLP( texas instruments) and LCoS ( don't know who invneted, but a marriage of lcs/dlp) and LASER TV. Stick with name brand.

But most importantly if you can wait it out and buy yourself a regular tv for less than $350. Why ? Well it seems they have develop LASER HDTV which is far superior than the above mention. Reason for the wait is that Full HDTV broadcast is suppose to happen between 2008- 2010 in the US. Canada has no law when it must fully convert for the boadscasters.

I read alot of articles it seems that LCOS is the best to go with but DLP for now is cheaper. But Laser will out beat anyone and they are fixing the bugs for mass production. So it is not a matter when they create a protype but rather when will the mass production start. IT will be like RP( rear projection) LCD/DLP

Now if you know history about tv. Before the 70's tv was not 24/7. Okay maybe before 60's, then it was black & white adn only for so many hours a day. Then colour came but only certain shows and it took awhile for colour tv signal to be 24/7. Well what about this history? it is happening again. Not all "shows" are in HDTV 24/7, they may be in widescreen but not in HDTV signal. SO history repeats it self. For example if you tried to watch HDTV shows only how many hours a day does CityTV broadcast a day? or any station?

Testing. How to test a TV is by simply taking 2 DVD movies that you know so well in colour, motion and lighting and see what happens in the tv show room. One of the movies must in "black & white". See how it handles the grey colour. I have yet to see a tv handle grey colour well.

Now you say what good is that? well how is your eyesigth after looking at it. An please get rid, of lower the volume try not to get distractions. Every sales person knows that a little noise will impair your judgement. Even car sales people do/know this.

 

[frankcastle]

Seeing as we're talking about high end TV's is it true that plasma screen TV's are not compatible with video games systems like the playstation (in that you risk damaging the screen)? Or am I thinking of projection TVs?

Anyways, if someone could clear that up for me it'd be appreciated.

Thanks

FC

 

[baltimoron]

XBox works just fine on my projection TV (with component inputs using the XBox advanced A/V adaptor)

 

[Garrett]

Seeing as we're talking about high end TV's is it true that plasma screen TV's are not compatible with video games systems like the playstation (in that you risk damaging the screen)? Or am I thinking of projection TVs?

Anyways, if someone could clear that up for me it'd be appreciated.

Thanks

FC

I do not think there is any risk with current plasmas. There is some phosphor burn in, but it should go away with time. I am not aware of anyone with significant burn in even with CRT's (though go to an arcade and you will see it).

The only concern I have for plasma is the 60,000 hour rating is for brightness to decrease by 50% (and I do not think it is a sudden drop off). This seems pretty significant to me... so I would take the 60,000 hr rating with a grain of salt. The other caution I would add is the tuner has a huge effect on picture quality. I think the latest Sony Grand Wega's (LCD rear projection, something I thought I would never like) have one of the best tuners I have seen....

 

[tboy]

OK, do you realize just how long 60,000 hrs is?

Say you get home from work at 6 and watch tv every night until midnight. Then on the weekend you watch for 12 hrs sat. and 12 hrs sunday.

That's 54 hrs a week every week for 52 weeks = 2808 hrs per year

Divide 60,000 by 2808 = 21 FUCKING YEARS. Can anyone tell me who has a tv that is still working from 1994?

Anyhow, I read somewhere that they did a burn in test on the plasmas and left a game on for 3 or 4 days. There was slight burn in that disappeared after 2 hrs of regular tv watching....

The problem you were/are thinking of is with the original rear projection tv's and the screen they were using. The problem with a lot of video games is that they have some images that stay on the screen no matter what stage you're playing (such as score, time, map etc). These images could be a cause of burnin but if you're playing for 3 days straight, you ought to see a shrink cause you've got a MAJOR problem on your hands lol.

 

[baltimoron]

Can anyone tell me who has a tv that is still working from 1994?

*raises hand*

Yup, got a 27" CRT from JCPenney in 1993. Had 2 sets of RCA jacks plus S-video. Still use it today as a bedroom TV.

 

[seymore]

XiX... what the hell is LASER HDTV. Do you mean OLED ( Organic Light Emitting Diodes), or the SED format on the horizon, or the nanotechnology that will let you roll up a screen in a tube and take it your neighbours house? But not for a few years yet?

A today purchase is one of a few choices, Plasma, LCD panel, DLP, LCD rear projection, Front LCD or DLP projection and of course CRT and Rear CRT projection. All have advantages in terms of performance/price/ asthetics.

You need to view them all to make up your own mind.
A few caveats:
Be forewarned that purchasing an EDTV will never allow you to view HDTV as it should be seen. The EDTV specifications simply don't allow it, and the set will downconvert HD signals to a lower format, called EDTV.

There is a big difference between DVI and HDMI. DVI connections allow for one wat transport of uncompressed digital video data for display. HDMI , which is the "Big Thing" allows for 2-way transport of both audio and visdeo data ( with copy protection) and will enable you to participate in "interactive TV which will become prevalent in the next few years. Some HD satellite boxes and cable boxes support HDMI, and all will within the next year or so.


Surge protection and noise reduction cabling does both protect your set, and improve the video reproduction.


CableCard, while a serious issue in the US will likely not be a factor in Canada for a long time. Don't worry about that.

If you watch a lot of sports, especially baseball , golf and football take a look at a DLP set with the extra dark green in the colour wheel. Most DLP sets have red, green and blue (RGB) wheels, however the newer models from Samsung and others have added the dark green to the wheel, and the results are phenominal to my eyes.

But but what you like. A 50 inch HDTV Ready set today is less expensive than a 32"CRT was 8 years ago, in relative dollars.