TV's- what can ya get for $1k

My lovely wife has decided we need a new TV and tossed me the Circuit City flyer (like I know the diff between LCD and Plasma ).

any advice here welcome.....

 

You can get a nice Samsung or Panasonic 42" plasma. Won't be 1080P in most cases but unless you have it hooked to a Blu ray or HD DVD who cares? Circuit City and Best Buy do not always have the best prices. Look around.

 

http://www.flattvpeople.com/tutorials/lcd-vs-plasma.asp

 

I just got a Panasonic 1080p 56" rear projection LCD from Best Buy for $996 on sale...reg $1699 PT56LCZ70 is the model. HD looks awesome, xBox too. I have no space restrictions and so I wanted BIG. bang for the buck, I'm extremely happy:up: YMMV.

 

I just bought a Mitsubishi LCD TV. I did research on CNET and www.hdtvsolutions.com. There are a lot of people who know more than I do about TV's so I picked the ones I liked, price, brand, availability, etc then read the reviews.

 

I don't know jack shit about pixels, resolution, blah, blah, blah. I do know that if you are ina sunny room with sun glare on your current tube, LCD is the better choice becouse they show very little reflection. However, if your room is dark/shaded, plasma is by for a better picture, but they do show alot of reflection. I've got a Samsung somthin or other and it's the berries.:up: Now, if you can't make a decision on a flat screen, you could always keep your current tube and blow the entire grand on LSD!

 

Okay, what do you and your wife want in a TV, Mike? How much room do you have? Is this going to be the primary TV? Do you need 1080P or will 1080i or 720p do? How many HDMI connections do you need (I'd tell you you need min of two)?

How firm is that $1K?

 

FWIW I have a friend with a 52" Mitsubishi LCD (1080) and another friend with a 50" Phillips plasma (Non 1080) and they are very comparable in HD "mode" but the Phillips plasma looks twice as good on the non-HD channels. The plasma is also easier to view from different angles.

 

"...and they pull you back in..."

 

About as firm as a bag of fresh bread, after you walk into to store.

HHGregg
Surround sound (bitchin' for beer and racing with your buddies )

 

Might be worth checking out Sams club, they seem to have some sweet deals.

 

Yeap.

Short of a CRT (no one worth buying makes them anymore) I like plasma. The latest generation have filters and other gizmo claims to make them much better in rooms with a lot of sunlight. Sounds like BS but my Panasonic really does work. I'm no fan of projection or LCD and really did not like plasma until I spent almost a year shopping. I still kick myself for selling my WEGA 40" CRT and giving my 32" WEGA to my mom (my 10 year old Sony CRT in the basement is still my favorite of what I own).

Important question, will you be playing video games on the TV? Be warned about burn in (less of an issue with the new generation of plasma and almost a non issue with LCD).

Oled is still years away and the LED Sony's are awesome but can cost more than a good watch.

 

Plasma > LCD > Rear Projection

That being said rear projection tv's are going away, they are your best bang for your buck if size is your issue. The problem they have is much the same as LCD's, and that's viewing angle.

If you are getting a 50" or smaller TV, you won't be able to tell the difference between 720p and 1080p unless you are watching closer than 10 feet.

For around $1K you should probably look at Visio or Westinghouse. Both are not the best units, but for the price, they will be about the best you can get.

If you can go to $2K there is a Pioneer 50" 720p plasma that is one of the highest rated sets on CNET and very well liked on avsfourm.com, and they are a VERY picky bunch.

 

Rumblestrip, prices have dropped big time, that Pansanoic 50" (depending on the model) is now $1400 ~ $1500.

 

Element 42" plasma 720p - $799

Auto is not good however the video in HD is as good as most - You can't beat it for the value

 

I dunno. Been shopping a bit lately myself for a 40" unit. Biggest I can fit in my entertainment center.
One thing I do NOT like is the comparatively huge amount of heat thrown off by most of the plasma units. That's enough to sour me a bit right there.
Cheers, Lee S.

 

I have a fixed space to. If you have not looked yet, the Toshiba Regza and Mitsubishi LT series have the smallest frame. More TV, less space.

 

Yeah, it sucks. I'm generally missing 1/2 to 3/4 inch in height to fit a 42. All because of the stands the TV's come with.
Cheers, Lee S.

 

If you go with an LCD make sure its the 120hz model. That gets rid of the tracers your sometimes get with LCD panels.

If you get an LCD and DLP rear projection set, remember that every year or so you'll be replacing a bulb which costs anywhere from $100-$700 depending on the mfg.

 

hhgregg is having a sale this coming Friday/Saturday (Feb 1 & 2). One of the items they're selling is a Panasonic 42" 720p plasma TV for $898.37. It's a good TV, and a good deal.