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Consumer Reports: Some More Real Surprises... (1 Viewer)

Arthur S

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Hi Everyone

In the March 2007 issue of Consumer Reports there is an extensive amount of material on HD TVs...they tested 100 different models...I don't have time to post all of their findings...if you want to see the details, you can either buy the March 2007 issue or subscribe to the on-line service for $6 for 30 days and cancel any time you want...I am going to post what I think are the highlights:

Best 50+ inch Plasma

Panasonic TH-58PX600U $4,800
Hitachi 55HDX99 $4,500
Panasonic TH-50PX600U $3,000
Pioneer PDP-5070 $3,500
Panasonic TH-50PX60U $2,600

Please note that this is not the complete list...Right now you can get the Panny TH-50PX60U for about $2,000 from CC or BB. The 58 and 50 inch Pannys are Quick Picks.

Large Screen Rear Projectors

Toshiba 62HM196 $2,500 DLP
Toshiba 62MX196 $2,900 DLP
Toshiba 56HM66 $1,800 DLP
Sony KDS-55A200 $2,700 LCos

If I have time, I may add more...LCD is hard to post...please either pick-up the March edition for the complete 13 page story, or subscribe to the on-line service for 30 days.
 

Alon Goldberg

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I agree with the Plasma picks, but strongly disagree with the selection for Rear Projection. Toshiba DLP's are being pulled from the shelves in record numbers here in Canada due to serious quality control issues, mostly related to malfunctioning color wheels. FutureShop, Canada's largest electronics retailer, has pulled Toshiba DLP's from their shelves altogether. I'm not sure if these issues have been resolved?

Arthur, I'd be very interested in their LCD picks if you have the time to post.
 

Arthur S

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Hi AG

The ratings are based on their tests, and not on reliability issues. According to CR, their are no long term reliability data for any of the newer technologies, but he trends for flat-panel LCD and plasma TVs are encouraging...don't think I will have time to post the LCD picks, please consider either buying the magazine or subscribing for a month for US $6.

Thanks for contributing to this post.
 

Father John A

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Personally I don't give much weight to CR. I've never found them to be very accurate. In the early 80's they routinely picked Toshiba (I think) over Sony XBRs. To anyone in the know, there was simply no contest, everyone wanted an XBR.

LCD 40" and larger category results:

JVC LT-40FN97 $2700
Sony Bravia KDL-40XBR2 $3000
Sony Bravia KDL-46XBR2 $3800
Toshiba Cinema Series REGZA 42LX196 $2300
JVC LT-40X787 $2000
Olevia 542i CR Best Buy $1300
 

Ed Moxley

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That is true. If I didn't realize this, CR would have lost every ounce of their credibility with me, because of them putting Panasonic on top! Panasonic looks good, and works good, for a little while. But it has been my experience that it doesn't last, considering how much it costs. I had a knock down, drag out, with Panasonic, on the phone one time. I told them I'd never own another one of their products! I won't recommend Panasonic to anyone, except someone I don't care for. If you ever see me recommend Panasonic to someone, you'll know that I have no use for that person....... :)
 

Gregg Loewen

Founder, Professional Video Alliance
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hi guys
Panasonic makes an excellent plasma display. Consider the industrial over the consumer models.
For increased dollars consider their 1080p offerings. Also consider the Elite line of Pioneer plasmas.
 

Michael TLV

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Greetings

Find me 10 people with horror stories on Panasonic reliability and I will find you 10 from Sony ... 10 from Toshiba ... 10 from Samsung ... and so on.

Some people just have bad luck with certain brands.

Regards
 

rcoates777

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Bob
Gang -

I have a love-hate relationship with Consumer Reports. On the one hand if you don't know much about a product it's not a bad place to start but on the other they sure seem like a bunch of whiners and little old ladies.

Having said that and given that I don't own an HDTV (yet) I do devour anything that I can read on the topic.

When I read the recent (March 2007) HDTV comparo I was surprised that they didn't test a single Samsung Rear Projection model and that they included FOUR Toshibas. I've been very impressed with the Samsung DLPs that I've seen and it's not exactly an "off brand" so I wrote them and asked them "what gives?" To their credit after a few days they did respond. Here's a snippet from the response:

We were given information that three Samsung rear projection TVs models
HL-S5679W, HL-S5087W and HL-S5687W that appeared in our December ratings
were discontinued and were removed from our subsequent report. However, we
were informed today that the information we received was incorrect and they
are still available for purchase.
(Ed. note: My bad.)
-------
Samsung must be livid that their products were omitted from this test which will no doubt impact thousands of buying decisions and I don't blame them.
 

rcoates777

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Bob

Someone reminded me that it might have been someone at Samsung who mistakenly provided the erroneous information. If so, then I'm sure there is a job opening there!
 

NMLobo

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Jim

That was then. Today XBR users are reporting all kinds of backlight/mura problems. I believe they have even begun a class action. I am surprised the Sony's rated this high now.
 

Richard Gallagher

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It's worth noting that CR hasn't yet reviewed the new Sharp LCDs:

In these Ratings, we have only one 26- inch model from Sharp, a major brand in LCDs, but we are now testing the 46-inch Aquos LC-46D62U, $3,000, and the 42- inch 42D62U, $2,300. Both of these 1080p models displayed excellent HD picture quality in our early tests, and look like promising sets. Full test results will be available here soon.
 

CoolCatbro

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Reginald Perrin
Magazine articles

CR is a mag I'm skeptical of.i

I lost interest in them after I owned a car they totally sabotaged...but it was one of the best cars I ever owned and bought a second one and a third.
but according to CR this car sucked really bad.
And I notice they always rate Toyota and Honda above everyone else giving the impression they never breakdown....bullshit of course. And the others they yo-yo (some good , some bad...) leaving the imprssion YOU BETTER BUY TOYOTA AND HONDA!

hmmm?

i had a personal contact, whose company made the cover of FORBES too...it didn't happen by chance or luck, it was a "deal" made and a lot of "work" went into getting a positive front cover run on the magazine. They pretty much wrote the article for FORBES and all the positive hype.

I read the articles too, but I think the Forums are as good as it gets for brutal honesty and people talking about problems or pleasant surprises.

BUY DLP ITS THE BEST EVER MADE AND IS THE TECHNOLOGY CHOSEN BY THE CINEMA AND FAMOUS PRODUCERS. GEORGE LUCAS HAS A DLP AND TROY AIKMAN HAS A RACE CAR WITH THE DLP LOGO ON IT.
 

Arthur S

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Hi Reginald

With all due respect...I have been subscribing to Consumer Reports for almost 30 years and I have bought a lot of their products...too numerous to mention...including several automobiles including Toyota, Honda, and Nissan...and the models that they recommended were very very good as far as reliability...anyone can get a lemon from any manufacturer...however, CR sends out over 810,000 surveys to prepare its Reliability Ratings of automobiles and my experience and the experience of others is consistent with CRs ratings...I am glad that the automobile that you purchased has been reliable...ancedotal experience by several private owners is simply not as reliable an indicator as the results of 810,000 surveys returned from more than 4,000,000 subscribers to a magazine that accepts no advertising and has been testing products and services for more than 70 years...and with regard to the testing of HD TVs...the DLP is the top rated technology (for rear projection TVs) in the March issue of CR...this may actually be consistent with the DLP technology chosen by George Lucas and Troy Aikman...thank you for contributing to this thread.
 

CoolCatbro

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Reginald Perrin
Well, its good to hear that about CR from someone who's into them for that long. I'd find it a bit more believable here in the forum, than in a magazine.
I wonder how they pick whose product they showcase? Surely they can't pick every name brand in the world when it comes to TV's?

yeah, DLP is a great technology, I was referring to the hundreds of millions spent on Marketing and Advertisements.

there's a bit of the old slush money floating around to get on the shelves of the big consumer stores too. I just find it interesting all the "work" that goes into this sales versus Widget A versus Widget B.

I haven't read the full article yet in CR...

Do they make any predictions on HDTV coming down to fewer technology's?

like VCR versus Beta Max ..only one winner?
Or will it be a multi-technology battle and debate forever?

DLP versus LCos versus LCD versus OLED versus SED versus CRT versus Plasma versus DLP with LED versus .........

or will some die out like the cassette tape?
 

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