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Is Toshiba my best bet? (1 Viewer)

Joined
Mar 6, 2003
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22
So I've been doing a lot of window shopping to pick a TV. I'm looking to spend $2000, but can go up to $2400 max. Right now I think I'm settled on the Toshiba 57H82. I also liked the Mitsubishi WS55311, Hitachi 57F500, and Panasonic PT56WX52. It seemed to me that Toshiba had the best picture, either Mitsubishi or Panasonic next. The Hitachi's colors looked funny to me, but maybe it just wasn't set up right. I saw them in a store with a good dvd feed. The Toshiba is the biggest and cheapest at 57inch and $2000 including shipping. I watch no TV. All I do is watch DVD's and play video games. Is there anything to watch out for before I go through with buying the Toshiba? Is there any features that I'm missing out on by not going with the others that would benefit me a lot? Is the Toshiba a good pick? I'm using my whole bonus on this TV, so I want to make it count. I'm buying a TV in a week, so the quicker I get some feedback the better. I've read all the posts I could find on all the TV's listed, guess I'm jsut nervous about making the wrong choice. Thanks for everyone's help in advance.
 
Joined
Mar 9, 2003
Messages
20
I have also looked at this tv in stores, i found that the tv had pretty good picture but it is missing a dvi input for future upgradiablity. Hitachi tv's actually look pretty nice with the right feed and setup properly but are a bit overpriced depending on which model you look at. I have also heard that hitachi's made this year are having alot of problems. The mitsubishi tv's are the best deal out of the tv's you listed because they have really good picture and they guarentee future upgradability.
 
Joined
Mar 6, 2003
Messages
22
I don't understand what DVI is. I looked it up online, but only got a vague idea that it converts an analog to a digital signal. If this is true, it doesn't sound like something I need, but what do I know. Also I guess the Toshiba doesn't have a Dolby Digital Decoder, yet another thing that I don't understand what benefit it would give me. I liked the Mitsubishi too, but it was more expensive and 2 inches smaller, are the added features worth both of those things?
 

Jason Spencer

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Apr 5, 2002
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105
When properly calibrated ALL TVs will look GREAT. If you see a difference in the store, it's because they don't know how to set them up. RPTV's aren't as simple as the old 4x3 TVs from 15 years ago. When looking, try not to focus on the picture, but more on what they offer in other features (remote, stretch modes, number of inputs, etc).

When I was looking, I decided the other brands just didn't offer anything over the Toshiba, and the 57" hit just at the top of my price range anyway. I LOVE IT! I'll never look back.

DVI is a type of connection cable. It has two benifits.

1) The signal (video) is decoded by the cable box into a digital signal. Normally when you get HDTV content from cable it is then converted back to analog (even with component cables) to send into the TV. With DVI, it goes into the TV in digital form, thus eliminating an extra digital to analog conversion. In theory this will improve the video, but in practice other factors (cable compression rates for one) will virtually eliminate the difference. On a properly calibrated set (do you see a pattern with this calibration thing?), most who have compared it can't tell the difference.

2) DVI allows copy protection since it keeps the signal in digital form. This only really applies to pay-per-view. And it won't be a requirement for years to come, if ever (they still haven't figured out the standard yet). And even when it is a requirement you can either upgrade the H82 (which is supposedly upgradable) or purchase a converter. By the time it is required to watch pay-per-view, I'm sure you'll be getting a better TV...
 

Jeff Aguilar

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Jun 30, 1997
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229
Location
Lacey, WA
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I just took delivery of a sony 57ws500. I got it locally for $1849 + tax and delivery. I think it came out to $2058 total. For the money and my needs, this was the tv for me.

They ended up price matching Good Guys online with a discount coupon they had running.

I am loving the tv. Has DVI and a really good stretch mode.

Jeff
 

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