In light of my recent home break-in, I'm back looking at flatscreen TVs.
I was almost all set on the Panasonic TH-50PZ800U, but then I read that Costco has the Vizio VP-505VXT 1080p plasma for $1200 + tax (which is 1/3 less than the 800U that I was eyeballing), and while there are some minor deficiencies, the benefits just might outweigh them.
VIZIO
Cheap Vizio plasma gives great picture | Crave - CNET
Vizio VP505XVT Flat-panel TV reviews - CNET Reviews
This particular model uses the Panasonic glass screen (virtually same black levels as with Panasonic plasma models), and offers something I really want: picture-in-picture and picture-outside-picture. My old Panasonic TH-50PX600U had side-by-side Pip, which proved useful when I wanted to keep tabs on a sporting event, but also wanted to make a dent in catching up on weekly TV shows. More recent models don't offer this feature, so I thought it made the Vizio worth exploring.
It also features HQV, which is supposed to improve on 480i, 480p, as well as the high-def material.
Buying it at Costco means a 90-day return policy, and you get 2 years of warranty coverage, and you might also get a 3rd year of coverage if you use your American Express credit card (though no one is definitively sure about this 3rd year of warranty coverage, but it may be worth some time calling AMEX and finding out).
Anyone else have any experience with this model?
I was almost all set on the Panasonic TH-50PZ800U, but then I read that Costco has the Vizio VP-505VXT 1080p plasma for $1200 + tax (which is 1/3 less than the 800U that I was eyeballing), and while there are some minor deficiencies, the benefits just might outweigh them.
VIZIO
Cheap Vizio plasma gives great picture | Crave - CNET
Vizio VP505XVT Flat-panel TV reviews - CNET Reviews
This particular model uses the Panasonic glass screen (virtually same black levels as with Panasonic plasma models), and offers something I really want: picture-in-picture and picture-outside-picture. My old Panasonic TH-50PX600U had side-by-side Pip, which proved useful when I wanted to keep tabs on a sporting event, but also wanted to make a dent in catching up on weekly TV shows. More recent models don't offer this feature, so I thought it made the Vizio worth exploring.
It also features HQV, which is supposed to improve on 480i, 480p, as well as the high-def material.
Buying it at Costco means a 90-day return policy, and you get 2 years of warranty coverage, and you might also get a 3rd year of coverage if you use your American Express credit card (though no one is definitively sure about this 3rd year of warranty coverage, but it may be worth some time calling AMEX and finding out).
Anyone else have any experience with this model?
That's the standard Nationwide amount on a policy that will rebuild a 2800 ft^2 house with outbuildings, including inflation coverage for the building materials and an overall belongings value totalling way more than we own in stuff, including both SUVs if they happened to be in the garage at the time of catastrophe! Gotta watch that fine print, or not so fine print in this case...I just didn't read closely enough after seeing the grand total of coverage. Apparently electronics are now similar to furs, diamonds, guns, and other "specialty" items that require additional coverage riders. Good luck!
