Replacing a janky old TV...any recommendations?

Re: Replacing a janky old TV...any recommendations?

They key here is the screen size. The problem with comparing the diagonal measurement of a 4:3 TV to a 16:9 one is that you are almost literally comparing apples to oranges - the different screen shapes mean that the diagonal numbers can't really be compared in any meaningful way. The important stat, for you, is screen height. You probably don't want your new TV to measure much less from the top of the picture to the bottom than your current set. If it does, you'll notice the "loss" on 4:3 material, even though you'll see a bigger image when watching widescreen stuff.

A 32" 4:3 set has a screen height of a fraction under 20". (19.2308" to be exact.) To match that in a 16:9 set you'd need a roughly 40" diagonal screen. Unfortunately a decent 40" LCD TV would probably set you back between $650 to $700. To stay closer to your budget you'll need to trade size for price, and drop down a bit to a 37" LCD. (Which still has a height of 18.1233".) You should be able to get a decent set for around $500-$550, maybe a bit less with a decent sale. This won't be a top-of-the-line brand, but I've had very good luck with Westinghouse, which some consider an "off" brand, and I hear good things about Vizio and LG. Go for a 720p (at your screen size and seating distance you wouldn't see much difference between that and 1080p even with actual HD sources like cable or satellite.)

Hope this helps,

Joe

Re: Replacing a janky old TV...any recommendations?

In that size and price range, my experience is limited to the Westinghouse line, which, as I mentioned, I've had good luck with. (I have a 32" set and used to have a 27". I bought my mom a 32" for her birthday a couple of years back when her 46" RCA rear projection TV [RPTV] finally gave up the ghost.)

If you do a search on "Vizio", especially in the "Display Devices" forum, I'm sure you'll find a lot of threads discussing the brand, both pro and con. (In fact, I'm pretty sure there is a current "What do you think of Vizio?" thread on the front page of that forum now.)

As for Engery Star - I don't think there are any current models that don't qualify, especially among LCDs, which don't consume much power compared to CRTs anyway. Just because an ad doesn't tout Energy Start compliance, doesn't mean the TV lacks it. They may just be pushing other features or buzzwords. (And at this point Energy Star is as much a marketing term as anything else, since most modern appliance meet the standard just in the nature of things.)

CNET offers this handy chart of compartive power consumption among many makes and models, and all three major technologies (LCD, plasma and DLP/LCD/LCoS RPTV.) You can sort on any of the columns, which makes it easier to do a real apples-to-apples comparison. It even include estimate annual cost to operate. (Although this has to be a wild-a** guess, because power rates vary so much across the country. Still, it is useful for comparison purposes, much like MPG numbers for cars. They may all be nonsense, but they're all the same kind of nonsense, so car 1 may never get the promised 38 MPG highway, it will certainly get better mileage than the car that only claims to get 30 MPG. )

Of the brands you mention, the only one I've really watched recently was Sanyo and that looked very good. My cousin recently bought a 42" Samsung and that works very well, especially after I calibrated it for him with Digital Video Essentials, disc that guides you through properly setting the user-controls on your set. (Most TVs ship from the factory wit contrast, brightness, "sharpness", etc. turned up high to make them look better on the showroom floor. These setting never produce an accurate reproduction of the broadcast signal and can actually make a signal look worse than it should. This is especially true when you're watching a standard-def TV signal on an HDTV. So plan on buying or renting a copy of DVE, Avia II: Guide to Home Theater or similar DVD set up disc when you get the new TV.)

Happy shopping,

Joe

Re: Replacing a janky old TV...any recommendations?

You're very welcome. That's one of the things this forum - and especially the "Basics" area - is here for, answering questions and helping giving people the benefit of the members experience (which a nice way of referring to all the mistakes we made getting into this hobby that you now don't have to. )

Regards,

Joe