Audiophile not a Videophile Here... (1 Viewer)

[stretchphoto]

...but I want the advice of the videophiles.
We're in the market for a new TV. We recently bought a house and the old one is just a bit too small for us.
Our max vertical depth is 35", which I think will allow us a 60" diagonal screen. Our viewing distance is about 11 feet. The screen will be above the fireplace so we'll have a bit of an angle of attack while we view.
Do don't do much TV, but stream Netfilx and watch DVDS.
We just want something reliable and reasonably priced.
Thanks very much!

 

[Gregg Loewen]

plasma, if you have a goofy viewing angle. Consider Panasonic, Samsung and LG.

 

[Jason Charlton]

Does it HAVE to be above the fireplace? Also, is your 35" max dictated by where the wall meets the ceiling?

TVs above the fireplace seem like a good idea (if you're an interior designer), until you start watching it. You will get neck strain.

Try placing a picture up there (roughly the same size as the TV you want to get) and stare at it for an hour or longer with minimal breaks. If you're OK with that (and don't watch long movies, like Avatar) then go for it.

 

[schan1269]

If you mount above a fireplace, I highly recommend a movable TV mount to drop it down to viewing height. Then you can put it back up when you are done.
LG owns Zenith and the 60" Zenith that Sears has has been as low as $600. If you need "gadgets", the TV doesn't have any...but at $600(at most $1000) it is too good to pass up.

 

[stretchphoto]

Does it HAVE to be above the fireplace?  Also, is your 35" max dictated by where the wall meets the ceiling?
TVs above the fireplace seem like a good idea (if you're an interior designer), until you start watching it.  You will get neck strain.
Try placing a picture up there (roughly the same size as the TV you want to get) and stare at it for an hour or longer with minimal breaks.  If you're OK with that (and don't watch long movies, like Avatar) then go for it.

The current 30" tv we have is already over the fireplace with no issues from us.

 

[stretchphoto]

LG owns Zenith and the 60" Zenith that Sears has has been as low as $600. If you need "gadgets", the TV doesn't have any...but at $600(at most $1000) it is too good to pass up.

We don't want any gadgets at all.
It doesn't need Internet or wifi. Doesn't need to find my friends on Facebook. We don't want 3D or anything capable of making the coffee for us.
Just a screen really.
In fact, we watch so little actual television (mostly just DVDs and Netfilx) that I'm now wondering about a projector.
One issue that I'd really appreciate the board's input on -
The pre-amp I use is a 1987 era Luxman. Very nice hi-fi piece, but it only has analog RCA inputs. The little bit of poking around I've done into TVs lately has resulted in only a very few that do analog RCA audio output.

 

[schan1269]

There is this...(This is the first I found, have no idea how "good" it is)
http://www.amazon.com/SANOXY-Digital-Optical-Converter-Adapter/dp/B005DIRI6I/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1344913798&sr=1-5&keywords=coax+rca+adapter
Are you actually going to do OTA or do you have the intentions of having the TV perform HDMI switching?
If the answer to that is "yes, I plan on using the TV for HDMI switching"...
Forget that idea...
http://www.amazon.com/Switch-Remote-Toslink-Coaxial-Output/dp/B004XKZ2JC/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1344913937&sr=1-1&keywords=optical+hdmi+switch
Depending on what Luxman you have, it "might" have digital??? (and yes I'm aware you said it was analog only...in which case you can forgo the HDMI switch as the best you have avail. is DPL anyway...if this Luxman is more than stereo)

 

[stretchphoto]

Are you actually going to do OTA or do you have the intentions of having the TV perform HDMI switching?

I have no idea what this means. Can you explain, please?
I did find this box, which looks nearly identical to the one you found -
http://www.gefen.com/kvm/dproduct.jsp?prod_id=5279
Seems to get good reviews here: http://www.avsforum.com/t/1384268/help-needed-with-appletv-and-dual-zones

 

[schan1269]

If you want to spend that much, the Gefen is a good one...
OTA=Over The Air.
TV's are not meant to be "HDMI switches". On the vast majority of TVs, only the OTA leaves the TV as 5.1. Incoming HDMI(BD, cable/sat box, DVD player etc) only exit as 2.0.
None of that matters if this Luxman is only 2 channel...or only has DPL at its disposal, as the Luxman can't use 5.1.

 

[stretchphoto]

Thanks, Schan.
No, we're not surround sound people. Stereo is fine.