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TV Buying Soon (1 Viewer)

Adam Sanchez

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Hey all. I am going to be getting my first widescreen TV soon. I am probably going to go with a full size (as in picture tube) normal TV for now. HD Ready or with HD is not very important to me since I wont have any HD content going into it. It will just be for DVDs.

I've always loved the picture quality of Sonys so I am leaning towards thoughs but am open to other suggestions.

I have glaced at the following ones I like:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1077628885856 (I found a review about this that said it's a great TV but locks the TV in full screen mode when using progressive... not really sure what that means.)

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1077628885976 (I think this is just a better version of the one above)

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1110265591543 (Not a Sony, but I have seen some nice Toshiba's in my time.

I'm mainly looking for a 30 inch widescreen TV that is going to last me awhile. I dont want a flat panel, but a flat screen is a must. Stuff like PiP is nice, but not required. If it's within my budget, say $1200 at most then fine.

Thanks for any advice. Also and good sites to buy TVs like I want and with reviews would help alot.
 

Dave Moritz

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Hey Adam,

If you are looking at going with a tube tv I would not recomend a Sony. I would recomend Toshiba, Mitsubishi and maybe even Samsung. I have been looking at getting a widescreen HD telivsion myself. And sales people from both Fry's and Best Buys have told me two things. A). They have been having problems with the tubes in the Sony tv's B). They have even had problems getting Sony to honor warranties on there tv's. I currenty have a 11 yr old Toshiba 31" tube tv and in my case I do not care to get a 31" widescreen. As the overall size of the screen would be smaller than my old tv. So I decided to spend the extra money and move up to a 50 - 55" HD DLP rear projection tv to watch hd tv and enjoy more of a movie like experience at home. Granted its no 120" screen with a HD projector but that hopefully will be added later with a screen that will come down infront of the big screen tv. If you change your mind and decide to go with a rear projection set, Samsung, Sony, Pioneer Elite, Mitsubishi Diamond and Toshiba are good sets to consider.
 

Adam Sanchez

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My Tv will be going on top of a dresser most likely so I cant get a bigscreen TV. That will have to wait till someday in the future!

That's interesting about Sony. I have always loved Sony TVs.

I was in Best Buy Today and a few TVs caught my eye because of the prices, So let me ask, how are the Brands Westinghouse and Maxent? Best Buy had a 30 inch LCD screen for a price I could afford, and even more amazing was a 42 Inch Maxent Plasma TV they had... would those be worth my while to look into? I would love an LCD TV. I dont know much about them... is there a primer site about LCD Tvs... and Maybe even Plasma TVs?
 

R:o:b

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i bought an offbrand lcd (32" proview). i like it jsut fine. its great for xbox and decent for tv. hd look s pretty good and sd looks ok. but for the price i couldnt refuse buying it (under 1k). i use it 80% xbox/movies so for the majority of the time the signal quality is not dependent on a crapy broadcast. just remeber no matter how much u spend on and lcd the tube will always have a better picture. all your buying with an lcd is a space saver...
 

Dave Moritz

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My major concern with off brand tv's is that generally they are inferior to the name brand tv's. I myself do not care for lcd as imho dlp is superior to lcd. With LCD to me the picture looks like its being shown through a screen door. I have a Best Buy that just opened next door to my work and have not noticed any Westinghouse or Maxent tv's. I truely believe that its better to buy quality than to buy cheap as its less exspensive in the long run. I to am on a budget but am waiting alittle longer and saving up for something decent as not to end up with something with low quality.

Its like the old saying "you get what you pay for"
 

Adam Sanchez

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Hey guys. Thanks for the input so far. I'm still looking into what I want. I may really end up getting an LCD because of the room I just moved into, I dont know if I would have the room for the tank size TVs like the Sonys or Toshibas. I did see a nice Samsung at Best Buy that wasn't as thick. Samsung is good isn't it?

I had a few more questions:

How is Philips as a brand fo LCD? I saw one I really liked, also at Best Buy. The picture looked very clear and it looked great from any degree I looked at it at, and it was also in my budget.

Do any direct view tube TVs have VGA input? I haven't seen any yet but one option I really want is to be able to plug in my computer to use on my big screen for fun once in awhile. Since alot of higher end video cards have two jacks anyway, I figure this would be very easy for me to do.
 

Adam Sanchez

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I'm still researching around. I have decided I really want a LCD TV, but a nice one. My budget is up to $2000 now. The brand does not have to be a sony. I have been look at some Philips, Sharps, and even a Toshiba. Would love some suggestions or maybe even some etailers to check out.

I want a TV that includes HDTV, 30 inches at least, and PC video card input be it VGA, DVI or HDMI. Other than that, other features are not as important. (Not that I know a ton about LCD TV features anyway.)

Thanks
 

Dave Moritz

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Hey Adam,

Have you looked at DLP's? I am looking for a tv as well and the DLP's have better detail and black levels. And IMHO the color is just as good. Also the DLP's and LCD's are about the same price. Try looking at the Samsung DLP set 50" 16:9 HD RPTV for about $1900. Also look at Mitsubish for DLP's. For LCD's you might look at Panasonic, Toshiba and Hitachi.
 

Adam Sanchez

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I have not looked into DLPs. Aren't those actually full size Televisions, like tube TVs? Maybe I am mistaken but I thought they were.

50 inches is way too big. I need a 30-32 or so. I'm one of those rare people who is actually looking at an LCD because I really do need to save space. I'm single room living at my grandparents for a few months. While I could fit a full size TV in the room, I would love an LCD if I can manage it. For one thing, I want to be able to hook up my video card to my TV and I don't know if I can do that with a tube tv or DLP. I don't wanna use like an Svideo connection, I want a real connection like DVI or VGA. I think I read somewhere that I can use HDMI with a cable thats HDMI on one end and DVI on the other. Is that true?
 

Dave Moritz

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They do have DLP micro-displays that are about the same size as LCD displays. The Samsung DLP is basically the same size as an LCD and it does not suffer from motion blur like the LCD does. When watching sports events, at least from what I am seeing from different threads that that can accure. As far as DVI to HDMI cables go I believe it can be done. but I would ask around as I am not sure on that one. Also the newer DLP's will be 3 chip sets instead of 1 and at 1080p. I dont believe that the LCD's are coming out with 3 chip sets and they are maxed at 1080i not 1080p. If I am incorrect please let me know.
 

Adam Sanchez

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Got any links to the Samsung DLP sets you are talking about? And do they come in a 30inch ish variety?

Some esites selling these would be great too. Thanks for the info on DLP. If it's about the same size as a LCD... Im definately interested.
 

Dave Moritz

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Adam Sanchez

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What is a micro display? Dumb question probably...

I was wondering why is everyone seeming to favor DLP? From what I can tell, isn't a DLP just basically a newer version of a big screen rear projection TV? I've never been a fan of Big screens, especially when you have to look at them headon to see a clear picture. I was really interested in a large tube TV until I started falling in love with the idea of an LCD... not to mention hooking my PC up to it...

I did see some Samsung Tvs that were tube TVs but not that thick... are those the micro displays? They are just thinner tube TVs arent there?

Thanks for all the replies... I know I keep coming back here. But I have never spent $2000+ on a TV. I wanna make sure I get a good one. I've needed a TV to complete my surround system for about 5 years...
 

Dave Moritz

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I belive the micro displays are basically thin DLP monitors without the large speaker stand and without the large box for the tv. The newer more compact DLP HD TV's are not huge like the standard rear projection tv's like you are thinking of.

http://www.mitsubishi-tv.com/televisions/types.asp?id=5

MicroDisplay Projection TVs

MicroDisplay actually describes a category of advanced televisions. Included in this group are Mitsubishi's Proprietary Digital Light Processing (DLP)™ TVs and Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCoS) TVs. Common to all technologies, these television produce brilliant picture quality in sleek designs that require less floor space than CRT TVs.

Mitsubishi is one of the companies that use that term. Let us know what you end up with? My budget is aprox the same as yours and I am hoping to get the best hd tv i can afford. After that is over its time to upgrade my center channel and rear speakers. Then hopefully I will at least get the Denon AVR-3805 reviever :D :emoji_thumbsup:
htf_images_smilies_popcorn.gif
 

Adam Sanchez

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Could someone tell me or link me to a good site that explains about HDTV Ready and HDTV being BUILT IN? How wise would I be to get a Tuner Built in? I know I could probably save $300 if I got a HDTV READY set can't I? Do various satellite and cable companies rent HDTV boxes nowadays?

I'm looking seriously at some Toshiba LCDs... 32incher. I forget the exact model number but opinions?
 

Dave Moritz

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I believe that you would have to purchase an hd reciever for dish and you can rent the hd box from the cable company. I have COX Communications and pay $10/month for a HD cable box. You can use a built in tuner but you will give up alot of extra features. Like interactive cable guide, pay per view and on demand. I am only using cable because my apartment faces the wrong way and the complex will not let me set a dish up. So I am paying too much for cable :angry: . Movie channels look good and HD channels look decent as well. But everything under that which is your basic channels looks terible.

Anyway IMHO I would use what ever reciever you get from the cable company/dish company or the one you might purchase for hd satalite.
 

Adam Sanchez

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So it's in a way better not to get a HDTV Tuner Built in and use ones provided by your TV provider?

Can you still use thier external ones even if your set does have a HDTV tuner in it?
 

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