I made the Toshiba 50h81 plunge (1 Viewer)

Today I went to Sears to buy the TV with internet price match. This was not a smooth process, but I ended up buying it. I printed out the hamptonimage.com price w/shipping ($2040 - MD) and took it to Sears. Of course they have to call to verify. This took about 1 hour. The sales lady called their research company 3 times before she got a hold of someone competant enough to do the price research. It ended up that hamptonimage.com had no more in stock so I had to go with continentaltrade.com for a price of $2070. I couldn't talk them out of the delivery charge so that was another $40 - and of course sales tax at 5%. I guess I will also have to buy some decent component cables.
I opted not to go with their extended service plan. The cheapest one was 2 years for over $200. The advantage is that you get free lens and mirror cleaning and convergance setting. Of course you are also still under warrenty for the length of the plan. It seems to me that the convergance and cleaning can be done by me. It also seems to me that if something were to go wrong, it would happen in the first few days, or within the one year that Toshiba offers. My other reasoning for not getting it is that if I get an ISF calibration, that would be better than the services Sears offers. Do you all think not getting the extended service plan was a bad idea? I still have 10 days to buy it if I change my mind.
The delivery that Sears offers is very good. They will haul it right to the location I want it, take all the packaging material with them, and make sure it works before leaving. Having them carry it down the steps in my house should be worth the $40 alone.
The best news is that it will be here this Thursday the 9th.
This new purchase means a lot of change. I have been keeping my components on top of my entertainment center. All my DVD's and tapes inside the unit. Without the center, I don't know where I will put my components and dvd's. For that matter, I don't know what I am going to do with the entertainment center or the TV. Is it a bad idea to put the components on top of the TV? Eventually I will build a component rack, but until then?
Well, lots of stuff to think about over the next few days.
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Stefan Antwarg

I just purchased my Panny from Sears and didn't get the extended warranty. No matter how they sell it, if they go out of business 6 months from now you will be screwed. If I would have spent $4000+ on it, I might have gave it a second thought. But for $1699 I am going to use that money toward an ISF Calibration and take my chances!

Stefan,
Congratulations on your new tv!!
I bought an analog 53" Hitachi from them a couple of years ago, and their delivery guys were great. They gladly moved my 200lb plus Sony 35" XBR from the place the new set was to occupy, and were very proffesional in every way.
I'm not familiar with the structural strength of the top of the 50H81, but if the top is plastic I'd be hesitant to load it down too much.
As a temporary measure you could do what I did and buy a cheap honeycomb plastic shelf laundry rack at walmart for your gear. You may have to put wooden boards over the plastic honeycomb shelves as they may sag a bit under a heavy reciever, but these things are actually pretty sturdy and go for like $20 or so. Mine was supposed to be temporary a couple of years ago, but having no WAF and being reluctant to spend hundreds on racks, furniture, and such instead of electronics it's become sorta permanent. Not fashionable, but extremely cheap and sorta industrial looking.
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Steve S.
I prefer not to push the subwoofers until they're properly run in.

Congrat's Stefan!

Is it a bad idea to put the components on top of the TV?

You have 11-inches of top surface space, and it has no problems supporting my 10 lbs. JBL N-Center speaker. Most components are not that heavy, so the only concern is if the components supporting feet is within the 11" spread.
Have fun,
Phil
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http://www.geocities.com/p_iturra

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Stephan, Try this for a storage solution http://www.outletfurnishings.com/Pro...HT71748_49.pdf
I got this and it fits a widescreen like a glove.

Phil,
Would the 50h81 be able to support a 33lb centre speaker?
Thanks,
Joe
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Movie reviews and discussion...Link Removed

Joe Wong - It should becase the press board top is 5/16 thick all the way across. To be sure, take your monster Center to a store that has a 50H81 in stock, . . . and try it!
Phil
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http://www.geocities.com/p_iturra

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I decided to make a flexirack. In fact, I am in the middle of working on the shelves now. I am making them out of mahogany and the gluing up process is taking a while. Each shelf is 3 narrow pieces glues up. Then I have to drill, decide on a profile, sand, and finish. I like that a lot better then the MDF route.
Stefan Antwarg

Joe Wong,
I am going to borrow a solution from someone else here at HTF and use a wall-mount television platform located just above the top surface of my RPTV.
These will also tilt so the speaker can be angled down without fear of it sliding off, and can be swung out of the way when fiddling with the television.
Dennis
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