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What TV should I buy? (1 Viewer)

gtpeebs

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I was in Best Buy the other day and was sold on a 65inch Samsung HU 8700. Their main selling point was the fact that it had a 120hz refresh rate at 4k resolution, whereas the others (HU 7250) only had a 60hz. The TV i purchased was $2800 and the 7250 was $2,000.

Here is the TV I bought (but it hasn't come in yet).

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-UN65HU8700-Curved-65-Inch-Ultra/dp/B00KJEZIPY

I am now htinking that nothing out there offers 4k capabilities and the only time I will have access to it would be through "upscaling".

Can you recommend me a great TV for the money? I was looking at this 55inch Samsung for $1,300 and it seems to offer a lot other than being a 65inch. Thoughts?

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/samsung-55-class-54-5-8-diag--led-curved-2160p-smart-4k-ultra-hd-tv-black/8218007.p?id=1219317031737&skuId=8218007

I'm open to any and all recommendations.

Thanks in advance
 

schan1269

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Samsung 64" plasma, before they are gone.(That is the only recommendation you are likely to get anywhere. Except recommendations by other people out there with 1st gen UHD already. I won't touch UHD till HDMI 2.0 is out in completed form. By "completed form"...18g with HDCP 2.2. There are no AVR that way...and pretty sure none of the under $5000* UHD TV are either)*I will be completely happy to be confirmed wrong on this.
 

revgen

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For your price range, I also recommend the Samsung 64 inch F8500 plasma. Get it while you can. Production has ceased, and supplies are dwindling.
 

AndyMcKinney

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gtpeebs said:
I was in Best Buy the other day and was sold on a 65inch Samsung HU 8700. Their main selling point was the fact that it had a 120hz refresh rate at 4k resolution, whereas the others (HU 7250) only had a 60hz. The TV i purchased was $2800 and the 7250 was $2,000.

Here is the TV I bought (but it hasn't come in yet).

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-UN65HU8700-Curved-65-Inch-Ultra/dp/B00KJEZIPY

I am now htinking that nothing out there offers 4k capabilities and the only time I will have access to it would be through "upscaling".

Can you recommend me a great TV for the money? I was looking at this 55inch Samsung for $1,300 and it seems to offer a lot other than being a 65inch. Thoughts?

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/samsung-55-class-54-5-8-diag--led-curved-2160p-smart-4k-ultra-hd-tv-black/8218007.p?id=1219317031737&skuId=8218007

I'm open to any and all recommendations.

Thanks in advance
don't let the sales people reel you in with refresh rate double-talk. Like you say, there is also no 4k content out there, and no 4k broadcasts, so it hardly seems worth the bother.

It all depends on what you want your TV for. Do you buy/want to buy a lot of foreign-released titles (either on PAL DVD or 1080i/50hz blu-ray)? If so, then I'd suggest you find a TV that supports PAL and 1080i/50, since many of the US sets do not (Sharp is one of the main 'name' brands that does support them, by the way. Panasonic and Samsung are among the ones who mostly do not).

Do you want a lot of 'apps'? Then you'd want a Smart TV (or buy a Roku box).

Have a lot of legacy equipment (VCR, Laserdisc, etc)? Then you'll want one that has at least a couple composite inputs. Have a device that needs (or works better with) component? Again, you'll have to shop around as many TV makers are (or have already) eliminated those input jacks.

If you don't have such concerns, then you can pretty much choose from anything that's out there. If you have one or more of the above concerns (or others that I haven't mentioned), then you might want to go the AV Science forum and post some specific questions, or do like I did and do your own research.
 

gtpeebs

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So I didn't end up going with the 64inch as recommended as I couldn't justify spending $1k extra for 4 inches. Last night I returned the TV described above and the sales associate was almost begging me not to! LOL They must get a spiff on them.

I got the Samsung PN60F8500 for $1,500. I think I should be pretty happy with the purchase and with about $1,300 back in the bank.
 

schan1269

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gtpeebs said:
So I didn't end up going with the 64inch as recommended as I couldn't justify spending $1k extra for 4 inches. Last night I returned the TV described above and the sales associate was almost begging me not to! LOL They must get a spiff on them. I got the Samsung PN60F8500 for $1,500. I think I should be pretty happy with the purchase and with about $1,300 back in the bank.
Another person saved from LCD purgatory. My work here, today, is done.Kidding about done for the day...(I wonder if we can convince the "local authorities" to sound the weather alarm every time the last new in box plasma is sold in the area)
 

Patrick Sun

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It does kill me that they still want $1000 more for the 64" 8500 plasma model over the 60" 8500 plasma model. Maybe it was a $500 difference, I could stomach the extra cost, but not $1000.
 

Robert Crawford

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gtpeebs said:
So I didn't end up going with the 64inch as recommended as I couldn't justify spending $1k extra for 4 inches. Last night I returned the TV described above and the sales associate was almost begging me not to! LOL They must get a spiff on them.

I got the Samsung PN60F8500 for $1,500. I think I should be pretty happy with the purchase and with about $1,300 back in the bank.
Good for you. Yes, the extra four inches isn't worth the price discrepancy between the two different size displays.
 

Robert Crawford

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Patrick Sun said:
It does kill me that they still want $1000 more for the 64" 8500 plasma model over the 60" 8500 plasma model. Maybe it was a $500 difference, I could stomach the extra cost, but not $1000.
Patrick,

I really don't think you'll notice the difference of the 4", at least, not a $1000 difference. :)
 

gtpeebs

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I completely agree. It wasn't the matter of affording the tv, but rather the cost/benefit ratio and $1,000 seems a bit steep. I'm the type of person that never wants to regret a purchase and I know I will not miss 4 inches. lol

Thanks again guys!
 

vidiot33

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I wouldn't make 4k capability a priority. 4k Blu Ray is due to come out next year, and has been pointed out, you want to be sure the HDCP situation is stabilized by then. Right now, there's very little 4k content available and most have said there's not much difference between 4k and 1080p except on very large screens.
 

Dave Moritz

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Plasma tv's are great and give you the some of the best pictures. I purchased my tv less than a year ago which was a Samsung UN55F9000 4K UHD TV and I love this tv! It also has an external one connect that can be swapped out if the HDCP changes, all the hdmi connections are in the one connect so IMHO that gives a little upgrade security. How ever for those products where the hdmi are hardwired into the unit it is a big concern and could very well mean another costly upgrade after 4K bluray players become available.
 
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Good choice. I own a tv store and LITERALLY had to stop recommending plasma over LED because I had to many ... " LET ME THINK ABOUT IT " ... it kills me every time.
 

Aaron Silverman

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Robert Crawford said:
Patrick,

I really don't think you'll notice the difference of the 4", at least, not a $1000 difference. :)
I would, because I'd be "downgrading" from my 65" DLP. :) If the 64" 8500 dips below $2000 before it disappears, I may bite. Otherwise I'll wait a couple of years; maybe OLED or something else better than LCD will become affordable before they stop making replacement bulbs for my current set.
 

Robert Crawford

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Aaron Silverman said:
I would, because I'd be "downgrading" from my 65" DLP. :) If the 64" 8500 dips below $2000 before it disappears, I may bite. Otherwise I'll wait a couple of years; maybe OLED or something else better than LCD will become affordable before they stop making replacement bulbs for my current set.
I think you're out of luck as the well is about dry up for this model.
 

Ronald Epstein

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gtpeebs said:
So I didn't end up going with the 64inch as recommended as I couldn't justify spending $1k extra for 4 inches. Last night I returned the TV described above and the sales associate was almost begging me not to! LOL They must get a spiff on them.

I got the Samsung PN60F8500 for $1,500. I think I should be pretty happy with the purchase and with about $1,300 back in the bank.
Congrats. It's currently the best (and the last) plasma model on the market.

I have the 64" and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't marvel at its clarity.

At some point, get it calibrated. Gregg Loewen is an excellent calibrator and will
make your display look even better than it does now.

No hurry to have to spend the money to get it done -- just something to think about.
 

Gregg Loewen

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hi guys!

The Sammys are at the end of an age, get one while you can!. If you cant afford the 64" version just move your couch 18" closer.
 

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