First time tv buyer help (1 Viewer)

[NingW]

Hey guys, i'm new to this forum and to the whole home theater scene in general. I just finally decided I needed a bigger tv so I went to best buy to get one. I talked to one of the sales guy there who seemed to be pretty knowledgeable. He recommended Toshiba/Mitsubishi as the top brand of choice for HDTV. I ended up getting the Toshiba 51H83. Its being shipped in about a week but I want to make sure that it is a reliable tv. Can you guys help or give me some advice? He put Sony under Toshiba/Mitsubishi then samsung and panasonic.

 

[Anthony F.]

Don't know about the specific model, but all of the brands you mention have generally good track records and similar warranty coverage. Probably the best thing to do is get a calibration disc to help set things up properly once the TV is in place. That way you can evaluate the picture and really see if you like it. There are many folks here that can help you with other aspects of your set-up. Good luck and welcome to the forum.

 

[Bob_Campbell]

NingW,

I just purchased a toshiba 46" from Best buy. The picture quality is excelent. Especially with a digital hook up. My Dad has a 55" mitsu Diamond series very good also but in my opinion it's like comparing apples to apples at that point. I can't see a tremendous difference. The main difference that you can see between the two the the amount of red in the screen of the toshiba. However all toshiba's are like this and can be modified if you want then to be with the disk that Anthony recomended. You can find it at best buy for about 40 dollars.

 

[NingW]

Thanks for your help guys. Does everyone with an HDTV need to confire them with a disk? Will i need to configure it everytime I turn the tv on?

 

[Jeff Gatie]

You do not have to configure it with a disk, but it is *HIGHLY* recommended for any TV, especially for rear projection. Not only will it allow you to get the best picture possible with the user menu, it will help you dial down the factory "torch mode" setting that can lead to a shorter set life and burn-in. It will give you a more film like display and greatly enrich your viweing pleasure. Avia and the RS SPL meter are the best $60 I have spent for my theater.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

The disc has test patterns and video screens designed to help you set the TV controls for the best picture -- the brightness, contrast, that sort of stuff. So it's not something you need to do over and over. But once you use a calibration disc to make the adjustments, you'll be glad you did!