I may buy a widescreen today... Toshiba or something else? (1 Viewer)

[Andrew Grall]

I am moving this week, and since we are buying a washer/dryer, and since I have been working part-time at Best Buy for a while, we are thinking of taking advantage of my discount and getting the TV we both know I will get eventually...
Here is what I am thinking:
Toshiba 65H80: Nice, big widescreen HDTV with 2 HDTV inputs. Question: Is 65" ever too big? The room I will be putting it in at the new house is not that big... But, again... on this quality TV, can you EVER go too big?
Sony 61HS10: Nice, big 4:3 set with good resolution on anamorphic widescreen movies. I was originally leaning toward this set because of the number of TV shows that I watch that are still 4:3... But I am beginning to think that I can get used to the strected modes on the Toshiba, and the lack of extra HDTV inputs on this set could be annoying...
Any other recommendations as to TVs Best Buy sells are welcome... What do you think about size? Can I go too big? Is the 65" worth it over the 56"? Thanks!
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[Jeff D.]

There is no question - go for the 65H80. These sets are absolutely stunning. You are right - you will get used to the stretch modes very fast. The Toshiba is also way better built than the Sony. The Sony's cabinet is made of flimsy plastic - the top of the TV can't even hold a decent centre channel without bowing under the weight.
Lastly, the 65 will produce a much larger image - the 61 will only produce a 56" widescreen image.
The choice is clear - go for the Toshiba.
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Jeff
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"You're a walking stick! It's funny! Now GO!"

 

[Vishwa Somayaji]

There may never be the "right" or "definitive" answer to this question and a lot of buyers face this dilemma and it will only end when all broadcasts are in 16:9(sometime this decade?). However, the best answer should come from the TV watching habit. If you have HD satellite and watch lots of DVDs and do not mind the slightly fattened people on regular TV shows then Toshiba 65H80 is right for you. TVs are never too big. You get used to the size sooner than you think.
On the other hand if you spend lot more time watching regular TV and do not mind slightly smaller DVD picture(56") then Sony is right. It must also be less expensive. This assuming you want it right away. If you can wait, the HS30 will have two HD inputs. It is probably a month away.
Good luck with your decision and enjoy whatever you buy.

 

[Michael De Costa]

Go with the Tosiba. I recently purchased the 56H80 about 2 weeks ago, and can not say enough good things about this set. The picture quality is oustanding and I can't wait to hook it up to HD and Progressive Scan
dvd to see it's full potential! As for 4:3 viewing, Toshiba has a Wide Mode that will stretch a 4:3 picture to fit the 16:9 format. The Toshibas are also know for having a great line doubler second only to the Pioneer Elite Series. I have yet to have enough experiance working with the set to provide further details. Good luck in your purchase.

 

[David Head]

You actually don't have to live with "slightly fattened" images in stretch mode either if you choose the TheaterWide2 option to zoom the image. This page at Keohi HDTV explains the different modes.
David

 

[errol]

Hi Andrew,
I have a 65" set. It looks "small" now that I've had it for a year and half. I guess I've just gotten used to it.
It's really subjective though. Some folks who visit think it is too big, some say just right, some not big enough. I guess I now fall in the latter category.
Thanks,
Errol
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[Michael De Costa]

Dave- thanks for the advice. I will try to test that out when I go home. As you can see, I am still not familiar with most of the capabilities of the Toshibas. I am looking forward to setting it up with AVIA disk this weekend....

 

[Abdul Jalib]

Toshibas look great for DVD's, and undercut the price of almost all the competition, but here is the catch: they look soft for HDTV, as they have low 1080i resolution. Also, they lack RGB inputs, so they are not a good choice if you might wish to use a HTPC. And just about any RGB-accepting set with a HTPC will look better for DVD's than a Toshiba with a progressive DVD player (or Toshiba with a HTPC connected via a RGB-to-component transcoder.)
-Abdul

 

[Andrew Grall]

Well, I took the plunge...
I bought the 65H80, and it will be delivered to our new house on Wednesday... My father-in-law will be there helping us move, so I'm sure there will be some uncomfortable questions about how much it cost, but oh well...
I'm sure I'll be back here later in the week with questions...
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[Andrew Grall]

Just an update...
The TV was delivered last Wednesday (a week ago) with the washer and dryer I bought... Well, sort of...
The delivery guys refused to even take it off the truck... They insisted that there was no way they would get it down the half flight of stairs and around the corner to the room I wanted it in. I think it might have been close, but they refused to even try. So, they took it back with them. On top of that, the local Best Buy refused to help me... Instead I had to call the Best Buy in Milwaukee. They had to wait until it was back in their "stock", and then on Sunday, a manager I know at the Milwaukee location did an exchange for the 56" for me, and said delivery should be Wednesday (yesterday). Well, delivery day came, and I had not received a call telling me a time window that it would be delivered. I called several Best Buy numbers, and eventually found out that my delivery was somehow cancelled. Another manager is now working on it, and is going to call me tomorrow with a new delivery date. This is getting very ridiculous, and I will be very happy when I actually get the TV!
Ugh...

 

[Rob Varto]

I know you mentioned that you get the discount, but some local dealers may still be able to help you out. Im out in Canton and I bout my TW65X81 from Walters Appliance on Michigan Avenue. Great set, great service. I've had no problems and the delivery guys, while a little exhausted after the move, did a stand up job. I don't know what you're having to pay for your set, but check out some local shops, you'd be suprised how reasonable they are.

 

[Chris White]

Here's a useful rule of thumb when buying an hd-ready tv set -- when in doubt, always buy the bigger tv. Recent buyers of tv sets often wish they had bought a bigger set, but RARELY wish they had bought a smaller one.
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[Andrew Grall]

Chris,
Yes, I realize that... and I would still prefer the 65", but if it's not going to fit, then it's not going to fit. So, anyhow, I should be hearing today when they will deliver my 56".
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[Eric Harrison]

What about the 65 Mits? I beleive it can be dismantled into 2 pieces thus allowing for deliver in tight places. Also, they are the only ones guaranteeing that their sets are upgradeble for the new firewire protection scheme that may or may not come into play a few years down the road. however, my feeling is that some manufacturer will come up with a way that will allow all current HDTV sets to be modified for this scenario.

 

[Brett Loomis]

Rob, I'm in Canton, MI also and I am currently looking at the Mitsubishi 65807/65857/65907. My eyes love the Pioneer Elites 610 and 710 but budget will probably lean towards the Mitsu or Toshiba. Any advice on comparing the Mitsu's and Tosh's??? ABC Warehouse in Canton offered the 65807 for $2799 plus a Direct TV system with 4 receiver boxes. Unfortunately, I am not ready yet as it seems like a pretty good deal.
Please help Oh great RPTV masters.
Brett
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[William Anthony]

I would go with the Tosh,before the Mits. Tosh is the next best thing to an Elite. The Mits sets are pretty cheesy. They are late comers to the 16X9 sets, and I think the sets components are second rate. Look how lousy there big screen direct view sets were.Also, very bad service records.
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[Andrew Grall]

This thread is actually a little bit old now...
I had sort-of made my choice, and you can read up on what is going on now in the following thread:
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/uub/...ML/001404.html
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