serious newb needs YOUR help, seriously! 32" TV's... hrmm... (1 Viewer)

[Drew_E]

hello. I need a 32" TV because it is about right for my size apartment. It also fits my price range better than others. I have noticed that CostCO is really the best place to buy with their 100% satisfaction policy and great prices. There are 3 TV's that I am eyeballing. I really don't mind the price differential as long as I know that I'm getting a seriously superior value. I also don't really have a keen eye for quality, so as long as I'm getting my money's worth and it will fill a niche for a good few more years of college I will have no complaints.
the cheapest one at $459 is the 32" Panasonic 'Panablack' CT-3207D. Link Removed is the closest thing i could find on their website. it's the CT-32G7D
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next in line at only $549 is the JVC AV-32D503. here is the info i found on their website.

at the top of the list is a Phillips flat screen. I did't take note of the exact model number but it is $700 and there are only 3 of these TV's on the Phillips site. Link Removed is a link to the 3 TV's that it could possibly be. now i don't know which it is but with my extrordinary novice in this field i wouldn't know the differences if they hit me in the face.
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now i know that any respectable home theater geek would demand that i buy the most expensive one, due to the fact that it is probably the best by at least some margin. Well i would but i took a look at that JVC right next to the Phillips and perhaps my eyes were deceiving me but i thought that the JVC looked better. Please give me a rundown as to what you think or what else you would buy with 700 dollars as the absolute max, and a 32" TV or perhaps 35" if i'm feeling daring. Thanks for all and any help. I don't know what a comb filter is and i don't really even know what i would need HDTV for.
I know what i consider to be a lot about car audio and if someone were to ask me such a novice question, i normally revert to just giving suggestions about which other products i should consider, rather than give them the song and dance about the circuitry or s/n or THD or all the other crap that is usually pure bologna when it comes down to it.

 

[Jan Strnad]

Drew,
Everybody has to find his/her own "level" when it comes to buying a TV, and I wouldn't want to try to sell you more than you need to get through a few (hopefully, not too many!) years of college.
First, about model numbers: The manufacturers often change the model number slightly when selling to a discount place like Costco. That way, they aren't undercutting the dealers who carry the non-discount model and those dealers don't have to price match with Costco because, technically, they "aren't the same TV." Even if the only difference is the model number.
Secondly, about HDTV and all that: Well, of course you should get a wide screen HDTV set (speaking as a Home Theater enthusiast), but you know, the technology and standards change continually and maybe you're at a point in life where it's better just to wait before taking that plunge.
Which means, get the set that you like in the $500 price range and don't sweat the state-of-the-art stuff.
Thirdly, you can't tell a whole lot by looking at a store demo at Costco. A less-impressive set, showing a cable TV or satellite picture, may truly shine when showing a progressive scan DVD or high definition picture. It may even look worse with a bad signal than a "lesser" TV because it shows the flaws more.
But I can't imagine your being unhappy with any of the TVs you mention, once you get it home and start viewing. As far as brands go, I'd slide toward the Panasonic, but that's just me. I've had good JVC gear, too, but I've had some trouble with Philips. Which doesn't mean Philips is no good. I have a helluva Philips DVD player that just doesn't like my Harmon Kardon AV receiver.
In summary, in your situation, it's hard to go wrong.
What do you want a TV for anyway? Shouldn't you be studying?
J.

 

[Dan V]

Make sure whatever you are looking at has component inputs and is able to do an anamorphic squeeze. The difference in picture quality is amazing and in your price range you should expect these features. I know the JVC does the squeeze( although you have to acess it from the service menu) and has component inputs,I have a AV-3230 and have been very pleased with it, can't speak for the other tv's.

 

[Drew_E]

thanks for the replies! i will do another rundown on the spec's and try to make some sense of it. yes i should be studying and i do study-- all too much in fact. my relaxing time is pretty much a 100% ZONE OUT while watching a DVD. i don't even have cable.

the Philips and the JVC right next to each other were playing the same exact DVD probably off the same feed, but i don't know how it was split. however it was clear to me that even if the flat screen had better resolution, the JVC had suprisingly brilliant colors. Perhaps the Philips wasn't adjusted properly but from my angle the JVC won hands down. I think I'm going to go with the JVC if there is no wrong answer here. The flat screen looks really cool like it's state of the art and all.. but for 150 less and seemingly more brillant colors, JVC it might just be. On another note i'm a die hard JVC fan. i have never been disappointed with anything of theirs. Even their lowest base model car cd player rarely skipped and played at incredibly good sound quality (compared to the Alpine $800 unit 7949 which was THE reference in SQ a few years ago).

 

[Larry F.]

Check out Sam's club if you can. You can find the the JVC 32260 there for $469 only difference is the speakers and the $90 you'd save.

 

[Bill Will]

If you can find it take a look at the 36 inch Samsung it can be had for under $700 & it has component video inputs & can do the "Squeeze Trick" using the remote or through the menu. Just a word of caution: Costco & etc that have tv's with the same model numbers as the regular manufactuers or slightly different model numbers may not be exactly the same set. They might have cheaper power supplies, video amps & audio amps in them & maybe missing some of the features of the "orginal sets". Something to check if you can. A friend of mine a few years back bought a Magnavox tv from Costco & it was the exact same model number as the original but it was missing the "remote locater" feature that the original set had but everything else was the same. So check the specs. on them because a lot of companies just don't change the model numbers they also change the insides too.

 

[Drew_E]

thanks! i already got the tv swivel stand or whatever but i'd like to check that samsung out. i don't have a sams club nearby but i'm sure there is one somewhere... 36" sounds sweet.
as for the remote locator and other parts that i may not even know are missing, well from costco i always have the option of returning it for cash, and that's really what i'm all about , but thanks for the warning.
any other helpfull hints or other favorite television suggestions?

 

[Jack Briggs]

I strongly recommend a set that does the raster-compression "squeeze trick" through its user menu; I doubt your ready to start mucking around a set's service menu. If you're sticking strictly to NTSC technology, then the raster-compression function will dazzle you when you spin a well-authored 16:9-encoded DVD.

As you have been cautioned, displays are often set up improperly on showroom floors. Expect to do some picture adjustments--specifically, lowering the White and Black level settings, selecting the most accurate color temperature, and making other changes. You will need the showroom appropriately darkened for that. (I have insisted on such at various showrooms, and the store personnel accommodated me.)

Pay close attention to the rear-panel connections, as well. At the very minimum, you should have at least one component input, an S-video input, and the evergreen composite inputs.

 

[Drew_E]

actually i had gotten the 32" panasonic for my birthday and my mom said i could take it back to costco if i saw something i wanted more. today my dog got pissed off at me and chewed the box up! i hope costco still has the heart to take it back. I know it's a lot to ask, but i'm alright with the TV as it is. I'll see what they can do. also i don't think that there is a Sam's Club in all of northern california. :frowning:

 

[Adil M]

In general the Panasonic Tv's have a more niceword:colorful/bad word:bleeding picture. The Jvc is more nice word:detailed/bad word:grainy. You have to decide which you like better. I like the JVC better. I also believe it has better black detail or details in dark areas. If it were me I'd get the JVC.

 

[Drew_E]

thanks again for the replies. i just took my panasonic back to costco. i noticed that they have a 36" JVC that has of course component inputs and as someone had previously mentioned anamorphic squeeze.. it costs 750 dollars. however someone also previously stated that the "squeeze trick" or rastor-compression (perhaps this "trick" has a lot of different names?) must be accessed by the service menu... and the samsung is around $700 and can access the anamorphic squeeze through the remote. is the samsung clearly a better choice considering the forementioned?

 

[Larry F.]

I looked at the Samsung but didn't like it for one reason. The curvature of the screen was so overly exagerrated for a 36" set. I still have the 32" JVC and after calibration am very pleased with the picture quality (someone mentioned graininess) not sure where this came from. I've looked at this (32260/32230) family along side the wega, and toshiba and saw no difference (graininess). All had a nice picture but at $469 for a 32" dual tuner pip, with all the other features this has I could not find anything that could touch it for the money. Sam's has the 36" version of the set for $649 too btw.