Tosh 51HX84 VS Panny 53X54 VS Hit 51F510 (1 Viewer)

[Robin Smith]

Where are these prices from? The prices I had were $100 - 200 more...

 

[KimGI]

the Panny was BB
the 51H84C was BB

the other 3 were FS

All prices were gathered on a walk through the stores last night. Do you have any thoughts on choice?

 

[Robin Smith]

I checked the FS site, and the TVs are not listed at those prices, although the 57HX84 is only $2499 (only $100 more than the 51).

My thoughts are pretty low right now. I went to my local non-big box store to make a decision on the Hitachi f510, Panny TW54 or Toshiba HX84 and left all pissed off because of the shitty SD performance of all of them. I just don't know what to do/buy.

The Toshiba is probably the best choice if I were forced to make a decision but so much programming is still standard def and I don't know how people can stand to look at SD programming on any of these big 16x9 sets (even the $5,000 LCDs and DLPs look like ass).

What difference does satellite SD make over analog cable? I am pretty sure the SD on all the sets in the store are playing simple old school analog cable, but the quality is almost unbearable. Do I just have to bite the bullet and say thats what its gonna be like until everything is hi def?

 

[Tim Jin]

Pretty much, YES!!!

You can improve the SD cable somewhat by using a s video cable, but its nowhere close to HD.

You also need to consider that the feed at the store is probably split multiple times to feed to each set, that the signal is being degraded.

I rarely watch SD programming anymore, other than the news and some shows.

Most big games are in HD now and most of the shows that I watch are in HD.

The programming is getting better. At least PBS stop showing their HD loop over and over.

 

[Robin Smith]

Well, I am not a sports fan. So the appeal of hi-def sports is low. I also have a MythTV box that I built for a PVR which does not do hi def capture (unless I invest in a hi def card). So it SD for me for quite while... hence the need for good SD viewing capabilities.

I have been looking for a TV for two months now, and every time I go look, I get P.O.ed at the SD quality. Compared to the store, do you really think SD at home will be a noticeable improvement over the store SD (say its via satellite, sent through s-video and my TV is tweaked).

 

[Rolando]

WOW! I have to move to Calgary.

Prices here are:

the 53X54 can currently be had for $2399 cdn
the 51H84C can be had for about $2199
the 51HX84 is going for $2399 to $2499cdn

Now negotiation is possible but $200 off is about as low as most stores will go.

If I could get the 53X54 for $1799 it would be so bought. heck the 47X54 is $1999 at FS and Sears. Actually non of the stores seem to have them in store but FS can appently get one in but their website has them.

 

[Robin Smith]

I am with you Rolando, best price I can find on the 51HX84 is $2299. BB had the 47H84 for $1999 with an XBox though, but its too small.

 

[KimGI]

Could it be that the sale prices are regional and rotating? Last week I read in a forum that the 53X54 was $1799 in Ontario and yet it was $2399 in Calgary. This weekend it is $1799 in Calgary and you now say it is $2399 back east. Hmmm western Canadians take note. If it's on sale in the east wait a week...

So at $1799 one can't go wrong with a Panny seems to be the concensus.

 

[Robin Smith]

That's a huge price difference, I could understand $200, but $600! Make me wanna wait until it goes on sale here again.

Still undecided on the TV choice. The Hitachi f510 is out. I did a pretty good comparison between it and the Panny yesterday (in a darkened room) and I def liked the panny better. The 9 point convergence bugs me, but I understand there's a "better" convergence in the Service menu.

TheToshiba HX84 is nice, especially the black case, but no-one seems to own it, so I won't reap the benefit of all the tweaking advice of my peers on sites like this and AVS Forum. There seems to be a TON of tweaking info on the Panny's.

I am willing to invest the time "playing" with this set, so I want one that has great potential, lots of tweakable options and ideally lots of message board support to assist me in the tweakage.

 

[Mike Boniferro]

The one with the XBox is the 51H84, not the 47 (as they don't make a 47, it goes 46, 51, 57, 65)

That is a great price with the XBOX, and you could probably have a chance at forgoing the XBOX in exchange for a store credit (obviously not the FULL $200 though).

I am extremely happy with my 51H83, and I have to say that the convergence grid on the H84 is a much nicer feature (although I just use the service menus). I also have a friend who has the Panny, and it is also very nice. You really can't go wrong with either. Also, I watch a lot of SD on it, either through the component video on my HD receiver or S-video on my satellite, and I am fairly happy with the result (I do find that the Toshiba is nicer than the Panny for SD as it's stretch modes are much better).

As far as pricing goes, just go to the BB or FS website and look at the flyers by using postal codes for Ontario and compare prices. If it is on sale here, they will surely honor the sale price out there!

 

[Robin Smith]

I looked at both BB and FS flyers using different post codes (Calgary and Ontario) and the prices on the TVs were the same. Perhaps the pricing was store specific.

There's a local store I rather buy my TV from, and they'd probably match the prices if I could find them in print somewhere. I think I am going to go for the HX84 over the Panny, unless someone can convince me otherwise. The only advantage I see the Panny has is that there's tons of posts about it...

 

[Mike Boniferro]

Robin,
go to bestbuy.ca
click at the top left corner where it says 'weekly ad'.
type in the postal code N6J3W5
Go to page 3 of the flyer

happy reading

 

[KimGI]

I believe the weekly ads on the websites are national sales and priced equally accross the country with the exception of taxes.

The prices I mentioned earlier are almost certainly location specific. I pulled them right from the signs posted on the sets in the store and not from any flyer or website.

 

[Tim Jin]

Just bite the bullet and go out and buy the set. If you keep looking at prices, you will never get the set. There are things that you have to buy on impulse.

 

[Mike Boniferro]

Plus most stores have 30 day price matches after you buy, so you can keep looking while you are enjoying your new tv.

 

[Mike Boniferro]

Plus most stores have 30 day price matches after you buy, so you can keep looking while you are enjoying your new tv.