HDTV Advice

Avoid Plasma tv's. This technology is on the way out. The future is LCD & LED. To give you an idea about Plasma. Sony quit that technology 2 years ago. They have focused on LCD & LED technology.

I did alot of research when making my TV purchase last year. I wanted to get the best tv I could. Knowing this tv will last me 15 years or more. Everything kept pointing me to LCD. It was going to be either Sony or Samsung. Sony won out due to a great incentive they had. No interest & no payments for 18 months. Samsung had that deal but only for 12 months.

As for 720p or 1080p. You have to look at what your tv watching will be(try and imagine the future).

Do you plan to own a blu-ray player/PS3? Blu-ray & some PS3 games are currently 1080p. I have a PS3 & a 46" LCD 1080p and the picture quality is amazing with blu-ray movies. When I bought my TV, I was looking to the future. That is the reason for getting 1080p. I also have my PC connected to my tv. With wireless keyboard and mouse. It is nice to be able to sit on the couch & check email. Hulu.com is also great on this setup.

LCD has better viewing angle than other types of tv's. Meaning I can be at a 90 degree angle and still see the picture. Some tv's, if you move from dead center the picture quality degrades. Not with LCD.


TV shows that are broadcast Satellite,cable, or airwaves, are not in 1080p. On rare occasions you might get an HD show in 1080i. But I believe all that will change when the broadcasters do not have to support 2 technologies. Once analog tv goes away Feb 2009. Broadcasters can focus more money on digital.

Also a note: Small LCD's 720p is fine. You won't be able to get the full effect of 1080p on tv's 32" or smaller.

Currently the top TV makers are Sony & Samsung.
http://reviews.cnet.com/best-lcd-tvs/

 

I have a Sharp Aquos 42" LCD and I love it. Full 1080p (The maximum resolution at progressive scan vs. interlaced, which is more blurry)

I didn't have a budget large enough for the Sony Bravia which would be my first choice. They really seem to have acheived the "darkest black"....

 

I have a Samsung 40" 1080P with a 120Hz Refresh and 50,000:1 Contrast Ratio. I love it was a little pricey but defently worth it. but they also have 40"s that are a little lower grade for around 800$ mine was 1800$

 

my Pioneer 50" Plasma is awesome.

 

good point, i forgot to mention contrast ratio. i forgot who made it but someone came out with a TV with a "true black" that was suppose to be as dark as the screen when the tv is powered off. i dont know if i believe it and i cant remember who made it but it's kinda cool if its true

thank you! someone who finally agree's with me. that either makes me really smart or you really stupid..... i'll let you decide

plasma's look fine but they dont have longevity and their picture is no longer superior to lcd's. and like you said, the technology is now stagnant

 

Samsung came out last year with an LCD that shows true black. Only negative I heard was that the screen was shiny. If you had a room with lots of light, that tv had a glare problem.

LED's are the future technology. I read that they can make the tv as thin as 1/4"- 1/2". Sony brought one out last year. The tv components were in its base.

 

I have a the sony bravia 46" lcd. I bought it a couple of years back when they first came out. We paid 4 grand for it. But they have come down a lot since then. I thought that this was the best viewing tv out there at the time. But I have not been looking to much lately.

 

We have a 50in Sony Grand Wega SXRD. Awesome TV. Bought it for 3 grand. Probobly ALOT cheper now.

 

Costco has great deals on all kinds of brands. 90 day full refund return policy for any reason.

 

First off, it all depends on how much you want to spend. Next would be your room size. After that would be LCD vs. Plasma. I would say the 1080p is a given; DON'T GET ANYTHING ELSE!!! I wouldn't waste your money on 120hz unless your willing to buy upper-end models. I think that the upper-end models have pretty much worked out the problems of the Triple-Ball-Effect. That is when you have the 120hz cranked up to high, and you'll see anything moving at a high rate of speed jutter. I have a 2007 Samsung 5271, and have to crank the 120hz to low. This was a upper-end LCD in 2007.

Here's the LCD brands that I recommend in order:

1. Samsung (I own 2, 52" & 40")
2. Sony
3. Sharp

Plasma:

Pioneer Elite Kuro - I don't care what the LCD lovers say, this TV has the best picture that I've ever seen. THE PICTURE IS SIMPLY AMAZING!!!

If you want to do some research on HDTV's, go to this website:

AVS Forum

 

I have the top of line 42" Samsung LCD and run the single HDMI cable for the best sound and picture available in one single cable.

If you are mounting it on a wall look at the bracket prices, then look at the cable prices and then figure out what is left for the TV.

I missed if you were on cable or satelite and do the boxes you have come with a HDMI output?

If your not mounting it on the wall then go with the LCD rear projection (16" deep). I have a 60" Hitachi again top of the line. I always make sure the TV has the glass over the screen.

Remeber cables are everything!

 

Yes cables are very important. No point in spending a few grand on a tv only to plugin some cheap rca cable. A good place to get quality cables at a low price. http://www.tigerdirect.com

 

But don't get carried away. Don't buy top of the line and don't buy Monster. They are overpriced and you'll never know the difference between some middle of the road cables and the high-end gold plated rip-offs.

edit: I agree that tigerdirect.com is a good place to get decent priced cables without getting porked.

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/03/audiophiles-cant-tell-the-difference-between-monster-cable-and/

 

I just got the Sony KDL-40W4100 and LOVE IT! 120Hz is the way to go. It took me several weeks of research and looking around at prices and specs for me to decide on the Sony 120Hz and I'm very happy w/ my purchase.

 

Higher is better.

 

i dunno dude, LCD technology is getting crazy. i just saw the new Aquos by sharp that is barely 2 inches thick with over a million to 1 contrast ratio. that shit is crazy!

edit: here is the link if you wanna check it out.... no idea what it cost but i'd love to have it http://www.sharpusa.com/products/AQUOS/

 

I agree, BUT you have to check out the picture of a Pioneer Elite Kuro Plasma before... I think that specific plasma is the expection to the rule. I have a Samsung 5271, and the Kuro beats the pants off of my TV for picture quality. It's very, very, very hard for me to say that but my eyes don't lie.

I think that this years Sammys have colored LED backlight technology, as opposed to last year's 81 series white backlights. Good thing to because the 71 series looked better than the more expensive 81 series.

Can't wait for the OLED technology to become refined and not costly. Samsung 40

CES will roll around again in March, and technology giants will announce some more craziness.

 

Samsung Flexible OLED

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2SCZvU8sGU