Our 55’ LG TV that we bought in 2009 just died on us, so now we’re looking for a replacement and am looking for something that hopefully will last longer. I’d like something in the same range as our old one.
Really? You bought a 55" LG HDTV for about $800 in 2009? I’m surprised that it was that cheap then. I just checked Best Buy’s website and can’t find anything that cheap now, unless you get a refurbished one. And prices have dropped dramatically in three years.
I don’t know if they’ve corrected the problem, but the Samsung 52" TV we bought about three years ago has had to be serviced twice due to failing capacitors (a problem widespread enough that there was a class-action lawsuit to which Samsung agreed to a settlement). They did pay for the first repair and eventually reimbursed us for (75% of) the cost of the most recent repair, and I like the TV otherwise, but it’s made me wary of buying another Samsung TV or recommending their brand.
$800 in 2009 for a 55" flatscreen is a fairlyland price. I’d love to know where you’re shopping. Although, a 3-year lifespan may indicate a refurb or something.
If you spend $1500 (doable?), you should get a quality TV that does everything you want and lasts.
Plasmas generally provide the best picture for your buck, but do take up more electricity. I’ve run the math and where I live the extra power costs are only significant over a decade or longer.
I can’t recommend 3D as it feels gimmicky and having to buy/locate the glasses seems like a pain.
For plasmas, Panasonic is the best. For LCD/LEDs, Samsung is generally the best.
I got a Panasonic TCP55GT30 55-inch plasma from Crutchfield for $1600. It has an excellent picture, built-in networking and 3D. (Yes, I got the glasses, and yes, Avatar looks awesome.)
I’m very very happy with it. But I don’t think you’d find anything that good for $800 anywhere.
Hmm I got a 40" Bravia in…2010? 2009? It was $800 on sale. I bought it during Super Bowl season. Still it was only like $150 on sale at most.
I’m happy with it. Bought it explicitly for the matte finish. I do have a bit of a problem getting the colors just right but the source is my computer so I think the display is fighting with my video card.
It’s not that hard these days to find 50+ inches for $800, maybe even less if it’s a no-name model or clearance. If you have a Costco nearby you can sometimes find great TV deals. I just looked on Fatwallet and apparently Costco and Sam’s both have an LG 60 inch plasma for $900.
If you have little more depth for the TV, I recommend a Samsung DLP. Mine is 16 inches deep, but it has incredible response time, no motion blur. Now that I’m on FIOS the resolution is incredible. But you do have to be prepared to replace bulbs and fans over time. Some people have issues with the color, but I’ve never noticed anything.
slight hijack for those that bought the Panasonic plasma what would you recommend an extended warranty? Just asking because my sister’s LG also went kaput and it was too expensive to fix. She had the extended warranty from SAM’S and they reimbursed her what she paid. She has since bought a Panasonic from Best Buy but declined the extended warranty from there and was trying to decide whether to get something from Square Trade or straight from Panasonic. Is it even necessary or is the original factory warranty enough?
Ours is the Z series, and our just over $2000 represented a discount of a couple hundred dollars. Electronics are generally more expensive over here, but that still seems like an extreme difference.