Help me buy an HDTV!

In My Humble Opinion
1

So it seems there’s some fine deals out there for HDTVs now and I figured it’s about time I upgraded from my 27" 4:3 Slimfit CRT HDTV, but I need some help!

From what I’ve read, I want either a Plasma or LCD–the viewing angle restrictions for DLP sounds more annoying than its worth. I’m also thinking a 42" tv or thereabouts should be ample (I sit maybe 6 feet away). And while in a perfect world, the set would be 1080p, I’ve heard that it makes very little difference at sets smaller than 55", and thus isn’t worth the increase in price, so 720p should be fine for me/

Any great sets I should be looking at? My ideal price is around 1,000, though I suppose I’m willing to go as high as $1,300ish. I just want the picture to make my 360 games look stunning :slight_smile:

2

If you want plasma, I’ve heard the Panasonics are one of the best brands for the money. 6th Ave. Electronics has had some good deals lately.

3

Isn’t burnin still an issue on plasmas used for gaming? I have a plasma that’s about 2.5 years (or is it 1.5 years?) old, and even though it doesn’t permanently burn in, when there is an area of the screen that stays the same for a long time I do see temporary burnin effects. Slightly distracting, but the overall picture is still beautiful.

4

Check out this article from 2 days ago:

HDTVs for under $1000

5

Thanks for that link Giraffe, they seem to have some damn good deals! I’m really intrigued by their 42" Plasma Panasonic:
http://www.6ave.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=PANTH42PZ80U&location=homespecial

6

It always puzzles me when people say this. The viewing angle for modern rear projection TVs is better than ever. This Samsung model, for instance, has a horizontal viewing angle of 140 degrees. Just how far to the side do you plan to sit? It’s only 14 inches thick, too, not like the big monsters of the past. And you get so much more screen real estate for your dollar…you’ll never find a 56 inch LCD or plasma for under $1K.

For my money, the only reason to buy a flat TV is if you’re hurting for space and want to hang it on the wall. Rear projection has worked great for me for six years now, and I plan to stick with it for my next TV, barring some amazing technological breakthrough or unforeseen price reduction.

7

Hmm, I just found what appears to be an identical TV at Costco for $50 cheaper, but the model #s different:
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11292507&whse=BC&Ne=4000000&eCat=BC|79|2341|3314|74670&N=4018655&Mo=5&No=5&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&cat=74670&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&hierPath=79*2341*3314*74670*&topnav=&SessionID=033143cd-e96f-4e9a-ba1a-03b0500a7beb

Anyone know if there’s a difference?

8

Okay, it seems the Costco model has a PC input and a matte finish, instead of gloss. I don’t care about the PC input–what’s generally better for a TV though, matte or gloss?

9

Gloss looks purty but if people will be touching it, it will hold fingerprints much worse.

I’d suggest looking at a DLP set before buying one. I never have liked the picture on them. Yeah they’re big, but that’s about it.

10

Sorry, not sure I understand you here. You never liked the picture on DLP? Did you mean Plama?

11

No, I mean DLP. You can get a BIG screen for not a lot of money, but the picture always seemed dark and a bit sparkly.

12

I own this Panasonic TV, and it is bar none the best value for your money ($699 is a STEAL for 42", I got mine last year for $1000 on sale). There is also a 1080P version for $200 more. I cannot recommend the Panasonic Viera TV’s enough, service from them is awesome! They come over to your house, and if they can’t fix it there you get a free rental until it’s fixed.