# Help the Mahaloth family buy an HD TV, please. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 26, 2014, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-mahaloth-family-buy-an-hd-tv-please/689287 "2014-05-26T16:21:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-mahaloth-family-buy-an-hd-tv-please/689287/21 "2014-05-27T04:53:58Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > Vizio is a good brand. It’s not. Screen resolution sucks. Go to Costco and see for yourself. Panasonic or Samsung. You will not be disappointed. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-mahaloth-family-buy-an-hd-tv-please/689287/22 "2014-05-27T14:08:42Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > It’s not. Screen resolution sucks. Go to Costco and see for yourself. > > Panasonic or Samsung. You will not be disappointed. Not Sony? My dad has a sony and it is great. He got it in 2007. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-mahaloth-family-buy-an-hd-tv-please/689287/23 "2014-05-27T14:14:31Z")
Sony has had a tendency to be over-priced for televisions. You’ll get a better product for the same money with Samsung or Panasonic. Another thing to consider is what sort of content you’ll be watching. Do you use Redbox, Netflix, etc.? What about a cable subscription? You’ll be able to get HD feeds from over-the-air broadcasting, but you may want to upgrade your cable service to include HD channels (if you have cable). It is, IMO, absolutely worth the price. My wife was really hesitant to do so when we got married - but she now says “I’ve ruined her forever” when she accidentally tunes in to the non-HD channels. If you Redbox or get Netflix, consider finding a bluray player. They can be had pretty cheaply now if you don’t want top of the line. But make sure you get some cheap HDMI cables now ([monoprice.com](http://monoprice.com) is the best deal around), so that you don’t feel pressured to have to run to the store when your TV arrives - you’ll vastly overpay for them in a brick-and-mortar retail store. ---
**Author:** ![jacobsta811](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jacobsta811/32/2893_2.png) [@jacobsta811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacobsta811)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-mahaloth-family-buy-an-hd-tv-please/689287/24 "2014-05-27T15:27:59Z")
That Dell samsung deal above hit [slickdeals.net](http://slickdeals.net) front page - so it is a good deal, and a great way to get a good TV and sound bar- buy the TV and then just wait till they send you the gift card and use it to buy a sound bar (which dell also sells). ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-mahaloth-family-buy-an-hd-tv-please/689287/25 "2014-05-27T16:24:02Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Sony has had a tendency to be over-priced for televisions. You’ll get a better product for the same money with Samsung or Panasonic. I agree about Samsung, but Panasonic’s LCD/LED rep isn’t that good. They are (were) the best for plasma TVs, but I understand they ramped down that side of the business. In case you see plasma TVs, they are much heavier and are considered “old tech” these days. But if you are viewing the picture from the side, plasmas are still better. Regarding Vizio, they basically have 2 model series - the E series (model number starts with E) and the M series (model number starts with M). The E series is okay (although I find the picture to be kind of lifeless) but the M series is much, much better. It might be tougher to find an M series Vizio in your price range, but worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-mahaloth-family-buy-an-hd-tv-please/689287/26 "2014-05-27T16:55:08Z")
[What do you guys think of this Samsung?](http://www.bestbuy.com/site/samsung-50-class-49-1-2-diag--led-1080p-60hz-hdtv/4846829.p?id=1218551143659&skuId=4846829) I actually have a $50 gift card to Best Buy already and wouldn’t mind using it. It comes with another $50 gift card, which I may apply to the stand(we don’t have a stand yet, either). Anyway, does it look reasonable? Mahaloth ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-mahaloth-family-buy-an-hd-tv-please/689287/27 "2014-05-27T17:17:44Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > [What do you guys think of this Samsung?](http://www.bestbuy.com/site/samsung-50-class-49-1-2-diag--led-1080p-60hz-hdtv/4846829.p?id=1218551143659&skuId=4846829) > I actually have a $50 gift card to Best Buy already and wouldn’t mind using it. It comes with another $50 gift card, which I may apply to the stand(we don’t have a stand yet, either). Anyway, does it look reasonable? > > Mahaloth It’s only got 2 HDMI inputs. Be very, very sure you’ll never want more than that before buying it. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-mahaloth-family-buy-an-hd-tv-please/689287/28 "2014-05-27T17:30:06Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > [What do you guys think of this Samsung?](http://www.bestbuy.com/site/samsung-50-class-49-1-2-diag--led-1080p-60hz-hdtv/4846829.p?id=1218551143659&skuId=4846829) > I actually have a $50 gift card to Best Buy already and wouldn’t mind using it. It comes with another $50 gift card, which I may apply to the stand(we don’t have a stand yet, either). Anyway, does it look reasonable? > > Mahaloth You can do better for the price. Use the Best Buy gift card to get either a stand or sound bar. Along with the one I posted yesterday, here’s a better deal: [http://dealnews.com/lw/artclick.html?2,1062426,10671453](http://dealnews.com/lw/artclick.html?2,1062426,10671453) Using coupon code “SRC128116” cuts it to $599.97. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-mahaloth-family-buy-an-hd-tv-please/689287/29 "2014-05-27T17:34:52Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > This deal was just emailed to me: > [Samsung 50" LCD for $647, plus a $250 Dell gift card](http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/sna.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&~topic=tv-deals) > It’s the third one in the ad. That’s a fricking screaming deal. All gone. [slickdeals.com](http://slickdeals.com) must have killed it. That was an amazing price. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-mahaloth-family-buy-an-hd-tv-please/689287/30 "2014-05-27T20:28:41Z")
[OK, how about this Vizio for $569?](http://www.amazon.com/VIZIO-E500i-B1-50-Inch-1080p-120Hz/dp/B00GKKI4IE/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1401222137&sr=8-1&keywords=50+inch+tv) ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-mahaloth-family-buy-an-hd-tv-please/689287/31 "2014-05-27T20:37:28Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > [OK, how about this Vizio for $569?](http://www.amazon.com/VIZIO-E500i-B1-50-Inch-1080p-120Hz/dp/B00GKKI4IE/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1401222137&sr=8-1&keywords=50+inch+tv) It’s adequate, keeping in mind it’s an E-class Vizio, which is their lower-end line. Since you mentioned having a Best Buy gift card, [what about this one](http://www.bestbuy.com/site/rca-55-class-54-5-8-diag--led-1080p-120hz-hdtv/1799212.p?id=1219065629534&skuId=1799212&ci_src=5784816&ci_sku=1799212&loc=PGR&ref=199&loc=NKa3hZyYoHA&siteID=NKa3hZyYoHA-qnvqSZRmObJa2n8trr5z8Q)? That’s a 55-incher for less than most 50" TVs, and as I mentioned RCA’s LED TV performance exceeds their reputation. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-mahaloth-family-buy-an-hd-tv-please/689287/32 "2014-05-27T21:38:28Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > [OK, how about this Vizio for $569?](http://www.amazon.com/VIZIO-E500i-B1-50-Inch-1080p-120Hz/dp/B00GKKI4IE/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1401222137&sr=8-1&keywords=50+inch+tv) Or the step up model, [Vizio M551d-A2](http://www.walmart.com/ip/VIZIO-M551D-A2-55-1080p-240Hz-LED-3D-HDTV/32285924) now $685 at Sam’s club (currently $999 at Wal-Mart). Not only is it bigger, but it has a much better picture, and is highly rated at CNET. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-mahaloth-family-buy-an-hd-tv-please/689287/33 "2014-05-28T18:48:23Z")
Something which hasn’t been mentioned: look at the “plugs” in the different models, make sure they’re compatible with the devices you want to use to input video. I was recently looking for a new monitor for my mother’s computer, the CRT having given up the ghost; the computer’s old enough to have VGA as its most modern video-output. The only brand I found that still took VGA without adapters was Samsung. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-mahaloth-family-buy-an-hd-tv-please/689287/34 "2014-05-28T18:57:51Z")
(Nevermind, misread a post) ---
**Author:** ![cococ173](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3ab097/32.png) [@cococ173](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cococ173)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-mahaloth-family-buy-an-hd-tv-please/689287/35 "2014-05-28T19:15:53Z")
I dislike my Vizio. Way too often, when the cable signal ‘glitches’ the set either loses sound and I have to go to another channel and back to the one I was watching, or even worse, reboots itself (goes off and then comes on again). Other tvs on this cable system never did this. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-mahaloth-family-buy-an-hd-tv-please/689287/36 "2014-05-28T20:23:57Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > It’s adequate, keeping in mind it’s an E-class Vizio, which is their lower-end line. > > Since you mentioned having a Best Buy gift card, [what about this one](http://www.bestbuy.com/site/rca-55-class-54-5-8-diag--led-1080p-120hz-hdtv/1799212.p?id=1219065629534&skuId=1799212&ci_src=5784816&ci_sku=1799212&loc=PGR&ref=199&loc=NKa3hZyYoHA&siteID=NKa3hZyYoHA-qnvqSZRmObJa2n8trr5z8Q)? That’s a 55-incher for less than most 50" TVs, and as I mentioned RCA’s LED TV performance exceeds their reputation. Huh, I may consider this one. I hope RCA’s aren’t a bunch of crap, but at $450(after my card), that’s not too bad. I don’t know how much a service plan is for it, but if that isn’t crazy, I could apply the card to that. Is that a smart TV? It appears not to be, but that is not a deal breaker for me. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-mahaloth-family-buy-an-hd-tv-please/689287/37 "2014-05-28T23:29:24Z")
I just picked up [this Vizio](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C5B18CQ/ref=oh_details_o04_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) about two months ago and so far I’m really happy with it. Great picture, good functionality. The apps occasionally get buggy but I mostly only use Netflix and that’s fine 95% of the time. The price on Amazon has gone up about $80 since I bought it, but it’s possible it’ll go back down. I got that and a surround sound system (also Vizio) for about $900 total. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-mahaloth-family-buy-an-hd-tv-please/689287/38 "2014-05-28T23:36:38Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > It’s only got 2 HDMI inputs. Be very, very sure you’ll never want more than that before buying it. You can buy an A/B HDMI switcher on Amazon for $20. Don’t let the number of HDMI inputs be a deciding factor. > [@Munch](#): > > All gone. [slickdeals.com](http://slickdeals.com) must have killed it. That was an amazing price. It’s still there… ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-mahaloth-family-buy-an-hd-tv-please/689287/39 "2014-05-31T02:28:10Z")
I will likely make a purchase this weekend, folks. What kind of cables do I need? I have looked at this site: > **[Search -HDMI CABLE - HDMI Cable, Home Theater Accessories, HDMI Products,...](https://www.monoprice.com/Search/Index?keyword=hdmi%2Bcable)** > > Monoprice, Inc. (DBA. MonoPrice.com) specializes in the wholesale distribution of world class cable assemblies for home theater, PC, and high technology industries. MonoPrice.com offers a wide range of products from standard PC products, network... Which should I get? ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-mahaloth-family-buy-an-hd-tv-please/689287/40 "2014-05-31T11:20:58Z")
On a related note: We’ve got two HDTVs here in Casa de Lightnin’. They’re both fairly old, so I’d like to replace them with one new TV. The only problem is… what do I do with the old ones? I don’t particularly want to deal with Craigslist. I’d prefer to donate them. Any ideas? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-mahaloth-family-buy-an-hd-tv-please/689287.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-mahaloth-family-buy-an-hd-tv-please/689287.md?page=3)