Suggestions for Low cost Plasma or LCD?

In My Humble Opinion
1

So I ventured out on Black Friday just to see what deals were available. While I was in Circuit City, I noticed an off brand LCD 32 inch TV for $400. It was only 720p, but knew my Sister in Law was looking for one as a surprise for her husband’s Christmas present. I gave her a call, but she was unsure that she wanted to pick it up. You can probably guess where this story is going…she can’t find anything close to that deal now.

My online shopping skills aren’t that advanced, so I turn to my fellow dopers for ideas about sites to browse or places to look. If you know of a good deal, that would be great, but I’m willing to wade through all the sites…if I knew what they were.

I’m basically looking for a plasma or LCD (has to be wall hangable) anywhere between 26 and 32 inches. I don’t even think you can get those in Standard Def anymore, but that would be fine. Off-brand doesn’t matter. And cheap…no more than $500 at most.
Help?

2

$500 @ costco. That Black Friday price was apparently a very good one.

3

The human eye cannot distinguish between 720p and 1080p at screen widths less than 50". Do not spend extra money to get 1080p unless you are going over 50".

4

$500 may be relatively cheaper, but it is enough money to want to get a good quality screen out of it. I wouldn’t buy something that doesn’t have 1) good reviews written about it, and 2) doesn’t look good to your own eye. Personally, I’d rather spend a couple hundred more, than wish I had spent a couple hundred more.

Korean OEM’s LG and Samsung make some good LCD’s at lower prices than comparable Japanese brands.

5

Disagree, it depends how close you sit. I have a 1920x1200 23" monitor on my desk, and I’d sure as heck notice if 50% of the resolution went away.

6

What is a good website for reviews of LCDs? I want to get one as well.

7

Have a look at this TV at Best Buy: $540.

8

Check out Newegg.com.

They’ve got a a couple of 32" for about $550 and some 26" and 27" in the $450-500 range.
Westinghouse, Samsung, Viewsonic, Panasonic, Olevia are all names I trust, and Newegg’s customer reviews are usually pretty good.

9

Thanks everyone. I also found this one which although is referbished is a decent manufacturer. Again, this is for secondary watching in the bedroom, not a primary entertainment center. But keep all the suggestions coming…never hurts to improve my list of deal sites to check.

10

They had that exact model on sale for $450 on Black Friday (and still had some over the weekend). I was trying to get my mom to get it. Oh well.

11

I just bought a Panasonic 1080i 50" flat screen HDTV similar to this one this weekend. Mine was on sale at PC Richards. I don’t know what the practical difference between 1080i and 1080p is but I’m sure doesn’t equal the $1000 I didn’t spend on the 1080p model.

12

This article says to be wary of the “second tier” TV manufacturers, citing warranty concerns. Something to keep in mind as a “buyer beware.”

FWIW, American Express has built-in warranty extension of one year (IIRC), and Costco’s return policy does essentially the same, I believe. (I know they revised it this year because people were abusing the hell out of their old policy.)

13

Does anyone know anything about the Vizio brand? I’ve seen some of those for sale cheap and have been wondering on whether it would be worth it.

14

Article about them from CNET. They definitely seem like a second-tier vendor to me, but I don’t know anything bad about them.

15

A year and a half ago when I got a new LCD I looked into the Vizio. People really said it was a good TV. I bought one and a month later it turned green. I have never heard this happening to anyone else’s so it might have been a fluke. I liked it until that time. I took it back to Costco and got a Sharp because the wife would not let me get another one.

Costco’s new return policy is 90 days.