Posted on 12/02/2011 4:36:08 PM PST by Chickensoup
I am now ready to buy my HDTV. I have been looking at the big Samsungs. Remember this is the first tv for a non tv home. We will mostly be watching CDs and downloads, not much broadcast...except for the Superbowl for my son (if I can figure out how to stream it on the net).
The big Samsungs often have 3D. Will the 3D affect the regular view? I am looking for a clear viewing set that will manage action
I keep reading that TV is changing and I wonder whether these TVs are old technology?
Can I actualy put an aerial on it?
Can these tvs live in a room that in the winter sometimes go down to 60's or even 50's? I would heat the room before I use it.
I have a BJs card and they sell them there. CNET also has them by price at their site.
One last question: is it better with respect to price, to buy now during the Christmas season or wait for the football season.
HDTV PING LIST PLEASE
I’ve heard other stories about Samsung HD sets made from 2005 to last year, having cheap, faulty capacitors, which fail after 3-4 years...this is due to faulty, incompetent management in their Chinese plant; (going for the cheap, instead of spending a quarter more, they put in faulty Chinese capacitors to try to save money) Samsung is now in the process of experiencing CLASS ACTION suits in regard to these events, because they not only have failed to correct the situation; but also because they refused to acknowledge this situation, and pay for the repair of the sets. (Faulty capacitors result in the tv set failing to turn on.)
These experiences are quite frustrating; I HAVE heard that Samsung has corrected the faulty Capacitor problems as of mid 2010...but who knows? And yes, my set will probably eventually fail as well, because of these faulty capacitors.
From my experience as a fairly frequent HDTV purchaser over the last 5 years (two 55” LCD’s, one 60” LED, and two DLP projectors) the best deals are almost always between Thanksgiving week and Christmas Eve. After Christmas you can get some good deals on returns, but not new items, as it’s all about supply and demand, and remaining supply of new sets is low while many are out shopping for big ticket items for themselves with money that was given to them as a present.
As far as the technology, unless you really are going to watch 3D, why pay for it? You would get a higher refresh rate so it’s not something to avoid though if the price is right. I would recommend LED displays, almost all come with 1080p too, so you’re not looking back with regret. If you’re on a budget, go LCD, not plasma, so you have a better, brighter picture and lower power bills (even lower with LED). Avoid rear-projectors at all costs (high return rate and repair cost), but nothing can beat a front projector, if you have a dark room and room enough to display it.
The flicker in your peripheral vision vs. in your central vision is a function of the anatomy of the human eye; rods have shorter persistence of vision than cones and there are more rods/less cones in your peripheral vision.
DLP (mirrors thing) is for projectors and projection TVs only, not flat panels. The only company making actual projection screen TVs anymore is Mitsubishi; the size/price ratio is pretty impressive with them.
Basically a very bright light source shines on a panel of mirrors; there is one mirror per pixel and each pixel turns on and off *extremely* rapidly to shade/color that pixel.
On that DLP thing. I just remember this little girl in a TV ad saying “It’s the mirrors” and it was for a flat screen. I saw the DLP flat screen at Best Buy and was impressed but the price was almost triple that of an LCD TV.
It's the bigger seller because it's cheaper than a plasma..........You get what you pay for.
Mmmmm, ‘kay. just went and searched on DLP TV’s and you’re right. Projection TV. Couldn’t have been a flat screen if projection. Found too that DLP stands for Digital Light Processing by Texas Instruments. Are they still popular?
Ours is a 42” LCD and it’s clear and bright and sharp. We love it. Made by SANYO.
No doubt about it, they're good.......if you're satisfied with just "good"........LOL!
Next 100k boost in salary I might consider “better” or “best” ....\0/
Projection TVs are not very popular any more; people like their thin TVs. But they still provide an outstanding image, and the Mitsubishi LaserVue DLP sets are supposed to be incredible. You just can't hang one on a wall.
DLP technology itself is still very much in use; it's a major competitor in the video projector market. If you go to a large event like a concert that has projected video, it's probably from DLP projectors.
K - thanks for that.
From my experience as a fairly frequent HDTV purchaser over the last 5 years (two 55” LCD’s, one 60” LED, and two DLP projectors) the best deals are almost always between Thanksgiving week and Christmas Eve
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Well here I am, for the first time in my life, at a bargain time.
Usually the prices are raised when I walk through the doors. I can be seen from miles away, and customer service reps cry out to each other: here comes the only human on earth who has to pay Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price!!
I just moved my little 19 inch $98 special to right beside my bed. I am propped up watching Oklahoma/Oklahoma State. The computer monitor and the TV are side by side.
I am so impressed with the picture that I wanted to mention it. This is a 720P model but I don’t see how the picture could be much better. Watching the players with the grass background the picture seems to have almost a three dimensional quality to it.
This is with an outside antenna which was originally installed for the older style receivers.
On the minus side there is definitely a bit of a difference between channels. Some are not quite as sharp as the one I am watching right now.
My strategy has always been to scope out a superior model (one that you've seen in person and like the picture of, which has been available from the manufacturer for a good while which has other benefits) and get that model on a closeout deal when a new model comes out.
If you have a Sony outlet store close to you, they will offer those deals before anyone else, which is where I bought 2 of my HDTV’s that I feel were the best 2 deals overall. The 60” LED was $800 below Best Buy’s on sale price, was brand new (they also have refurbs) and the extended warranty was less than half BB’s cost as well.
If you want even better comments from people on these subjects, check out avsforum.com where I learned the ropes myself, but no pricing discussion is allowed. Good luck finding the set you want, and always go bigger because it wont look near as big after a year or so.
Absolutely, I use the The Spears & Munsil High Definition Benchmark Blu-ray Edition (got it with my OPPO) and DVE HD Basics. Also have a Spyder3TV colorimeter which I use with HCFR software instead of Datacolor's. Makes a calibrated Vizio look like a uncalibrated 6K Pioneer, almost.
720P is better then 1080i, several TV stations broadcast on 720P, 1080P is mostly limited to BluRay discs, but some “may offer” 1080P like DISH, but it is limited and at a “premium”.
Below is a few years old:
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/technical-articles/155-high-definition-1080p-tv-why-you-should-be-concerned.html
Ping, the http://www.satelliteguys.us website is new to me.
Also, I’m in the market for my first 1080P set, based on an old link you posted regarding viewing distance I need a 50” to 55” inch set, and I have no desire for 3D.
Questions to Freepers:
50 to 55” inch set.
1080P
120 or 240Hz
Dark blacks.
Non-3D.
Preferably Internet ready, or at least WiFI or wired network ready.
Budget is $1500 total total though I’d always like to spend less, including the wall mount from monoprice.com .
Any suggestions?
Probably my biggest purchase for the year, so I’ve been unable to pull the trigger yet.
Been wavering and flip-flopping between these options:
The Samsung - UN55D7000
the Sony - KDL-55EX720
the VIZIO - XVT553SV
the LG - 55LW6500
What’s driving me nuts is all the showrooms are under very bright fluorescent tube lighting, it’s impossible to know what the screens will look like in my living room.
Do NOT buy the cheapest you can find...you will likely be disappointed. Samsung and Sony are good. I also have a Panasonic in my camper that is pretty good. Do not buy 3D.
If you are buying larger than 32 inches I recommend 1080p. Check contrast ratio...even the low end Samsungs have 50000:1 ratios now. Some of the cheap units have contrast ratios in the 2000:1 to 3000:1 region. Also recommend 120 hz refresh, but 240 hz refresh is not needed.
You can hook up an antenna (coax) and if you have network broadcast stations available you will be amazed at the picture.
I bought a cheap internet enabled LG Blu Ray player three years ago and it's still working fine.
Buy your HDMI cables on Amazon...they are really cheap and the stores will rip you off, but do not buy the cheapest cables you find...had some issues with some of them on my Blu Ray player. Had to try two or three before I found one that would work with the player, but they were cheap enough that it didn't matter. Go ahead and order at least three so they will arrive before your tv arrives...otherwise when you buy your Blu Ray player you'll have no choice but to buy an expensive cable from the store.
Was looking at tv’s briefly today. I start my research in earnest tomorrow and found a new tv I had not seen at Best buy called a Sharp Aquos 70. Out of my price range by about a thousand. But the color was nice. Said they add yellow to the usual triad blue green red.
Spellbinding picture. Nice size.
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