Any advice on buying a bigscreen TV?

Various | 1/28/03 | The G Man

[The G Man]

Excuse the vanity but I'm in need of some FReeper assistance. Our 15 year old console TV is on its last legs so the Mrs and I are thinking of buying a big screen TV and I would welcome folks advice on this matter.

We really can't afford to go much over $1500 so after looking on the net, I think the features we want are 40" and above and HDTV compatible. I'm not sure how important widescreen (16:9) is compared to standard (4:3) ... is that something I need to reconsider?

I've found two that are somewhat affordable:

I also have Bernies and Best Buy near me, but Circuit City seems the cheapest.

Also, how much room do I have to negotiate? Will they actually negotiate price? Or should I ask them to throw some stuff in?

[fogarty]

If you can get it into the living room. How big is this guy's house? A >53" HDTV flat tube I daresay is too large for the majority of living rooms out there.

I imagine it probably weighs around 300-400 pounds too. Need a forklift just to get it into house.

[Cooter]

For $1500 or less, get an Infocus X1 HDTV DLP Projector and start building a true home theater.

[general_re]

These extended warranties are almost pure profit for them because chances are that your unit will never need servicing.

As always, excellent advice, Sam ;)

Most people who buy extended warranties are not aware of the likelihood that they will ever need service under such a contract - as you point out, the odds are vanishingly small, making the service contract pure profit for the store.

Electronic equipment - TV's, VCR's, computers, DVD players, etc. - tends to follow a "bathtub curve" for catastrophic failures, with high failure rates at the very beginning of its life, which drop off very quickly and then gradually creep back up over time. If your new TV doesn't fail within the first year of operation, the odds are very much in your favor that it will last you many happy years without failing - and, of course, that first year is covered by the manufacturer's warranty. And by the time the failure rates start creeping back up, ten years down the road, that extended warranty isn't covering you either - the service contract is designed to fit perfectly into that sweet spot of your ownership period, when the odds that you'll need it are pretty close to zero ;)

[inflorida]

Four months ago we bought a 55 inch Mitsubishi widescreen and love it. We spent more than we planned to ($2400) but the picture is amazing!
If you have cable, you will need to get the cable company to switch out your current box and give you an HDTV box. It should not cost you anything for the HDTV box but you will then have access to not only your regular cable channels but also the HDTV version of NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox, and a few others. Most prime time shows and football games are broadcast in HDTV. In the next three years it will be standard for all programs to be broadcast in HDTV.
We watched the Superbowl the other night and it was as though we were right there on the field.
As for watching regular (non HDTV) programs on your tv, you will have bars on each side if you leave it in standard format but to avoid this you can press a button on the remote and it extends the screen. There really is no distortion except the people on the screen look a little wider.

[The G Man]

Thanks to everyone who has weighed in thus far. (I think I'm more confused than ever ... but thats fairly common for me).

[savedbygrace]

Yeah, I can see the similarity. LOL.

[steve-b]

I'd advise against buying an HDTV system at this time. Some of the "copy protection" stuff Hollywood is trying to mandate would be incompatible with existing equipment (you'd only be able to view the signal in the same old Never-The-Same-Color quality).

[babylonian]

JimRob should open a Circuit City.

[funkywbr]

Look into this one. The beauty about it is that it upgrades the picture quality HDTV or not. I love mine!

http://www.nowonsale.com/ppf/itemname/48-Inch+I%92ART+PRO+REAR+PROJECTION+HDTV+Widescreen+16:9+Television/item/AV48WP30/itempage.asp

[hunter112]

Saw a report on local TV last night about great deals to be had on TVs that were "bought" just for the Super Bowl, and then returned the next day or so. Some stores don't charge restocking fees, and this leads to this sort of abuse. But the buyers who come in later can get a few hundred dollars off of a TV that's "out of the box".

Who knows what's going to happen with TV in the next few years? Plasma's way too expensive for now, but if I had the money and the space (will have the space later this year after I get my next house), I'd get a decent sized TV in time for next football season. Just make the best deal you can, and live with it. At least you get the enjoyment out of it now, and somebody will always come along with decoders and such for newer technologies.

[Always Right]

I'd advise against buying an HDTV system at this time. Some of the "copy protection" stuff Hollywood is trying to mandate would be incompatible with existing equipment (you'd only be able to view the signal in the same old Never-The-Same-Color quality).

There is already lots of good stuff broadcast in HDTV (if you are close enough to broadcast towers, which I unfortunately am not). If you buy a TV/display/projector with a DVI interface that is HDCP compliant you will most likely be protected when (or if) Hollywood is ever to impliment copy protection (which some teenager will hack days later).

[RiVer19]

I always wonder what people with nice wooden entertaiment centers are going to do with these wide screen TV's. I've got a beautiful piece of furniture that my 36" standard 4:3 TV sits in. As, well as all the audio equipment for the surround sound system (and CD, VCR, tape, and DVD player). Don't a lot of people own these pieces of furniture too? ...or is it just a deep South thing??? I just don't think I could ever talk my wife into one of these TV's because it would mean loosing this furniture.

[oust the louse]

Hey G Man.I got the bug before Christmas and reacted just a week or so ago.I have had the 48" Mitsubishi widescreen(no payments for 12 months) for a week and love it.Got it for $1689.Passed on the service contract because a 3 or 5 year are really only 2 and 4.You have the 1 year already,they just overlap.A friend use to sell them and he said take a pass on them.

DO try and beat them down on price.If they say they can't negotiate then say thanks and go to the next dealer.The mom and pop dealers will work with you.

From what I was told,not in any specific order,the best sets now are Hitachi,Mistubishi,Toshiba,Sony(nothing American about those names unfortunately...).Pioneer is supposed to be a very good product as well.Happy shopping,toys for big kids are fun to buy!

PS/Get a surround sound if you can.Totally enhances the viewing pleasure immensly.

[Moonman62]

For $1500 or less, get an Infocus X1 HDTV DLP Projector and start building a true home theater.

Aren't the bulbs for those expensive and not very durable?

[ContemptofCourt]

FWIW, the Sonys are made here in Western PA....

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Same one, $200 less......

http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_getprod.php/masterid=562960/found=1/ut=429dc468f5235295

[Cooter]

Aren't the bulbs for those expensive and not very durable?

The bulb on this unit is rated for 3000 hours of use, which is excellent for a projector. Replacement bulbs go for around $100 - $200 on eBay.

[funkywbr]

Yeah, I just grabbed the 1st ad to list my TV to show him/her(?). I paid almost 2K so it's a good deal if he goes for it.

[Guillermo]

Save your money, don't buy a teevee.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

And I bet there are some cheaper. Know any good wholesalers? I was out west over the holidays and got to watch some college bowl games on a 52" Sony. It was NICE! I don't own one, but might if I can get a steal.

Needsss to find a wholesaler...needssss a bigscreensssss T.V.......