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Any advice on buying a bigscreen TV?
Various | 1/28/03 | The G Man

Posted on 01/28/2003 9:20:09 AM PST by 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?


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Miscellaneous; Technical; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: bigscreen; hdtv; projection; tv
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To: SamAdams76
"If you buy from one of the major stores (Circuit City, Best Buy), they will push the "service contract" on you. If you resist, they will try to give you the impression that you will have costly service bills down the road. This is bull. Do not under any circumstances purchase a service contract or what they might call an "extended warranty." I bought a 60" big screen TV from Circuit City five years ago and I got the "you'll regret it" treatment from them. They even said that they would probably have to send a technician out to my house once a year just to "keep it calibrated." Well it's been five years and the picture is as sharp as it was the day I brought it home. "

I hate it when I am buying a new appliance and they hit me up with the extended warranty thing. We bought a GE dryer that had the 1 year warranty from the manufacturer on it. Right after the first year was up, the dryer died. When I called to complain, they more or less tried to rub my face in the fact that I didn't buy the extended warranty. My feelings are that they should take some pride in workmanship/reputation and that one shouldn't have to have an extended warranty.

I bought a Maytag and have been fine ever since. I still won't buy a GE product to this day, because of my experience. I let every salesperson who tries to sell me one know exactly how I feel, much to the embarrassment of my husband. Anyway, when people ask me about an extended warranty, my first reaction is to say, "Are you telling me that your product is substandard and that I am going to be needing it? I guess I will go elsewhere for better quality products." LOL! Take care and God bless.

81 posted on 01/28/2003 3:05:51 PM PST by Enough_Deceit
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To: Williams
Regarding "burn in" ..... soooooo what do I want??? 16:9 or 4:3???
82 posted on 01/28/2003 3:14:10 PM PST by The G Man
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To: The G Man
Here's a tip on buying one from a local dealer. Find the best couple of prices on a model you decide on the Internet. Print out the results. Then when you find what you want in a store, tell then you can get it for $x. Ask them how close they can come to it. DO NOT get any of the service agreements and do not let them sell you on another model.

If you want to know what I am doing, I bought a 32" Sony, and am now waiting for OLED technology to catch up. The rumors are that it will put all other TVs to shame, and a 50" wall unit may weigh 50 lbs. Last October at one of those consumer shows they showed a 15" prototype. So it will be here in the next two years, I hope!

Good Luck
DK
83 posted on 01/28/2003 3:30:41 PM PST by Dark Knight
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To: The G Man
Because, when an HD program comes on, it has the 16:9 aspect ratio. If you have the old (4:3?) ratio screen, there will be dark areas above and below the picture, and much of your expensive screen is not being used. Right now, most of the broadcasting is not HD, and the 16:9 screen then gives dark areas at either side, but more and more HD programs are coming (the Superbowl was in HD -- great).
84 posted on 01/28/2003 4:15:29 PM PST by expatpat
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To: Duke809
My Mitsu blew 2 of those boards. Got a 52" RCA has lasted 6 years without a problem.
85 posted on 01/28/2003 4:33:34 PM PST by bribriagain
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To: shostang
Does the screen protector diminish the viewing quality? Reason I ask, I think I have one, and would remove it to improve the image. Kids are gone...
86 posted on 01/28/2003 5:07:09 PM PST by bribriagain
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To: AppyPappy
I like to place the rabbit ears near to the rabbits foot, it's been lucky for me.
87 posted on 01/28/2003 6:00:12 PM PST by bribriagain
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To: bribriagain
Does the screen protector diminish the viewing quality? Reason I ask, I think I have one, and would remove it to improve the image. Kids are gone...

Yes...remove it if you can.
It only adds glare.

88 posted on 01/28/2003 6:23:17 PM PST by eddie willers
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To: The G Man; Future Snake Eater
Thanks for the ping FSE (say hi to your dad)

G man...

This what I do for a living (as a hobby when The Beatles crossed the water.....and professionally since 1977) and I cringe when someone asks, "What TV should I buy?"

My rule-of-thumb...If you have to ask if you should get a 16x9...you DON'T want it.

First....I don't believe that the 2006 deadline for digital TV will even come close to being met. Having said that, the TV manufacturers and Cable companies have, just last month, finally agreed upon a transmission standard which they will be building into sets by the end of the year. The sets out now DO NOT conform to this new standard.

The folks who have posted that they have HDTV Cable are in a very rare position. Perhaps maybe 10 systems in the US have Cable HDTV boxes that they will rent to you. A very few other systems have boxes that allow a pass-through of the HDTV signal to the decoder that you have already stated (and I agree) that you don't wish to purchase.

Now the big trouble with 16x9 sets (and keep in mind that I am anal about my TV watching so YMMV) is that though watching anamorphic widescreen DVDs is a dream, most folks are still going to be watching a 4x3 broadcasted picture that has to be distorted (stretched) to fit the width of the screen. As someone posted earlier, you CAN NOT watch a rear projection (or plasma) with the black or gray bars on the side of the picture. You most assuredly will get burn in so it is not an option.

The stretch modes make me nauseous, especially when they pan through a screen and I watch cars start out the length of limos on the side....become Volkswagens in the middle...and exit as limos again. YUCK!

The Pioneer sets do the best job making a more natural stretch mode....Mitsubishi the worst.

My niece asked just two weeks ago what Big Screen TV she should get.

We went to Best Buy and bought the cheapest 50" standard analog Philips/Magnavox ($850 after rebate).

If you ask what I would buy for MYSELF...today....click here:

Sony 53" Rear-Projection HDTV Monitor with 2-Tuner Picture-In-Picture Model: KP-53HS30

It's $1999. The 43" version is $1699.

Both 4x3 upgradeable. (Meaning full glorious screen for the vast majority of what most people really watch, and a true 1080i resized (Black bars at the and bottom) when watching HDTV or DVDs.

And everybody in their correct and proper proportions!

To echo what others have said...skip the Extend Warranty but buy a Panamax Surge Suppressor (NOT Monster Power, but Panamax...the Cadillac of Surge Suppressors...expect to pay $80 - $100)

89 posted on 01/28/2003 7:07:54 PM PST by eddie willers
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To: The G Man
I have a 54" TV, but my next one will be an HD projector of at least 3000 luminants.
TVs are history if you have a Wall of any size at all.
I could feature a picture of some 16 feet wide and 9 feet high if I wish. You can actually have a home theater, so a projector is a serious thing to think about beyond a TV.
90 posted on 01/28/2003 7:16:03 PM PST by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: The G Man
Avoid Phillips projection TVs!
91 posted on 01/28/2003 7:26:36 PM PST by farmguy
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To: A CA Guy
I could feature a picture of some 16 feet wide and 9 feet high if I wish.

Just don't plan on leaving any lights on or watching in the daytime.

92 posted on 01/28/2003 7:30:48 PM PST by eddie willers
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To: eddie willers
Nice TV, eddie. I'm curious, why would you not recommend a Monster Power surge protector?
93 posted on 01/29/2003 5:51:29 AM PST by Future Snake Eater
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Well, Wal Mart says they are NOT going to honor the price they listed the set at on their website so I have asked the customer service supervisor to kick it up to his supervisor. I have proposed that I buy a lesser model but they waive the shipping and handling which they have declined. They did say that another customer has made the same complaint but that he is holding out for the $2400 set at $1600. Grrrrr..
94 posted on 01/29/2003 6:51:07 AM PST by The G Man
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To: eddie willers; The G Man
Thanks for post #89. I may mail you when I go to get one!!
95 posted on 01/29/2003 9:05:35 AM PST by RedBloodedAmerican
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To: eddie willers
Did you say skip 16:9's? But the one you linked to is a 16:9
96 posted on 01/29/2003 9:14:33 AM PST by RedBloodedAmerican
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To: eddie willers
If you ask what I would buy for MYSELF...today....click here: Sony 53" Rear-Projection HDTV Monitor with 2-Tuner Picture-In-Picture Model: KP-53HS30

I wonder how this TV handles a noisy cable signal with all it's digital processing. The ones I've seen in stores get royally screwed up by the noise when they deinterlace standard TV.

I like your idea of getting a 4:3 TV with v-compression for 16:9 signals. Of course, there's a trade off. In order to get a properly sized 4:3 image for a given viewing distance, you have to screw up the 16:9 size.

97 posted on 01/29/2003 9:34:48 AM PST by mikegi
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To: RedBloodedAmerican
Did you say skip 16:9's? But the one you linked to is a 16:9

I think that's a misprint on BB's website. The TV looks like a 4:3 set to me.

98 posted on 01/29/2003 9:36:49 AM PST by mikegi
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To: Future Snake Eater
I'm curious, why would you not recommend a Monster Power surge protector?

As it so happened, I went to a Panamax training session yesterday morning and they hooked up their unit and a Monster unit to a 220 volt overage.

The Panamax shut down and recovered when the 220v was cut off.

The Monster started smoking. Though it shut down and protected the gear, it itself was destroyed in the process and would have to be replaced. (a MAJOR pain)

The Panamax was good to go and it also cuts off from under voltage (brown outs) that will shorten the life of your stuff as well.

The Panamax has patented technology that really works better than it's competetion.

99 posted on 01/29/2003 10:25:12 AM PST by eddie willers
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To: Moonman62
On durability, it's less of an issue than it used to be. Many of the new projectors are small, and were designed to be able to travel.

The bulbs are still -very- expensive though. $300-400 for replacements. I looked at that Infocus projector - the bulb has a life of about 3000 hours. If your projector is on 8 hours/day, that's one new bulb a year.
100 posted on 01/29/2003 10:30:18 AM PST by July 4th
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