Need input...Looking for a bigscreen TV

[Revlis]

OK Folks, Can you help me out? I am looking for a decent Big screen, HD or HD ready, with picture quality being the main focus.

Looking to spend between $2-$2500. I was hoping for a DLP or LCD but they are up around $3K.

So, Any leeds would be appreciated in regards to, Stores, Manufacterers, and experiances.

Thanks folks.

 

[VaBusa]

I'm waiting to hear back from my hubby on more details, but I believe our 55" widescreen Samsung is HD ready and cost just under $2K...we bought it from Best Buy last winter...very nice picture...fills up the room though!

 

[stkr00]

We bought a Mitsubishi 55" Wide Screen, HD Ready at Best Buy this summer. Cost was right around $2100. The picture quality is excellent, but you have to have a HD signal to fully appreciate it. Time Warner cable has an HD converter box that processes the signal. Their digital converter is NOT an HD box.

Not all channels are HD with the box, only a select few. The have a PBS loop that really shows what HD quality looks like. When you switch between it and a regular channel, it's pathetic to see the difference.

Good luck.

 

[VaBusa]

Okay...more details (sounds a bit like what stkr00 said up there)...
Samsung 55" wide screen, HD ready, Best Buy for $2100
Pic quality is great, especially for DVD and PS2...we would need to upgrade to a HD satellite receiver to get the HD quality pic...only a handful of channels are offering HD right now, but hopefully that will soon change...
It has several component and s-video inputs, as well as coaxil hookup...
Sounds like stkr00 and I have pretty much the same!

 

[The Oracle]

No Plasma??  No Plasma!!!  AGGG!

You need a 50" Sony Widescreen HDTV Plasma WEGA...  Should only be about $9,000.00  Worth every penny baby!

Go here:
http://www.plasma.com

Oh, did you say, no plasma?? Ok, ok, go here:
http://www.dtvcity.com

-Rip



<!--EDIT|The Oracle
Reason for Edit: "removed smart-allec remark"|1071681994 -->

 

[captain]

Thanks to you all I just got the Grand Wega Sony 50 LCD HD and I LOVE it, I gave up size for quality (STOP IT NASTY MINDED) anyway I am really happy with it, if you can come up with just a little more cash or wait a little bit I personally think LCD is the way to go.

Cap

 

[dezzy7]

Wait till march if you can hold out. Electronic manufacturers release new products and models in Feb and Aug. Which means the models that are currently on the market will be lower in march if you can hold out.

As for Big Screens.... Sony, Hitachi Ultravision, Mitsubishi are leaders in the bigscreen game. Check out the features you want and which are most importaant. Circuit city did have a checklist that you could get that told you everything that was on each models. So do your homework and invite us over

 

[FLCN72]

I almost hate to say this, but if you are looking for big-on-a-budget, then stop at a Wal-Mart. They have HDTV widscreen projection models for pretty cheap. It might be worth a stop to compare.

 

[Revlis]

Thanks for the input thus far folks.

Yeah My problem with Plasma is it is still THE newest technology out there and priced accordingly. I'll never forget Mom and Dad spending $1500 for a VCR back when they first came out and then only 5-6 years later they cost $300 and work much better. The same is going to happen to Plasma, so I just cannot stomach the depreciation. They are cool but right now your paying a crap load for gimmicks sake.
The LCD bigscreens or the DLP boxes seem to be about the best value in Big pictures right now.... We'll see.
I am fairly patient so the idea of waiting until March or April sounds pretty good. The one thing I really do want to avoid is the traditional large cabinet size of the Bigscreen TVs. I want a smaller footprint and it has to fit in my wall unit thingi...

Eventually I will go with an LCD projector and get a picture that really means BIG SCREEN! Without taking up any real estate at all.

 

[Sane_man]

Some of the newer TV's are coming with the HD tuner built-in, otherwise plan on spending another $300-700 to buy one.

Here in Cali, all of the local stations have digital and analog broadcast. Digital can be a resolution up to HD quality, but you have to look in the basement and get out your old rabbit ear antenna to see digital.

If you have digital cable or Satelite, you can get HD, if you pay extra. I don't watch the digital stations much using the antenna because I live on a military base and evertime and plne flys by, which is all the time, I lose the picture. Plus, once you are looking at a digital station, as it was said earlier, the picture looks crappy.

 

[Tree]

Rev,

The next generation plasmas are due out soon. Right now the best bang for the buck is the LCD's. Watch Circuit City. My friend just bought a 50" wide screen 3 weeks ago. $2500 and they threw in the stand. The pixel count was higher than the plasma. Avoid the rear projections. Unless you plan on having a "certified technition" come out every year and adjust the colors. This is the only way the waranties are valad on most. I will find out tomorrow what make and model it was.

Later,

Steve

 

[03BusaLTD]

LIKE OLD BOY SAID WAL-MART HAS A GREAT DEAL ON A PIONEER 53" HDTV READY SCREEN... I JUST BOUGHT ONE FOR $1700.00 CANT BEAT THAT AND THE PICTURE IS EXCELLENT... REALLY HAS GOOD LIGHTING AND THE BEST PART IS THAT IF YOU REALLY DONT LIKE IT IN THE END YOU CAN ALWAYS RETURN IT BACK TO WAL-MART...  CHECK OUT THE SPECS... AND TRUST ME THE THING IS GREAT!!!!! I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE CHEAP BUT I SAW THE SAME BRAND IN ULTIMATE ELCTRONICS FOR MORE THAN WHAT I GOT IT FOR....

CHECK IT OUT AT WALMART LINK

SPECS::CLICK HERE

QUOTE:::
It's like magic: everything you watch on this 53" projection monitor looks fabulous. Broadcast sports, concerts, or specials? The SD-533HD5 delivers a stunning high-definition picture (when combined with an HDTV tuner). Even regular TV will amaze you, thanks to an Automatic Format Converter, which up-converts standard interlaced signals to progressive images, nearly doubling the resolution. Movies on DVD or videotape? Its Reference Theater Mode automatically adjusts key settings (for example, color temperature) for the most film-like reproduction possible. It further enhances movie viewing with PureCinema, a Pioneer technology that recognizes film-based sources and recreates each individual still frame, for a more authentic movie presentation. Also included are a high-end set of connections and a glow-in-the-dark smart remote.

 

[ks-waterbug]

Hey Rev, check out Consumer reports (cost $5) for a month, and you get unlimited access! This is how I researched my big screen online. Check it out here Come to think of it we researched everything for our new house at this site prior to purchasing anything! Some things to consider about your tv, the aspect ratio along with HD are all set to change sometime in the next seven years! There will be some trade offs if you need to save some cash (and who doesn't need to save some cash?).... Yea, almost forgot I bought a wide screen Toshiba 50" HDTV, also capable of playing the 4:3 ratio programs. Cost me just under $2100 at Sears. I made them price match my best deal online..... Happy Hunting Ks.

 

[Revlis]

Thanks folks... Right now I am leaning towards A Samsung DLP widescreen. The picture is about the best I have seen anywhere... We'll see.

 

[ICEMANN]

PLASMA IS A NO NO NO RIGHT NOW

On the side my other job, I own my own install company. We install mostly movie theatre's, home theatre's and surround sound systems. (Vidikron media 1's @ $75,000 overheads) etc. Direct tv, dishnet, directway, etc etc etc.

Plasma Tv's are over rated right now. The shelf life of the xenon plasma gas is only 4-5 years tops. The gas begins to evaporate and disolve. It cannot be serviced or replaced. So just a little info to help ya out.

For what Revilis just spent I installed a dalite electric motor controlled drop screen with overhead sharp projector that is HD, pic n pic, wide screen and 4x3, included a farrougha digital comb filter and MIT cables for $3000.00 Oh the screen is 130 inch. Its on an average 7 foot basement wall.

Love it.

ICE

 

[ICEMANN]

HEY REVILIS

You really need to do the following with the new tv.

BIg screen tv's are built to be sold. They give a shytt about you and me. The "factory settings" are set to be good in a 5000 sq foot room above eye level and with 4000 lumens floresent bulbs.

That means your CONTRAST IS SET WAY TO FUKIN HIGH!

Turn your contrast down to slightly below half, on that tv 46 should be good.

Bring brightness down to 50 (it controls the level of black) So a shadow of a black shoe, on ashpalt, in the rain and dark is still visible. If you can read rebok at that point the shyts too high.

Turn your sharpness from 80 to "3".

After that adjust color and tint. Focus on yellows and red's. If the yellows appear orange or the reds are over saturated back it down some. If yellows and reds look good then facial tones will be good.

That adjustment will allow the "GUNS" to operate at a normal efficiency and not get over heated. Overheated guns when on get really cold when off. THAT = MOLD AND MILDEW on your lenses and fog on your mirrors. All in all it reduces the life of the tv by 4-5 years. If you have a DVD then spend the money and get a "video essentials" dvd. It will help you set it up properly along with the surround sound.

ICE

 

[Revlis]

HEY REVILIS

You really need to do the following with the new tv.  

BIg screen tv's are built to be sold.  They give a shytt about you and me.  The "factory settings" are set to be good in a 5000 sq foot room above eye level and with 4000 lumens floresent bulbs.

That means your CONTRAST IS SET WAY TO FUKIN HIGH!

Turn your contrast down to slightly below half, on that tv 46 should be good.

Bring brightness down to 50 (it controls the level of black) So a shadow of a black shoe, on ashpalt, in the rain and dark is still visible.  If you can read rebok at that point the shyts too high.

Turn your sharpness from 80 to "3".

After that adjust color and tint.  Focus on yellows and red's.  If the yellows appear orange or the reds are over saturated back it down some.  If yellows and reds look good then facial tones will be good.

That adjustment will allow the "GUNS" to operate at a normal efficiency and not get over heated.  Overheated guns when on get really cold when off.  THAT = MOLD AND MILDEW on your lenses and fog on your mirrors.  All in all it reduces the life of the tv by 4-5 years.  If you have a DVD then spend the money and get a "video essentials" dvd.  It will help you set it up properly along with the surround sound.

ICE

I haven't spent any money yet Ice, I am still in the decision process.

You peaked my interest with your drop down screen and LCD projector though. Can you tell me a little more? Last time I checked a good quality LCD projector that is able to do a good job was still up around $3-4K. Are you saying I can get a decent projector and screen setup for less than $3k? If so that is the direction I will prolly go. I do not like the idea of a large boxed bigscreen TV sitting against the wall when I could have something nearly invisible.

Besides, I used LCD and Barco 3 gun projectors back in the Air Force just about daily for four years. It's a technology I am a big fan of, especially when you get them set up right. True Big Screen!!!!!