New TV

bbro · 09-07-2011, 09:56 PM

I will soon be in the market for a new tv. It's been almost 10 years since I got the one I have, so there weren't a lot of choices. Now there are so many choices, I have no idea what to get. There are a lot more brands, LED, LCD, Plasma, pixels. I mean, I don't even know what size to get! Do I need HDMI connections? I need to be able to connect the VCR and Xbox - is that the same thing? Does brand count?

Anyone have any suggestions? I am hoping to keep it around 300.00

Pico and ME · 09-07-2011, 10:35 PM

Quote:

I am hoping to keep it around 300.00

That right there will pretty much limit your choices.

Try starting here.

We bought a 32" 720p LCD HDTV for $330 last Christmas and we are pretty happy with it. The key to that is our livingroom is pretty small.

glatt · 09-08-2011, 08:01 AM

At that price range you will find you have the choice of a bunch of LCD tvs in the 24" to 26" range made by big name manufacturers, and there will be one or two sets in the 32" range made by discount tv manufacturers. Don't buy anything made by Coby. In my experience they suck. I understand some people think Dynex is just fine, and I've used some Dynex tvs in hotel rooms and they were perfectly OK, so you might consider them.

Gravdigr · 09-08-2011, 11:03 AM

Popdigr has had pretty good luck with his 42" Proscan. Three yrs old, no problems. Nevermind 720, go 1080 if ya can.

Pico and ME · 09-08-2011, 11:06 AM

Once you go over 32 inches, then the 1080 is important, but if you are keeping the screen size small and the room isn't large, spending the extra for it is a waste.

The only complaints I have about mine are movement blur and dark picture funkiness, but I really don't notice them all that much anymore.

Gravdigr · 09-08-2011, 11:11 AM

If you're watching a 1080 broadcast on a 720 tv, (regardless of screen size) you're only seeing 3/4 of the available quality, are you not?

I may be misunderstanding. I've misunderstood before.

Pico and ME · 09-08-2011, 11:13 AM

The difference isn't as noticeable on a smaller screen.

monster · 09-08-2011, 12:17 PM

The best offers are the week before the Superbowl if you can hang on....

glatt · 09-08-2011, 12:42 PM

Good point. And if you can save up another $150 before then, you will get into another league of TVs. $450 will get you solidly into the 32" class of tvs manufactured by the major companies. You could get a very nice tv for $450.

As far as the cables go, you should worry about how you connect the stuff you own now. That's probably a standard coaxial cable for the VCR, and component cables for the video game. HDMI cables are going to be what you use to connect to anything you buy in the future, like a blue ray player. Any tv on the market today will accept a coaxial cable and component cables and also have a HDMI input or two.

Interesting that you have a VCR. You must have cable service? The tuner in a VCR won't work for over the air tv signals anymore. If you have cable service and you are able to pass the signal through the VCR, then that means you don't have any high resolution content, and the resolution of the set doesn't matter.

Pete Zicato · 09-08-2011, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glatt

If you have cable service and you are able to pass the signal through the VCR, then that means you don't have any high resolution content, and the resolution of the set doesn't matter.

It will if there is also a dvd player connected.

glatt · 09-08-2011, 02:28 PM

you mean a Blu Ray player. DVDs are only 480p.

Pete Zicato · 09-08-2011, 03:42 PM

Right.

Undertoad · 09-08-2011, 04:05 PM

I hate to say it but there are great TV prices at w*lmart.

zippyt · 09-08-2011, 10:14 PM

betterer at Sams

ZenGum · 09-09-2011, 03:22 AM

I've never even heard of most of those brands.

I like LCD over plasma to rule out screen burn.

IMHO, picture quality is good enough on even the basic models to not worry about it. There is no need for 100 hertz updating when human eyes refresh at barely 1/4 that rate.

One major aspect of functionality which isn't compared is, well, functionality. How long after you turn it on does it start showing pictures? How long does it take to change from one channel to another? Do you need to tune to every channel before you can use the menu function to see what is on? These are things which have disappointed me about my current set and which I could have checked in the store but didn't.

09-07-2011, 09:56 PM	#1
bbro Insert witty comment here Join Date: May 2004 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 2,182	New TV I will soon be in the market for a new tv. It's been almost 10 years since I got the one I have, so there weren't a lot of choices. Now there are so many choices, I have no idea what to get. There are a lot more brands, LED, LCD, Plasma, pixels. I mean, I don't even know what size to get! Do I need HDMI connections? I need to be able to connect the VCR and Xbox - is that the same thing? Does brand count? Anyone have any suggestions? I am hoping to keep it around 300.00

09-08-2011, 11:03 AM	#4
Gravdigr The Un-Tuckian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: South Central...KY that is Posts: 39,517	Popdigr has had pretty good luck with his 42" Proscan. Three yrs old, no problems. Nevermind 720, go 1080 if ya can. __________________ These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, EPA, FBI, DEA, CDC, or FDIC. These statements are not intended to diagnose, cause, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you feel you have been harmed/offended by, or, disagree with any of the above statements or images, please feel free to fuck right off.

09-08-2011, 11:06 AM	#5
Pico and ME Are you knock-kneed? Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Middle Hoosierland Posts: 3,549	Once you go over 32 inches, then the 1080 is important, but if you are keeping the screen size small and the room isn't large, spending the extra for it is a waste. The only complaints I have about mine are movement blur and dark picture funkiness, but I really don't notice them all that much anymore. __________________ Jesse LaGreca in 2012 “Seven Deadly Sins: Wealth without work, Pleasure without conscience, Science without humanity, Knowledge without character, Politics without principle, Commerce without morality, Worship without sacrifice.” – Mahatma Gandhi

09-08-2011, 11:11 AM	#6
Gravdigr The Un-Tuckian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: South Central...KY that is Posts: 39,517	If you're watching a 1080 broadcast on a 720 tv, (regardless of screen size) you're only seeing 3/4 of the available quality, are you not? I may be misunderstanding. I've misunderstood before. __________________ These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, EPA, FBI, DEA, CDC, or FDIC. These statements are not intended to diagnose, cause, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you feel you have been harmed/offended by, or, disagree with any of the above statements or images, please feel free to fuck right off.

09-08-2011, 11:13 AM	#7
Pico and ME Are you knock-kneed? Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Middle Hoosierland Posts: 3,549	The difference isn't as noticeable on a smaller screen. __________________ Jesse LaGreca in 2012 “Seven Deadly Sins: Wealth without work, Pleasure without conscience, Science without humanity, Knowledge without character, Politics without principle, Commerce without morality, Worship without sacrifice.” – Mahatma Gandhi

09-08-2011, 08:01 AM	#3
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	At that price range you will find you have the choice of a bunch of LCD tvs in the 24" to 26" range made by big name manufacturers, and there will be one or two sets in the 32" range made by discount tv manufacturers. Don't buy anything made by Coby. In my experience they suck. I understand some people think Dynex is just fine, and I've used some Dynex tvs in hotel rooms and they were perfectly OK, so you might consider them.

09-08-2011, 12:17 PM	#8
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	The best offers are the week before the Superbowl if you can hang on.... __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

09-08-2011, 12:42 PM	#9
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	Good point. And if you can save up another $150 before then, you will get into another league of TVs. $450 will get you solidly into the 32" class of tvs manufactured by the major companies. You could get a very nice tv for $450. As far as the cables go, you should worry about how you connect the stuff you own now. That's probably a standard coaxial cable for the VCR, and component cables for the video game. HDMI cables are going to be what you use to connect to anything you buy in the future, like a blue ray player. Any tv on the market today will accept a coaxial cable and component cables and also have a HDMI input or two. Interesting that you have a VCR. You must have cable service? The tuner in a VCR won't work for over the air tv signals anymore. If you have cable service and you are able to pass the signal through the VCR, then that means you don't have any high resolution content, and the resolution of the set doesn't matter.

09-08-2011, 02:28 PM	#11
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	you mean a Blu Ray player. DVDs are only 480p.

09-08-2011, 03:42 PM	#12
Pete Zicato Turns out my CRS is a symptom of TMB. Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Chicago suburbs Posts: 2,916	Right. __________________ Talk nerdy to me.

09-08-2011, 04:05 PM	#13
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	I hate to say it but there are great TV prices at w*lmart.

09-08-2011, 10:14 PM	#14
zippyt LONG LIVE KING ZIPPY! per Feetz Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Arkansas Posts: 7,661	betterer at Sams __________________ "Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get. " Brother Dave Gardner

09-09-2011, 03:22 AM	#15
ZenGum Doctor Wtf Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Badelaide, Baustralia Posts: 12,861	I've never even heard of most of those brands. I like LCD over plasma to rule out screen burn. IMHO, picture quality is good enough on even the basic models to not worry about it. There is no need for 100 hertz updating when human eyes refresh at barely 1/4 that rate. One major aspect of functionality which isn't compared is, well, functionality. How long after you turn it on does it start showing pictures? How long does it take to change from one channel to another? Do you need to tune to every channel before you can use the menu function to see what is on? These are things which have disappointed me about my current set and which I could have checked in the store but didn't. __________________ Shut up and hug. MoreThanPretty, Nov 5, 2008. Just because I'm nominally polite, does not make me a pussy. Sundae Girl.

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