Thinking about finally thinking about upgrading our TVs

[black roadster]

Need some advice as the last new TV I bought was a 27" about 5 years ago for the bedroom and only got it because it was a good deal at Sam's.

Seeing as prices seem to be dropping dramatically, we are thinking about replacing some of our standard definition TVs. Probably making a decision by the end of January or mid-Feb.

We are thinking of getting a 37" flat panel for the bedroom and a 50" or larger for the living room.

We are not looking to get the best. Just something reliable with a decent picture. I'm figuring no more than $600-$800 for the 37" and no more than $2,000 for the larger one. Both we be hooked up to a Panasonic HTIAB, Wii and an XBOX 360 with a Blue-Ray some day when the Blue-Ray DVD prices drop some more.

So my questions. LCD, DLP or Plasma?

What should I consider required features in a HDTV?

Specific brand recommendations and places to buy?

Thanks.

[miataspeedracer]

If you want blu ray, then get a 1080 dpi TV.

As far as LCD, DLP, or Plasma, you need to go to your local big box retailer and take a look at all three. Some people have preferences...

[smartmx5]

Depends on your ambient light whether you choose an LCD or plasma. If your room is very well light by windows or lights, choose an LCD. For darker rooms, choose plasma. Games for LCD, in general, however, I believe many new plasmas are designed with a screensaver to save screens from burn in. As for a DLP, it depends on the area for the the tv in your room that you have. I am a fan of Samsung LCD 1080p. I have a 46" in the LR and a 40" in the bedroom, both with Automotion 120 Hz. I also have an 22" LCD Toshiba, 720 p with DVD player built in (got in from earning points from work), for the garage. It has a excellent pic even in the bright light. I saw a 40" Samsung LCD, 5 series, for less than $1K shipped. I believe the 46" version, 5 series was about $1400 shipped. Neither of the these had the automotion 120 Hz speed. There really are a lot of great deals. You really need to research, as you may be already, to see which style of tv you want to purchase. Consumerreports.org is a great place to research, as is crutchfield, and several other sites. Fatwallet.com, onecall.com, 6ave.com are just a few to buy from. Circuit city has produced very competitive prices this last month.
Hope that helped some,
Alan

[Titus]

+ElevenBillion on Samsung. We have a 46" Samsung DLP 720p in our loft, a 46" Samsung LCD 1080p in the living room, a 32" Samsung LCD 720p in the bedroom, and a 19" Samsung LCD for the computer. I have been very happy with all of them and would recommend them all. The 32" was purchased on Black Friday for $499 but has been sitting under the tree for a month. I installed it on Christmas day. I hope to someday upgrade the Living room to a 52" Samsung LCD 1080p, move the 46" to the bedroom, and move the 32" to the shop.

[trickyrix]

Another vote for Samsung. My folks have a 42" 720p plasma and the picture is fantastic - even on BluRay movies. IMHO, the 1080 isn't worth the extra money unless you're going for a ginormous TV - a 50" should look fine in 720. In my experience, the plasma has a darker black, higher contrast, and a better viewing angle. On any of them, just make sure you don't put the TV in a high-glare situation.

Go to Fry's and check them out - they've got plenty you can look at side-by-side and get an idea of what looks good and what's overpriced.

[Majik]

I love my Sony 46" 720p rear projection. I think RP is the way to go if you dont have depth concerns. It allows you to get a bigger size for smaller price, while maintaining a great picture. People like to talk out of their ass about how one looks better than another, unless like was mentioned about ambient conditions dictate a certain set. I have seen people trash rear projections, but then when I went to their house they were stretching standard def programing and bragging how good it looked on their plasma. Also on the 720 vs 1080 I am attaching a graph to show when the difference becomes apparent. Blu-ray and HD DVD both look stellar on my set.

[Nails]

Pros:
LCDs - brightest, fast action/response time, good longevity
Plasmas - least screen glare, widest viewing angle, vivid colors
DLPs - best blacks, least motion blurs, new bulb/lightsource is like new picture tube

Cons:
LCDs - pixels can go dead leaving a black spot, picture artifacts
Plasmas - weak blacks, highest power usage (equivalent to a refridgerator)
DLP's - lowest light output, narrowest viewing angles, eventual bulb replacement


I wouldn't get more than a 720p for screens under 37" or, more specifically, a 3:1 ratio of screen diagonal to viewing distance. A 50" screen at more than 150"/12.5' is difficult to discern whether it's 720/1080.

LG, Panasonic, Pioneer, Samsung, Sony, Vizio are what I'd go with.

As far as pricing and where to shop; the week before Superbowl tends to be the lowest prices of the year (or second to Black Friday weekend). And best everyday prices are at Costco or Sam's for local stores. I personally wouldn't feel comfortable having my TV shipped via online store.

[Titus]

I personally wouldn't feel comfortable having my TV shipped via online store.

I actually have gotten all 3 of mine online. The two 46s came from Amazon.com during free white glove service promotions and the 32 came from sears.com on black Friday. I did have issues with the shipping of the first one when I paid an extra $50 for rush delivery that I did not get, but Amazon was very good about refunding the $50 when I emailed them about it.

[VFR750]

I bought a 50" Panasonic plasma to replace my 40" Sony LCD, both 720p. With my upconverting DVD player they both look great. No glare issues in my den, the side angle view with the plasma is excellent. Bought both off Craigslist..............

[Dave04]

Count me in on the Samsung LCD... I have the 52" LN52A850 in the den. Bought it off Amazon. They had the best pricing and their white glove delivery is quite good.

[Nexus Flux]

Just one question: Majik Where did you get that chart? Because I can tell you from personal experience, I, and I'm sure others that will chime in, can tell the difference between the lower resolutions at further distances then the chart imples.

Personally I'm looking at a Sony KDL52W4100 that is availible online for $1850 shipped. I do like the higher end Samsungs but I think the lower ones tend to artifact too much for my liking. The Pioneers are OK, once you get into the Elites, but by that point the price is a little silly. The LG's look decent for the price, but I would steer clear of Oliveas and Vizios.

If you are looking at going into BluRay land later, I'd say get a 1080p with 120 Hz refresh to enjoy the true clarity that BluRay provides. Anything less and you might as well stay with an upconverting DVD player.

Take it how you will, just my 2 cents.

[altiain]

Another vote for Samsung LCD. We've got a 40" LNS4095D in the living room that we've been very happy with. I'm looking to put a 52" in the game room upstairs some time next year.

Sad thing is, we paid over $3k for that TV 2.5 years ago (but at the time it was one of the only 120Hz TVs on the market). Prices have come down substantially since then. My boss just picked up a 52", 120Hz Sony Bravia LCD for ~$1800 - he won it through an auction on Sam's Club website.

[smartmx5]

Follow the link..

http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/hot-deals/891042/


Buy, buy, buy!!

[black roadster]

Thanks everyone. It seems the Samsung LCD is a pretty popular choice. I'll have to look and see what's best for our needs. I'm considering a 720p will be fine in the bedroom and see if I can get a sweet deal on a 1080p for the living room.

[Miatamaniac92]

+1 for Costco. They have a great return policy and everyday deals.

Chris

[sammm]

+1 for Costco. They have a great return policy and everyday deals.

+1 and they will extend the warranty for 2 years at no cost.

[MadMerv]

Check with the Department of Redundancy Department

[Titus]

CompUSA in Plano emails out smokin' deals too. Here is their weekly ad:
http://compusa.shoplocal.com/compusa...828&savezone=Y

[HudsonHawk]

I have a 47" Samsung DLP 720P HD. I love the DLP. Bright and easy to see from anywhere in the living room. It was a return to Best Buy and I got it for better then half off.

[Dave04]

Silly question... but what do you guys recommend for the "old" TV's we've replaced? I have a 35" and a 20-something inch TV that need to go. Goodwill is an option, but does anyone know of another charity that would want them?