think i'm gonna buy a big TV.. need advice, wanna help?

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options

by bearvp Oct 16, 2008 1:35AM PDT

If you want a 60" HDTV your options are pretty much just gonna be rear projection HDTVs. If you can find a Sony SXRD HDTV still, then that is probably your best option at that price point. They don't make them anymore but there still might be some around.

You won't find a 60" LCD/Plasma HDTV for around $2000 new, but you could try craigslist or try to look into buying the floor models that some of the retailers use.

If you downsized to 50" though, you could get a nice Panasonic plasma 1080p HDTV for less than $2000. They sell them at Costco/Sam's Club which are your best bets for warranty and customer service.

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Lets look at your requirements.

by jcrobso Oct 16, 2008 6:05AM PDT

$2000 price range. Thin set. Big screen.
Is the $2000 your max price? If you can go a couple of hundred more there are some nice sets with 52" screens.

Thin sets will be LCD or Plasma, all Rear Projectors are at least 12" + deep and are getting hard to find.

10~12 years ago I probably would not have bought a Samsung TV, I today I own a 47" HDTV had it for 3 years. John

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if you want anything significantly larger

by jostenmeat Oct 16, 2008 6:59AM PDT

than 60"... get a projector.

you can do it within budget, with screen included. However, I think 2.5k is a sweetspot budget for the PJ. screen will be between $300- and up, or less I suppose if you do DIY.

IMO, my pic looks better than a 60" Kuro, and I paid less. My picture is slightly larger than 75 sq ft. My pJ was 3k, and screen was 1k.

Ok, absolute black levels aren't as good as a Kuro, but Ive still got the best blacks ive ever had. Color is a tad saturated, but that's a misleading comment. The pic is extremely natural. It leaves the local cinemas in the dust going by all opinions. Ive even had multiple persons on multiple occassions come directly to my place after going to the theater, out of curiousity. Mine always wins.

as in... not even close. cinema looks washed out compared to mine.

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jost

by bearvp Oct 16, 2008 7:17AM PDT

Just out of curiosity, what projector are you sporting? Also, do you watch your movies in pretty much darkness or does your projector perform well with some light in the room too?

Someday I might consider going with a projector when I own my own house.

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JVC RS-1u

by jostenmeat Oct 16, 2008 7:23AM PDT

bought as open box from AVS store. 3 hours on it, full warranty, which I extended big time for little. I saved a ton... deal was so good, they sold out all of them on the first day.

Black levels is awesome for the money. Color has some push here and there, on paper, but people remind complainers that just a few years ago, you would be paying well over 10k for this performance.

Oh man the new Pana 3000 releases in a couple of weeks. The memory presets for focus + shift is SO COOL!!!!!. While I dont expect it to have the PQ of mine... it is less money, and this feature is awesome, plain and simple, IMO.

Get a 2.35 screen. Hit of a button, and free "anamorphic". You should know some people spend as much on their piece of anamorphic glass as the cost of this PJ at 2.5k.

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cool

by bearvp Oct 16, 2008 7:33AM PDT

Sounds like a sweet deal.

How does it perform when you have some light in the room? Most projectors I've seen need pretty much all darkness to look really good.

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this is very true

by jostenmeat Oct 16, 2008 7:51AM PDT

I do use "high power" screen which, believe it or not, was originally designed for bright conference rooms. The reason I do so is because of pure square footage ... to get enough foot lamberts to still look good when spreading out the light so much.

of course conference PJs are a totally different animal, or the types meant for outdoor usage. The output high lumens for the money, at the expense of contrast and blacks, etc.

dark room is best. very dark is better.

of course, it can all add up. honestly, i dont watch much during the day. ive put a movie on a few times during the day, and it still looks decent, but i also have decent light control in room with thick curtains.

for those who do have money, and need to have cake and eat it, i usually recommend an $800 panny plasma to put on the wall. simply drop screen over it for night time movies with friends and family over.

a fixed framed screen will last forever. other types will eventually get waves. electric does not help at all, a myth. so stick with manual. nice thing about high power is its also much more resistant to waves. two biggest compromises are narrower viewing cone, and cannot possibly be AT (acoustically transparent).

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How about laser tv projector, is it here yet?

by ahtoi Oct 17, 2008 3:15AM PDT

or has anyone seen any laser tv? How much and where?

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nope

by jostenmeat Oct 17, 2008 5:37AM PDT

and it will probably appear in RPTVs first anyways? with Mits leading the way.

http://laservuetv.com/home.php

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TV'S

by dave-shaz Oct 17, 2008 8:25PM PDT

WELL JESSICA I WAS WATCH A SEGMENT ON LCD VS PLASMA THE OTHER DAY AND THEY WERE SAYING THEIRS NOT A LOT BETWEEN THEM ANY MORE. AND FOR ARIUND THE $2000 MARK YOU WILL GET A VERY GOOD TV.MY SELF I WOULD GET AN LG 72" BUT TRY AND GET ONE WITH A USB PORT OR A PORTABLE HARD DIVE SOCKET BUILD IT.SO THEN YOU CAN WATCH MOVIES STRAIGHT OFF THE HDD.THERE IS AN OTHER PLACE I WOULD BUY A TV FROM AND THAT'S KOGAN Technologies CHECK THEM OUT IT WILL BE WORTH IT.I HOPE I HAVE HELP YOU

http://www.kogan.com.au/shop/

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What melted my butter (and my wife really likes it also)

by lsippell Oct 18, 2008 2:19AM PDT

Jessica,
I just recently needed to replace a Sony 65" rear projection and after a LOT of research online I decided on the Samsung HD67A750A1F, DLP, LED (no tubs to burn out and replace) rear projection purchased from Amazon for less than $2000. It is fairly shallow in depth at only 16.6 inches.
This is my 4th rear projection TV since 1988 and is absolute the best! It's bright (LR has two French doors and 3 windows and the picture is viewable in the middle of the day with the shade up). Really black blacks and 3 HDMI inputs and it is 1080P!

Louis

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Buyer beware

by cooperhw Oct 19, 2008 3:57PM PDT

Many of the brands of TVs are importing from China and those are not a good choice regardless of the price. Quality is often lacking and repairs are close to impossible as the sets are badly supported if at all. If you buy one, and down the road have a failure, expect your repair shop to tell you parts are not available.

Plasmas I don't recommend as they consume lots of electricity and will run your light bill up. They by nature have an invisable flicker that tends to tire the eye during long periods of viewing as well

You are right about the DLPs, not only is the short bulb life and expense a problem but there are other high failure items too, like the color wheel

LCD sets are OK if the brand supports their product, don't expect the same life as the projections sets though

TV Tech

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difference in power consumption not significant...

by Pepe7 Oct 20, 2008 3:46AM PDT

TV Tech-

Don't forget a plasma uses less energy for dark scenes and the real world difference in power consumption will be negligible on the monthly household bill for the vast majority of users. Now of course two or three large plasmas might be a different story. (But just think- the folks living in northern climes with these HDTVs will get a free space heater out of the deal(!) Also, longer viewing periods on *any* large HDTVs in a dark room will tend to tire the eyes. That's why ambient room lighting can be a good thing sometimes, depending on your viewing preferences.

------------------------------------------------------
Plasmas I don't recommend as they consume lots of electricity and will run your light bill up. They by nature have an invisable flicker that tends to tire the eye during long periods of viewing as well

TV Tech

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60in. Sony

by olbiker1 Nov 3, 2008 10:25PM PST

Hey! guy's i purchased this tv dec. 06..never made xmas. NO TV 2 wks. Received replacement bulb 2-3.Jan. WARRANTY. Now i figure i'll take it easy on it so i can make it throught the holidays. WHAT!!!!! Lamp blew SEPT. 8mts FRIC!! BOUGHT new lamp with great difficulty..out of..no stock..finally Sony store 80mi. Shipped..$350can. TOOK it up with SONY..finally they replaced this Lamp...should make Xmas. ( BEWARE OF BULB ) you are now paying maintanance just like a Time Share...AWESOME PICTURE......

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sumsang

by frunkis Nov 4, 2008 4:24AM PST

yeah i'm going with the samsung 72 LED i think.. lots of good words out there about em. just looking for the right deal............. $1800'd be slick

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black ****, any ****

by frunkis Nov 4, 2008 2:43PM PST

and by the way i love ****. the more the merrier. as long as they aint bloody.

Jessica

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Samsung

by lsippell Nov 4, 2008 11:35PM PST

Jessica,

I don't think you will regret it.

Louis

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Kogan 1080P-32" - Full HD LCD TV With Tuner Panel.

by David Talbot Jan 6, 2009 6:34PM PST

I'm sorry to say know very little about digital Telvision, but wuld like some information & thoughts as regards to the one we botyh like as listed above.
Some think it's good & others not so sure,
Full HD LCD Panel 1920x1080 (16;9)
Kogan MotionMax Technology
Duel HDMI input
100 Hz
Five High Definition inputs including HDMI/DVI
PC Resolution ; 1920x1080

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