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Gimbal_Machine posted:Alright, I need some help. I'm considering purchasing the Panasonic TH-50PZ750U 50in. Plasma. It'll cost about $2800 and I'm looking to put it up above my fire place and put my couches between 8 and 10 feet away. I'll be getting the 42" model in tommorrow morning. drat I didn't know the 50" costs so much... Anyway you can take a look over at AVSforum.com and see what they have to say.
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| # ? Aug 16, 2007 02:17 |
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| # ? May 18, 2013 10:52 |
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Gimbal_Machine posted:Alright, I need some help. I'm considering purchasing the Panasonic TH-50PZ750U 50in. Plasma. It'll cost about $2800 and I'm looking to put it up above my fire place and put my couches between 8 and 10 feet away. First off, do you use this fireplace? I ask because fireplaces produce heat during use (obviously). What is not as obvious is that some of this heat will leak out of the front of the fireplace and up the wall, and the wall itself may also be heated from the chimney behind it. Plasmas generate a decent amount of heat as well. Fireplace in use + Plasmas = The possibility of a overheating set! And fireplaces can be difficult mounting spots anyway. Sometimes the plaster over the fireplace isn't strong enough, sometimes the fireplace's thick walls don't allow you to nail in far enough. Just make sure you scope it out before you do it. As for the TV, it is good, but not a good value. You could get a much bigger screen if you didn't go with 1080p, and I'm not convinced 1080p is worth it with the Panasonics - their connection options aren't good enough. I spent a lot of time look at the 42" version of that TV, but decided it wasn't worth it's price because the only way to get 1080p was through the HDMI connections. Of course, if you have a hunk of change and some HDMI capable equipment laying around, then go for it.
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| # ? Aug 16, 2007 02:40 |
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WeaselWeaz posted:I need some input. I'm buying an HDTV for my new apartment and I'm comparing the Toshiba Regza 3HL67 and the Vizio VX37L and VW37L. The Vizios seem almost the same except for case color. The Toshiba looks a bit better and seems more configurable, but I'm not sure it's worth an extra $200 for my small one bedroom. The Regza has good reviews around here, as does the VX. The VW line is made for Wal-Mart. Last time I checked, it had fewer inputs for what looks like the same price.
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| # ? Aug 16, 2007 03:10 |
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WeaselWeaz posted:I need some input. I'm buying an HDTV for my new apartment and I'm comparing the Toshiba Regza 3HL67 and the Vizio VX37L and VW37L. The Vizios seem almost the same except for case color. The Toshiba looks a bit better and seems more configurable, but I'm not sure it's worth an extra $200 for my small one bedroom. There's a difference with the audio video inputs I think, and maybe the lack of a QAM tuner in the VW37L...Vizio's site or this thread might have more info.
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| # ? Aug 16, 2007 08:56 |
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Faceless Clock posted:First off, do you use this fireplace? I ask because fireplaces produce heat during use (obviously). What is not as obvious is that some of this heat will leak out of the front of the fireplace and up the wall, and the wall itself may also be heated from the chimney behind it. Plasmas generate a decent amount of heat as well. Fireplace in use + Plasmas = The possibility of a overheating set! It depends on the fireplace. If he's using a gas fireplace, they radiate heat outwards. That being said, his TV would be fine. Traditional wood-burning fireplaces on the other hand, radiate heat upwards which is really really bad for a plasma screen.
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| # ? Aug 16, 2007 14:38 |
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topenga posted:The Regza has good reviews around here, as does the VX. The VW line is made for Wal-Mart. Last time I checked, it had fewer inputs for what looks like the same price. So is the Regza worth spending the extra money? I've seen less talk about it, but no bad things other than complaints about the glossy case which I like. The VX has more reviews, also good, but it isn't name brand. And yeah, VW seems to have less inputs but the case color is slightly tempting to go with my living room.
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| # ? Aug 16, 2007 14:51 |
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WeaselWeaz posted:So is the Regza worth spending the extra money? I've seen less talk about it, but no bad things other than complaints about the glossy case which I like. The VX has more reviews, also good, but it isn't name brand. And yeah, VW seems to have less inputs but the case color is slightly tempting to go with my living room. As I posted before, I'm pretty satisfied with my 37HL67. No problems, no image problems other than what comes with LCD (the blacks aren't plasma black). Lot of inputs. The interface and setup are pretty nice, with favorite channel / input and history browsers. Signal meter is convenient for knowing when to curse off my cable company. No video lag with games. Comes with a 1 year warranty from Toshiba. Only limitation is VGA will only accept 1024x768, not 1366.
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| # ? Aug 16, 2007 16:54 |
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WeaselWeaz posted:So is the Regza worth spending the extra money? I've seen less talk about it, but no bad things other than complaints about the glossy case which I like. The VX has more reviews, also good, but it isn't name brand. And yeah, VW seems to have less inputs but the case color is slightly tempting to go with my living room. Really, I think it all boils down to how much you want to spend and whether or not you're okay with something that's not a huge brand name. I will tell you that I have noticed Vizio sets in the most unlikely places lately. Opal Divine's Marina restaurant/bar in Austin has them all over the dining area and they look great. I also noticed that Vizio was the brand they used in Ocean's 13. Weird.
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| # ? Aug 16, 2007 19:09 |
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Is there anything cheaper/better than this? http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Pola...tDetail.do#tabs It's for a dorm room.
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| # ? Aug 16, 2007 20:59 |
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WeaselWeaz posted:So is the Regza worth spending the extra money? I've seen less talk about it, but no bad things other than complaints about the glossy case which I like. The VX has more reviews, also good, but it isn't name brand. And yeah, VW seems to have less inputs but the case color is slightly tempting to go with my living room. The Vizio isn't nearly as good as the Toshiba. I'm not a fan of cheap HDTVs, because my opinion is that a TV is a very durable item. A good one isn't likely to break, and can last decades. If you think you'll buy a new TV every year then sure, get a Vizio. Otherwise get the Toshiba.
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| # ? Aug 17, 2007 05:23 |
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qirex posted:40S3000: best looking 720p I saw, and the fact that Costco has it for $1300 is very tempting even though I want a 1080p set.  * Requires money...poo poo. 
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| # ? Aug 17, 2007 06:45 |
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Hi, I am looking for a lcd television around 20-26 inches within the 500-800 price range. This will be for a college dorm room and I will need to be able to connect an xbox360 and a cable line that would most likely not be a hd line. It would also be nice if I could use it as a monitor for my Macbook. I had a Samsung 23" Widescreen LCD HDTV** (LNT2353H) in mind, however, it seems as thought there are more options than I thought. I was worried about this HDTV because at the bottom of the specification list it says that it requires an HDTV source. Thanks for the help.
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| # ? Aug 17, 2007 07:38 |
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Faceless Clock posted:I'm not a fan of cheap HDTVs, because my opinion is that a TV is a very durable item. A good one isn't likely to break, and can last decades. If you think you'll buy a new TV every year then sure, get a Vizio. Otherwise get the Toshiba. This is what's stopping me from buying the Vizio. I've had bad luck with low end stuff before and an extra $200 on 18 month financing really doesn't seem bad in the grand scheme of things. Unless the Toshiba goes back up to $1200 when I'm ready to buy, which is to high for me.
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| # ? Aug 17, 2007 14:25 |
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WeaselWeaz posted:This is what's stopping me from buying the Vizio. I've had bad luck with low end stuff before and an extra $200 on 18 month financing really doesn't seem bad in the grand scheme of things. Unless the Toshiba goes back up to $1200 when I'm ready to buy, which is to high for me. Read these regarding bottom-end HD manufacturers and service: http://hdguru.com/?p=107 http://hdguru.com/?p=108 The bottom line is that it's entirely possible that in just a year after purchase if something goes wrong the cost to repair it could be more than what it's worth. And people have had big problems with warrantee service as well. More expensive TVs don't just cost more because of markup and advertising, they have bigger customer service divisions and more robust service channels.
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| # ? Aug 17, 2007 15:31 |
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Hey guys. I'm looking for a TV for my dorm room (like just about everyone in this thread right now it seems). I'll be watching it from about 13-14 feet away. The problem with my set right now (not HD or anything) is that from that distance I can't read the subtitles on foreign films or any of the text on my TiVo. I'm around the $500 range budget-wise. Any suggestions? It'll mostly be for watching DVDs and Tivo though if I can get one with a built-in tuner I'll get an antenna for HD programming.
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| # ? Aug 17, 2007 16:04 |
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qirex posted:Read these regarding bottom-end HD manufacturers and service: While not surprising, it does make me question buying a Vizio. Even though I'll be getting a three year warranty this makes me question if Vizio TVs are as amazing as people say... until a year is up and it falls apart and you incur service charges. Thanks to all who gave advice. I'm going with the Toshiba as long as it stays in my affordable range.
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| # ? Aug 17, 2007 16:35 |
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Forgive me if this has been covered multiple times in the thread already, I tried searching but didn't really come up with anything on this. I'm wondering what are anyones opinions, impressions, or first hand dealings with either of these - Samsung FP-T5084 50" plasma and Panasonic TH-50PZ700U 50" plasma I've pretty much narrowed my search down to these two and I've been slightly leaning towards the Samsung lately. Problem is there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of reviews out there on that particular one. I currently have a Panasonic 32" crt hdtv that's about three or four years old now, so I have nothing bad against Panasonic as that tv's been great so far. It just seems like the Samsung might compare better with the Panasonic TH-50PZ750U as far as features go, but I can't really afford the TH-50PZ750U so it's kinda out of the running. So to summarize I'm looking for any help in deciding which of these to go for.
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| # ? Aug 17, 2007 17:44 |
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PapaSmurf211 posted:Forgive me if this has been covered multiple times in the thread already, I tried searching but didn't really come up with anything on this. I just got the TH-42PZ700U yesterday and let me tell you, it's amazing. Even SD looks good on it. I don't know much about the Samsung, but I do know that Panasonic has started their concierge service, meaning if, for any reason they have to service your plasma, you will get a loaner plasma while they still have yours.
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| # ? Aug 17, 2007 18:23 |
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PapaSmurf211 posted:Forgive me if this has been covered multiple times in the thread already, I tried searching but didn't really come up with anything on this. Panasonic all the way. I just picked up the 42" 720p model and it looks much better than the samsung I was looking at. The blacks on panasonics just can't be beat.
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| # ? Aug 17, 2007 19:57 |
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I have what I'm sure is a stupid question. I just bought a TV. I'm looking for an HDMI cable on monoprice. Do I want a male to male or male to female to go from my cable box to my TV? It's a Samsung LNT4061F and I've got a comcast digital DVR.
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| # ? Aug 17, 2007 20:05 |
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Spacemonkey57 posted:I have what I'm sure is a stupid question. I just bought a TV. I'm looking for an HDMI cable on monoprice. Do I want a male to male or male to female to go from my cable box to my TV? It's a Samsung LNT4061F and I've got a comcast digital DVR. Male to male, but honestly you should just give Comcast a call and have them drop off the cable for free (or stop by their office and pick one up.) Make them work for that exorbitant monthly fee.
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| # ? Aug 17, 2007 21:01 |
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bull3964 posted:Male to male, but honestly you should just give Comcast a call and have them drop off the cable for free (or stop by their office and pick one up.) Make them work for that exorbitant monthly fee. Yeah, but it it's only $4 or so it's worth it not to have to interact with a customer service rep. Thanks.
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| # ? Aug 17, 2007 21:03 |
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Toshiba 37HL67 owners: I'm looking up info and apperently this doesn't support widescreen PC picture through VGA or HDMI/DVI. Can anyone answer if there is anyway around this to make it work and also how this affects an X-Box 360 using VGA cables?
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| # ? Aug 18, 2007 03:34 |
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Lamont Cranston posted:Hey guys. I'm looking for a TV for my dorm room (like just about everyone in this thread right now it seems). I'll be watching it from about 13-14 feet away. The problem with my set right now (not HD or anything) is that from that distance I can't read the subtitles on foreign films or any of the text on my TiVo. I'm around the $500 range budget-wise. Any suggestions? It'll mostly be for watching DVDs and Tivo though if I can get one with a built-in tuner I'll get an antenna for HD programming. Don't get a HDTV for a dorm room. It'll be a huge theft target and you won't use it half as much as you think. If you want something bigger, so you can read text, then get a big clunky CRT from goodwill. You can get a big one for very cheap. Are you seriously going to have a HDTV, a BluRay or HDDVD player, and a HD capable Tivo in your dorm room? You might as well put a post on craigslist - THIEVES: Steal my Dorm Theater Setup! Or you'll have to be that guy that locks his room religiously, even when he's just going for a piss, which is very annoying. PapaSmurf211 posted:I'm wondering what are anyones opinions, impressions, or first hand dealings with either of these - Panasonic Panasonic Panasonic. I think I'm sounding like a broken record, but it's true. Panasonic Plasmas are one of the best TVs currently available, with their only big disadvantage - and it is a big one - being their relative lack of connectivity. WeaselWeaz posted:Toshiba 37HL67 owners: I'm looking up info and apperently this doesn't support widescreen PC picture through VGA or HDMI/DVI. Can anyone answer if there is anyway around this to make it work and also how this affects an X-Box 360 using VGA cables? I believe they only support 1024x768 through VGA. 1,366 x 768 is their native resolution. So....yea, no widescreen for VGA, but it will support it for HDMI/DVI. You'll have to run your 360 through component.
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| # ? Aug 18, 2007 04:38 |
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PapaSmurf211 posted:Forgive me if this has been covered multiple times in the thread already, I tried searching but didn't really come up with anything on this. Get whichever is cheaper, panasonic and samsung both have great pictures. It seems panasonic is becoming the "sennheiser" of the tv world (and i mean that in the bad way, people recommend it over other headphones for seemingly unknown reasons) Best thing would be to look at both TVs in person at a store, but most stores dont have both those sets sadly. coolskillrex remix fucked around with this message at Aug 18, 2007 around 11:22 |
| # ? Aug 18, 2007 11:19 |
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Faceless Clock posted:Don't get a HDTV for a dorm room. It'll be a huge theft target and you won't use it half as much as you think. I appreciate the concern, but it's unfounded. Yes, I guess I am that guy who locks his room religiously, though it helps that I have a bathroom and don't have to leave to take a piss. It's also a single, so no roommates to rip me off. I've been living in dorms for the past three years, so I know my TV habits, and I'm not ignorant of theft concerns - I've had equipment in my room that is much more expensive and much easier to carry off than any TV I'm looking to get (hint: I'm typing on it right now), so it's second nature already to have my door locked at all times. The more important issue though is that I want something I'm going to continue to use after I graduate and move out this year. I don't have the money to buy a new TV every year so I need something that will last. Replace "dorm room" with "living room" in my post; then what would you recommend? Lamont Cranston fucked around with this message at Aug 18, 2007 around 11:52 |
| # ? Aug 18, 2007 11:50 |
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Lamont Cranston posted:Have you considered a larger computer monitor (22" or 24") with good connectivity that could pull double duty and save you some space?
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| # ? Aug 18, 2007 13:26 |
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I just picked up the 42PX75U from Sears.com for $930 (price matched from Frys and then $150 off for any 40"+ TV). Anyway, it's drat nice, SD channels look great, 360 is amazing. I'm in love and for just about $1000, it was an amazing deal. So right now it's sitting on top of my dresser but I'd like to get a proper yet relatively cheap stand. Where is the best place I should look for a stand? I'm looking to spend about $75 at most but I'm not sure if that is possible.
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| # ? Aug 18, 2007 18:21 |
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scr0llwheel posted:I just picked up the 42PX75U from Sears.com for $930 (price matched from Frys and then $150 off for any 40"+ TV). Anyway, it's drat nice, SD channels look great, 360 is amazing. I'm in love and for just about $1000, it was an amazing deal. this is all i can find on ikea: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30103493 i think this is the best stand for $200 and below though http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...d=1152836583288
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| # ? Aug 18, 2007 20:17 |
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xie posted:Is there anything cheaper/better than this? i wouldn't buy anything with a contrast ratio under 800:1
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| # ? Aug 19, 2007 16:37 |
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butterypancakes posted:i wouldn't buy anything with a contrast ratio under 800:1 http://www.onsale.com/shop/detail~d...efurbished.aspx Any better? It's only 700:1, but my budget is only $300 or so for this TV and I'm really limited. Newegg has some refurb Olevia's as well in that price range.
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| # ? Aug 19, 2007 22:08 |
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I just bought my folks a Samsung LN-T4042H a couple months ago. It has an HDTV Tuner, but some of the channels I don't get any audio on, just HD picture. Also, if I buy an antenna also, will it get me more channels? Or will I only be recieving the same channels as what the tuner can get me? It looks like I only get NBC, Current TV, PBS, and weather forecasts for NBC and ABC. More channels are available if they subscribe for the service through the cable company, but I don't know if my parents really need it, I'm probably the one who is most concerned with it when I am at their house.
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| # ? Aug 20, 2007 00:23 |
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k0konutz posted:I just bought my folks a Samsung LN-T4042H a couple months ago. Not having an HDTV subscription probably does result in very fews channel, but answering you question isn't easy. http://www.antennaweb.org/is an interesting website, put in your address and you can find out what digital OTA channels are in your area. Now, just because they're digital doesn't mean they're HD, it just means they might be. If can tune in to the major ones like Fox, NBC, ABC, and CBS, then you should get HD during prime time. But you won't know for sure until you buy an antenna.
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| # ? Aug 20, 2007 01:06 |
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k0konutz posted:I just bought my folks a Samsung LN-T4042H a couple months ago. The channels are scrambled by the cable company if you don't pay for them. This doesn't mean they aren't viewable, only that they shouldn't be and if they are may have problems. In your case this is a lack of audio, in my grandmother's case one channel freezes her TV.
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| # ? Aug 20, 2007 01:22 |
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I'm looking to get a 40-42" LCD tv for a while now and through some research both on here and other places, i've narrowed my list down to these 4 1080p units:
Samsung LN-T4065F Sharp AQUOS LC-42D72U Toshiba TEGZA 42HL167
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| # ? Aug 20, 2007 05:11 |
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DevilsAdvocate posted:I'm looking to get a 40-42" LCD tv for a while now and through some research both on here and other places, i've narrowed my list down to these 4 1080p units: Of those sets, the Samsung is by far the winner. The others are okay sets, but the CNet review which raves that the 4065F - okay, it's big brother, the 4665F - is the best LCD tested to date is entirely correct. Though I have a feeling that out of the sets you posted, it is also the most expensive. I would got 1080p. Yea, yea, I know it's technically difficult to see a difference between 720p and 1080p, particularly in sets that size. But 720p is an out of date format. It doesn't matter if it SHOULD be so, all that matters is that the people selling movies and TVs and cable are MAKING it so. Now, I'd so it's fine to go 720p if you're intent on replacing your set in a few years, but for a set you plan to have around longer I'd go 1080p. The ability to take a 1080 signal without having to downscale the picture will result in a superior image when using HDDVD/Bluray, HD gaming systems, and within a few years (or today, on some channels), TV.
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| # ? Aug 20, 2007 05:28 |
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Faceless Clock posted:First off, do you use this fireplace? I ask because fireplaces produce heat during use (obviously). What is not as obvious is that some of this heat will leak out of the front of the fireplace and up the wall, and the wall itself may also be heated from the chimney behind it. Plasmas generate a decent amount of heat as well. Fireplace in use + Plasmas = The possibility of a overheating set! Thanks for the feedback guys. Its a gas fireplace, so i think its just a standard wall, but i'll check it with the stud finder to make sure i can find some studs. I know that the 1080p sets are a little bit more spendy, maybe i just need to spend some more time looking at them. Ideally, I'd like to spend in the ~$1500 range and get something from 42-50 or so inches. I'm willing to go upto 2000 if it will get me bang for my buck. I like the pictures on plasmas a bit more than LCDs. Any recommendations or threads about the decision i should check out?
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| # ? Aug 20, 2007 15:53 |
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Faceless Clock posted:Of those sets, the Samsung is by far the winner. The others are okay sets, but the CNet review which raves that the 4065F - okay, it's big brother, the 4665F - is the best LCD tested to date is entirely correct. Thanks for the input. The LG and the Sharp unit are actually more expensive than the Samsung. I'll have to swing by Bestbuy and Circuit City to get a good look at the sets, but i'll probably go with the Samsung.
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| # ? Aug 20, 2007 16:40 |
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DevilsAdvocate posted:Thanks for the input. The LG and the Sharp unit are actually more expensive than the Samsung. I'll have to swing by Bestbuy and Circuit City to get a good look at the sets, but i'll probably go with the Samsung. Just make sure you get the 4065F and not the 4061F, which is okay but not as good. When I was shopping I ran into the best buy salesman that kept trying to convince me the 4061F was the premier Samsung LCD because the 4065F was more than I said I was willing to spend and he didn't want to price match. Fry's had a nice sale on the 4065F, by the way...I saw it going for 1599 in-store.
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| # ? Aug 20, 2007 19:47 |
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| # ? May 18, 2013 10:52 |
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Faceless Clock posted:
If you keep any eye on Fry's they will sometimes have some great deals on TVs. I week ago they had the latest Samsung and Panasonic 50" 720p plasmas for $1499 which was lower than anything I saw online.
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| # ? Aug 20, 2007 20:05 |
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