HDTV Megathread

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Kali11324: Dec 8, 2004; This space intentionally left blank

I saw someone above mention Black Friday sales. Is there is a best time to make that big TV purchase? I'm in the market now but I'm not sure if I should wait until after Christmas or just go for it the weekend after Thanksgiving.

# ¿ Nov 10, 2007 20:37

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# ¿ Dec 14, 2025 23:51

Kali11324: Dec 8, 2004; This space intentionally left blank

Walmart is now selling the Sony Bravia Series http://www.walmart.com/catalog/catalog.gsp?cat=3996S

Some of the prices are not listed at all others seem pretty good to my untrained eye. They also carry a brand called Vizio which I have never heard of. I've read some reviews online about that brand, but there is nothing like hearing first person accounts.

http://www.news.com/The-secret-of-Vizios-success/2100-1041_3-6203488.html
http://reviews.cnet.com/4504-5_7-0.html?tag=ksrch2_coco&x=57&y=10&id=32516724&id=32413025&id=32306254&id=32165930&id=32305879&id=32165929
CNET is giving their line high 6s and 7s.

Let's say I have about $800.00 to spend on a tv I will be using for watching regular tv and sports, DVDs and Gaming. The gaming is very important to me. Even though I don't play the PS2 for hours like I used to, when I do play I want the full experience.
When I'm gaming I'm probably sitting 5-6 ft away. For tv watching I'm more like 10 ft away
Any recommendations for a novice like myself?

# ¿ Nov 24, 2007 17:26

Kali11324: Dec 8, 2004; This space intentionally left blank

LordOfThePants posted:

Keep in mind that those are models made specifically for Wal-Mart. They may be lower quality/lacking features compared to similar models at Best Buy/Sears/etc.

Oh poo poo. I did not know that.

# ¿ Nov 25, 2007 23:40

Kali11324: Dec 8, 2004; This space intentionally left blank

Don Lapre posted:

in some cases its last years electronics in this years cases.

If it's a good deal on a last year's model I'm fine with that.

# ¿ Nov 27, 2007 00:20

Kali11324: Dec 8, 2004; This space intentionally left blank

I was at Walmart yesterday checking out their TV selection. They had a 32" Sony Bravia for about the same as a 37" Vizo, about $750.00. The only real difference I saw was in the contrast ratio. The Vizo was 1000:1 and the Sony is 2500:1.
So would you choose the extra 5" over the better contrast ratio?

# ¿ Dec 8, 2007 17:50

Kali11324: Dec 8, 2004; This space intentionally left blank

ironlung posted:

I'm trying to hook up a surround sound system to my TV. The TV is a Sharp Aquos LCD and the surround sound system is an Onkyo 7.1 system.

I was able to do the sound test with the microphone on the speakers sucessfully, but for some reason the TV audio isn't coming through the surround sound speakers. I have it hooked up correctly with HDMI cables, I'm wondering if there is some setting on the TV that I have to adjust or enable? There was a "surround" setting in the audio settings but I think that was just to simulate surround sound or something (this according to the manual).

I don't get it, I know it's hooked up right because I can't turn on the TV without turning on the receiver... there is just nothing coming through the speakers at all.

Sorry to ask a stupid question, but is it that no sound at all is coming out of the sound system when you use the TV or it's just not coming out of all the speakers.

# ¿ Dec 9, 2007 01:38

Kali11324: Dec 8, 2004; This space intentionally left blank

Next-Gen posted:

Right now the best deal out there on 46 inch tvs has to be the samsung lnt4661f at fry's for 1299

https://shop1.outpost.com/product/5199896?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

They are some of the best looking lcds out there and it's at a really great price now. It's got 3 hdmi connections, 1080p, wonderful blacks and if there's a Fry's near you it will be on sale locally too.

Wow, this seems almost too good to be true. Is it last year's model or something?

# ¿ Dec 26, 2007 15:47

Kali11324: Dec 8, 2004; This space intentionally left blank

Next-Gen posted:

Right now the best deal out there on 46 inch tvs has to be the samsung lnt4661f at fry's for 1299

https://shop1.outpost.com/product/5199896?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

They are some of the best looking lcds out there and it's at a really great price now. It's got 3 hdmi connections, 1080p, wonderful blacks and if there's a Fry's near you it will be on sale locally too.

What the deal with 1080p vs 1080i?
I'm reading articles online about how 1080i is better since there is nothing in 1080p, but the articles are like 2 years old.

# ¿ Dec 26, 2007 22:14

Kali11324: Dec 8, 2004; This space intentionally left blank

Next-Gen posted:

It is this year's model, and there are higher models of this style too (4665 and 4671) that offer glossy screen and 120hz respectively. This is mostly this price because of it being the end of the year and Fry's doing a one day sale each year the day after Christmas. It is definitely a great panel even if it was an older model.

Well I went and picked it up today and it's all set up. They did try to talk me up to a higher model but the next one up was a $300.00 jump. They have a 30 day no questions asked return policy as long as you have all of the packaging so I was really careful when I unpacked it just in case.

Edit: I guess I'm really stupid. I just realized that Time Warner charges extra for its HD programing. Looks like I'll have to call them in morning.

Kali11324 fucked around with this message at 02:15 on Dec 27, 2007

# ¿ Dec 27, 2007 01:21

Kali11324: Dec 8, 2004; This space intentionally left blank

So I'm getting my whole HD setup going and I went to Radio Shack to pick up an HDMI cable. They only had Monster cables and for $91.00! The guy totally went off on how Monster cables are the best, you can buy cheaper cables but it's not worth it yada yada. Is there really a difference? Is it worth dropping $91?

# ¿ Dec 29, 2007 18:00

Kali11324: Dec 8, 2004; This space intentionally left blank

Joink posted:

Wii video games don't look to well on my 42" 1080p lcd tv. Is it simply because the tv's native res is 1920x1080 and the wii only outputs at 480p? Anything I can try to improve the image?

I can't believe how crappy some of my PS2 games look now. I just got a 40" 1080p LCD. I'm using component cables too. I can understand it with the PS2 since it is an older system, but that sucks for the Wii. With a 42" things will look better from like 10 feet away. Any chance you can do your gaming from a distance?

On a side note now that I've hooked up my Samsung LN-T4061F to my surround sound I'm getting an echo. I need to turn the sound on the set off to use the sound system. Did I hook things up the wrong way? It happens with regular tv, DVDs and the PS2.

# ¿ Jan 1, 2008 00:09

Kali11324: Dec 8, 2004; This space intentionally left blank

Just bought a new house and I will be buying a new TV but I need to wait until we are already in on Jan 8th. before I can do that. At least I really should. Reading this thread is making me impatient though. It seems like there are some really good deals out right now. I hope there are more good deals around in Jan.

On that topic, is it really true that there are good deals on tvs right before the Super Bowl or is that just myth to try and sell more?

# ¿ Nov 26, 2009 16:43

Kali11324: Dec 8, 2004; This space intentionally left blank

Peas and Rice posted:

So before ordering my G10 my wife wanted to see it in person. We stopped by Best Buy where they had it next to this Samsung, which was slightly more expensive but had, from what I could tell, a stunningly better picture. They were demo'ing the Phantom Blu-Ray on the Sammy, so I thought it might have been the Panny demo disc, but I popped the Phantom disc into the G10's BR player and the picture just looked.. worse. It looked pixellated, not nearly as smooth as the Samsung. Considering how good the scores on the G10 are, I was a little surprised that the Samsung looked noticeably better.

Was this just a crappy Best Buy setup, or what? Of the two TVs from what I saw, I'd much rather have the Samsung based on the ten minutes of in-store comparison.

Take this with a grain of salt because it was literally like 20 years ago. My college roommate worked at an electronics store and it was standard practice to set the tvs you needed to move on the best settings and surround it with other tvs with hosed up settings. I have no idea if they still do this, but I could see it happening.

# ¿ Dec 7, 2009 13:54

Kali11324: Dec 8, 2004; This space intentionally left blank

Crackbone posted:

1. The "internal processor running hot" is total 100% bullshit.

2. The difference between the two sets was likely real, but purposefully exaggerated to show the differences (ie they chose the worst possible settings on the "bad" tv).

3. A good calibration can make a world of difference on a TV. That being said there are a lot of caveats:

A) A "good" calibration often looks dull and dark vs what people like and expect. People tend to like oversaturated colors and a true calibration often dissappoints them. That's why TVs in stores are turned up to full brightness - a lot of people mistake "pop" for good picture.

B) Calibration done by a professional is only as good as they are. Chances are the Best Buy calibration doesn't know what the gently caress he's doing. AVSforum is full of spergers but you'd be better off trying to find a calibrator there.

C) You can do a decent calibration at home, but it's unlikely to be anywhere as good as a professional one. There is a huge range of variation between individual TVs, even when they are the same model. Plugging in one TV's numbers into another may help but won't get you all that close. A basic calibration disc will accomplish the same sort of accuracy. To do a "true" calibration (which ususally involves setting the grayscale temp properly and color matching), you can buy something like a EyeOne Display LT and use HCFR to calibrate yourself, but that's a real PITA since you'll have to learn/work with everything yourself.

I would read up on your TV, maybe try plugging in some other user's numbers, and then tweak the set by eye until you find something you're happy with. For most people that's good enough. If after a few months you aren't happy with what you have, look into a calibrator.

I thought somewhere in this thread someone posted a link to a website where you could download and burn a home calibration process to a dvd on your own and now I can't find it. Maybe we could but something like that in the OP?

# ¿ Dec 14, 2009 02:29

Kali11324: Dec 8, 2004; This space intentionally left blank

Well I'm looking to buy a new tv in the next couple of weeks. We move into a new house on Jan. 8th and we are going to get a nice big tv to go with our new livingroom. I think this tv will be for watching movies and TV and we will have a separate tv, in the play room for gaming. I have been going through Cnet.com's website trying to figure out what I want and I'm still up in the air. I did find this to be useful though: http://www.cnet.com/1990-7874_1-5108443-2.html?tag=hdtv;hdtv_l

The more I research the more I feel like, that for the most part, the things that probably matter the most for me are just size and price. Since I not a major videophile I probably really won't notice the difference between a top of the line one and a bargain one. Am I missing something?

Where do you guys go for the best reviews of TVs before you buy them?

Kali11324 fucked around with this message at 18:15 on Dec 28, 2009

# ¿ Dec 28, 2009 18:06

Kali11324: Dec 8, 2004; This space intentionally left blank

SneakyCracker posted:

Well, you know when you go to a movie theater, and you kinda get that whole "holy crap this screen is huge" thing going on? You know, where you realize just how big it is as your watching the movie?

Do you want that at home, or not?

Can't you be too close? Doesn't the picture look really lovely when you are too close up on the big screens?

# ¿ Dec 29, 2009 18:49

Kali11324: Dec 8, 2004; This space intentionally left blank

Thermopyle posted:

Anything you buy with large panes of glass (windows, doors, big tv's) have warnings to not transport it flat.

I always thought this was some electronics thing. Is this really about the glass breaking or will it do some weird damage to the TV?

# ¿ Jan 12, 2010 22:58

Kali11324: Dec 8, 2004; This space intentionally left blank

I am just about ready to pull the trigger on this huge TV on sale at BestBuy: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung+-+58%22+Class+/+1080p+/+600Hz+/+Plasma+HDTV/9238826.p?id=1218065495493&skuId=9238826

It's a 58" Samsung PN58B550T2 on sale for $1,869.99. It seems like a great price for a tv of that size from a good company, but I need find some reviews.

# ¿ Jan 13, 2010 20:38

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# ¿ Dec 14, 2025 23:51

Kali11324: Dec 8, 2004; This space intentionally left blank

I'm shopping for a new TV that will be used primarily for gaming. I'm looking at around 30 inches. The room that I will be in is fairly shaddy to begin with so I'm not too worried about glare issues.

The more I start reading online the more confused about the whole thing I get. I am hoping to stay under $300. Any recommendations on some bargains?
I found a Toshiba on sale at Bestbuy

Then Walmart has these Scepter brand TVs on sale but I have never heard of this brand. I am guessing it is their in-house brand?http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sceptre-32-X322BV-HD/15739136

Walmart also has a Sony KDL-32BX310 but you need to add it to your cart before you see the price. When I did that it was listed at $299.

Thanks for any input.

# ¿ Jan 15, 2012 01:19

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