What's the best bang for the buck TV?

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Looking to upgrade our 5 years old 27" Samsung to an LCD or Plasma tv in the next while. Probably something in the 32" to 42" range. Any super deals out there that you know of? I'm mainly concerned that I'll be able to watch Canucks' games clearly. So any television-aficionados (woohoo, first time I used this word in a posting) have any good advice during the buying season?

Thanks in advance,

Anthony

[teejay]

I bought a 52 inch SHARP "AQUOS" about 3 months ago.I don"t think there is a better TV out there.It cost just over three grand(about a quarter the cost of my reef tank.LOL).
I have to admit sometimes I am too busy gazing into my tank to even turn it on.

[NateL]

Depends on what you are looking for and how much you are willing to spend. We got a Samsung 56in LCD DLP projection from Costco, and I love it- its HUGE! At Costco it looked tiny next to the 62in but when we got it home we found we had barely enough room for the 56. It was less than 2500 after taxes. Its not a thin screen, but its only about 12 in deep and came with a stand. LCD's and Plasmas are really nice to mount them on a wall. I prefer the LCD's over plasmas because I have heard that they last longer, hold their picture better, and there is less chance of burning in an image.

My brother just bought an aquios 42in for around 1500 in Bellingham. Open box at Best buy. It is a very very nice tv. If you are planning on watching high def, be sure to get the 1080p resolution as it is the highest available right now.

[Samw]

How about a 42" Panasonic 1080P Viera PZ77 Plasma for about $1499 on Boxing Day? Currently, London Drugs has them for $1599. But there's a rumour that it'll be $1499 at Sears on Boxing Day. FS and BB prices are much higher ($1899-$1999).

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=528037&highlight=th42pz77


APC Mag:

http://apcmag.com/6983/the_case_for_plasma_hdtvs
Cached version:
http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:jq7jWvrBrLoJ:apcmag.com/6983/the_case_for_plasma_hdtvs+the_case_for_plasma_hdtv s&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=ca

RE: Your Canucks Requirement:

"Plasmas do sport better

The response times of the plasma screens that we examined (the time it takes for a pixel to switch on and off and on again) was around 4ms. While it’s not as fast as the response times of CRT TVs (once measured by Tom’s Hardware as .8 ms) it’s still faster than LCD screens. The fastest LCDs have response times of around 6ms while most are now around the 8ms mark. The difference in reponse time translates to more visible motion blur on the LCD TVs. In moments of fast action, the LCD TVs don’t keep up as well as plasmas and fuzziness is evident around some of the play."

"We watched Ten’s AFL HD broadcasts (1920 x 1080i broadcast format) on both plasmas and LCDs, and when the action on the field became fast paced, there was visible blurring in parts of the LCD pictures. We don’t want to overstate the problem, since the higher resolution of an HDTV regardless of whether it’s a plasma or LCD makes the sporting experience much more immersive than on an old SD set, but it can be annoying to see the kind of blurring in fast paced scenes that you’d never see on a CRT TV. For the worst sporting experience, watch an SD broadcast like the rugby league on an HDTV. The upscaling of the SD picture to fit the HDTV screen, plus some motion blur, makes the experience a horror show. "

RE: Bang For the Buck:

"You get more TV for the money"

"Most plasmas in retail outlets range in size between 42in and 50in and tend to cost less than equivalent sized LCD TVs."

"You can get a 50inch Panasonic (127cm) 1366x768 plasma with an integrated TV tuner (Viera TH-50PX70A) – or a 50in 1366x768 LG plasma with integrated tuner (50PC1D) for around $3,000-$3,500. In the tests, a Panasonic 50in plasma panel was one of the best TVs we looked at. Any LCD TV at around the same size will cost roughly double. For example, the 52in Sony Bravia (KDL52X2000) retails for around $9,000. "


RE: Power Consumption:

"Plasmas don’t consume more power than LCDs"

"In a direct comparison between two similarly sized TVs, the LG 42 inch plasma (42PC1DG-AA), used 0.216 kilowatts per hour, vs the 0.228 kilowatts of the LG 42 inch LCD — (42LC7D-AB). "

RE: Lifespan:

"Plasma's lifespan is now long enough not to matter."

"At 40,000 hours, that’s 20 years of watching TV five hours a day. It’s unlikely you’ll still have the same TV set 20 years from now regardless of how good the picture is."

RE: Burn-In:

"Plasma's propensity for burn-in is overblown."

"We even left a fixed image on a Panasonic plasma for about eight hours (sorry Panasonic!) to see whether we could detect a faint burn or ghost, but no such luck. A Panasonic engineer who was not aware of our experiment then told us it would take about four days or more for a static image to burn its ghost onto a modern plasma screen."

"It’s highly unlikely that any plasma would be stuck on the same image four days in a row."
[/URL]

Consumer Reports rated the 50" Panasonic Plasma PZ700 (an older model) as having the best picture for a flat panel TV ever tested:

[URL]http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/electronics-computers/televisions/hdtv/plasma-tvs/reports/lcd-vs.-plasma-tvs/overview/lcd-vs-plasma-tvs-ov.htm (http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:jq7jWvrBrLoJ:apcmag.com/6983/the_case_for_plasma_hdtvs+the_case_for_plasma_hdtv s&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=ca)

"The Panasonic TH-50PZ700U 1080p plasma TV has the best picture quality of any flat-panel TV we've tested, with very fine detail, rich colors and deep blacks."

[Salmon King]

I only deal with the manager of a big chain and me and friends say samsung and I have alot of friends.I sell more then there top employees and I dont work there

[Sebae again]

I say Toshiba or Sharp LCD. As with any brand , make sure you check the model # there is a noticible difference in picture quality. Be weary of contrast ratio stats between companies, compare them by eye as one TV tech told me.

[bassman]

If you have the room projectors are awesome and not nearly as expensive, they can be of course but they don't have to be.

I just purchased a brand new InFocus IN72 for under $800.00
You don't even NEED a screen right away if you have a light colored wall.

The screens can be made or purchased. Of course they are the same as anything, you can spend a ton of cake or get something just fine. I think my screen was $300.00 and it works great.

The nice thing about projectors is that they have huge pictures, they're compact, portable, and can be totally hidden. Also if you ever have the need you can project a huge picture. I plan to do this in the summer. I am going to host a UFC party in my back yard and project the fights onto the side of my shop.

As for the picture quality, it's great! I don't have HD yet but the unit is ready when I do. There are probably better pictures available for a LOT more money but I am not complaining one bit. It looks awesome!
To get a 72" HD picture for under $2000.00 you just can't go wrong.

You have to keep a couple things in mind though. The the bulbs have to be replaced every year or so ($200-$400), you will need a cable box in order to watch TV and a stereo system for sound.

[skylord]

Your welcome to come over and watch the next Canucks game on my plazma in High Def.

Scott

[Der_Iron_Chef]

I'm not sure ANY screen will make your Canucks look good....but good luck trying :D Mwaa ha ha.

[DanG]

Costco has a 42" LCD that does 1080P instore for $1099 or $1249 if you buy it online.

http://www.costco.ca/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=10299836&whse=BCCA&Ne=5000001+4000000&eCat=BCCA|79&N=4008766%204294965637&Mo=1&No=0&Nr=P_CatalogName:BCCA&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-CA&Sp=C&topnav=

[vazgor]

last boxing day i got a hitachie lcd-dpl projetion 50 inc and a suround sound system for 2400 and it even makes the Oilers look good man and my kid even fights over the tv times with grandma for her cartoons guess watching dora on a 27 just dont cut it anymore so there is my 2 cents

[mark]

After lots of research and looking got a Samsung LCD and quite pleased but Costco that DanG mentioned (Viewsonic 42" 1080P, $1099) is a deal mostly because of Costco return policy.

Got a couple of buddies and my brother are big Costco swappers. Last guy traded his year old 37" 1080i for the 42" 1080P for even money.

[Tom R]

I like my Samsung 50" LCD DLP Costco currently has great pricing on these. You have to shop around, at the time I bought mine the Brick beat Costco's pricing by $150 and also included a Samsung Progressive Scan Up Loading DVD. The Brick also had the best pricing on the stand, same stand was $250 more than the Brick at FS BB and London Drug. London Drug has a very good , well priced Audio Video dept. Keep in mind that you will need a HD hookup to get the full HD picture quality. At todays pricing if you are going to spend $2000 or more ensure the TV will handle HD 1080P.

Tom R

[Slipstream]

I'm not sure ANY screen will make your Canucks look good....but good luck trying :D Mwaa ha ha.

OH THATS COLD.. OK.. WE OFFICIALLY DONT LIKE YOU ANYMORE. Too bad about them being first in the division than i guess. :mrgreen: :lol: :wink:

[atcguy]

if you have a condo or small place then yes lcd and plasmas are the way to go. Sony makes the best Tvs out there right now and dont even sell plasmas anymore . LCD is where its at. Plasma are heavy , lcd light. bravia xbr engine the way to go for lcd. I have a buddy that does the prfessional calibration that would retail for aroun 400 bucks. this goes into the factory menu and sets the TV up the way its meant to be seen. Out of the box TVS blue and brightness levels are off the charts to make it look brighter and sharper than other tvs when they are dispayed with many other tvs. He said easily the best tv out there that got him the best Picture is the Sony SXRD rear projection LCD tv. you could get a 60 for aroun 3500-4500 I believe. if you have the room go this route.!!!!

[fishoholic]

I'm not sure ANY screen will make your Canucks look good....but good luck trying :D Mwaa ha ha.

:lol: I was just thinking that! :mrgreen:

[Samw]

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=69479

"Flat-panels to kill off rear-projection TV sales by 2011 "


http://www.switched.com/2007/12/20/sony-closing-its-rear-projection-television-line/

"Sony Closing Its Rear-Projection Television Line"


http://news.digitaltrends.com/news/story/15196/no_more_rear-projection_tvs_from_sony

"No More Rear-Project TVs from Sony"


http://www.digitalhome.ca/content/view/1944/206/

"Flat panel plasma and LCD television sales are expected to increase 61% to 1.96 million units while rear projection HDTV sales are expected to fall almost 50% to 150,000 units."

[Black Phantom]

Try this site. It's quite good. Lots of TV reviews and tests
www.cnet.com

[mark]

another useful site:
http://forums.soundandvisionmag.com/

[Chin_Lee]

Anthony
how about a price range and screen size range? those variable will help with input on whats the best bang for the buck/

[Samw]

AVS Forum

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/

[Samw]

"Plasma vs. LCD: Round II"

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/features/779/plasma-vs-lcd-round-ii-what-the-experts-think-page5.html

[mark]

On of the factors that needs to considered is where the TV is being placed, in my case main floor, lots of windows family room. Found the somewhat matt screen of the LCD better than the gloss plasma for reducing glare and reflections.

[pinhead]

A very good Canadian site is digitalhome.ca

This will give you user reviews and comments rather than columnist and magazine reviews. It is very similar to avsforums but it has Canadian prices, model numbers and hot deals at Canadian retailers.

One forum to check out is the OTA (Over the air). Current TV's have ASTC tuners which will allow you to get digital HDTV signals. In Vancouver a pair of Rabbit Ears and a view of Mt Seymour will get you CBC and CTV and in the spring Global. If you have an unobstructed view south and an outside antenna you may be able to get the Seattle stations.

OTA blows satellite and cable out the water for picture quality. It is the full uncompressed signal. Most retailers do not show how good OTA is but instead show a compressed Expressvu signal. Shaw has fewer HD channels because they compress the signal even more. The nice thing about OTA is that it is free and your TV is probably capable right now. There is no HD OTA in Calgary or Edmonton right now.

Plasmas are getting cheaper right now but it appears the LCD flat panels are taking the sales lead and have dropped prices even more.

[Tarolisol]

I vote Samsung LCD I have 2 i just got a 52" 1080P for 2100 at soundsaround

[Samw]

So Anthony, what did you pick up?

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Ok, so I finally bit the bullet & spent a wack of $$ on a new LCD tv.

I ended up with a 46" 1080p Sony Bravia Model number KDL 46VL130 or V3000. Picked it up at Hi-Tech Services Open Box Company in Surrey.

I paid $1499 for it rather than $1199 for a 40" Sony Bravia.

I ended up going with this tv because it has a fairly decent picture even with just Standard Def cable signal.

Happy with it so far. It's a step down from my brother's Sony Bravia XBR, but I also paid almost a thousand less today than he paid for one in the fall '07.

Thanks for everyone who contributed to the discussion.

Anthony

[Tom R]

Just in time for the Stanley Cup Finals.

Ar Ar Ar

Enjoy great choice of TV.

Tom R

[Matt]

Ok, so I finally bit the bullet & spent a wack of $$ on a new LCD tv.

I ended up with a 46" 1080p Sony Bravia Model number KDL 46VL130 or V3000. Picked it up at Hi-Tech Services Open Box Company in Surrey.

I paid $1499 for it rather than $1199 for a 40" Sony Bravia.

I ended up going with this tv because it has a fairly decent picture even with just Standard Def cable signal.

Happy with it so far. It's a step down from my brother's Sony Bravia XBR, but I also paid almost a thousand less today than he paid for one in the fall '07.

Thanks for everyone who contributed to the discussion.

Anthony
Next, make sure to buy, rent, borrow or steal an A/V setup DVD, or have the TV calibrated by a pro. You will not believe how much better your TV will look. A bad TV with a good setup will KILL a good TV with out-of-the-box settings. A good TV with a good setup = WOW. Hardly anyone bothers, but it is well worth the money.

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

My IT buddy Vince is coming over today to calibrate everything before the Stanley Cup playoff finals start. Wooohoooo!!!!!

Heck, this thing is so big that I can watch Spidey cartoons from my desk 14' away without my contacts & my eyes are really bad:surprise:

[bv_reefer]

hey anthony, i'll throw my 2 cents in here. we just got a 52'' Samsung plasma, came with all the surround sound and all at future shop. the picture and sound are incredible, very impressed so far. another interesting thing was that the $500 warranty you get back after 4-5 years if nothing gets broken. i believe it came to just over 2K with warranty if memory serves me correct..

i've also heard that LCD's are much more sensitive to handling than plasma and must be positioned/mounted more accurately so? hope that helps..