Ask Engadget: How do you shop for a HDTV?

The week of Ask Engadget is still going strong. We're committing a whole seven days to taking your questions -- which you can hit up ask at engadget dawt com with -- and putting the best ones up here for discussing by your fellow readers in the comments. Saturday we got specific with "No Trab" in an audio recording quest, now we're going to open up a whole can of worms with a question from Dan, who's looking for a TV:

"With the enormous variety of HDTVs out there - the various technologies (LCD, Plasma, DLP, Laser, OLED), the various specifications (HD formats, native resolution, contrast ratio), various inputs (HDMI, DVI, VGA, Component), and various tuners (NTSC, ATSC, QAM, Cable Card) - how does one go about choosing 'the best' HDTV? Are there any tips / tricks that go into shopping for an HDTV? What are the absolute do's / don'ts in shopping, purchasing, and using an HDTV?"

Naturally, there's plenty of info for Dan to gorge himself on over at Engadget HD, but does anyone have a favorite resource / game plan / reality check / super-oh-my-gosh-HDTV-model to help the guy out with?

[Joe Smith @ Apr 30th 2007 9:13PM]

i don't know about you all, but i don't see the point of getting a flat screen, when you're gonna have "thick" equipment, such as DVD players, under it, wasting the space that was meant to be wasted.

so i look at DLPs, because they're ultra cheap. you can pretty much get a 60" screen (which is unbelievbly amazing) and 1080p (the p is very important) for about $2000.

i always go to www.techbargains.com and type hdtv. there's usually a samsung model that's nice. i looked at it in a store and it's very good.

[_V3ndetta_ @ May 1st 2007 4:49PM]

Wow. do you even know that p stands for progressive, as in the scanning? The difference between 1080p and 1080i is virtually undetectable, unless you are watching something very fast paced, in which case interlaced is better. Learn what you're talking about BEFORE someone lectures you.

[Matt @ Apr 30th 2007 10:17PM]

Ahh my friend, clearly you aren't a gadget whore like me. I don't really know exactly what thick things you are talking about. My DVD player is my mac mini, nothing thick about that. My video games are my Wii and xbox 360 which can be made slim by propping them on their side. There is my receiver, and you've got me there, its pretty clunky, but thats really about it.

The fact of the matter is, I live in a small space, so if I can essentially reduce 1+ feet from my TV, not to mention reduce the weight of the TV in the process (for future moves, etc) then it pays for itself. I have a 46" Aquos, do you know how deep that thing would be if it was a CTR? Do you realize that I would have to basically rearrange the small 1BR that I live in to facilitate such a beast? Aesthetics are worth something, just look at anything Apple :)

[Big @ Apr 30th 2007 9:20PM]

Buying a Television is basically like buying a car.

Its an investment. You buy what feels good for you, your budget, your living space - knowing that because of its price, you probably won't be buying a second one (therefore you gotta get it right the first time).

Its best to get a model which is upgradeable since newer component equiptment comes out all the time (video game consoles, HD DISK players, and HD TV equiptment from major carriers like Verizon and Time Warner. Therefore, HDMI connections are a MUST (as well as component/composite cables).

Also, care must be taken when choosing a model based on its energ consumption. If your a person who is retired and stays home and watches TV, a HDTV can double (and even triple) your electricity bill. If you play XBOX 360 or PS3 with it, you are likely to have an additional $79 attached to your bills (like myself) at the end of the month.

I have a 50" Sony PLASAM display (1080p) (wall mounted). Despite the horrific electric bills - it was worth every penny simply for its *bling fact* and the advantage I get in First Person Shooters.

[Steven Kahana @ May 1st 2007 12:11AM]

Sony doesnt make Plama's anymore and when the did noe where 1080p...For people looking to buy HD, you have to talk to owners. AVS forum was the greatest help for my HDTV purchase. I wasn't sure wether to go flat panel or rear projection. I went nto the formums and read and viewed pics, saw the problems popping up in some models, talked with the people. In the end I bought a sony 60XBR2 LCos rear projection. I tell you what, I'm so glad I did thew research and I'm 100% happy with my decision!!! go to the forum...AVS that is

[humpty @ Apr 30th 2007 9:21PM]

I went with a Sony XBR2 lcd cause it was the best 40 inch 1080p panel available. Its the first TV ive ever owned, so i splurged.

Plasma and other projection systems did not interest me at all. My next TV (in a few years) will be a 4k OLED or SED panel.

[Hamicide @ Apr 30th 2007 9:26PM]

Joe, even though flat panels are a bit more expensive they last you longer.

Typically, plasmas and lcd's will last you 60,000 hours, whereas a rear projection tv will last around 6,000 hours, and after that you will have to replace the bulb.

If you plan on having the TV for a long time, or watch it a lot, you will be replacing quite a few bulbs, and the price will start adding up.

Also, alot of 1080p rear projection sets don't do true 1080p. They have chips that accept a 1080p signal, and simulate a 1080p image.

Last I heard, Sony was the only one with true 1080p rear projection TVs.

That may have changed though, since a new batch of TVs recently came out.


So don't think you are getting a bigger, better TV for a cheaper price.

(Personally, I like the quality of plasmas the most, lcds second, and rear projection last.)

"Do it once. Do it right."

Save your $2k and spend it towards some better technology.

[Joe Smith @ Apr 30th 2007 9:35PM]

thanks for telling me about that. i didn't know that. according to http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/06/samsung-hl-s5679w-dlp-with-led-backlight/ i think they reduced some of those issues.

get it at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000F2P32S/ref=nosim/techbargainscom for $1600

[Hamicide @ Apr 30th 2007 9:28PM]

Ah, yes, wobulation was the word I was thinking of. Good work Burke.

[marc @ Apr 30th 2007 9:32PM]

you might want to think outside the box (pun intended?) a little and look at computer projectors. I've one for a few years and love the thing (a benq 6200, which is now way old, but i think the equivalent today is < $1000). As far as versatility goes you really can't beat a projector, cause if you don't like the location you just move it around or bring it with you for a big screen party. I bought a folding screen off of newegg for $130 and a tv wall mount from ikea for $50, all together pretty cheap for 8' wide screen. The biggest con is that the picture will be washed out in full daylight (though with higher ansi it's definitely still watchable), but if you're like me and only watch TV at night then it's really not an issue (heavy drapes work too). Also the whole lamp death thing really isn't an issue, i've had mine for 3+ years and the bulb is still going strong. Best part is that it's great for computers and games as well (nothing like wii tennis on the big screen). For more info check out rankings at www.projectorcentral.com .

[Chuckles McGee @ Apr 30th 2007 9:34PM]

Figure out what you want to pay, what features you really need. What stuff you want to connect to it, how many ports will you need, size of your room, yadda yadda. When you have these physical specs down, scope around and find the models that fit your profile. Every company has some proprietary technology- most of these things aren't very special at all. "Super Pixel" technology! "Realisi-pure", blah, blah. Not important. Picking out picture quality from the bright TV-store floor isn't the best, but for most it will have to do. Take the time to adjust the picture settings on both TVs to get them looking their best. Remember that flaming bright picture doesn't mean the best picture. A good rule is "if you can't tell the difference, there is no difference." You can read all the detailed videophile reviews you want that examine screen uniformity, color production, etc in a highly scientific matter, but in the end, if two sets look the same to you, paying more for one that you can't appreciate the difference on is wasting your money. This is of course, assuming you have the luxury of previewing the sets in fair setting prior purchasing.

[Revrant2394 @ Apr 30th 2007 9:41PM]

Huh, how do you shop for a HDTV? I don't, I look at them, gaze at the price tag, then go over to reality and buy a Samsung or something.

[Tesley @ Apr 30th 2007 10:59PM]

ahahahahah!

[Dragod @ Apr 30th 2007 9:41PM]

I really like Vizios, they have a great price and amazing quality. My father had one of their first 39" models and it overheated, we replaced it after the screen would do some strange things. His new one works great, it doesn't overheat and we've had no problems since we replaced it.

Hint: Watch your local Sam's. If you buy out of their "Last items" area of the store, you can often find returned vizios REALLY cheap. I got a 39" plasma for $500, the base was cracked but Vizio customer support replaced it. Well worth the savings.

[Joe @ May 1st 2007 8:42AM]

I just purchased a new 32" Vizio from Sam's with a power filter & wall mount for my bedroom. The total was a little over $700. I occasionally do repairs on LCD TV's and the number one killer is not having any power protection for them, so that needs to be factored in (you can get a worthy power filter for about $75). I also bought a 4 year extended warranty from the manufacturer (never from the retailer) for an extra $150 while I was registering it. It is definitely worth the added cost when it comes to HDTV's, especially when it's a new model that hasn't stood the test of time.

[Scott Gaertner @ Apr 30th 2007 9:48PM]

I buy and install all types of displays for commercial exhibits. There are many caveats and exceptions, but here are some pretty accurate generalizations:

Plasma: Best brightness, lowest life, true 1080 rare and expensive.
LCD: Longest life, mediocre blacks, not as bright.
DLP: Cheapest, bad viewing angles, fights against room lighting.
OLED: Might be available at end of year in 20" size.

Pick your poison.

[Jesse S @ Apr 30th 2007 10:07PM]

I consider which size I need for the room, my pricerange, then I look for the TV witht he best black levels and colors I can afford.

Sharp AQUOUS and Toshiba, ftw.

[Mike @ Apr 30th 2007 10:29PM]

In Russia, HDTV shops for you.

/stupidity.

1. You goto 5-6 different stores and write down product numbers of ones that look the nicest to you.
2. You go back home and google the part numbers and read reviews, look at features, etc etc.
3. Make an educated decision as to what tv fits your budget/wallspace/hotdog bun.

I know that they're clearing out the Sony XBR 34" Widescreen tubes down to almost nothing (we got one for 650$ w/ free shipping from california) and it has every last feature you could ever want. Oh yea, except it don't wall mount :P

But srsly, goto a store and just look at it, and you'll soon realize why it's an XBR.

[Shibathedog @ Apr 30th 2007 10:34PM]

First i pick a size, then i pick a type, I would recommend LCD, they seem to have the best balance between quality and price, most people can't tell the difference anyway, but even for me, LCD typically looks the best or at least close enough to it when matched with other specs im about to mention. Then i pick supported resolutions, 1080p is pretty much a waste of money right now, so throw that out the window, you really dont need it, its cool to have, but not necessary, Right there you pretty much cut your price in half. Just make sure it properly supports 720p and 1080i. (Note - If your going to be hooking your PC up to your HDTV, you probably do want the 1080p, thats where you'll really get some use out of it) Now find the TV with the highest contrast ratio and the lowest response time you can afford, find one with some HDMI and a decent amount of inputs (you can always buy a splitter box later, just make sure its a good one) Cut the useless TV tuner out (the ones your cable company gives away are good enough) Cut any built in garbage speakers out (although alot of times your stuck with them), and you have yourself a cheap, very decent HDTV. Add on the stereo/surround system that you can probably now afford and you've got a kickass home theater setup. Even the cheapest surround system is going to be better than the built in stuff.

as for brands, Samsungs, Panasonics, Toshiba, any major brand is usually a good choice, The only one i don't like too much is Sony, not because they are bad but because it seems like your paying alot of extra money because it says "Sony" on it - AKA no good reason, But thats how Sony has always been and people like them anyway so whatever. At least they are reliable, i have a 27 inch SDTV in the basement made by sony thats like 13 years old and still works great (and the picture quality is still amazing compared to these cheapass sdtvs they sell now)

[SuperChuck @ Apr 30th 2007 10:35PM]

As far as choosing a technology goes, that's driven primarily by pricetag. If you know how much you want to spend and you know what size you want, you'll probably settle into a technology. The DLP-ish technologies are in the sweet spot for most; if you have a higher budget, plasma may fit the bill. Other considerations include lamp life, burn-in, and stuck/dead pixels.

Size is always a compromise. I watch a lot of SDTV, I sit fairly close to the screen, and I'm an image quality freak. Google for screen size calculators. Note that people who are trying to sell TVs are going to err on the large size. If you are strictly an HDTV viewer, go huge. If you watch a lot of SD, go smaller. If you watch a lot of DVDs, the happy medium is somewhere in the middle.

The most important deciding factor is to spend a LOT of time staring at televisions. I go to electronics stores for hours at a stretch, wandering around, staring at all the televisions. Stare at them straight on, stare at them close up, stare at them at angles. Look for jagged edges and artifacts in black areas.

The setup in an electronics store is awful, but it's a fairly even playing field. Try to compare models on the brightly lit showroom floor to level that playing field. The huge TV in the "home theater showcase" looks like it has better contrast because it's in a dim room. Find a similar model on the floor for comparison.

Making a decision should probably take a couple months. But when you get it home and calibrate it, it's worth it.

[DJ MoRice @ Apr 30th 2007 10:50PM]

Hey has anyone seen the difference between the new 120 Hz refresh rate TV's from Phillips or Sharp and the older models? Is it a big difference?

[Mr Yuk @ Apr 30th 2007 11:04PM]

What about a CRT? I bought a 34" Sony XBR HDTV with DVI and just love it. It has a superior picture to many of the other options with the only downside being it's shear mass (about $250 lbs).

[Steve Shickles @ Apr 30th 2007 11:19PM]

It is really hard to shop by picture... The lighting is really off in the stores.

[Robert @ Apr 30th 2007 11:28PM]

I recently got one. I read up as much as I could, but was still concerned about what to get. What I had gathered was that for my viewing distance (about 8 ft), I could go around 52 inches without it being hard to see all four corners ( http://www.cnet.com/4520-7874_1-5108580-2.html ). I also looked at the resolution vs distance ( http://www.carltonbale.com/2006/11/1080p-does-matter/ ). I decided a 52 inch 720p would suit my room. I decided I wanted an LCD because 1) plasmas burn images (I play video games occasionally), 2) DLP rear projection lamps burn out and are usually expensive to replace, 3) front projection dims in light. I really wanted front projection, but LCD seemed like the best fit for me.

I went down to Best Buy on a whim one day. I did a lot of comparing between rear projection, plasma, and LCD while there (esp. on prices). I decided I didn't want to budge on the LCD. While there, the price range wasn't that big between 1080p and 720p. I was down between a 46 inch Sony Bravia and a 52 inch something-else. I ultimately bought the smaller screen Bravia because the picture quality was brilliant, even with the not-quite-sure-it's-HD video they were playing.

When I finally got the set home, I realized that it looked about a foot bigger in my living room than it did on the showroom next to all the other TVs. So, be careful not to let your eyes get bigger than your room. Remember these things are bigger in real life. In the end, I'm REALLY glad I got the 46 inch instead of the 52. 46 was perfect.

Maybe that will help someone.

[johnny @ May 1st 2007 12:17AM]

modern plasma's dont have burn-in. Ask anyone who knows something about this such as:

1. local electronics shop employees(circuitcity, bestbuy, or whatever, not wal-mart)
2. or on ign the HDTV segment which is one of the best sources on the internet, he dispells that myth all the time.
3. cnet reviews

not to be offensive though its a newer fix to plasmas.

[bigmike @ Apr 30th 2007 11:38PM]

I've been enjoying over the air HD transmissions in my area for the past two years and must say that out of the three TV's in my house, the CRT still has the best quality picture. In fact, a few weeks back I was helping a friend pick out a new TV for her parents and recommended that she buy the HD CRT. I have a 37" LCD, a 40" PLASMA and a 32" CRT (newest to oldest). I've never liked DLP because from day one I have always noticed the rainbow effect and have not been a big fan of moving parts in televisions. I understand that people want ginormous TV's and that's the only place I think that the CRT's choke... they go projection beyond 36" which darkens the picture. That's not to say that I don't like my other two televisions. The LCD is a 37" Viewsonic which I paid less that 800 (CAN) for and it is worth evey penny! Are the blacks black? Nope. They are dark grey. Do I care? Not really.. I have a nice flat TV with great inputs. Same goes for the plasma. The plasma looks crappy with SD feeds, but it is also a nice television. When I'm watching the hockey playoffs and any live broadcast sporting events I watch it on the CRT. I'm not a stickler about size and in my opinion bigger is not always better. The clarity and color depth on the CRT just look amazing. And yes. The TV is heavy. I don't move it around every day - its like my wachine machine... once its in - it does what its supposed to quite well!

[johnny @ Apr 30th 2007 11:56PM]

honestly you need to ask yourself some questions:

1. Do I know anything about hdtv's(if so , I would look for other places to back the facts up, avoid opinion statements, and be aware of what you know when researching). If you want to know more or know little; ign's hdtv series is the best source of quality info, they anwser emails on specific questions that may pertain to you, and talks about new technologies.

2. how big a screen makes sense and where will it be? this will determine what type of tv you want(DLP, Plamsa, LCD, or maybe projector) for the LCD vs Plasma make your own call based on the room it will be in, lighting is a big factor.

3. how much can I afford?dont forget warranties, wall mounts, cables, surround sound, DVD, HD cable source, ohh and the tv. typically 2/3 tv & 1/3 accessories for the total price.

then find some models with good reviews(circuitcity, cnet), talk to the people at the stores once you have done your research and be a good person and buy from the store that informs their employees on this stuff, dont cheap out and go to evil-mart(they are no good for the economy) or the internet(although for some cables go there, but support the stores cause they need the cables to stay in business).

keep in mind you random HD TV researchers that here at engadget most people are hardcore techies and are willing to sacrifice interior decorating for a projector, or will lie to themselves, but for those things to be seen well, they will take over a room and dominate it, dont let the lies get to you. which is why so many people will talk about theirs. Also we will get very opinionated and say that LCD's are the best or DLP's are the best which is not true in all cases, its all about the individual scenario not one thing or bust.

[RyogaHibiki @ May 1st 2007 12:44AM]

For all intents and purposes, plasmas last as long as LCD's these days (60,000 hour half-life).

http://www.plasmatvbuyingguide.com/plasmatv/plasmatv-lifespan.html

Plasmas are best with colors and have the deepest blacks. Best prices for greater than 50 inches.

LCD's don't have burn-in issues and have the most 1080P options.

DLPs and LCOS are the cheapest for really big screens. But bulbs burn out and can cost $200-400 to replace. But the newest LED DLP's last 5 times longer before they need replacement and don't have the rainbow effect of the earlier models.

These are all generalizations. If you don't want to do any research:

Plasmas-buy a Pioneer if you're rich, otherwise get a Panasonic.

LCD's-buy a Sharp Aquos (but watch out for banding problems).

CRT HD tubes-best picture, great for small rooms, but very heavy and bulky.

[Klaus Burton @ May 1st 2007 12:21AM]

I agree completely with a previous poster, the one that said "go into shops, write down the models and go home and Google for reviews".

Personally I prefer LCD projection over any other. I have a large room to put it in, so the thickness of the TV isn't an issue, I just look for quality.
I also prefer 720 over 1080 for the moment, because most of my movie collection is in DVDs, only a few blu ray discs. It goes without saying that, enhancing technologies aside, DVDs look better on 720p TVs than on 1080 TVs because the image doesn't need to stretch as much.
Once I have more HD discs and files than I have SD ones I will upgrade to 1080 but that won't be for a while.

I have a Sony 55" LCD projection TV at 720, I got it last month.
It's great, it has a contrast ratio of 10k and a good variety of inputs (HDMI, S-Video, VGA and more)
I spent around a month deciding on it. Price wasn't an issue for me (well, of course I didn't want to spend $100k, but realistically it wasn't a problem) but my TV is mid-pricerange.

A great bonus for LCD projection is their response time. LCDs and plasmas have 6-8ms, but Sony LCD projections have 2.5ms. It is definitely noticeable in action scenes, when I watch an action movie on an LCD or plasma TV it makes me realize what a big difference it makes.

Any Sony TV has great options, like Advanced Iris and Enhanced Blacks. With enhanced blacks on mid or full it can show blacks like a plasma.

[Hamicide @ May 1st 2007 12:25AM]

Johnny, modern plasmas DO have burn in.

Although it shouldn't called "burn-in" anymore since most of the time there are ways to get rid of it.

Not good ways, but it is possible.

It is called "image retention" now.

I work at Best Buy in the Home Theater department, and I will tell you, it happens.

A customer returned his Samsung plasma (within the 30 day return policy) because it got ESPN HD burned into the corner of the screen.

We had to use the "white wash" feature for a couple days straight to get rid of it.

The idiot probably didn't have on Pixel Shift, which helps prevent image retention, but not completely.

White washing your plasma is also not good for your set because it severely decreases the life of the display.

But there are other ways such as watching alot of fast moving videos, keeping the TV on a static screen, etc...


But "burn-in" does happen.

Alot.

You just have to have safe viewing habits.

(Change the channel every once in a while.)

[nikster @ May 1st 2007 12:47AM]

walk to the mall where they have loads of all kinds, and see which have the best picture.

best picture at high resolution 1366x or something is always LCD. but there are big differences in the quality of the LCD panels - some look amazing, some washed out. I haven't seen any rear projection TVs that didn't look washed out and I was not impressed with CRT based HDTV image quality either. the mid- to high-end Sony and Samsung TVs looked the best for me.

I was loving 1080p resolution until they were available broadly and I could see pretty much no difference. The problem is that the source is not good enough right now so I figure true HD (1080p) is not a must at this time.

You can still buy that in 3 years when its dirt cheap and all input formats support it, HDTV on satellite, BluRay or HDDVD widely available, and the PS4 / XBOX2010 or whatever. until then, 1080p is a waste of pixels.

looking around in the mall, I also don't see how plasma screens look any better than LCDs? they both look amazing, but plasmas have all these known problems, they get really hot, and they are generally only available at much lower resolutions than even lower rez LCDs.

newer LCD panels have contrast ratios of 6000:1 or 10,000:1 which allows for pretty decent blacks. ones coming out next year will have 1,000,000:1, or 'black' in non-marketing-speak.

I would never mail order an LCD - and I would insist in taking it out of the box in the store and having a good look at it before dropping $2k.

[Zielyn @ May 1st 2007 1:05AM]

I went into bestbuy looking for a wii... and came out with a 56" samsung DLP. 5678 i think is the model. Impulse is always good.

[nick @ May 1st 2007 1:08AM]

Does anyone know of a 50" or greater HDTV, any type(plasma, lcd, projection), around 2-4k, that does the best job of upconverting a 480 i signal. More than half the content I watch is not HD,m so i want a TV that does both very well (480i and 1080i...1080p would be bonus). Right now I am currently debating between the sony 60" xbr2 lcos rp and the mitsubishi 65" dlp rp. I like the 52" lcd from sony and from sharp, but have heard their 480i conversion is really bad.

[Chris @ May 2nd 2007 6:24PM]

My 50" pannasonic plasma 600u does a really good job wiwth standard def on the 'just picture setting. I got it for $2600

[rip @ May 1st 2007 3:31AM]

Well, since I'm sort of shopping for a HDTV, this is kind of fresh...

First, decide what size you want/need. Easy enough, base it off of viewing distance. About 2.5 times the vertical measurement of the screen. In other words, a 50" tv is about 40" vertically. So, you should be sitting about 100" away. So, about 9 ft.

Then decide what your budget is...

Then do some internet research.

I personally have both DLP and LCD sets. I have to say that the DLP is superior in most every way other than thickness. Which, by the way, becomes somewhat of a moot point if you don't wall mount the lcd or plasma (because the stand's footprint will be close to a foot in depth). DLP seems to have superior color, much better black levels, and far less motion artifacts. LCD is superior in clarity for slow moving or static images.

Then again, having said that, my next set will probably be a plasma. Since it will be in the bedroom, black levels are more important to me than brightness. And lcd has the worst black levels of the 3.

So why will no technology loyalty? Because each one works for each application. The LCD is appropriate because it's in my office. It's smaller and I'm pretty close to it. The DLP is in the living room, a big screen(over 50") is necessary, since I'm >15ft. away from it. And for the bedroom, a plasma will be nice, since brightness won't be an issue. And 50" should work nicely there.

Oh, and one more thing: when you go to a store, try to at least minimally calibrate the set your looking at. Most stores have the tv set to eye searing "vivid" or some such setting. And turn off any edge enhancement. The stores set the tvs that way so they seem to "pop" visually.

And finally, don't get too wrapped up in 1080p. Unless you have some 1080p source material, which at this point would basically be a game console or Hi-def dvd player, 1080p is really not much better than 720p. Even then, you won't really be able to see the difference unless your very close. As in 6-7 ft. away from a 50" set.

Of course, if your the type that only buys Veuve, drives an Escalade with 24' swarovski-encrusted rims, and likes to "make it rain" at strip clubs... then just go and get the biggest freakin' flat panel you can... ;)

[ErzNerz @ May 1st 2007 3:39AM]

READ THIS!!!!!!!!!!

LCD IS NOT BETTER THAN PLASMA!!!!!!!!!!! Plasma just has a bad rap (mostly not true). Trust magazines like Sound and Vision, not Consumer Reports!

I'VE BEEN SELLING THESE THINGS FOR YEARS, I SEE THEM EVERY DAY, I COMPARE EVERY MODEL A HUNDRED TIMES A WEEK AND I LOVE TV'S. DONT LISTEN TO SOMEONE WHO JUST BOUGHT ONE, SORRY, BUT MOST CUSTOMERS DON'T KNOW HALF OF WHAT THEY THINK THEY DO.

NEVER NEVER NEVER EVER LISTEN TO CONSUMER RERORTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(CNET IS MUCH BETTER IN MOST INSTANCES)

First: What do you like to watch? If you are a BIG gamer, want to hook your computer up to it on a regular basis for more than an hour or so at a time, or if glare is going to be a HUGE issue, then by all means buy an LCD. I bought the 46" Sony XBR3 and it's the best i've seen in an LCD. If you cant afford the sony, Samsung is the next best thing (no big suprise since they're made in the same plant as sony). The Sharp is good too, but if picture is your biggest concern, go Sony or Samsung.

If you mainly watch TV or Movies and only play video games occasionally, then BUY PLASMA! The Pioneer plasma has the best picture of ANY TV I have ever seen besides the Fujitsu which is twice the price. It is "only" 720p but who cares since broadcast tv has no plans of going higher than that EVER at this point. Everyone has a boner for LCD, but trust me, it's not. Plasma looks better on SDTV, better on HDTV, better on movies, and yes, even better on games. And as long as you're carefull, there is almost a zero chance of permanent burn in. Don't buy Panasonic or Toshiba unless you have an affinity for these brands because they are way over rated in terms of picture quality. Hitachi and Samsung are better, but if you can, GET PIONEER!!! It even accepts a 1080p signal! (but then converts it to its native resolution) 1080p is over rated anyway. I've seen the resolutions side-by-side and there's virtually little to no perceptible difference.

DLP sucks at this point (MY OPINION)! Bad vewing angles, reduced clarity (except at far vewing distances), expensive bulbs that need to be replaced every 2-4 years, and annually/bi-annually mainenence to keep dust off the lenses make these more expensive in the long run (FACT).

Second: Unless your on basic cable, don't worry about the tuner because you will probably never need it. If you are on basic cable or antenna, then get a tuner built in (they're all ATSC at least now). QAM tuners are nice because many people with these tuners are able to pick up comcast's HDTV channels over their basic cable line, although comcast is working on a fix for this so don't buy a TV based on it being able to get these channels for free, because even if you do get them, it won't be for long.

Third: HDMI is the thing to look for. Make sure it has at least 2, 3 is better. This gives you one for HDTV, one for DVD players (whatever your choice), and one for a game console, HD camcorder, or anything else in the future. As for other inputs, they pretty much all have the same (composit, S-video, component, and VGA. DVI is rare, and rightly so since it has no practical benefits over HDMI. Just get a DVI to HDMI cable for your computer if needed.

If you need help just email me at [e-mail]. I work at Best Buy in home theater and worked at a higher end electronics store before this in a commissioned environment and I know my stuff very well, even the stuff we dont carry.

[PB @ May 1st 2007 4:35AM]

I just saw the new Sharp Aquos R series on a visit to Japan and it is quite spectacular. I have been unimpressed with the technology in TV's up to this point, mediocre resolutions, contrast, high prices. It sure seems to me like developers have been dragging their feet on getting 1080p to the masses. Sure you could buy 720P/1080i for half the price, but just like buying a two year old computer, you'll end up replacing it in a couple of years as 1080p content becomes standard. Price points are still high for most average buyers but I think we'll see a large reduction in LCD prices for the 42-60 inch LCD's by the end of the year since most plasmas are holding on to 720p (people will demand 1080p). Bottom line, my recommendation is that if you're in the market for a 42-60 plasma/lcd don't buy until you've checked out the Aquos R line.

[ErzNerz @ May 1st 2007 5:17AM]

1080p will NOT become standard in a couple or even a few years with anything other than HD DVD/ BLU-RAY. Cable/Sat companies have no plans whatsoever to offer 1080p in the future. They would have to upgrade a LOT of equipment for minimal payoff. Even with 1080p, you wont see a difference on any TV smaller than 50" and only if you sit pretty close to it. Don't be misled by all the hype.

[john doe @ May 1st 2007 5:34AM]

Never, never, never compare tv's in the store. The settings are WAY off. Like someone mentioned before, a place like avsforum.com or hdtvoice.com is a great place to go for all your questions.

Also, if you don't calibrate your new tv(after 100 hours of break in), your tv isn't living up to its true potential. Get a DVD like Avia or DVE, or have an ISF tech come do it for you. It makes a huge difference in most cases. (plus, calibrate your surround sound while you're at it!)

[Penguin Warlord @ May 1st 2007 7:22AM]

Personally I would recommend shapr tvs for some of the smaller sizes. If you don't need a 60" behemoth and are looking for something between 32"-42" I would recomend a 1080p sharp tv. They are very good for the prize and look much nicer than a simialarly prized sony 1080i tv.

[BillyBob @ May 1st 2007 8:47AM]

Too much mis-information in this thread. Talk to people who actually know the pros & cons between RP, LCD & Plasma: http://www.avsforum.com/

[JET @ May 1st 2007 9:16AM]

I'm not seeing much love here for LCOS. That's the route I went after sampling several LCD panels. I loved the PQ on the LCD, but the backlight bleedthrough drove me mad, especially during dark scenes in movies. The LCOS is just as bright and nearly as sharp, but with no backlight bleedthrough and no pixely screen door effects.

The 120Hz screens are intriguing, if only because we're now tantalizingly close to the 132Hz necessary to recreate Real-D 3D in home. I don't expect the industry to allow that anytime soon, though, since Real-D is being heralded as theater's savior.

JET

[pike1346 @ May 1st 2007 9:26AM]

Joe Smith
If you use some creativity, you can actually mount your flat screen without all of your "thick" components taking up your valuable space.

I used a Remote Eye and put all of my "Thick" components on a rack in a closet. So you cant even see them, and you can control them as you would as if they ae in front of you.

[Aaron @ May 1st 2007 2:18PM]

What is everones opinion of Vizio's GV47LF - 47" LCD HDTV ($1699.99)?
http://www.vizio.com/products/detail.aspx?pid=20

Supported TV Formats
1080p, 1080i, 720p, 720i, 480p, 480i

Native Panel Resolution: 1920 x 1080

[Mac @ May 1st 2007 10:52AM]

CRAIGSLIST!

I just got a 2 month old Samsung 32" HD LCD TV for $500 bucks, complete with all the documentation and billing receipt. The guy paid $1,299 for it!

[Lazarus Dark @ May 1st 2007 11:09AM]

First: go to avsforms

second: don't trust the in store display tv. They purposely feed crappy signals to the cheaper tvs and don't calibrate them, so that the expensive tv's look better.(more commission/profit)

third: evaluate your sources. Do you have digital cable/sat? (analog looks terrible on flat screens-especially if upconverted to 1080p-you'll want 480p to 720p crt for lots of analog) Do you have hd video game consoles?(you'll probably want lcd) Will you be using a media center or gaming pc? (again, you'll want an lcd) Lots of dvd? (plasma makes dvd's look great) Will you be upgrading to hddvd/bluray? (you'll want 1080p to get your moneys worth)

forth: don't forget "everything else". Added cost of hd cable dvr, cables (cheap hdmi is fine, cheap component cables are bad), a good surge protector, dvd/hddvd/bluray player and movies(unless you netflix), surround sound (don't think you don't want it, even on a 60" screen movies seem small without surround).

[TrueDis @ May 1st 2007 11:40AM]

I read AVSForum ... a lot. Then shop for the best price at a reputable online retailer. I'll probably also go check out the display at a B&M store if possible, but I would never buy from there.

[kuli @ May 1st 2007 1:09PM]

So the thing about the claimed "6000:1" or "10000:1" contrast ratios of newer LCD models (mainly sharp Aquos') is that they are quoting the contrast ratios of the screens with their "active backlight adjustment" technologies, that will essentially turn off the backlight in dark areas of the screen to provide truer blacks. In reality, you will see that the manufacturers will also publish a second contrast ratio around the range of 1200:1 or so (from what I've seen) that is representative of the true contrast ratio without this technology. Now there is definitely a difference between models without this technology and those without it, so it's not complete BS, but I cannot vouch that it is the level of contrast as say a 10000:1 rear projection TV. I mean, granted each company basically makes up their own methods to test contrast ratios anyway, so it's all very murky to begin with, but you should at least be aware of the differences.

[Jason Harrison @ May 1st 2007 1:18PM]

"TIPS FOR BUYING FPD TVs
NIST FPDL

Overview:
The following slide presentation, developed for NIST seminars and courses, provides some tips on selecting HDTVs (high-definition televisions) or FPD TVs (flat-panel display televisions) for your living room. A good way to view the slides is to download (File/Save As) the slide-presentation file (Tips.pdf) to your computer and then view it in full-screen mode (View/Full Screen) in the Adobe Reader®*. You may also put it on a CD-ROM or USB* memory stick and take it with you to view the patterns on various displays provided they can be connected to a computer that is also running Adobe Reader®. Similarly, the pixel-specific patterns referred to in the following slides may also be downloaded and added to the CD-ROM or USB memory stick. Software that can read PNG* image files will be required on the computer used to display the pixel-specific patterns. (Many types of imaging software can read the PNG format; so try it first before worrying about it.)

If you have already purchased a FPD TV and are happy with it,
you may not want to view the slides as it may reduce your enjoyment of your TV. "

http://www.fpdl.nist.gov/tips.html

[arcsine @ May 1st 2007 1:24PM]

You get what you pay for, end of story.