| OB3 |
I am about to take the plunge into either a 37'', 40'', or 42'' Flat Panel for our new family room. I hear good and bad about each type out there, so I am trying to get as many opinions about the different types of flat panels out there.
From looking at them at BB and CC, I am tending towards Plasmas, just because of the viewing angle, and the clarity.
Panasonic, LG, and Samsung have some nice tv's out there for about $2k, which i would like to keep as my budget.
Any opinions ?? |
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| CMasten |
Ditto on Costco. I just bought a 37" Spectre and it died after one day... Manuf said ship it back and we will fix it (not happening) and Costco said no issue, just bring us back what you have and we will replace or refund no questions. NO ONE has that kind of service that I have experienced. BB and CC both try and do the curly shuffle when I had issues, so now its all Costco...
btw, in the 40 and under range I think you will find the LCDs to be king. You can get a killer Pana, Sony or Samsung for about 1500 or less in the 40" range that is spectatular and with HD 1080i (or now p) built in tuning. Amazing how much bang for the buck you can get at the moment. Costco has a nice selection too that is only avail online and they include free shipping on many of them, take a look before you make a decession. |
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| OB3 |
I appreciate the posts CMasten and tupperware
I just signed up for the forum.
My wife joined Costco a couple years ago through a friends union. $20 a year. We went there last week, but they only seemed to carry no-name brands. I had no clue they had an online store. I will have to check it out !!
For my room, i am thinking 37'' might be best, its a 14 by 12 room off the kitchen. But hte 42'' are just as cheap, if not sheaper than the 37''s, weird.
keep the opinions coming !! |
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| 5Gs |
another vote for costco, if they have the tv you're looking for. but it seems like everytime I go there, their tv selection increases. if you don't mind buying online, I've bought from onecall.com. in fact, the last two tvs (36" and 60") I bought were from them. not as convenient as costco but I've never had a problem with them.
as far as plasma vs lcd, I chose lcd because I play games once in a while. lcd tvs have no problems with games, but plasmas could have burn-in problems (but maybe current generations are much better in handling that). |
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| CMasten |
btw, I bought my LCD 37" POS online at Costco, their return policy is
1) you are welcome to bring it to any store and set up delivery of a replacement or get your money back, no questions
2) if its a hassle just email us and we will arrange to pick it up and get you a new one. They eat the shipping for all the inconvenience. I didnt pay for shipping the first time on the panel or the mount so this will eat deeply into their profits, but they stand behind it no matter what.
I would not ask for more, convenience of online shopping, shipping to my door and they back it up with options and no questions. I wish more vendors did this... |
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| Tupperware |
quote:
Originally posted by CMasten
I would not ask for more, convenience of online shopping, shipping to my door and they back it up with options and no questions. I wish more vendors did this...
The only problem is that some people abuse it. Costco has had to modify the return policy where computers were concerned and I've heard rumors that they are considering limiting returns on TV's as well. |
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| CMasten |
quote:
Originally posted by Tupperware
The only problem is that some people abuse it. Costco has had to modify the return policy where computers were concerned and I've heard rumors that they are considering limiting returns on TV's as well.
no doubt but for a customer like me with a unit that just died after 5 hours its awesome. I have people here at the office that abuse it, and it pisses me off, as it will totally blow excellent programs like this. Panels are just such a hassle with their size and weight when they dont work, and Costco chose to sell them only online so it should be interesting to see how long this lasts :) |
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| 5Gs |
quote:
Originally posted by Tupperware
The only problem is that some people abuse it. Costco has had to modify the return policy where computers were concerned and I've heard rumors that they are considering limiting returns on TV's as well.
I know someone who use to work at the costco return desk, and I heard plenty of stories of people returning things for refunds when it's clear they're abusing the policy. a customer brought back an empty pie container, saying the pie wasn't any good. asked for a refund! :eek: |
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| jcantanixon |
quote:
Originally posted by 5Gs
I know someone who use to work at the costco return desk, and I heard plenty of stories of people returning things for refunds when it's clear they're abusing the policy. a customer brought back an empty pie container, saying the pie wasn't any good. asked for a refund! :eek:
Yup, last time I was returning something, there was a guy in front of returning milk. They sell it in twin 1 gallon containers, and he was only able to finish one gallon before the 2nd one expired. So he brought it back and they gave him a full refund!!
I fully support Costco as the place to buy large electronics. They have plenty of "name brand" models, at least the ones in SoCal do. I also think that LCD is better than Plasma. I own a 50" Plasma and I love it, but since the newer generation of LCDs has gone up in size and down in price, I would recommend those for 42" and below. |
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| Scoobs |
quote:
Originally posted by OB3
I
For my room, i am thinking 37'' might be best, its a 14 by 12 room off the kitchen. But hte 42'' are just as cheap, if not sheaper than the 37''s, weird.
keep the opinions coming !!
I have a 42" Sony LCD in a room that size and it's perfect. |
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| dontnomuch007 |
| For a 14x12, I would go with a 50". It always seem much larger at first, but then you get used to the size. If you go smaller, most likely in about 3-6 months, you'll be saying you should have gone larger. |
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| CMasten |
| Well I just made contact with the folks at Septre for my 37" HD panel from Costco... .wow talk about clueless tech support. I wont have a choice but to return this broken unit and just buy either a Sony or a Sharp. They are both more money, but I figure well worth it at the end of the day.... its not worth the hassle factor with the size and weight of these beasts! |
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| OB3 |
I just took a ride to Best Buy.
I was looking at 32 and 40 inch LCD's, the rep there sort of was pushing the LCD over the Plasmas. I never really took the whole 'burn in' issue to seriously, but almost every plasma on teh wall there had a vry distinctive lines that appeared on every screen.
Now i am concerned about this bc there are many times i come home and the dvd ended and the credits are up there for an extended period of time. I was told lcd's didn't have this issue.
Pro's and Cons to both i guess.
Sony and Samsung 32 or 40 inch LCD's were very impressive. |
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| OB3 |
thanks scoobs
and all ! |
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| jcantanixon |
Burn-in is not really an issue with the newer model plasmas. Mine has some sort of "washing" program built into it that I've never had to use...no matter how long an image has stayed on there...but I've already stated my opinion.
42" and below=LCD
50" and above=Plasma
:cool: |
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| CMasten |
I ended up buying this one from Sharp
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Produc...topnav=&browse=
very impressive unit I must say.. from sharp minds come sharp products :)
Sharp is a huge player in the LCD market and this model is a real standout from what I was able to test and see. The color and contrast is amazing. Built in audio is no replacement for a dedicated system,but light years ahead of the quality of the Spectre. For 1500 its pretty hard to beat for this size in HDTV> it also has dual component and dual HDMI inputs, with an excellent user interface and menu system, I was down to Costco dropped the Spectre back and had the Sharp home and installed in less than an hour.
I came close to working for Sharp Professional products and toured their facility in NJ (very close to Sonys). Anyone know where Sharp got their name? (the first mechanical pencil of course... the Ever Sharp :) |
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| Luwin1026 |
| We just got a 42" Samsung plasma from Best Buy back in May - negotiated the price some and had them give me the protection plan for 1/2 off, and got free delivery. Everything came out to under $2k. While Costco has their great return policy, I figured I'd pony up a little more for in-home service should I ever need it, and I've always had good experience with Best Buy's customer service/support. |
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| Pilot-Matt |
Per the burn-in issue with the plasma systems, I work for a TV station and we use 50" Panasonic plasma monitors in the studio. There is a sort of burn-in with these because we keep a stationary logo in them with a moving background. Only the logo is burnt in. As long as the video source has constant movement throughout the whole screen, it should'nt be and issue.
With the LCD TVs be careful that nothing hits or jolts the screen (irate football fans throwing projectiles) the inner LCD screen can easily fracture. |
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| jl_ss |
quote:
Originally posted by Pilot-Matt
Per the burn-in issue with the plasma systems, I work for a TV station and we use 50" Panasonic plasma monitors in the studio. There is a sort of burn-in with these because we keep a stationary logo in them with a moving background. Only the logo is burnt in. As long as the video source has constant movement throughout the whole screen, it should'nt be and issue.
With the LCD TVs be careful that nothing hits or jolts the screen (irate football fans throwing projectiles) the inner LCD screen can easily fracture.
Sounds like the burn in could be an issue then if you watch a lot of news programs. They usually have info tickers at the bottom that have stationary background portions. Some are even stationary like the breaking news banner I am watching now on a local Boston station. |
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| 5Gs |
quote:
Originally posted by Pilot-Matt
With the LCD TVs be careful that nothing hits or jolts the screen (irate football fans throwing projectiles) the inner LCD screen can easily fracture.
I can't imagine what the irate football fan will do next after busting the tv :D |
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| ecsw |
| Costco rocks. They took a return of a 27" LCD TV without original box after 10 month of use. ;) It's wasn't me. :2: |
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| OB3 |
I have it narrowed down to a SONY KDL40S2010 and the KDL-V40XBR1. I am awaiting prices on both. I found out a friend of mine started and online wholesaling electronics business and he offered to give me the flat screen at cost, no delivery and no TAX.
Excited :) |
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| jestmaty |
I've been watching HD broadcasting for just one week now on my new Toshiba DLP 62", WOW!!!!!:eek: :eek:
I looked at BB and decided to buy at Costco-
BB had a Mitsubishi 65" DLP and price went like this..... 3K for tv, $400 for the factory stand, $400 for 4 yr extended warranty, and about $50 for delivery. That comes to $3800 +/- because I would just take it home in my Pilot (sans box cause as I found out, box that big won't fit in Pilot)
Costco membership (executive) $100, get 2% back on purchase of $2500 DLP, that's 50 bucks back already. Apply and use the Costco Amex and get another 1% back, this time $25. So the membership essentially cost $25 for the next year.
The tv was $2500 and there is no extended warranty to agonize over. The price also included the factory stand.
Easy decision for me. The picture is just fine for me, I just wanted something HD, 1080p, and BIG!! |
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| ramirami |
quote:
Originally posted by OB3
I found out a friend of mine started and online wholesaling electronics business and he offered to give me the flat screen at cost, no delivery and no TAX.
Excited :)
is he looking for more friends :2: I can get the beer |
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| robottik |
quote:
Originally posted by OB3
I have it narrowed down to a SONY KDL40S2010 and the KDL-V40XBR1. I am awaiting prices on both. I found out a friend of mine started and online wholesaling electronics business and he offered to give me the flat screen at cost, no delivery and no TAX.
Excited :)
I have the 40” XBR1 and I can tell you it’s an excellent TV. I did a ton of research before I chose this one.
I chose LCD mainly because it is brighter and has less screen glare than a plasma. My family room has a lot of windows and plasma simply wasn’t going to work in that situation. (Bright room with window glare)
(I won’t get into the plasma burn in issue much except to say it can and does happen even on newer models on occasion, and I didn’t want to take that chance. Plasma backers will argue otherwise.)
The difference mainly between the XBR1 an the S2000 series is the XBR1 has a cable card slot, a few more tweakable picture settings, and most importantly, the XBR1 has a ‘wide gamut’ backlight which allows for more colors.
My personal view is if the S2010 costs significantly less the XBR1, then go for the S series. The difference in the colors represented may not even be noticeable to you.
I happened to get a great deal (at the time) on the XBR1 so that’s why I chose it.
Best of luck and enjoy that TV! :4: |
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| Scoobs |
This is also a nice flat panel LCD tv for anyone looking for something in the 37" range.
Sharp Aquos 37" Widescreen LCD HDTV (LC37D40U) |
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| bpjones |
| The main selling point for me on LCD was glare. All plasma TVs have a shiny glass front. LCD has a matte screen and doesn't reflect glare. Keep that in mind when selecting a tv for your room. |
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| OB3 |
So i finally pulled the trigger.
Sony KDL-40V2500, 1080p, 40 inch, HDTV
2 Sets of HDMI cables
flush mount
toshiba HD-a2 HD DVD
The tv is out of stock right now with his distributor, but i should have it by the end of the month.
Excited :) |
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| jpd0363 |
If price is a concern, check out Walmart. I also think BJs has the same or similar deal.
It's a Panasonic 42" 1080p, HD Plasma TV for just under $1,300.
Might be worth looking at. |
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| andyschneider |
So I work for HP, and we've got this decent employee purchase program. We "needed" a new TV set and were looking at 42" plasma sets. Long story short, we ended up getting the HP 50" plasma unit about a month ago, and I'll honestly say this TV is amazing - clarity, features, sound - just great. For me, the cost was unbelievable - $1800 shipped - but if you look at Best Buy on occasion (they're about the only retailer with the HP sets), the get close to $2000 when on sale. So when you're looking at plasma sets, give HP a look, since their price is near the low-end of the range when on sale, and they appear to be a pretty decent unit.
andy
ps - I believe that LG makes the HP unit..... |
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| LChisum |
I bought a 37" LG LCD last July. I got that size because it was the max that would fit into my stereo cabinet. Prices on that model have dropped several hundred dollars since then. I am delighted with the LG, but now wish I had gotten a larger TV, and scrapped the stereo cabinet. The excellent TV combined with Cox Cable's DVR and additional Hi Def channels have given a very positive boost to my viewing experience.
Larry |
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| krygny |
quote:
Originally posted by OB3
So i finally pulled the trigger.
Sony KDL-40V2500, 1080p, 40 inch, HDTV
2 Sets of HDMI cables
flush mount
toshiba HD-a2 HD DVD
The tv is out of stock right now with his distributor, but i should have it by the end of the month.
Excited :)
I'm seriously thinking of that one too (or possibly the KDL-40XBR2). I'm in no hurry so I'll just keep an eye out for the best price during the holler-days.
I've always been, and still am, a Sony man, when it comes to TVs. Panasonic and Samsung now come close, but still no cigar. The only disappointment I have with Sony is that NONE of their flat panels come with picture-in-picture. Not that I use it that much.
I would stick with LCD over plasma for the same reasons Sony had decided to drop development of plasma altogether. The burn-in problem is not just image burn but plasma displays degrade over time. Now, plasma is just a stop-gap to make screens larger than say 40" (Sony's largest LCD is 46"). But LCD will eventually replace plasma and even large screen projection (which I have never liked and would never own).
:16: |
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| Scoobs |
| this is a picture of my flat panel from the front |
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| Scoobs |
| this is my flat panel from the rear:D |
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| krygny |
quote:
Originally posted by Scoobs
this is my flat panel from the rear:D
Tell me you found those pics on the web and you didn't actually demolish your wall to accommodate a TV. |
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| Scoobs |
quote:
Originally posted by krygny
Tell me you found those pics on the web and you didn't actually demolish your wall to accommodate a TV.
You caught me:2: Someone e-mailed them to me as a joke. |
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| robottik |
quote:
Originally posted by Scoobs
this is my flat panel from the rear:D
That's funny! Seriously my one of my 'frugal' (a.k.a. cheap) buddies was considering doing the exact same thing. The back end of the TV was going to stick out in the adjacent room. Eventually he came to his senses and decided against it. :1pat: |
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