Akai 42" HDTV Monitor Questions

[iamwiz82]

Lola has given me the OK for a new TV to replace our 27" Tau.

I've been putzing around various websites and I noticed that the 42" Akai can be had for a very good price. I have a few questions, though:

1. How is the quality of this TV?
2. It's a monitor, meaning it doesn't have an HDTV tuner. Does that mean no picture sent to it without a tuner will be HDTV or only non-HDTV signals?
3. I would like to play PS2 on it in HDTV, do I need the tuner?
4. Is there a better bang for the buck?

I will be buying the TV from any place that takes AMEX. I will only use my AMEX because they double the original warranty up to 2 years, which is very useful, plus I get the points.

 

[vi edit]

1) Akai is a rebadged Samsung. That's a good thing.

2) It's best to use the HD tuner that your cable/satellite provider either give you or tell you that you need. A "basic" HD tuner will only allow you to bring in local broadcast HD channels over the air with an antenna. If you use a satellite dish, you need to get an HD Tuner that works with the access cards. If you subscribe to cable, you are better off renting whatever equipment they provide.

Without the tuner, all content will be displayed in standard definition. Depending on the feed it can look pretty rough on a large screen HD capapable TV.

3) Nope. You just need whatever component cable/HD optional kit that is available for the PS/2.

4) At this point, I don't know if I would go with a RPTV (rear projection). I'd look at DLP/Plasma/LCD options. They take up a lot less room depth wise and provide better viewing angles and hook up options. Their pricing is a lot more competitive now than it was over the last few years.

Take a quick glance around Sam's Club/Costco for their closeout models. You should be able to find some very good bargains there.

 

[cliftonite]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Lola has given me the OK for a new TV to replace our 27" Tau.

I've been putzing around various websites and I noticed that the 42" Akai can be had for a very good price. I have a few questions, though:

1. How is the quality of this TV?

Suppposed to be Samsung rebadge, so the quality should be ok. We have had the 47 inch AKAI for about a year now and it hasnt given us any problems (paid 900 in costco).


2. It's a monitor, meaning it doesn't have an HDTV tuner. Does that mean no picture sent to it without a tuner will be HDTV or only non-HDTV signals?

If you dont buy an OTA tuner or get HD box from cable/sat providers then all you will get is normal SD stuff. We have an OTA box and the picture comes in perfect nearly 100% of the time (close to NYC).



3. I would like to play PS2 on it in HDTV, do I need the tuner?

No


4. Is there a better bang for the buck?

I belive Costco has the 50 inch for 1k and it comes with the stand.

I will be buying the TV from any place that takes AMEX. I will only use my AMEX because they double the original warranty up to 2 years, which is very useful, plus I get the points.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
1) Akai is a rebadged Samsung. That's a good thing.

2) It's best to use the HD tuner that your cable/satellite provider either give you or tell you that you need. A "basic" HD tuner will only allow you to bring in local broadcast HD channels over the air with an antenna. If you use a satellite dish, you need to get an HD Tuner that works with the access cards. If you subscribe to cable, you are better off renting whatever equipment they provide.

Without the tuner, all content will be displayed in standard definition. Depending on the feed it can look pretty rough on a large screen HD capapable TV.

3) Nope. You just need whatever component/HD optional kit that is available for the PS/2.

4) At this point, I don't know if I would go with a RPTV (rear projection). I'd look at DLP/Plasma/LCD options. They take up a lot less room depth wise and provide better viewing angles and hook up options. Their pricing is a lot more competitive now than it was over the last few years.

Take a quick glance around Sam's Club/Costco for their closeout models. You should be able to find some very good bargains there.

I have a Sam's Club membership, but they do not take AMEX.


Hmm... I am one of the few holdouts still using UltimateTV DVR from DirecTV. I would need a new tuner and I'd lose UltimateTV and have to go with TiVo

So you cannot get a box to run in between the DirecTV box and the TV?

My concern over the other types of TVs is their longevity. Our Tau is 5 years old and is on quite frequently. I don't think the others would last.

 

[Uppsala9496]

If you have a Costco near you, go there. Good prices, they take AMEX, and they have an unbelievable return policy.

 

[vi edit]

RPTV's aren't exactly renowned for their longevity.

I had one of the color guns go out after 1.5 years. That was a $600 repair. Thankfully I picked up the extended warranty on it.

Repair guys said that I shouldn't be surprised to replace the other two within a year. And this is a Toshiba, not an Apex TV.

You really can't beat the old glass tube TV's for long life (Unless it's a Sony :laugh: )

 

[iamwiz82]

I want to keep the entire purchase under $1000 and above 35", at least.

 

[vrbaba]

great thread...looking for a widescreen hdtv too to buy in the next month or so.
Ive looked around... but I just find rear projection LCD TVs hard to resist. you can get a good one for about 1500 sony kDF42WE655 is one.
Yea, its about 500 more than good hdtv projection TVs. Im debating that still...and the prices keep falling every week, so dunno when the right time to buy is.
I will be looking at costco this weekend to get a feel for their prices.

 

[Skiddex]

i just picked up a soyo 32" widescreen lcd and love it. dvi works great for the htpc and has 2 component inputs. got it for about $1100

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: Skiddex
i just picked up a soyo 32" widescreen lcd and love it. dvi works great for the htpc and has 2 component inputs. got it for about $1100

I'm trying to stay away from widescreen TVs.

 

[Viper GTS]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
I'm trying to stay away from widescreen TVs.

Very, very bad move at this point.

You're going to feel pretty stupid in a year if you do that.

If you watch a lot of 4:3 material consider this:

It only takes a 33 inch 16:9 set to equal your current set in 4:3 viewable area.

http://www.cavecreations.com/tv2.cgi

Viper GTS

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
I'm trying to stay away from widescreen TVs.

Very, very bad move at this point.

You're going to feel pretty stupid in a year if you do that.

If you watch a lot of 4:3 material consider this:

It only takes a 33 inch 16:9 set to equal your current set in 4:3 viewable area.

http://www.cavecreations.com/tv2.cgi

Viper GTS

The majority of what I watch is 4:3, by choice when possible. Not only that, I would need a much wider screen to get the same as a 42" 4:3. Thats room I do not have, at this point. When you factor in that a widescreen of that size will be 2-3x as much, it's not worth it.

 

[Chloraseptic]

why get an HDTV if you're mostly going to only watch sd signals off of it?

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: Chloraseptic
why get an HDTV if you're mostly going to only watch sd signals off of it?

Future usage. Thats why I am looking at the HDTV ready.

 

[vi edit]

The stretch modes in most recent widescreens aren't that bad for 4:3 content. After a few hours of viewing you don't even notice it.

DVD's will typically be in a widescreen format. HD content is widescreen. My X-Box has an option to do 16:9. I agree with Viper that buying a 4:3 right now would be foolish.

 

[Viper GTS]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
The stretch modes in most recent widescreens aren't that bad for 4:3 content. After a few hours of viewing you don't even notice it.

DVD's will typically be in a widescreen format. HD content is widescreen. My X-Box has an option to do 16:9. I agree with Viper that buying a 4:3 right now would be foolish.

Not to mention that content is migrating to widescreen.

Limiting yourself to a 4:3 set means you will be ill prepared when you finally DO value widescreen content.

How many vertical lines of resolution will you lose displaying 16:9 material on your 4:3 set? And while yes you will lose horizontal resolution viewing 4:3 material no 4:3 material is capable of utilizing those lines anyway.

4:3 displayed natively on a widescreen HDTV will look better (and be larger) than your current 27" set, and 16:9 1080i material will display in full HD glory.

Viper GTS

 

[Wag]

Do not buy a HDTV without HDMI/DTCP connections at this point. If you don't you'll be sorry.

 

[KEV1N]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
I'm trying to stay away from widescreen TVs.

Very, very bad move at this point.

You're going to feel pretty stupid in a year if you do that.

If you watch a lot of 4:3 material consider this:

It only takes a 33 inch 16:9 set to equal your current set in 4:3 viewable area.

http://www.cavecreations.com/tv2.cgi

Viper GTS

How about 16:9 content on a 4:3 monitor? I don't mind letterboxing. And a 36" 4:3 HDTV is probably going to be cheaper than a 30" widescreen one.

 

[cerebusPu]

DVD's will typically be in a widescreen format.
HD content is widescreen

thought widescreen TVs are more expensive.

 

[LikeLinus]

Originally posted by: KEV1N

Originally posted by: Viper GTS

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
I'm trying to stay away from widescreen TVs.

Very, very bad move at this point.

You're going to feel pretty stupid in a year if you do that.

If you watch a lot of 4:3 material consider this:

It only takes a 33 inch 16:9 set to equal your current set in 4:3 viewable area.

http://www.cavecreations.com/tv2.cgi

Viper GTS

How about 16:9 content on a 4:3 monitor? I don't mind letterboxing. And a 36" 4:3 HDTV is probably going to be cheaper than a 30" widescreen one.

Why go cheap on something you'll use for over 5-10 years in most cases?

 

[Mani]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: vi_edit
1) Akai is a rebadged Samsung. That's a good thing.

2) It's best to use the HD tuner that your cable/satellite provider either give you or tell you that you need. A "basic" HD tuner will only allow you to bring in local broadcast HD channels over the air with an antenna. If you use a satellite dish, you need to get an HD Tuner that works with the access cards. If you subscribe to cable, you are better off renting whatever equipment they provide.

Without the tuner, all content will be displayed in standard definition. Depending on the feed it can look pretty rough on a large screen HD capapable TV.

3) Nope. You just need whatever component/HD optional kit that is available for the PS/2.

4) At this point, I don't know if I would go with a RPTV (rear projection). I'd look at DLP/Plasma/LCD options. They take up a lot less room depth wise and provide better viewing angles and hook up options. Their pricing is a lot more competitive now than it was over the last few years.

Take a quick glance around Sam's Club/Costco for their closeout models. You should be able to find some very good bargains there.

I have a Sam's Club membership, but they do not take AMEX.


Hmm... I am one of the few holdouts still using UltimateTV DVR from DirecTV. I would need a new tuner and I'd lose UltimateTV and have to go with TiVo

So you cannot get a box to run in between the DirecTV box and the TV?

My concern over the other types of TVs is their longevity. Our Tau is 5 years old and is on quite frequently. I don't think the others would last.

If you're concerned about longevity, DLP is the best out of of all the RP options for an imager. DMDs are typically rated for 40k+ hours MTBF and unlike CRTs and LCDs, don't degrade over time. The first thing expected to fail in a DLP system is typically the color wheel motor and that typically doesn't happen until at least 30k hours. That's 10 years of watching 8 hours a day. The thing you'll have to deal with on DLP is lamp replacement, but you won't need to do it often and if you don't mind waiting a little bit, solid-state lighting is closer than most people think...

 

[iamwiz82]

OK, you guys swung me. I looked at a 56" JVC RP widescreen and it seemed like a nice enough picture, not that I can judge that from a store.

I cannot find any reviews of it though. The model number is AV56P575