HDTV Comparison

[NomisST]

Hey everyone, this coming week is black Friday and my dad wants to spend about 1,000 on a HDTV. I'm willing to chip in about 300 dollars on top of that if we find any great deals, but I was thinking, which one is the best out of the best. Under this paragraph is a list, the key goes like this:

Name/Model Number - Black Friday Listing Price - MSRP Price - Total Value - EBay Estimated Price

I have a website connected to each one of them to tell you guys the specs, but I'm basically getting this TV to play XBOX 360, to watch HD DVD's, to watch good TV, to last long, and to have like super bowl parties/movie nights and whatever. So which do you guys think? Oh and lastly the list has names of the stores on top of the TV, the reason why I put circuit city and best buy under each other is because there so close like a 5 min drive. If I can't make one I can easily go to the next, so please if you can give me like a list of best to worst, cause really I don't understand all the resolution and 720p/1080p etc. HDMI, DLP, whatever else and why there are Plasma, Plasma HDTV, HDTV, etc. Just let's say if you were going to have my budget which would you guy from 1st to last. Thanks to anyone that replies.

(Circuit City)
Panasonic 52" LCD Projection HDTV (PT-52LCX66) - 999.99 - 1699.95 - 700.00 Value - 1299.00
http://www.hdtvsolutions.com/Panasonic-PT-52LCX66.htm

(Best Buy)
Toshiba 56" DLP Projection HDTV (56HM66) - 1199.99 - 1,899.99 - 700.00 Valuve - 1449.00
http://www.hdtvsolutions.com/Toshiba-56HM66.htm

(Sears)
Toshiba 42HP66 42" Widescreen Plasma HDTV - 1199.99 - 1999.99 - 800.00 Value - 1299.00
http://www.hdtvsolutions.com/Toshiba-42HP66.htm
Toshiba 42HM66 42" TheaterWide DLP HDTV - 999.99 - 1499.99 - 500.00 Value - 1199.00
http://www.hdtvsolutions.com/Toshiba-42HM66.htm

(Tweeter.com Only Can Be Purchased Online, Will Buy this only if all TV's are sold out at the stores)
Panasonic TH42PX60U 42" Plasma HDTV with SD Memory Card Slot - 1299.99 - 1799.95 - 500.00 Value - 1295.00
http://www.hdtvsolutions.com/Panasonic-TH-42PX60U.htm

 

[Matt2]

Definately go DLP. It's the most screen for your money. The picture quality is also great. LCDs are nice for smaller screens, but something about the picture on the bigger ones just bugs me.

Make sure that whatever kind of TV you get, dont settle for a lower tier brand. I dont know about you or anybody else, but I can definately tell the difference in PQ between solid name brand TVs and wal-mart TVs for example.

I actually just bought a really nice, high quality 50" Samsung DLP TV for $1350 a week ago from best buy (tag price was $1699, got the guy to go down to $1350). I too only wanted to spend $1000 on a HDTV, but you never want to short change yourself on an investment like this.

Also, dont forget about a TV stand, that'll run you ~$150 if you dont already have one.

 

[bob4432]

also remember that true hd is going to be either 1280x720 or 1920x1080....

 

[NomisST]

Originally posted by: Matt2
Definately go DLP. It's the most screen for your money. The picture quality is also great. LCDs are nice for smaller screens, but something about the picture on the bigger ones just bugs me.

Make sure that whatever kind of TV you get, dont settle for a lower tier brand. I dont know about you or anybody else, but I can definately tell the difference in PQ between solid name brand TVs and wal-mart TVs for example.

I actually just bought a really nice, high quality 50" Samsung DLP TV for $1350 a week ago from best buy (tag price was $1699, got the guy to go down to $1350). I too only wanted to spend $1000 on a HDTV, but you never want to short change yourself on an investment like this.

Also, dont forget about a TV stand, that'll run you ~$150 if you dont already have one.

Thanks for the info, the only thing with DLP I hear you have to change the bulb every year or so, is this a lot of money to do? Is it a pain? And out of all the TV's you're saying to get the Toshiba 56" at Bestbuy right for 1199.00? Cause initially I was going to wait at Circuit City at like 4AM for the Panasonic 52", but I'm feeling now I should go to Best Buy first. Anyway thanks for your info!

Originally posted by: bob4432
also remember that true hd is going to be either 1280x720 or 1920x1080....

True HD? Is this good or bad? The Toshiba at Best Buy has a Res of 1366x769 and the Panasonic is 1280x720. Is it really worth to pay $200 more for a little better Resolution and to get DLP?

My final question is how does the Toshiba 42HP66 Stand? It has the highest MSRP and it's the same price as the Toshiba 56 DLP. I see that one is DLP and the other is HD Plasma. Is there a reason why the smaller screen with the HD Plasma more expensive than the huge 56" non Plasma, but with DLP? I'm still confused as to which one I should camp out at 4AM for. In other words, which one would you camp out at 4AM for? Please help me, I am not too good with visual stuff. Anyway thanks to everyone for replying.

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: NomisST

Originally posted by: Matt2
Definately go DLP. It's the most screen for your money. The picture quality is also great. LCDs are nice for smaller screens, but something about the picture on the bigger ones just bugs me.

Make sure that whatever kind of TV you get, dont settle for a lower tier brand. I dont know about you or anybody else, but I can definately tell the difference in PQ between solid name brand TVs and wal-mart TVs for example.

I actually just bought a really nice, high quality 50" Samsung DLP TV for $1350 a week ago from best buy (tag price was $1699, got the guy to go down to $1350). I too only wanted to spend $1000 on a HDTV, but you never want to short change yourself on an investment like this.

Also, dont forget about a TV stand, that'll run you ~$150 if you dont already have one.

Thanks for the info, the only thing with DLP I hear you have to change the bulb every year or so, is this a lot of money to do? Is it a pain? And out of all the TV's you're saying to get the Toshiba 56" at Bestbuy right for 1199.00? Cause initially I was going to wait at Circuit City at like 4AM for the Panasonic 52", but I'm feeling now I should go to Best Buy first. Anyway thanks for your info!

Originally posted by: bob4432
also remember that true hd is going to be either 1280x720 or 1920x1080....

True HD? Is this good or bad? The Toshiba at Best Buy has a Res of 1366x769 and the Panasonic is 1280x720. Is it really worth to pay $200 more for a little better Resolution and to get DLP?

My final question is how does the Toshiba 42HP66 Stand? It has the highest MSRP and it's the same price as the Toshiba 56 DLP. I see that one is DLP and the other is HD Plasma. Is there a reason why the smaller screen with the HD Plasma more expensive than the huge 56" non Plasma, but with DLP? I'm still confused as to which one I should camp out at 4AM for. In other words, which one would you camp out at 4AM for? Please help me, I am not too good with visual stuff. Anyway thanks to everyone for replying.

most lcds are going to be 1366x768 (or 1920x1080) and then the tv will scale the picture to 1280x720 or native at 1920x1080, so just a little bit of scaling. i am not sure how the 1024x768 tvs claim they are hd as they don't have enough resolution to do it except that they are forcing it into a smaller area horizontally.

personally i like the small size of the lcds and that is what i would go for, thus that is what i have - 40" (720p - vga connects @ 1366x768 and looks excellent from both my laptop - ibm t42 w/ radeon 7500 and my rig in sig) lcd replaced a 55" rptv - i am much happier now as the tv doesn't take up so much real estate and is crystal clear