HDTV:: Should I wait or Should I buy..

[Papagayo]

My friend thinks I should wait, because all the Plasma TVs are going down on price currently, which means that HDTV (projection) will drop also by Christmas.

I am interested in 47" to 52" HDTVs.. They go around $1000-1300.

Should I wait or buy now....

 

[FoBoT]

wait ,they will be cheaper later, you don't really need one now

 

[amcdonald]

the options in the poll should be 'wait' and 'buy'

its not a yes or no question.

 

[ivol07]

Wait, there isn't enough HD content yet.

 

[Turkish]

wait.

 

[ATLien247]

If you receive a good HD signal (be it OTA, cable, or DSS), have access to a good variety of HD content, and if you can afford it without going into debt, then I say go for it.

With most electronics, there's always something better on the horizon. You can wait as long as you want, but you'll have to commit sooner or later...

 

[Turkish]

Originally posted by: amcdonald
the options in the poll should be 'wait' and 'buy'

its not a yes or no question.

the question for the poll is "Buy Now?" and the answer can be either a "yes" or a "no"...

 

[amcdonald]

Originally posted by: Xiety

Originally posted by: amcdonald
the options in the poll should be 'wait' and 'buy'

its not a yes or no question.

the question for the poll is "Buy Now?" and the answer can be either a "yes" or a "no"...

Originally posted by: Papagayo
My friend thinks I should wait, because all the Plasma TVs are going down on price currently, which means that HDTV (projection) will drop also by Christmas.

I am interested in 47" to 52" HDTVs.. They go around $1000-1300.

Should I wait or buy now....

 

[Mr.IncrediblyBored]

Originally posted by: amcdonald

Originally posted by: Xiety

Originally posted by: amcdonald
the options in the poll should be 'wait' and 'buy'

its not a yes or no question.

the question for the poll is "Buy Now?" and the answer can be either a "yes" or a "no"...

Originally posted by: Papagayo
My friend thinks I should wait, because all the Plasma TVs are going down on price currently, which means that HDTV (projection) will drop also by Christmas.

I am interested in 47" to 52" HDTVs.. They go around $1000-1300.

Should I wait or buy now....

Buy Now

Yes
No

 

[2002R1Rider]

If you have that kind of cash to drop buy it, but like verything else the price will drop.

 

[thomsbrain]

well with little Powell Jr. and his FCC deciding to change the HDTV format in the next few years, I'd sure as hell be waiting. Powell is so far in the pocket of the big broadcast and electronics companies that he munchs on their poo fragments for snacks. the only company that "stood up" for the consumer was Philips, and that's because they make digital TV recorders and didn't want to lose out on those sales.

 

[FFactory0x]

i say wait cause in the next couple of months they will really drop. Even wait until christmas for a huge drop

 

[milehigh]

I just upgraded my cable to HD (It just recently became available in my area). While it is frustrating that the content is limited the picture on my 52" Sony is UNBELIEVABLE for HD broadcasts.

I have no desire to upgrade and my rear projection costs thousands less than plasma or LCD.

 

[FeathersMcGraw]

Originally posted by: thomsbrain
well with little Powell Jr. and his FCC deciding to change the HDTV format in the next few years, I'd sure as hell be waiting. Powell is so far in the pocket of the big broadcast and electronics companies that he munchs on their poo fragments for snacks. the only company that "stood up" for the consumer was Philips, and that's because they make digital TV recorders and didn't want to lose out on those sales.

If you're talking about the broadcast flag requirements that content providers are trying to get worked into the HD spec, that's actually an argument for buying now, since older hardware won't be required to adhere to the more restrictive specs.

If you're talking more generally, the trick is to buy something which is HD-capable, which means that it will use an external decoder to properly translate HD signal, as opposed to having an integrated tuner.

 

[Vic]

With electronic equipment (except those viewed as comodities, like RAM), the price ALWAYS goes down.

Wait another 6 months and the price will be even less. The only trick here is that manufacturers are well aware of this and usually discontinue products that fall below profitibility.

 

[Mr.IncrediblyBored]

Prices for new CRT HDTVs won't be going down too much in the near future. Most models get replaced with a better model each year at the same pricepoint. If you can find one, you might be able to snag an older model for a couple hundred bucks cheaper. The CRT market has matured quite well over the past couple years and prices have started to level off - probably why many manufacturers are starting to push better technology with higher margins, like DLP, LCoS, LCD, or Plasma.

I can buy a 43" LCD based rear projection monitor from Hitachi or Sony for ~$3000, or I can buy a 65" CRT based monitor from Mitsubishi for $2500.

 

[StageLeft]

I've thought about a largescreen HDTV, because my 27" sucks right now...but when I go into bestbuy and tweeter I realize that even a $2k tv (a good bit of cash, though I realize the rear-projections can cost much more) don't look very good at an angle and frankly that's a big reason my my temptation to get one is not very big at the moment. Plus there isn't much HDtv content (and when there is you have to pay extra for it). I thought originally I'd get a large HDTV this year but until I can get a 50"+ tv that doesn't cost more than $2k and looks GOOD at all angles I may just end up waiting. Plasmas fit the bill on size and performance, but definitely not in price

 

[CrazyDe1]

Wait for this years models to clearance out...then you can find places like best buy and soundtrack clearing out their stock or floor models at ridiculous prices.

 

[amcdonald]

Originally posted by: KnightBreed

Originally posted by: amcdonald

Originally posted by: Xiety

Originally posted by: amcdonald
the options in the poll should be 'wait' and 'buy'

its not a yes or no question.

the question for the poll is "Buy Now?" and the answer can be either a "yes" or a "no"...

Originally posted by: Papagayo
My friend thinks I should wait, because all the Plasma TVs are going down on price currently, which means that HDTV (projection) will drop also by Christmas.

I am interested in 47" to 52" HDTVs.. They go around $1000-1300.

Should I wait or buy now....

Buy Now

Yes
No

Should I wait or buy now is simply not a yes or no question... answer yes or no to this question, Am I white or am I black? you have to answer with one or the other... there's no indication of which option you are saying yes to.

 

[Doggiedog]

You don't just use HDTVs for HDTV you know?

You can enjoy DVDs in progressive scan wide screen too.

I'm pretty happy with my new 50" LCD RPTV.

 

[FeathersMcGraw]

Originally posted by: CrazyDe1
Wait for this years models to clearance out...then you can find places like best buy and soundtrack clearing out their stock or floor models at ridiculous prices.

They'd have to be over 75% off ridiculous. I wouldn't trust any floor model TV, HD or otherwise. Those things run near 24/7 at factory settings (i.e. everything cranked up high), which is pretty much the best way to ruin a TV without actually taking a sledgehammer to it.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: Doggiedog
You don't just use HDTVs for HDTV you know?

You can enjoy DVDs in progressive scan wide screen too.

I'm pretty happy with my new 50" LCD RPTV.

Yup.

My xbox is pretty f'n sweet hooked up to my 50" RPTV.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: FeathersMcGraw

Originally posted by: CrazyDe1
Wait for this years models to clearance out...then you can find places like best buy and soundtrack clearing out their stock or floor models at ridiculous prices.

They'd have to be over 75% off ridiculous. I wouldn't trust any floor model TV, HD or otherwise. Those things run near 24/7 at factory settings (i.e. everything cranked up high), which is pretty much the best way to ruin a TV without actually taking a sledgehammer to it.

Probably right. I'm sure being a floor model for a tv is worse than, say, being a floor model for a receiver.

 

[Jeraden]

I'd say buy now. I've owned a HDTV ready set in one form or another for 3 years now. I've only received HD material for the past year. Regular DVDs will look great (I wouldn't want to watch them on anything else) and HD stuff looks incredible. I don't understand the complaints of those that say there isn't enough HD programming out there to justify a purchase, there is tons of it. I'd say 75% of all prime-time network tv is in HD, and depending on your satellite/cable provider, there is plenty of other non-network HD material (HBO, Showtime, InHD, HDNet, ESPN, Discovery), with more to be added soon.

 

[amcdonald]

InHD is awesome. I could watch their nature-orientated programs all day (in the background).