Help me narrow down these choices!!!

[NamelessMC]

First, a disclaimer: The price of the TV as advertised does not matter. The reason for that is because I'm an employee at a store that gets these at a discount price. Just imagine that they're all the same flat rate.

Samsung 61" DLP 1080p Slim-depth (Non LED)
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-...80p-HDTV/dp/B000N53T82

LG 50" Plasma 720p
http://www.buy.com/retail/prod...d=13450663&dcaid=17902

Toshiba REGZA 47" 1080p LCD
http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-...80p-HDTV/dp/B000MXYD2Q

The order of price: LG 50" Plasma $1150 > Toshiba 47" LCD $1300 > Samsung 61" DLP $1600.

As far as the Plasma: I know the colors and black levels are way better than LCD's. It's also the cheapest and it's 3" bigger than the Toshiba. I think it's a nice brand too.

The cons are that it has image retention issues and I do game, and it's the only TV out of my choices that's 720p/1080i only. I do plan on watching HD content on it in the future. (I am getting a 60gb PS3 and I have a Toshiba HD-A3)

For the LCD: High resolution. Flat panel just like the plasma. Attractive price point. 1080p means the highest current resolution for my HD media. With ambient lights and during the day I won't get reflections on the screen. Ideal for gaming because of no image retention and the fast response time.

Cons are that it's an LCD and thus has washed black levels even with a high contrast ratio. The other con is that it's the smallest screen so I might have the "go bigger" syndrome. The other con is of course viewing angle, but that's an issue with any TV other than plasmas.

For the DLP: Of course image quality is top notch compared to any other screen. No ghosting effects, highest resolution, best colors, contrast and response time. It's also the biggest screen. Also, as long as the bulb is replaced and the convergence is maintained, the TV could last a very long time. Whereas a plasma/LCD has a lifetime between 45,000 and 65,000 hours.

The cons are that it needs a bulb replacement which runs anywhere from $250 to $350 and it's not flat panel which means it can't be wall mounted. It's also $1600 whereas the other two screens are closer to the $1000 side of my budget.

Now for speakers:
This isn't so much of a, what are my options as it is just me asking your opinion. I move a lot, and there's a chance of a not so big room being what I live in, so these are the speakers I'm considering. I can get them for roughly $220.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/ol...&cp=1&id=1172882131588

150 watt subwoofer and 5 satellites, one being a center channel. I would be using monster cable navajo speaker wire and a Yamaha 500w 5.1 receiver with DTS and DD and PL2 decoders.

Are they good speakers for a low range system?

 

[jpeyton]

The Samsung DLP hands-down over the other two choices.

The JBL speakers are fine, especially for that price.

 

[Muadib]

I also vote for the Samsung. I can't believe they are so cheap now. And why do you have it at $1600, when it's only $1,399.88 in the link you provided? I paid about a grand more for my 56", not quite 2 years ago. It would be a no brainer for me.

 

[BD2003]

You left out the most important piece of info - how far will you be sitting? There is such a thing as too big.

Either way, I'd scratch the LCD off the list, for sure. Between the DLP and the Plasma its a bit of a tougher call - at most distances, I'd take the plasma for the black levels because resolution is less of an issue, but on the other hand, the DLP will be bigger, and its not like the DLP has bad blacks. If you're gaming though, that may pretty much force you towards the DLP anyway.

But I wouldnt skimp on the sound. If you're going to have a quality TV, you should have quality speakers alongside it.

But whatever you do decide, for all that is holy in this world, do not spend an extra penny on monster cabling. If youre getting it for free, why the hell not.

 

[Nutdotnet]

Originally posted by: NamelessMC
First, a disclaimer: The price of the TV as advertised does not matter. The reason for that is because I'm an employee at a store that gets these at a discount price. Just imagine that they're all the same flat rate.

Samsung 61" DLP 1080p Slim-depth (Non LED)
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-...80p-HDTV/dp/B000N53T82

LG 50" Plasma 720p
http://www.buy.com/retail/prod...d=13450663&dcaid=17902

Toshiba REGZA 47" 1080p LCD
http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-...80p-HDTV/dp/B000MXYD2Q

The order of price: LG 50" Plasma $1150 > Toshiba 47" LCD $1300 > Samsung 61" DLP $1600.

As far as the Plasma: I know the colors and black levels are way better than LCD's. It's also the cheapest and it's 3" bigger than the Toshiba. I think it's a nice brand too.

The cons are that it has image retention issues and I do game, and it's the only TV out of my choices that's 720p/1080i only. I do plan on watching HD content on it in the future. (I am getting a 60gb PS3 and I have a Toshiba HD-A3)

For the LCD: High resolution. Flat panel just like the plasma. Attractive price point. 1080p means the highest current resolution for my HD media. With ambient lights and during the day I won't get reflections on the screen. Ideal for gaming because of no image retention and the fast response time.

Cons are that it's an LCD and thus has washed black levels even with a high contrast ratio. The other con is that it's the smallest screen so I might have the "go bigger" syndrome. The other con is of course viewing angle, but that's an issue with any TV other than plasmas.

For the DLP: Of course image quality is top notch compared to any other screen. No ghosting effects, highest resolution, best colors, contrast and response time. It's also the biggest screen. Also, as long as the bulb is replaced and the convergence is maintained, the TV could last a very long time. Whereas a plasma/LCD has a lifetime between 45,000 and 65,000 hours.

The cons are that it needs a bulb replacement which runs anywhere from $250 to $350 and it's not flat panel which means it can't be wall mounted. It's also $1600 whereas the other two screens are closer to the $1000 side of my budget.

Now for speakers:
This isn't so much of a, what are my options as it is just me asking your opinion. I move a lot, and there's a chance of a not so big room being what I live in, so these are the speakers I'm considering. I can get them for roughly $220.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/ol...&cp=1&id=1172882131588

150 watt subwoofer and 5 satellites, one being a center channel. I would be using monster cable navajo speaker wire and a Yamaha 500w 5.1 receiver with DTS and DD and PL2 decoders.

Are they good speakers for a low range system?

Why are they those three choices?

If your budget is around $1500 then why not look at Panasonic if you're going Plasma. Samsung is good for DLP...but it seems that DLP is a dying technology, which is too bad but it is what it is. If you don't need to wall mount then go with that....61" is nice.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Samsung bulbs are around $200 USD not $350.

I've had a Samsung 50" for about 18 months and am still happy with it (and still on my first bulb). My brother has had his 61" for about a year longer, is still happy with it and also is on his first bulb.

That's not a guarantee though, there are a few launch xbox 360s that haven't RRoD yet too.

 

[NamelessMC]

I've had my financial rethoughts. Here's the thing, the viewing distance is anywhere between 3-4 feet and 5-6 feet depending on whether I'm watching movies or playing games with my girlfriend or by myself. Since I won't be wall mounting it, that's the distance. And even if I get an elevated stand (mounted fixture like having it wall mounted but part of the stand), it's still going to sit ahead of the wall a little bit. From that distance is a 50-61" too big? I think it might be. I don't want to damage my eyes anymore than they already are. (I sometimes experience photophobia with my headaches and I have near sight)

I was thinking, a modest screen size (37-42") since I plan on going back to college and I might have a smaller room when I move. I was considering a really good visually 37-42", but then I realized, it'd be stupid to waste money on a 1080p screen that's smaller than 47". I know some people say they can tell the difference, but really I work with TV's a lot, selling them, and even calibrated, at the viewing distance I'll be, I can't tell the difference between a 1080p panel that's 37" and a 720p, and that's with 1080p content pushing through them.

My heart is set on the JBL set. With Klipsch, I can get a Quintet 3 system for $200 + tax, but I'd have to buy a subwoofer, and once we hit that range ($350-400) I'd rather get Definitive Technology's ProCinema 60. I figure, stop at what range the JBL is with a subwoofer included. (It's a 150watt 10" subwoofer, so I figure it's just like a JBL Sub10) The satellites are 8ohms, will match my Yamaha nicely, and when I want to make the jump to lossless/HD sound, I can just buy another two bookshelf satellites to make it 7.1 and the quality of the speakers will hold its own.

Here are the 37-42's I'm considering. You guys tell me that LCD isn't really on the same page as plasma, and to be honest with you, my viewing is going to be halfway between day and nighttime. I have thick shades, but I love daylight and having sunlight in my day so sometimes I might want to play a game or watch a movie with the shades open. I have a question, is the burn in issue resolved? Whether it is or isn't doesn't change the fact that I'm going to buy an extended warranty anyway, but I'm just wondering because I *am* a gamer. If I do the whole 100 hours with movie or TV content and baby sit it that first couple of weeks, will it be a non-issue? I never game for more than 1.5 hours.

LG 42PC5D 720p Plasma
Insignia NSPDP42 720p Plasma (The warranty for this TV is 4 years for like $80, and it's rebadged by LG)

If I got an LCD, these are the choices. (Remember half my viewing and usage will be daytime)
LG 37LC7D 720p LCD
Insignia NSLCD37 720p LCD (Again, dirt cheap 4 year warranty)
Samsung LNT3753H 720p LCD (This one is a bit more expensive. But if Samsung TFT's are really that much better quality)

If I went with a 32", which at this point I'm seeing a little more reasoning behind it lol. (Thinking about my viewing distance and the mobility of a 32 versus a 42. I do plan on moving and wall-mounting)
Panasonic TC32LX 720p 32" LCD
Westinghouse SK32H 720p 32" LCD
Sharp LC32AV22U 720p 32" LCD
LG 32LC7D 720p 32" LCD
Insignia NS-LCD32 720p 32" LCD
Dynex DX-LCD32 720p 32" LCD

I know that with Insignia and Dynex I don't get the brand name and I have a higher chance of a lemon, but I think the fact that the 4 year warranty on them is so much cheaper, makes that less of a liability.

(Truth comes out: I work at Best Buy.) The quality of the cheap brand screens actually holds its weight. It's only when the price difference becomes extremely large on quality (XBR territory, Kuro territory, 120hz screens) that the Insignia and Dynex are clearly low budget screens. But they actually put the Westinghouse to shame. The particular Dynex I'm considering, operates with a Sony remote! (The Sony 720p $1000 32" right next to it, its remote fully operates the Dynex. As in, menus, video channels, volume, everything. So that Dynex is rebadged by Sony.)

The more I save on the screen, the more I can spend on other things before I move back to school. I was considering a PS3 for blu-ray or a Toshiba HD-A3. I'm pretty sure it's going to be the PS3, as I sold my 360 and I would actually save money getting a PS3 (free online play, acts as a blu-ray player, has hdmi by default and wifi). I can also afford a Logitech Harmony 670 if I save money on the screen. So with a 3-5 feet viewing range as my closest, what do you guys recommend?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Can you get a good deal on these?
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/ol...&cp=1&id=1138085354138