Help me pick a television!

[Markbnj]

Our 27" Toshiba CRT set has a dying blue gun, so we are thinking about what to replace it with.

HDTV is a definite, but we are not sure whether to go with a 30-34" CRT 16:9 model, which is the most cost effective solution from an initial outlay standpoint, or to go for an LCD. We really don't need anything larger than 30-40" maximum, and a 32" or so CRT unit will fit in the existing cabinet. For a larger widescreen the cabinet goes up to the master bedroom and the TV goes on the wall or on a stand.

One question I have: many of the HDTV models advertise as either having an HD tuner, or being upgradeable. I intend this unit to be a monitor, and get its signal from the Comcast STB, so do I really care whether the TV has a tuner in it?

Any specific model recommendations will be very welcome.

Thanks!

 

[hoorah]

I would get the HD tuner, but thats just me.

Here are just some things I want you to know before you decide, things that my cable company didn't tell me and the best buy people didn't have a clue about.

Chances are, through regular cable, you will be able to get all of your local channels in HD without a box. Now for whatever reason, you MAY be able to get a few premium HD channels if they're unencrypted. No one has explained to me why this is, but I just happen to get discoveryHD for free.

I don't know what models come with this, but my TV has the TVguide thing built in, meaning I don't need a box to get the guide.

I was all set to get a set top box until I brought my TV (toshiba 42" plasma) home and realized what I got by itself. For me personally, with the features of the TV, I decided not to get the digital cable package (+$20 a month) with the box since I had all the locals in HD and discovery and the guide. I'm very glad I got the tuner built in. Supposedly, I can also get a cablecard and get the rest of the HD channels without having to pay extra for the box, but I haven't tried it.

But hey, this is about you, not me. I just wanted you to know about those few features that nobody bothered to tell me about when I was shopping for my TV. I realize you already have the box, but the freedom to get rid of it if you want might be a good thing. You never know what might happen when all the channels are required to go digital, the cable companies might start charging $30 a month for the box, or even more. Who knows. Let me know if you have any more questions.

 

[Markbnj]

Thanks man, appreciate the feedback. I knew about unencrypted HD channels, but I didn't know you might get premium channels as well. Sounds like a config error on their part.

We do have an existing STB, but we are contemplating getting the Comcast DVR, and they want to know whether we will be viewing HD before they come out to install it. Thus some of the questions. I run Beyond TV in my office, and am inclined to build an HTPC for the family room, but that can wait until next fall.

So, between plasma, lcd, and 16:9 CRT which way would you go? I'm thinking that the CRT probably gives the best picture at the expense of size, weight, and heat.

 

[RobertR1]

Unless you plan to connect an antenna for over the air channels or use a cable card (i'd advise strongly against it) you don't need a built in turner. Your comcast or sattelite box will have it.

Your choice depends on your spending limit. What would that be?

 

[mcmikemc]

I bought a 37" Westinghouse 1080p LCD. One of the big selling points for me was that it can accept a 1080p signal over one of it's DVI conections in addition to the VGA port. Pluss both of the DVI ports have HDCP. I went up to Best Buy and hooked up my 360 to the TV to make sure I liked it and I played PGR3 for about an hour and I fell in love.

 

[Markbnj]

Your choice depends on your spending limit. What would that be?

Good question. Should have addressed it in the original post. I haven't really set a spending limit, and we're fortunate enough that the limits come primarily from what we can tolerate in terms of obscene consumerist wastes of money . We're not rich though, and we aren't spending $2500 for a big LCD. I guess as the price gets close to and over $1000 I would start to fidget, if that helps. That's one of the reasons why I was looking at CRTs instead of flat panels.

 

[nRollo]

We were making this same sort of choice in December. We had a 35" tv in the living room and wanted WS for movies, so we went looking, hoping to spend $2000 or less.

At that price point, picking are SLIM among the plasma/LCD/DLP sets, and I had my AV equipment all set up in a nice oak corner stand. (so I wasn't crazy about buying a floor standing projection)

Here's what I ended up buying:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009O...551164?n=507846&s=electronics&v=glance
I got it on sale for $900, with free delivery. At 22" deep it fit on the corner unit fine. With the money I saved I bought an oak stand for the 35" and put it in my rec room for my kid to play XBox on.

Anyway, I like that tv. Movies look great, tv looks pretty good, and I'm pretty happy with the price. My neighbor bought a 47" DLP and can see the rainbow effect, and the 42" Sony LCD I was looking at had some screen door going on.

I don't know- plasma and lcds are definitely cooler tech, but I don't know that the differences they have are worth $2000-$3000+ more to me.

People tell me the same about my SLI though, so I suppose it's another "you decide what you want to spend" type of deal.

Anyway I'd buy the tv in the link before ANY 30-36" CRT. I have a 32" and a 35", it's a lot better having a bigger picture.

 

[Captante]

I have a 34 inch Widescreen Sony CRT & the picture quality is very close to as good as the best I've seen in HD, plus standard TV & DVD's look really good too... the only issue I have is that I would prefer having somthing a bit larger at times. I'm not impressed with projection HDTV's though & this was the best non-projection model I could afford when I bought it last year.

 

[MDE]

Wish I would have seen this thread earlier as I'm in a similar situation with a smaller budget ($500).

Link

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: Captante
I have a 34 inch Widescreen Sony CRT & the picture quality is very close to as good as the best I've seen in HD, plus standard TV & DVD's look really good too... the only issue I have is that I would prefer having somthing a bit larger at times. I'm not impressed with projection HDTV's though & this was the best non-projection model I could afford when I bought it last year.

The picture on that tv is really nice, we noticed it in the store, and a friend just bought two.

I don't know, the projection I bought has an anti-glare screen and something that supposedly doubles the viewing angle. While the picture might not be as bright as a Trinitron, I think it's a good picture, it's much larger, and it fit on my stand.

I'd make the same choice again after watching it for a month.

 

[hoorah]

As far as the technology of the television goes, I guess its all based on preference of the picture. I absolutely can't stand rear projection TVs. This might be because before I bought a TV, all the RPTVs I saw were at friends houses, and when you're at a friends house, you don't sit in the prime TV seat. You sit on the side couch, where the viewing angle is crap.

Anyway, I hate having the picture distorted when looking at the TV from an angle, so RPTVs were out for me. CRT didn't have anything with a big enough screen that I wanted, plus they were huge. Last, I didn't (and still don't) think that LCDs have the brilliant color that plasmas do. So for big stuff, I would recommend a plasma set if you have the cash. If you don't need a huge set, I would get a CRT. Thats just me though.

Before you rule out plasmas as being too expensive though, condsider this. I got the toshiba 42" plasma (MSRP 3000) at Best buy one weekend when they had a $400 instant rebate and a $400 mail in rebate. I also got 10% off any item for joining their stupid membership club (and a nice giftcard too with the ungodly amount of points I got). So that basically made the TV about $1950 without tax. Not saying it can happen every day, but great deals can be found on plasmas.

Hope this has thoroughly confused you The only other advice I can offer is to go to the store and find a TV that has a picture YOU like. Good luck!

 

[Markbnj]

Thanks for the additional feedback. I'm not a huge fan of projection sets either, but then I haven't looked at them in a long time. Plus I think a 47" would dominate the room too much. If I am going to try and keep it around $1000 or less I think for the most part I will be stuck in the widescreen CRT category. May need to sit down with my wife and reevaluate this. I definitely don't want anything larger than 40", just because we use the room for a lot more than viewing TV. Still leaning toward a CRT set that will fit in the existing cabinet. I have to imagine that any CRT capable of displaying 1080p content in 16:9 mode would have image quality _at least_ as good as any plasma or lcd set.

 

[imported_Ivan244]

Gotta support what Captante said. Sony 34XBR960. You will not find a better HDTV unless you spend more than $20,000 IMO. Color reproduction and especially Black levels are not matched by LCD, DLP, Plasma in the sub $20,000 category.

However, the thing weighs 198lbs and moving it is a pain. I bought the matching stand and it has a clip on the back because the TV is so front heavy.
I found myself watching HD programs I wouldn't normally watch just because the pic is that good. Discovery HD channel beats any thing Fox, CBS, NBC, ABC is putting out these days. Except for football of course

SED is supposed to come out this year and it combines the CRT with the thickness of Plasma from what I've heard. I'm sure it will be ultra $$$ as well. 34XBR960 can be had for around $1600 online. Matching stand usually runs $250-300.