I'm looking for a good tv for around $300, probably flat screen- need advice. Thanks.

[alanhall4]

I am looking to get a tv that I'll be able to use in my dorm room. I've been looking at some of the 20 in. flat screen tv's from sony, panasonic, and toshiba, and I really don't know which is best. I would like the best picture, with composite, s-video, and hopefully component inputs too. Does anybody have any advice for me. Thanks.

 

[Zorro]

Wega Baby

 

[RossMAN]

Advice 1: Buy a Toshiba, Panasonic, Sony or JVC if you want a quality TV.

Advice 2: Buy from Sam's Club or CostCo, they have some amazing deals on TVs with some models around $250.

 

[kyutip]

I agree with RossMAN.
Right now Sam's has pretty good deal on TV. Quite affordable too.
I don't know if they still carry the 27" flat TV. AKAI is the brand I think. Pretty good picture.
Anyway, go check them out. Ask your friend who has membership to buy it if interested.

 

[RossMAN]

Plus you can't beat CostCo's (not sure about Sam's Club) liberal return policy.

 

[stam01]

i was going to get a 20" flat screen for my own dorm room next semester, but decided to spend a little more and got a 24" Toshiba 24AF41, $360 shipped from Ubid.
any one of those three brands, toshiba, sony, or panasonic will be excellent, it's all a matter of actually looking at the picture yourself and deciding which one you like the most. i love my toshiba so far, has plenty of inputs from s video to component to rca (the older sony 20" model doesn't have component i think), and the picture is great.

if you prefer online shopping, and you don't mind taking a leap of faith with a place like Ubid, you might be able to find a good auction for a flat toshiba 20" or 24"... it seems like they're the ones clearing them out or something. don't forget their shipping is like $80 or $90 on top of the auction price though.. ugh, but sometimes it still makes for a good deal.
also, goodguys.com might be good, they have this $25 off a $250 or more purchase offer going on, free shipping and no sales tax.

or you could get a 20" toshiba at best buy for $279.99... and have them promote their little extended warranty plan in your face.

i dunno too much about the new sony wega line... like the 20fs100 and 20fv300 etc., though hopefully their quality control has gone up. i've read a lot of people saying how they were having problems getting a wega that they liked the first time around, and had to make several trips to and from the store. but then again, it could just be people who are complaining that will bother to post online... it was enough to sway me to a toshiba though.

 

[Zim Hosein]

Originally posted by: Zorro
Wega Baby

What Zorro said, I'm quite pleased w/ my Wega

 

[Pabster]

Wega's rock, but you're not getting much for around $300 with Sony. You might be able to find a 20" Wega for that, but who wants a piddly 20" screen?

Sam's has the AKAI 27" for around $325-$350 usually. They're decent for the price.

I prefer Samsung's flat screen. I've seen the 27" real cheap ... around $400. They're great for the price.

 

[alanhall4]

I ended up getting a 20 in. Toshiba at Best Buy. I'm loving it right now. It should be the perfect size for a dorm room. Thanks a lot for all of your advice.

I decided against the Wega b/c it didn't have the component inputs.

I checked Sams. The TV looked great, but I couldn't convince myself to buy a brand that I've never heard of.

Thanks everybody.

 

[cmdavid]

Originally posted by: alanhall4
I ended up getting a 20 in. Toshiba at Best Buy. I'm loving it right now. It should be the perfect size for a dorm room. Thanks a lot for all of your advice.

I decided against the Wega b/c it didn't have the component inputs.

I checked Sams. The TV looked great, but I couldn't convince myself to buy a brand that I've never heard of.

Thanks everybody.

what was the brand you've never heard of? or do you remember?

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: Pabster
Wega's rock, but you're not getting much for around $300 with Sony. You might be able to find a 20" Wega for that, but who wants a piddly 20" screen?

Sam's has the AKAI 27" for around $325-$350 usually. They're decent for the price.

I prefer Samsung's flat screen. I've seen the 27" real cheap ... around $400. They're great for the price.

Couldn't tell by your post, but the Akai IS a samsung. Best TV Under $350 IMHO.

 

[virtuamike]

Yeah the Akai is a great deal, it's a Samsung rebadge. The only 27" better is the HDTV Samsung (the Akai is a 480i) but at that point you're looking at some serious cash.

BTW if you guys are in the market for a bigger TV, the 36" Panasonic Tau's (480i version, no HDTV sorry) got marked down to $999 at Fry's and Magnolia in the Bay Area, awesome TV for the price.

 

[alanhall4]

I probably would have bought the AKAI if I had known it was a Samsung, but I'm happy with my Toshiba.