Need help deciding on a TV

[GasX]

it is time to upgrade as I have a 27" Tau flat screen and sit about 12-15 feet from it and have trouble reading text on screen. I am bound by the size of the entertainment center, so I will not reach an "ideal" size. Realistically it will be a 37-42".

Here are my criteria:

Max Width: 40 1/2"
flat Panel (LCD or Plasma)
HDTV Tuner
under $2000

Anyone have any specific recommendations?

 

[MrChad]

Panasonic TH-42PX75U

I have the TH-42PX60U (last year's model) and it's an outstanding television.

 

[CalvinHobbes]

AVSForum

I prefer plasma over LCD but it may depend on the amount of light you have in the room. Plasmas tend to have reflective screens.

 

[GasX]

Originally posted by: MrChad
Panasonic TH-42PX75U

I have the TH-42PX60U (last year's model) and it's an outstanding television.

Dimensions (H x W x D) 26.8'' x 40.2'' x 3.8''

Perfect!

 

[DBL]

Originally posted by: Mwilding

Originally posted by: MrChad
Panasonic TH-42PX75U

I have the TH-42PX60U (last year's model) and it's an outstanding television.

Dimensions (H x W x D) 26.8'' x 40.2'' x 3.8''

Perfect!

Go with the Panasonic. With your seating distance and budget, it's probably the best choice.

 

[GasX]

Originally posted by: DBL

Originally posted by: Mwilding

Originally posted by: MrChad
Panasonic TH-42PX75U

I have the TH-42PX60U (last year's model) and it's an outstanding television.

Dimensions (H x W x D) 26.8'' x 40.2'' x 3.8''

Perfect!

Go with the Panasonic. With your seating distance and budget, it's probably the best choice.

Any recommended retailers?

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: Mwilding

Originally posted by: DBL

Originally posted by: Mwilding

Originally posted by: MrChad
Panasonic TH-42PX75U

I have the TH-42PX60U (last year's model) and it's an outstanding television.

Dimensions (H x W x D) 26.8'' x 40.2'' x 3.8''

Perfect!

Go with the Panasonic. With your seating distance and budget, it's probably the best choice.

Any recommended retailers?

I bought mine from 6ave.com. The price was right and since they're NJ-based, delivery should be inexpensive.

http://www.6ave.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=PANTH42PX75U

 

[DBL]

Originally posted by: MrChad

Originally posted by: Mwilding

Originally posted by: DBL

Originally posted by: Mwilding

Originally posted by: MrChad
Panasonic TH-42PX75U

I have the TH-42PX60U (last year's model) and it's an outstanding television.

Dimensions (H x W x D) 26.8'' x 40.2'' x 3.8''

Perfect!

Go with the Panasonic. With your seating distance and budget, it's probably the best choice.

Any recommended retailers?

I bought mine from 6ave.com. The price was right and since they're NJ-based, delivery should be inexpensive.

http://www.6ave.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=PANTH42PX75U

I bought a Sharp LCD from Abes of Maine. They are also from NJ and offer good prices. They do give a bit of a hard sell though. In my case, they called me and told me they would upgrade my shipping if I purchased an extd warranty.

You could go with J&R in NY and try a price match to avoid tax.

 

[A5]

You could also look at the PX77 - has an anti-glare screen, which is supposed to be good in a bright room.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Originally posted by: MrChad
Panasonic TH-42PX75U

I have the TH-42PX60U (last year's model) and it's an outstanding television.

I installed this TV (the TH-42PX75U) for my grandfather yesterday. I bought it for $1500 shipped (no taxes) from outpost for him. Excellent TV, but I cannot convince him to buy HD or even digital cable to go with it. He is just using it with his existing analog comcast basic cable.

 

[DBL]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh

Originally posted by: MrChad
Panasonic TH-42PX75U

I have the TH-42PX60U (last year's model) and it's an outstanding television.

I installed this TV (the TH-42PX75U) for my grandfather yesterday. I bought it for $1500 shipped (no taxes) from outpost for him. Excellent TV, but I cannot convince him to buy HD or even digital cable to go with it. He is just using it with his existing analog comcast basic cable.

If that is the case, you would have been better getting one of those 42" EDTVs on closeout for probably 1/2 the price. Hook up the HD tuner if possible.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Originally posted by: DBL

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh

Originally posted by: MrChad
Panasonic TH-42PX75U

I have the TH-42PX60U (last year's model) and it's an outstanding television.

I installed this TV (the TH-42PX75U) for my grandfather yesterday. I bought it for $1500 shipped (no taxes) from outpost for him. Excellent TV, but I cannot convince him to buy HD or even digital cable to go with it. He is just using it with his existing analog comcast basic cable.

If that is the case, you would have been better getting one of those 42" EDTVs on closeout for probably 1/2 the price. Hook up the HD tuner if possible.

He was planning on getting the full HD package when I bough it for him (he payed me back).... after he talked to his brother (who came over to see it) he decided against getting the HD Comcast package because his brother (who owns one of the first gen projection hdtvs (it is a POS btw) said that he could not tell a difference between HD programming and standard programming), so he listened to his brother and not to me.

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh

Originally posted by: MrChad
Panasonic TH-42PX75U

I have the TH-42PX60U (last year's model) and it's an outstanding television.

I installed this TV (the TH-42PX75U) for my grandfather yesterday. I bought it for $1500 shipped (no taxes) from outpost for him. Excellent TV, but I cannot convince him to buy HD or even digital cable to go with it. He is just using it with his existing analog comcast basic cable.

He should be able to pick up local HD channels on the built-in QAM tuner.

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: A5
You could also look at the PX77 - has an anti-glare screen, which is supposed to be good in a bright room.

The PX77 has side-mounted speakers, making it too wide for the OP's requirements.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Originally posted by: MrChad

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh

Originally posted by: MrChad
Panasonic TH-42PX75U

I have the TH-42PX60U (last year's model) and it's an outstanding television.

I installed this TV (the TH-42PX75U) for my grandfather yesterday. I bought it for $1500 shipped (no taxes) from outpost for him. Excellent TV, but I cannot convince him to buy HD or even digital cable to go with it. He is just using it with his existing analog comcast basic cable.

He should be able to pick up local HD channels on the built-in QAM tuner.

He lives in the middle of nowhere, the over the air broadcasts are out of range. I might be able to get something if I bring my signal booster up there. I will have to try that...

 

[kalrith]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh

Originally posted by: MrChad
Panasonic TH-42PX75U

I have the TH-42PX60U (last year's model) and it's an outstanding television.

I installed this TV (the TH-42PX75U) for my grandfather yesterday. I bought it for $1500 shipped (no taxes) from outpost for him. Excellent TV, but I cannot convince him to buy HD or even digital cable to go with it. He is just using it with his existing analog comcast basic cable.

Didn't you get the 50" version (TH-50PX75U)?

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh

Originally posted by: MrChad

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh

Originally posted by: MrChad
Panasonic TH-42PX75U

I have the TH-42PX60U (last year's model) and it's an outstanding television.

I installed this TV (the TH-42PX75U) for my grandfather yesterday. I bought it for $1500 shipped (no taxes) from outpost for him. Excellent TV, but I cannot convince him to buy HD or even digital cable to go with it. He is just using it with his existing analog comcast basic cable.

He should be able to pick up local HD channels on the built-in QAM tuner.

He lives in the middle of nowhere, the over the air broadcasts are out of range. I might be able to get something if I bring my signal booster up there. I will have to try that...

You're misunderstanding me. A QAM tuner will pick up local (unencrypted) HD channels over an analog cable connection. The cable companies are required by the FCC to send local HD signals unencrypted over their network, but you need a QAM tuner to pick them up.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Originally posted by: kalrith

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh

Originally posted by: MrChad
Panasonic TH-42PX75U

I have the TH-42PX60U (last year's model) and it's an outstanding television.

I installed this TV (the TH-42PX75U) for my grandfather yesterday. I bought it for $1500 shipped (no taxes) from outpost for him. Excellent TV, but I cannot convince him to buy HD or even digital cable to go with it. He is just using it with his existing analog comcast basic cable.

Didn't you get the 50" version (TH-50PX75U)?

You are correct, my bad, it was the 50" version, I was just looking at the last part of the model number. Good TV if it identical in everything bust size.

Originally posted by: MrChad

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh

Originally posted by: MrChad

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh

Originally posted by: MrChad
Panasonic TH-42PX75U

I have the TH-42PX60U (last year's model) and it's an outstanding television.

I installed this TV (the TH-42PX75U) for my grandfather yesterday. I bought it for $1500 shipped (no taxes) from outpost for him. Excellent TV, but I cannot convince him to buy HD or even digital cable to go with it. He is just using it with his existing analog comcast basic cable.

He should be able to pick up local HD channels on the built-in QAM tuner.

He lives in the middle of nowhere, the over the air broadcasts are out of range. I might be able to get something if I bring my signal booster up there. I will have to try that...

You're misunderstanding me. A QAM tuner will pick up local (unencrypted) HD channels over an analog cable connection. The cable companies are required by the FCC to send local HD signals unencrypted over their network, but you need a QAM tuner to pick them up.

I am aware of that and Comcast even has those local HD channels listed on their channel guide, I set everything up and tried it (with the QAM tuner) and the channels still do not come in. I called Comcast up about it and they said that those channels are not broadcast in HD in his area, just in some areas that use the same channel line up that was distributed with his extended basic analog cable service (but they are broadcast over the air in HD, but he is out of range). So there is a law requiring Comcast to carry those over the analog cable line... I might have to give them another call.

Anyways, that is my last reply regarding the manner, as I do not intend to hijack. Sorry for the extra traffic, Mwilding.

 

[dwell]

Samsung LN-T4065F