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Recommend me a large-screen TV

cKGunslinger

cKGunslinger

Lifer
After the holidays, we'll be in the market for a new television. We currently have a 27" CRT that we've been using for 6 years now. It's OK, but we've moved and out living room is 3x as big as the one we had when we bought that TV. We also had a young child, so we put off getting a new TV until he was old enough to not decorate it with crayons.

Anyway, so here we are with a limited budget, a man with failing eyesight, and a living room with an old, little TV that needs to be retired.

Budget: $800 - $1500.
Requirements - large size (42"+, I would guess)

$1500 is the absolute upper end, and anything under that will be given priority. I'm a cheap SOB by nature, but as I want something to last 10+ years, with little hassle, I'd feel comfortable dropping ~$1200 out the door for a quality product.

I love tech, but the TV market is not something I've followed recently. We have Dish Network satellite service, a Tivo, and watch DVDs. I'm not sure I care about "true" HD support, but if it could be had within budget, that's be great.

I've seen several 54" rear-projection TVs for under $900, but I assume they are probably cheaply-made and lacking in features. My one experience with RP is my neighbor's TV, which has a horrible (in my opinion) viewing angle. If you're not sitting directly in front of the TV, within a few degrees, the picture loses colors and eventually disappears completely. As I enjoy throwing a pillow the floor and watching TV sometimes, that is unacceptable.

42" Plasmas/DLPs look about perfect, but are a few hundred dollars more than my budget will allow, unfortunately. If they are truly superior, I suppose I could save for a bit longer..

So, I'm open to suggestions for specific models, technologies, forums with reviews, etc. I don't want to spends weeks and weeks researching, but I don't want to make any stupid mistakes either. I'll really like to choose between a few models, with enough research and comprehension to recognize and choose between the trade-offs in each.

Any help/suggestions?
 
get a projector.

for $1500, as far as TV's go, you could get a somewhat decent set, however if you could get to $2K you could get a really great set. IMO, DLP's are the best TV's out there right now, again, my opinion 🙂. But for $1500 you can't really get one that is great I don't think.
 
If you can find one, you can't go wrong with a 51" or 57" Hitachi Ultravision RP CRT. I got a 57 2 years ago and am more than happy with it. Viewing angle is easily more than 45 degrees to each side. Best bang for the buck is RP CRT though.
 
$1500 will get you a 42" ED (7xx by 480) resolution plasma. Great for current DVDs but not very future proof if you plan to buy an Xbox360 or PS3, or HD-DVD/blu-ray, or get HD cable.

$1600 - 2000 depending on deal will get you a very good 42" 720p (1280x720) HD LCD rear-projection. Despite them being :evil: the Sony A10 series is a good choice for this.

$2000 could also get you a plasma 720p, but most of the panels use different resolutions like 1024x768 and use scaling to make a 1280x720 signal fit.

I'd say to go look at 42" ED plasmas (check GottaDeal for deals) or up your budget a little and try to find a super deal on the Sony -A10 if you want HD.

Before doing anything else though, you should go look at some plasma and LCD RPTV sets in person.
 
Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
$1500 will get you a 42" ED (7xx by 480) resolution plasma. Great for current DVDs but not very future proof if you plan to buy an Xbox360 or PS3, or HD-DVD/blu-ray, or get HD cable.

$1600 - 2000 depending on deal will get you a very good 42" 720p (1280x720) HD LCD rear-projection. Despite them being :evil: the Sony A10 series is a good choice for this.

$2000 could also get you a plasma 720p, but most of the panels use different resolutions like 1024x768 and use scaling to make a 1280x720 signal fit.

I'd say to go look at 42" ED plasmas (check GottaDeal for deals) or up your budget a little and try to find a super deal on the Sony -A10 if you want HD.

Before doing anything else though, you should go look at some plasma and LCD RPTV sets in person.
Click to expand...

Something like this looks promising.
 
heh... be weary on a sony a10 series... i am having mad issues w/ sony and my repair process...

don't get me wrong i loved the tv while it was working... but the tech service i am recieving is hell..
 
Originally posted by: purbeast0
get a projector.
Click to expand...

It would certainly cut down on crayon incidents if it was ceiling mounted 😉

If you have a light controlled room, then they can be a good option.

not the 10 years of maintenance free operation you're looking for though.
 
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Originally posted by: purbeast0
get a projector.
Click to expand...

It would certainly cut down on crayon incidents if it was ceiling mounted 😉

If you have a light controlled room, then they can be a good option.

not the 10 years of maintenance free operation you're looking for though.
Click to expand...
Projectors sound nice - I even have a huge, featureless white wall in the LR that would be perfect, but the LR is also open on two ends, making light control a serious issue, I'm afraid.
 
Hitachi makes crappy TVs. That's my belief after last month. I went through 4 different Hitachi TVs (all with different defects) before just demanding to get my money back. I ended up going with the Samsung 50" DLP instead. I'll never touch a Hitachi TV again.
 
Originally posted by: cKGunslinger
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Originally posted by: purbeast0
get a projector.
Click to expand...

It would certainly cut down on crayon incidents if it was ceiling mounted 😉

If you have a light controlled room, then they can be a good option.

not the 10 years of maintenance free operation you're looking for though.
Click to expand...
Projectors sound nice - I even have a huge, featureless white wall in the LR that would be perfect, but the LR is also open on two ends, making light control a serious issue, I'm afraid.
Click to expand...

There are some ways of conrolling light pretty well. Cardboard in the windows is super cheap and works really well.
Blackout curtains also work pretty well. I need to work on getting them a little better than how they perform stock, but they still work very well.

I took this pic on a very bright day with cardboard in the windows. There are five windows in the room and then openings to rooms with another 6 windows. If you're motivated to do it, you can make any room light controlled with some effort.

Even if you do though, unless you have very very light viewing habits, a bulb is probably not going to last you the 10 years you want to get out of this display. You're looking at about 3000 hours roughly on a bulb. If you just watch movies occationally on it or somthing that's going to last quite a while but if you're watching everyday for extended periods of time, that's going to add up.

If you watch 8 hours a day that's roughly a year or so to get up to 3000 hours.

On the other hand, you can really get a great deal on some of the projectors. On black friday, my Infocus 4805 model was $499 refurbished. With your budget you'd be able to add a couple more bulbs into your total cost.

For the record, it seems like a projector might not be the ideal display for you, but it should certainly be a consideration for you.

If you can, go out to some specialty AV/HT stores and look as some different stuff including some front projection units.
 
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Originally posted by: cKGunslinger

Projectors sound nice - I even have a huge, featureless white wall in the LR that would be perfect, but the LR is also open on two ends, making light control a serious issue, I'm afraid.
Click to expand...

There are some ways of conrolling light pretty well. Cardboard in the windows is super cheap and works really well.
Blackout curtains also work pretty well. I need to work on getting them a little better than how they perform stock, but they still work very well.

I took this pic on a very bright day with cardboard in the windows. There are five windows in the room and then openings to rooms with another 6 windows. If you're motivated to do it, you can make any room light controlled with some effort.

Even if you do though, unless you have very very light viewing habits, a bulb is probably not going to last you the 10 years you want to get out of this display. You're looking at about 3000 hours roughly on a bulb. If you just watch movies occationally on it or somthing that's going to last quite a while but if you're watching everyday for extended periods of time, that's going to add up.

If you watch 8 hours a day that's roughly a year or so to get up to 3000 hours.

On the other hand, you can really get a great deal on some of the projectors. On black friday, my Infocus 4805 model was $499 refurbished. With your budget you'd be able to add a couple more bulbs into your total cost.

For the record, it seems like a projector might not be the ideal display for you, but it should certainly be a consideration for you.

If you can, go out to some specialty AV/HT stores and look as some different stuff including some front projection units.
Click to expand...

Well, by "open," I mean the LR is open to the rest of the house - dining room, kitchen, foyer, etc. I'd have to do a full window blackout on half the windows in our house to get it dark enough to watch TV during the daytime. And since this is in the LR and not a separate media room, that's way too much hassle, especially if the little one just wants to watch some Nickelodeon in the middle of the afternoon. 😛 I *do* like that price on the projector you got, however.

I'm almost to the point where I might reconsider getting a new TV and instead get a nice pair of LCDs, as my wife and I certainly spend more time playing our PCs than we do watching TV. 😛
 
Originally posted by: cKGunslinger
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Originally posted by: cKGunslinger

Projectors sound nice - I even have a huge, featureless white wall in the LR that would be perfect, but the LR is also open on two ends, making light control a serious issue, I'm afraid.
Click to expand...

There are some ways of conrolling light pretty well. Cardboard in the windows is super cheap and works really well.
Blackout curtains also work pretty well. I need to work on getting them a little better than how they perform stock, but they still work very well.

I took this pic on a very bright day with cardboard in the windows. There are five windows in the room and then openings to rooms with another 6 windows. If you're motivated to do it, you can make any room light controlled with some effort.

Even if you do though, unless you have very very light viewing habits, a bulb is probably not going to last you the 10 years you want to get out of this display. You're looking at about 3000 hours roughly on a bulb. If you just watch movies occationally on it or somthing that's going to last quite a while but if you're watching everyday for extended periods of time, that's going to add up.

If you watch 8 hours a day that's roughly a year or so to get up to 3000 hours.

On the other hand, you can really get a great deal on some of the projectors. On black friday, my Infocus 4805 model was $499 refurbished. With your budget you'd be able to add a couple more bulbs into your total cost.

For the record, it seems like a projector might not be the ideal display for you, but it should certainly be a consideration for you.

If you can, go out to some specialty AV/HT stores and look as some different stuff including some front projection units.
Click to expand...

Well, by "open," I mean the LR is open to the rest of the house - dining room, kitchen, foyer, etc. I'd have to do a full window blackout on half the windows in our house to get it dark enough to watch TV during the daytime. And since this is in the LR and not a separate media room, that's way too much hassle, especially if the little one just wants to watch some Nickelodeon in the middle of the afternoon. 😛 I *do* like that price on the projector you got, however.

I'm almost to the point where I might reconsider getting a new TV and instead get a nice pair of LCDs, as my wife and I certainly spend more time playing our PCs than we do watching TV. 😛
Click to expand...

We're kind of in the same situation with out floor plan where I have to have the livingroom and diningroom both blocked off to get it dark in here. Of course here in Wisconisin this time of year it gets dark early enough that we don't have to really worry about it much 😉
 
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
We're kind of in the same situation with out floor plan where I have to have the livingroom and diningroom both blocked off to get it dark in here. Of course here in Wisconisin this time of year it gets dark early enough that we don't have to really worry about it much 😉
Click to expand...

Texas sun wtfpwns Wisconsin sun. 😛
 
Originally posted by: EngenZerO
heh... be weary on a sony a10 series... i am having mad issues w/ sony and my repair process...

don't get me wrong i loved the tv while it was working... but the tech service i am recieving is hell..
Click to expand...

Hmm...while I feel for you and your problems with the tech, blame the tech, not the television.

You're lucky that Sony even agreed to replace the Optic Light engine over a couple stuck pixels. Stuck pixels are VERY common on LCDs, and having two or three usually does not constitute warranty service.
 
Originally posted by: Nutdotnet
Originally posted by: EngenZerO
heh... be weary on a sony a10 series... i am having mad issues w/ sony and my repair process...

don't get me wrong i loved the tv while it was working... but the tech service i am recieving is hell..
Click to expand...

Hmm...while I feel for you and your problems with the tech, blame the tech, not the television.

You're lucky that Sony even agreed to replace the Optic Light engine over a couple stuck pixels. Stuck pixels are VERY common on LCDs, and having two or three usually does not constitute warranty service.
Click to expand...

like i said i loved the tv while it worked... oh well... i would still probably get the tv again, the PQ is amazing on this thing.

btw, tech blew me off for today... was suppose to call in the afternoon for the appt... now no call and still a broken tv, 🙁
 
Originally posted by: cKGunslinger
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
We're kind of in the same situation with out floor plan where I have to have the livingroom and diningroom both blocked off to get it dark in here. Of course here in Wisconisin this time of year it gets dark early enough that we don't have to really worry about it much 😉
Click to expand...

Texas sun wtfpwns Wisconsin sun. 😛
Click to expand...

:laugh:
 
Originally posted by: RossMAN
One word: CostCo
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think I will stop by there and check things out. What I was worried about was being overwhelmed by the low prices and end up getting something that looked nice on the floor, but turned out to garbage in my living room.

I think I'll go and get some model numbers and bring back.
 
Originally posted by: cKGunslinger
Originally posted by: RossMAN
One word: CostCo
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think I will stop by there and check things out. What I was worried about was being overwhelmed by the low prices and end up getting something that looked nice on the floor, but turned out to garbage in my living room.

I think I'll go and get some model numbers and bring back.
Click to expand...

Their prices and customer service (lifetime warranty) simply cannot be beat.

A few weeks ago they had a beautiful Vizio 37" LCD for $1499 with HDMI, oh it was beautiful.

If I didn't buy my Westinghouse 32" LCD for $809 ... I would have bought the Vizio in a heart beat.

Check out the retail MSRP price on that Westinghouse compared to what I paid :shocked:
 
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