TV recommendations Options

[Oasis]

Looking to buy a new TV finally and I don't know jack about televisions.

Price isn't really an issue, although I'd like to keep it around $2000 or so since I don't watch a whole lot of TV nor play video games. It needs to be HD since I don't feel like paying extra after 2/11/09. Plus I think you have to have HD to play a PS3, and I wanna get one so I can play that game that looks like Tomb Raider

I'm basically looking for the best combination of size and picture quality for $2000 or so. Any recommendations would be appreciated

[cmac]

i just bought this:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?sk...d=1169512521541

i could not be more happy. pm impala. i think this is his area.

[impala454]

First a quick word on 2009:
Keep in mind that the 2009 FCC stuff has nothing to do with HD. The analog shutoff thing does not affect anyone but those who receive their signal over the air (OTA) via an antenna. Basically all it means is your generic OTA programming will be broadcast digitally on a different band (high UHF). It does not mean everything will be in HD, or that your TV will no longer work. If you use satellite or cable, you're completely unaffected. Also, every TV manufactured since late 2006 has a digital tuner (look for the words ATSC) built-in as required by law now. If you are one of the few in the stone age still recieving your TV OTA and do not have a digital tuner built in, the govt will be supplying every household in the US with two $40 coupons to go out and get a tuner (which are rumored to cost around $40). You will even be able to use your existing antenna, so long as you recieved UHF channels ok. The whole idea behind this is to free up that large range of analog signals for future use with wireless internet and for government emergency responder use (police, fire, etc).

There are a few things to consider on new TVs. Size of picture, size of the cabinet, where it will be placed, brand, and resolutions.

1. size of picture: Up to you really, but you can always go bigger for the same money with DLP. DLPs kick ass, have the best picture quality, and are the best bang for the buck. That being said, they're bulkier, and much more complicated and have issues that can come up. You have lamps (~100-200) you'll have to replace eventually (I have had my DLP for over a year and have yet to replace one). Some don't like this but IMHO it's great because it's like having a brand new TV again. For 2k you can get in the neighborhood of 60" in a DLP. While they are large TVs they do not weigh as much as they look like they do. DLP has zero possibility of burn in.

LCDs will obviously be much thinner, but your 2k will only get you around 46" or so. The LCD will be a more foolproof TV and obviously is much thinner and can be mounted on the wall. While there are no lamps to replace, the backlight will fade eventually, but probably so far down the road you won't care or even notice (think ~8 years depending on how much you watch). People will tell you LCDs cannot burn-in, and I'll invite all of them over to see the extremely slight World of Warcraft minimap circle that has ever so slightly burned into one of my computer LCDs. Probably not a big issue, but seeing as you're a ESPN junkie, you might not wanna leave it on ESPN news w/the ticker for 3 weeks straight w/o turning it off.

Plasma- I wouldn't even bother with. They're fine, but are being phased out, and really only served the purpose of being the cheaper alternative to LCDs when LCDs were crazy expensive. Regardless of what people say about new technology, they can burn in.

2. Whatever you get, be absolutely sure you get a 1080p TV. Some TVs will say 1080p on the box but not truly be 1080p. They can get away with this by saying that the TV "accepts" a 1080p signal. In reality it takes the 1080p signal and downconverts it. You'll know for sure if it is a true 1080p TV by seeing the resolution listed as 1920x1080. If you really want it to be future proof look for 120Hz in the listing as well. It's not that big of a deal though.

Anyhow yeah the one cmac posted is excellent. The Toshiba Regzas are good as well. Pretty much any of the major brands are good. I personally like Samsungs the best, as they are an actual LCD manufacturer. Meaning the LCD panel inside the TV was made by Samsung. Most other brands buy their panels from Samsung or other manufacturers. Other brands like Westinghouse and Vizio are awesome as well, while a little lower on the totem pole.

So after babbling, to make a long story short:
DLP: Huge size for the money, amazing picture quality, eternal lifespan given replaceable backlight systems.
LCD: Rock solid, also amazing picture quality, thinner and wall-mountable.

After you get one let me know the brand & model# and I'll find you the AVS calibration settings for that particular TV. The out of the box settings with most TVs suck ass and these simple settings will make the picture quality blow your mind.

edit: If anyone has a HDTV and wants me to help them find the basic calibrated settings, post your brand & model# here or PM it to me and I'll help you get them.

[impala454]

Also just to add a little more on DLPs, they main problem they can get is that the cabinet geometry could be slightly off from the factory, which results in slight curves or bows on the screen (very hard to notice, but once you do its annoying). If you go the DLP route, be aware that you may have to exchange the set if this occurs. Most of the DLP manufacturers have a tolerance of like 5mm or something, and the stores seem to have no problems swapping yours out for a new one. Just be prepared for the possibility. If you want to avoid any problems at all, just go with LCD and you'll be fine.

IMHO DLPs are amazing, just require a little TLC to get started up. I personally did not have any problems with mine, but know a couple people who have had the bowing issue with their new set and had to have it swapped for a new one. Once you have a good set with the calibrated settings, I'd put it up against anything else on the market.

[Oasis]

God damn Chuck, I guess you know a thing or two about TV's. Thanks for the advice. You probably saved me like 3 hours worth of research

[impala454]

No prob bob I'm an insane (to the point of obsession) home theater & consumer electronics junkie so any questions on TVs, recievers, dvd, high def, speakers, surround sound, anything, post em up. I've recently gotten into the DIY speakers world and it's pretty neat. building speakers for $400 that blow away $4,000 speakers is pretty enticing . I'll post up some of my projects when I get them finished.

[Jim]

No prob bob I'm an insane (to the point of obsession) home theater & consumer electronics junkie so any questions on TVs, recievers, dvd, high def, speakers, surround sound, anything, post em up. I've recently gotten into the DIY speakers world and it's pretty neat. building speakers for $400 that blow away $4,000 speakers is pretty enticing . I'll post up some of my projects when I get them finished.

What type of speaker? Electro-static or cone?

[impala454]

Cone, although the design I'm working on right now uses a ribbon tweeter. I'm not actually building drivers though. Basically there's a few small groups of people who are very good at this stuff, and design box, crossover & driver combos that kick ass. There's lots of amplifier designs out there too and I'll probably give those a try eventually too.

[impala454]

Here's the page of the designers: http://www.geocities.com/cc00541/index.html. Very well documented designs.

The current one I'm working on is "The Statements Center Channel" then I'll build the rest of "The Statements".

I built the "TriTrix" 8ohm design as a cheap test to shape up the old woodworking and soldering skills.

[Oasis]

What's the difference between 720p and 1080p?

[Mommy]

I think most people go 1080p these days but I could be wrong. Like I thought the typical used to be 1080i then 720p and now its 1080p but im probably wrong.

[Oasis]

Is it picture quality or some shit?

And change of plans. I'm want something around 37 inches and $1k. The guy I'm moving in with already has a 62 inch (SCORE)

[Mommy]

From what I just read it seems as though 1080p has better resolution but is it worth the extra money

http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-6449_7-6810011-1.html

This has a lot of info

[pebkac]

Yeah, for example 720p means that there 720 pixels going vertically. The p stands for progressive scan and the i stands for interlaced. 1080i draws every other pixel so that the picture would look something like this if you slowed it down:




To make a long story short, it goes 720p->1080i->1080p.

This post has been edited by pebkac: Jan 9 2008, 10:20 PM

[impala454]

pebkac has it right. It basically comes down to resolution & refresh rate. Keep in mind that all HD content on TV is currently either 720p or 1080i, there are no broadcast 1080p channels yet. Progressive signals (aka 720p, 1080p) tends to be better for sports, which is why ESPNHD and similiar channels are broadcast in 720p, while most other HD channels will be in 1080i. You can tell the difference because you see really fluid motion in the sports, but then are wowed by the detail on discovery or other channels.

Now if you get a 720p TV, it will be capable of displaying the 1080i channels, but they will be downconverted by the TV to 720i.

This being said, 1080p channels are not far off, and game systems like Xbox 360 and PS3, as well as Blu-ray players all are 1080p capable. Also, with 1080p sets, any interlaced signals (480i, 1080i) will be de-interlaced and upconverted to 1080p. The better brands like Samsung and Toshiba will have excellent de-interlacers in them and will make standard TV look better.

Basically Will, just get a 1080p TV . The difference between 720p & 1080p is only a few hundred bucks or a few inches in screen size.

[impala454]

Not sure if this makes any difference to will, but makes sense to post in this thread:

http://www.cepro.com/article/flat_panel_pr...research_finds/

Flat Panel Prices Expected to Drop 15.6% in 2008, Research Finds

[Rocky]

I'm dead set on getting a Sony with MotionFlow


Sony KDS-60A3000 is the current model under consideration.


I think also a ps3 (just for the blu ray player essentially, and it will be able to run the next gen blu ray movies that have interactive content etc)

[Hartmann]

Wow, this thread has been an education!

So how does everyone feel about DLP? I was walking through Best Buy this weekend and noticed that the DLP picture looks a little darker while the LCD/Plasma screens look brighter though it's almost annoyingly bright.

[Oasis]

Wow, this thread has been an education!

So how does everyone feel about DLP? I was walking through Best Buy this weekend and noticed that the DLP picture looks a little darker while the LCD/Plasma screens look brighter though it's almost annoyingly bright.

I now feel pretty knowledgable because I spent a few hours at Best Buy last night for a Dell employee sale

If I can figure out how to get pics from my Iphone to the computer (I assume with the USB cord but I'm too lazy to check) I'll show you which one I'm getting. It's a 61" Samsung 1080p DLP. $2699.

This is what I could gather from the sales pitches:

LCD is brighter than DLP, and you can see LCD better at different angles. On the flipside, DLP has better fluid motion than LCD. This is great for me who will use the tv for sports and movies. LCD is wall mountable, DLP is not. Not a big deal to me, as I live with frat guys and I don't want the goddamn thing knocked off the wall and broken.

Basically, it depends on what you're using the tv for. If you have a lot of guests over and you regularly watch movies, I'd recommend something like a 47" LCD and mount it on the wall. Remember though, the wall mounts cost an extra few hundred, And it needs to be calibrated which will also cost an extra $300.

I don't know. Personal preference I guess. I don't necessarily need the absolute best picture quality. I'd like a huge tv with good enough quality that I feel like I'm getting my money's worth. Only problem I'm facing is logistics. Do I really need 61 inches of television in my room? Might be a bit excessive. Plus I'm gonna have to try to fit a couch in there as well. Whatever

[Oasis]

I think also a ps3 (just for the blu ray player essentially, and it will be able to run the next gen blu ray movies that have interactive content etc)

I'm getting one too, for one reason: Uncharted Drake's Fortune. Seriously, the game looks fucking awesome. Oh and Assassin's Creed

[Oasis]

Oh yeah Chuck, here's the TV I'm getting

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?sk...d=1173577986348

Lemme know if you approve. The salesman said it was the only DLP he'd buy. Then again I don't trust salesmen at all.

I have until this evening to get the Dell employee discount

[impala454]

Excellent choice IMO. When you get it (if they're delivering it) don't let them leave until you check it for bowing. Put the guide up on the screen and get really close to it and see if you have any major curving. No curving and you're in good shape. On the $300 calibration, he was BSing you. As calibration is something (while not needed) that can be done for any TV, especially DLPs. One of the plusses of DLP is in fact that they are very calibrateable (is that a word?). Let me know the model number and I'll find you the calibrated settings that are changeable from the standard menus. It will make a night & day difference from the out of the box settings.
Congrats man!

[impala454]

Oh yeah Chuck, here's the TV I'm getting

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?sk...d=1173577986348

Lemme know if you approve. The salesman said it was the only DLP he'd buy. Then again I don't trust salesmen at all.

I have until this evening to get the Dell employee discount

Yes definitely. It is the improved model of my exact TV. It uses LEDs instead of a lamp + color wheel, which means you'll have a much longer lamp lifespan (probably won't ever have to replace the lamp at all. I'll find the standard menu calibrations for ya and post em up here. Awesome!

[impala454]

Here are the starter calibrated settings (a $300 calibration like the salesman mentioned could be done, but IMHO probably not worth it until you've had the thing a year or two).

These settings will look a little weird, but trust me it will make a night & day difference out of the box.

Mode - Movie
Contrast - 70
Brightness - 45
Sharpness - 0
Color - 45
Tint - G50/R50
Color Tone - Warm2
Detailed Settings
*Black Adjust - Off
*Dynamic Contrast - Off
*Gamma - 0
*White Balance - 0
*My Color Control - 15/15/15
*Edge Enhancement - Off
*xvYCC - Off
Size - Just Scan
Digital NR - Off
Active Color - Off
DNIe - Off
Color Gamut - sRGB

[2wolUTT]

I'm getting one too, for one reason: Uncharted Drake's Fortune. Seriously, the game looks fucking awesome. Oh and Assassin's Creed

Turok on N64 looked better than that grainy shit.

[Oasis]

Here are the starter calibrated settings (a $300 calibration like the salesman mentioned could be done, but IMHO probably not worth it until you've had the thing a year or two).

These settings will look a little weird, but trust me it will make a night & day difference out of the box.

Mode - Movie
Contrast - 70
Brightness - 45
Sharpness - 0
Color - 45
Tint - G50/R50
Color Tone - Warm2
Detailed Settings
*Black Adjust - Off
*Dynamic Contrast - Off
*Gamma - 0
*White Balance - 0
*My Color Control - 15/15/15
*Edge Enhancement - Off
*xvYCC - Off
Size - Just Scan
Digital NR - Off
Active Color - Off
DNIe - Off
Color Gamut - sRGB

How is this done? Is it something on the TV menu similar to adjusting screen brightness, etc? Or do I need some sort of tool? I really don't wanna start fucking with it and screw it up.

Oh, and I've decided on a 40" Samsung DLP 1080p HDTV. I can't justify putting 61 inches worth of television in my room with a queen size bed and a mini fridge already in there. I'd have to watch the damn thing from
the backyard just to see the whole screen. Plus it's $2100, which means I'll be able to afford a decent display stand and probably a PS3

[impala454]

$2100 for a 40" DLP???? Is that correct?

And yeah the settings are just available from the standard menus, the professional calibrators can open up the TV to properly adjust lenses and such, but those settings you can just enter in the menu w/the remote, and will not screw anything up. Trust me they will make a night & day difference.

[Oasis]

Chuck I think it's this one

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?sk...d=1188561460115

Guess it is an LCD, even though it was over by all the DLP's. I think BB has it on sale for $2099, plus I have a 10% off Dell employee thing, plus another 2% off if I buy it through my friend's Reward Zone thing. So after taxes it should be around $2k, which is nice

One other question, are BB's consumer protection/warranty plans worth it? I have no idea what their plan covers that Samsung's doesn't. If it's protection against dropping/breaking it, I won't need it. I don't care how many girls I bring home, not one of em is touching that damn tv

[impala454]

Ok that makes way more sense (40" LCD 1080p for $2100). Samsung's warranty is 1 year parts + labor. I see the Best Buy service plan is $250 for that TV. Well worth it IMHO. Their service plans are awesome (full replacement for original price once it's been worked on 3 times), but usually pretty expensive. Rule of thumb is don't pay more than 10-15% or so the cost of the item for the warranty. $250 is close enough I think, especially for 4 years of coverage.

[Seeker]

i'm pretty happy with my LG LCD TV

[impala454]

Here are the settings for this one: (ignore the settings above as those were for the DLP you'd pasted)
Mode: Standard
Contrast: 65
Brightness: 33 (adjust as needed for room brightness, but higher does not necessarily mean better)
Sharpness: 50
Color: 50
Tint: right in the middle
Backlight: 4 or 5
Color Tone: Normal
Size: Just Scan
Digital NR: OFF
DNIe: On
Auto Motion Plus: Off

and actually here's a calibration thread on it if you want to try some other settings: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=946248

i'm pretty happy with my LG LCD TV

which one do you have?

[2wolUTT]

My gf has a 15" LCD in her bedroom, I hate it. I must be blind because I can't see shit on it. I'll look for the model number of that junt.

[Oasis]

Finally got everything set up. Went "ghetto" and only got a 37" Samsung 1080p LCD. Probably for the best, anything bigger would have hindered me going to the Super Bowl



I still don't know how to work the goddamn thing, but at least it looks pretty

[impala454]

congrats man, looks great.

best part about getting a smaller LCD is that if you do get a bigger one one day, this thing will make a badass bedroom TV.

[2wolUTT]

That shit look throwed Willis, how much you drop on that junt?

[Oasis]

2402.57. I had a budget of 2400 and had to borrow the 2.57 from my girlfriend. Haha

[James]

Here are the starter calibrated settings (a $300 calibration like the salesman mentioned could be done, but IMHO probably not worth it until you've had the thing a year or two).

These settings will look a little weird, but trust me it will make a night & day difference out of the box.

Mode - Movie
Contrast - 70
Brightness - 45
Sharpness - 0
Color - 45
Tint - G50/R50
Color Tone - Warm2
Detailed Settings
*Black Adjust - Off
*Dynamic Contrast - Off
*Gamma - 0
*White Balance - 0
*My Color Control - 15/15/15
*Edge Enhancement - Off
*xvYCC - Off
Size - Just Scan
Digital NR - Off
Active Color - Off
DNIe - Off
Color Gamut - sRGB

I assumed those settings work for the 56" version of that DLP TV. If it doesn't, let me know so I can change accordingly. Think it's ok though.

EDIT: Also, it didn't have the xvYCC. When I change sources - DTV Cable to HDMI 1 to HDMI 3/DVI it loses the settings. Guessing that I need to do this in each mode. That being said, are these settings optimal for tv watching (DTV Cable), movie watching (HDMI 1 and soon to be 2), and PC usage (HDMI 3/DVI). If not, can you get the settings in here pls.

[impala454]

those are for the DLP yes, look at my post two posts above the picture of your new TV for the correct settings for your specific one. And yes it saves settings per mode, which is a good thing (often times you'll want a video game to be brighter, etc)

[James]

Huh? I never posted a picture of my new tv, did I?

[impala454]

oh, yeah oops, was assuming that was will posting. those settings for the DLP should apply to any size of that model. should be something like HLTXX76 or HLTXX87 where the XX is the size of the screen.