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Buying a TV...need the ends and outs?

Loafeto

I want a new Television. Flat screen? Flat Panal? LCD? HDTV? Plasma. What brand, what price? I've done some searching but was told the only way to choose one of these creatures is to view them in person. "They all have the same DPI and resolution; it's the brand and price that determines the quality of the picture."

curious if anyone has insightful knowledge.

 
Feb 2, 05 3:03 pm
sam sung

The Fujitsu high def plasmas are quite nice. If you don't mind not having a flat screen, the Sony high def tube sets are supposed to be great, the image with the tube sets is actually brighter and better than flat screens, and heck, they are cheaper than flat screen sets.

Feb 2, 05 3:16 pm  · 
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ge-ril-a

Sorry,

I dont have a tv!

Cant help you at all

Feb 2, 05 3:20 pm  · 
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ge-ril-a

I would say DONT!

Feb 2, 05 3:20 pm  · 
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3ifs

my brother in law just bought a 30" wide screen samsung tube set. its really nice and didn't break the bank.

plasma has a finite life span (not sure why or how), whereas LCD has the ability to last forever. if i were investing big cash in a tv, i would want HD. and they do NOT all have the same DPI and resolution, no way. a lot of the less expensive plasmas and lcds only support EDTV (480 lines), whereas true HDTV is 720 lines or 1080 lines. there is good info here on EDTV v. HDTV etc.

Feb 2, 05 3:22 pm  · 
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ge-ril-a

does everyone else own a tv?

Feb 2, 05 3:24 pm  · 
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ge-ril-a

am i missing out on something?

Feb 2, 05 3:24 pm  · 
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sam sung

Samsungs are good performance and price wise, but the design of them isn't so great. They are a little too ornate. Fujitsus and Sonys have the cleanest design.

Feb 2, 05 3:30 pm  · 
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Josh Russell

you're missing out on the Ashlee Simpson show on MTV that's what. :P

Feb 2, 05 3:30 pm  · 
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TED

dont have a working veg-o-matic[have a broken one, with remote, that looks ...broken]

but if i did, would get one of those projector boxes you use for power point and just point and shoot. would give me the ability to have a 6" screen or a 50' screen. downside is lamp life and cost of lamp is really high. i could just keep it in a closet and not deal with it if i wish.

i use my local bar for tv fix if i need one. far more socialble

Feb 2, 05 3:33 pm  · 
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ciaobeetch

i just got a hitachi plasma edtv. i shopped around a bunch and the hd's were out of my range,and i quickly realized that the higher price you pay for hd is simply not worth it. regardless, most channels look worse on it than a regular tv, other than the ones broadcast in hi def. depending on where you live, you may only get a few, i have around 10 hd channels. keep in mind the program still has to be shot in 16:9 hi def. if not you watch your nice wide screen in 4:3.

Feb 2, 05 3:42 pm  · 
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sameolddoctor

you are missing out on comedy central

Feb 2, 05 4:03 pm  · 
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vongkothts

my old television, which was a toshiba, lasted about thirteen years before i decided to update to a newer one. i just bought the new one last april; it's a toshiba 32" flat screen and not too expensive either. i bought it from best buy

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1076628924157&skuId=6357346&productCategoryId=cat03002&type=product

Feb 2, 05 4:37 pm  · 
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A

First off, what is your price range? How big do you want it? Is size an issue?

I guess my only big peice of advise is do not buy a gawd damned extended service warranty. They are a scam and fill the greedy pockets of souless corporations like Best Buy.

Plasma screens are made up of thousands of tiny light bulbs. They burn out over time and dim. Same goes for LCD. Read the fine print of those things and you'll see things like average life span = 40,000 hours. Those thin screens also burn in quite easy. Don't play too much pac-man or you'll always see those grids. Samsung pretty much owns the plasma/LCD market. The TV might say something else but chances are the screen is Samsung.

The new thing is DLP. Basically light shines through a chip and is projected onto a screen. It won't fade or burn in but they haven't been time tested enough to know their weaknesses as of yet. Still pretty spendy too.

CRT or old fashioned TV's are time tested and proven. They weigh a ton but are much cheaper and don't have fade issues. The Sony Trinitron is probably your best. New HD models are very nice.

Brand doesn't matter as they are designed to last 10 years or less. So many parts are shared anyway - see Samsung on plasma screens. The LCD/Plasma screens that Dell and Gateway sell are no different inside from the ones that have the fancy Sony name.

Oh, and my TV is a 1980's model Mitsubishi. I just know too many engineers.

Feb 2, 05 4:37 pm  · 
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vongkothts

oh yeah, i didnt get the extended warranty.. it was really expensive

Feb 2, 05 4:39 pm  · 
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sameolddoctor

actually, maybe not for TVs but the extended warranty has been handy for me for
-my Cappucino maker - it just died (because of overuse) after a year and half...and they just gave me all the money back!!!
-my IBM mouse (i got a bit cheap here) - the mouse died because of abuse after a year, and got a new mouse
-my car stereo also got screwed in an year and got a brand new one

Feb 2, 05 4:51 pm  · 
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A

Actually I'd prefer if you didn't buy the thing from Best Buy at all. Knowing people that work there and learning inside operations of that company have made me ill. Ever heard about how Wal-Mart is so huge they can put a company on the map or not. Best buy is no different, just different product.

They are the biggest consumer electronics retailer - i.e. Wal-Mart of televisions. They destroy local economies of well established local appliance stores that have endured generations. Their goal is all about maximizing profits. To do that they will step to lows of selling poorly built products and running scams like extended warranties.

The saddest thing is that their poorly paid sales staff has been so brainwashed into the Best Buy corporate gigantism's lie by the offer that all employees can purchase product just 5% over cost. Gee, what a generous corporation that they let someone making $10/hr buy his TV at 25% off retail.

Feb 2, 05 4:58 pm  · 
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vongkothts

well i basically chose based on price and how i could pay for it, brand, and how useful the features were for myself.

Feb 2, 05 5:10 pm  · 
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dolemite

give up your TV, spend more time on discussion boards!

Feb 2, 05 6:05 pm  · 
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dia

I just bought a tv. I ended up getting a Samsung 29inch flat screen model. Could have got a 32 inch widescreen, could have got a 42 inch rear-projection HD, or an equivalent Sony or Panasonic. But I am very happy with the decision. I didnt spend too much and I dont regret the decision.

Wait till LCD screens come down in price and in the meantime get a workable, good-looking telly. I dont think Samsungs are ornate. Mine is pretty simple with a large on button positioned directly under the screen.

Apparently Samsung lead the world at this time for quality and price. But who knows...

Feb 2, 05 9:09 pm  · 
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Jeremy_Grant

i bought this one:

Sony FD Trinitron WEGA 32" Flat-Tube TV with Component Video Inputs - Silver

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1077628848295&skuId=6494037&productCategoryId=cat03002&type=product

it had the best picture and sound of everything in its price class and even better than some of the more expensive TVs i would have bought the 36" one but i could not rationalize spending the money.

its awsome watching dvds and cable tv, plus i use it as a primary monitor on the computer i am using right now and the picture/fonts are pretty damn clear for a tv

if i could afford either a huge lcd flatscreen or a projector i would have (i'm a student)--

Feb 3, 05 3:17 am  · 
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A

Here is what a friend reccomended.

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-vCxnVoCoSPY/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?i=158KD34XBR&search=kd%2D34xbr960

Feb 3, 05 8:46 am  · 
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