Buying a new television and need suggestions

LCD HDTV. Go to Best Buy and get the one that will fit best in your viewing area with your existing A/V furniture and has the best picture. If you're planning to wall-mount, figure in the cost of the mounting fixture. You might also want to re-allocate your budget to include a HDMI-ready receiver and either a HD or Blue-Ray DVD player.

I have an HD-DVD player and can honestly say that the difference between an HD-DVD and a standard DVD is neglible. That being said, though, the fact that the audio and video will run through a single HDMI cable makes cable managment tidier.

I maybe in the market soon for a new TV also and here is the conclusion that I have come to. LCD HDTV 720p. I will probably go somewhere between 32 and 40 inches. Reading and also talking to some videophile type people they thought that would be the best route to go if I wanted a great picture for sports in HD and DVD viewing. They thought there are diminishing returns for any resolution greater then 720. Hope this helps.

A lot depends on your HD source. If it's DirecTV, forget about it. They compress their signal so much, there have been the threat of a class action because they are charging for HD but delivering less resolution than HD. That's why anything above 720p (which is 1080i) is overkill.

Most over-the-air signal, caught with a regular antenna and not via cable or satellite, are 720p max.

Go buy an old tv at goodwill for $20...

When the analog spectrum dies in 2009, new tvs will be dirt cheap, and you should buy then. That way you get part of the $2billion the feds are going to hand out to poor people for new tvs.

Pamela Andersons Left Nipple wrote:

LCD HDTV.

Why LCD over plasma? I'm not a techie at all, but comparing them in the store, I notice edge flickr on the LCD's. I wouldn't want to watch sporting events (or any other fast moving video) on this.

I have an LCD HD 1080P and I thoroughly enjoy it. Great picture quality, minimal glare, etc. I have to disagree with the comment about HD-DVD or Blu-Ray however, as these formats on the 1080P screen are simply amazing. I personally wouldn't buy from Best Buy as they are overpriced. However, for some people the big name does provide them comfort. Try some online places such as newegg.com for better deals.

People wonder why there is so much confusion about HDTVs, and no wonder, people are spreading rumors and outright lies.

First of all. When the analog signal does die, the only tv that will be cheap as dirt is an analog based tv. Going digital will not magically drop the price of digital tv sets. In fact, it'll probably cause the price to rise, seeing as how demand will go up.

Secondly, P.A.L.N. doesn't know much. The "lawsuits" you refer to was an injunctio brought about by Comcast, who didn't want to be bullied around by Directv.

You're clearly unaware that Directv is about to drop the standard for HDTV in the next month, dropping 70+ HD channels with the very BEST possible compression, in MPEG4.

This will then raise their total HD channels to something about 8 times what any cable company can provide.

I can't believe you'd tout yourself to be a videophile and then say you can't tell the difference between HD DVD and an (presumably) upconverted DVD (I'm not convinced you'd know a difference anyway, judging by your "in depth" comments). The difference is smaller on older movies put out on an HD DVD which start at grainy and end at grainy.

But for movies that were filmed digitally, the difference is stunning. Casino Royale at 480P (or even upconverted) versus CR at 1080P is spectacular.

Finally, don't buy from Best Buy or Circuit City. They've got a HORRIBLE track record when it comes to legitmate returns. I bought my 40" Samsung 1080P from refurbdepot.com for way less than the store. It came shipped in a HUGE box packed with great care. And I saved a bundle.

But, do yourself the favor and investigate the model before you buy it. As someone pointed out, not all LCD's are created equal. Most videophiles still prefer plasma, and with good reason. But with LCD tvs, there are a few brands that are just mediocre.

Good luck

I'm in the market for a new tv too...and this is what I have learned so far

the price increase from 37 inches to 40 is absurd, not worth it in my mind

I have heard many MANY great things about vizio (find them at walmart, costco, etc). They have a 37 inch for $749

HDTV is nice, and works well

I'm interested also, what brands are the best? I took a look at refurbdepot.com, and their prices looked great. However, I'm still a little leaving of buying a refurbished product.

I've been through it a few times, and here is what I have come up with...

1) Look at a bunch of websites which have reviews and see what professionals and consumers think. I like AudioReview.com, but not all the newest models are there. Cnet/PCMag, Amazon, Epinions, ConsumerReports, and now even user reviews from BestBuy and Circuit City are helpful. In general you will find some companies almost always have great products (like Pioneer Elite and Mitsubishi), whereas others are hit-or-miss (Samsung is a perfect example here). There will always be one or two oddball reviews, but go with the trend (ie, Brand X seems to always be bad or Brand Y usually seems pretty good).

2) Even if you do not plan on buying in-store, go to the store and look at them. If it has an amazing picture, you know what it is capable of (and their sources may be HD-DVD, or other high quality signal, so you will need a good signal to get a good picture). If the picture is not high quality, it may be the TV itself, but it also may be the setup (poor signal, loose connection, not adjusted properly, etc.) If you see a TV that looks bad consistently from place to place, then you can think it may be the TV itself.

3) Protect your investment. I got screwed with my TV a few years back. I purchased a nice 32" TV brand new. Within three years, a lightning storm killed it, and the cost of fixing it was worth almost as much as the TV itself. I know extended warranties can be a rip off in many cases, but if they cover damage like that or accidents (ie, it gets damaged if you move), it is well worth it to have. Also, I got myself one of those MonsterCable power stations with damage coverage on it.

4) Have somebody that knows something about TV's help you set it up... Adjusting brightness/contrast optimally, calibrating it, etc. all for your viewing conditions will help you get the most out of it.

5) If you shop at BestBuy or Circuit City, or any place like that, open box deals can save you money sometimes. If they are missing the manual and remote, those are easy and cheap to replace. Just make sure the warranty coverage is appropriate and the TV itself seems to be fine, and that the return policy is acceptable to you.

6) Budget for other things you need... After all, that new 1080p TV will need friends, like an upconvert DVD player, HDMI cable, receiver, etc.

Hope that helps.

What does LCD stand for ?

I am in the market for a new TV and I am knucklehead when it comes to electronics, the refurb website looks great, are there any brands you would stay away from ?

I'd avoid major retails like Best Buy. You're just paying extra for the name. If you're anywhere near a major outlet store like Tiger Direct, you can save big $$.