TV Purchase Thread

Discussion in 'The Mainboard' started by Joe Louis, Jun 11, 2009.

  1. Joe Louis

    Joe Louis no thank you turkish, i'm sweet enough
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    i get a bonus this friday, and have been researching some options for new TVs. below is a list of of sets that i'm interested in, i'd like to purchase at Best Buy, since i have a gift card there for a couple hundred bucks. i was thinking of putting that all towards the warranty. i haven't bought a new tv in a while, so any suggestions on these models. or tips on what to look for, would be appreciated. also, i've heard you can price match at BB, anyone have a good success story? TIA

    http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=pcat17080&type=page&qp=crootcategoryid%23%23-1%23%23-1~~q70726f63657373696e6774696d653a3e313930302d30312d3031~~cabcat0100000%23%230%23%23wv~~cabcat0101000%23%230%23%236e~~f519||24373530202d20243939392e3939~~f706||3130383070~~nf330||34302671756f743b202d2034392671756f743b&list=y&nrp=15&sc=TVVideoSP&ks=960&usc=abcat0100000&sp=-bestsellingsort+skuid&list=y&iht=n&st=processingtime%3A%3E1900-01-01
     
  2. Barves2125

    Barves2125 "Ready to drive the Ferarri" - Reuben Foster
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    Buy a Mitsubishi DTV Projection TV. 60 inches of PERFECT HD for $1,400 (including tax). :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot:
     
  3. kylebw7

    kylebw7 Well-Known Member
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    This^^^ unless you have a really tiny room there's no need for a plasma/lcd and newer projections aren't too deep
     
  4. Barves2125

    Barves2125 "Ready to drive the Ferarri" - Reuben Foster
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  5. Joe Louis

    Joe Louis no thank you turkish, i'm sweet enough
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    holy shit that's a good price, my friend told me to haggle w/ HH Gregg to set a price with BB, i'll have to see if they carry that model. 60" would be a little big for my place though. ideally, i was thinking 40"-50" that would be plenty big for my space. there's a samsung 40" 1080 lcd selling for $799, for the price that seems like an excellent deal. i guess i'd rather spend less money than possible. i don't need the craziest set out there, i just wanna hook up my laptop for movies and extra table space on FTP, thoughts??
     
  6. 09knight

    09knight UCF-Beer-Bolts
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    60 inches isnt to big. My roommate bought a 73" for our living room (mitsubishi dlp) and the room is tiny, at first i thought it was way to big but once i got use to it i wish it was bigger. You should definitely try to get BB to price match that HHgregg price. Bring in the link to that website along with a printed copy of it and if one person tells you no ask another. Sometimes the sale reps are pricks so make sure u ask more then one if they tell you no.
     
  7. hudson

    hudson Oh, you know...stuff.
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    stick with samsung.
     
  8. nofatchildren - cissp

    nofatchildren - cissp Free Da Guys
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    I have both DLP and Plasma. The only LCD's worth buying are @120hz because of the refresh rate issues w/ LCD, and you can get better deals on DLP and plasma. If you do get a DLP, MAKE SURE IT IS LED BACKLIT. I cannot stress that enough. Do not buy a DLP that uses a bulb (which was most models under 60" with Samsung before they discontinued DLP's). Changing out a bulb is easy, but expensive. I'm not sure if the one in the hhgreg link uses a bulb or not.

    Some other things...

    DLP is a great deal for screen size and picture quality, however it does have bad viewing angles, and if you aren't watching a show in HD, it tends to look worse than it would on a plasma.

    Under 50", 1080p isn't that big of a deal because most people can't tell the difference. Under 40" it is almost completely negligible.

    If you go DLP, Mitsubishi is the only one that still makes them I think, but they are excellent. If you buy anything else, get a Samsung (unless you are planning on spending a ton).
     
  9. $P1

    $P1 Ball State #1
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    Agree with this.

    If you're on any kind of budget, Samsung gives you the best bang for your buck.
     
  10. Joe Louis

    Joe Louis no thank you turkish, i'm sweet enough
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  11. photekxl

    photekxl New Member
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    What is your budget? What is the maximum you're willing to spend on a TV? That's the first question that needs to be answered.

    The second is: what are your needs? What are you going to use it for? Is space an issue?
     
  12. mjd3605

    mjd3605 Member
    TMB OG

    I got a 37' Insignia (Best Buy house brand) and I was/am very satisfied with it. If ur looking for a quality tv for the best price around, the Insignia route is certainly not a bad way to go...assuming ur not a brand loyal kinda guy.
     
  13. Taques

    Taques sometimes maybe good sometimes maybe shit
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    i have an insignia as well and im not too thrilled

    i used to have a refurb westinghouse and it wasnt bad - needed more hdmi ports though
     
  14. Joe Louis

    Joe Louis no thank you turkish, i'm sweet enough
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    i would say i don't want to go over $1k, i would be using it for gaming purposes as well as an external monitor for my laptop. size of my space is fairly limited, though i was thinking about reconfiguring. i don't have HDtv at the moment, but i would like to order it after making the purchase
     
  15. Joe Louis

    Joe Louis no thank you turkish, i'm sweet enough
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    on BB's website, there are a lot of good reviews for insignia, of course it's there website though. how recently did you purchase? i believe LG now manufacturers them for BB, my buddy who used to work there said that the quality was shotty, but has been improved ton, here's an option for insignia

    http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8632875&type=product&id=1194052042360
     
  16. mjd3605

    mjd3605 Member
    TMB OG

    Any tv u buy is gonna look terrible without HD, jus sayin
     
    GhettoRedneck likes this.
  17. mjd3605

    mjd3605 Member
    TMB OG

    I bought it right before the NBA Finals las summer, Im a college kid n got it for 700 back then..I like it
     
  18. Taques

    Taques sometimes maybe good sometimes maybe shit
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  19. Taques

    Taques sometimes maybe good sometimes maybe shit
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    The Real Movement

  20. nofatchildren - cissp

    nofatchildren - cissp Free Da Guys
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    That Plasma Panny is nice. If I were you, I'd check out the same model at amazon. Not only is it cheaper, you don't have to pay any tax, and you can usually get free delivery. That Samsung LCD is alright, but like I said earlier, I wouldn't buy an LCD under 120hz.
     
  21. nofatchildren - cissp

    nofatchildren - cissp Free Da Guys
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    Regular cable hookup + plus plasma + plus local HD channels over the air = Not that bad. You get ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, PBS, etc. for free in HD, and plasma tv's still tend to look pretty good with non HD cable. Of course, once you order an HD package for all channels, you'll never go back.
     
  22. photekxl

    photekxl New Member
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    Do not get an off brand.

    When it comes to buying an HDTV, it simply is not just about "brand loyalty."

    Off brands are less reliable, and lower quality. Period. I speak from experience.

    I suggest the below. It has 4ms response, a game mode, 120hz, 1080p, 4 HDMI inputs, 2 component inputs, etc, and is less than 30lbs. Only thing is it doesn't have DVI, but D-Sub (VGA) for computer hook-up. I don't know what you use now on your monitor but I've used both over the years and there really isn't a noticeable difference anyway.

    http://www.samsung.com/us/consumer/detail/spec.do?group=televisions&type=televisions&subtype=lcdtv&model_cd=LN37B650T1FXZA&fullspec=F

    Here's the set for $1025, brand new with warranty, free ground shipping, plus a free wall mount:

    http://www.abesofmaine.com/item.do?item=SSLN37B650&id=SSLN37B650&l=PRICESCAN
     
  23. Joe Louis

    Joe Louis no thank you turkish, i'm sweet enough
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    so here's the top two candidates, availability is a factor, as i want to purchase tomorrow. i plan on going to BB since i have $$$ on the gift card. so tell me yeah or ney for one or the other, and if you have had success w/ them price matching, please give me suggestions. thanks for all the replies

    option 1: Panasonic - VIERA / 42" Class / 1080p / 600Hz / Plasma HDTV TC-P42U1, $899

    this tv has solid reviews all over the web, and could be purchased new at a very affordable price. 4 year geek squad warranty would cost $150, after taxes i'm looking at $1120, but with my gift card it'll be closer to $900

    http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9244301&productCategoryId=abcat0101001&type=product&id=1218066284214

    option 2: 42"Panasonic TH42PZ85U Plasma HDTV - 42", 16:9, 30000:1, 1920 x 1080, 1080p, 480Hz

    this would be an open box purchase of the higher-end version of option #1 from last year, my buddy (whom i consider pretty knowledgeable in these matters) has almost the exact same version, the only difference is his is 46" well i already know his TV is fantastic, for plasma, i've heard Panny is the best. the new models cost $1200-1300, they're dropping this down to $979 for me, warranty would be about the same

    http://reviews.cnet.com/flat-panel-tvs/panasonic-viera-th-42pz85u/4505-6482_7-32887122.html?tag=rnav

    at this point, i'm thinkin option 1, since it's not open box and it's a bit cheaper. i do know however that my buddy's TV is sick, so it may be worth it to go with the higher-end model even though it's from last year and open-box (and considering the price drop, it's still a good value). as long as i put a warranty on it, i should be good, right?

    please let me know your thoughts, TIA
     
  24. Waldo746

    Waldo746 Well-Known Member
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  25. nofatchildren - cissp

    nofatchildren - cissp Free Da Guys
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    Basically, open box means floor model. Seeing as though it's a floor model, you have no idea how many hours were put on that TV. They may have used it as the floor model all of last season and had it running 14 hours a day. That's unlikely, but you get the point. I usually go in and talk down the salesman on floor models just for the hell of it, but I can never bring myself to buy one because I worry about how many hours are on it. If you are still getting a full warranty with it, it may not matter though.

    Second, the newer, cheaper TV is running at 600hz compared to 480 on the old one. I'd rather have the TV running at 600hz, all things else being equal.
     
  26. $P1

    $P1 Ball State #1
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    bschottenfels:

    If you're going to Best Buy, make sure you negotiate. Those aren't hard prices. They won't price-match to Amazon.com, for instance, but they will counter-offer usually
     
  27. OHW

    OHW Well-Known Member
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    <3 my Samsung

    Watching the NCAA tourney in CBS HD on a Samsung will make you cum, no doubt.
     
  28. GoodForAnother

    GoodForAnother I’d rather be down the allotment
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    Samsung gives you the best bang for your buck pretty much every time. I have the 56" DLP. 1080p, 10,000:1 contrast ratio, fantastic picture and it cost me $1700. It's the mirrors baby.
     
  29. RMIrish

    RMIrish Well-Known Member
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    Alright if I wanted to get a Samsung LCD 26" (yeah yeah, just for a dorm) and it's only 60 hz will that be an issue for its relatively medium/small size?
     
  30. Joe Louis

    Joe Louis no thank you turkish, i'm sweet enough
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    that's a good point, i guess they are virtually the same tv when it comes down to it, one is a bit less expensive though, i think the $899 new model will do just fine
     
  31. nofatchildren - cissp

    nofatchildren - cissp Free Da Guys
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    No. That small of a screen and you wouldn't be able to tell a bit of difference between 720p at 60hz and 1080p at 120hz anyway.
     
  32. cascy128

    cascy128 New Member
    TMB OG

    can someone make me a reccommendation or two for a TV? looking to spend about 700 or so and do not need a huge TV. its for my dorm room next year and would def need to be a flat screen which most are any way. was looking at ebay and there are some really good deals on there but i'm not to sure about ebay. anyone ever bought a TV or something similar from there? good or bad? i have like 100 dollars at best buy so i could go that route too. also what size is good for a dorm room? like 28? 32? any advice is really appreciated
     
  33. Tiny Tom

    Tiny Tom I used to be with it then they changed what it was
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    definitely haggle best buy down, went there last year for a tv and got a 42 plasma for about 300 less than asking price (economic downturns, good for something)
     
  34. nofatchildren - cissp

    nofatchildren - cissp Free Da Guys
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    I'd rock this bad boy right here: http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-PN42A450-42-Inch-720p-Plasma/dp/B0015AR7AK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1244756169&sr=8-2


    You could probably get a bigger DLP at 1080p for around the same price, but DLP might be a problem in a dorm room because of the depth (and the fact that they don't come in anything smaller than 50" as far as know). A flat panel plasma, even at 42" should fit somewhere just fine. It's 720p instead of 1080p, but again, anything under 50" and the benefit you get from 1080P isn't THAT big of a deal. Plus, the price is great.
     
  35. Joe Louis

    Joe Louis no thank you turkish, i'm sweet enough
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    here is my OFFICIAL plan:

    after a bit more research, it seems pretty consistent that at 42" the difference btw 720p & 1080p is negligible. from 8 ft there is practically no difference. it also seems Panasonic the clear #1 when it comes to plasmas. the TC-P42X1 series is $779 & HHGregg & BB, but $599 at online. it sounds like i can definitely get BB all the way down. reviews for this model are great on every site and w/ CNET, i'm pretty sure this is how i'm gonna play it. that is just too cheap for a 42" Panasonic plasma to ignore, everything says it kills a 1080p LCD
     
  36. 300

    300 Well-Known Member

    Based on size of room TV going in, I'm looking for a 46" TV. I have researched the LED, LCD, Plasma differences and feel like I want to spend the extra $$ to get a good LED (also, do not want 3D). I'm thinking about getting this TV from Best Buy:

    http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung+-+46%22+Class+/+1080p+/+120Hz+/+LED-LCD+HDTV/9784657.p?id=1218173778085&skuId=9784657

    Questions:
    -Should I wait until Christmas when there may be better deals or a good package for the same price?

    -Does the TV linked from Best Buy seem like a good deal?

    -Is it possible to bargain with Best Buy to get a lower price than the list price?
     
  37. dallasdawg

    dallasdawg does the tin man have a sheet metal cock?
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    just bought the 55" version of that exact tv

    best decision I could have possibly made, just in time for shark week
     
  38. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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  39. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    Sometimes if you agree to put the purchase on a best buy credit card they'll cut you a deal on it. Did it when I bought a TV a few years back and saved me like 10%.
     
  40. 300

    300 Well-Known Member

    :heythere:
     
  41. triple-r

    triple-r Not the mama!
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    Just figured I'd post this one as well.

    46'' Sony Bravia 1080P LED 120hz includes BDV-E570 Sony 5.1 Ch. 1000W 3D Blu-Ray Disc Home Theater System for free

    $1,249
     
  42. triple-r

    triple-r Not the mama!
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  43. JxnReb

    JxnReb New Member

    That will be a great TV. Samsung is the leader for TV's. Before you buy, sign up for the Reward Zone. With that purchase, you should get like a 50 dollar gift card from RZ. Also, ask if there are any special deals with this TV. Sometimes they'll tell you if it's going to go down in price or not.
     
  44. Ball Gag Giorgio

    Ball Gag Giorgio do you like being chief of police?
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    I'd go Panasonic Viera
     
  45. Joe Louis

    Joe Louis no thank you turkish, i'm sweet enough
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  46. Marty Kaan

    Marty Kaan By any means necessary
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    Best Buy has 40" Insignia NS-40E560A11 1080p 120Hz LED HDTV for $500. Select in-store pickup to save on shipping, otherwise it's $70 to ship to home. Thanks scottami

    Specs:

    * Resolution: 1920x1080
    * Contrast Ratio: 16,000:1 Dynamic
    * Refresh Rate: 120Hz
    * Inputs:
    o 4x HDMI
    o 1x Component
    o 1x Composite
    o 1x PC (D-Sub)
    o 1x RF
     
  47. Nelson

    Nelson Can somebody please get Ja Rhule on the phone
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    Alright fellas, I'm down to TWO contenders for the heavyweight crown of Nelson's living room.

    #1: In the blue corner....the Sony Bravia 40EX400 - $630
    [​IMG]

    #2: In the red corner...the Samsung LN40C530 - $675
    [​IMG]

    Both are extremely similar...checked consumer reports and the Samsung has one of the highest ratings and is recommended out of this range of TVs. The Sony one wasn't reviewed but it's 120Hz cousin got a very high rating. I think I like the looks of the Sony better, but CR raved about the Samsung's picture.

    Don't want no bias...help me out TMB. :ohdear:
     
  48. Buster Mahomes

    Buster Mahomes "Don't buy a Lincoln you'll look like a pimp."
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    Both great TVs obviously. Go with the Bravia IMO. Top of the line tv.
     
  49. TheChad

    TheChad Boiled peanuts are good

    I must KOP 46 inch Bravia, it's $800.