Which tv would you get?

**dave10a** · 11-04-2009 06:42 PM

Buy the LCD that provides the best black and ability to see detail in shadows. I think they call it contrast ratio. Beware that the stores will generally use the mfg. settings which tend to be too saturated to look good in store lighting. In any event it is hard to hide a TV that does poorly showing detain in dark shadows. I have found that Samsung and Sony do the best in Contrast ratio in a real environment. In general you get what you pay for. Sony does charge for its name more than Samsung does. Samsung uses it own glass while Sony will purchase others glass and use it own electronics. Philips is a major stock holder in Samsung and markets other well known brands. Some Philips/Magnavox have a good contrast ratio as well. Toshiba is decent in some models.
It is a zoo, so go by what you see in the contrast ratio in dark or black background. Maybe compare them to a plasma which has better contrast ration in most cases. Unfortunately plasma tv eats a lot more electricity. You can't hid a pig--sort of speak. Oh yeas, watch the motion blur which is non existent in 120 hz tvs but the cost goes up. LCD response time comes at a price.

**CowboyDren** · 11-04-2009 07:04 PM

OMG that's an awesome price. Doesn't Walmart do price guaranties?

**EatMyVolts** · 11-04-2009 07:56 PM

My Vizio has been trouble free and has a picture that made my yuppie scum brother (with the fancy Sony) turn green with envy.

Is there a COSTCO anywhere near you? You have to look out for WalMart. And not just for political/sociological reasons. When I bought my Vizio from COSTCO, WalMart had one that looked the same and had almost the same model number (different suffix) for the same price but was a WalMart special with lesser specs and some features left out.

**Pen15head** · 11-05-2009 12:44 AM

here is a great article on on william wang, the owner and creater of vizeo. guy had a hand in the making of gateways lcd tv's and then ran off to start his own company.

http://www.inc.com/magazine/20070601/hidi-wang.html

btw, i do not have one bad thing to say about vizeo tv's, and seems like consumer reports really gives them great reviews too.

**getstuff4less** · 11-05-2009 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by CowboyDren

OMG that's an awesome price. Doesn't Walmart do price guaranties?

Yes, but only if the same model is on sale. If you want that TV return the one you have (if you are within the return period). If you want any sale items your best bet is to buy them now then do a return/rebuy on Sat. this is YMMV, but guarantees you have it and you avoid crowds.

http://www.walmart.com/Sharp-52-LCD-...UN/ip/11070378

**CowboyDren** · 11-05-2009 12:19 PM

Originally Posted by Pen15head

btw, i do not have one bad thing to say about vizeo tv's, and seems like consumer reports really gives them great reviews too.

HDGURU.Com Your New Disposable Flat Panel HDTV

HDGURU.Com Disposable HDTVs-Vizio Responds

Consumer Reports carries as much weight in TV selection as asking the kid at the gas station telling you what kind of car you should buy. They can tell you what brand lasts the longest, and they might be able to tell you if there's only a 50/50 chance of a model surviving because it had been on the market for a year before they reviewed it, but the TV market is far too broad and far too fast-moving for an old-school print rag to keep track in a meaningful way. Stick with CNet for initial quality reports.

**navychop** · 11-05-2009 12:40 PM

CowboyDren's post just above is great.

Vizio used to be really poor. They've come a long way, and you should have no trepidation in buying that name.

You wanted to know which brand to avoid. I suggest avoiding Philips, regardless of who owns that brand for TVs. This week. Be cautious about Sharp, they've had a reputation for banding issues, perhaps since fixed. FWIW, I own a Sharp in my RV, mostly because it had great viewing angles from side to side and below. And no banding issues.

Ignore Consumer's Reports. They've always been a joke for electronics.

I have a 61" HDTV in my living room at 12' and a 52" in my bedroom at considerable less. I've reviewed the three major viewing angle guides. Don't sweat them. The chances are very strong you'll never think you bought "too big." But you may well think you bought too small.

My bedroom TV is a [ame][URL="http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-LN52A650-52-Inch-1080p-Touch/dp/B001413DF8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1257442883&sr=8-1"]Samsung[/ame]. Interesting to note that they've produced at least two model generations since, but this one is still selling strong- and the price is way higher than what I paid.

When buying, Amazon is your friend. In a B&M, you can see what the frame looks like, etc. Then shake off the semi-clueless sales boys and go buy online.

Final analysis: You'll almost certainly be quite happy with whatever you buy.

**Bogy** · 11-05-2009 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by navychop

Final analysis: You'll almost certainly be quite happy with whatever you buy.

Which is what I was trying to say earlier, and of course got criticized for.

**priester68** · 11-05-2009 12:59 PM

Thanks for all the info. In my room viewing side angles will be pretty important. All seats are at least 10' away from tv so i think a 52" will work.

**Awohar** · 11-05-2009 01:21 PM

I've test-driven thousands of TVs. My heart is set on Samsung. However, don't buy any tv, even Samsung, from Wal-Mart. While you may be buying a nationally recognized brand there, they are usually not the exact same model as you would find at a place like Ultimate, etc. It'll appear to be the same TV but the model number is slightly different because Wal-Mart dictates the manufacturer have an exceptionally low price point to carry their product line. This often means that the exact model on sale at Wal-Mart was built with substandard parts and manufacturing from places like China, etc.