Which tv would you get?

[CowboyDren]

At 10', if viewing angle is important, I'd still strongly recommend looking at the 720p plasmas. They don't have the glare issues that they used to have, nor the burn in problems, nor the power consumption problems that they used to have.

From 10' away, you aren't going to see the difference between a 720p display and a 1080p display, unless your eyes are considerably sharper than the rest of the general population. Plasmas are still unbeaten in black level production, viewing angle, and motion resolution. If you're watching movies or sports, a plasma is still the way to go. When the action on the screen really heats up, a typical 1080p plasma only resolves about 800 lines per frame. 120Hz LCDs often only resolve 500-600, while 60Hz plasmas often don't resolve more than 300 lines. In other words, a 720p 96/72Hz plasma is still going to resolve as much picture as a 120Hz 1080p LCD that costs 50% more money up front.

The $800 Panasonic TC-P50X1 (50") costs $55 per year if operated 8 hours per day in California. The $1200 Sony KDL-46W5100 (46") costs $24; the 52" will cost more upfront and per hour of use. Yes, that's more than double the power consumption, but you have to remember that it's something like $2.50 per month.



Their Achilles Heel is still very bright rooms, but if you're not trying to watch TV in a southern room with a glass wall, a Plasma often does the trick, and you have money left over for a Blu-ray player and/or or a starter sound system.

[CowboyDren]

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.

This is less and less true all the time. Aside from Tier-2 brands that you just can't get anywhere else, all of the Tier-1 stuff at Walmart is readily available, including Samsung, Sony, and Panasonic TVs. Check their web site and cross-reference the model numbers. I've been unable to find the Sharps that they sell elsewhere, and you simply can't buy Sanyo in the US if it's not from Walmart, so what you say holds some truth, but it's not like it used to be.

Even Best Buy does this, though, with the Samsung UNxxB7100 series LED-backlit TVs; identical in spec to the B7000 except for gray instead of red ToC accents, and usually $200 cheaper than the B7000.

[Awohar]

This is less and less true all the time. Aside from Tier-2 brands that you just can't get anywhere else, all of the Tier-1 stuff at Walmart is readily available, including Samsung, Sony, and Panasonic TVs. Check their web site and cross-reference the model numbers. I've been unable to find the Sharps that they sell elsewhere, and you simply can't buy Sanyo in the US if it's not from Walmart, so what you say holds some truth, but it's not like it used to be.

Even Best Buy does this, though, with the Samsung UNxxB7100 series LED-backlit TVs; identical in spec to the B7000 except for gray instead of red ToC accents, and usually $200 cheaper than the B7000.

You'll have to pardon my ignorance. Since discovering the use of such practices, I've not bought any big ticket items from Wal-Mart in a real long time. I remember when they use to tout all the time about how carrying a certain product had created x number of jobs here in the USA. Those signs are long gone now, along with the memory of Sam Walton as far as the company is concerned.

[Dirtydan]

I have an HP 42" plasma rated at 60,000 hrs., nice tv, I would suggest for the OP to look for a plasma, of if you want an LCD get one with full array LED back lighting. I am looking at an LG 46" for $1400 and something, so a larger one would be beyond his price range, also Sharp has a good LED full array for a little less.
Dan

[Bogy]

This is less and less true all the time. Aside from Tier-2 brands that you just can't get anywhere else, all of the Tier-1 stuff at Walmart is readily available, including Samsung, Sony, and Panasonic TVs. Check their web site and cross-reference the model numbers. I've been unable to find the Sharps that they sell elsewhere, and you simply can't buy Sanyo in the US if it's not from Walmart, so what you say holds some truth, but it's not like it used to be.

Even Best Buy does this, though, with the Samsung UNxxB7100 series LED-backlit TVs; identical in spec to the B7000 except for gray instead of red ToC accents, and usually $200 cheaper than the B7000.

You guys are missing one huge reason for the different models that can only be bought at Wal-Mart/Best Buy/Sears/Etc. Absolutely nothing may be different between the model you buy from any other store, except the model # is just a digit or two different. This is so that if you ask if they do price matching, it doesn't apply, because its a "different model".

[MikeInAlaska]

Target shows such dismal pictures on their TVs that they really look terrible. Among the worst was the Panasonic 1080P 50" plasmas, which looked simply awful. Eventually they had them marked to $850 to get rid of them.

[bsk116]

Target shows such dismal pictures on their TVs that they really look terrible. Among the worst was the Panasonic 1080P 50" plasmas, which looked simply awful. Eventually they had them marked to $850 to get rid of them.

I'm not a Target fan boy by any means but the displays in your store could be set up wrong or the Panny set might be the last TV in a long line of split cables which can have a huge impact in signal/picture quality.

[navychop]

Oh yes, C-B-D- reminded me: NEVER buy a Sanyo.

[CowboyDren]

Oh yes, C-B-D- reminded me: NEVER buy a Sanyo.

That was a hard lesson to learn. Sanyo CRTs have always been very rugged and reliable, but I wouldn't trust one of their FPDs as far as I could throw it.

[garyak]

I waited and saved my money to buy the samsung 6000 series 55in. led. All my football buddies have an assortment of the other brands. After monday night football and bluray movie nights at my house they all want one. The picture is fantastic.