Which tv would you get?

**kstuart** · 11-06-2009 04:58 PM

OP - Why are you buying at Walmart ?

The best deal in terms of value for your dollar is Toshiba (who invented DVD and HD-DVD), and Walmart does not carry them.

The best and simplest way to figure out which TV to get is to spend some time reading the customer reviews on Amazon.com

As a general rule, Samsung, Toshiba, Sony, Panasonic and Pioneer all make good sets (although IIRC Pioneer is beyond the budget of most of us here).

Lastly, remember that a Plasma usually uses more electricity than an LCD, so it will cost you more in the long run.

**Ghpr13** · 11-06-2009 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by priester68

I guess I'm not really but the nearest real store with people that actually have knowledge about their product is 2 hours away. I know I can read reviews til I'm blue in the face but shouldn't I actually see the tv I want before I buy or just rely on reviews?

When I was ready to purchase a HDTV I started researching Sony, Samsung, Sharp, Vizio, and LG. I read all the info I could online, and I read all the threads I could on each brand, on the AVS Forum. The info from the AVS Forum was the most useful, because actual users of the TVs I were interested in posted the good & bad of each model. After reading the threads, I went to Best Buy, Circuit City, WalMart, & Target to compare the models. I settled on a 40' Samsung LCD and got a sweet deal online thought Abt Electronics out of Chicago. The Samsung was going for between $1300 and $1400, I got it for $1000. No tax, and free Air shipping. I bought it in May of 2008, and I love it...I have no buyer remorse at all.
Do your research first. Just remember one other thing, no matter what you buy, there will always be something better for sale soon. You have to make sure you're please & happy with what you purchase, because trying to have the latest and greatest is a never ending circle of frustration.
Good Luck!
Ghpr13

BTW: I'm thinking about getting a second HDTV, a 32", and Vizio is definitely on my list to check out, read a lot of good things on them.

**jasperpso** · 11-06-2009 07:03 PM

you cant beat panasonic plasmas for the $$

**whatchel1** · 11-07-2009 04:43 AM

Stay away from $ony. Go with Panasonic. I have a 42" inch Panasonic plasma & it wasn't expensive either. It was a clearance of the warehouse version of the top of the line. All pannys' 1080p plasma's have freq. of 480hz. They do 24fps, have watched the the Dish 1080p movies on mine. $onys' are not made by $ony, they are built either by LG or Citizen's watch company. They have anti-burn in circuitry and lag is non-existent. You will have to do a custom setting to get the best picture due to the fact they will be set on "torch" when you first get them out of the box.

**vaylon** · 11-07-2009 07:17 AM

Think of all the cash you will save if you buy it on the internet.
No taxes.
Free shipping.
and if its a biggie? free help getting it in the house. (if your nice)

**BK94541** · 11-07-2009 07:57 AM

Ya Sony all the way
have few Sony TVs working flawless for more then decades, U do pay a bit more for Sony but u get the quality for yearssss… to come that’s for sure and experienced!

**Ghpr13** · 11-07-2009 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by BK94541

Ya Sony all the way
have few Sony TVs working flawless for more then decades, U do pay a bit more for Sony but u get the quality for yearssss… to come that’s for sure and experienced!

I would agree with you if we went back in time about 15 years, but is the last 5 years or so Sony has lost their edge. You still pay more for their name, but their product is not always at the top of the list anymore. The reviews on their latest HDTVs were not overwhelming on CNET and other top reviewers. Don't get me wrong, I had a Sony 27" CRT I bought in 2003 and the PQ was fantastic, but it started having trouble in 2007 and died in 2008. 5 years for a CRT is not good. In 1990 I bought a 27" RCA (cause I couldn't afford a Sony back then) and it had great PQ and lasted until 2003. Now I wouldn't buy a RCA HDTV, but there are a lot of other brands out there that not only may be a notch above Sony, but also offer you a much better "Bang for the Buck". IMO
Ghpr13

**jerryez** · 11-07-2009 01:39 PM

Samsung and Panasonic get the best rating in the latest Consumer's Report. I got the Samsung PN63B550 Plasma and the picture is beautiful and the price is better than Panasonic, but my viewing room is 20ft x 21 ft. and one window.

**CowboyDren** · 11-07-2009 02:23 PM

That's interesting, Jerry, because Samsung and Panasonic also occupy more than half of the spots at CNet. I guess Consumer Reports isn't useless after all.

**KAB** · 11-07-2009 03:11 PM

I met a friend of a friend who does field TV repair. He said Sony has the most trouble and the hardest to get parts for in a timely manner. Again, Sammy and Panny, he said. Also said he has had more calls for LCD repairs than he has ever had for plasmas. He called them (plasma) the "tanks" of HDTV.