Purchasing HDTV-Need Advice

[Big Dawg 23]

I just switched to Directv on 11-01. Planned ahead knowing a HDTV was in my future although appeared six months out. Had Direct install HR22-100. Well the wife saw all the HD channels and green lighted a Black Friday purchase. Here is my question what are most people happy with for picture? Here is what I am confined to:

1. 37" or Smaller
2. Under $1000

I would like 120MHZ but options are almost non existent in 37" yet. I like Vizio 1080P but see comments on here that people dont like them so much. My other options that I like are Samsung, Sharp Aquos or Toshiba Regaza. Any suggestions would be greatly appreatciated.

 

[jjnemoiii]

Black Friday Ads and Black Friday Ad Scans for 2008 at BlackFriday.info!

Check to see whats on sale first, research to find the best one for your needs from there. Not all ads are there yet, subscribe to emails for earliest notice. just my opinion.

 

[tds4182]

I just switched to Directv on 11-01. Planned ahead knowing a HDTV was in my future although appeared six months out. Had Direct install HR22-100. Well the wife saw all the HD channels and green lighted a Black Friday purchase. Here is my question what are most people happy with for picture? Here is what I am confined to:

1. 37" or Smaller
2. Under $1000

I would like 120MHZ but options are almost non existent in 37" yet. I like Vizio 1080P but see comments on here that people dont like them so much. My other options that I like are Samsung, Sharp Aquos or Toshiba Regaza. Any suggestions would be greatly appreatciated.

Big Dawg--check your PMs.

 

[lenjack]

look at the Vizio in store. I think you'll be impressed.

 

[randyk47]

We bought a new generation Samsung 32" just a week ago. Very happy with it. The size was driven by the cabinet it had to fit, not our budget, but we did get a good buy on it, well under your criteria for less than $1,000.

 

[MLBurks]

I would like 120MHZ but options are almost non existent in 37" yet. I like Vizio 1080P but see comments on here that people dont like them so much.

I am very happy with my 720P 42" Vizio. If you get a smaller screen than that, you would never know the difference between 1080P and 720P.

 

[NutFlush920]

I am partial to Samsung myself. All the TV's in my home are Samsung's. The picture is great and I haven't had any problems at all. I have 2 DLP's, 1 LCD, and 1 tube HDTV.

 

[apace]

Do you have space limitations?
If not you could get a Panasonic or Samsung 42" 720p plasma for far less than $1000 right now. I wouldn't be surprised to see 1080p plasmas below $1000.
There will probably be some 50" 720p's less than $1000 on black friday, if not now.
If 37" is because of space limitations I would look for a 37" Panasonic plasma. I don't think they are being produced any longer, but there are probably a few still around.
I personally prefer plasma by a wide margin over LCD, but from your list I would probably go with the Samsung.
Best buy has a Panasonic 1080p LCD now for $899.
You should have plenty of choices between now and black Friday

 

[arxaw]

Vizio LCD displays are made by the same factory that's jointly owned by Samsung/Sony and makes their displays. But Vizio uses scaling technology from the best in the industry, Genesis/Faroudja, not some proprietary technology. That's why their picture quality is excellent.

On a small 37" screen, you won't notice any PQ degradation with the lack of 1080p or 120hz.

FWIW, I have a Sony HDTV but plan to replace it in the future with a Vizio.

 

[akgarrett62]

I just bought the 42" Aquos 64U series for just over a grand. My understanding is Samsung is pretty much rated as #1, Sony and Sharp fighting over #2 spot.

 

[HDinCincy]

I have a 50" Vizio plasma which I believe is now available for right at $1K at Costco. It's 720p but with the VAST improvement from where SD is, you'll get the best value with that. Plus, the programming now available in 1080p is scant. My daughter has a 60" Vizio that REALLY blows me away but it's more than $1K. That's my $.02

 

[boba]

Thanks to the economy the closer you get to xmas the lower the prixes will go. 40" LCDs can be found under $1000 now and still dropping.

 

[rmims404]

From my experience I would recommend something no less than 42". I have a 42" Plasma and wished I had one a little larger. It is 720p and has a great picture. I know someone that has a DLP and the picture is awful when watching football at the time of day the stadium has part of the field shaded. The picture was really bad because of the contrast between the still sunlit areas and the shaded areas. I would recommend a plasma or LCD. You won't notice any difference if you don't get 1080p or 120hz on the smalloer screens either. Good Luck.

 

[jjnemoiii]

Best buy has a Panasonic 1080p LCD now for $899.
You should have plenty of choices between now and black Friday

I have a panasonic 720P 42" great oicture, no complaints, its Plasma, better for darker than average rooms, LCD better for bright rooms.

 

[Big Dawg 23]

I took the plunge with credits coming to me from Dell and got a 37" 720P Vizio for $450. They have it for $679 but had Dell dollars and Reward certificates from work to use. It was hard to pass up. It would be nice for a 40 or 42" but my Entertainment Center cabinet is capped at a 37". My living room has alot of light so a Plasma was out. Once the real state market adjust I am moving from a Townhome to a house. The wife is fully behind me on getting a 60" for the basement of the new house. That will be about 18 months.


Thanks for all the feed back.

 

[joedekock]

I just picked up a 32" Samsung last night from Circuit City. It was on sale for $150 off. I was debating between the 720p and 1080p, and ended up getting the 1080p. I know the debates are out there that it is not possible to see a difference of resolutions after 720p on a 32" LCD, but I am here to tell you I could tell. It wasn't so much of a difference between 720p and 1080i, but when I had the sales guy hook up a Sony Blu-Ray player to the TV and play a 1080p dvd, I could definitely see the difference.

Anyway, I walked out paying $953 out the door for it. I am very pleased with it!

 

[randyk47]

Joedekock - Thanks for speaking up about being able to see the difference between a 720p and 1080p. We have two 32" Samsungs, one is a 720p and the other a 1080p. Both my wife and I can definitely see the difference.

 

[spartan789]

Just to clarify, D* only broadcasts 1080/24 fps, right? If that's the case, I should be looking for a 120Hz 1080p?

 

[joedekock]

Just to clarify, D* only broadcasts 1080/24 fps, right? If that's the case, I should be looking for a 120Hz 1080p?

If I am not mistaken, they do have stuff available in the 1080p format, but I have yet to see one because it is only available in the on demand. I can say for sure that D* has 1080i programming at 60Hz. My new Samsung TV displays the Hz as well as the resolution it displaying!

 

[joedekock]

Joedekock - Thanks for speaking up about being able to see the difference between a 720p and 1080p. We have two 32" Samsungs, one is a 720p and the other a 1080p. Both my wife and I can definitely see the difference.

Hey no problem! I believed those who said otherwise when I started looking at TV's this summer. Then my eye doctor recommended glasses for me for the first time in my life for distances. It has changed my world! Then I could easily see the difference of 1080 and 720 on a 32" TV.

The manufacturers make them that way for a reason. I have yet to see a LCD under 30" that does 1080i or 1080p. So for that small of a TV, I would say it for sure does not make a difference.