Which tv would you get?

[priester68]

I'm getting a new tv for Christmas. Which is a good tv to recommend? I'll be at the mercy of Wal Mart so I have to get one they carry. I'm wanting something bigger than the 46" I have now and need to keep it under $1500. I hear the 1080p movies on Dish are pretty sweet and can't wait to see my SAINTS in HD heading to the playoffs(hopefully). Is Vizio a good brand or should I stick with Sony, Samsung, etc?

 

[sundaddy]

I have 2 Vizios and they are solid. Any apprehension was soon gone after getting them up and running. Had a Samsung Slimfit HDTV that died after 4 years before getting these.

 

[KAB]

You should be posting here:
Television Sets and Projectors - SatelliteGuys.US

 

[--sexy-warlock--]

With a $1500 budget you HAVE to get a Panasonic Viera V10 series. Unparalleled IQ. I have the lower end G10 model, and it is roughly $1,200 for a 50". Go over to the AVS forums and read some impressions. There is nothing better in the near the same price range.

 

[wetz73]

Be careful going more than 46". You need about a 7' minimum viewing distance with a 46" HDTV and will cover you back to about 19'. This covers you in many living rooms and is too big for most bedrooms. Go to 52" and you have to move back to about 8.5' minimum and a 55" TV needs over 9'. I recommend sitting further back than the minimum to improve the picture quality as too close begins to lose resolution.

 

[JohnL]

I have several 2 Vizio televisions a 50 inch Plasma, a 23 inch LCD.

The only problem I ever had was during a Storm in early January 2008. During the middle of an extremely heavy wind, some wires on the Utility pole came loose shorted together and sent an extreme voltage spike down one pole of my service wires. I lost my (new) High efficiency Washer, Microwave, Network Laser Printer, three computers, several burned out Light switches, and my 50 inch Vizio Plasma TV. The Circuit boards were visibly Charred in several devices.

I replaced my 3 year old 50 inch 720p Vizio plasma, with a 50 inch 1080p Vizio Plasma. Never had a problem at all except for the Electrical issue that fried my Home.

My Brother purchased a Phillips Plasma at about the same time I purchased my first Vizio. Since then he's had his Display Glass replaced, and recently a tech come out to replace a Circuit board. At the time he purchased his Phillips he mocked my purchase of a Vizio.

I'd say the Vizio is better than most other brands in the same price range. While I'd say Sony, Samsung, or Pioneer are better, but there is also a large price difference.

John

 

[Paradox-SJ]

Be careful going more than 46". You need about a 7' minimum viewing distance with a 46" HDTV and will cover you back to about 19'. This covers you in many living rooms and is too big for most bedrooms. Go to 52" and you have to move back to about 8.5' minimum and a 55" TV needs over 9'. I recommend sitting further back than the minimum to improve the picture quality as too close begins to lose resolution.

Say's who? I can understand if this is you personal belief but with a quality HDTV these days like the Pannny V10....all those 'you must be so many feet back' rules can be tossed out the window.

As far as my recommendation...The Panny V10 or even the G10 are the best picture out there for the size and money.

 

[wetz73]

He's not buying a Panasonic V10 for $1500. If you are looking at Vizio's, you better not sit right on top of them.

 

[--sexy-warlock--]

THX Viewing Calculator

 

[jeffero]

Sony all the way. When in doubt get the Sony!

 

[--sexy-warlock--]

Not a good idea, unless you go with a very high end Sony. Stick with a plasma from Panasonic/Samsung/Pioneer for the best IQ/Price ratio.

 

[wetz73]

If your room is dark, a plasma is fine. If your room is sunny (and you watch TV during the daytime), you're better off with an LCD due to glare issues.

 

[Poke]

Yeah I'm big Sony fan myself I would suggest that you check out PriceGrabber I buy almost all of my electronics from there. Just put in the Brand the screen size so forth on your search and see what fits in your budget. I bought my ES Sony audio receiver from there and retail from Sony it was around $1,200 due to ES is their high end stuff. Got it off Pricegrabber for around $780 new. So again check on there see what they might have for your price range.

PriceGrabber.com - Comparison Shopping, Online Shopping, Product Reviews

 

[--sexy-warlock--]

I haven't experienced glare at all with my G10 with lights or a window.

 

[joecap1946]

I'm getting a new tv for Christmas. Which is a good tv to recommend? I'll be at the mercy of Wal Mart so I have to get one they carry. I'm wanting something bigger than the 46" I have now and need to keep it under $1500. I hear the 1080p movies on Dish are pretty sweet and can't wait to see my SAINTS in HD heading to the playoffs(hopefully). Is Vizio a good brand or should I stick with Sony, Samsung, etc?

Amazon has a promo going on

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-LN52B550-52-Inch-1080p-Touch/dp/B001U3Y8PY/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1257365281&sr=8-16"]Amazon.com: Samsung LN52B550 52-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color:?@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41hqnABSArL.@@AMEPARAM@@41hqnABSArL[/ame]

add this to your cart and get another 100.00 off with free shipping and no tax.

I love this TV. If you have an Amazon store card (easy to get) they give you 24 months to pay it off interest free. That offer expires the 26th of November.

Hope this helps.:up

 

[priester68]

Thanks to all for the info. Geez--I had no idea buying a new tv would be rocket science. What specs should i pay most attention to when buying? Refresh rate of __?, 1080p, what else?

 

[cryptotech]

LCDs use considerably less power than plasmas and also run cooler (give off less heat).

 

[--sexy-warlock--]

It's right behind rocket science. I would suggest asking this question at the AVS Forums. Many people that actually know why to get that certain TV. I can only tell you what looks the best, not why it looks the best.

 

[boba]

Check on servicing the TV, You may find a 2 year old has no spare parts available? Andcheck on cost of replacement bulbs, LED are the only things with decent lifespans.

 

[--sexy-warlock--]

Most newer flat panel tv's are all rated at ~100,000 hours before the set reaches half brightness. That's roughly 10x as long as the typical CRT. No need to worry about that, unless you get a fluke, and something breaks prematurely.