I need a new TV. HELP!!!

[bigjimaz]

OK, as I've mentioned in a couple threads. I need to get a new TV. What I want is something simple, that has speakers integrated (when did being able to hear what is said on TV become optional?) has a good picture and is reliable.

I went to Best Buy and the guy had me totally confused. He was mentioning things like 1080i, 780p, contrast ratio, HD 'ready' and a bunch of other stuff that basically made my brain spasm. Is there someplace that I can go to find out what all of this stuff is or can someone just recommend a good TV (that I can hear without having to buy speakers) that will work after 2/19/09?

I'm starting to feel like a Model T in the land of Porsches.

[digilight]

We just got my grandmother a 32 or 36 inch Visio brand (from sears but costco caries 'em too) LCD set for christmas. The whole family chipped in on it. It is 780p, HD, and has multiple inputs Including Coax, Component input, Composit, HDMI, S-Video, etc. The quality seemed quite good, etc.

Now about working after 2/19/09, this is when all OTA (over the air) signals go digital. These are signals recieved via an antenna or rabbit ears. As long as you get your TV from either Cable or a Satelite provider you will be fine even with a 20 year old TV.

I found a site that has some info for you about different TV's and what not.

http://www.acmehowto.com/howto/hometheater/tv-info.php

[Pedersen]

Well, there's plenty of info out there, but here's a quick answer: Sharp Aquos, whatever size floats your boat, that has 1080p. most beautiful picture on the market, in my opinion.

Longer answer: These numbers that are being bandied about have two parts: A number and a letter. examples: 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p, etc.

The number is how many lines are drawn down the screen. The bigger the number, the more lines, and the more picture that can be displayed.

The difference between the "i" and "p" is a little more complex to explain, but here's how it goes: Number the lines on the screen from 1 to 1080 (for either 1080i or 1080p). The "i" stands for "interlaced", and "p" stands for progressive.

Now, with interlaced, the display is drawn all odd-numbered lines, then all even numbered lines. This can result in flickering. In other words, the display is drawn like this:

-----
1
nothing
3
nothing
-----
Then the screen goes back up and draws in the missing lines. By the time it starts, 1 and 3 have started to fade, resulting in that flicker I mentioned.

"progressive" may have other features, but the big one is that the display is drawn sequentially, without skipping any lines. No more flicker.

1080p is the current highest resolution on the market. And Sharp Aquos is the most beautiful picture on the market (in my opinion).

Hope that helps somewhat!

[bigjimaz]

As long as you get your TV from either Cable or a Satelite provider you will be fine even with a 20 year old TV.

This is what I'm concerned about. I have basic 30 channel cable, but it is provided free by my landlord. I don't have a cable box, just a cable line that goes right into my TV. My TV is an older 36 inch Zenith that has given me absolutely no problems in the 10 or so years I've had it. It still works like the day I bought it and the quality of the picture is very good. The problem is that my landlord has told me that the service that we have, which is local (read that very small) cable company, is converting to all digital but isn't going to provide cable boxes to convert the analog signal to digital. So if I don't have an HD ready set, I'm gonna be SOL. So I figured what I'd do was to get a new set, avoid all the analog/digital thing, and give my TV to my son, who won't have the same problems with his cable.

What I am going to do is to go to the site you recommended and do some studying.

Thanks, I appreciate it.

Pederson, thanks for that. Interesting stuff. So the higher the number, the better the picture and P is better than I. I'll remember that.

What I don't understand is why, if CRT TVs can still be used to view the digital programming, why practically all of the stores have quit selling them. WalMart, Best Buy, K-Mart, Circuit City and Target don't sell CRT's anymore.

Thanks folks. Cookies for you both.

[CancelMyService]

CRT TVs don't have as good picture quality as flatscreeen TVs, plus they take up massive amounts of space where a flatscreen can be hung on a wall. Continuing to sell CRTs in 2008 would be the video equivalent of still selling 8 tracks. Yeah, they still function but you can get better quality and half the size.


(I recently went from a CRT to a flatscreen and the difference was tremendous).

[ReadyToRetire]

Bigjimaz:

While 1080p is better than 1080i, it is also more expensive in most cases.
Also <if it's like my cable company>, they only support 1080i anyway.
You really don't need a 1080p set unless you got a blu-ray, ps3, xbox 360elite, etc.

For your needs, go with a 1080i...unless you get an awesome deal on a 1080p.

[Pedersen]

So if I don't have an HD ready set, I'm gonna be SOL. So I figured what I'd do was to get a new set, avoid all the analog/digital thing, and give my TV to my son, who won't have the same problems with his cable.

Stop. Full stop. You have an error in your logic.

HD is not the same as being digital. Digital allows the broadcasters to use less bandwidth. HD allows them to provide more video on the screen.

You do not have to get HD. You do have to get a digital tuner (that is what the cable boxes provide). HD is nicer, but not mandatory.

CRT TVs don't have as good picture quality as flatscreeen TVs, plus they take up massive amounts of space where a flatscreen can be hung on a wall. Continuing to sell CRTs in 2008 would be the video equivalent of still selling 8 tracks. Yeah, they still function but you can get better quality and half the size.

Actually, CRTs provide a better color experience. However, for the consumer market, LCDs are better (less space for a bigger screen). Hence why LCDs are taking over.

While 1080p is better than 1080i, it is also more expensive in most cases.

Actually, usually not too much more expensive. And it makes sure you have everything later.

[Shabo]

Your cable company is not upgrading to HD for kicks. It's a government mandate that they do it. It was supposed to have been done years ago, but no one was ready, so they keep pushing the due date back. Yes, it does suck that you need to buy a new tv, but trust me, once you upgrade, you'll be glad you did. Except if you're watching The Matrix in high def. Lawrence Fishburne has pretty scary skin.

True, CRTs give better picture color, but they can't give the same level of clarity that LCD, plasma, or DLP can.

Only thing with LCD is make sure your model has a wide viewing angle. The picture can get weird if you view from the wrong angle. DLPs have bulbs that can blow out and cost a lot of money to replace, plus they are a bit bigger in the back than the LCDs. If you are still looking to double your TV as a computer monitor, go with LCD. Happy TV hunting!

[Seshat]

If someone who may be watching the TV has epilepsy, check with the local epilepsy association. It's possible that the progressive (ie: less flickery) is worth any extra expense - but I don't know for sure, which is why I'm saying check with the experts.

[ringo]

For more information on the Digital Television (DTV) conversion, you can go to http://www.dtv.gov/ and https://www.dtv2009.gov/

Here is a quote from the dtv2009 site.

You will need to take action before February 17, 2009 if you currently watch TV on an analog TV set that is not connected to cable, satellite or other pay TV service. If you own a television with a digital tuner or subscribe to a pay TV service, you will likely continue to receive TV programming as usual after the transition.

[lordlundar]

CRTs are quickly being phased out, so you are going to want to get a flatpanel. It also has the benefit of being a computer monitor if you want to.


To start off with, make a list of what you need and what you want.

- Do you need HD? If so, how high do you want to go?

- What size do you need? Consider your current TV. Does it feel too small? too big?

- What are you plugging into it? New game console? New Definition player? DVD player? Basic cable? Consider everything that you will connect to it.

- What sound do you need from it? Most smaller TVs have built in stereo, while most larger TVs rely on separate audio.

- Finally, what type of environment are you watching it in. Plasmas are brighter while LCDs are a better choice for a more subtle lighting.

Add those needs up and set your budget. Keep the wants as a later option if you can afford it. Also consider which needs can be cut to get into budget.


Armed with this information, go into the store and try again. If the salesman doesn't ask any questions or start with words you don't understand, walk away. This is known as "sharking". Basically, they see you as easy prey and attack to milk you out of as much money as possible. Sadly, most are forced into this practice. Show them the list of needs, cover the budget, and ask what they have that can fill the needs. Cut through the buzzwords and focus on what you need. Most of the buzzwords will be on your wants list. Some notes:


- Come armed with that list. It is a hard copy of what you need and helps you focus.

- Keep that budget and wants list to yourself. If a salesperson sees either of those, they are going to change tactics to confuse you, possibly using the list or the budget against you.

- If you feel pressured, walk away. If they're forcing you in a particular direction, it means they are after the quick sale on hard to return stuff. Easy for them, sucks for you and any CS staff you have to deal with on the return.

- If what you are after is a TV, get a TV. If they want you to get a player, cables, etc, inform them you will consider it, but don't need it right now. The second they try again, walk away. They call it "the complete package", I call it pressure selling.


Finally, remember that you are a customer, not bait. If you feel directed in a way you don't want to go, get someone else or leave. Particularly at this time of year, money's tight for most and losing a sale is a big deal. A TV is not a desperate need nor is it an impulse buy. Be in control of the sale. A bad salesperson (what I dub "used car salesmen") will try to get into control of the sale and make you buy anything. A good salesperson will realize that the customer needs to be the buyer and will come back to get things they want later on. They may think that they will find someone else to buy from, and they will, but at the moment, they need you more than you need them. With enough information, you can go to the front desk and place the order yourself.


I know this sounds harsh to anyone in sales, and it is. But I have seen way too many used car salesman style of staff who might as well be weary a tweed coat and a bad mustache instead of a uniform. Big companies make money off of these tactics so they won't stop it and it puts a lot of mistrust into the sales environment. One of the best sales I have seen came from someone who didn't know anything about what they were asked to sell and told the customer such. If they focus on what the customer needs, the customer will come back to deal with them. If they focus on the dollar sign, the customer will come back to return the item and deal with someone else, if they decide to buy from there again.

[Mr. Rager!]

I'll try and make this as simple as possible.

1080p is the best quality you'll get.
1080i isn't bad by any means, but it's not going to be as good as 1080p. Will you notice the difference? How good is your eyesight?

LCD is cheaper than Plasma. But LCD won't be good if you're goal for the tv is to play video games and watch sports or action movies. Plasma will be the way to go there. If you're worried about a lot of glare, Plasma might not be the way you want to go either. Just outweight the pros vs cons on that one.

As far as size goes. Figure out your price range, and figure how big of a tv you really want.

There will be no difference between CRT and HD if you don't have a HD source. So, if you're not planning on getting a Blu-Ray or HD player, and you don't have a HD signal coming in, a 720p will do just fine.

[Cyphr]

vizio is a brand to really look at i have the 32" inch model it has speakers and is 720P but at that size i'd be surpised if you could notice (kinda like 1280x960 vs 800x600 on 9 monitor)

[MadMike]

OK, I could have sworn I posted this last night, but I don't see it anymore.

I'm thinking about getting a new TV myself soon, and I've been doing a lot of looking. I'm thinking of getting something like a 42".

I've heard many discussions about LCD vs plasma, but not much about DLP. I wouldn't have considered DLP at first, because all the ones I saw were big and bulky, but some of the newer ones I'm seeing lately aren't so bad now, and they're significantly cheaper. Would DLP be worth considering?

[TennesseeWhiskey]

One thing to be aware of with DLP (digital light projection) is it works via a lamp inside the unit so the picture will show. After so long, the lamp bulb burns out, and it
isn't just a regular ole GE lightbulb, they're about $300 to replace.

This is why we quit selling/leasing DLP sets, as a rule. We'd have sets a year or so old with burned out bulbs, of course, right after the warranty period expired.