HDTV recommendations!

[suchashorttime]

hi friends. i'm going to be making a rather large tv purchase in the near(ish) future, and want to hear opinions, tips, stories, resources you have that helped you make a decision.

right now i am leaning toward a 2011 46" samsung 3d hdtd. not that i need nor really want 3d, but it seems like any tv in the 240hz refresh rate / high contrast is going to end up being 3d.

the only real competition i have heard about is the new line of panasonic plasmas, which are obviously cheaper, and apparently of great quality.

things i am looking for in a tv: internet / web integration, sleek and thin design, *energy saving*, longevity + future-proof (to an extent).

i appreciate any and all advice. have at it!

[almightyseancore]

i got the cheapest thing i could find at best buy with last years tax return.

it's a samsung, i think 32? i'm not too bright about things like that, but it's that fancy HD stuff everyones been talking about.

i do know that i love it and it works great. it's never given me a problem with anything.

BUT, when my ps3 is doing its black-screen-between-loading-screens thing, the "no signal" box pops up in the corner.

but other than that, it's cheap and works great. any other tv two or three hundred dollars more would be exactly the same, imo. sans 3d. i don't really need that.

[Snaggle Von Swift]

Samsung Samsung Samsung

[suchashorttime]

LED LED LED?

thanks for the truth, sean. looks like sammy is gonna be my jam. anyone else! keep it comin!

[Snaggle Von Swift]

I have a 40" Samsung LCD.. I have 0 complaints about it, though if I were purchasing now, or had the funds to upgrade that easily, I would grab one of the newer LED models with all the internet connectivity.

[hudsoncomplex]

I've got a 47" toshiba LCD, and I love it. Had it almost 2 years with no problems at all.

[thebiglebowski]

Your eyes can't tell the difference between 240 and 120 hz. What do you have that even outputs at 240 hz? I know my PS3 doesn't, and that thing looks sharp as hell on my 120 hz Samsung.

I still think 3D tv is just a fad. There is what, one 3D channel right now (the ESPN one)? Who wants to wear goggles to watch TV? I remember reading that they aren't selling that great, and if people don't buy the TVs then the content won't follow.

I would go with the plasmas.

[benchwarmer]

I just got an LG 50PX950. It's a 3D 50" Plasma. I don't care about the 3D one bit, but it's the latest technology, so you're getting a better tv, wether you use the 3D or not. Love it.

[kidamnesiac]

I never knew Samsung was such a boon. I always thought Sony was the pinnacle of TVs.

I personally have a circa-2008 46" Vizio that I love. We recently got a 32" for the bedroom (another Vizio) that I love even more. It's got that fancy wafer-thin LED business that's all the rage these days. I was surprised when we got it, because it felt like there was nothing in the box. Technology is ridiculous.

Back in 2008 when I was researching my purchase, my boss had Consumer Reports and Vizio scored highest across the boards for quality-to-value ratio. I've never had a problem with my 46" and I'd recommend Vizio to anyone. They're significantly less expensive than most top-shelf TVs and they perform just as well from what I can tell.

[suchashorttime]

thanks, everyone. i think i'm gonna stick to one of the new sammy models, head into pc richard, and demand a bargain. i'll let you know how it goes.

[bathroommonkey]

my samsung is the best thing in my life and i have a wife and two kids and a poster and record collection.

[suchashorttime]

my samsung is the best thing in my life and i have a wife and two kids and a poster and record collection.

how about a job marketing for samsung? hahahaha! SOLD.

[almightyseancore]

if you're doin' the deed at best buy, i'd recommend picking this up with it.

http://reviews.bestbuy.com/3545/9516339/....ws/re views.htm

i couldnt find the actual product on their web site anymore, so they might have stopped carrying it.

but i think it only cost me around $250 for omg-awesomeness.

it also has built in netflix and pandora. yuhhh.

p.s.

looks like most of the reviewers on there don't know how to properly use their stuff, so take those with a grain of salt.

[user456]

I never knew Samsung was such a boon. I always thought Sony was the pinnacle of TVs.

I personally have a circa-2008 46" Vizio that I love. We recently got a 32" for the bedroom (another Vizio) that I love even more. It's got that fancy wafer-thin LED business that's all the rage these days. I was surprised when we got it, because it felt like there was nothing in the box. Technology is ridiculous.

Back in 2008 when I was researching my purchase, my boss had Consumer Reports and Vizio scored highest across the boards for quality-to-value ratio. I've never had a problem with my 46" and I'd recommend Vizio to anyone. They're significantly less expensive than most top-shelf TVs and they perform just as well from what I can tell.

good to know I'm about to purchase a 22" Vizio for my office. it's one of those internet connected ones.

[suchashorttime]

if you're doin' the deed at best buy, i'd recommend picking this up with it.

http://reviews.bestbuy.com/3545/9516339/....ws/re views.htm

i couldnt find the actual product on their web site anymore, so they might have stopped carrying it.

but i think it only cost me around $250 for omg-awesomeness.

it also has built in netflix and pandora. yuhhh.

p.s.

looks like most of the reviewers on there don't know how to properly use their stuff, so take those with a grain of salt.

thanks for the heads up. i'm going to shy away from best buy... i never loved them. plus i have had people at both electronics expo and pc richard more than happy to price match the internet for me. i think i'm going to be able to get them to throw in a 3d bluray as well. sound system can come later. for now, i can really run it into my stereo for better sound. i am psyched though.

[bathroommonkey]

get a ps3 for blu ray

and use http://www.tweaktv.com/tweak-my-tv/ to adjust the settings once you get it home

[suchashorttime]

get a ps3 for blu ray

and use http://www.tweaktv.com/tweak-my-tv/ to adjust the settings once you get it home

does ps3 play bluray 3d? i figure if i'm going to get a model that is 3d capable, i'll probably ONLY use it for 3d movies (i mean, who doesn't like an occasional 3d pixar flick?). if ps3 does, i might go in that direction.

[appletree]

Samsung Samsung Samsung

also slickdeals.net

i have a samsung lcd but my step dad bought a samsung led a few months ago and damn it is amazing. yeah like the top 3 or 4 models come with 3D anyway. good luck

[suchashorttime]

Samsung Samsung Samsung

also slickdeals.net

i have a samsung lcd but my step dad bought a samsung led a few months ago and damn it is amazing. yeah like the top 3 or 4 models come with 3D anyway. good luck

+1, i am a sd regular.

[bathroommonkey]

get a ps3 for blu ray

and use http://www.tweaktv.com/tweak-my-tv/ to adjust the settings once you get it home

does ps3 play bluray 3d? i figure if i'm going to get a model that is 3d capable, i'll probably ONLY use it for 3d movies (i mean, who doesn't like an occasional 3d pixar flick?). if ps3 does, i might go in that direction.

i'm almost positive it does. i think one of the last updates i did is said it was so it could play 3d blu ray.

[suchashorttime]

ended up with the Samsung 46D7000. Picked it up from Electronics Expo (i guess they're a jersey chain?) after doing some research and the expo hooking up the price match. they gave me a good price on a 3d bluray player, and threw in a free wall mount. i got a wildly good price. i HIGHLY recommend working with Electronics Expo. man, i am psyched.

[Guest]

I love my Samsung (forget the model). However I was bummed it broke within 10 month of owning it, screen only showed a negative image. Thankfully the warrenty allowed me to take it to a local store, who fixed in a day or two.

[suchashorttime]

I love my Samsung (forget the model). However I was bummed it broke within 10 month of owning it, screen only showed a negative image. Thankfully the warrenty allowed me to take it to a local store, who fixed in a day or two.

manufacturer's or retailer's? they tried to get me to bite on one of those extended warranties, but i didn't. she said i have 2 weeks to add it on, but i am usually SO against those things.

[Guest]

I love my Samsung (forget the model). However I was bummed it broke within 10 month of owning it, screen only showed a negative image. Thankfully the warrenty allowed me to take it to a local store, who fixed in a day or two.

manufacturer's or retailer's? they tried to get me to bite on one of those extended warranties, but i didn't. she said i have 2 weeks to add it on, but i am usually SO against those things.

Retailer's. It was the only time I've ever bought it too. I think it going out was a freak thing anyway, since I researched it and couldn't find any recall or many people with the same problem.

[tattoomike]

Samsung is consistantly the highest rated of the LCDs. If you're looking for longevity I'd stick with LCD over plasma (although the newer plasmas are better at avoiding the "burn in" problems that previous generations had). Be careful with LED. Many tvs that are advertised as LED are only edge-lit, meaning that there are only LEDs on the outer edge of the screen. It is still backlit with LCD, so you're paying a premium without any real upgrade in technology. The full array LED is the future of tvs. They are fully backlit by LEDs, which will last 10-15 years and use little power. They are also capable of the deep, dark blacks that were previously only obtainable from plasmas. You should probably stick with just LCD until you can afford a full array LED.