Buying my first HD TV

SethTheHuman

I'm trying to decide what I need to know. Here are the important facts:

I have an entertainment center I plan on keeping it, so it can't be too huge. I was thinking around the lines of 32" or a little more.

I don't want to go nuts on the price. Ideally I want it in the $300-400 range, but we'll see.

I'm a gamer (posting in PENNY ARCADE? Gasp!) I currently have a Wii and 360, so I need to know what cables I'll need and what requirements I should look for.

That's about it. Beyond that I guess I should worry about which brand I should get, where I should shop, and how hard the infamous installation process really is.

Esh

The HD TV thread over in the Technology sub-forum is a pretty good place to start. The OP is full of useful information.

You'll want an HDMI cable for the 360 and you'll want the component cable for the Wii.

Kyougu

Vizio should hit the price range that you're looking for. They're a good brand.

Improvolone

NewEgg regularly has great specials happening. If you don't need it ASAP you can probably nap a good set round Easter.

SethTheHuman

Should I be concerned about Hertz? My roommate suggested I avoid anything 60Hz, even though a quick Best Buy perusal indicated they were still very common, especially among TVs smaller than 40".

Caswynben

Unless you are watching 1080p24 movies on your blu ray player, there is NO reason to get a TV with more than 60 hertz, and even then, 120hz is as high as anyone would ever need to go (As it is a common multiple of 30, 60, and 24).

That said, buy a Vizio.

OnTheLastCastle

My 42" vizio was very reasonably priced and the picture is great. Has lots of inputs and audio out. Basically, good purchase.

And the 120+ hz TVs are just marketing gimmicks. You can't tell. 60hz is fine.

ElkoVituci

Yup, 60hz is perfectly fine, unless you are watching fast moving sports or something.

kalia

3rding Vizio. Our first actually shorted or something soon after we got it, and they - with no hassle - sent out a tech who replaced the insides so it is good as new. Very happy with the picture, number of connections, and definitely the customer service.

mts

costco has a 32" vizio for 400 or so right now

SatanIsMyMotor

ElkoVituci wrote: »

Yup, 60hz is perfectly fine, unless you are watching fast moving sports or something.

Or playing some games. I'd recommend going above 60hz. I find the difference to be quite noticeable.

SethTheHuman

SatanIsMyMotor wrote: »

ElkoVituci wrote: »

Yup, 60hz is perfectly fine, unless you are watching fast moving sports or something.

Or playing some games. I'd recommend going above 60hz. I find the difference to be quite noticeable.

Okay, now I'm concerned. From the people who recommended a 60 Hz TV, how many games do you play?

darqness

Check out http://www.fatwallet.com. They usually have a good collection of TV deals.

32" should be perfect for video games. I found out that 55" is too large to effectively play a game like BLOPS on because it's too much to take in. Even on our 47" it's too large. My brother in-law had the right idea and just bought a 22" computer monitor and it works great for fast paced gameplay.

60hz just refers to the screen's refresh rate. You can notice it if you compare a Blu Ray running at 60hz to one running at 120hz. You kind of lose that "I'm watching a film" effect and movement seems a lot smoother and more realistic. Some folks like it and some don't.

acadia

120hz makes everything feel like a soap opera.

BoomShake

The smoothing can be turned off in pretty much every hd tv. When the refresh rate isn't a multiple of the framerate, the tv (with the smoothing turned on) tries to interpolate frames to make it work. When it's off, it'll just multiply existing frames, bumping it up to the correct rate while maintaining the original feel.

Go with something around 120, or if you want to future proof for 3D, 240. 120 will let you introduce a blu-ray player with native 24fps content, as well as make a big difference in sports and video gaming.

Please note, this refresh rate discussion is ONLY relevant to LCDs and NOT Plasmas.

For cables, as has been said, standard HDMI for 360 (check monoprice.com), and the component adapter for Wii.

For purchasing TVs, Amazon is excellent. You have to be very careful, though, that you're buying directly from Amazon and not a 3rd party through the Amazon site (e.g. Sixth Ave sells TVs through Amazon). While Amazon's return and delivery policies on tvs are great, the third parties are usually shit.

Start with what you want (size ", 1080p, 120Hz, price range) and look at reviews of current and recent previous generations. Each tv will have it's quirks. While you're doing this, keep up with SlickDeals for the occasional sales.

Usagi

Oh hey, I just bought one of these on Thursday - a 37" LG

We looked at a lot of places online, but several (including Amazon, BestBuy and Newegg) have sort of hinky return policies for TVs. That really turned me off to purchasing one online, but YMMV

After looking at Costco's selection, we actually ended up going to BestBuy because they had several sets in the size we were looking for that were on sale.

MushroomStick

With the budget the OP set, he's probably already closed the door on 120Hz.

SethTheHuman

Yeah, for now, I went with a 32" Dynex 60 Hz. The price was ridiculously cheap at around $289. It may be too good to be true, but I have 30 days. If I don't like it, I can return it and upgrade.

hsofpn666

i would go sony bravia 32 in