HDTV: How to shop smart (Online, Retail, Reviews, .Etc)

Munro

I'm looking for an HDTV and it's been a hell of a time. I've searched online, looked at all the stores in my area, and asked a couple of friends, but, with something as expensive as this, I don't know how I feel about going strictly on word of mouth.

I'm a college student and this is basically what I'm spending most of my summer cash on. That having been said, I've got about $1,200 or so (And I'd like to spend less) to get an HDTV. This is far and away the most expensive thing I've solely financed, so I need to be careful. I can't mess this up and get a new one, not for a long while. I'm aiming at around 42", but that's negotiable.

I've seen some deals that look pretty alright around town... there's a 42" Westinghouse LCD at Best Buy (Open box, 1366x768) for only $850 that's open box, but I can still get a warranty on it. If I wanted to go DLP I could get an RCA for under a grand. I even saw a nice looking 37" Sharp online for $950. Problem is, I don't know which TVs are going to last longer or offer a higher quality picture. I figure price is a decent indicator, but I don't know which brands are worth the money and which brands are gouging with lower quality products thanks to a strong reputation in other areas of electronics. I don't know how safe online shopping is for items like LCDs, which might be damaged during shipping to homes since they're not on trucks specifically meant to carry them. I don't know which review websites are trustworthy and which ones aren't. Basically, I feel like I'm way in over my head and need lots of help to protect my investment.

So, I'm looking for as much information as you have to give me. Which websites are going to give me good, comprehensive, easy to digest information about HDTVs and the differences between resolutions and picture types (LCD, DLP, Plasma, CRT)? Which websites have good reviews? Do certain retail stores have better reputations than others? Do some offer stronger or weaker extended warranty programs? Which online retailers are trustworthy? Do any online sites offer warranty programs? How wary should I be of a major discount? Is there anything else I should know or look out for?

I think I'm asking a lot of questions that are going to help me get a comprehensive answer. Hopefully this thread can be of use to others as well, so if anyone wants to ask a question just post it and I'll edit it into the topic post.

Djeet

avsforum.com has a lot of good info, particularly in the forums, but it's spread out all over the place and you have to hunt around for the info. they also have info on how to tweak your tv for performance (this may void your warranty though).

i don't think any big box store is any better than another, if you live near a fry's wait for the friday circular (in the news paper) you can score a good deal on an hdtv if you wait (they often discount a couple of tv's every friday or so) and if you can wait til a big holiday (next one is labor day) you can sometimes score a huge discount.

regarding dlp and lcd projection, just realize there is a bulb involved that will burn out faster than an lcd or plasma panel. nothing wrong with dlp, bulb replacement should just be considered a cost of operation. you might get a big discount on a projection-style tv demo model because it's always been on and the bulb needs replacement soon.

can't say regarding circuit city, best buy or compusa, but the "performance guarantee" from fry's is nice. you just go and tell them something's wrong with the set and they get a service company to look at it, and you get a loaner from fry's if your set has to leave your house for servicing. i've used it once on my tv (which is about 3.75 yrs old), some ic's had to be replaced, i estimate the cost of having the tv repaired would have been about how much I paid for the warranty ($375).

read the terms of the warranty carefully to see if you have to pay a "service call charge" if you ask for service, and if you have to pay for shipping or labor. these things also do not warrant against burn-in or abuse (usually). a lot of warranties are underwritten by a 3rd party (e.g. G.E.)

rannelvis

Best advice is to go to a bricks and mortar retailer, best buy, circuit city, whatever, and actually look at the tvs. there's only so much information to be gleaned from seeing a picture of the tv online. as far as finding the best deal, search online, check open boxes only if they come with full manufacturer's warranty.

If you will be playing video games on it, ask them to hook up a console. if they won't provide one, bring one yourself. hook it up with component cables or hdmi if applicable. check for lag.

ask them to hook up a dvd player. ask them to hook up an upscaling dvd player. ask them to hook up a bluray/hddvd player. if they give you grief, explain to them you will be spending over $1000 on something, you better be able to test it.

I recommend http://www.avsforum.com for all your questions regarding differences between picture types, explanation of resolutions.

Gihgehls

I would go a step further and buy a TV and take it home to see how it looks in the environment it will be in for a long time. I went through three TV's before settling on a Sharp AQUOS 32"