HD tv question

Disco11

Well, the quick story is that here in Calgary they have this once a year MEGA LIQUIDATION SALE !!!! at all the electronic stores and since I just moved here and need a new tv, seams like a good time to pick one up. I want something between 40" and 50" and don't want to pay more that a grand. The two that I have found are a 46" Sampsung DLP with the stand and a 42" lcd Tosshiba 720P. They both say that they have a 1366 x 768 resolution and are a 1000$ . There is a 42" LG Plasma but it says that it is 1080I/720P compatible and has a 852x480P resolution but it is 700 $ Money is tight right now but having no tv sucks so in you guys opinion, witch one is the better deal? On a side note, will I notice a huge diffrence bettwen 720P and 1080P ?

nexuscrawler

The quality difference is noticeable but not the end of the world. 720P still looks very good. However 1080 is the future. Once 1080p becomes possible as a broadcast standard 720p is going to be defunct.

Disco11

So do you think I should wait before buying? Or maybe just buy a small tv for now and wait for the 1080P to go on sale?

PirateJon

Shit no. You'll be waiting for the new cheaper one for ever. Just like with a PC, all you can do is buy the best one you can and start saving for the next one. Samsung is a quality name, but I wouldn't buy DLP or plasma.

fyi - I got a 1080p LCD without a tuner (westinghouse) for right at $1000 US. If you got a grand to spend, you can find a good deal if you look hard.

Shit, ask the sales dude to discount the one LCD by $200 or something. Worst they can say is no.

Limp moose

I have a 50 inch LG Plasma I got at best buy for 1800$. I absolutely LOVE IT. Its 720 and the HD channels still Look freaking amazing. When you watch the BBC special Planet Earth on it It looks Gorgeous! I highly recommend going with LG Plasma. I have had it for 6 months now and its great. A few things though If you live on a tight budget Your energy bills will raise a bit from a plasma tv. I got an increase of about 50$ a month. They use a lot of juice.

Other things you might want to look at is financing. It is bad advice to buy something you can't afford but it is not the end of the world to spend slightly more than the cash you have on hand on a TV if you have a year to pay it off. I only had 1000$ when i bought my TV but best buy was willing to give me 2 years of interest free financing to pay for the 50 inch as opposed to the 40 I was going to get. So while I grabbed 800$ of debt it is interest free for 24 months which makes the 34$ a month payments not so bad. I just consider the payment plus the higher energy bill to be the tv tax for getting to play video games on a 50 inch screen. I could afford the extra monthly expense so I went for it. If you cant definitely dont take a financing option. The interest free stuff Is TERRIBLE if you do not pay it off and kill the card before the time runs out. They have something like a 30% rate compounded daily if you dont pay it off.

I highly recommend the LG plasma though. This tv is beautiful.

taliosfalcon

Without knowing the specific model numbers your looking at i'd say go with the DLP. They have deeper blacks than LCDs and more vibrant colors than plasmas without the risk of burn in. Of course you will probably need to change the bulb in 2-3 years

A Dabble Of Thelonius

Flat panel LCD's are nifty and slim, so the take up less space. They also have insanely good viewing angles, are almost immune to glare and have bulbs that last forever. However they're more expensive. Not a bang for the buck tv. Toshiba is an excellent brand though. They don't overprice like Sony and some others.

DLP's are big, look good and are good bang for the buck tvs since you aren't paying for a slim design. Although Samsungs newer DLP's are much skinnier than older models. Samsung is a great brand as well. Neck and neck with Toshiba in my book. So again, better bang for the buck. On the downside, DLP's don't react well to direct light especially sunlight. Glare from sunlight can be horrible. So no DLP's facing a picture window looking west. They also have a bulb that burns out. Alot. I've seen them burn out anywhere from 3 months to 3 years. The average seems to be a bulb every 1 1/2 years.

The difference between 720p and 1080 ps is subtle in places (Overall) and amazing in other places (edges, detail).

SO, there ya go. My 2 pence.

Disco11

Well, I decided to go with the DLP since my media room has no windiws and they offer bulb replacement with the 3 year warranty. Thanks for the advice