I Like Big Butts, and I Cannot Lie: Rear-Projection HDTVs

roflgoblin

I'm buying one this December.

I've begun my quest on affordable televisions with my priorities on quality picture in a very good budget. I don't care if it's got a fat ass on it. In fact, if it saves money, I prefer the big booty on my entertainment system. But I need some help. Who can offer resources and insight into my quest for the perfect rear-projection HDTV?

YodaTuna

I bought one of these last year

Here

And I have nothing to complain about so far.

The only thing about rear projection is that you need to replace the bulb. Make sure you get a warranty that covers bulb replacements. Circuit City's warranty was 400 dollars for 4 years. I assume 2 bulb replacements in that time, which would be 200-300 dollars anyway.

roflgoblin

Are refurbished products trustworthy with or without the warranty?

Halibut

I bought this one at the beginning of the summer. It uses an LED instead of a bulb, which means you pretty much never have to replace it. So far, I don't have any complaints. It's dead sexy.

Ohio

I have a Sony Wega 55-inch rear projection. It's awesome. Yeah I guess it's bigger than some of those TVs that hang on walls, but it it's also got a 55-inch screen and it only cost $1,900 (about 18 months ago).

As for replacing bulbs, I believe twice in four years is a bit high. I've heard that realistically they last much longer than that. Everything I've ever read said do not buy the Circuit City (or whoever) plan to replace the bulb because it's not worth it.

lostcawz

I'd go with DLP which means most any manufacturer except Sony. Sony uses LCDs and the picture on standard def shows isn't quite as good as on DLP. Also Sony uses natural silicon in their higher end lines and this causes yellowing of the picture in as much as 30% of their TVs inside of a few years. Plus it's Sony so they charge a premium.

Samsung and Mitsubishi both get pretty good reviews across their various lines.

cnet is a good resource for HD stuff as it's more technical than Consumer Reports (who I've never found useful) and some of the more overly techno-centric sites that nitpick over a pixel problem they claim can be seen from 15 feet away.

4 years is probably about average for bulb life (not including the newer LEDs). But most bulbs can be changed without needing servicing and the bulbs currently run about $250 or so. Even considering a new bulb at today's price you get much more screen for your money with DLP.

roflgoblin

I was browsing BUY.COM's list of HDTVs and I noticed the ones marked "reconditioned" or refurbished are significantly more affordable. There were quite a few deals for ones under that marking. Their definition and FAQ regarding items marked "reconditioned" is as follows:

What is a "Reconditioned" Product?

Various retailers use different terminology. A reconditioned product may also be referred to as "factory-reconditioned," "refurbished," "recertified" or "repackaged." A "reconditioned" product can be anything from an unopened item the customer had second thoughts about, to an item that that was missing an accessory, was sent back to the manufacturer where they replaced the missing part, tested and repackaged it.

Where can I Find "Reconditioned" Products on buy.com?

"Reconditioned" products are marked by a Reconditioned logo and contain information about the condition and existing warranties for the product. All "reconditioned" products must signify that they are not new on their packaging.

Who "Reconditions" the Products?

Manufacturer technicians or qualified, reputable outside technicians inspect, make any necessary technical or cosmetic changes, and test each product to ensure it is in like-new or almost-new condition and up to the manufacturer’s standards before it can be resold.

Why Should I Consider Purchasing a "Reconditioned" Product?

"Reconditioned" goods are substantially lower-priced than their "new" counterparts and often are of the same quality with a similar warranty.


That being said, what does everyone think about going that route? Is it risky or are they just legally bound to consider the goods "refurbished" and therefore the value drops with consumer interest, but the product is still good?

ghost_master2000

I purchased This TV in February for $1160 with free shipping and all. I love it. The only thing you might consider is going 1080p instead of 720p if you are going to go bigger than 50", but expect to pay 25-50% more for the higher resolution.

edit: my only real complaint is that I wish the contrast ratio was higher. When I'm playing some of teh darker games, it's kind of hard to see what's going on so I have to up the brightness a bit.

Turgor

I have been shopping for a new HDTV lately, and I have settled on DLP for picture quality and brightness. I have just about settled on Samsung as the brand. The big selling point for Samsung for me is the contrast ratio on the newer DLP models. The picture seems just a bit better than others I have looked at and prices are competitive. And the have LED lamp models out now too.

Now I just have to finish saving the money to buy one.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Irond Will

57" Mitsu DLP 1080p here. It's been pretty good to me, though early on it developed a problem in which the set thought it was overheating because of a faulty sensor. Mitsu sent a guy out to fix it, and it's been fine since.

My home is pretty small, and I kind of regret not buying something that I could hang on my wall, but really for the price, I got a lot of screen and picture quality.

Warder45

Look at Buy.com's return policy. I wouldn't buy a non-refurbish TV from them.