Electronics crew: Im buying a new HDTV within 48 hours, advice needed please - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

MynameisDevon · 03-14-2007, 09:24 PM

Ok, Ive been in the market for a new HDTV for couple weeks now and at this point its driving my nuts because they all look great and I cant decide. I almost have to flip a coin to choose one. I sold my 37'' off as I want to go bigger. Im looking to pick one up by this Friday at the latest.

Now everyone says to pay bit more and get a Sony or Samsung. I cant quite afford a Samsung (they are about $1890cdn still for a 4051D) and its out of my budget. My budget is about $1600 tops, maybe bit more if its worth it. I dont need something high end, just something that is great quality, good value and will last many years....I dont need it burning out in 3 months haha.

My 3 choices.

40'' Sony Bravia (entry line) - $1668 (just too bad its silver, black is important to me, but nothing suicidal). Retails $1999.
37'' Sharp Aquos (costco, so you get the 1yr warr) - $1299
42'' Acer - The bay with Bay card - $1529

Im sure when you guys read Acer, youre like wtf? lol. Yes I hear great things about Acer. Im sure most people would choose the Sharp out of this list, but I would like at least 40'' and looking for value, doesnt have to be high end but I want something that will last.

Want to decide by Fri if I can. I saw them all, and all look great. Cant decide, ahhh.

My head is spinning

EDIT: Sorry guys the deal for the Sony is now over

So Im substituting it for 42'' LG or Toshiba plasma at visions going for $1388 cdn.

Btw, this tv will be used for PC and xbox 360 - no tv.

Vulcan · 03-14-2007, 10:40 PM

I've never owned any of these TV's so read up on them and look at them. If I state a preference and it turns out bad, I'm not ready to be the fall guy.

BlackArcher101 · 03-14-2007, 10:44 PM

Buy em all, then retun the ones you don't like

Why are you cornering yourself into making a decision within 48 hours? I'd rather mull over it a couple weeks to do research and shop around.

browna · 03-14-2007, 10:55 PM

Check these out...Toshiba or LG Plasmas.
50" or 42"

http://www.visions.ca/flyers/pdf/visions_flyer.pdf

TurnedTheCorner · 03-14-2007, 11:22 PM

You could get a nice Toshiba 50" DLP w/stand for about $1600 if you have the room and aren't hung up on flat panel.

Bill Bumface · 03-15-2007, 12:50 AM

Go plasma for sure. You can pick up a great one at that price that would be much better than an LCD of the same size, as LCD's are a bit more expensive (and not as good of a picture).

ken0042 · 03-15-2007, 07:22 AM

And I would suggest the opposite of what hulkrogan said, and go for LCD with your uses with PC and gaming. Biggest thing to look at would be the response time.

Also, keep in mind that you are looking at some very different TVs there. Even in screen size- your 42 inch is 30% bigger than the 37". Make sure you are comparing apples to apples. Here's a helpful link for comparing the screen sizes: http://www.cavecreations.com/tv2.cgi

TurnedTheCorner · 03-15-2007, 07:54 AM

Cool link, ken0042. Thanks for sharing.

GrrlGoalie33 · 03-15-2007, 10:58 AM

Visions is awesome. If you're worried about it lasting, buy their extended warranty. If you don't use it within the 3 years, they give you the full amount back in an instore credit.

I got so confused with every message board I read when looking at LCD vs Plasma, that I finally went into the store and just looked at all the TV's and decided which one I liked best - that's all that really matters.

FWIW, DLP have a really crappy gain angle. Basically, the farther you move away from dead center, the worse the image looks before all you see is black.

Bobblehead · 03-15-2007, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frankster

Visions is awesome. If you're worried about it lasting, buy their extended warranty. If you don't use it within the 3 years, they give you the full amount back in an instore credit.

I got so confused with every message board I read when looking at LCD vs Plasma, that I finally went into the store and just looked at all the TV's and decided which one I liked best - that's all that really matters.

FWIW, DLP have a really crappy gain angle. Basically, the farther you move away from dead center, the worse the image looks before all you see is black.

That is true, but be careful because stores do things like cranking up the brightness to make the screen more vibrant than it really should, especially on model they wasn to move. When you get home and get it set reasonably, it may look different.

Don't be afraid to change the settings to something more reasonable before you decide on a certain TV.

FurnaceFace · 03-15-2007, 12:04 PM

We're very happy with the Panny Viera we ended up getting. It's out of your range a bit, but worth it in my mind.

ken0042 · 03-15-2007, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frankster

Visions is awesome. If you're worried about it lasting, buy their extended warranty. If you don't use it within the 3 years, they give you the full amount back in an instore credit.

Just be careful with the details on that one. I've never bought from them, but from what I have been told, in order to get your credit you have to apply the week of (or maybe even the day of) the warranty ending. So that means having to make sure you remember 5 years from now to go in at a certain time with all of your paperwork.

Obviously this is how they can afford to offer such a policy, so make sure you get all the details in writing.

Josh · 03-15-2007, 12:12 PM

We just purchased a 50" DLP Toshiba, we honestly couldn't be happier with it.

Bill Bumface · 03-15-2007, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ken0042

And I would suggest the opposite of what hulkrogan said, and go for LCD with your uses with PC and gaming. Biggest thing to look at would be the response time.

Also, keep in mind that you are looking at some very different TVs there. Even in screen size- your 42 inch is 30% bigger than the 37". Make sure you are comparing apples to apples. Here's a helpful link for comparing the screen sizes: http://www.cavecreations.com/tv2.cgi

Whoa... I totally missed the line that said only PC and Xbox

LCD for sure, but be careful. Some of them are picky about PC input resolutions.

fredr123 · 03-15-2007, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frankster

Visions is awesome.

I had a bad experience with Visions at their Lethbridge location a few years ago. I hate it when companies sell refurbs or items that have been previously returned but don't tell you about it. I bought a cordless phone from them and it had a bunch of phone numbers already written on that little index thingy that's sometimes attached to the phones. And it was scratched. And it wasn't in the original plastic wrapping.

GrrlGoalie33 · 03-15-2007, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fredr123

I had a bad experience with Visions at their Lethbridge location a few years ago. I hate it when companies sell refurbs or items that have been previously returned but don't tell you about it. I bought a cordless phone from them and it had a bunch of phone numbers already written on that little index thingy that's sometimes attached to the phones. And it was scratched. And it wasn't in the original plastic wrapping.

This happens more than you'd probably care to think of, and likely at most large retailers. If they can "get away" with selling something new when it's not - they will.

MynameisDevon · 03-15-2007, 05:25 PM

Alright the TV i really want is the 42 Aquos, but its too rich for my blood, and out of my budget.

Now the brick still has the 40'' Sony Bravia going on for $1698, I called visions to see if they will beat it and they said their cost is $1808 - just goes to show just how good of a deal this is. I looked at it today and love it aside from the silver colour. But the TV is soooo slim and sexy. But everyone always tells me, a Aquos will blow it away for pic quality...which is probably true, but again Aquos in 40+ is out of my budget.

Unless Im willing to settle for 37'' costco has them for $1299. But whats the point since I want to go bigger as I have 37 right now, and no point paying more for same size tv lol.

Tyler · 03-15-2007, 05:37 PM

I have the 37" Sharp.

I don't really know what to say about, besides the fact that my friends who had HD TVs sold theirs when they saw mine (sold a Bravia and an LG) and bought Aquos' because they couldnt believe how much better mine looked then theirs.

Shaw guys always say that the Aquos' are the best looking TVs they see.

I like it

Nuje · 03-15-2007, 05:52 PM

We have a 37" LG. It's wonderful I'll have to say. Great for hockey, and I like LGs large selection of zooming/stretching picture to suit your need at any given time.

kipperfan · 03-15-2007, 07:09 PM

Something I tried once when buying a TV in the past, thought it might be relevant to this thread. I used to work as an Insurance adjuster and one of the benefits of that job was getting great deals on electronics(and other stuff) from preffered vendors. So after I quit the job I needed a TV, and didnt want to pay the full price..so I had an idea. I went into Visions, found a salesmen that looked like he knew his stuff and told him I wanted to buy TV "X". I tell him I want to deal with Visions as they have always treated me right in the past, but then I tell him that I worked for insurance company "Y"(not the company I worked for, just some random company that came to mind) and said insurance company has a prefered vendor discount with Future Shop(or Soundsaround etc.) and I could get TV "X" from the prefered vendor store at cost + 5%(which is what the actual discount was). So sure enough I asked if they could do the same deal for me, buddy asks his manager and 10 minutes later he is writing up the invoice, I ended up saving $300 off the lowest price I could find anywhere in the city...worked out well....might be something someone wants to try...nothing to lose.