Buying a new TV

[Boblobla]

I need to buy a new TV for my new place. I want something huge, with a quality picture but I dont want to spend more than about $4000. How big can I get?

Dos and Donts?

Where should I buy it? Futureshop or Best Buy?

Should I get a warranty? From what I have read I am leaning towards no.

Anyone here that works at a TV store and can hook a brutha up?

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by Boblobla

I want something huge, with a quality picture but I dont want to spend more than about $4000. How big can I get?

Pretty freakin big with that kinda budget. OBCT will have waaay more info than me but you can certainly get over 60" with 4K. You could likely by an HD projector of sorts that could fill a basement wall.

[automaton 3]

This site is your friend:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/

Make sure to check out the forums, tons of useful information in there.

[Fobby]

I bought my LED LCD tv from visions. I went with the warranty because if you don't use it.. they will give it back to you in gift certificate

[Clever_Iggy]

That's a pretty good budget. OBCT is definitely a good resource around here.

I bought a Samsung 46' LCD 1080 120 hz - I love it and it was about 1/2 your budget.

Obviously, one of the first decisions is plasma v. LCD and then how big do you want to go (which should be in relation to the size of your room).

I would definitely get some sort of warranty... I had my first set act up on me and it was nice to be able to exchange it without any hassle.

[OBCT]

Shopping for a new big screen, eh? Sweet. This part can be so much fun, so take in the advice and just enjoy the whole process!

How quickly do you want this purchase out of the way, btw?


A few more questions to get a better idea of your situation.

- What kind of room is this television going into? Upstairs or downstairs? Approximate dimensions? Lots of outside light filtering into the viewing area, or is it more or less pitch black (ie. in a den) with some mood lighting? Is the room totally finished, or is it in the midst of construction/left somewhat unfinished?

- Are you opposed to the idea of a projector (assuming it would work logistically in your circumstance)?

- What are you plans for sound in this room? Are you buying something to complement the display, keeping something you already own, or planning on going with the built-in speakers on the TV?

- When are your primary watching times (daytime/afternoon/evening/late evening), and what types of stuff will you be watching often (Blu-rays, DVDs, HD television, SD television, HD gaming consoles (PS3 or 360), SD gaming consoles (Wii), other)?

- How picky do you consider yourself about image quality and the overall "home theater experience"?


It might seem like overkill, but you'll be surprised how helpful these answers can be in narrowing down the perfect display for you.

[jeremywilhelm]

avsforum.com is a fantastic forum for info on tv's and whatever you need for home theatre. Some really technical info in there if you care to delve.

[Vulcan]

Probably for a TV over 52", I'd be looking at a plasma although they aren't the best for a bright room and should be used with some care so you don't have burn in. From what I've read the top plasmas are the Pioneer but they are going to stop making plasmas so you should jump fast. A little pricey but here's one to consider.

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pro...0106344&catid=

After the Pioneer, the Panasonic Viera are considered very good. This is a good model although last years and at your price.

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pro...0109575&catid=

For this year I'd look at a Panasonic PG10. Their new models are just coming out and there is nothing larger than 50" yet although an S1 model may satisfy you. After the PG10 a PV10 will be coming out soon in Canada.

http://www.panasonic.ca/english/audi...2_46_50g10.asp

For an LCD, Ive read good reviews on the Samsung LN52B750 and the LEDs are popular too but I think overpriced.

http://reviews.cnet.com/flat-panel-t...rColumnArea1.2

You can also find reviews on the other TVs I've mentioned here.
Anyways a few ideas for you and have a look at the TVs yourself and oh yeah, don't forget to bargain.

Here's CNETs best TVs overall.

http://reviews.cnet.com/best-high-de...tColumnArea1.0

and another oh yeah, I've had good luck with LG LCDs although their black levels get panned in reviews they have very good colour calibration. I don't know about their plasmas.

[MRCboicgy]

He says to make sure it's got High D.

[SebC]

DLP.

[Boblobla]

Originally Posted by OBCT

Shopping for a new big screen, eh? Sweet. This part can be so much fun, so take in the advice and just enjoy the whole process!

How quickly do you want this purchase out of the way, btw?

I take possession of the new house on the 22nd of this month. I would like to make it quick(ish) but I am not in a huge rush as I have a 44" TV to use during the waiting period.

Originally Posted by OBCT

What kind of room is this television going into? Upstairs or downstairs? Approximate dimensions? Lots of outside light filtering into the viewing area, or is it more or less pitch black (ie. in a den) with some mood lighting? Is the room totally finished, or is it in the midst of construction/left somewhat unfinished?

It is a bonus room on the upper level of the house. It is 13' wide by 17' deep. It has windows on the N side of the room but the blinds can remove most of the light. The room is totally finished but it is already wired for sound (rears).

Originally Posted by OBCT

Are you opposed to the idea of a projector (assuming it would work logistically in your circumstance)?

I have thought about it but there is a ceiling fan in the middle of the room, I am not sure if a projector would work.

Originally Posted by OBCT

What are you plans for sound in this room? Are you buying something to complement the display, keeping something you already own, or planning on going with the built-in speakers on the TV?

Buying something to complete the display that doesn't break the bank, if I can't afford something right away I will wait for a bit.

Originally Posted by OBCT

- When are your primary watching times (daytime/afternoon/evening/late evening), and what types of stuff will you be watching often (Blu-rays, DVDs, HD television, SD television, HD gaming consoles (PS3 or 360), SD gaming consoles (Wii), other)?

Evening. Blu-rays, HD TV, HD Gaming.

Originally Posted by OBCT

- How picky do you consider yourself about image quality and the overall "home theater experience"?

Right in the middle, a little close to image quality.

[Old Yeller]

Don't get an extended warranty, it's a waste of money (if it's over $200).

Stores will usually offer a return policy of a year and if you pay on a credit card, your credit card company will double that warranty.

The salesperson will try to sell you on their super amazing 4 year extended warranty for ______ (insert price here) and you'd be crazy not to get one at this price and you must be a total moron for not considering it and ... and.....

Really though if your TV doesn't die in the first year, it's going to last for a lot longer than the extended warranty will cover.

[Galakanokis]

If $4K is your budget I would take a serious look at the Panasonic TH-50PF11UK professional monitor. This is the series 11 and they are beautiful. I have the older 9 and 10 series and no complaints. Great blacks and probably the best colour reproduction I have seen on flat panels.

We have done some tests on these babies and they rival any professional level LCD that will routinely go for $20K to $30K. We have even started using them in colour suites next to our high end CRT's that were going for $50 to $60K at one point in time.

They have a full range of inputs from composite up to a dual link RGB option.

Just priced on out at $3300. That is a company discount but I think the list is $3995 CAD. Not sold in Futureshops or Best buys. You would have to check out broadcast resellers like vidcom or appliedelectronics.

Awesome monitor.

[Boblobla]

I am hoping for a little bigger than 50" for $4k

[Galakanokis]

Sure, you're paying for the picture with that one. Panasonic makes a prosumer model that is at 63 or 65"

If you want bigger than that look at projection. Your budget might go up but not by much.

[TimSJ]

On the TV Topic there is a Phillip 52 inch 120hrz on Dell Days of deals today at what seems to be a pretty good price.. anyone have any experience with this TV?

thanks
tim

[alltherage]

One of the absolute sickest TVs on the market (click it):


VISIONS

It's a 55" at $4199 (Best Buy) but I guarantee you can scoop it for much less if you buy something else. Hell, I bet you they would almost throw in the warranty.

I used to be the Home Theatre Supervisor at Best Buy, and let me tell you... as long as you express interest in the warranty they will give you a sweet freaking deal.

What I would do, is get the sales person to tell you what you need (cables, warranty, whatever else you want) and come back with a quote. Then take that quote, let's say it's $5000, and tell them you need to squeek under $4000 and they will do everything they can to close it.

The margins on these TV's is usually around 20%. Therefore, a $5000 TV only costs them $4000.

[Boblobla]

Originally Posted by Galakanokis

Sure, you're paying for the picture with that one. Panasonic makes a prosumer model that is at 63 or 65"

If you want bigger than that look at projection. Your budget might go up but not by much.

I am just worried about the ceiling fan in the room and how it would limit a projector. I would LOVE to get an HD projector because I am a contractor and a projector is a business expense .

[OBCT]

There is already a lot of great info in this thread , so I don't need to add a whole lot (I might be repeat some things, so bear with me). It does sound like going the projector route isn;t preferable, so we will look at flat panel displays.


RE: professional monitor vs. consumer monitor. (Thanks to Galakanokis for bringing this up.)
- I have never personally done a comparison between these categories of monitor.
- In my reading, I've determined that the main advantages of pro monitors are usually: robustness/longevity/durability (ie. the ability to be left on 12 hours/day every day for years without failing), length of included warranty, and customizability (ie. few consumer line displays have the ultra-fine and advanced calibration settings standard on professional models -- that's not to say that consumer models cannot be "tweaked" just not to the same level of precision)
- Except for calibration differences, there are usually very few, if any, fundamental differences in image quality due to design within normal viewing conditions between the two varieties of monitor
- For a +25% premium in price (on average), most people will not opt for the professional grade monitor


RE: extended warranties.
- This comes down to personal opinion, I'd say. Myself, I'm of the feeling that they only push these warranties because they make so much money for the company. I agree with Old Yeller on this one - if it's gonna die due to a defect, it will probably go in the first year. Fobby does make a good point that certain retailers will reimburse unused warranties via gift card, so if a warranty is important to you (for some people it is, and that's fine), keep it in mind.


RE: plasma vs. LCD.
- This is a tough one for me in this case. Both display technologies have advanced a lot in recent years, but they still have their fundamental differences and their accompanying strengths/weaknesses. Very generally speaking, Vulcan is correct - LCDs are the better choice in rooms with ambient light (they pierce through better and produce less reflective glare), whereas plasmas are exceptional in darkened rooms (superb contrast - blackest blacks and vibrant colours).
- In your case, even one partially-covered window can cause problems for a plasma, but since you said that the vast majority of your viewing will be done in the evening, it shouldn't be noticeable. If it causes a problem for someone's daytime viewing down the road, they can improvise a temporary window shade out of towel or blanket. Not a huge deal really - LCDs are great - but plasmas are amazing in rooms they're suited for.


RE: How big should I go?!?
- As a rule of thumb, you should go as big as your room - and your wallet - allows.
- For you, depending on seating arrangement and final viewing distances, I'd recommend anything in the 50"-63" range.


Here are some specific recommendations. (Since I'm in the States, I won't be the most help in terms of Canadian pricing and availability... still, I thought it useful to see what these types of sets are going for down in the U.S. if only for comparison's sake... the listed prices include tax and shipping to my door, in USD, from reputable etailers).

Panasonic TH-58PZ800U ($1999.95) 58" Plasma
Panasonic TC-P54G10 ($1724.95) 54" Plasma

Pioneer PDP-5020FD ($2197.00) 50" Plasma
Pioneer PDP-6020FD ($3625.55) 60" Plasma

Samsung PN58B650 ($2219.00) 58" Plasma
Samsung PN63B550 ($2749.95) 63" Plasma


LG 52LG50DC ($1801.09) 52" LCD

Samsung LN52BN750 ($2079.00) 52" LCD
Samsung UN55B6000 ($2618.00) 55" LCD (w/ LED technology)

Sharp LC-52E77UN ($1895.00) 52" LCD

Toshiba 55ZV650U ($1899.00) 55" LCD

[Boblobla]

Anyone have any recommendations for purchasing online in Canada??