big screen tv...recommendations

[huggytree]

I finally started my Kitchen, Family room, Dinning room remodel today...all gutted....im sore!

electrician starts on Monday, so i need to make some decisions fast

I was at Walmart and noticed a large Sony HD flat screen tv for only $1,200...i couldnt believe it...these things were $3k or more a year or 2 ago.

got me thinking........i sold a couple of great jobs lately...money isnt a problem for the moment.....just like any other guy id love to have a wall mount flat screen on the wall....yeaaaahhhhh

any recommendations? I always buy Sony and have been very happy....any models or brands to recommend?

for the hookup i assume i need a electrical outlet and a cable connection??? or do they send the signal through the air?

[eborg9]

I finally started my Kitchen, Family room, Dinning room remodel today...all gutted....im sore!

electrician starts on Monday, so i need to make some decisions fast

I was at Walmart and noticed a large Sony HD flat screen tv for only $1,200...i couldnt believe it...these things were $3k or more a year or 2 ago.

got me thinking........i sold a couple of great jobs lately...money isnt a problem for the moment.....just like any other guy id love to have a wall mount flat screen on the wall....yeaaaahhhhh

any recommendations? I always buy Sony and have been very happy....any models or brands to recommend?

for the hookup i assume i need a electrical outlet and a cable connection??? or do they send the signal through the air?

No, it is definitely a cable hook up unless you plan on receiving digital T.V. signals only from your local stations.

I don't see where you could go wrong with a Sony, it's not like you are taking a chance with an off brand, they are one of the front runners in Digital Technology and Sound.

It would be hard for me to make a recommendation and say with a straight face "This is better than a Sony", although someone else may have a great experience to share about another brand.

Personally, I have 2 Toshiba's, a 19" mounted with my computer monitors, and a 37" in the bedroom. (I'm still old school in the living room), and I am very happy with them.

Just a tip. I don't know what kind of area you live in (power surges and outages), but do yourself a favor and purchase a real power back up or mini UPS for your T.V.( you can get a decent one for around $100) Don't rely on a cheap surge protector for your new stuff...especially if you plan on having the whole theater set up.
I've been in people's homes that have huge set ups plugged into power strips and you can see the lights surge when the washing machine changes cycles and it makes me cringe.

[Steve B]

I hear Mitsubishi and Toshiba are both good. Of course, Sony has always been a leader in TV's. It would only take a minute or two with a Google search to get more information than you would ever want to read.

On a side note - if you can stand having old technology around for a little while. All these people that are upgrading their TV's are getting rid of their old TV's cheap. I got a 25" Phillips traditional set the other day for $65 on Craig's list. Then, two days later I was tripping over a 27" Phillips in the basement of one of my customers during an installation. I asked them what their plans for it was and they gave it to me! These TV's were several hundred dollars in 2003 and both work perfectly.

I've been waiting for a couple of good months to buy a big one for the living room also. I'm enjoying the dreaming stage, but one of these days I hope to actually get one.

I think Superbowl time is always one of the best times to buy a TV.

[Spider]

...I was at Walmart and noticed a large Sony HD flat screen tv for only $1,200...i couldnt believe it...these things were $3k or more a year or 2 ago.
got me thinking........

I thought you said you wouldn't buy fixtures from Home Depot because even good brands, like Kohler, sell cheaply made copies of their own stuff there - like a top WC, I think you mentioned once, with cheap plastic internal parts instead of brass.

Why do you suppose TVs in Wal-Mart are the same quality you would get from a higher-priced quality store? If Home Depot does that, wouldn't Wal-Mart?

You have spent much time in this forum extolling the relationship between price and quality, and how it is not possible to maintain quality and reduce price. What makes you think that applies to plumbing but doesn't apply to television sets?

Do you really think the Sony Bravia 46-inch Class 1080p LCD HDTV, KDL-46 Flat Panel high definition television for $3,200 at Quality-TV Emporium, is the same Sony Bravia 46-inch Class 1080p LCD HDTV, KDL-46 Flat Panel high definition television that Walmart is advertising for $853?

[billbenson]

I suspect a lot of the off brands are relabeled products from major brands. They don't worry me to much. Having said that, a friend who has a tv in all bedrooms says the US made models have a better reputation. I bought a 42 inch Phillips at Walmart about two years ago and it works great.

I don't watch TV much, but my wife always has it on. I figured we don't really need HD because she is always watching Spanish stations that aren't HD. A couple of months ago I was talking with my cable company and HD was only $2 more per month so I said ok. The TV was already HD. The difference is absolutely incredible. Its one of those once you have it, you won't go back things. I think TV is moving so rapidly toward HD, that most stations will have it if they don't already. When I got the HD, all stations improved dramatically.

Before Xmas, there were a ton of sales. All the ones I saw including Walmart were on TV's with inferrior specs. I'd buy on specifications first and brand second. I'd also search for reviews on the set you want.

As far as cabling, you will have your standard coax cable which go either directly to your TV or to your cable company box if you subscribe for that. For non HD the cable companies will run coax from the box to your TV. For HD, they run a different set of cables.

Here's a site I have bought a lot of stuff from. Tigerdirect.com bought the name Circuit City when they went belly up. You can go to either site. Sometimes the specials are different, but they are the same thing:

LG 42LH30 42" 1080p LCD HDTV at CircuitCity.com

Below are some specifications. I picked the LG TV for the specs at random, but LG is a good brand. Also, if the vendor doesn't show all the specs, go to the manufacturers site and find them.

I highlighted the ones I think are important and why. You can always buy a cheap tube set as Steve B suggested, but you have kids that might want to play games and movies are much better. All my tube sets have died in a year or two.

Display Area: 42" - Buy the size that fits your needs

Display Type: LCD

Aspect Ratio: 16:9

Contrast Ratio: 50000:1 Dynamic - You want a good contrast ratio

Resolution: 1920 x 1080 Also called 1080P Don't by anything less

Response Time: 6 ms The lower the better. I'd try for 5ms or better

Signal Compatibility: 1080p

Input Video Signal: ATSC
QAM
NTSC

Compatibility: VESA (200 mm X 200 mm)

Screen Refresh Rate: 60Hz

Condition: New

Features: PC Input

Inputs: Antenna
PC
Composite
Component
HDMI - HDCP - You want HDMI and Coax
USB (Service Only)

Outputs: Audio
Digital Audio Out

HDMI Ports: 3

Height (inches): 25.9

Height with Stand (inches): 28.1

Width (inches): 40.4

Depth (inches): 3.4

Depth with Stand (inches): 11.6

Unit Weight: 47 lbs.

Specification Notes: [1] To provide the most accurate specifications, the specifications listed are based upon the manufacturer's exact model specification as published on the manufacturer's website, and the manufacturer's product documentation.

Oh, BTW, if you can find something at Walmart (online usually has a better selection), they may be the better choice because you can return it up to a month later at the store. Easier and cheaper than packing it back up and sending it back. I think you will find better prices in most cases with an online search. I've bought a bunch of stuff from Tigerdirect/ circuit city with out return issues.

[huggytree]

spider...i didnt say i was buying it from Walmart...i probably wont...i was just mentioning i noticed the drop in price at Walmart......it probably IS different quality...thats why i probably wont buy from Walmart.

next weekend ill be going to the electronics store w/ the family....if i decide not to wall mount it i may go to Walmart for the TV stand

current TV is a Sony 32" Wega...i think its like 620 or 720p or something like that...its HD, but not the real HD....it used to be impressive. i think i paid $800 for that a few years ago...hard to believe i can get a 42" 1080p flat screen now for a few hundred more.

[Spider]

Sorry, Dave - I thought if you were visiting Wal-Mart you were shopping there. (Why go to Wal-Mart if not to shop? I cannot imagine myself going to a superstore with no intention to shop. Mind you, my wife does her grocery shopping at Wal-Mart. She says she finds better quality produce there. And I cannot detect any difference in the quality of the Budweiser she buys at Wal-Mart but a considerablly lower price than I pay elsewhere.)

[Dan Furman]

And I cannot detect any difference in the quality of the Budweiser she buys at Wal-Mart but a considerablly lower price than I pay elsewhere.)

<beer snob> Quality and Budweiser do not belong in the same sentence. </beer snob>

[orion_joel]

I think it can depend a lot on what the model is that you are getting at WalMart compared to elsewhere. Is it the exact same model for a considerably lower price or is a slightly different model (eg gen 6 rather then gen 7) If all the numbers and spec appear to be identical, then question the quality. However if there is a specific difference like the generation or such you will likely find that the price difference is because they are trying to clear the older model.

One other option which may not relate to big price difference, but at least some of a price difference sometimes, could be if they are using the product as a loss leader, or selling at cost to attract customers where they try to upsell other products, to go with it.

[billbenson]

I don't see Walmart needing to unload much excess inventory. As efficient as they are, I bet they have the "just in time" concept down to a science. TV I bought at a good price at that time was completely current model.