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| Buying a TV; Sigh | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Nov 30 2009, 05:20 PM (792 Views) | |
| dolmansaxlil | Nov 30 2009, 05:20 PM Post #1 |
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HOLY CARP!!!
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Liam has been pestering me to get cable for about a year. I have held out. But I recently discovered that our local cable company has On Demand programming, and this is appealing to me, so I'm considering caving. So now I'm looking for a new tv, and thinking I'll set up the TV after he goes to bed on Christmas Eve and make the tv/cable a family Christmas gift. My current TV is no identifiable brand, cost $99, and is 21". The colour has been bizarre since the day we bought it. And it doesn't particularly bother me. Knowing that, I'm trying to figure out what size/brand tv to buy. I'm thinking LCD because I'm cheap (see above $99 tv) and I don't care that much (see above description of said tv). So I started looking at 22" tvs. And then got enticed by the 26" tvs (why does that 4" seem to make such a huge difference!?) And then I found one on sale at Best Buy. The same price as the Samsung/Toshiba 22" ones, but some no name brand (Dynex?), and 32". I'm not venturing outside this price range. I think it's ridiculous that I'm going to buy a new tv and cable as it is. So given my "I don't particularly care" attitude about tvs, should I go with the Dynex one (which has a lot of "a great tv for the price" type reviews), or should I go for the smaller "known" brands? |
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"Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst." ~ Henri Cartier-Bresson My Flickr Photostream | |
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| QuirtEvans | Nov 30 2009, 05:35 PM Post #2 |
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I Owe It All To John D'Oh
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If it has good reviews, and if you don't care that much, go for the Dynex. I have a Hanns G computer monitor, and I use that a lot more than any television. I never heard of Hanns G before, but it was cheap, huge, and had good reviews at Costco, so I went for it. I don't regret it, at all. |
| It would be unwise to underestimate what large groups of ill-informed people acting together can achieve. -- John D'Oh, January 14, 2010. | |
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| John Galt | Nov 30 2009, 05:50 PM Post #3 |
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Fulla-Carp
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I looked up the Dynex on Best Buy. Are you looking to spend around $300? I don't think you mentioned it in your post. I know you said you are firm on your price range, but the Costco in my area has a fabulous deal on a 32" Sony for $380. I almost fell over when I saw that price. For $80, I think you would be getting a MUCH better TV. Vizio also has some excellent TVs at a lower cost, but I don't know what they are currently selling for. Both Sony and Vizio are available at Costco and Wal-mart. I think Vizio moved to the #1 spot in LCDs. Price notwithstanding, two things to think about when selecting an LCD TV. I'm guessing your old $99 TV is 4:3 format (basically a square). The LCD is a widescreen with a 16:9 ratio. Many programs are still broadcast in 4:3, regardless of whether they are in analog or digital format. That means your picture on the new TV would have black bands on either side. Or most TVs have a "stretch" or "zoom" feature that allows the picture to fill the widescreen. Unfortunately, that means that people either look too wide and flat, or you cut off parts of the picture by zooming. Some of the cheaper TVs don't do either well. Be sure to try that feature in the store so you know what the picture will look like. Also related to the square vs wide issue, if you currently have a 22", I don't think you (read: your family) would be happy unless you went to at least a 26" screen. I made the mistake of buying a 20" widescreen to replace a 19" square screen and was shocked at how much smaller the picture was. It went back to the store and I went with 26". That worked fine. The other thing to consider is the service from your cable company. Try to find someone in your area that has an LCD and gets their cable from the same company you are considering, and look at the picture, just to be sure it is of acceptable quality. A so-so picture from the cable company actually looks better on an old CRT and can be disappointing on a brand new LCD. From someone who took the plunge and went flatscreen a few years ago, I say go for it. You won't regret it. OK, maybe you will, but your family will be happy. If you do your homework (as clearly you've started to), I think you'll enjoy the results! BTW, I'm new to these parts. Nice to meet you. Edited by John Galt, Nov 30 2009, 05:51 PM.
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| Let us begin anew, remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness. | |
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| Mikhailoh | Nov 30 2009, 05:56 PM Post #4 |
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
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We watch a couple of 26" flatscreens and it is quite nice. I'd recommend you don't go a whole lot smaller. Off brands? I have a 19" Technica up in the bedroom that I bought in 1984. Total no-name department store brand. It shows no signs whatsoever of ever giving up the ghost. I wouldn't worry too much about it. |
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Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball | |
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| dolmansaxlil | Nov 30 2009, 06:06 PM Post #5 |
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HOLY CARP!!!
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Thanks, guys - I'm still looking around. The Best Buy sale runs until Thursday, so I have to act fast if I want to get that price. John - nice to meet you! I'm in Canada, so the availability is a bit different here. But you're right - I'm trying to stay at $300. My folks have a ridiculously huge flat screen, so I'm pretty familiar with the 4:3 ratio and how things look when they aren't filed in 16:9. That's one of the reasons I started to look at the 26" as opposed to the 22" - the 22 felt so much smaller than my "box" screen in the store. I checked Costco, and everything in my price range here has an on-board DVD player. I'm not a huge fan of that idea - but it also drives the price up considerably so the 32" are out of my range, so that's why I'm looking elsewhere. There's only one cable company in the area - I'll ask around and see what people have to say. Thanks for that tip! |
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"Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst." ~ Henri Cartier-Bresson My Flickr Photostream | |
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| 1hp | Nov 30 2009, 06:27 PM Post #6 |
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Fulla-Carp
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I believe Vizio is the top selling brand in the US - largely because they sell through the box stores (like Costco). A little known fact is that there are only a few factories in the world making the glass for LCD's, so it really comes down to the backlight and electronics. Westinghouse LCD TV's are made by Tatung (and has no connection with the company that makes refrigerators and washing machines). I'm not sure if Sony has their own in house supply of glass - for some reason I believe they buy from somewhere else, so you are really paying the premium for the name. Korean suppliers (LG and Samsung) are getting much better with quality. That said, if you don't have a critical eye for the actual image quality (very hard to look at TV's subjectively in a large store setting anyway), I would look for models that have the features you want, then maybe check cnet.com, epinions.com, amazon.com and any other websites for comments from people who have bought that particular model - the internet is a wonderful tool when making a purchase! fwiw I upgraded from a 19 inch TV, to a 32 inch TV (old crt based, not flat panel) about 6 years ago, and am still happy with the 32 inch (widescreen) size. Only reason I would replace it is to save some space in the living room (mount flat panel on wall with articulating arm) - and upgrade to HD. Edited by 1hp, Nov 30 2009, 06:27 PM.
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| There are 10 kinds of people in this world, those that understand binary and................ | |
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| Mikhailoh | Nov 30 2009, 06:35 PM Post #7 |
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
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HD rocks for football. |
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Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball | |
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| DivaDeb | Nov 30 2009, 06:39 PM Post #8 |
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HOLY CARP!!!
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got a Vizio at Costco this year when my Toshiba bit the dust. It is a great TV and was not expensive. |
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| QuirtEvans | Nov 30 2009, 06:54 PM Post #9 |
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I Owe It All To John D'Oh
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There's plenty of Costco's down here, Dol. Waltham and Nashua NH are the two closest, each less than half an hour away. You could always be an importer. (An advantage to Nashua is no sales tax.) Here's the best current option. A 32 inch Samsung for $380 (only valid today, it's $170 off, but someone could buy it on credit card for you): http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11472481&whse=BC&Ne=5000000+4000000&eCat=BC|79|2341&N=4001374%205000014&Mo=19&No=5&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&topnav= There are other choices, too. |
| It would be unwise to underestimate what large groups of ill-informed people acting together can achieve. -- John D'Oh, January 14, 2010. | |
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| Dan | Nov 30 2009, 07:33 PM Post #10 |
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Senior Carp
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The nice thing about costco is that they extend the warranty to 2 years too. That makes getting an 'off' brand easier since there's not so much concern about its quality. Online, they carry 'proscan' and 'hannispree' products. I'm not sure if these are in the store or not. |
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| dolmansaxlil | Nov 30 2009, 08:48 PM Post #11 |
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HOLY CARP!!!
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Quirt -I have Costco here as well, it's just different options. Buying on the US$ is a bad idea for me - it ups the price (depending on the exchange rate) and I have to pay duty coming back. Thanks for the suggestions, all - and the reassurance about the non-brand name stuff.
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"Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst." ~ Henri Cartier-Bresson My Flickr Photostream | |
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| kenny | Nov 30 2009, 08:50 PM Post #12 |
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HOLY CARP!!!
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FWIW, I was just at Costco and noticed their return policy. Items like TV, stereos, computers, cellphones, iPods must be returned within 90 days, or they cannot be returned. |
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| QuirtEvans | Dec 1 2009, 05:40 AM Post #13 |
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I Owe It All To John D'Oh
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Yeah, but they double the manufacturer's warranty. And, during the 90-day period, there's no restocking fee for returns. Costco rocks. |
| It would be unwise to underestimate what large groups of ill-informed people acting together can achieve. -- John D'Oh, January 14, 2010. | |
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| RosemaryTwo | Dec 1 2009, 05:51 AM Post #14 |
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HOLY CARP!!!
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Hey, no one told me we had a Costco thread going on here. I love Costco. We're looking at TVs too, Dol. I hate 'em too, but I'm starting to feel like a dinosaur with the thing we got goin'. I feel your pain. |
| "Perhaps the thing to do is just to let stupid run its course." Aqua | |
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| Mikhailoh | Dec 1 2009, 05:58 AM Post #15 |
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
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They implemented this more restrictive policy because people were keeping electronics until the new models came out, then returning them. |
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Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball | |
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| jon-nyc | Dec 1 2009, 06:24 AM Post #16 |
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Cheers
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One issue with some less expensive LCDs is limited viewing angle. Make sure you get a look at the screen from all the angles one would see it from in your home. That includes up and down as well as right and left. |
| In my defense, I was left unsupervised. | |
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| LWpianistin | Dec 1 2009, 08:34 AM Post #17 |
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HOLY CARP!!!
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On a slightly related note, I still have a VCR and buy videos at Goodwill. People make fun of it, but the videos are $2 each! Who cares about being a dinosaur? Triceratops rock! |
| And how are you today? | |
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| Jolly | Dec 1 2009, 08:45 AM Post #18 |
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Geaux Tigers!
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I'm a Vizio fan, simply because I'm a value shopper and they deliver a lot of bang for the buck. My kids have had good luck with them. (Side note: Samsung is currently selling their LED screens to Sony for their LED line...ain't it a small world...) |
| The main obstacle to a stable and just world order is the United States.- George Soros | |
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| George K | Dec 1 2009, 08:48 AM Post #19 |
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Finally
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I bought a refurbed (with 90 day warrantee) 37" Vizio two (or was it three) years ago for the bedroom - birthday gift. Set it up, powered on, and it was great. I fell asleep, and when I awoke from my nap, the thing was flashing. Dead. Dead. Dead. They sent me a new one within 4 days - with a new set warrantee. I'm a believer. |
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A guide to GKSR: Click "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08 Nothing is as effective as homeopathy. I'd rather listen to an hour of Abba than an hour of The Beatles. - Klaus, 4/29/18 | |
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| Nobody's Sock | Dec 1 2009, 02:02 PM Post #20 |
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Fulla-Carp
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You too? My 28" Hanns G is awesome, and half the price of the biggies for that size. |
| "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." | |
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| Red Rice | Dec 1 2009, 02:04 PM Post #21 |
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HOLY CARP!!!
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Ah, it doesn't really matter. They're all made in the same Chinese factory, anyway. |
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Civilisation, I vaguely realized then - and subsequent observation has confirmed the view - could not progress that way. It must have a greater guiding principle to survive. To treat it as a carcase off which each man tears as much as he can for himself, is to stand convicted a brute, fit for nothing better than a jungle existence, which is a death-struggle, leading nowhither. I did not believe that was the human destiny, for Man individually was sane and reasonable, only collectively a fool. I hope the gunner of that Hun two-seater shot him clean, bullet to heart, and that his plane, on fire, fell like a meteor through the sky he loved. Since he had to end, I hope he ended so. But, oh, the waste! The loss! - Cecil Lewis | |
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| George K | Dec 1 2009, 02:05 PM Post #22 |
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Finally
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Like pianos?
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A guide to GKSR: Click "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08 Nothing is as effective as homeopathy. I'd rather listen to an hour of Abba than an hour of The Beatles. - Klaus, 4/29/18 | |
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| Nobody's Sock | Dec 1 2009, 03:02 PM Post #23 |
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Fulla-Carp
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So pianos and tv's are made in the same factory? Damm, I wish I had one of those Chinese tvpianos. When I don't like the sound of what I'm playing I could just change the channel! Oh and Dol, you want a real tv? I've been told by many that this one IS the shiznit. Drool. Plasma is still the best there is. http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Products/HomeEntertainment/PlasmaTVs+Monitors/EliteTVs/ci.PRO-151FD.Kuro Edited by Nobody's Sock, Dec 1 2009, 03:06 PM.
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| "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." | |
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| apple | Dec 1 2009, 04:51 PM Post #24 |
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one of the angels
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our tvs are so lame. |
| it behooves me to behold | |
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| QuirtEvans | Dec 1 2009, 04:53 PM Post #25 |
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I Owe It All To John D'Oh
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Plasmas are HEAVY. And don't perform well in brightly lit rooms. They do have nice true blacks, though. (And yes, that's the Hanns G that I'm looking at right this very moment.) |
| It would be unwise to underestimate what large groups of ill-informed people acting together can achieve. -- John D'Oh, January 14, 2010. | |
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I'm in Canada, so the availability is a bit different here. But you're right - I'm trying to stay at $300. My folks have a ridiculously huge flat screen, so I'm pretty familiar with the 4:3 ratio and how things look when they aren't filed in 16:9. That's one of the reasons I started to look at the 26" as opposed to the 22" - the 22 felt so much smaller than my "box" screen in the store.



11:34 AM Jul 11