930 Forums
=> GENERAL DISCUSSION => Topic started by: sweetcell on March 09, 2010, 11:20:53 pm
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so, i'm capitulating and joining the modern world: i'm buying a flat-screen TV (to be hooked up to Fios' HDTV service) and getting my 1080p on. this is a whole new world for me. the tv will be in a bright room with lots of windows, so i'll be going for a LCD screen.
anything i should keep in mind while shopping? which manufacturers are regarded as makers of the best sets?
is the step up from 120Hz refresh to 240Hz worth the price increase?
best place to hunt for deals?
danke.
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dunno about deals but I heart my Pioneer Plasma bought a couple years ago, it was the first flat screen picture I was truly impressed with...
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Love my Sharp Aquos. Hate my Sony.
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My Sharp Aquos LCD has served me well for many years now.
This gives you a pretty good rundown on things to consider:
http://www.cnet.com.au/plasma-vs-lcd-which-is-right-for-you-240036500.htm
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I much prefer plasma over LCD. Panasonic is the way to go for plasma, or if you can find one, Pioneer. I have one too and love it. Cue up the plasma vs. lcd debate....just a better pic in my opinion. The only area pic wise where lcd wins is if you have a very very bright room with lots of windows and glare. Plasma has caught up alot in terms of power usage, and many of the knocks against it (burn in etc) are nothing more than urban myth at this point.
The most important advice: Go as big as your budget and room will possibly allow. Noone has ever said "gee i wish i'd gotten a smaller tv".
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I got my last TV (Mitsubishi 73" DLP) here (http://www.thebigscreenstore.com/). Great service and they'll match or beat the prices at Best Buy, etc...
And LED smokes LCD or plasma....kinda wish I had gone that route.
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Noone has ever said "gee i wish i'd gotten a smaller tv".
Who is this Noone guy (gal?) that some of you are always referencing?
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Noone has ever said "gee i wish i'd gotten a smaller tv".
Who is this Noone guy (gal?) that some of you are always referencing?
Peter Noone, formerly of Herman's Hermits. After the reunion tour fell apart he went to work for Best Buy.
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Noone has ever said "gee i wish i'd gotten a smaller tv".
Who is this Noone guy (gal?) that some of you are always referencing?
Peter Noone, formerly of Herman's Hermits. After the reunion tour fell apart he went to work for Best Buy.
Damn, beat me to it.
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listen to chaz - he knows what he's talking about.....
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Plasma vs LCD (http://www.cnet.com/1990-7874_1-5108443-2.html?tag=hdtv;hdtv_l)
What's an LED TV? (http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/11/whats-an-led-tv/)
2010 HDTV Buyer's Guide (http://www.avrev.com/home-theater-feature-articles/video-related-articles/the-definitive-2010-hdtv-buyers-guide.html)
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I got a 37" Vizio a couple weeks ago. Love it.
I got this model:
http://www.amazon.com/VIZIO-VA370M-37-Inch-Full-1080p/dp/B002VPDL12/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1268238600&sr=8-1
The price changes on it all the time, I got mine for $468. A steal.
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I'm no self proclaimed expert on TVs, just know what I like and don't like...
My impression is that LCDs are better choice if you watch a lot of sporting events because they tend to be brighter.
My impression of a good plasma is that it handles Blacks better and more suited if you watch a lot of movies.
My boring story about HDTV, is that when I used to support the Information Age exhibit at Museum of America History in the late 90s, and they had on display a prototype tube HDTV which had a truly amazing picture. And every HDTV LCD or Plasma I saw after that paled in comparison to it, until I saw the Pioneer I own today and the reviews of that TV at the time backed it up. The only HDTV that came close were those 250lb tube models Sony used to sell. Of course try convincing ones wife to let you buy a 250lb TV :P
Also as far as what size to get, it's best to get buy off from the significant other before proceeding ;D
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And never ever buy a TV being marketed to douchebags
http://twitpic.com/z30k0
I'm still not quite sure what exactly the "dudes" in this ticket are reacting too...
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i have 3 sharp aquos lcd tvs. i like them
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I'm no self proclaimed expert on TVs, just know what I like and don't like...
My impression is that LCDs are better choice if you watch a lot of sporting events because they tend to be brighter.
My impression of a good plasma is that it handles Blacks better and more suited if you watch a lot of movies.
If you watch alot of sports, wouldn't the one that handles Blacks better be the best choice?
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Oh man.
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Plasma vs LCD (http://www.cnet.com/1990-7874_1-5108443-2.html?tag=hdtv;hdtv_l)
What's an LED TV? (http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/11/whats-an-led-tv/)
2010 HDTV Buyer's Guide (http://www.avrev.com/home-theater-feature-articles/video-related-articles/the-definitive-2010-hdtv-buyers-guide.html)
These are three great links from GGW. Definitely read these.
Don't spend the premium money on an LED. Wait to replace your plasma or LCD with an OLED when that market comes down to a reasonable price. That should coincide with 3DTV's becoming more mainstream and you will see much greater benefit.
The real "biggest difference" from a user standpoint on Plasma and LCD is the glare on the screen more than anything else. If there will be direct sunlight on the TV, go with LCD because the glass of the plasma will reflect the light. If there will not be direct sunlight on the screen then a plasma will be fine.
All else is in the eye of the beholder - buy whatever produces the best picture you desire. And feel free to test a bunch of TVs at a retailer with your own source material. If that means Blu-ray, have them hook up a blu-ray. If that means sports, have them put your favorite sports program on...
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I think plasmas also put out more heat. Even my little 26-inch LCD warms up my room by a few degrees. Nice in winter, sucks in summer.
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I think plasmas also put out more heat.
It does. And most plasmas use more elctricity.
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so my questionably rigorous online research has revealed that the step up from 120 Hz to 240 Hz isn't really worth it, it's going from 60 to 120 that is noticeable.
after spending way too long doing online shopping yesterday, i'm considering the following:
LG 42LH40 - 42" Widescreen 1080p LCD HDTV (http://www.buy.com/prod/lg-42lh40-42-widescreen-1080p-lcd-hdtv-120hz-80-000-1-dynamic-contrast/q/loc/111/210903777.html)
Toshiba REGZA 42ZV650U 42-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV (http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-REGZA-42ZV650U-42-Inch-ClearScan/dp/B001TOD3J6/)
Sharp LC40E77U 40-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV (http://www.amazon.com/Sharp-LC40E77U-40-Inch-1080p-120Hz/dp/B001THFRH4)
TOSHIBA REGZA 40" 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV 40XV645U (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16889253199)
(common specs: 120 Hz refresh, response times under 8 ms, high contrast, high brightness, good reviews - but the real test will be how they perform IRL... hoping i can track them down offline)
The only area pic wise where lcd wins is if you have a very very bright room with lots of windows and glare.
that's my situation. 2 southern-facing windows to the side and 2 west-facing windows directly across from the tv. i fear that a glass-paneled plasma would be almost unusable during daylight hours.
The most important advice: Go as big as your budget and room will possibly allow. Noone has ever said "gee i wish i'd gotten a smaller tv".
you haven't met my wife. she's even more of a tv luddite than i am. if i show up with a jumbotron, i will have things thrown at me. i'm limiting myself to 42", which will also help keep costs under control.
Also as far as what size to get, it's best to get buy off from the significant other before proceeding ;D
beat me to it :) if we didn't have all the expenses associated with moving in to our first house, i'd have more latitude in what i spend money on. as is, just getting monthly HDTV charges in to the budget was a minor struggle - thanks goodness we're going in to a world cup, the missus supports the need to have HD to watch it.
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soccer in hd is a pretty big step up. not quite as big as hockey, though
are you the guy that used to go to applebees to watch sports
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soccer in hd is a pretty big step up. not quite as big as hockey, though
i don't think i can ever watch hockey again in SD. tried a few weeks ago... painful.
was anybody here at the lucky bar for the last world cup's england-portugal game? it was a saturday morning, doors opened around 8:30am, doors closed at 9:05 b/c capacity was reached (shoulder-to-shoulder), and we partied while we waited for the game to start at 11 am. it was one of the best times i've ever had in a bar - great energy in there, too bad england lost. ANYHOO, point of this story is that just before the game went on, management took the mic and asked the crowd: do you want to watch the game in HD with american commentary, or in SD with british commentary? crowded voted to go with english SD, much to my chagrin. ugh. yes, the english commentary is better, but it that REALLY what we're here for??
are you the guy that used to go to applebees to watch sports
yeah, that was me while exiled in NJ (i.e. before this past june). went there b/c i didn't have a TV of my own, and could get them to put on pretty much anything i wanted including the world juniors on TSN - they had every sports channel subscription known to man.
but soon, i shall be autarkic in di-def sport provisionment! mwahahahaahaaaa...
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ANYHOO, point of this story is that just before the game went on, management took the mic and asked the crowd: do you want to watch the game in HD with american commentary, or in SD with british commentary? crowded voted to go with english SD, much to my chagrin. ugh. yes, the english commentary is better, but it that REALLY what we're here for??
that to me sounds like a bunch of poseurs were trying to prove how Euro they were.... unless they were actual Brits voting that way...
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that to me sounds like a bunch of poseurs were trying to prove how Euro they were.... unless they were actual Brits voting that way...
some of the latter, mostly the former. "soccer is only appreciated by euros, therefore we MUST have euro commentary". even the english owner of the lucky bar wanted american HD but was yelled down.
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It is now my contention that so-called "high definition" (HD) is the new "standard definition" (SD). Even free broadcast is new SD. The old standard should be redubbed LD, for "legacy definition" (of course, it would be known as "low def" by why hurt the old man's feelings, alright?). Cable companies should cut the crap and allow customers to get new SD as the standard package, without the LD versions of the same channels tagging along, never to be watched. LD customers could get a budget channel line-up.
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Yes but LD shows take up less space on the DVR than HD/SD, so until DVRs start coming with monster HDs we'll be sticking with watching LD at least for time shifted shows. Our HD watching is pretty much limited to On demand stuff, or if by chance we are watching something live. Now the ablility to record BBCAmerica in HD would be nice...
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why can't you record BBC in HD? or is it a case of the same ol' space limitation?
the DVR i'll be getting with Fios states "Record up to 80 hrs. of standard definition content and up to 20 hrs. of HD content". ugh. i wonder if i can open up the machine and put in a larger hard drive.
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i wonder if i can open up the machine and put in a larger hard drive.
No, you'd be voiding your membership agreement. I asked.
We have two of the FIOS Home-Media ones so that gives us 40 hours (that can be watched on either TV) between the two, and a modified Tivo HD for another 80.
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why can't you record BBC in HD? or is it a case of the same ol' space limitation?
the DVR i'll be getting with Fios states "Record up to 80 hrs. of standard definition content and up to 20 hrs. of HD content". ugh. i wonder if i can open up the machine and put in a larger hard drive.
No BBCA in HD on Comcrap because it's more important to add the HD Weather Channel instead :P
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We haven't gotten BBCA in HD on Fios either, so don't feel bad.
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i wonder if i can open up the machine and put in a larger hard drive.
No, you'd be voiding your membership agreement. I asked.
We have two of the FIOS Home-Media ones so that gives us 40 hours (that can be watched on either TV) between the two, and a modified Tivo HD for another 80.
dammit. been reading that verizon has been promising to enable external storage on their DVRs for some time now (via a firmware update), but it's all vaporware. tivo seems to be the only way to go beyond 20 hr/box.
television can be a very expensive pursuit (if one can call sitting on a couch a "pursuit").
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television can be a very expensive pursuit (if one can call sitting on a couch a "pursuit").
Hey, don't give up the faith. We truly are the greatest generation.
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(if one can call sitting on a couch a "pursuit").
It definitely is a pursuit... a pursuit of ill health (http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/23/stand-up-while-you-read-this/?scp=1&sq=sitting%20health&st=cse)....
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I opted not to use the cable co. DVR and ordered two of the new TiVo Premiere DVRs. Recording capactiy (45 hours of HD) and ability to share programs between DVRs and computers were the motivating factors. The web stuff is just a bonus. They also have an eSata port for adding even more capacity (though I can't see us needing more than 90 hours).
TiVo has also enabled storing on Windows Home Servers so really have to think about how I want to do this....
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i wonder if i can open up the machine and put in a larger hard drive.
No, you'd be voiding your membership agreement. I asked.
Don't let that stop you....
What should stop you though, is that I don't think it can be done on the Motorola or the Scientific American box that Verizon supplies for FiOS.
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I opted not to use the cable co. DVR and ordered two of the new TiVo Premiere DVRs. Recording capactiy (45 hours of HD) and ability to share programs between DVRs and computers were the motivating factors. The web stuff is just a bonus. They also have an eSata port for adding even more capacity (though I can't see us needing more than 90 hours).
I was uaware of TiVo Premiere. What's that run?
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I was uaware of TiVo Premiere. What's that run?
$299 for the 45 Hours model, $499 for the 150 hours/THX certified model. Existing TiVo owners can upgrade at a discount (despite the fact that I haven't used my TiVo series one in over 5 years, they upgraded that box for $200). Ships to the general public in about two weeks.
http://www.tivo.com/what-is-premiere/premiere-is/index.html
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I always found the comcast dvr to be pretty craptastic. Why they can't just give that thing an overhaul is beyond me. It hasn't changed a lick in years. I have fios and like the dvr just fine. More storage would be nice, but as long as I'm diligent it's usually fine. I don't store much, and usually delete right after I watch. And no, you can not add your own drive to it. Won't work.
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I opted not to use the cable co. DVR and ordered two of the new TiVo Premiere DVRs. Recording capactiy (45 hours of HD) and ability to share programs between DVRs and computers were the motivating factors. The web stuff is just a bonus. They also have an eSata port for adding even more capacity (though I can't see us needing more than 90 hours).
TiVo has also enabled storing on Windows Home Servers so really have to think about how I want to do this....
i go back and forth on the external. on one hand i'd like to keep some things that i delete, but on another i record too many things as it is. i dont mind the directv dvr's that much, just a few menu complaints
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I always found the comcast dvr to be pretty craptastic. Why they can't just give that thing an overhaul is beyond me. It hasn't changed a lick in years. I have fios and like the dvr just fine. More storage would be nice, but as long as I'm diligent it's usually fine. I don't store much, and usually delete right after I watch. And no, you can not add your own drive to it. Won't work.
You're right about Comcast. It is absurd, and even though FiOS uses the same hardware as Comcast, they've at least claened up the OS. But serisouly, the 160GB harddrive in the Motorola and SA DVRs is ridiculous. FiOS has been talking about upgrading for years and hasn't done it.
The problem with the eSata port is that not all eSata drives work with the linux kernal that runs the DVRs. That's why TiVo made it work with one eSata drive (Western Digital's My DVR Expander) and that was it. DirecTV on the other hand, is trial and error and huge PITA, in my opinion. Motorola/SA should just do what TiVo did and choose one vendor and make that an option for those that have their DVRs.
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i go back and forth on the external. on one hand i'd like to keep some things that i delete, but on another i record too many things as it is. i dont mind the directv dvr's that much, just a few menu complaints
I never used the external on the DirecTV DVRs because they had good sized hard drives (320GB being thier smallest). What I loved about DirecTV's DVRs was that they were constantly improving them - every week I would have something new to try out. Most companies don't pay that much attention to their equipment.
I need way more than 20 hours for recording though. I probably record 20 hours of sports on any given weekend. My plan for the TiVo now though, is to record HD movies and store them on my Home Server. Since I'm completely skipping Blu-Ray, this will give me HD movies without having to buy/store a bunch of dics. I can simply access them on either TiVo through the server. Tangible media is really dead in Smackies house...
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in case people were wondering what i ended up with: after much research and exchanges on forums (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/ is a pretty good one), i decided on the Samsung LN46C630 (46" LCD, matte panel, 120 Hz, 4 ms, 80,000:1, blah blah blah). folks who aren't putting the set in an overly-lit room should consider the LNxxC650 series - it has the glass "Ultra Clear Panel" which improves contrast (and color according to some), at the expense of potentially more reflection. then again, you should also consider plasma at that point.
samsung appears to be getting out of the LCD game: despite improved specs over last year's model (the B630), the new C models are cheaper. i got mine for $890 ($989 with $99 cash back from bing.com).
right then, off to find a bluray player so i can watch those gorgeous discovery channel nature specials...
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I was uaware of TiVo Premiere. What's that run?
Just an update - the Premiere has been a bit of a nightmare for us in the first week. I would recoomend holding off on one. TiVo has clearly not finished creating this UI and it's constantly causing problems.
So unless you're up for being an unpaid beta tester, the version that has made it to market is wholly unreliable. Very disappointing from a company I once held in very high regard.
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Anyone here using the Netflix player from Roku?
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A friend uses it and swears by it. I was rather surprised as her taste is pretty obscure, but she seems to always have plenty of things to watch.
Anyone here using the Netflix player from Roku?
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Anyone here using the Netflix player from Roku?
Never needed one because I have four other devices that act as Netflix players (Xbox, TiVo (2), HTPC), but I can't imagine it acting any differently than my devices. I LOVE mine and it really depends on two things:
(1) Internet connection speed (greater speed=greater quality)
(2) If netflix "watch Instantly" has enough titles to satisfy your needs.
Otherwise it's a CBA of Roku stand alone vs other multifunction devices (game consoles, blu-ray players, home theater setups) that also stream netflix/your home collection/pandora etc. Here's a list. (http://www.netflix.com/NetflixReadyDevices?lnkctr=mf_nfrd&lnkce=nrd-ofm&lnkceData=17&lnkce=ftrlnk&trkid=921401)
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While we're at it, anyone using mlb.tv on any streaming devices? My gf is white sox fan, and the roku is adding this channel, so that makes it more interesting. Plus, for only $99 it's not much to shell out for the hardware.
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I was uaware of TiVo Premiere. What's that run?
Just an update - the Premiere has been a bit of a nightmare for us in the first week. I would recoomend holding off on one. TiVo has clearly not finished creating this UI and it's constantly causing problems.
So unless you're up for being an unpaid beta tester, the version that has made it to market is wholly unreliable. Very disappointing from a company I once held in very high regard.
Thanks for the update. We were literally buying one this upcoming weekend, but not now.
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Allow me to elaborate a little more here.
The problems I'm having really stem from the new HD interface, but it can be turned off (which I have done until they get it worked out). Essentially, I'm left with a Series 3 Tivo (or TIvoHD) with a faster processor and larger hard drive. The SD UI is nearly identical to the S3 UI, only with a faster processor.
So if you have a Series 2 Tivo, like it and want to record in HD then by all means, upgrade to a Premiere (and you should do so through Tivo.com for a discount - I upgraded a series 2 for about $220). Just be prepared to turn off the HD UI.
If you have a Series 3/TivoHD and like it, then the only reason why you would want to upgrade is because you find it too laggy or you need/want more recording space (and you should do so through Tivo.com for a discount).
If you have a cable co DVR and want to replace it with a TiVo, then by all means grab a premiere. It's still cheaper than the Series 3 when it came out and is more powerful. Just be prepared to turn off the HD UI.
This thing will get better, but if you're buying it for all the cool stuff TiVo showed off at the big press conference, forget about it for at least a month, and I don't think I'm making a stretch here when I say wait 3 months.
And special note to Julian - you should buy a new one through Tivo.com to get the discount. They even offered me the ability to keep my exisiting TiVo for $10 a month and add the Premiere so an "upgrade" should be read as "add additional." I saved about $70 on the first Premiere vs the retail price I paid for the second one at Best Buy, plus $3 off the monthly service.