Advice for first time HDTV buyer

I've been getting HDTV email specials from Microcenter a lot recently. The Super Bowl sales are heating up.

 

let me know what your thoughts are on the tv...was very close to buying that tv...we just got the 4069 for $1469 and my parents love it...

 

For those with Comcast, I just found out that you can buy HDMI cables at Comcast payment centers for $20. I'll see how they look and update….

Edit: Nevermind. I went by there and they no longer do this.

 

Consumers Not Splurging on HDTVs for the Super Bowl

http://www.wired.com/gadgets/displays/news/2008/01/hdtv_superbowl

By Bryan Gardiner Email 01.31.08 | 6:40 PM


For sports fanatics, having a high-definition television for the Super Bowl isn't a luxury anymore; it's a necessity. That's why cable companies and retail outlets alike offer discounts and other incentives on HDTVs and HD cable packages in the weeks leading up to the big game. However, recent data suggest that pre-Super Bowl TV purchases may actually be decreasing, thanks to a leveling-off of HDTV prices and a looming recession.

"What is happening more and more is that people are buying their Super Bowl TVs back in December because the prices are so good around the holidays," said Forrester Research's James McQuivey, "so the Super Bowl spike is probably decreasing in significance."

Decreasing, but not disappearing. The National Retail Federation estimates that last January, 2.5 million Americans purchased HDTVs specifically for the Super Bowl. And Forrester's consumer survey data suggest "that Super Bowl TV buying is about 20 percent of the size of the holiday buying period," McQuivey said.

Because they're buying for themselves, not family members, Super Bowl TV buyers are often willing to pay much more for bigger, higher-priced televisions and surround sound equipment.

"I will say that of the activity you'll see this week, more and more of it will be people ... upgrading to a 50-inch from the now small-seeming 40-inch in the living room," McQuivey said.

Unlike HDTV sales, subscriptions to high-definition cable and satellite packages show no signs of slowing down. In the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl, providers can see HD subscriptions jump as much as 15 percent.

Despite efforts to anticipate demand, there tend to be shortages on HD-capable set-top boxes as early as December.

EchoStar's Dish Network reports a similar ramp up in HD interest during the two weeks leading up to the Super Bowl.

Of course, if you want to avoid spending thousands of dollars on a new HDTV or shelling out for an HD subscription, there are plenty of ways to enjoy a high-definition Super Bowl on the cheap.

One oft-used Super Bowl hacking technique is to buy an HDTV from Best Buy or Circuit City and then return it after the game. Sure, there can be up to a 20 percent restocking fee attached, but many are willing to part with the money, especially if the cost is shared with a few buddies.

For those already equipped with an HDTV but reluctant to pay more for an HD cable or satellite subscription, the other popular option is to simply buy an over-the-air HD antenna. This allows the TV (assuming it has an HDTV tuner in it) to pick up the HD versions of major prime-time networks like ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox -- which are broadcasting the Super Bowl.

Based on anecdotal evidence, some Comcast customers with standard digital subscriptions and an HDTV can also remove their cable boxes and plug the cable directly into their sets to receive the same local HD channels without paying extra.

Indeed, with a recession looming and consumers more reluctant to make major purchases, this year may see more people choosing to save money for those really important game-day purchases: beer and nachos.

 

If i were you id make sure to get a 40" with at least 1080i resolution (1080p is best). 2 years ago my dad bought a 40" Sony Bravia 1080i for $3200. my bro got the same one a year later for $1500. recently one of my friends bought 2 40" sony bravia's for about 1800, which is 900 each. so im sure u can get a really nice LCD for under 1200 (btw sony bravia are LCD with really nice picture quality, the color is vibrant/rich). anyways goodluck finding a tv that suits your needs and is within your budget.

 

I really like the TV so far. I am not an expert so I can’t give fancy details like specs or color ratios or any of that other stuff (I still have it on the settings that came with the TV), but I am pleased so far.

Now if only I could get Comcast to fix my ESPN HD!!!!!!

Oh, anyone have good sites to get advanced settings for your TV?

 

dude,
you need to get off the default settings. those are the worst!

go to google

put your model number and avsforum on the search.

you'll find someone who's spend like 2 hours on his settings and he'll post it.
just copy it.

 

I checked it out once on that site (for the Samsung 4065) but i got a thread talking about donwloading something. I will check again....

 

Yeah, avsforum had a thread on settings for the Samsung 4071 and it looks great now. The only downside is I can see grain in movie transfers that I never noticed before.

 

this is the 'official thread' for your tv. its got 101 pages
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=828228

keep in mind that the samsung tvs usually have roughly the same settings for your series. (the 65 series) the first two numbers is the screen size.

 

Dude you are great. There are tons of setting choices on there but I like the ones I finally settled on (the cnet settings...the link was in that thread).

I am a noob (picked that up from the thread too, lol).....

 

haha,
i like how hardcore these guys are, they pretty much do all the work, so you don't have waste your time hurting your eyes trying to figure out what shade of red is right. i like the one where the dude spent two hours getting his tv settings correct.

notice how its not 101 pages about HDTV.. its 101 pages of ONE PARTICULAR HDTV! That's like 101 pages of Yao babble!

 

Has anyone with Directv tried their video on demand service?

http://www.directv.com/dod/dod.html

 

So true. Those guys are ON IT. And the suck part is so many dudes have settings. I only made it through 20+ pages and I just skipped to the later ones to see the updates. When I have more time I will go back and try some different ones.

 

look specifically for what they are setting. there are PS3, Xbox360, Directv, Comcast, Timewarner.. etc

also trust your eyes. if people look to tan or the picture seems too dark or bright, its probably not right .

 

Vizio tv's are good, check them out.

 

I concur. They are much better than other off-brands TV's.