Advice for first time HDTV buyer

And we think some threads get long here!

 

I'm looking around for one also. Very VERY limited budget (student), but I'm going to need a new T.V in my room anyway.

I found this 27" LCD tv for only $400, which is around my price range. I know very little about HDTVs, and I'm wondering if this is a good one to go with. Th brand is Olevia.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16889022020

Also I have a question with regards to resolutions. Obviously higher is better, but what does it mean when a tv is 1078i/p compatible? (The one I linked to has this: Video: Standard Definition and High Definition (480i, 480p, 720p)) Also what does the "i" and "p" stand for, and if I'm going to notice the difference between the 720 and the 1078 if all I'm going to be doing is playing xbox360 and watching standard T.V (maybe some H.D channels like ESPNHD or the discovery channel in h.d after I get a receiver)

I probably muddled up some of the terms so bare with me.

 

HDTV guide:

http://lifehacker.com/software/hdtv/hdtv-guide--the-short-and-sweet-version-168523.php

 

sounds like a good deal. u should get it. the resolution is fine since you are getting such a small tv. make sure u go to the message boards for the correct color/brightness settings. i think u should set your xbox360 to 720p for this model.

 

what online forums are you talking about???

 

Vizio is coming up also. You can find them at samsclub.

 

http://www.avsforum.com/

 

I've found ecost to be very price competitive.

There are some 32" and even 37" on there in the same price range. I got a 32 inch Westinghouse from them in early April. It shipped to my house for free in a few days and I've had no problems to date. I think all-in I ended up paying $502 or so.

http://www.ecost.com/ecost/ecplasma/category/category.aspx?Category=155435620

 

I think part of the problem is that you will now have the option of HDTV available, so SD will look even worse compared to it.

IMO, a few things to note:

1. Most major channels do have a lot of HDTV programming (NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox, ESPN, and then some others). I don't watch ESPN in standard definition ever anymore. Doesn't mean that the HD channel is always HD, but it is always better then the SD feed, and is true HD most of the time.

2. The SD isn't that bad. I think depending on your tv and feed, it shouldn't be much worse than it currently is....but it may be different, and may seem worse.

3. You can always get a tv and see if you like it, and return if you don't.

4. The size differential, at least for me, was too much to pass up. A flat screen tv is so much smaller in volume for the same (or better) performance.

I'd go ahead and get a tv now, especially considering how cheap some are...

For the second tier of brands, Westinghouse and Vizio always are mentioned, and I've had good experience with Westinghouse, as has DD. Acer's name seems to be mentioned more and more now.

EDIT: One final note. You can spend hours and hours at AVSFORUM. Note that every tv ever made will have some kind of problem with it and since that forum is so popular, somebody has a tv with said problem. I'd be sure that a tv or brand you're are looking at isn't hated by all, but wouldn't worry too much if a few people are having minor issues.

 

go to hometheater store and watch the NBA playoffs. tell me if you want to upgrade or not after that.

 

blake, if you watch any DVDs at all you will notice the difference. After you buy your display, be sure you have an upconverting DVD player (with HDMI, if you can). They're cheap (all the DVD players today are cheap, even excellent ones that would have cost hundreds a few years ago), and you get a higher resolution. Instead of 480 pixels, it upconverts the image to 540 pixels. (or 540p)

Now, that may not sound like a big difference, but you WILL see that difference on the screen. I would argue that the better the display (and the higher quality the DVD) the better those extra pixels will look. That alone is reason enough to get one. If you have access to HD channels, like I do with Time/Warner (and they are adding more... eventually, there will be zillions of them), the picture is incredible. Ever watch Entourage, on HBO? The opening, where they drive up in their old Lincoln convertible and get out, is stunning in HD. Just an example. Freeze frame the breasts of a girl on the show, and if it's cold, you will see every "goosebump" on that chick's boober. (trying to be "SFW" lol!)

Enter the 21st century. You'll love it!

PS - not sure if I addressed SDTV. My SD picture looks far better with my 1080p Westinghouse compared to my old SD Sony XBR, which was an outstanding SDTV.

 

ive researched this extensively twice over the past couple of years.
once for my brother in law, and again for myself.
my brother in law got a samsung 26" lcd and i later got a samsung 61" dlp.
samsung won us over both times as far as bang for the buck.
we have been very happy with our televisions.
and HD is a big improvement.
if you love to watch sports sometimes its better than being at the game!
im thinking about switching for dish network for the NFL Sunday Ticket Package.

 

trick question, everyone knows they watch humans live. Ask Billy Pilgrim.

 

thanks for the link. I found that westinghouse 32" i think you were talking about. It's only $30 for a bigger screen and a brand that everyone seems to endorse.

 

I got a 37 inch Syntax Olevia from Fry's a couple months ago for $600 delivered. Picture is great, but it only has 1 HDMI input. The picture seems better than most other TVs I looked at that were under $1500. Part of that could be that retailers don't bother to adjust the settings when they set them up. I read a lot of reviews before purchasing, and I couldn't find a one negative thing said about the picture quality.

 

i recently sold my older sony flat panel crt. i decided i dont want a tv for 3-4 years. school/ life reasons mostly.

i figure though by the time i decide to get one again, and was thinking by that time i bet ill be able to get a awesome tv for a few grand.

its weird though i find all this stuff about tvs interesting and can read all day about it. but i dont want an actual tv right now.

go figure

 

But you kept your computer? The internet is more evil than your tv.

 

This a good deal and a good tv? Of course I'm not a Costco member so it doesn't matter.

http://www.fatwallet.com/news/?storyid=734552

Westinghouse 37" LCD HDTV $799.99

Costco.com has this Westinghouse 37" LCD HDTV for $799.99. The TV features:

HDTV Compatibility: 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p

16:9 aspect ratio

HDMI input

DVI & VGA input

 

Olevia anyone? Fry's deal:




# * 37" State-of-the-Art HDTV Ready LCD TV.
# * Ease of Use-User Friendly OSD wheel, Store/Home modes control, color-coded Quick Start Guide, full user manual on CD-ROM
# * FutureProof™-User upgradeable firmware via USB to add features, keep current
# * Big Picture Technology™-See the entire broadcast, DVD or VHS image
# * Director's Image™-Watch programs with the rich colors and image enhancements as the director intended
# * OleviaCare™ in-house tech support/customer support
# * PixelWorks™ DNX-Digital Natural ExpressionT Video Processing
# * 1366 x 768 Resolution (16:9 Aspect Ratio)
# * 1600:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio
# * Super Fast 8ms Response Time
# * 178-degree Ultra Wide Viewing Angle
# * RF Inputs-Standard definition TV, 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i
# * Video Inputs-1 HDMI, 2 component (VGA runs as second component source), VGA, 1 shared S-video/composite
# * PC Input-HDMI, VGA-1360 x 768 @60 Hz
# * Horizontal Speaker Position; optional speaker conversion kit
# * Easy To Use Remote Control
# * RS-232 Control
# * Motion Adaptive Processing
# * 3:2 Pull Down
# * 3D Comb Filter
# * True De-Interlacing