I'm being lazy about hitting all the TV forums I'm in the market for a 50-55 inch TV. What's the latest out there? I really don't see the value of 3D. The LED lit ones seem like a good idea. I do like the idea of built in WIFI to access Netflix. Anyone buy one recently?
Doesn't matter what you buy...next week the same thing will be cheaper, a new model will have more features at the same price....
CNet offers some reasonably good reviews and suggestions (as well as an explanation of the different types of LED backlights). Take a few minutes to look over these two links.
http://reviews.cnet.com/2795-6482_7-...a1.2;buyAdvice
http://reviews.cnet.com/best-led-tvs...nt;contentMain
I'm not much help as I'm still a believer in plasma as having better overall picture characteristics (as well as being a problem in sunny viewing rooms). But I may be in the minority as plasma is struggling in the mass market.
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I agree with you. And, we are in the minority.Originally Posted by Jakester
Don't underestimate the value of 3d. I believe it's going to be mainstream in about 3 years. Sony will be pushing it hard for multimedia future content, alot of PS3 software coming down the pipe is going 3d.
I don't know if it's worthwhile for you at this point to be an early adopter, but if the $ difference isn't much, I personally would pay some extra for the feature.
Asked how he’d like to be remembered were he hit by a bus tomorrow, Tracy doesn’t hesitate: “I’m a race-car driver. At the last second, I’d swerve and avoid the bus.”
Plasma looks a bit better IMO with Cinematic material, but LCD closed most of that image gap from 3-4 years ago. Plasma will also burn in if you want to game or stream from your PC, and they take way more power.
Plasma burnin is, for all intents and purposes, a thing of the past (and in some cases an LCD marketing fallacy). While LCD has closed the gap, it's almost physically impossible for LCD to do plasma black levels. Yes, they are power hungry.
As long as you have to wear glasses, 3d will be niche.
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Not sure how far in the past, my bro-in-law has a 3 year old toshiba 42" plasma, with the Guitar Hero bars and circles permamently etched into it. You don't see them unless the screen is black.
Sharp Aquos LED LC52LE700U Uses 105 watts.
I agree since the glasses are active and cost $100 to $200 a pair not to mention apparently some glasses only work with their specific manufacturer's sets. Kind of puts a damper on having a 3D SuperBowl party doesn't it?
true that. For me, I'd get it for gaming. I use an Optoma Front PJ right now, HD65. Rumour when I got it was it was supposed to be firmware upgradable to 3d, but looks like now they are forcing us to buy the HD66, which is exactly the same with the 3d feature. Bummer.
Speaking of Superbowl in 3D - sports in 3d is particularly useless. Our binocular vision only gives us 3-dimensional viewing up to a very limited range. Beyond that our mind relies on things such as reference of scale of a known quantity (ie, the size of a person), perspective, etc. For a wide shot of a football game it would be unrealistic to see it in 3D, as a wide shot implies being far away (ie, in the stands), at such distance where we do not see 3D. We also use focus adjustment to ascertain three dimensions. Ie, looking at my computer monitor right now, the photos on my wall 8 feet distant are out of focus. If I focus on the pics on my wall, my monitor goes out of focus. You can't do that on 3D tv because you can't alter focus points. As someone said on a camera forum I frequent, 3D in media gives us more of a hyper-reality than a natural reality.
Likewise, 3 dimensional effects can be produced in a two-dimensional medium through use of selective focus. I'm sure we've all seen scenes in movies and tv where two people are separated by distance and the camera is focused on one and then suddenly focuses on the second, throwing the first person out of focus.
Also, I remember hearing a story on the radio not to long ago - most people in the industry hate 3D - camera operators in particular. It's more expensive, more complex, forces them to put more thought into the 3d effect (and by default less in telling the story) and limits how they can get a shot (ie, can't get into tight places that a single lens camera can).
And if you have monocular vision (like I do) it's worthless.
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Another good example... we use atmospheric distortion to determine the distance and size of hills and mountains. When the Apollo astronauts were on the moon, in the absence of atmosphere they could not tell if they were looking at small hills a few hundred feet away, or giant mountains miles away. And if you've ever been in the desert with it's lack of reference (trees, buildings etc) this can happen too, albeit not as dramatic as it is on the moon.
Back to the poster's orginal question, how much do you want to spend?
Vizios are good bang for the buck. A few LG models (8500 series) seem to have jumped to the top of the pile lately.
For anything less than very critical viewing, any of the models listed on the CNet review will do you a good job.
Interesting.HL:Toshiba developing 3-D televisions that don't require special glasses
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
TOKYO -- Japanese electronics maker Toshiba Corp. said Tuesday it is developing technology for a 3-D television that won't require special glasses.
Company spokeswoman Yuko Sugahara confirmed such technology was in the works. But she declined to comment on a report in the Yomiuri newspaper that the Tokyo-based company plans to start selling the new TVs by the end of the year.
Mainstream 3-D TVs now on sale, such as those from rivals Panasonic Corp. and Sony Corp., require glasses. But there are already screens that don't require glasses, mainly intended for store displays. They require the viewer to stand in specific spots for the 3-D effect to emerge, and the image quality is much lower than that of screens using glasses.
Yomiuri said Mitsubishi's technology involves transmitting different images at various angles to create an illusion of dimension and depth, a principle used by current glasses-free monitors.
Electronics companies have been investing heavily in 3-D technology for televisions, betting that people will want a 3-D experience at home following the success of blockbuster movies like "Avatar," which was screened in 3-D.
Some gadgets like handheld game machines from Nintendo Co. can deliver 3-D images without special glasses.
"Many people don't like to wear glasses to watch TV for a long time, especially people who must wear 3-D glasses over regular glasses," said Sugahara.
I want to keep it around $2000, I have heard good things about the Vizio. I currently have a Panasonic 50" DLP. Its almost 6 years old & it keeps shutting itself off. I really don't know if it's worth getting it fixed. I also have about 4 old CRT TV's from 19- 32 inchs. What in the heck are those good for anymore? What do I do with them, haul them to the curb or take them to a donation center.
Make sure you look at LG's.
My LG is outstanding!!!
Have a very blessed day!
My son owns a company that sells and installs the "Very High End Audio and Visual and Home Security" systems. He does stuff like "Automating" not only your TV, but the ENTIRE home, so that it can be run off of ONE remote. (including automating your gas fireplace) His systems can also be commanded by the Owner with your I-phone, or now your Android Telephone. The MOST common TV that he installs,and presents to the customer is the http://www.consumersearch.com/lcd-tv/samsung-un55c8000 (price is lower than said price shown here)
As far as Vizio goes.... I know that a lot of people like them because of their cheap price range. He says that the BRAND itself (VIZIO) is THE MOST RETURNED Television out right now. He has to make so many "Maintenance Calls" on the VIZIO's, compared to any other brand he installs, that he now refuses to Sell, or Install them. He says if you just want an HD that's cheap..... buy the VIZIO. He makes a valid argument that if VIZIO is so good, why didn't ONE Company change their pricing or features, so they can compete against them? VIZIO gets the "Low End", HD customer (no offense to any VIZIO owners/purchasers) that's not critical of the picture or features. They just want an HD Television. Those of us who DO pay attention to, and critique everything we purchase for our "Home Electronics" will look elsewhere. He SWEARS by the above linked Samsung.
This post was to help someone, inquiring about High End HD and nothing else. NOTHING PERSONAL was never intended to anyone who owns X, Y, Z brand.
But that's just my opinion!
I agree with the Doc on Vizio. Most returned set ever.
When my 55" shot craps, this Spring, I ended up getting a 65" DLP and am very satisfied. It has its downsides, but the picture is very good and tunable to your liking (8 ( or was it 12) color adjustment)?
I had planned on a 65" Plazma, but the HHG talked me out of it, so I got the DLP locally and picked it up myself (it only weighed 74 lbs vs. 180 lbs Plasma or the 300+ lb box I was replacing)
Price and availablity/delivery/pickup were my biggest reasonings. My 55 Mitz lasted nearly 10 years w/o issue, but upon the first issue I found out that replacement parts were obsolete years before. I looked for a pricepoint/planned obsolesence in the $400-500 per year/36 month range. As Doc's son will likely confirm between parts availability, repair costs, shorter lifespan and lower set prices, HDTV's are rapidly becoming a throwaway technology...
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What irks me (maybe its too soon for the truth), DW was a 16-oval WIN specialist, yet the vast majority those boohooing for him, hardcarders & fans, alike are the same ones trying to kill anything with more than 9 deg banking & 4 corners, where Dan ultimately made his home...
My trusty 73" Mitsu RPTV weighs 430 pounds and takes up half the room, one of the reasons why the manus dumped RPs for LCDsonly weighed 74 lbs vs. 180 lbs Plasma or the 300+ lb box I was replacing
Not the only thing .... my wife and I bought brand new top of the line Maytag washer/dryer when we bought our new house 9 years ago, paid just under $2,000 for the pair. This Feb, the washer quit. Repairman came out, changed the pump and installed a new belt. The pump was a piece of crap: plastic housing, cast aluminum impeller, bearings that look like they were out of a remote control car. $140 later and we're done. Six months later, it washes but won't spin. Same guy comes out and says, "It's either $70 or a new washer." Well, the transmission was out - that's $385. Add in 3 hours labor, a couple of new seals and gaskets and we're at $600 and, you guessed it, you can buy a new washer for that. So that's what we did.
No way this thing should have failed - my wife and I have no kids, we don't do much laundry, maybe 5 loads a week, tops.
Last edited by Jim Wilke; 08-25-2010 at 12:44 AM.
Here's a update on my TV shopping. Tomorrow I may pull the trigger on a Samsung 55 inch LED LCD series 7000. It is 3D. Best Buy is currently having a promotion where they throw in 2 pair of 3D glasses & a 3D DVD player for $2700. The only problem is getting it home, our biggest car is a MINI Clubman. They do offer free delivery but I don't want to take time off work to sit around & wait.
Recently, I switched from my old Samsung DLP to a new tv. Did all kinds of research and the LCD with LED's that would meet my needs was about a thousand more dollars than the Panasonic Plasma that I bought. Absolutely love it. No burn in on games, bright, clear and dark! i would go plasma, they fixed all the problems.
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What I cannot figure out is you buy a DVD of a movie, and they charge, maybe $19.00. Buy the BlueRay version, they charge you $32.00. I can't wait for 3D version of a movie and they will charge you $50.00+.
That's what RedBox is for.
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