Super Good Plasma Deal (Needs the dmorris icon)?

http//forum.freeipodguide.com/smilies_mod/upload/20f5c08e0cf4b7952d8788ebae6d0646.gif[" alt=""/imgc459c9ac55]
[img="c459c9ac55]http//forum.freeipodguide.com/smilies_mod/upload/20f5c08e0cf4b7952d8788ebae6d0646.gif[" alt=""/imgc459c9ac55]
[img="c459c9ac55]http//forum.freeipodguide.com/smilies_mod/upload/20f5c08e0cf4b7952d8788ebae6d0646.gif[" alt=""/imgc459c9ac55]
[img="c459c9ac55]http//forum.freeipodguide.com/smilies_mod/upload/20f5c08e0cf4b7952d8788ebae6d0646.gif[" alt=""/imgc459c9ac55]
[img="c459c9ac55]http//forum.freeipodguide.com/smilies_mod/upload/20f5c08e0cf4b7952d8788ebae6d0646.gif[" alt=""/imgc459c9ac55]
[img="c459c9ac55]http//forum.freeipodguide.com/smilies_mod/upload/20f5c08e0cf4b7952d8788ebae6d0646.gif[" alt=""/imgc459c9ac55]
[img="c459c9ac55]http//forum.freeipodguide.com/smilies_mod/upload/20f5c08e0cf4b7952d8788ebae6d0646.gif[" alt=""/imgc459c9ac55]
[img="c459c9ac55]http//forum.freeipodguide.com/smilies_mod/upload/20f5c08e0cf4b7952d8788ebae6d0646.gif[" alt=""/imgc459c9ac55]
[img="c459c9ac55]http//forum.freeipodguide.com/smilies_mod/upload/20f5c08e0cf4b7952d8788ebae6d0646.gif[" alt=""/imgc459c9ac55]

lol

Anyway, I saw this deal on bfads.net.

[img="c459c9ac55]http//ec2.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000F6SR0O.01-A3SPLR0MSOYZ8O._AA280_SCLZZZZZZZ_V59781478_.jpg[" alt=""/imgc459c9ac55]

It's the Panasonic TH-42PX60U 42" Plasma HDTV for $1,381.81. I'm REALLY tempted to use some DIY money for this thing as I've been looking for a good plasma/LCD. On Froogle it seems to be in the $1,600-$1,800 range.

So first of all, do you guys think better deals will come around for a plasma during Black Friday or should I just buy this? It seems like it's a great model and I've seen dmorris saying that plasmas normally dominate LCD's in the 42" realm. What do you guys think?

I like my 42" Sony Wega LCD just fine, lol. But that looks like a good price. Have you seen it in person? I never get a TV without seeing the picture in person.

No I haven't seen it in person. x

I've also seen some DLP deals for under $1,500. I have the room for a DLP, should I just go with one of those?

I just want the best thing (good quality, lasts a long time) for under $1,500.

DLP is better quality than plasma. Plasma's life may be slightly longer, but I believe it isn't a whole lot, and when both run out you can purchase a new bulb for your DLP.

wait untill around black friday, I think you should see that price hold steady for a while, but maybe you'll manage to find a similar plasma under $1k on BF.

For that price, I'm a little suspicious. That's too good of a deal..

I haven't kept up with plasma prices lately, but I expect they're dropping in price for the holidays. That does look like a great deal, however be very wary of buying HDTV's online from small dealers. Most of the time these dealers are unauthorized, grey-market dealers who will hard-sell you on accessories, delay or cancel your order when you don't buy more stuff, or ship you a dead TV with a voided warranty. Stick to the well-known and well-reviewed online vendors like Crutchfield and Vann's (although you're unlikely to find those killer prices, you'll get much better service and a warranty you can count on).

And ER is right never invest that much in a big TV without laying eyes on it first. Try to scope it out at a local B&M store first.

[quote7c5fe2341f="justinag06"]DLP is better quality than plasma. Plasma's life may be slightly longer, but I believe it isn't a whole lot, and when both run out you can purchase a new bulb for your DLP.[/quote7c5fe2341f]
I wouldn't agree with that statement, necessarily. A properly-tuned plasma will typically have as good or better picture than DLP, with no moving parts (the DLP has a high-speed spinning color wheel) and no rainbow effect. However it does have a finite life, while DLP is essentially infinite since you can replace the bulb every few years (at $200-$300 a pop). However plasma half-life is up to around 80K hours, which if you calculate that out, means over 9 years of 24hr/day TV watching -- so it's no longer a practical limitation really. You also can't hang a DLP on the wall. However plasma's are still prone to permanent image retention (burn-in) if you aren't careful. So there are trade-off's all around.

I'm a huge fan of DLP's, don't get me wrong -- I think they're the best bang for the buck. Which surprises me if you're seeing DLP's of the same size being more expensive than plasmas, because plasma is the most expensive HDTV technology (and Panasonic makes some of the best plasmas). If you were on a budget I'd say get a DLP because they do look very good for the money, as long as you aren't susceptible to rainbow and you have room for the bigger chassis. However if you can manage to find a deal like this [i7c5fe2341f]from a reputable dealer[/i7c5fe2341f] on a plasma, I think you'll like a plasma better.

My choice of course is LCoS/SXRD. It's the only technology that consistently beats plasma (and especially LCD) in image quality, and has no mechanical moving parts like a DLP. It does however have a similar form-factor to DLP, meaning it's rear-projection and can't hang on a wall.

As I've said before, I've yet to see an LCD over 37" that I liked. Big-screen LCD's have pixels that are too large, suffer from screen-door effect, and virtually always have artifacts especially with SD programming.

Hmm, I just checked out the reviews and all of them that are actually about the TV sound really good and the price makes them even better. They had a review for that TV on CNet, here's the link http//reviews.cnet.com/Panasonic_TH_42PX60U/4505-6482_7-31788615.html . I would prefer this TV over the one you were looking at though personally, it's definitely worth the look. shock

http//www.amazon.com/Samsung-LNS3252D-Wide-Integrated-Tuner/dp/B000ES98VA

Third edit Check out this video as well

http//www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7677999&type=product&productCategoryId=pcmcat95100050016&id=1134702499384

Click the flash demo thing at the top in the center.

^ That is a nice TV, Jkirk. I was kind of looking more into 42 inches though. Other than that, I really like it too.

I think I'm just gonna go with this plasma. It seems to be one of the best plasmas in the market and there's no tax and free shipping on top of the cheap price.

I'm not up for camping out on BF to limaybeli get a better deal. I'm just gonna go with this.

Oh and I forgot to link you guys to it ---

click me[=http//www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000F6SR0O?ie=UTF8&tag=blackfridayad-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000F6SR0O]click me

liEDITli

It just went up to $1,449. (

Oh well, that's only $90 more.

[quoteafe5d5a81c="J4320"]^ That is a nice TV, Jkirk. I was kind of looking more into 42 inches though. Other than that, I really like it too.

I think I'm just gonna go with this plasma. It seems to be one of the best plasmas in the market and there's no tax and free shipping on top of the cheap price.

I'm not up for camping out on BF to limaybeli get a better deal. I'm just gonna go with this.

Oh and I forgot to link you guys to it ---

click me[=http//www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000F6SR0O?ie=UTF8&tag=blackfridayad-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000F6SR0O]click me[/quoteafe5d5a81c]

Yeah, that's a big and nice TV! You ordering it Friday?

I'm probably gonna order it tonight. The only bad thing is I haven't seen it in person. I watched the Cnet review and I liked it though.

Here's some other retailers that sell it for cheap through Amazon -

http//www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B000F6SR0O/ref=dp_olp_2/102-0084544-8872979

I'm trying to figure out if they'll ship the $1,362.11 for free.

Free shipping is a lifesaver. On the page it says --

[quote53a9abb2a8]Want it delivered Wednesday, November 15? Order it in the next 19 hours and 56 minutes, and choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. See details [/quote53a9abb2a8]

That's pretty fast. shock

If I bought this thing yesterday I would have saved $90.

>_<

Oh well. The $1,362.11 one doesn't have free shipping so now the $1,449 one is the best deal.

So is this $1,449 one shipped directly from Amazon? I can't find the vendor so I'm assuming it's Amazon.

YAY it went down to $1,399.99 and the vendor is Target and it still has free shipping. D

[quotea987d8a34d="J4320"]So is this $1,449 one shipped directly from Amazon? I can't find the vendor so I'm assuming it's Amazon.[/quotea987d8a34d]

Yep, look right below the price line

[quotea987d8a34d][ba987d8a34d]Availability[/ba987d8a34d] In Stock. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.[/quotea987d8a34d]
I do trust Amazon as a dealer, but I don't know for sure that they're an authorized Panasonic dealer. I don't know if Panasonic is as anal about that as Sony and Yamaha are, when it comes to warranty coverage.

If you can afford $50 extra, I'd strongly suggest Crutchfield. They have it for $1499 shipped, and Crutchfield is bar-none the best online source of A/V gear IMO. Also, if you're a new customer, they have a referral program where if you're referred by an existing customer, you each get a $20 credit -- so you could knock that price down another $20 to $1479 shipped and somebody licoughli could get $20 too. ;)

http//www.crutchfield.com/S-hsx5pr2rJrj/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?g=146350&I=13342PX60U

And BTW I'm not pointing you to Crutchfield to try to get the referral credit, I'm just really a big fan of them -- been buying from them for 10+ years, and you won't find a better online dealer. They are awesome.

I would have gone with that, but the price just changed. They keep changing it up.

I think I can trust Target as the vendor. I might actually be able to just drive down to Target and pick one up for $1,399.

I'm gonna stop by Target on the way back from a night class I have tonight.

I could very well be playing Gears of War with surround sound and a high def TV tonight. D

Dmorris, may I please have your expertise on this TV?

http//www.amazon.com/Samsung-LNS3252D-Wide-Integrated-Tuner/dp/B000ES98VA

Please, I offer sexes and karma.

PS I demand pics, J4.

I think I'm actually gonna wait for Black Friday. Walmart will have a 42" plasma for $988.

[quoteb037aed68b="JKirk"]Dmorris, may I please have your expertise on this TV?

http//www.amazon.com/Samsung-LNS3252D-Wide-Integrated-Tuner/dp/B000ES98VA

Please, I offer sexes and karma.

PS I demand pics, J4.[/quoteb037aed68b]
Oooh, sexy. White bezel and all.

Samsung makes great stuff, and for a 32" size I like LCD okay. A little pricey for it's size, but it is a Samsung.

J4320, that plasma at Wal-Mart will probably be a Sanyo or an iLo. May be okay for your purposes, and $500 is a chunk of savings, but it won't be no Panasonic. ;)

[quotea0ffe9acf9="dmorris68"][quotea0ffe9acf9="JKirk"]Dmorris, may I please have your expertise on this TV?

http//www.amazon.com/Samsung-LNS3252D-Wide-Integrated-Tuner/dp/B000ES98VA

Please, I offer sexes and karma.

PS I demand pics, J4.[/quotea0ffe9acf9]
Oooh, sexy. White bezel and all.

Samsung makes great stuff, and for a 32" size I like LCD okay. A little pricey for it's size, but it is a Samsung.

J4320, that plasma at Wal-Mart will probably be a Sanyo or an iLo. May be okay for your purposes, and $500 is a chunk of savings, but it won't be no Panasonic. ;)[/quotea0ffe9acf9]

I'm loving the exterior but what matters in the interior. I can get the 40-inch new in box off eBay for around $1400 shipped which I might go ahead and do if there's a return policy and high feedback seller. It has a "game mode". shock I just wanted to make sure that everything looked good inside, ya know? I wouldn't buy a Sanyo either from WalMart, there's a big difference between them and a mainstream brand like Phillips, Sony, Samsung, and Panasonic in my opinion.

Well, after comparing prices it seems I can get the 32" for a little over $1000 and the 40" for about $1400 with a DVD player. Which do you guys think is the better deal? I mean 8 inches of TV = $400? ?

[quote716c0fe47a="dmorris68"][quote716c0fe47a="JKirk"]Dmorris, may I please have your expertise on this TV?

http//www.amazon.com/Samsung-LNS3252D-Wide-Integrated-Tuner/dp/B000ES98VA

Please, I offer sexes and karma.

PS I demand pics, J4.[/quote716c0fe47a]
Oooh, sexy. White bezel and all.

Samsung makes great stuff, and for a 32" size I like LCD okay. A little pricey for it's size, but it is a Samsung.

J4320, that plasma at Wal-Mart will probably be a Sanyo or an iLo. May be okay for your purposes, and $500 is a chunk of savings, but it won't be no Panasonic. ;)[/quote716c0fe47a]

Yeah I'm definitely not set on it or anything. It's a Hitachi and I'm skeptical. I'm still leaning the most towards the Panasonic. I'm sure it'll be even cheaper on Black Friday somewhere. And if not, I don't think the price will go back up too far.

walmart is expanding their brands, they are getting the higher priced ones also.

[quoted5667626a0="kdollar"]walmart is expanding their brands, they are getting the higher priced ones also.[/quoted5667626a0]
Yeah, I've been reading that. Guess they just haven't made it to my area yet, because all they have here (at both Super WM's) are still the same old Sanyo/iLo/RCA. They've had some smaller Vizio's for awhile, which I'm beginning to like as a budget brand -- they look pretty sweet. But I've yet to see a Sony, Hitachi, Panasonic, etc. at a WM around here.

Isn't there a Target 10% off coupon on slickdeals you could use to make it super cheap?

[quoted6237a1ed7="Tsmith10803"]Isn't there a Target 10% off coupon on slickdeals you could use to make it super cheap?[/quoted6237a1ed7]

Find it, and link me. )

[quotec8ddf172aa="J4320"][quotec8ddf172aa="Tsmith10803"]Isn't there a Target 10% off coupon on slickdeals you could use to make it super cheap?[/quotec8ddf172aa]

Find it, and link me. )[/quotec8ddf172aa]

I saw it earlier but I can't find the link now. Here's the coupon code HWAFQAJA3H.

[quote41b9c1816d="JKirk"][quote41b9c1816d="J4320"][quote41b9c1816d="Tsmith10803"]Isn't there a Target 10% off coupon on slickdeals you could use to make it super cheap?[/quote41b9c1816d]

Find it, and link me. )[/quote41b9c1816d]

I saw it earlier but I can't find the link now. Here's the coupon code HWAFQAJA3H.[/quote41b9c1816d]

Alright thanks. If I decide to get one I'll probably go with Target. )

Here's a lineup of some Black Friday TV deals ---

http//bfads.net/features/tv/

Anything outstanding on there that you guys see? That one at BestBuy for $799 seems like an INSANELY good deal. I don't know much about CRT Projection TV's though.

[quoteaccbe823bb="J4320"]Anything outstanding on there that you guys see? That one at BestBuy for $799 seems like an INSANELY good deal. I don't know much about CRT Projection TV's though.[/quoteaccbe823bb]
RPCRT's have their proponents, but they're mostly the luddite holdouts who are afraid of new technologies. Or cheap/poor. P

Seriously though, they generate a lot of heat, are big and heavy, and require regular realignments. Honestly I wouldn't have one unless it was EXTREMELY cheap (or free), and even then only if I was desperate and couldn't do better. I also don't care for the image quality on the ones I've watched. It's not like watching a CRT tube, the IQ takes a hit from the projection or something. Pales in comparison to my SXRD, I know that.

Oops...

I said it was $799 when in fact it's actually $699.

It's the first one on the page here ---

http//bfads.net/features/tv/

And here's the manufacturer's page in case you missed it on the bfads site ---

http//www.hitachi.us/tv/browse/projection/16-9digital/51F59.shtml

So we have ---

Not as vivid, yet cheaper, and bigger.

Bfads makes it look really good ---

[quotee951966b87]Enjoy huge, high-definition video in your own home theater with the 51-inch Hitachi 51F59 projection CRT HDTV, which delivers advanced optics to produce a superior picture in a thin and sleek modern cabinet. Nicely slim at just 21.9 inches deep, it features a sleek modern cabinet that will fit nicely into your room's decor. You'll enjoy 480p, 720p and 1080i high-definition viewing right out of the box thanks to the built-in digital ATSC tuner, which pulls HD signals right from the airwaves. You can also connect the set to an optional receiver or cable/satellite set-top box using either the HDMI or component connections. An analog NTSC tuner receives standard-definition (SD) programming. [/quotee951966b87]

Hmmm....

Go look at it in person, with both SD and HD programming. Most people don't have access to a lot of HD programming and will do most of their viewing on SD stations with 43 content. You may like it well enough for the price. I know my son-in-law has an Akai or Aiwa (can't remember) 50" RPCRT and it has poor contrast and doesn't scale 43 very well IMO. HD content looks acceptable.

I'd still probably not drop $700+tax on one, but that's just me. You may not be nearly as picky as I. ;)

Well if I buy it in Portland there won't be any tax. I guess we'll see. I'm definitely going to go look at it in person like you and ER recommended.

http//www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5131708

shrug

Alright guys, I ended up buying the Hitachi VF820 at Circuit City for $1,199.

It's a 50" rear projection LCD and I totally love it. However, when I am playing Gears of War on it, it seems like I'm not as good. You need precise timing in that game and it always seems like I'm a step behind.

I think there might be a screen lag issue or something. I can't find the ms response time for this model anywhere.

By the way, this TV is HUGE in my room. I really love it, and I love the picture and everything. It's just amazing. I just need to figure out what the deal is with the screen lag. I have it set to 720p right now. Should I change it to 1080i?

http/" alt=""/img295.imageshack.us/img="295/4555/circuitcity047sz0.jpg[" alt=""/img8e457cb682]

shock

Okay so now I'm going back tomorrow night to go get the 52" Panasonic. lol

They have 20 in stock; I can go buy one right now and then come in after Black Friday and get the $$$ difference from Black Friday's deal if I show them my receipt.

Another cool part is I don't have to pay any tax on it, so I'll be paying exactly $999.00 for it. I'll be using my $1,500 Bigwin money for this purchase so I'll be saving $501. P

Jkirk, have you made up your mind on anything? This seems to be the best deal around. I'm sure your Circuit City would honor the Black Friday deal as well.

The 50" I got last night is SO MUCH bigger in person when it's in your room. It's HUGE. And to think I'm getting 2 more inches for $200 less is awesome.

I'm still eyeing that Samsung to be honest. I'd rather pay more for just a 32 or 40 inch than a 50 like that just because size isn't everything to me and it would probably look bad in my room since it's pretty small. lol I still can't decide though because I'd like to see it in person but nobody has it around here.

Man, I really like that first TV that you started talking about. The Pannasonic 42". The only thing is it isn't 1080p and I really want a 1080p since that is the best and the future. Isn't that the resolution they are suggesting to get the most out of the new PS3? It looks like a good deal, I saw it at Circuit City in person. A little too much silver though in my opinion. I was absolutely SET on DLP but have been looking at LCDs and Plasma's since a month or two before the release of the PS3 because a lot of people are using them for game systems. I am not settled on anything yet though.

Well 1080p's cost A LOT more and I hear there isn't [i6f749e8203]too[/i6f749e8203] much of a difference. So I scratched that out. As for DLP's, they lag the most in gaming so if you are planning on gaming with your HDTV don't get a DLP.

What made you change your mind on getting the TH-42PX60U?

Well I decided to get something a little bigger. The other ones I've considered are bigger and cheaper.

Happy I could help J4 ;)
Anyway, I want this tv but I don't have and Micro Centers in this state lol.
http/" alt=""/img451.imageshack.us/img="451/3079/microcenter002cl0.jpg[" alt=""/imga58fd3d498]

If anyone wouldn't mine picking one up from a micro center and shipping it here, I could reimburse you in full. Please? )

[quote45dc353ffb="Killer722"][b45dc353ffb]Happy I could help J4[/b45dc353ffb] ;)
Anyway, I want this tv but I don't have and Micro Centers in this state lol.
snip[" alt=""/img]

If anyone wouldn't mine picking one up from a micro center and shipping it here, I could reimburse you in full. Please? )[/quote45dc353ffb]

Yeah thanks man. I can't believe I didn't see that deal. It was right on the bfads page I was looking at. [img="45dc353ffb]http//forum.freeipodguide.com/smilies_mod/upload/0de66723c22f03beb44f2f1ac59f1b8f.gif[" alt=""/img45dc353ffb]

[quote0c4016e12d="cyberpunk243"]Man, I really like that first TV that you started talking about. The Pannasonic 42". [b0c4016e12d]The only thing is it isn't 1080p and I really want a 1080p since that is the best and the future. Isn't that the resolution they are suggesting to get the most out of the new PS3?[/b0c4016e12d] It looks like a good deal, I saw it at Circuit City in person. A little too much silver though in my opinion. I was absolutely SET on DLP but have been looking at LCDs and Plasma's since a month or two before the release of the PS3 because a lot of people are using them for game systems. I am not settled on anything yet though.[/quote0c4016e12d]

But just because a TV states that its 1080P compliant, that doesn't necessarily mean that the TV can fully take advantage of the ps3's 1080P output. The reason being that most of the present day 1080P tvs DON'T have hdmi 1.3. That is what the ps3 uses, and its supposed to be much better than earlier hdmi versions. If you really want a 1080P tv, be sure to ask if it has 1.3 inputs. I would personally wait until the next gen of 1080P HDTVs. Of course, the ones with 1.3 will be even more expensive, but thats a given.

Yeah, that's true. I don't want to have to wait for a long time in order to get a new TV because I am going to get a PS3 as soon as I can. I think I will get a TV with max 1080i and then get the full 1080p once they have been out. I am thinking about getting the TH-42PX60U and just trying it out with the PS3 as well as HDTV and DVDs and if I don't like it then I will just return it. I have my eyes on a couple of DLP TVs but ever since I started looking at these thin plasma's, it is hard to resist.

I'm pretty sure it will be pretty hard to tell a big difference between 1080i and 1080p. I doubt anyone could just walk up to it and tell that it's running in 1080p, but I could be wrong. I haven't looked into 1080p's very much because it's out of my price range.

Yeah, they are too expensive for me to even consider as well. I am going to go look at the Pannasonic in person and talk to someone to see if I like it or not. I think this will be the perfect time to get a new TV because of the sales. I am kind of worried about burn-in because of all the sports games that I watch where they display either the logo or the scoreboard the whole time. That is a big reason why I started to prefer the DLP over plasma's because they aren't known for burn-in. You said that they don't have lag for gaming purposes, in my case it would be the PS3 when I get it, but I thought that the DLP was all around the best for gaming, movies, and TV viewing? My main use for this TV will be watching TV, just because I don't always have time to watch movies, then movies which I still watch a LOT of, and then gaming (PS3 when I can get my hands on one).

Actually, 1080p on moving images is quite a noticeable improvement on 1080i. 1080i displays two fields of 540 lines at a time, rapidly alternating between the two, effectively halving the frame rate. This results on higher detail on fairly static images, but can actually reduce quality on certain moving images -- 720p actually looks better in those cases. But with 1080p, you have all 1080 pixels displayed at once, at full framerate. The quality difference is quite noticeable in most cases.

[quote8a2c6ed0d1="dmorris68"]Actually, 1080p on moving images is quite a noticeable improvement on 1080i. 1080i displays two fields of 540 lines at a time, rapidly alternating between the two, effectively halving the frame rate. This results on higher detail on fairly static images, but can actually reduce quality on certain moving images -- 720p actually looks better in those cases. But with 1080p, you have all 1080 pixels displayed at once, at full framerate. The quality difference is quite noticeable in most cases.[/quote8a2c6ed0d1]

Is the difference worth the price hike in your opinion?

[quote62aa8e3b0c="cyberpunk243"][quote62aa8e3b0c="dmorris68"]Actually, 1080p on moving images is quite a noticeable improvement on 1080i. 1080i displays two fields of 540 lines at a time, rapidly alternating between the two, effectively halving the frame rate. This results on higher detail on fairly static images, but can actually reduce quality on certain moving images -- 720p actually looks better in those cases. But with 1080p, you have all 1080 pixels displayed at once, at full framerate. The quality difference is quite noticeable in most cases.[/quote62aa8e3b0c]

Is the difference worth the price hike in your opinion?[/quote62aa8e3b0c]
I guess that depends. If you can afford it and image quality is important to you (and you have a good image source), then IMO the answer is an unequivocal YES.

I paid a premium price for a 60" SXRD and I have no regrets at all. I paid that because it had the best image quality of ANYTHING else in it's class, and I know have hard time looking at anything else -- even the 42" Panasonic Plasma on the bedroom wall.

Haha, yeah, I bet if I had both of those it would be hard to go back to the non-1080p after watching that SXRD. Is that Pannasonic 42" the TH-42PX60U model because that is the TV I am serioiusly considering purchasing this week.

No, my Panny is the TH-42PWD8UK. It was a freebie from I-Deal. Not HDTV, just EDTV (480p). Damn nice for a free plasma. But I haven't seen any plasma, even the $4000 HDTV models, that look as good as SXRD. BTW the SXRD upscales SD/480p/720p, and de-interlaces 1080i, to 1080p, and its scaler is one of the best I've seen.

I think I'm still going to stay with the rear projection LCD's. Does anyone know how long the bulbs for it last on average? A plasma might work out to be a better deal if I'm gonna have to fork out another $500 1-2 years down the road.

It depends on your TV watching habits, but figure on 3-4 years in most cases if you watch an average amount of TV. Most RP bulbs run in the $150-$300 range, not $500.

One way to greatly increase the lifetime of RP bulbs is to keep them as ventilated as possible, and never plug them into a powerstrip that you turn off immediately after watching TV. Most TV's have a fan that runs for a few minutes after power off the TV, to cool the bulb down. If you turn off the AC suddenly, the bulb will likely blow or suffer dramatic decrease in life. My TV is plugged into a UPS, so if the power goes out (as it's prone to do around here sometimes) I can turn off the TV and let the fan run on the battery backup.

Question
I heard that if a TV is 1080i native, that it will upscale 720p games to 1080i and therefore be bad? lol Not too sure about all this, but would getting a 1080 native TV for PS3 (where games are made are sometimes 720p and 1080p) be the best choice, or is it best to get a 720p native that is capable of 1080i? Not too sure how all this native stuff works.

Quick Help

Could anyone post links to HD Ready, Wall Mount TVs under 1K? Preferably a good quality for very cheap. I am looking to make my girlfriend smile for Christmas.

[quoteace64c8a9c="Killer722"]Question
I heard that if a TV is 1080i native, that it will upscale 720p games to 1080i and therefore be bad? lol Not too sure about all this, but would getting a 1080 native TV for PS3 (where games are made are sometimes 720p and 1080p) be the best choice, or is it best to get a 720p native that is capable of 1080i? Not too sure how all this native stuff works.[/quoteace64c8a9c]
What you're hearing about is the problem people are having with older RP-CRT HDTV's. These older sets don't support 720p, only 480p and 1080i. PS3 (unlike XBOX 360) will currently not upscale 720p games to 1080i, instead it will downconvert them to 480p. So if you have one of these old sets, you can't play games at 1080i unless the game natively supports 1080i.

That won't be an issue with any modern, flat-panel set. Even current CRT sets should support 720p.

saw this deal, might intrest you..

http//forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?sduid=0&t=374292

That panasonic model will also be at BB for 999.99 After Instant Savings on BF.

[quote45707656d3="hehehhehe"]That panasonic model will also be at BB for 999.99 After Instant Savings on BF.[/quote45707656d3]

What? The TH-42PX60U one? I think that is only that price that you said after you do all that stuff that was on that slickdeals post like upgrade to Comcast HD, have home delivery, and stuff like that.

+Karma for that Morris guy.

How important is a built in HDTV tuner? I hear you can use cable box, but if it doesn't have an HDTV tuner, and I hook it up with HDMI to my PS3, that would be the same thing right? Would my PS3 act as a source of HD signals?

No, a PS3 does not have a tuner. A tuner is only important if you plan to use an OTA antenna to try to bring in local HD stations over-the-air. If you have an HD cable/sat box, that is your tuner -- you won't use the one in the TV. A tuner would have nothing to do with a PS3, which outputs straight into the TV's HD inputs.

[quote01b3291f9a="cyberpunk243"][quote01b3291f9a="hehehhehe"]That panasonic model will also be at BB for 999.99 After Instant Savings on BF.[/quote01b3291f9a]

What? The TH-42PX60U one? I think that is only that price that you said after you do all that stuff that was on that slickdeals post like upgrade to Comcast HD, have home delivery, and stuff like that.[/quote01b3291f9a]
You're talking about the other deal that justinag posted from SD, where you have to price match and stuff like that. Mine's a simple BF deal (also saw it on SD), quantities will be limited.

[quote368b3d6c51="dmorris68"]It depends on your TV watching habits, but figure on 3-4 years in most cases if you watch an average amount of TV. Most RP bulbs run in the $150-$300 range, not $500.

One way to greatly increase the lifetime of RP bulbs is to keep them as ventilated as possible, and never plug them into a powerstrip that you turn off immediately after watching TV. Most TV's have a fan that runs for a few minutes after power off the TV, to cool the bulb down. If you turn off the AC suddenly, the bulb will likely blow or suffer dramatic decrease in life. My TV is plugged into a UPS, so if the power goes out (as it's prone to do around here sometimes) I can turn off the TV and let the fan run on the battery backup.[/quote368b3d6c51]

I'm pretty sure my bulb will last a lot longer. I hardly ever watch TV and I use it mostly for gaming. The TV isn't on much unless I'm hooked on a certain game. Thanks for filling me in. +karma for all the wonderful help you've given to all of us. )

So I'm definitely going to take back this Hitachi 50" Rear Projection LCD and go back and switch it in for the Panasonic 52" Rear Projection LCD.

I feel like I'm getting a great deal here. I originally bought the 50" Rear Projection Hitachi LCD for $1,200 on Saturday night but they're gonna let me exchange it for the Panasonic 52" Rear Projection LCD for $1,699 (no tax either ) ).

I then can go back after Black Friday and show them my receipt and they'll give me the difference from the Black Friday sale (the BF sale price is $999). So basically I'm getting 2 more inches for $201 less. D

Basically I'm paying exactly $999 with no tax for a beautiful HUGE TV.

By the way, these LCD Rear Projection TV's are pretty nice. They aren't as bright as plasmas but I don't mind because I can just turn off most of my lights and it looks perfect and it's easy on my eyes. Don't get me wrong though, they can get pretty bright too. I actually turned down the contrast and brightness to go easier on my eyes and the TV. Also, the viewing angle isn't very good so it's not very ideal for a family room with people surrounding the TV. Mine is right in front of my bed and I'm directly in front of it so the viewing angle problem doesn't bother me at all.

I'll list out a few pros and cons of this kind of TV ---

Pros -
-Cheaper in price
-You can get them very large for a good price
-Very sharp and good quality (from what I've seen)
-Doesn't screen lag in gaming

Cons -
-Can't be hung on the wall (it has some junk in the trunk, not too much though)
-Probably won't be as bright as plasmas
-Bad viewing angle (can't see it well from the sides)
-Needs bulb replacement, but if you take care of it, it will last you a long time

And for those of you planning to game with your TV, make sure that you set it closest to your native resolution, that will eliminate a lot of screen lag because it doesn't have to do as much work converting the picture.

[quote9be00df390="hehehhehe"][quote9be00df390="cyberpunk243"][quote9be00df390="hehehhehe"]That panasonic model will also be at BB for 999.99 After Instant Savings on BF.[/quote9be00df390]

What? The TH-42PX60U one? I think that is only that price that you said after you do all that stuff that was on that slickdeals post like upgrade to Comcast HD, have home delivery, and stuff like that.[/quote9be00df390]
You're talking about the other deal that justinag posted from SD, where you have to price match and stuff like that. Mine's a simple BF deal (also saw it on SD), quantities will be limited.[/quote9be00df390]

I went to Best Buy and asked an employee in the TV department if he knew what they would be selling the Panasonic for. He said he had no idea. I asked him when they go on sale for Black Friday and he said a 5am but to get there really early, like 12am, because they will be giving out vouchers so that the TVs are sold before anyone even gets into the store. So looks like I am camping out Thursday night. I have to call the Best Buy by me to ask how many they have because the one I went to today said they had about 5 of them for Black Friday. The Best Buy by me is in a rich area though so I expect more. The Best Buy I went to today got 30 PS3's at launch and the one next to me got 190 I think he said. Crazy.

Heh I'm so fickle. I'm gonna be getting the Vizio 42" plasma for $999 on Friday at Costco.

One of my dad's employees convinced me to go with Costco because he said you pretty much have a lifetime warranty there. If you have it for 5-6 years and something goes wrong, you can take it back in and get store credit for however much you paid for it. So then you can buy an even nicer one with $999 towards it already.

There doesn't even have to be anything wrong with it, you can just take it right back in.

I stole my parent's 42" plasma and put it in my room to see how it would look and it looks awesome. It's so much more vibrant and nice looking than the Rear Projection LCD. I'm glad I changed my mind.

So now I'm getting the new model of the 42" Vizio Plasma for exactly $999 with no tax. D

They won't release them until Black Friday and they have about 40 in stock. I'm not too worried about not getting one.

That's true about Costco -- you basically get a lifetime warranty on almost anything they sell. Except computers, they modified their return policy awhile back because people were basically buying a new computer, then returning it for a "free" upgraded PC every 2-3 years.

Vizio looks like a great up-and-coming budget brand of TV. The one's I've seen look really nice, especially for the price.

J4320, you should really consider the Panasonic 42'' Plasma that was posted in this thread. It will be $999.99 at Best Buy on BF (gotta get there really early though). It's a much higher rated TV than the Vizio.

[quote4cdd2d1d7a="flip"]J4320, you should really consider the Panasonic 42'' Plasma that was posted in this thread. It will be $999.99 at Best Buy on BF (gotta get there really early though). It's a much higher rated TV than the Vizio.[/quote4cdd2d1d7a]

Believe me, I really have considered it. But you can't beat the Costco deal in my opinion. I was looking at the Panasonic 42" Plasma model and comparing it with the Vizio and neither one looked better to me. They were both great, vibrant TV's.

If they were both the same price at Costco, I would probably go with the Panasonic. If anything ever goes wrong with my Vizio or a I feel like upgrading to something else, I'll just take it back and pay the cash difference.

By the way, the Vizio's design looks really sexy.