T-T-T-TV Help

I'm looking to get a new TV, but I'm on a $700-$750 budget.

What are your thoughts on this TV?

http//www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16889102125

Thanks much. )

question are you looking to go bigger, or just looking for something in the under 30" range?

Under the 30 range. )

Don't know the TV specifically, but Samsung is quality.

yeah you cant go wrong with samsung

I have a similar TV, I have a Samsung 26" LCD that goes up to 1080i.

I love it, it takes a few seconds to turn on, but that's the only negative, I'd say.

Samsung TVs are INCREDIBLE! It will be the only brand of HDTV that I will ever own, unless something drastic happens!

Another question that needs to be asked is, are you planning on putting it in a small space or wall-mounting it, because if you have the space, a TUBE HDTV will cost A LOT less and actually will have just as good, if not better picture!

[quotee80300b0c5="jeagle82"]Samsung TVs are INCREDIBLE! It will be the only brand of HDTV that I will ever own, unless something drastic happens!

Another question that needs to be asked is, are you planning on putting it in a small space or wall-mounting it, because if you have the space, a TUBE HDTV will cost A LOT less and actually will have just as good, if not better picture![/quotee80300b0c5]
...there are alot of great (better?) brands, such as sony, pioneer, sharp, panasonic, etc. also, vizio and westinghouse are the quality value names. I could never justify spending $650+ on a 26" TV knowing I could get a good TV 10+ inches bigger for the same price.

Sony, Sharp and Samsung are the big hitters when it comes to LCD flat panels. Pioneer and Panasonic are the big hitters with Plasmas. You're correct about Vizio and Westinghouse, they are the top names among the value HDTVs, and they've both come a long way in the past 5 years!

Each tv will have its own issues. Sharps are notorious for banding problems. Sonys and Samsungs have been known to have clouding.

Did you know that Sony LCDS have the exact same screen as Samsung LCDS, but Sony carries a much higher price tag than Samsung. They claim they have better software that goes into their TVs, but, really, put the Samsung LN-S4696D next to the Sony XBR2, and you will not see ANY differences (given that they are both properly calibrated), except in the pricetag.

Samsungs are super reliable LCD HDTVs in my opinion, and I've never been happier! I've been through several tvs in the past 5 years and they are, IMHO, one of the best LCD manufacturers.

[quote3979a13655]...there are alot of great (better?) brands, such as sony, pioneer, sharp, panasonic, etc. also, vizio and westinghouse are the quality value names. I could never justify spending $650+ on a 26" TV knowing I could get a good TV 10+ inches bigger for the same price.[/quote3979a13655]

Do you have any links or something that could lead me to these better TV's?

This one looked like a good choice, but if I could get something bigger, better, I would definitely go for that.

Also it'll probably be sitting on something, but I want to go flat. )

k, I'll post some links... are you interested in plasma also or only LCD?

Since he said under 30", his only option is LCD.

Where is Dmorris?

If I had $700-$800 to spend on an LCD HDTV, this is exactly what I'd look for

http//cgi.ebay.com/Samsung-LN-S3251D-32-LCD-Widescreen-HDTV-LNS3251D_W0QQitemZ260143505116QQihZ016QQcategoryZ61400QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[quoteed9c377b95="zr2152"]Where is Dmorris?[/quoteed9c377b95]
I'm here.

Guys, I love to help, but we must have a "Shopping for a TV!!!!" thread about every other week. I've typed and retyped the same stuff so many times I'm getting sick of it. I'll let some of the other folks take over with the recommendations and keep myself quiet, unless I see something blatantly false. Or an opinion I strongly disagree with, like suggesting CRT HDTV's! ;) I could never see myself recommending a CRT HDTV, in ANY case. Not nowadays.

If more folks would search first, they would find a multitude of suggestions already given to others.

Haha... dmorris, I personally do NOT like CRT HDTVs as they are bulky and heavy, however, every HDTV expert and professional still says, even today, that CRT HDTVs have THE best HD picture, hands down, even over high-end Plasmas and LCDs.

[quotea0f0ad9af5="jeagle82"]Haha... dmorris, I personally do NOT like CRT HDTVs as they are bulky and heavy, however, every HDTV expert and professional still says, even today, that CRT HDTVs have THE best HD picture, hands down, even over high-end Plasmas and LCDs.[/quotea0f0ad9af5]
Good tubes will always have better image quality, because they have virtually infinite color reproduction and superior scaling ability. In some cases more brightness, but not that much more compared to the latest-gen flat panel and RP designs. Current-gen flat technologies have closed the gap on image quality to the point where CRT's are no longer practical, regardless of whether they look a bit better still. Far too many "cons" with the only "pro" being a little better IQ. I wouldn't even consider cost to be a benefit, I'd rather have a cheap flat panel that costs within a hundred or two of a CRT HDTV, if even that much difference.

And quite frankly, I've not seen a CRT yet that I think looks significantly better than my 60" SXRD. And you'll NEVER find a 60" CRT.

We're down to ONE CRT in the house now, and that's the rather expensive Sony Wega that we handed down to our daughter when we mounted the 42" plasma on our bedroom wall. 3 out of 4 TV's (1 SXRD, 1 plasma, 1 LCD), and 5 computer monitors, are all flat. I've written off CRT's forever.

enough about your 60" sxrd wink

[quote0d95cc9c87="zdub08"]enough about your 60" sxrd wink[/quote0d95cc9c87]
Hey, back me into a corner and you leave me no choice. Besides, I think it's been at least 2 weeks since I've mentioned it. Maybe a month. ;)

Nice! I have that exact TV (the 60" SXRD that is!). You have good taste in TVs! The SXRD is in the PlayRoom, a 50" Pioneer Elite Plasma is wall-mounted in the Living Room, 46" Samsung LCD 1080p (ln-s4696D) in the bedroom, and a 32" Samsung (ln-s3251d) wall-mounted in the kitchen.

Don't ya love HDTV technology?

Anyways, like I said, I HATE HATE HATE with a passion CRT HDTVs. Though they have VERY slightly better PQ, in a couple more years, that won't be true. Plus they are HUGE and BULKY. But someone on a budget looking for an HDTV 30" or smaller, sometimes CRT is the best way to go.

C'est la vie! wink

[quotefb0ec6af67="dmorris68"][quotefb0ec6af67="jeagle82"]Haha... dmorris, I personally do NOT like CRT HDTVs as they are bulky and heavy, however, every HDTV expert and professional still says, even today, that CRT HDTVs have THE best HD picture, hands down, even over high-end Plasmas and LCDs.[/quotefb0ec6af67]
Good tubes will always have better image quality, because they have virtually infinite color reproduction and superior scaling ability. In some cases more brightness, but not that much more compared to the latest-gen flat panel and RP designs. Current-gen flat technologies have closed the gap on image quality to the point where CRT's are no longer practical, regardless of whether they look a bit better still. Far too many "cons" with the only "pro" being a little better IQ. I wouldn't even consider cost to be a benefit, I'd rather have a cheap flat panel that costs within a hundred or two of a CRT HDTV, if even that much difference.

And quite frankly, I've not seen a CRT yet that I think looks significantly better than my 60" SXRD. And you'll NEVER find a 60" CRT.

We're down to ONE CRT in the house now, and that's the rather expensive Sony Wega that we handed down to our daughter when we mounted the 42" plasma on our bedroom wall. 3 out of 4 TV's (1 SXRD, 1 plasma, 1 LCD), and 5 computer monitors, are all flat. I've written off CRT's forever.[/quotefb0ec6af67]

32" in your kitchen? 46" in your bedroom?

bah.

bah? What's that supposed to mean?

[quote8210f17edb="zdub08"]32" in your kitchen? 46" in your bedroom?

bah.[/quote8210f17edb]

seems excessive or something idk

You and my wife would get along GREAT! lol. Same thing she says. I agree, it might be excessive... but, I'm just a tech junkie. lol

[quotefdeeb20efe="zdub08"]seems excessive or something idk[/quotefdeeb20efe]

[quote06bf71aa25="zdub08"]seems excessive or something idk[/quote06bf71aa25]
Why is that? If a person is putting themselves into deep debt to buy their gadgets, not feeding the kids, etc., then I would agree with you. If they can afford them however, and come by them honestly, while taking care of their other responsiblities, then why would you begrudge somebody for having nice TV's? Jealous much? ;)

Of course I don't know jeagle's situation, but I do give folks the benefit of the doubt until I know better.

Haha, thanks for giving me the benefit of the doubt. ;)

I have no kids, just a wife. I DO have 3 dogs, and judging by their big bellies, they get fed very well! I have no debts, and I out-right own both cars we have and the house we live in. I can honestly say I'm very grateful for what I've been able to accomplish in life!

But, zdub08 might be right... it MAY be a little excessive. lol. But I wouldn't have it any other way! Shopping around now for a 26" for the bathroom to put right above the hottub.

I hope you have a big kitchen.

Sorry if this is posted all the time. Perhaps a nice sticky thread for TV related stuff? )

Also that 32'' Samsung you posted, looks good, and I can do that. Worth spending more cash? EDIT Just noticed it was cracked P

yeah, get something bigger. get an olevia/syntax. they're much cheaper than big-name sets and only one company makes virtually all the main LCD components for all manufacturers, so they're not really much different. i was going to get one but ended up getting the same deal on a viewsonic. i think i paid around $800 for a 37" LCD.
try dealnews.com and pricegrabber.com

http//dealnews.com/categories/Electronics/Televisions/159.html

-edit-
nm, i paid $950 for my tv

[quote5b340a4488="gnznroses"]yeah, get something bigger. get an olevia/syntax. they're much cheaper than big-name sets and only one company makes virtually all the main LCD components for all manufacturers, so they're not really much different. [/quote5b340a4488]
Whoa. Not disagreeing that you can find some quite decent sets in the cheaper brands like Syntax/Olevia, but the rest of that statement is very incorrect. It would lead folks to believe that all LCD panels are the same, which couldn't be farther from the truth. There are HUGE differences between different panels.

It's true that there are a [i5b340a4488]few[/i5b340a4488] (not only one) LCD panel OEMs for all the many TV brands. However they are not all the same quality. Not only that, but within one OEM, they make several different panels and panel types. There's more than one LCD technology and quality grade, and some perform much better than others. Same as with LCD computer monitors, not all LCD TV panels are created equal. Some are great and some are garbage, and it's not unusual to find that quality range within one brand or OEM.

[quote32c9621a99="CougarKid"]Sorry if this is posted all the time. Perhaps a nice sticky thread for TV related stuff? )

Also that 32'' Samsung you posted, looks good, and I can do that. Worth spending more cash? EDIT Just noticed it was cracked P[/quote32c9621a99]

Hey Cougar. Sorry, didn't notice it was cracked. Here check out these links

http//www.valueplasma.com/productdetail.asp?productid=2029&refid=cnet

http//www.beachcamera.com/shop/product.aspx?omid=117&ref=mysimon&utm_source=MySimon&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=SAMLNS3251DRB&sku=SAMLNS3251DRB

http//www.123buydirect.com/ProdDisplay.asp?CatID=124&ProdID=154&ExportID=3&k=LNS3251D&se=CNET&p=1.00

Same 32" Samsung as before, but these are legit online retailers that sell for great prices! )

The specs on the TV are awesome, as you can see. I love it. Beautiful picture! )

Though Olevia, Syntax, Vizio and Westinghouse are good value LCD tvs, you WILL definitely notice a difference in picture quality compared to higher-end tvs, like Samsung, Sony, and Sharp. Color Accuracy, Black Levels, Contrast Ratio, etc will all be much better in the latter, and they all add to a clearer, crisper HD image.

That TV there looks very nice. Thank you for the help.

I'm going to read some reviews on that one and post back here. )

Sure thing! Check out www.cnet.com. They give awesome reviews, both expert and user reviews, on pretty much every HDTV out on the market. Also, the AVS forums are great too, a little more technical and complex, but great if you can understand the lingo. )

This one is at the top of my new list now. I'm going to be getting it come September, October.

I have a little more I'd like to ask from this topic. That Samsung there is the TV I'm getting, but my Bro would like a HDTV for his room too. He has like $500 only, but wants something decent.

I've looked and the best I can come up with is this

Link[=http//www.refurbdepot.com/productdetails2.cfm?Product_ID=5205&refererid=froogle]Link

Link 2 [=http//www.circuitcity.com/ssm/OLEVIA-32-2-Series-LCD-HDTV-232V/sem/rpsm/oid/163702/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do#tabs]Link 2

It's pretty cheap compared to some of the really good TV's on the market, but he's only using it really for his 360 and maybe my PS3 if I allow it in there. P


[bcb09c41e49]• 720p resolution
• 16001 contrast ratio
• Widescreen (169)
• Built-in HD tuner
• HDMI input
• PC-compatible[/bcb09c41e49]


What do you guys think of it?

Hey, you know what... Olevia is definitely a very decent Value-Name HDTV Manufacturer. I haven't heard many complaints about them and the ones that I've seen have been pretty decent. The contrast ratio is a little low, but other than that, it's definitely a solid buy at under $500 for 32 inches of HD picture.

In terms of you what you're buying... I don't think you will ever regret buying that 32" Samsung! Tell your brother if he just saves $250 or so more, then he could have superb picture quality for just a bit more.

Thanks man for your continued help. D

We'll see how that works out. $300 is about how much more we'll probably be spending, but it's really that he wants a quick buy. I'll let you know how that goes.

read the newegg.com revies on olevia/syntax models. when i last checked they were excellent. i still ended up with a viewsonic instead tho.

btw, a built-in tuner doesn't really matter ;)

My brother has a 32" Olevia LCD (don't know what model) said it's great, has no complaints with it.

Any updates CougarKid? I'm curious as to which direction you and your brother chose! )

The Olevia looks like a faster, quicker choice, but I think he'd be smarter to wait 2 more months to get a better TV.

http//www.valueplasma.com/productdetail.asp?productid=2029&refid=cnet

That one is definitely looking like a winner. I'm going to try and find the Samsung at a little cheaper price too. Ebay looks like it could be of service. )

Any other TV's you could think of that look good?