Ted The Bug

Hello,

I currently have a very crappy 32" Sanyo old-school TV that just sucks. It had terrible inputs and cuts off the left side of the picture. I want to upgrade to a 16:9 display, but am on a limited budget.

Can anyone recommend a good 16:9 Display that can be found for under $1k?

I wouldn't want anything smaller than 30" because on a 30" widecreen, 16:9 content will be about the same as I have now. I would prefer at least a 39" because on a 39" widescreen, 4:3 content is about the same that I have now.

I have a progressive scan dvd player and digital cable... not sure when HDTV will be available in my area though (I have Charter Cable and live in central Mass)..... So I'm not sure if I should get a HDTV or just a regular 16:9.

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

DVD Polizei

You aren't going to get a 40" 16:9 for $1,000.

A 30" 16:9 Samsung is about $1200. A Sony will run you a little more. Toshiba 32HF73 (32") is around $1200. For a 40" or so set, you will need at least $1500-$2000 (but that's just my opinion, and how I shop). The 34" Toshiba jumps to $1600 or so.

Now, before you get depressed, RCA does make a 40" HDTV for about $1300-$1450 (depends on where you get it and does not include shipping if you get it over the net--which can be $180 or more). The RCA D40W20.

Sometimes paying a little more, will get you better quality. I know nothing of RCA sets, but Samsung, Toshiba, and Sony, are the most widely used.

Hopefully someone else can chime in, as I don't know everything about these things.

Joshic

At www.jandr.com:

SAMSUNG TXN3075WHF 30" Wide Neo Side-Sound Design DynaFlat Digital HDTV Monitor

$999.00 - Suggested Retail Price

$897.88 - YOUR PRICE

If you email them for a better price, they'll give you the lower price. It's not the best TV, but it fits your budget and size requirements. Any HDTV over 30" is going to cost you more than $1000. Actually most 30" HDTVs are over $1k, Samsungs are the exception. Note that this TV does not support 720p, which would be a problem if you plan to play Xbox HD games on it. But if games aren't a priority, it's not so bad. Also, I don't think you can buy any quality 16:9 sets that aren't HDTV anymore. The best tube TVs are Sonys, followed by Toshibas.

Ted The Bug

Hmmmm

Thanks for the help so far.

If I wait 9 months to a year will there be some 32"-38" HDTV 16:9's available for under $1,000? Or will prices really not start to go down until HDTV is available everywhere?

Or would I be better off buying another 4:3 display now and upgrading to 16:9 in 4 or 5 years?

FYI, I watch mostly DVDs (I always buy anamorphic whenever possible) and what television shows I do watch (Alias, 24, Smallville, Enterprise, Friends, Karen Sisco, Las Vegas, etc) are being filmed HD anyway (Although I don't have HD in my town yet). The only video game system I have is a gamecube which I don't think has 480p or 720p output.

Gyno Rhino

Just live with what you've got for a while. No reason to send yourself into debt by buying a 4:3 then having to upgrade it a couple years later.

I'd imagine the prices WILL drop in the next year or so, but not as drastically as they will sometime around 2006.

DJ_Longfellow

You can get an RCA 52" 16:9 for $1,299 or a 42" Toshiba for about $1399. These were at Best Buy.

I recommend you spend the few extra hundred of dollars and get something bigger than 30". I have a 55" Mits, and it sometimes seem small.

It's what happens with most people....BIG at first, but over time, the TV seems smaller. I'm happy with my 55" in my house....couldn't really go bigger....

Gyno Rhino

I'm assuming those are both non-HD.

Is it worth buying a non-HD TV now, or should we just ante up and buy an HD?

leemik

Would you ever consider a front projector?

You could get an Infocus X1 for ~$874 shipped with no tax at the Dell home store... and it would certainly be larger than 39"

--mike

Ted The Bug

Do you need a special screen to project onto or can you just use a large white wall?

leemik

I corrected the price.. found some more coupons

You can project it on a flat(not gloss) white wall...or even a white bed sheet if you want to go real ghetto

--mike

Gyno Rhino

Some of my friends who have projectors say that the projector causes some itsy-bitsy vibrations.. And that distorts the image heavily. One of them mounted it to a giant wooden box.

Is that an unusual thing? To me, it seems that the projector wouldn't have enough internal parts to cause vibration significant enough to distort the picture.

leemik

Do they smoke the wacky weed before they watch?

nothing but rave reviews here:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=318851

Walter Neff

If you have Costco membership, you can get an Akai 43" HD 16:9 for $999 (before sales tax, of course). I don't know much about the TV though -- its quality, reputation, etc. But it fits your requirements, I think...

FantasticVSDoom

Those are both HD at Bestbuy. Im getting the 46" Toshiba for 1499.99 (plus a free portable DVD player, this will be a good christmas gift for someone). This is my first Big screen, so I am extremely giddy. Hopefully I can get it in time for the FSU-ND game for this weekend.

DVD Polizei

I'm giddy for you.

Ted The Bug

Another question about projectors.... say you are watching a 2.35:1 movie... it will project black bars onto the wall along with the image right?

leemik

Uh, yeah....

--mike

Deadman31

http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_g...3dec0094e5014f


http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_g...3dec0094e5014f


They are refurbished but under $1000.

drmoze

AVOID REFURB DEPOT!!! Do a search---they're nothing but trouble.

And in the future, please don't even hint at recommending something from them. Lots of rip-offs--they charge restocking fees, don't deliver the product ordered, etc....