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What kind of tv should I buy?

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What kind of tv should I buy?

Old 02-25-07, 01:51 PM
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What kind of tv should I buy?

I'm going to upgrade the 24" tube tv in my living room for something bigger and better. I have no idea what to look for--can anyone point me in the right direction? I'm looking for something 42-60" and durable. Also, we got a wii today, and I don't want the tv to get burned images, which rules out rear projection, I think. Do LCD's and plasma tvs get burn in?

I probably won't get another tv for 5-10 years and can spend up to $2500, including any kind of entertainment center or support needed to hold the tv. I'm pretty handy so I could put the entertainment center together myself, but I'm not so handy that I'd hang a tv on the wall by myself (so I probably have to factor in installation costs if it's that type of tv). I'd like to spend less rather than more, and maybe I would get a home theater system with surround speakers too, if I can afford it.

Thanks for any info . . .
Old 02-25-07, 02:05 PM
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Sounds like you need to do a lot more research. Burn in is generally no longer an issue. Yes, it is possible, but unlikely with a properly calibrated set with reasonable precautions and watching.

At $2,500 and the size you mention, you have a huge selection. If you go as big as 55" to 60" you might want to consider 1080p depending on how far you are sitting. Tho in that size in 1080p you might be pushing you budget on a name brand set.

At 50" I look at the Panasonic Plasma's. You can get them around $2,000 and even less. Plus couple hundred for wall hanging. However, if you are paranoid about the burn in issue, then the 50" to 60" Samsung DLP's (rear projection) or Sony 50" to 60" LCD (rear projection) should fit the bill. Currently I'm not a fan of the big flat panel LCD's. They are just to expensive for the picture IMHO.
Old 02-25-07, 07:30 PM
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Originally Posted by Sdallnct
Sounds like you need to do a lot more research. Burn in is generally no longer an issue. Yes, it is possible, but unlikely with a properly calibrated set with reasonable precautions and watching.
Just to be specific....burn-in is impossible with LCD, DLP and LCOS models. It is barely possible on current plasmas. It might be possible on tube TVs. It is still an issue for CRT projectors, rear or front. But there aren't many of these left on the market. But as Sdallnct said, proper care will eliminate any worry.
Old 02-25-07, 07:32 PM
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Burn-in is only a concern with plasma and CRT-based displays, including CRT rear-projection. But even then, they've improved the technology a lot, so burn-in isn't as big a deal as it used to be. Still, make sure to observe the 100-hour burn-in recommendations for plasma, if you go that route.

In addition to Sdallnct's recommendations, I'd also point you to Sony's SXRD line, which is Sony's verion of LCoS (liquid crystal on silicon). The new model year comes out in late March, so you should be able to find the current models on sale cheap. I just picked up the 50-inch model for about $1,600 from onecall.com.
Old 02-25-07, 08:35 PM
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I always leave out the LCoS my bad...

And yes I was being a little overly broad. Spikey is of course 100% correct. With the great deals on the Panny Plasma's I'd hate for most people to eliminate them due to the perceived burn in issues.
Old 02-25-07, 11:51 PM
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Thanks you guys. I went to Costco today and found it all a little overwhelming. The projection tv's seemed a lot less crisp than the LCD's and Plasmas, but they were cheaper. I noticed everything looked better from far away, but unfortunately my living room isn't all that big so we'll be sitting 5-7 feet away, max.
Old 02-26-07, 02:24 AM
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I wouldn't judge by how Costco has their TVs set up.
Old 02-26-07, 08:21 AM
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Rear projectors are the best value, but not because they have a worse pic. They are the best value as everyone is hot to trot on the flat panels. The Sony (LCD) and Samsung (DLP) 47" RP's are an incredible deals IMHO. I mean these are very nice sets that can be had under $1,200 with some looking around. All the technologies have their +'s and -'s. You cannot generalize and say "all the LCD's are better". Also from brand to brand their are differnces. So a 40" Samsung LCD flat panel might be awesome, but a 40" GE LCD planel might suck.

Of course the LCoS is considered by many as a step up.

60" TV in a room that size is really going to take over the room. It will end up being the focal point of the room. Personally I'd look a little smaller. But if you are watching HD and DVDp, it would look pretty impressive.
Old 03-04-07, 01:51 AM
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Hey everyone, thanks so much for all the advice.

I ended up buying an LCos, but JVC rather than Sony. The Sony did look better, but at almost twice the price, I didn't think the difference was worth it. I was also not sure I could really tell the difference between 1080p and 720p from several feet away, so I thought cheaper was better in that respect, too. I got a 52" TV, stand, cables (hdmi and optical), 5 year extended warranty that covers lamp replacement, and an upconverting dvdplayer/home theater system for just under $1700, well under my budget.

I started to put up the surround sound system today, but I've realized that as a renter, I may be stuck with speaker wires showing. Or maybe I'll throw caution to the wind, get a drill, and start making holes in the wall (I know how to spackle . . .). How do people get a speaker all the way on the other side of the room without having wire in the way? Even if I make holes, how would I thread a wire that far? If I bought an area rug would it be a fire hazard to run the wire under it? Would it mean a short life for that poor little speaker wire?

Anyway, the TV is a huge improvement over the 24" tube tv it replaced, and I feel like I'll probably never want to go to the movie theater again.
Old 03-04-07, 09:58 AM
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Nice. Good job. The JVC has a nice following. As you get more into it, don't stop! Keep reading and learning. If you go over to a site like AVS there will be without a doubt a "tweakers thread" or something like that to get the best picture out of it yourself. Or you could hire a pro to truly calibrated.

It will be tough to run wires across a wall. Why? You will keep running into a stud that you will need to drill into. Something I don't recommend, especially in rental property. You have a number of options to hide the wire. You could get the "race track" system, which is basically plastic molding channeled out to hold the wires and then you can paint them. You could get flat speaker wire and run them under the carpet (I'd try not to run where people walk). You could get the really flat paint able speaker wire and just mount it on the wall and re-paint the walls including the speaker wire. You could see if you can remove the baseboard and rout out a channel yourself for the speaker wire. Yes, you could use a throw rug, shouldn't be a fire hazard, but it might eventually break down the wire if people are truly walking on it. Again, shouldn't cause a fire, but might cause your speaker to short in and out, which may or may not damage the speaker.
Old 03-04-07, 12:22 PM
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Good choice with LCoS. I would have went with the JVC if I didn't get the SXRD. Sounds like you got a nice deal for everything. Enjoy!

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