I'm looking to get an HDTV and wanted opinions. I'd love to spend around $800, however I can go up to $3500 if it's worth it in the long run.

Price range: $800 - $3500.

Uses: HD Gaming and HD-DVD/Blu-Ray exclusively, although if SD channels look better on an HDTV I might watch TV on it too.

Size: I'll be sitting 5 feet away from it. Someone told me not to go below 40". Is 37" acceptable at that distance?

What's the difference between plasma, projection TV, DLP, and LCD HDTVs? I don't want to worry about burn in (is Plasma the one that suffers from burn in?).

I want something thin.

Thanks!

so you are relegated to LCD or Plasma....

Plasma has no burn-in concerns anymore as long as you break it in (~100 hours of use).

I usually recommend Plasma and still advise you to take a look at them but LCD may be a better option in your case.

If this is your main TV take a look at the "S" brands....Sony, Sharp and Samsung.

Bigger is better as while TVs may look big when you first get them, they shrink the more you watch them.

I cant believe I am recommending lcd

LCD will be more cost effective in general and may be a little better for you if you do a lot of gaming.

I am a light game player, have Blu-Ray and use a 50" Panasonic plasma at 720p.

You could also pick up a Panasonic 720p plasma 42" for a little more than $1k.

In the end it is up to you. I think plasma offers better black levels and color reproduction than LCD and many would agree. Sharp and Samsungs recent models do a pretty good job with them as well.

I always advise buying the better brands and spending a few more dollars rather than getting a Vizio or Olevia as your main TV.

For $3500 you can get quite a nice TV these days, but since you'll be sitting so close, probably 40" or 42" will suit you fine. Usually the bigger the better is best so you don't have to upgrade later. In this case since you're not going for size you're going for quality. I think LCD is much better for gaming over Plasma so a much better choice overall.

Also, if you are going to be sitting that close, and doing gaming and watching HD/Blu-Ray, you might as well get a 1080p set. There is no reason not to go 1080p (especially with your budget) at this point. Might I suggest one of the Sony Bravias.

What do you think of this one?
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1169512521206

I literally will be sitting thisclose so would anything over 42" be overkill? This has a 5 rating. With the service plan and taxes this should be right around 2k.

Five feet away? Yikes.

Yeah, small room

So I guess there's such a thing as too big.

I'm going to be doing the Black Friday line... I'm guaranteed a deal, right? Here are the 2006 deals:

Hitachi 51" CRT Rear-Projection HDTV - $699.99
Insigma 27" Flat Tube HDTV - $269.99 (After Rebate)
Panasonic 42" Plasma HDTV - $999.99 (5AM-Noon)
Toshiba 32" Flat Panel LCD HDTV Monitor - $799.99
Toshiba 50" Plasma TV (Doorbuster Item: 5am - 12pm Only) - $1699.99
Toshiba 56" DLP Projection HDTV - $1199.99
Westinghouse 27" Flat Panel LCD HDTV - $479.99
Westinghouse 32" LCD HDTV (Doorbuster Item: 5am - 12pm Only) - $479.99
Westinghouse 42" LCD HDTV (Doorbuster Item: 5am - 12pm Only) - $999.99

I'd recommend you take SoSpacey's advice and then start looking around over at AVS. Just look through some of the threads in the LCD and Plasma sections and absorb as much as you can. Will help you narrow down your search and ask more specific questions.

http://avsforum.com/

No, no, no, no, no...seriously Deb. For that money you can get a better TV and do not buy it at Best Buy unless you must.

For LCD, I gave you three options that are all good. Stick with them. I have an LG that I love as well but probably wouldnt have gone that route if it was my main TV. It handles SD superbly. Better than and of the Sharp/Sammy/Sony that I saw.

But I would narrow your search down to one of the 3 LCDs above or a Panasonic plasma. The minimum I would look at is 40" and preferably 42".

You will be faced with MANY choices with buying a TV. Use this as a guide to narrowing down your choices and then figure out the rest on your own.

I repeat- with your budget and since you plan on watching HD/Blu-Rays make sure it's 1080p.

As for DLPs, I own a Samsung 56" 720p, and I am now sort of dissapointed with it because the picture is off from the sheer weight of the cabinet over time making the mirror out of line. Go with the LCD or Plasma- you'll be happier.

Get the 42" 720p Panasonic Plasma and be done with it. Yes it is an "easy answer" with no explaination....but it is an excellent picture at a great price now.

SD my not look that great sitting that close but HD should be fine (tho 5' if awefully close). My room is "only" 15" long and I have a 94" screen with TWO rows of setting. Meaning the closer row is right at 10.5' away with the back row right at 14".

I always disagree with this. At less then 55"-60" I wouldn't both with 1080p even sitting close. But that is just my opinion. If you got the money it certainly would hurt...but I don't see that it would help either.

Sospacey why shouldn't I buy the TV at Best Buy? (i.e. what do you know that I don't?) I have $2000 no financing until Jan 09.

I think I'm settled on 2k for it. Up to $1600 + tax + service plan.

Gatordeb,

You can buy your service plan somewhere else besides where you get it. My father paid about 1/4 of what Circuit City offered and his was a year longer. Read a little here.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...php?p=11917596

Mack will warranty just about anything.

Please explain to me how to "break in" a plasma TV properly. Just bought one two weeks ago.

cheers,

-the Jesus

Do a search (google), and if you bought a panasonic, check out the panasonic specific sites...

But basically you want to turn the brightness way down. You don't want to watch anything with a static image for any longer then necessary. Only watch HD or in stretch mode so that you don't have the black bars (or if you can make them grey), limit game play (again the static image issue). Typically this is recommended for the first 100 hours or so.