Buying A New TV

[Adidas410s]

So I think I am going to get a new TV. I have a Philips that is a few years old but it likes to turn itself off here and there and is getting annoying. It's a 5-yr old 27" but I think I want something now in the 30+" range. The only constraint is that dont want to spend more than $700. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Adidas410s]

oh and getting one that is HDTV capable isn't a HUGE priority since I don't have that service right now through Cox and don't care to buy the $100 in cables that I would need.

[zeus63]

bought a 36'' RCA with built in stereo and a 5 year warranty for right around $700. Great picture and sound. (Recently got upgraded for my birthday tho, wife bought me a 52'' wide screen)

[Johnnypaycheck]

i am in the same boat...want a 32" too...how important is HDTV? i don't want to pay for that package, so i might as well get a regular flat screen with no HD right?

[3afan]

IMO if you spend more than $300 on a TV then you're spending too much .....

[Adidas410s]

Originally posted by Johnnypaycheck
i am in the same boat...want a 32" too...how important is HDTV? i don't want to pay for that package, so i might as well get a regular flat screen with no HD right?

just from looking thought It's hard to find a flat panel TV that ISN'T HDTV ready...

[zeus63]

you can get an HDTV without having HD cable. The only thing it does is allow for the option of having it, once you get the cable for it. I have an HD monitor without HD cable and the picture is still great.

[Adidas410s]

Originally posted by zeus63
you can get an HDTV without having HD cable. The only thing it does is allow for the option of having it, once you get the cable for it. I have an HD monitor without HD cable and the picture is still great.

this is true but then you are paying extra for the TV for something that you don't want to use...

[big daddy russ]

Depending on what you like and what your entertainment center can hold, I think the best deal under $700 are the Toshiba 30" wide screens. It's NOT a flat panel but is HDTV compatible and flat screen, meaning that when you watch DVD's or when your cable carrier finally comes out with an HDTV or EDTV signal it'll show up in it's native resolution.

Also, when I was looking at TV's it was the only widescreen CRT (old school tube TV) that could fit in my 32" entertainment center. Another bonus is that some of Toshiba's models come with a built-in subwoofer and great sound.

You can find them at Best Buy, Circuit City and most major retailers for around $800 but if you look online (http://shopping.com/xPP-standard_televisions--screen_size__search__28___33_in_-toshiba-16_9-1080i__hdtv_-720p__hdtv_) you can get them for less. I saw a refurb store in there that could get you one tax, title, license, out the door for $614. Overstock.com has "A" stock units for $672 out the door.

[spiveyrat]

Earlier this year I bought a Sharp AQUOS 13" LCD tv. I wish now that all my other TVs were LCD. The picture is SHARP (no pun intended) and crisp. And it does not reflect any glare from lamp light or sunlight coming through the blinds.

[GreenMonster]

Originally posted by 3afan
IMO if you spend more than $300 on a TV then you're spending too much .....

Some people just don't understand the true value of a 52" widescreen television. :rolleyes:

[Adidas410s]

Originally posted by GreenMonster
Some people just don't understand the true value of a 52" widescreen television. :rolleyes:

exactly. That being said, I went over to Circuit City during lunch and I think I am just going to get a 27" flat screen Sony for about $330. It fits better in my budget right now and leaves for flexibility for other things...like "holiday" spending and my new found ability to have to pay for my own insurance! :confused:

[zeus63]

No kidding. Wal-Mart has good prices on TV's and good brands. Don't know if you are interested but worth looking to, I think.

[zeus63]

Originally posted by GreenMonster
Some people just don't understand the true value of a 52" widescreen television. :rolleyes:

Totally agree. Don't think I could ever go back to having a regular size TV.

[Adidas410s]

Originally posted by zeus63
No kidding. Wal-Mart has good prices on TV's and good brands. Don't know if you are interested but worth looking to, I think.

Yeah my only thing is I want to put in on my Circuit City card. That thing is like crack...I don't use it but maybe 5 times a year but I always find something I want. Like I can have the TV paid off by January...it's a nice little credit addition (being only 22...I'm trying to push my credit into a SOLID "a" class as opposed to being borderline "a")...and then I can get a PS3 in the spring!!!! :D

[zeus63]

New TV and a PS3, great combo. I'll have to try and talk my wife into one of those too. It'll probably be a little easier once the kiddo turns 3

[Adidas410s]

Originally posted by zeus63
New TV and a PS3, great combo. I'll have to try and talk my wife into one of those too. It'll probably be a little easier once the kiddo turns 3

lol...yeah. I would love to go with a high-def TV but it's not practical right now even though the new XBox 360 and PS3 (I won't buy XBox though) graphics would look AWESOME on it. yeah I am taking advantage of being single now so that I can load up on the gadgets now before I have to "justify" it with a "significant other" not being my mom. She is just worried about me getting in over my head...another reason she will feel ok with me buying the cheaper TV.

[hayden9212004]

just buy a tv

[Adidas410s]

Originally posted by hayden9212004
just buy a tv

umm...yeah I already said I was going to!!! Thanks for the positive reinforcement! :D

[Ranger Mom]

Originally posted by hayden9212004
just buy a tv

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:


Adidas, I think you have made a very smart choice!!

[Adidas410s]

Originally posted by Ranger Mom
:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:


Adidas, I think you have made a very smart choice!!

Thanks mom...now I don't even need to tell my real mom about my choice...my online one has already approved! :clap:

[TMer25]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by big daddy russ
[B]Depending on what you like and what your entertainment center can hold, I think the best deal under $700 are the Toshiba 30" wide screens. It's NOT a flat panel but is HDTV compatible and flat screen, meaning that when you watch DVD's or when your cable carrier finally comes out with an HDTV or EDTV signal it'll show up in it's native resolution.[QUOTE]





I design, install and calibrate home theaters, and I always recommend that set for people who are looking for an HD set for their bedroom.

[3afan]

Originally posted by GreenMonster
Some people just don't understand the true value of a 52" widescreen television. :rolleyes:

well, i guess it all depends on which of 10 definitions of "value" you want to use ..... i guess if spending $2000 on a TV truely enhances a person's quality of life then whip out that charge card and have at it! and more power to ya bro. :thumbsup:

[spiveyrat]

If I were you, I would wait til the day after Thanksgiving. There will be all kinds of deals then. I got this email today. Supposedly, these are the items that are scheduled to be on sale.

http://blackfriday.gottadeal.com/

[JasperDog94]

Originally posted by zeus63
New TV and a PS3, great combo. I'll have to try and talk my wife into one of those too. It'll probably be a little easier once the kiddo turns 3 Just use the excuse that a bigger tv with sharper images will only help your little one with his/her visual accuity....hey, it sounds good.:D :D

[zeus63]

Originally posted by 3afan
well, i guess it all depends on which of 10 definitions of "value" you want to use ..... i guess if spending $2000 on a TV truely enhances a person's quality of life then whip out that charge card and have at it! and more power to ya bro. :thumbsup:

I wouldn't really call it value, but man it is cool when you turn that thing on and watch a football game in life size. Plus it adds to bragging rights. Everybody wants to watch the Superbowl on the big screen.

[Blastoderm55]

Originally posted by 3afan
well, i guess it all depends on which of 10 definitions of "value" you want to use ..... i guess if spending $2000 on a TV truely enhances a person's quality of life then whip out that charge card and have at it! and more power to ya bro. :thumbsup:

You can land a 52" HDTV from Wal-Mart or Best Buy for under $1200, granted its the Yugo of HDTVs, RCA.

[Adidas410s]

Originally posted by 3afan
well, i guess it all depends on which of 10 definitions of "value" you want to use ..... i guess if spending $2000 on a TV truely enhances a person's quality of life then whip out that charge card and have at it! and more power to ya bro. :thumbsup:

Yeah my roommate and I had this discussion over lunch. I said "my satisfaction doesn't increase 10X by buying the $3000 TV instead of the $300" but then again he says "you know why you buy that $3000 TV??? Because you can." Then again...he can...I can't! :rolleyes:

[whtfbplaya]

Get one of them fancy ones with color and sound!

[Adidas410s]

Originally posted by whtfbplaya
Get one of them fancy ones with color and sound!

yeah..time for the black and white one to go by the wayside...

[lebron_fan]

Originally posted by Adidas410s
lol...yeah. I would love to go with a high-def TV but it's not practical right now even though the new XBox 360 and PS3 (I won't buy XBox though) graphics would look AWESOME on it. yeah I am taking advantage of being single now so that I can load up on the gadgets now before I have to "justify" it with a "significant other" not being my mom. She is just worried about me getting in over my head...another reason she will feel ok with me buying the cheaper TV.


i think xbox will always be better than playstation just because its by microsoft

[Adidas410s]

Originally posted by lebron_fan
i think xbox will always be better than playstation just because its by microsoft

lol...you sleeping with Bill Gates or something? It only took them 6 or so versions of Windows to get one that didn't require a new service pack every 2 months to "fix the latest bugs"

[lebron_fan]

nice joke...it was so funny :rolleyes:
i just think xbox is better and will always have better graphics

[Adidas410s]

Originally posted by lebron_fan
nice joke...it was so funny :rolleyes:
i just think xbox is better and will always have better graphics

Well considering it came out about a year after PS2 and was able to have a MUCH faster processor...it would only be common sense that it would have better graphics than a PS2. We will see what happens this time around when the PS3 comes out AFTER the XBox360. Then again...the processors aren't growing 6-fold from 166mHz to 660 mHz in a 6 month period like they were back in the day!

[lebron_fan]

i heard the ps3's shelf price when it comes out is gonna be a 100 more than a 360 so it would be dumb if it wasnt better

[Adidas410s]

From what I have found so far...it sounds like the PS3 will start out at $300...same as the PSOne and PS2. Here is some info on the processing speed:

On paper, the PS3 is 2x more powerful than the Xbox 360 and 15x more powerful than the Nintendo Revolution. It has a processing capacity of 2.18 TFLOPS, which is put into context when you realise the FASTEST computers in existence can only do 36 Terraflops. It is said to be 35x more powerful than the PlayStation 2 is.

Also, it will have bluetooth capability for speakers and controllers which I think is great since I have just about every bluetooth device out there...

[Adidas410s]

Oh and the PS3 will be compatable with all PS2 and PSOne games where as the 360 will not. What cracks me up is that the XBox is going to have a controller that looks and plays a lot like a PS2 controller because so many people griped about the ones that had for the 1st XBox

[lebron_fan]

so the xbox 360 will not play regular xbox games?????

[Adidas410s]

Originally posted by lebron_fan
so the xbox 360 will not play regular xbox games?????

I think it is going to have compatability for some of the newer games...but most of what I have read has been kinda shady. I'll look it up and find out for you for sure.

[Adidas410s]

K...it's all kinda shady. First off, if you just by an XBox 360 it will NOT be backwards compatable with XBox games. Now if you buy the XBox 360 hard drive (its an accessory...i would guess between $30 and $50) THEN you can play XBox games...but ONLY the ones that were the "most popular titles." Here is a link where you can find which games will work once you buy the hard drive accessory:

XBox Games for XBox 360 (http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/9736/Xbox-360-Backward-Compatible-Xbox-Games-List/)

If you ask me...this is just Gates' latest way of "letting the man stick it to ya!!!"