I'll be moving out sometime this summer it looks like. I also be in the market for a TV.
Here are my preferences
1. Flat Panel (don't mind a rear projection)
2. HD
3. Easy compatibility with PS3 (which I will be getting soon after I move)
4. Quality of picture
5. Affordability
It's gonna be hard to find a TV that meets all 5 preferences, so if you know of others that might not meet all the preference, please suggest them as well.

Any other help in this area would be nice
Thanks

well, if you're moving out on your own for the first time, i doubt you'll have the money for one of the big-name brands, which is fine, you can barely tell a difference in the picture.

i bought this one when it was on sale for like $400 a few months back and i'm very satisfied.

http://www.olevia.com/en-us/Products/2Series/232VLCDHDTV.aspx

my buddy bought this one a few weeks after i got mine(also on sale), and the picture is slightly better when it comes to video games.

http://www.vizio.com/products/detail.aspx?pid=25

the best piece of advice i can give you is to wait until the beginning of football season, that's when all HD tvs go on sale.

I'll be moving out sometime this summer it looks like. I also be in the market for a TV.
Here are my preferences
1. Flat Panel (don't mind a rear projection)
2. HD
3. Easy compatibility with PS3 (which I will be getting soon after I move)
4. Quality of picture
5. Affordability
It's gonna be hard to find a TV that meets all 5 preferences, so if you know of others that might not meet all the preference, please suggest them as well.

Any other help in this area would be nice
Thanks


Check out an ilo 32" Widescreen LCD HDTV Monitor w/ HDMI (http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4104438)

I did get mine at Wal-Mart; bought it because it was selling for under $600 at the time. I've had it for over a year and I'm very happy with it. The only thing I'm unsure of is the PS3 compatability as I don't own a gaming system. I'd ask first with regards to PS3, but this tv is great for the price.

I've been saving up for the last year to move out. Price is nice. By the time I move, I should have at least 3000 to spend.
I've got most of what I need in the kitchen.
Furniture is gonna set me back about $500 hundred for what I'll be getting.

the best piece of advice i can give you is to wait until the beginning of football season, that's when all HD tvs go on sale.
My parents are giving me a 20 inch CRT TV. It should get me long enough that I hit up the HDTV sales in August.
Thanks for the advice

the size of the screen will determine quite a bit

I want a TV in the 32" range.
Big enough to see from my futon, small enough that it doesn't take up to much space

$3000 will buy you a whole lot of 32" tv

probably the best bet is the Samsung 40" LCD
Best Buy has a good deal going right now combo'd with a 5.1 system (iirc)
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=pcmcat145500050007&type=category

if you wanna get rid of some of that coin, the Pioneer Elite Kuro's are some of the best TV's that money can buy
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8378739&st=pioneer&lp=2&type=product&cp=1&id=1179165074464

I've got 3G, but I'm only budgeting around 1500 to move out.
Bed, Desk, Mattress included in 1500.

If I 3G to spend on a TV, I wouldn't have any trouble spending it

i saw a 32" Vizio at like Kmart for $600
if that's what you're into

I'd still take the $1598 package at Best Buy though
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=pcmcat145500050007&type=category

Your the second person that's told me to check out Best Buy.
Guy at work said that Best Buy has treated him real good. And the price is nice.
I was at HH Gregg last night. Only a couple of TV's less than 40". Only 2-3 in the 30" range.

save your money and buy a house. Prices are down from last year.

save your money and buy a house. Prices are down from last year.
Definitely don't have the time or ready for that

Your the second person that's told me to check out Best Buy.


I only mention it due to the package deal
the package is actually less than if you bought the TV alone

otherwise I wouldn't recommend Best Buy for squat
e-tailers like Amazon and Fry's are where you'll find your best deals
but I'd still want to purchase from a B&M store in case there was a need for a return .... which is a high probability with new TV's

and you're right, there's not alot available less than 42" nowadays

I bought the wife an Olevia 37" last year and I would NOT recommend it

I bought the wife an Olevia 37" last year and I would NOT recommend it

Out of curiousity, why?

it's a p.o.s.
it looks like poo
the menu system is combative
black levels are bad
it's slow and clunky
you have to scroll through a dozen inputs to get to the one you want

however, it is by far the LOUDEST little TV I've ever heard

here ya go maximus

I might just get one of these myself and move the Olevia up to the bedroom
people have been comparing this to Kuro's that easily cost twice as much
these are the newest models
lots of good content on these at avsforums

1,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio !
3 HDMI v1.3 (2 rear, 1 front) — accepts signals up to 1080p (60Hz, 24Hz)
long-life panel (60,000 hours)
front SD™ memory card slot for digital photo playback (GalleryPlayer)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00142HLV4/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Absolutely incredible TV for $1,000

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51iSc0uAvPL._SS500_.jpg

You only have a $3000 budget? Spending a third of that on a freaking TV is moronic, IMHO.

You only have a $3000 budget? Spending a third of that on a freaking TV is moronic, IMHO.
I've got pretty much all my kitchen stuff. I can get my bedroom stuff for about 4-500.
I need a good TV. Probably won't spend more than 600-700 on the TV

if $600 or so is all you wanna spend on a TV - don't
you'll end up with garbage

that 42" Panny (now at CC for $1099) is a freaking beast
the best part, you can go no interest til 2010 on it

I HIGHLY recommend Panasonic plasma displays
for LCD - Sony Bravia

not big on Olevia (except for the 7 series), Vizio, Ilo, Soyo, Element, etc...

I like them like this

Pioneer PDP (PLasma Display)
Panasonic PDP
Sony Bravia LCD
Samsung, Sharp, Toshiba, JVC - LCD

then there's always RPJ but not in 30"-40 sizes

if $600 or so is all you wanna spend on a TV - don't
you'll end up with garbage

that 42" Panny (now at CC for $1099) is a freaking beast
the best part, you can go no interest til 2010 on it

I HIGHLY recommend Panasonic plasma displays
for LCD - Sony Bravia

not big on Olevia (except for the 7 series), Vizio, Ilo, Soyo, Element, etc...

I like them like this

Pioneer PDP (PLasma Display)
Panasonic PDP
Sony Bravia LCD
Samsung, Sharp, Toshiba, JVC - LCD

then there's always RPJ but not in 30"-40 sizes
Someone at work said that Vizio was the best bang for the buck...at least I think it was vizio

go see a vizio
I went looking at there high end 42" Gallevia 1080p set - hooked up to a BluRay player (albeit at Sears) ....... poo poo

vizio is a mass stream manufacturer (WalMart,etc..) get what you pay for

If I had the choice between an $800 Vizio and a $1100 Panasonic (42" Px80), I can guarantee you, I'm finding a way to come up with the extra -$300-

The Panny's are compared to Pioneer Kuro's
Vizio's are compared to low end stuff

see if you can get both of them side by side

we've got a vizio at our cabin. I'm actually impressed with it. Though, Hitachi makes the best monitor of any type IMO.

while on the subject though, has anyone ever purchased a refurbished TV??
I can get a Toshiba 52LX177 for 900 (1,100 shipped)bucks, but I'm a bit hesitant.

we've got a vizio at our cabin. I'm actually impressed with it. Though, Hitachi makes the best monitor of any type IMO.

blasphemy


check the Hitachi beside a Pioneer (BB or CC have them on display)
then come back in here
nothing touches Pioneer Plasmas ..... Panasonic's are closing in fast though

Just saying, Hitachi monitors/tvs have always caught my eyes while no other brand has. I'll actually stop in my tracks because on monitors it looks like a picture has been taped over the monitor.
I haven't heard anything about pioneers, didn't even know they were still kicking.

I had an Hitachi Ultravision RPJ a few years back
bought a Toshiba DLP to replace it
I had the ability to have them both setup together and the Toshiba smoked it
THEN.. when I found out Toshiba had lied to me and wouldn't accept a direct 1080p input from the Ps3, I took it back to Costco and copped the Sony SXRD that I still have
and it smoked the Toshiba in terms of smooth picture and artifacting

Hitachi makes a Plasma (h401 thru 701 -which is awesome)
the 401 is sitting on the shelf (at BB) above the Pioneer 4280 and right beside last years Panasonic 700u ....... it's not close .... at all


and actually, Pioneer has just announced that they are ceasing production of their own panels ,they'll now get them from Panasonic's vendor - Matsu****a. but they the current crop available are the 8th generation panels and they're about to release the 9thG ... so they've ben in it for a quite awhile ..... and they've been considered the best in the business for a LOOONG time

So what about refurbished? Any suggestion on that?

So what about refurbished? Any suggestion on that?

uh , yes I do ............. HELLZ NO !
why ? becuase refurbs usually only come with 90day warranty's


what kind of refurb are you referring to ?
before you answer, if it's from refurbdepot, it'll be a hell no


currently the best thing I've seen in years is the Pioneer Kuro 4280hd @ Best Buy for an unreal $1599 ... yes, that sounds high for a 42" 720p TV, but then again it's a Kuro

actually, the new Panasonic px80u's for $1000 and change is tremendous bang for buck.
Later in the year they're releasing THX certified 1080p sets with 24p native mode sets that may finally take the crown away from Pioneer24p native reproduction
Movies are shot at 24 frames per second. Unfortunately, TVs operating at 60Hz can only refresh 20 times per second, which means they must drop every fifth frame. With its 2008 Viera PZ800, and PZ850 models, Panasonic introduces 24p native resolution, which means 24 frame per second movie content is reproduced frame for frame exactly, making for true-to-source smoothness of motion.
Pioneers do 72hz which does essentialy the same thing

Panasonic Viera TH-42PZ800U 42" 1080p Plasma (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00142JKS6?m=ATVPDKIKX0DER)

Anti-Image Retention Mode
Game Mode
Scratch and Impact Rsistant Panel
100,000 Hours to Panel Half-Brightness (>30 years @ 8 hours/day)
480 Hz Sub-field Drive Technology
-standard on ALL 2008 Panasonic PDP's

If I spend 1k on a TV, it better be over 50 inches. I can't force myself to do otherwise. If refurbed is a bad idea, i'll just get a used bravia for cheap on craigslist or something.

it wasn't that long ago that a 50" $1,000 TV was unheard of

keep in mind that if the TV sux to begin with ... it'll be even more exposed magnified to a 50" screen
screen size is directly proportional to seating distance

Yeah, I understand that. But used, I can get a nice 47 inch or so for 900. With high res and all. Maybe, a better way to say it is - if I'm spending over 1k, i'm gonna go all out. But I'm not spending 1k on a tv that'll be outdated in a couple years. Just not a wise investment. Like buying a brand new chevrolet.

so you'll spend $100 less on one that's already out of date and refurbished to boot ? I don't see the logic

and btw..... what TV do you consider to be out of date in a few years
it aint gonna be the Panasonics, unless we all of a sudden move to 1440p

you keep mentioning this phantom refurb without coughing up the brand or tech

Best plan; don't move out and live at home forever. Haven't you ever seen Will Ferrell as Chazz Reinhold in the Wedding Crashers?

"ma! the meatloaf!"

you keep mentioning this phantom refurb without coughing up the brand or tech


I can get a Toshiba 52LX177 for 900 (1,100 shipped)bucks, but I'm a bit hesitant.
Reading comes in handy on a forum.

I must have totally missed that

that's a pretty good deal on that set
wanna share from where ? :yes:

I found it by way of froogle a while back. I've searched a couple times for that set and found almost the same price. Months apart on the searches.
But of course, now when I search I can't find it. Here's the site I bookmarked though:
http://www.savinglots.com/lotprod.asp?item=52HMX95x

there's a pretty big difference between the two
Toshiba 52HMX95x is a $1,200 Rear Projection (the one I got rid of actually)
Toshiba 52LX177 is a $3000 Lcd

if you ever come across the LX177 for $1000 again, buy 2 and I'll pay you a commission for finding it

here's the 46" LX177 from the same site
it's $1,999 before shipping
http://www.savinglots.com/lotprod.asp?item=46LX177

ah yeah, I'm seeing now. That one somehow slipped in the results before. Glad you pointed it out.

if that's a genuine statement , I'll say - "glad I could help"
if it's not, I'll say "ya know, it seems odd that they would sell the 46" version from the same model line for $1999, but you can get the 52" for $1000 less" :ha:

even if they did happen to have an 'open-box' / refurb 52lx177 for $1000, I'm gonna guess there's a baseball stuck in the glass, plasma phosphor leaking from the speakers and none of the HDMI ports work

check this out .....
but that's in pounds

not a bad deal though ... converted to US dollars it's roughly $1984

if that's a genuine statement , I'll say - "glad I could help"
if it's not, I'll say "ya know, it seems odd that they would sell the 46" version from the same model line for $1999, but you can get the 52" for $1000 less" :ha:

even if they did happen to have an 'open-box' / refurb 52lx177 for $1000, I'm gonna guess there's a baseball stuck in the glass, plasma phosphor leaking from the speakers and none of the HDMI ports work
Yeah. It seemed too good to be true. And there's a saying about that...