Best HDTV for the price?

D

Diamondback

25+ Posts
I'm looking at getting an HDTV in the next 6 months. I can't afford the DLP's that everyone here speaks highly of. Trying to stay in the $1000-2000 price range for the HDTV and receiver, what are my best options as far as brand, packages, etc? I live in an apartment, so I don't want a huge TV-probably around 47-55' inch set. Also, when is the best time of year to buy them? After Christmas?
 
Much smaller than you're looking for, but I just saw this today at techdeals.net:

Toshiba 30HF83 30" TheaterWide HD-Ready TV with PURE Flat Screen for $799.99The Link

(Best Buy is selling this same model for $1,299.99)
 
Sony had a really sweet 42" that I want to say was 1199.99. HD boxes are coming down but you will, realistically, come in at a quite a bit above $1000, but should easily be able to get out for under $2000, tax and all. What's your TV source? TW cable? DirecTV? You might want to consider just renting the box from your cable/sat provider if you don't want to plunk down the 500 bucks (assuming they're still that expensive-- i haven't checked them out in awhile) right now.

If your apartment happens to face the south you can get DirecTV and in a month or two you can buy the DirecTV/TIVO/HD box that will be the greatest thing to ever happen to the world.

As far as best time to buy, just watch the sale papers. As far as Best Buy goes, they don't have a specific "After Christmas Sale" and often put good deals on during christmas season (expect to have a hassle finding it in stock, in this case). If you plan to finance the purchase, just watch for a good financing deal... Most places run 12-24 month no interest financing every few weeks.
 
FYI, just got the HDTV DirecTV Tivo. Really, really great on my new SONY rear projection CRT 60". Only bad part is that the new TIVO was expensive. ($999) Price coming down soon I'm sure, but got tired of waiting.
 
i've been tracking the price since it came out... my father is chomping at the bit to get one. right now he's looking into that new Voom service that is a satellite HD deal that gives you HD and Tivo on all your tvs (obviously, only HD on the ones that support it). I don't know much about it though.
 
Koopa
I have DirecTV right now with Tivo. That's another of my concerns is that I don't want to give up my Tivo just to have HDTV. $1000 for the DirecTV HD Tivo Receiver is just too much right now. Do Sony's make the best rear projection HDTV for my price range?
 
I love Mitsubishi TVs, but they might be a couple hundred more than you would want to spend. I think best buy carries their diamond series and fry's has some of the platinum ones (i may have gotten that backwards, but fry's has the higher end ones, diamond or plat.). Sony and Toshiba, in my experience, are extremely comprable. My father got a 65" toshiba a few years back and I love it... To choose between a Sony or Toshiba I advise just going to a store that carries both and playing around with both of them... Some people don't like Sony's picture presets, but one (sony or toshiba) wouldn't really have a better picture than the other.

I have been keeping an eye on that DirecTV/HD/Tivo box for awhile now for my father because he is itching to get one before NBA season starts up again. I would expect it to already have dropped at least a couple hundred bucks by the end of summer.
 
I too have followed the HDTV Directv Tivo. Actually, it is just a matter of time before production catches up to demand. I expect it to fall fast. Perhaps $700 by Labor Day and $500 by X-mas.

The conventional wisdom is that HD TV's are falling in price by about 2% per month. (i.e. the good stuff like the rear projection Sony LCD's and rear projection Sansung DLR's).
I expect the large screen HD plasma's to fall faster than that but hell they are just too damn expensive even after that.
 
IF you look at an LCD (a little bit more than your price range), keep in mind that they give an awesome crisp picture but have problems doing so with the lights on, or if you are sitting an angle... Older big screens all had this problem, but it's almost a non-factor in new ones. That being said, TV is supposed to be watched in the dark anyways... **** my eyes.
 
i got a 32" philips "real flat" HD compatible tv for about $990 at Fry's. I use the Time Warner DVR that has HD on it. I'm pretty happy with the combo, but I don't watch much in HD besides CSI and movies. I don't get ESPN HD, nor do I get NBC HD. time warner is annoying as far as that goes, but since i didn't buy the tv for the HD compatibility and more bought it b/c it is a great TV, I can't complain much. also, i freakin love the DVR - it's kind of like Tivo, but I didn't want to pay for the box or the service, so it's worked out well for my situation.
I love the Philips Real Flat so much that I went out and got a 19" one for my bedroom. This one was only about $200 at Target.
 
Thanks for all the informative info. Keep it coming. I think I'm going to get a 50' rear projection but can't decide if I want the Sony, Hitachi, or Phillips. Anyone with any of these models have any pros/cons for these brands?
 
Maybe I should add a little about what I want the HDTV for. I mainly watch TV, and lots of Sports. I do watch DVD's occasionally, but I mainly want one that excels with Satellite TV and looks awesome and crisp for sporting events. Does that narrow the choices down as far as which brands are better suited for watching movies vs. watching TV(sports)?
 
i think sony and toshiba both have a sports setting (sony does, i know for sure), but it's too dark for my taste. virtually any brand name you've heard of will get you a crisp picture with an HD box hooked to it. samsung has gotten pretty good lately... once again, mitsubishi, toshiba, and sony are my top 3 (in that order), but Hitachi has made some awesome TVs in the past-- I just haven't checked them out in a long time.

Truthfully you don't even need to worry about stuff like cable connections, because any major brand would have more than you needed, particularly for what you want to use it for.

As I mentioned earlier, my dad has a 65" Toshiba with DirecTV and TIVO and is waiting to upgrade to HD... However, watching a sporting event on that TV is almost better than being in the stadium/arena.
 
I've owned a toshiba 56" HDTV and watched comparable Sony's and Mitsubishis. All of these tv's look great with DVD's and HDTV. However, regular cable/ satellite can be disappointing because these tv's tend to magnify any problems with the picture. I would give the edge in picture quality to satellite over digital cable. As for which brand, or where to buy, I highly recommend this store. I know several people that ordered big screens from this company, and they are an authorized online retailer.
 
also check out this site

UECWEB

They sell refurbed Hitachi's....some of them arebrand new but have a scratch or something on the case! thats it....you can get some sweet deals on here

plus they offer a warranty
 
Since I live in a one bedroom apartment, my viewing distance is about 7-8 ft. to the couch. So, with that in mind, I'm looking for a 46-51 inch TV. Correct me if I'm wrong but as far as quality of HDTV's, it goes rear projection, LCD, DLP, and Plasma. Rear projection being the cheapest and least quality moving up to the plasma that is the most expensive and best quality. So, a rear projection would be the way to go if you wanted to get an HDTV cheap. But, my question is, how much better are the LCD's and DLP's vs the rear projections. Is it worth spending the extra $1000 on or more importantly waiting for the DLP's or LCD's to drop in price? Thoughts?
 
Check avsforum for all the hdtv information, reviews and opinions for projection, plasma and tube tv's.

Be warned that there is so much information- that when you get done you will have tiredhead- and probably just punt.
 
I have had a lcd projector for over a year and am very happy. You have to get the place dark to watch it, but in my current apt. I have a 150" projection for $1000. The only thing is the bulbs only last like 3500 hrs, so then your in for another 300-350, but it is worth it to me without having a HUGE TV, being able to take it with me to someone elses house, and a five year warranty.
 
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