HDTV Purchase advice needed

K

knj

Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2009
Messages
87
Reaction score
0
Well, my tube tv finally quit. Now it is time to purchase a new HDTV. However after a bit of research and shopping I am still confused. I am currently considering the VIZIO 47" w 3D. The salesperson at another location called them tier 3 HDTVs.
So my question is for all the community what would you suggest in the 47" range for a HDTV? 3D would be nice but not a neccesity. Only considering the 3D Vizio due to price point and picture quality for price.
Any input is appreciated.
 
The "3rd Tier" salesperson undoubtedly wanted to upsell you. All the LCD panels are made by about 3 companies despite the label on the front.

This site I use a lot ranks a Vizio model #1 and, like Consumer Reports says they offer good value without huge markup.
Best LED TVs - LCD TV Reviews

In most reviews, Samsung and LG finish near the top, but they're spendier perhaps just for the brand. Here's another site I trust for electronic reviews:
Top 5 46- and 47-Inch HDTVs | PCWorld

From personal experience, make certain that there is local, walk-in warranty service in your area. I bought a real cheapie, and found the nearest warranty repair was several states away :(
 
Thanks for the reply, I will use the information for more research.
 
Definitely pay a visit to avsforum.com - They have a wealth of knowledge there regarding audio/video equipment. Naturally, there are brand homers but the owner threads are invaluable. It's good to read the owner comments about the strengths/weaknesses of a particular model.
 
I've had great success with samsung lcd's and led's, but have seen plenty of vizio's looking pretty sweet
 
I have 4 Vizio's in my house after trying different brands. They look great and the price point is outstanding. I highly recommend them. I had Sony, Samsung and Panasonic. My V's beat them all. Just my opinion of course.
 
There may in fact be only 3 producers of LCD panels, I do not know that for sure. I do know that when you look at Vizio they are a price point sales company. If you are looking for value they are great! If you are looking for the best quality picture shop the Samgungs, LG's, or even the Pioneer TV's. Samsung consistantly ranks among the highest for picture quality. Stick to something with 120hz or higher, and for anything above 35"+ I say go with the 1080P because thats when it is noticable. Remember picture quality in the store will be diffrent then what you get at home due to lighting, seating angles, and many other variables. The TV's in the store are setup in a demo mode or the settings have been changed by people playing with remotes. You WILL need to calibrate your new TV, then make a judgment on performance. This is why I say stick with a Brick and Morter when buying the TV and make sure they ive you 30days to return it if you are not happy. Good Luck!!
 
4 out of 5 Samsung products I've purchased since 2005 have failed. Mostly out of warranty. I don't have any experience with Visio but would give them a try, if I was inclined to buy at a brick & mortar. The best deals on TVs right now are the Mitsubishi DLPs via internet. As low as $800 for a non 3D 60". Additionally, any newer Mitsubishi can be converted to 3D by buying a $100 add on box if it doesn't support 3D natively. The current crop of Mitsubishi DLPs still use bulbs so it might be wise to buy an extra or at least factor in the price of a bulb in your purchasing decision. It's not like projector bulbs where the bulbs burn out, they just get dimmer & dimmer.
 
Tyrod said:
4 out of 5 Samsung products I've purchased since 2005 have failed. Mostly out of warranty. I don't have any experience with Visio but would give them a try, if I was inclined to buy at a brick & mortar. The best deals on TVs right now are the Mitsubishi DLPs via internet. As low as $800 for a non 3D 60". Additionally, any newer Mitsubishi can be converted to 3D by buying a $100 add on box if it doesn't support 3D natively. The current crop of Mitsubishi DLPs still use bulbs so it might be wise to buy an extra or at least factor in the price of a bulb in your purchasing decision. It's not like projector bulbs where the bulbs burn out, they just get dimmer & dimmer.
Click to expand...


Tyrod.... what products specifically?? TV, DVD, Dishwasher??

I have had great luck with their LCD tv's. I own two, and they do have 3 tiers of TV's they produce for consumers. The first is the Samsung you see at Wal-Mart. These are a bottom tier television.

The Second Tier is the lower prices TV you see at the B&M stores, when comparing price for the same size TV. Look at the specs, not really apples to apples.

The top tier products by far some of the best looking and built TVs on the market.

Ohhhh yeah!! I almost forgot the BLACK FRIDAY TV deals that places like Best Buy and others say are amazing deals. TYROD.. if those are the products you have had fail then I understand. MANY MANY times these are models that do not exist in the manufacturers lineup. There ARE times when a company like Best Buy ask a manufacturer to put together a product at a price point, and often these products are bottom of the barrel but people see a brand name and think they got a good deal! Google Black Friday TV ripoffs and you should find plenty on the subject!
 
My 2cents would be a top tier Samsung or panasonic if you want to spend the money for a good tv, consumer reports ranks them top most of the time.The Vizio tv's have ranked well also but they are a cheap tv and in my opinion may not last as long . I had a meeting with a local gentleman that installs high end Home theatre rooms,for my own room , and he was telling me that even if I don't want to watch 3d tv to look at them due to the better electronics in them .

Glenn
 
I skipped the LCD and went with a Panny Plasma so I could have low input lag when I game.

If you're looking for a good TV almost any brand LCD will do you well. If you're a gamer you'll pay a premi for a low response LCD or just get a damn plasma.

Also Plasma's are better at showing you true colors where LCD/LED LCD are jacked in the contrast dept to make everything look more bright. However not a lot of people wanna break in their plasmas properly, afraid of "burn ins" (can't happen, however you can get image retention which is another thing that scares people), and just feel they are old techs.

As far as brands go Panasonic, Samsung, LG, Toshiba, Sony and Vizio are all worth a look.
 
I currently have Samsung, LG and Panasonic and they are all awesome TVs. No issues and my newest one right now is two years old. Only TV I have seen issues with is the Mitsubushi, the color is just dull. In any event it's like just about anything else, you get what you pay for within reason. Vizio's do look great in the store but I haven't tried one yet just because I haven't found anyone yet that has had good luck with them. But sounds like a lot of you hear have had good luck with them so maybe the next one for me! Im the MAN
 
XLNTShine said:
Tyrod.... what products specifically?? TV, DVD, Dishwasher??

I have had great luck with their LCD tv's. I own two, and they do have 3 tiers of TV's they produce for consumers. The first is the Samsung you see at Wal-Mart. These are a bottom tier television.

The Second Tier is the lower prices TV you see at the B&M stores, when comparing price for the same size TV. Look at the specs, not really apples to apples.

The top tier products by far some of the best looking and built TVs on the market.

Ohhhh yeah!! I almost forgot the BLACK FRIDAY TV deals that places like Best Buy and others say are amazing deals. TYROD.. if those are the products you have had fail then I understand. MANY MANY times these are models that do not exist in the manufacturers lineup. There ARE times when a company like Best Buy ask a manufacturer to put together a product at a price point, and often these products are bottom of the barrel but people see a brand name and think they got a good deal! Google Black Friday TV ripoffs and you should find plenty on the subject!
Click to expand...

1 LCD TV, 1 LCD Monitor, 1 DLP TV, 1 Phone (LCD screen went bad). I'm an electronics tech so I need no explanation & I don't buy crap. I avoid Samsung products now like the plague.
 
Not a fan of my Visio. We bought it just to have another TV in the basement for guests and the rare occasion the wife and I want to watch different programing. My Panasonic Plasma blows it away IMO, but the price was more in line with what we wanted to spend on the Visio.

If money isn't an issue i would go with Samsung or Panasonic.


Personally I like the Plasma's better than the LCD, but it's been a while since I've compared them.
 
Same here. I've yet to see an LCD that can hold a candle to my Panasonic 50" Plasma and it's not even 1080. We have a small Vizio in the office, it was purchased for a price point and it looks it.
 
Rei86 said:
I skipped the LCD and went with a Panny Plasma so I could have low input lag when I game.

If you're looking for a good TV almost any brand LCD will do you well. If you're a gamer you'll pay a premi for a low response LCD or just get a damn plasma.

Also Plasma's are better at showing you true colors where LCD/LED LCD are jacked in the contrast dept to make everything look more bright. However not a lot of people wanna break in their plasmas properly, afraid of "burn ins" (can't happen, however you can get image retention which is another thing that scares people), and just feel they are old techs.

As far as brands go Panasonic, Samsung, LG, Toshiba, Sony and Vizio are all worth a look.
Click to expand...


For KNJ, you need to figure out what technology you want then pick the brand and model. For picking the best technology, you need to look at what you want to do with the TV, and the viewing environment.

For watching a lot of TV and movies, in an environment where you can control the lighting, and you want excellent color and black levels, plasma is the way to go all the way. Yes it's "older" technology, but until true LED TV's come out (vs. the current LCD that is backlit with white LED's instead of cold cathode tubes) plasma is currently king for visual quality. There's also no issue with viewing angle on them. Bright lighting can be a problem but from what I've read that's improved in the last couple years, and the burn-in/image retention has essentially been fixed as well. My personal vote is also for the Panny plasmas.

If you're not as concerned about having the best visual quality you can get, and don't have any viewing angle issue, or have a bright environment then an LCD is probably a better choice. Also for gaming, a plasma would be ok for light gaming though you'll probably need to use some of the anti-image retention tools after a gaming session, but for heavy gaming use you're probably also going to want an LCD.
 
flyinion said:
For KNJ, you need to figure out what technology you want then pick the brand and model. For picking the best technology, you need to look at what you want to do with the TV, and the viewing environment.

For watching a lot of TV and movies, in an environment where you can control the lighting, and you want excellent color and black levels, plasma is the way to go all the way. Yes it's "older" technology, but until true LED TV's come out (vs. the current LCD that is backlit with white LED's instead of cold cathode tubes) plasma is currently king for visual quality. There's also no issue with viewing angle on them. Bright lighting can be a problem but from what I've read that's improved in the last couple years, and the burn-in/image retention has essentially been fixed as well. My personal vote is also for the Panny plasmas.

If you're not as concerned about having the best visual quality you can get, and don't have any viewing angle issue, or have a bright environment then an LCD is probably a better choice. Also for gaming, a plasma would be ok for light gaming though you'll probably need to use some of the anti-image retention tools after a gaming session, but for heavy gaming use you're probably also going to want an LCD.
Click to expand...

I agree with the lighting issues. If you go into any big nationwide B&M store like Best Buy they have very bright high florescent light bulbs with contrast/color jacked up LED/LCDs that will look much sharper/brighter then the Plasmas that they have. So when you bring it home the color of your TV however might not be as good as it was in the store. Another thing is I agree if you own a Plasma you do need to view it in a darker then avg room. Another thing is since Plasma's use glass the glare can be an issue. But even with all thos faults I enjoy and love my screen.

Also...
I'm a heavy gamer and the TV has been moved as a light prime time TV, Netflix, BR Movie and heavy GAMING use (more then five hours a day for gaming). I own a Panasonic T-CP50G25 and at the lower right bottom got a ammo counter from Battlefield Bad Company 2 from continues day in day out matches. Stayed on there for about a month but fixed the issue by not playing BFBC2 at all and only playing the break in slides and HD content from Netflix, TV, and BR.

I also agree AT this time if you want the richest blacks, the whitest whites you can't go wrong with a Plasma. Not only that OLD Pioneer 9G Kuro's are still considered top dogs even tho they've been out of production since 2009. Panasonic bought out this tech form Pioneer when they decided to dissolved their Elite TV team and is now under the name NeoPDP tech.

Until OLED TVs are out for consumers use, Plasma is the way to go.

XLNTShine said:
...
Click to expand...

Man your post sounds really insulting to me, but since you're not talking to me I guess Im the MAN
 
The array of choices out there is mind boggling, making a choice is often a roll of the dice. Six months ago, I found a 47" LG (47ld650) at Costco for $800. This set did not have LED,3D, but did have 240 MHZ) but most of the user comments said the picture was better than most LED sets they looked at. They were only available online, not in their stores. So, I got one and it's fantastic, especially at the price. Should have bought two of them as I need another for my living room system. Unfortunately, the best price I can see now is around $1200. Costco TVs are a good deal because they double the factory warranty.

Jim
 
I have a Samsung LED in the main living room and quite happy with it. I am not a fan of 3D nor having to wear glasses and buy special players and more for a little bit of a unique experience.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top