Shopping for a new HDTV

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Gnu314

Limp Gawd
Joined
Oct 12, 2004
Messages
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So I've started looking for a new TV, I'ed like to get something in the 42-46 range.

My most important requirement, one that I will buy based on, is how well it handles with Rock Band (360). I have a full group of guys that meet about once a week for "band practice" and I will not live with serious input lag issues.

I know theres the option to calibrate, and with proper settings it gets pretty close, but I'ed really like to get something as close to my 27" CRT as possible. I love the set its just too small.

Other things I'm interested in, 720p (no need for 1080p atm, not worth the money for me). Most of my watching use is Football in the fall, Baseball in the summer, and gaming. I watch almost all SD at the moment and even with a cable package upgrade, I'll still watch a lot so and a solid SD picture would be important to me.

I'led like to keep it below 13-1400 and really I'ed like to spend around 1200 or less.

So.... Can anyone give me some suggestions to look at. I'm looking to buy in July or August, or whenever TVs go on clearance if its before then. I've browsed AVS forum many times and haven't really been able to find a thread directly on this issue.

I appreciate your help.
 
I've played Rock Bank on a 60+" DLP and there was no input lag that I could see. I've also played on a 42" LCD and it was perfect as well. I don't think that input lag is much of an issue with the newer TV's
 
I had heard that DLPs weren't great for the lag issue, but I've never played on one. If I was going DLP, 50+ wouldn't be too big (I'ed be more bounded by price).

Like I said, the most important thing is making sure that input lag is as low as possible. I think that if I could get a DLP without that problem, I'ed be totally ok with that as they have amazing picture.
 
im thinking about buying a viewsonic n4285p... anyone has input on this model?
 
i'm in the same boat as the op

i have no idea what to get, lcd, plasma, dlp, rear projector, etc.
 
I'd suggest a panasonic plasma. They're going to have better response times than LCD, burn is pretty much a thing of the past, and they're cheaper than comparable size and features LCDs. This one seems to be within your range:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16889187079

Although I would highly suggest Onecall.com for HDTV purchases. They ship the same day generally, have some of the lowest prices (and will price match Amazon), and great reseller rating.

http://www.onecall.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=90571
 
The one thing about 1080p is that it's actually a VERY valid resolution if you ever plan to potentially use it for PC gaming. 720p (aka 1280x720) isn't that great, but 1920x1080 is dandy. You might consider 1080p simply to futureproof a little, too. There are console game that can use it now, Blu Ray movies all do, and I think we all know the next batch of consoles will all make it a standard.
 
Can't go wrong with so many elite choices: Samsung 650 or the 750, Sony XBR, Samsung 81,Pioneer Kuro, or the LG60 series.
 
I've looked at that particular model of plasma before its quite nice. I'ed still specifically need to know about the input issue from a current owner.

I'm also interested in DLPs,

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Sams...74307/catOid/-12870/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

looks fine, I'ed prefer to buy locally, especially for DLP technology.

If I could still find this one locally,
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-HLT50...?ie=UTF8&s=audio-video&qid=1212936045&sr=1-22

I think I probably would. I really like the price vs size for DLP technology and I think the picture is a little more vibrant and generally better. The issue still is how will it handle rock band/gh3.

Thanks for your input guys, you're really helping me out.
 
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I have a Samsung 61" DLP and I love it. With the "game mode" engaged, you can play Rock Band and GH with the same settings as a CRT...I'm not joking. When I run the latency test, it comes back just like a CRT does.
The only knock on a DLP from my end is that the picture for a projection is slightly less crisp (mainly related to the screen it's projected upon) and that the prime view area is limited to being directly in front of the TV.
Still, I got a 1080p 61" TV for less than the price of a 46" Plasma or LCD. I'll take that trade-off.
For movies - I'll take the DLP's size anyway.
 
Toshiba Regza 42" 1080p LCD (42RV530U)

I just bought this myself (from Newegg) and I LOVE it. It's going for $1,099 with $99.99 in house delivery. The shipping was totally painless; they got it to me in less than a week. Once the TV arrived at the distributor near me, they called me and set up the exact day and time that they would deliver it, and they showed up right on time. The TV was in perfect shape, not so much as a ding on the box. Unboxing it, attaching the base, and putting it on the TV stand was very easy even by myself; just make sure you rest the screen on a quilt or blanket when attaching the base, and be careful when lifting it. It's not heavy at all, but it is big, so it can be a little awkward.

The picture looks fantastic. The panel has an 8ms response time, and I haven't noticed any ghosting in fast action movies or in games (including GTA IV and UT3). I haven't noticed any input lag at all. I have my PC connected it to the set via a DVI-to-HDMI adapter running at 1920x1080, and there's no delay at all typing this post. Games are instantly responsive as well. It also has a thin, sleek bezel and a narrow speaker bar along the bottom, which helps make the screen look a bit bigger. It's a very sexy design.

There are also plenty of calibration options as well, and a service menu if you're feeling adventurous (you can Google the model number to find out how to open it). I spent about an hour tweaking and now I'm totally happy with it, without having touched the service menu.

For the price, I think this might be the perfect TV for you. If you don't want to order online, Best Buy should carry it, although you'll have to add sales tax for that. And, by the way, you can get a 4 year extended warranty for $89.99 if you order it from Newegg. It has the same coverage as the brick and mortar warranties I've seen, and costs more than $100 less than most of them.


Here are a couple pics of my setup:

htsetup1.jpg



htsetup2.jpg
 
I know its a bit smaller, but the Samsung 40" panels are awesome. The LN40A450 is an awesome TV for the money.

I just picked up a Samsung 46" (LN46A550) and love it, it was one of the best looking sets in the store and actually one of the cheaper ones for the size.
 
Here's what I learned while doing the same reasearch as the op. with dlp you get a much better size for price. However it comes with some drawbacks. the slim ones are still 16" deep, so it will never be hung on a wall and can look kind of bulky. there is also the issue the rainbow effect. For some very rare people their eyes and brain can't match up the signals being projected by the tv and they get rainbow outlines and sometimes it makes the picture "blink" for lack of a better term, especially in dark fast paced pictures. It is rare though.

lcd is the worst for picture size to price ratio. while you can find good deals they will never match the size of plasmas or dlps. lcd's also have issues with displaying real dark colors. the top of the line ones don't have these issues, but because this is on a budget there are some real good panels out there in your range and some real crap panels out there. If you think about how lcd's work it makes sense, all the pixels are backlit and some of the seeps out, better panels are better at blocking the light.

plasma, a good ,mid point for size to price and they display pictures similar in quality color wise as a crt. they have deep blacks and bright whites. they do use the most power out of lcd, dlp, and plasma though. you'll hear rumors about the plasma gas needing to be recharged but if it's a model in the last couple of years it doesn't apply. that only applies to the very first models of plasmas made, the gases and quality of build are much better in todays models.

other things to consider with all 3 versions. 1080p is the way to go if you go with a larger 40+ screen. even if you do watch a lot of sd you'll notice the difference because the added pixels fill in what isn't there. 1080p is going to be the standard pretty soon, look for it to move quick after feb 09 when more people have digital tv's. why not spend a hundred or so extra dollars to future proof the tv. You don't want to regret saving a little money and not being able to see the best picture. Now for smaller tv's the added pixels don't matter. a 1080p 32" tv is just marketing bs.

look for models with lots of hdmi ports, 2 or more, and probably 3 or 4. look for other connections as well.

whatever you do, make sure to see the model you want to buy in person, especially if it's dlp. the reason being is that you may be one of the people who sees the rainbow effect, remember it's rare, i'm not trying to scare people away from dlp, just inform them. also remember that at most stores they are feeding the tv's a 1080p feed so they look awesome. ask them if they can change the channel or input so you can get a feel for how it handles other sources.

make sure to get a good surge protector. I know it seems silly and easy, but so many people buy $1500+ tv's and then plug them into a power strip or crappy surge protector. that's just asking to lose your investment.

also don't be sold on a lot of larger chain stores hdmi cable upsale. hdmi is a digital standard. unless you're running 30+ ft of cable you don't need a double sheilded, solid gold monster cable. you either get the signal or you don't. so buy cables online or if you're lucky enough to have a fry's nearby the have sales on hdmi cables all the time. I just saw a 10ft cable for $5. think of it this way if you're $5 cable craps out on you, you can buy 8 more before you've passed the cost of the name brand ones, and it's the same quality signal.

now to answer what some may be thinking. I bought a 57" mitsubishi 1080p dlp tv. I too watch a lot of sports and I can say with certainty that football is awesome in high def. I also hosted a party where friends brought over their ps3 and rock band. It was awesome and there was no lag. I am going to buy a ps3 just based on that one day. my tv also has a dvi port which I hook up my laptop to and run audio out through the laptop into my stereo. I love playing games this way, it's just awesome as well as having the ability to stream movies and watch tv episodes from the net. good luck and if you have more question feel free to pm and I can link you to places where you can do tons more research and talk to very knowledgable people.
 
iirc the newer samsung LCDs have (650s and 750s, not sure about the 550s) have a "gaming mode" which is suppose to remove the input processing and thus the lag. I could be all wet on that though, so double check that first ;p. I do know that the 650/750 LCD (same panel) has an amazing black for an LCD. Really really looks black. They are however very expensive by comparison.

I would opt for a 1080p if you can. You'll thank your self later.
 
58in. 1080P Panasonic plasma here and no lag issues whatsoever.

If you are looking for cheap, I remember Circuit City advertising a Westinghouse 47in 1080P LCD for $1199.
 
Honesty, I've never really seen the "lcd lag" that folks have talked about since the early days of Flat Panel screens. Been playing GTAIV a fair bit on my PS3 + 40" Bravia and it's been damned smooth sailing
 
Guitarrasdeamor said:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000N50RLO/ref=dp_cp_ob_title_0
Too big? It is also 1080p, it will make a difference on big TVs. Samsung is an amazing TV company. DLP TVs are really good sets as well and the lag won't be bad at all...it isn't on most TVs except Plasmas and old LCDs I thought.
Click to expand...
I have the 56" version of this, the HLT5687S, and I love it. Unfortunately this series isn't being manufactured anymore and the smallest size in the new 7 series is 61". My friends dad just got a HLT5687S demo set from Circuit City for $1100 on clearance. That's about the only way you'll get a 50" or 56" 6 series set.
 
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vengence said:
iirc the newer samsung LCDs have (650s and 750s, not sure about the 550s) have a "gaming mode" which is suppose to remove the input processing and thus the lag. I could be all wet on that though, so double check that first ;p.
Click to expand...
The Samsung LN-Txx65F models have it, too.

I would opt for a 1080p if you can. You'll thank your self later.
Click to expand...
QFT. I wasn't sure whether I'd be using full 1080p when I bought my LN-T4065F a few months ago, but now I consider it to be essential.
 
just bought a viewsonic n4285p and im in love with it! its my first lcd so i do not have any reference.

The only problem i have is a dead pixel , but since i bought it at costco , i dont have to worry!
 
1080p is the way to go. The 360 upscales to it, the PS3 has a few game that'll do it natively, all Blu-Ray movies will do it, and it's a great resolution for PC gaming.
I think we all know 1080p is the target for the Xbox 3 and the PS4 anyway. Might as well be ready for it rather than having to jump on the train later.
 
I wanna get a 52-56 plasma or lcd sometime in the next 6 months :p I have a janky 55" DLP right now. There's no lag or anything when playing games including rock band and this a 720p couple year old sony. It has this weird fuzziness to it though and i can't figure out what i need to fix it.
 
Pioneer makes the best flat panel displays hands down, but they are also expensive. I think 50 inches is the smallest they make.
 
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