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KRS
02-14-2008, 03:11 PM
Hey everyone!

I went to Futureshop to get a TV the other day, it was a 42' 1080P for $1299.
Pretty good price amirite?


Well, it turns out the TV is a widescreen and it really wasn't as big as I wanted it to be. After looking around nothing really caught my eye.
I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions about what I should be looking at? I currently own a 56' DLP that supports upto 1080i/720p but I really want to get the 1080P so I can view blu-rays and play my sports on the P3.


Any suggestions and/or places you would recommend going?

(I was in Futureshop for more than half an hour before someone spent more than a minute with me so I am really looking to spend my money somewhere else).

Thanks for any responses in advance.

dan j
02-14-2008, 03:19 PM
Try Cox on the West Side. They have a few guys there who know about TVs. Well, they know more than me. Ask for Craig. He sold us our TV and we're happy with the purchase. They even offered price protection a couple weeks after we purchased the TV and the price went down.

KRS
02-14-2008, 03:35 PM
It's funny how I never thought about going there..I work on the westside and went all the way east to check on Futureshop this afternoon..I will definatly go check them out. Thanks Dan

BHLombardy
02-15-2008, 03:01 PM
If you're looking to spend that kind of money, I say shop around. Get your information and spend wisely. There is a lot of information to know when buying an HDTV set.

Here are some of my smart-shopping tips while looking around:


1.) Is the screen really 1080p??

When you see "1080p" -- be very sure, and very clear that it does in FACT display the proper 1080p resolution. Don't trust the salesperson in all cases, because they don't always know. It can get very confusing and mislead by brands and models.

At one time, there were few TVs under 50-inches that would display the full 1080 resolution, so be very careful in this regard. You might be getting fooled by a TV saying it is '1080p'. Sometimes this merely means they will accept a 1080p signal, but could in fact be downscaling that signal to a 720p image on-screen. Be insistant to find out what the actual resolution of the TV is... Find out if the specifications say if the "native resolution" is 1920x1080 If it does, and the set boasts 1080p... you can be 99% sure that it is in fact diplaying the full 1080p picture on screen.


2.) Does it accept 1080p singals??

You also want to be sure that the opposite is true... that it accepts 1080p signals as well as having a full 1080p resolution. My last TV was a 50-inch Samsung. It displayed 1080p on-screen, but did not actaully accept 1080p signals. It accepted inputs up to 1080i only and then up-scaled them to 1080p. It was fine, I guess... but it wasnt true 1080p throughput. You want to be sure the TV you buy boasts both: full 1080p resolution, and accepts 1080p inputs.

Ideally, look for the black and gold "Full HD" or "FULL 1080" logos that many brands are toting. This seems to be a good indicator of a full 1080p resolution and 1080p inputs as well, but I would still double check the TV's specs to be on the safe side.


3.) LCD, Projection, DLP or Plasma?

Alot of this is going to come down to personal preference. But the concensus seems to point to direct LCD TVs as the superior platform.

And I tend to agree with that consensus. In the past I have had LCD projection, DLP projection, and direct LCD... and by far the direct LCD is the best yet.

DLP has a bit of a rainbow effect which is hard to avoid. It's annoying at first, but you'll get used to it over time. And although it even does It does take away from the overall effectiveness of the image quality however. - note that projection lamps that produce the image need to be replaced every 40,000 to 60,000 hours (3-5 years).

Plasma (and some will argue) has pitfalls such as overheating, overall display/pixel lifespan, and dimmer images in brighter rooms.


Flat panel LCD (aka direct display LCD) is a bright, vibrant display. LCD (and plasma) TVs are the only kind that can be mounted on a wall (if you so desire). They are better in a brighter room (rooms with a picture window, or bright lighting) but the brightness can be toned down for darker rooms if so desired. Dead pixels and size limitations were once a problem, but in the past 2 years have become a thing of the past (on decent brands at least).

LCD projection is based on the direct-LCD standard, and can be good or bad, depending on brand and model. some are as good as most LCDs, but at a reduced cost. I would say the best in this catagory are Sony's SXRD line. They have a very vibrant image, and boast the Full 1080p throughout. Alas, if you can find them. (Sony has recently dropped the entire Grand Wega line, including the SXRD) -- Like DLP, these also take projection lamps and will need to be replaced after 3-5 years.



Personal Recommondations:

As I said above... I would stick with a flat panel (direct) LCD my own self.
Top choice overall right now would be Sony's Bravia line... They are a direct LCD display, superior to just about anything out there. You will pay a bit more, but you wont regret it.

LCD projection would by my second choice, but ONLY if you can find Sony's SXRD. (Their 50-inch SXRD can be had between $1500-1999 on clearance sales right now)

Other people mightl boast Plasma. For me, I just dont find them to be as vibrant or clear as direct LCD -- but it's an opinion you will have to decide for yourself what your personal preference is.

I would just stay away from DLP if I were you.



Where to shop? Shop wherever you feel the best deal, support, and service comes from. I'm comfortable even shopping out of town, in Moncton or Fredericton, if I can get the best deal and service. If you buy a decent brand (say Sony) they are often serviced locally by an authorized service technician anyway. -- Also ask if in-home service is included in the warratny. If it isnt, ask if extended-warranty service includes in-home service (it does with Sony Store extended warranties). It is well worth the extra $150 to pay for the extended warranty for this in-home service than paying a premium for it later on.

sanstu
02-16-2008, 06:40 AM
Thanks for the great info BHLombardy! I'm looking at buying a new TV and had a general idea as to what I wanted but your info was presented in such a way my choice should be much easier. Thank you.

KRS
02-19-2008, 08:31 AM
Thanks for the educated response?

Why would you stay away from DLP though? I bought a 56' DLP before Christmas and it is wonderful for sports! No problems whatsoever and it looks fantastic compared to some of the LCD's I have seen out there.


I took the plunge at Cox , DanJ, within a couple minutes I was being helped and made the purchase in under 10. I bought a Sharp 42' LCD 1080P for under $1500 which is exactly what I wanted to spend.

The funnest part was bringing this into my house on my own since noone was home..you should have seen me carrying the thing. Thank god I am tall..go go gadget arms

dan j
02-19-2008, 09:10 AM
Good thing you didn't go plasma. Those things are quite a bit heavier than LCD.

Do you already have HD or are you getting HD hooked up? Cox had a pretty good deal on BellExpressVu HD when I bought my TV.

KRS
02-19-2008, 09:25 AM
I was allready set up with Rogers for my HD source..they have a pretty good sports package..the super sports package..on any given night there is usually 2-3 games in HD from that pack..as well as the HD sports on TSN/Sportsnet..

The only thing I am disappointed about is they have yet to introduce The Score HD in the maritimes yet..

I really enjoyed dealing with Cox and would definatly do business there again.

BHLombardy
02-19-2008, 05:29 PM
Why would you stay away from DLP though? I bought a 56' DLP before Christmas and it is wonderful for sports! No problems whatsoever and it looks fantastic compared to some of the LCD's I have seen out there.


If DLP was your first HDTV, yes, you'll be impressed. I also had a DLP as I mentioned in my write-up. And yes, I was satisfied with it... but for the price-versus-quailty comparison between a good LCD projection or DLP, I would buy an LCD projection. I was just never satisfied by comparison.

Having had both (LCD Projection, and DLP), I was slightly disappointed when I traded up to the Samsung 1080p DLP, from the 720p Sony LCD projection I had. (I say slightly because I gained a fair bit in the upgrade... just wasnt as impressed as I thought I would be). Then seeing a 1080 LCD Projection soon after, knowing what I paid for my DLP, I wished I had bought another LCD projection.

I agree, a good DLP looks better than many LCDs out there... but you need to compare good brands with good brands (e.g. comparing a Samsung DLP with an Prima LCD, is a no-contest winner for Samsung... however compare it against a Sony SXRD LCD projection, and you might see my point) :)


All that being said... the Direct LCD, 1080p Sony Bravia (52w3000) I currently have is by far the best TV I have ever owned. :cool:

KRS
02-20-2008, 07:39 AM
Nice! You seem to know a fair amount about TV's so here's a brainbuster for you.

On my DLP and LCD I have green and purple lines that travel up the screen every couple seconds..they are quite faint however they are noticable.

I know it has nothing to do with the bulb in the DLP as it is less then 4 months old and the LCD is brand new. Is this something to do with "dirty" power coming through? I currently have both TV's plugged directly to my outlet, is it a good idea to invest in one of the Monster surge protectors? Or is there something else I can do?

BHLombardy
02-20-2008, 10:18 PM
Since it is happening on BOTH TVs, then I would say yes... that "Dirty" power is probably the culprit. It is possible that something on the same circuit causing interference... a fridge, large appliance, etc.

My first question would be... does the problem persist regardless of what source device you are watching? For example, if you watch a DVD, or Digital cable receiver, do you see the same effect?

I'm going to assume that you didnt replace the DLP with the LCD and as such, are not using the same source device? (Meaning, you didnt move the cable reciever to the new TV, and the problem followed the receiver?)

I'm also going to assume that both TVs are operating in the same residence, potentially running at the same time, using different source devices (DVD, cable box, etc).


Then yes, a *good* noise reduction powerbar might be a good idea.

Yuo probably dont need to spend the top dollars for a Monster brand power strip. Personally, I think Monster brand is way too over-rated and over-priced for 95% of us users (including myself, and I consider myself an home-theatre-phile).

Yes, if you get one at a blow-out price under $100 or some such, grab one. BUt no need to spend over $200 for one.

A really good APC brand power strip would suffice (think Staples for this) -- and look for one that does EMI/Noise filtering and expect to pay anywhere around $50 or or more depending on the strip. (APC even makes power conditioners that would be even better than that, but they start at $100 and go up from there)

If you're at a loss finding one, and just want to see if that is indeed your problem... go get one of those Monster models. Try it out for a weekend and see. If it doesnt satisfy you, you can always return it. ;) -- but at least you'll know if cleaning up or conditioning your power is going to solve your problem.


Another possibility...
It is possible your electrical service in your home is not adquetely grounded. (For any reason... overlooked by installer/contracter, bad contact, circuit breakers/panel... but also would be typical for homes 30 years old or more with aged wiring)... That being said, the problem with the TVs would exist anywhere in the house for that matter... not just on the same circuit as an interfering appliance. Power conditioning power strips may not be able to clean this up.


I'm sure there are other reasons, but those are two good solid things to look at.

BHLombardy
02-20-2008, 10:40 PM
also... I forgot to mention... if you notice it JUST on cable (and in differnt rooms, with different receivers) -- it could be the filter/coupling that's attached outside the home. you may want to call Rogers if this is case to come look at that filter/connection. Often times a bad filter, or a bad grounding on the cable could cause interference.

KRS
02-21-2008, 08:18 AM
I did some research into it and it seems that it could be a possible ground loop. I forgot to write down the name of what I needed..but it had something to do with coax, it was a something transistor I think.

As far as the cable goes, it is fine on a non-HD TV, but the two HDTV's have the problem, they are in seperate rooms but experience the same thing.

FutureChief88
02-21-2008, 09:01 AM
This is what i just bought :)

http://www.leons.ca/common/product/ProductInfo.aspx?itemid=0&ChildId=236603&xs=116f131336e-ffe4-4db5-abfe-36842703aa35

KRS
02-21-2008, 10:29 AM
Nice TV!

FutureChief88
02-21-2008, 10:36 AM
I know.. isint it pretty!

BHLombardy
02-21-2008, 02:58 PM
I did some research into it and it seems that it could be a possible ground loop. I forgot to write down the name of what I needed..but it had something to do with coax, it was a something transistor I think.

As far as the cable goes, it is fine on a non-HD TV, but the two HDTV's have the problem, they are in seperate rooms but experience the same thing.

yea, that's why I threw the Cable option bid into the mix in my follow-up post. A bad filter/coupler, and bad ground (also, ground loop).

You shouldnt need to "buy" anything... it should be something Rogers should fix for you.

Thing is, ground loop problems tend to affect most channels, not just HD. and are worse on those channels that are otherwise served by antenna . In the Saint John area, channels 4, 9, and 12 -- they should be the worst affected channels. This is because in a ground-loop scenario, the coax cable is acting as an antenna, and is picking up the signals from 4, 9, and 12 from the air)