Thread: I'm buying a new television soon...

Originally Posted by rinkrat

Check the Costco mailer that arrived yesterday. It has some deals on some of the tv's mentioned earlier.

can i view it online? Needless to say, I dont get the mailing, as I dont have an address! haha

Originally Posted by Fisch

what's your resolution?

The usual for this size, 1680 by 1050.

Well, I think i've decided on the first TV i was looking at, from costco.com and im going to use the rest of my $$ on a GPS system for my car...any thoughts on those?

I don't know much about the gps devices, mine is built in to my car. The only thing I know is that last week The Tech Guy, Leo Laporte (from screensavers) told a caller that he would never reccomend any GPS other than either a Magellan or a Garmin. Good luck.

Originally Posted by Die Radio Die

Newegg is a very trustworthy site but you've GOT to read the customer reviews ESPECIALLY before purchasing a TV.

Here's one that has many more reviews and is actually cheaper.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16889022020

I have the 32" version of this TV and I am very pleased with it. I am currently using it as my computer monitor and entertainment center, and it works great. I highly recommend Olevia televisions. They aren't the best, but for the price, you can beat the performance.

We've had a Magellan Roadmate for several years and we've gotten good use out of it. It still can't match the one we have built in in our newest car, but the portability is a big plus, as my wife uses it for work as well. I also give it to guests who are visiting that want to do a little exploration on their own.

Keep in mind that if you're navigating downtown streets with tall buildings, their functionality can be a little spotty.

Originally Posted by aerogirl

Well, I think i've decided on the first TV i was looking at, from costco.com and im going to use the rest of my $$ on a GPS system for my car...any thoughts on those?

I know you're missing your life here since you moved to the Big Apple, but don't stray from the topic.

Originally Posted by dgrycan

Keep in mind that if you're navigating downtown streets with tall buildings, their functionality can be a little spotty.

Gotta' agree. If you do most of your driving in the city, forget about it.

Ok so, can we get a quick recap of things to look for in an HDTV?

Also, what's the difference between LCD, Plasma, Rear Projection, etc? Is one better than the other? Pros, cons, etc?

Thanks in advance and karma is waiting

Originally Posted by Damien C

Ok so, can we get a quick recap of things to look for in an HDTV?

Also, what's the difference between LCD, Plasma, Rear Projection, etc? Is one better than the other? Pros, cons, etc?

Thanks in advance and karma is waiting

if i was to buy a television today, i would buy an lcd. they don't come in sizes as big as plasma, or rear projection, but they are supposed to last long time (thats a big plus for me, personally).

i don't know all of the tech jargon, but i'll do my best to explain the difference between the different types of tv

REAR PROJECTION
this technology is similar (if not the same) to the big screen tvs we've seen for the last 20 years. they are the biggest in terms of size. the name is quite self explanatory. i believe that there are three types of rear projection. the first (i don't know the official name) is just your run of the mill projection tv (like, i noted above, the same big screen you've seen for 20 years). it uses a crt tube (not to be confused with a tube tv). this technology is on its way out. the second, is DLP. dlp uses a special chip from texas instruments that helps provide better colors. light usually passes through a color wheel or sorts. the third is lcd rear projection. this uses a lcd chip. light passes through the chip and something really technical happens after that! anyways, i've heard the dlp and lcd are the way to go in the rear projection market. they each have minor tradeoffs, but if you want a BIG screen, go with one of these guys. i've seen screens in the store up to 80 inches (i think there are even bigger ones!)

PLASMA
plama screens use compressed gas in the screen to provide you with an amazing picture. they have great color, contrast, connectivitiy, the whole nine yards. the one problem in early plasmas, and to a lesser extent now, is burn in. sometimes when you leave a static image (i.e. the CNN or ESPN logo) on the screen long enough, that image will burn into the screen. i believe that this has been remedied in all new screens, but it is still a concern. most plasmas go up to 60 inches (there are larger ones, but they are pretty expensive).

LCD
lcds, usually have great color, and contrast, but do not have great black levels. plasma, however, has amazing black levels. lcd, in my opinion, seems to be the best technology for consumer, in terms of value and how long they will last. i think lcds now top out at about 46 or 50 inches. there are bigger one, but i've never seen one, only read about them on the net. costco usually has some good deals on lcds.


just remember when you get an HDTV, to get one with plenty of connectivity. you definitely want at least one HDMI port, but multiple inputs is a BIG plus. you also want a couple of component video inputs. an RGB input (this is how you connect a computer) would also be a plus. all three of the above mentioned inputs can carry a hi-def signal. HDMI is the emerging standard in HD, so i recommend getting as many of those as possible.

don't forget to compare response times and contrast ratios. you want a smaller number for response times and a higher ratio for contrast ratios.

it also helps if you just go and look all your options. judge for yourself. certain pros to each technology may be more important to you than someone else. hope this helps.