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TVs
Jun 30, 2010 9:27:32 GMT -5
Post by gailkate on Jun 30, 2010 9:27:32 GMT -5
So we have a lot of TVs, and they're all fading. What can anyone tell me about good brands, things to look for, LED vs. LCD, etc.? We think we want two at about 40," for Jerry's lair and mine, and one for the kitchen at probably 19." They won't be purchased all at once, but we only want to do the research once.
I think we want 1080 pixels, but maybe 720 is enough for the smaller screen. I've read that true blacks are important, something I'd never have thought of. Most of the ads are for thumping great screens that would only work if we knocked out all our walls, so are some criteria irrelevant? What matters most to me is good sound, and what I've read so far is that no TV has good sound. I can't understand anyone who talks fast or mutters, and the English accents on PBS make me crazy. I'm wondering if adding a speaker would help. Not, heaven forbid, SurroundSound, just a separate, higher quality speaker.
And, how flat is flat? When I look at ads, I can't figure out where the actual works go. They seem to be all screen and no innards.
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TVs
Jun 30, 2010 13:26:19 GMT -5
Post by Thomas Scheuzger on Jun 30, 2010 13:26:19 GMT -5
So we have a lot of TVs, and they're all fading. What can anyone tell me about good brands, things to look for, LED vs. LCD, etc.? We think we want two at about 40," for Jerry's lair and mine, and one for the kitchen at probably 19." They won't be purchased all at once, but we only want to do the research once. I think we want 1080 pixels, but maybe 720 is enough for the smaller screen. I've read that true blacks are important, something I'd never have thought of. Most of the ads are for thumping great screens that would only work if we knocked out all our walls, so are some criteria irrelevant? What matters most to me is good sound, and what I've read so far is that no TV has good sound. I can't understand anyone who talks fast or mutters, and the English accents on PBS make me crazy. I'm wondering if adding a speaker would help. Not, heaven forbid, SurroundSound, just a separate, higher quality speaker. And, how flat is flat? When I look at ads, I can't figure out where the actual works go. They seem to be all screen and no innards. Hi gk, I spent several months last year doing the research, so maybe I can help. The best picture available in an HD TV is on a plasma screen. They also have the widest viewing angle, which is important if you're not going to be the only one watching at any given moment. Drawbacks include a somewhat less bright image, important if you watch in a bright room. There's also a recommended break-in period of about 150-200 hours when you're supposed to set your DVD player to play a set of calibration images (basically a series of graduated colors) continuously for four days... I know that sounds ridiculous, but it really does make a difference with plasma screens. I won't get into the technical reasons, unless you really want to know. Plasmas can also suffer from what is known as "burn-in" or image burn, where a particularly bright image that remains stationary on the screen (like a graphic or title) will remain as a ghost image on your screen after the graphic is removed. This is mostly a problem for people that use plasma sets for video games or computer monitors - basically you want to keep programming with static images to a minimum. Picture size is also important, because of the aspect ratio and the very nature of HD. High Definition will actually make you want to sit CLOSER to the screen than an old CRT non-HD model. You simply can't see all the detail the set will produce if you're too far away. We bought a 50" screen for our living room (the largest my wife would allow), and we tend to sit about 10' away, which is pretty much the furthest limit. We have had no problems with burn-in, did the recommended 150 break-in period (that was hard, because you can't watch anything on the set while it's doing it's thing), and the picture is glorious. We got a Pioneer Kuro model, which has been since discontinued. Regard the "innerds", they're all built into the case behind the screen. I'd be surprised if you found one thicker than a couple inches. They hang on the wall very nicely, and there are a ton of available brackets with options that let you pull it out from the wall when watching, or tilt/swivel. You can sometimes get a package deal that includes the wall mount. Be aware that on some TVs, the "foot" is not included if you want to set it on a table, so watch out for that. In the last TV issue from Consumer Reports, LG and Panasonic tied for first place. I think the Panasonic line is called "Viero." I don't think anyone still makes a 720p model anymore (unless they're a discontinued or really cheap model) - I think they're all 1080i now, which is what you want. LCD/LED screens are a whole lot brighter and can be cheaper than plasmas, and they seem to be what's most popular. The basic flaw in either of these is what's called motion blur - in programming with fast paced action like sports or action movies, you can see the picture blur as the camera/subject moves across the screen. Manufacturers deal with that by upping the refresh rate of the screen, so if those are what you want, look for something that has at least a 120Hz or 240Hz refresh rate. You'll probably still notice some blurring, but the higher rates will minimize that. They also don't have as deep a black level as plasma sets, and the viewing angle tends to be fairly narrow. Sound quality is an issue with flat screens - you just can't get good sound from a speaker small enough to fit inside a case that thin. Some manufacturers offer add-on speakers - what's called a "sound bar," that are an improvement. Some models have them built in, others can be ordered separately. A lot of third party audio/speaker companies make "sound bars" to be added above or below your set; sometimes one on the left and right. This is different from standard "surround sound" systems that typically have 5 speakers plus a subwoofer. A surround system requires a whole set of additional components; what I'm talking about when I say "sound bar" is an external speaker that you can connect directly to the TV. I would suggest going to a place like Best Buy with a Magnolia Theater department - they have a huge selection and (sometimes) have very knowledgeable salespeople. There's one in Oakdale that I visited quite a bit before I took the plunge and ordered online from Vann's in Missoula MT. Hope that helps - let me know if you have any other questions.
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TVs
Jun 30, 2010 14:03:36 GMT -5
Post by gailkate on Jun 30, 2010 14:03:36 GMT -5
Oh, Thomas, I can't believe how lucky we are to have our very own electronics wizard on call! What you've said will make a world of difference in how we ask questions. I'm relieved to hear there's an option on the speaker questions. I had thought there was a problem with plasma that had something to do with heat, but the "motion blur" thing is all new to me and will matter to Jerry when watching sports. I imagine it might matter when watching dance or anything with wildlife, too. What you say about wanting to be closer is very interesting, because our spaces are small, and I was brought up on the not-too-close theory. It sounds as if comfortable sight lines are different from what we're used to.
We'll probably buy from some place local that will set up the new and recycle the old sets. Jerry doesn't care about having a computer input, but I think I do. That's another area I'm vague about - seems to me there are things on Hulu I'd like to watch, and maybe news. I've even thought that a bigger computer monitor could give me more options while I wait to spend money on the TV in my room. Could I watch a video from PBS online on the bigger TV with better clarity?
Well, I don't want to take advantage of you. I'll hold off on more questions till we've done our first reconnoitering. Jerry had already left for a quick Best Buy trip before you posted here, so he'll be glad to have your input when he comes home all 'mazed and muddled. Thank you so much!
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TVs
Jun 30, 2010 17:10:55 GMT -5
Post by sailor on Jun 30, 2010 17:10:55 GMT -5
Gail, A few months ago I bought a Panasonic 37 inch HD LCD TV. I set it up in my club house and use it for watching DVDs. I am extremely pleased with this TV. Watching the John Wayne move Hatari on the big screen is terrific! I hooked up a couple external self amplified speakers (nice but not fancy) and the sound is great. I feel like I'm a child again watching movies at a drive in theater. The reason I picked a 37 inch TV is because that was the biggest size that would fit in the back seat of my car. Bigger might be better, but this is good enough for me. In our living room we still have our old analog TV because Emi says that it's good enough for her. And, in our house what's good enough for her is by default good enough for me. My TV looks like this: All the best, Mike
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TVs
Jun 30, 2010 20:17:27 GMT -5
Post by liriodendron on Jun 30, 2010 20:17:27 GMT -5
I'd talk about our t.v. purchasing experience, but the best we own is a large rear projection one we picked up years and years ago at a tag sale. We've had it repaired once. The kids use an even older one (with a picture tube) for their video games. We are soooooooooo not on the cutting edge of home electronics. Needless to say, I do not watch a lot of t.v. LOL
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TVs
Jul 1, 2010 0:08:07 GMT -5
Post by Thomas Scheuzger on Jul 1, 2010 0:08:07 GMT -5
Oh, I had thought there was a problem with plasma that had something to do with heat, but the "motion blur" thing is all new to me and will matter to Jerry when watching sports. That's another area I'm vague about - seems to me there are things on Hulu I'd like to watch, and maybe news. I've even thought that a bigger computer monitor could give me more options while I wait to spend money on the TV in my room. Could I watch a video from PBS online on the bigger TV with better clarity? Yes, plasmas do generate more heat than LCDs/LEDs, but it's a trade off. Personally, we don't watch that much TV, so the difference in power consumption was marginal. It was more important to me to have the better picture than it was the cost to run it. You bring up a good point with the online services like Hulu et al. Most of the newer sets have an ethernet/network connection which you can attach to your internet modem directly, rather than to your computer. You can access most web sites and online services like NetFlix directly. Some allow you to download programs directly to the TV, others need a computer attached to the network (not necessarily to the TV). You can do this wirelessly or with an ethernet cable. Regarding the quality of those online sites, that'll all depend on your internet connection speed, as well as the speed of your computer (if that's needed as a storage device for the movies). Some content will look great, others - not so much. It also matters how it was encoded. If it's something like an old TV show on the web, chances are it won't look as good as something that was made in HD to begin with. You might want to look in to online movie rental sites like Blockbuster and NetFlix - I'm sure they have some good FAQs there regarding TVs and downloads. I believe Blockbuster only works with Samsung TVs (another good choice), but there are some models of Blu-ray players (HD DVDs) that can download movies as well (but I guess that's another story )
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TVs
Jul 1, 2010 0:17:06 GMT -5
Post by gailkate on Jul 1, 2010 0:17:06 GMT -5
Well, shoot, you know what rear projection means, which is a mystery to me. I admit watching more and more TV. There are a few pretty good series, not to mention movies, cooking, everything you've ever wanted to know about jellyfish, travel programs, and...NEWS! Mike, you should take a picture of the club house - what a great idea! Probably it serves the same purpose as Jerry and my lairs. Do you invite guys over to watch sports in the club house? If we are to believe TV ads, guys do that all the time - wolfing down pizza, spilling popcorn and drinks, whooping it up away from their spouses. Having an actual separate structure would be beyond cool. If the economic news doesn't perk up soon, our TVs may have to wait. But we did a lot of measuring and cogitating, and think Jerry's TV might be 42" and mine might be 37." No plasma, since they cost a fortune (especially now that we have to build a club house ).
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