[El Pistolero]

I had to get a new TV, my first since the lcd/plasma increase. Had a 36" toshiba and hated to part with it but it went hooters up. Thought I would post my findings in case anyone is interested.

I finally got one I like and I like it a lot. I tried a couple first, both 32" LCD widescreen's as that is the biggest that can fit in our entertainment center for now. When we get something else I will move this one in the bedroom and the bigger ones should be dropping in price.

First I got a westinghouse that was on clearance, I was leary but thougth I would try it. Blurred with movement, bad picture etc. HDTV has the best pic on them and some are not as good on regular digital channels. It went back.

I got an LG that was on sale by 100.00 at best buy, circuit city had it 100.00 less than best buy so they price matched. It was much better, but some channels were dark and trying to lighten them blew out the colors. LG makes screens for several models so they are supposed to be real good. It went back for a refund. Best buy had the next tv I wanted to try but sams had it for 200.00 less, I like sams returns better so I just got it there.

It's a phillips. I'm blown away by the picture on all of the channels, even old film, etc. it's outstanding. No blurring or anything. When dish network gives away hdtv boxes again I'm on board. It has auto resizing and a very easy picture setup. I like the menu.

Sony's are supposed to be the top of the heap and I'm sure they are good, but their colors are warmer and not as crisp. Many like it that way, I like the crispness of ths one.

I did speak to a number of tech's about the lcd's and plasma's as they exploded while I was not in the market (hard to find a tube model except for walmart's couple and best buy's 4 or 5. I even called a couple of places in tulsa. Plasma's require more maintenance, you might have to top off the gas at some point which is expensive. They all said the only return problems they have had with the lcd's are certain models and the cheapest brands (like westinghouse). The store brands, etc. Kind of like how it's been with lcd monitors.

So I HIGHLY recommend this model/brand, it's highly rated everywhere I looked. I think I will post this out of the forum in the chat area just in case anyone is interested.

http://www.consumer.philips.com/con...UMER/digital-widescreen-flat-TV+32PFL5332D-37

 

[Primersinmyshoe]

Thanks Jerry. I'll be looking soon.

 

[Snagglepuss]

Thanks for the heads up. Wish I could get one, but $$ is what it is all about.

Enjoy.

 

[El Pistolero]

Yea, me too. If the other had not went out completely I would have stayed where I was at. I really couldn't afford one right now, have to have rice, beans and tortillas for a while.

 

[gottripletsNC]

My father in law went into Sam's right before Christmas, and saw a Phillips 32" on sale for 200$. He asked the guys there if that was a typo, and they told him no, that it was in store clearance, and they were trying to get rid of the stock. Well, you know what he did. And did he offer to go ahead and get another one, and let me pay him back....NOOOOOOOOO. Nor did he even call me or tell me. I found out a week later. So, I'm still watching a CRT tv.

 

[Mulerider93]

Philips is good stuff.

We stumbled on a 37" Vizio LCD at SAM'S that had been used for some display for a month. $200 off - SOLD. We've had it for just over a year and it works great. Between the fact that someone is almost always awake here and I'm not sure if they know where the 'off' button is, this tv has worked hard during its time here

Vizio, I understand, is made by the same manufacturer in Mexico that builds Sony and/or Toshiba - IIRC.

--jcd

 

[Barry in IN]

This is the story of buying our current TV, and sounds like a bad I Love Lucy episode:

I'm an Indianapolis Colts fan: season ticket holder for 20 years, go to all the games even when I lived in Chicago and worked weekends, blah, blah, blah.
Soooo-
It's Super Bowl Sunday last year, and the Colts are in it. I get up early, come downstairs, and turn on the 12 year old RCA 46" rear projection TV to bask in an entire day of coverage...
and got...
nothing.
Wouldn't even start to power up.
I goof around with a meter a little while, but it's dead.

Great.

My guys are finally in the Super Bowl, and I'm down to watching it on a 20" TV in my kid's room?
No.

EVERYBODY UP AND GET IN THE VAN!

So to make a long story about buying a TV on Super Bowl Sunday (which is bad enough without the home team being in the game besides)-
In a mad dash, we run out and bought a new 55" Sony Wega.
That's probably the biggest purchase with the least research I've ever made. We at least went to two stores first.

 

[El Pistolero]

That's a rumor about vizio, but it's not true. It's privately owned buy a guy named William Wang and there are some investors, and the largest is a taiwanese company called Amtram. I looked at it but we only need a 32" right now, a larger one will come later.:

Vizio, officially styled as VIZIO, is a privately-held producer of consumer electronics, based in Irvine California, USA. It was founded in 1999 as V Inc. Vizio currently produces primarily LCD and plasma televisions. Amtran, a Taiwanese company, is one of a number of investors in Vizio.

Philips is good stuff.

We stumbled on a 37" Vizio LCD at SAM'S that had been used for some display for a month. $200 off - SOLD. We've had it for just over a year and it works great. Between the fact that someone is almost always awake here and I'm not sure if they know where the 'off' button is, this tv has worked hard during its time here

Vizio, I understand, is made by the same manufacturer in Mexico that builds Sony and/or Toshiba - IIRC.

--jcd

 

[usmcmp]

Sorry to hear about your Westinghouse. I have a 42" 1080p that has been working great since Nov.

 

[El Pistolero]

I just did not like the quality of the picture at all.

The mother in law told the old lady that the reason the tv went out is that I have so much stuff hooked to it. I'm not even going to bother explaining to the old bat that all that stuff is hooked ot the receiver and not the tv. Every time the wife starts to tell me something she says I jsut roll my eyes, so does the wife.

 

[msjdgman]

Congrats on the new tube, but sorry you had to do it as an unplanned purchase. We need a new set as well...picture keeps getting a little fuzzier...but the fridge is making such loud and strange noises, and running way too much that it is first on our list of replacements. We may start shopping this weekend, got my taxes done and wow....I actually have a little coming back this year. It`s amazing what a boat load of out of pocket medical expenses can do to offset some tax liability.