Old one finally blew up. Now I am currently looking around for a new one. Are the LED-LCD any better than just an LCD. I also play alot of xbox and watch sports. Any advice is welcomed

i usually check www.slickdeals.net

They always have the current deals listed.

http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?sduid=0&t=2119760

I just had my tv in my bedroom take a shit after 24,000 hours of good service. I would go with the LCD, I know several friends and relatives that have them and are happy with it. Don't get anything LG, I have a plasma and it is a POS.

Stick with Samsung, Sony or LG and you'll be fine. First and foremost, do your research on the TV before purchasing. The LG wes linked above is last years model but is a really good buy at $1000 for a local dimming LED. HHGregg offers the same price for that TV when it's on sale. What size and price range are you looking at?

I love my LED-LCD. Sharper blacks I think as compared to a regular LCD. Stick with Samsung or Sony. By far and away the top two brands out there. Do not waste money on a 3D TV.

Somewhere in the range of 35"-49" for around a grand could stand to go a few hundred over though. Ive been researching but there are so many terms and numbers. Contrast ratios, resolution and refresh rates etc. Ive had the same box tv for like 10 years until it died and have no idea what is good for TV other than 1080p.

Well right now 1080p won't do you a whole lot of good unless you watch a lot of Bluray films. Most stuff is still broad-casted in 720p or 1080i (pretty much the same, a step down from 1080p). I've also read that you can't really tell the difference between 1080p and 720p/1080i unless your TV is big enough and you are close enough. But if you're looking to use this TV pretty far into the future, I'd go with the 1080p. They don't seem to be as exclusively priced anymore. Just don't let anyone fool you into selling you a high priced 1080p TV because you "need" it, because right now you don't unless you want to watch blurays at high resolution. As for the terms to look at, I'd say pay the most attention to the resolution(720p,1080i,1080p) and refresh rate(60 Hz, 120 Hz, 240 Hz). I think 120 Hz is the norm now for good TVs, but 240 Hz may be becoming popular but I'm not sure.

My 32" analog TV is going on the blink. The picture is getting darker and darker. I think I want a 32" HD TV so it will fit in the existing cabinet. I checked out a few at Sears. The best ones cost around $750. Am I going to be happy with a 32" or should I look around for a bigger cabinet?

Keep in mind that the 32" is the distance across the diagonal of the screen. So a 32" LCD will be wider, but shorter than your current TV. 32" isn't a bad size, just depends on how big your room is or how far away you will sit from it. Also, like I said from what I read, 32" isn't big enough to notice the difference between 720p/1080i and 1080p.

Pup;419862 wrote:Somewhere in the range of 35"-49" for around a grand could stand to go a few hundred over though. Ive been researching but there are so many terms and numbers. Contrast ratios, resolution and refresh rates etc. Ive had the same box tv for like 10 years until it died and have no idea what is good for TV other than 1080p.

240 Hz refresh rate is a marketing gimmick. The human eye cannot notice a difference between 120 and 240. You can; however, see the difference between 60 and 120 (ESPN bottom line never looks blurry on 120). Contrast ratios are BS. Every company measures it differently so ignore that. Most companies don't make larger TV's (above 40") in 720 p anymore. Again though, save the money and find an 09 model if you can before these 3D TV's came out.

I got a 46" LED Samsung with 120 Hz refresh rate (7 series, 09 model) for 1,300 about 2 months. Sticker cost of the TV was 2,700 but they dropped it because of the new 3D crap that is coming out. Just another fad that won't last like HD DVDs.

namod65;419971 wrote:Keep in mind that the 32" is the distance across the diagonal of the screen. So a 32" LCD will be wider, but shorter than your current TV. 32" isn't a bad size, just depends on how big your room is or how far away you will sit from it. Also, like I said from what I read, 32" isn't big enough to notice the difference between 720p/1080i and 1080p.

My family room is about 20 x 20 and we settled on a 46" rather than 55" and we sit about 10-12 feet away. Seems like the perfect size given the set up of our room. If you have scan the TV with your eyes back and forth to see both sides it is too big and/or you are sitting too close.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung+-+46%22+Class+/+1080p+/+120Hz+/+LCD+HDTV/9783685.p?id=1218173773690&skuId=9783685
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Sony+-+BRAVIA+46%22+Class+/+1080p+/+120Hz+/+LCD+HDTV/9763279.p?id=1218169465735&skuId=9763279
http://www.hhgregg.com/ProductDetail.asp?SID=n&ProductID=23039
http://www.hhgregg.com/ProductDetail.asp?SID=n&ProductID=37118
http://www.hhgregg.com/ProductDetail.asp?SID=n&ProductID=23057
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung+-+46%22+Class+/+1080p+/+120Hz+/+LED-LCD+HDTV/9784657.p?id=1218173778085&skuId=9784657
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/LG+-+42%22+Class+/+1080p+/+120Hz+/+LED-LCD+HDTV/9783803.p?id=1218173779156&skuId=9783803

Even though most things are only broadcasted in 720p, snag a 1080p TV. Well worth it, especially when Blu-Ray takes over the movie market.

Nate;420193 wrote:Even though most things are only broadcasted in 720p, snag a 1080p TV. Well worth it, especially when Blu-Ray takes over the movie market.

Not to mention....It seems like most stores only carry 1080p tvs, unless you are talking about something smaller than a 37"

FairwoodKing;419959 wrote:My 32" analog TV is going on the blink. The picture is getting darker and darker. I think I want a 32" HD TV so it will fit in the existing cabinet. I checked out a few at Sears. The best ones cost around $750. Am I going to be happy with a 32" or should I look around for a bigger cabinet?

I have a 32" RCA 720p LCD in my family room and it does just fine. I hooked in my home entertainment center for good stereo surround sound and I have no complaints.

Snagged it at Wally World for just $349. Probably can find a 32" for less now. If you're not a heavy TV addict and want a decent size HDTV at a reasonable price a 32" works just fine.

Well.....only about half the info in this thread so far is legitimate. I worked in the Home Theater dept at Best Buy for a few years. Heres the deal:

1) Contrast ratios are for the most part bullshit, so whoever said that wasn't lying. BUT, don't ignore it completely. A TV with a very low contrast ratio (say.....500:1) is going to look a lot shittier than a TV with a 15,000:1 contrast ratio. So, the lower it is, the more you pay attention to it. A TV with a really low contrast ratio may look fine in the store, but when you take it home, its gonna look like shit. The higher they get though, the more you ignore them.

2) LCD or PLASMA or LED/LCD? Again, a lot of misinformation and old information about this choice. Don't let anyone talk you out of plasma because "they get burn in" or "they don't last as long". Thats all bullshit and hasn't been true for 5 years or so. Is it possible to get burn-in on today's plasmas? Yes, if you leave a static image on the screen for hours at a time (who does that?) but they all have built in anti-image-retention methods. Is it also possible to get burn-in on an LCD? Yes, but nobody seems to mention that. Both are very unlikely so forget about it. Right now the best bang for the buck on the market are Panasonic Plasma TVs. You really won't find anything smaller than 42" for the plasmas so if you're looking at a 32" you have no choice but to get an LCD. Also don't listen to those who say "plasmas have way more screen glare". This is true, plasmas have glass panels so they are going to reflect light. But samsung LCDs have glossy screens too that reflect even more than plasmas. A lot of plasmas have an anti-glare filter that basically dims the glare to a point where its barely noticeable. People will say its way better to get an LCD for gaming. Also bullshit. Standard LCDs are actually worse for games because they have motion blur. You probably wouldn't even notice it though. Go with something thats a good deal, don't go in saying I NEED an LCD or I NEED a plasma, it just limits your possibilies. If it seems to good to be true, its probably a shitty tv.

3)720p or 1080p? Well.....1) it depends on how big the TV is. If its smaller than 50" than paying for 1080p is a waste. Also figure out how far you're sitting from the tv. If its a larger TV and you're sitting closer you may want 1080p. 2) What kind of content are you watching? If its HDTV its all in 1080i or 720p, except for some movies on demand on like DirecTV which are 1080p. Are you going to buy a Bluray player? They're cheap and play DVDs too. And a lot of bluray movies can be had for $10-15.

4)60hz? 120hz? 600hz? All bullshit. 120hz eliminates motion blur by basically doubling the framerate from 60fps to 120fps. This works fine for TV which is usually shot in 30 fps because they just show one frame 4 times, when it gets tricky is when watching content which was shot in 24fps. Then you bring in a method called 3:2 pulldown which doubles some frames and not others. What you tend to get is something called screen judder. Its worse than motion blur. Ignore all this bullshit. Just don't pay any attention to hertz. 600hz is marketing bullshit from the plasma companies.

Buy a 50" Panasonic plasma. Thats the sweet spot for TVs at the moment.
Sony TVs blow when you compare them to Samsung, Panasonic , or even LG tvs. They wouldn't be so bad if they weren't so overpriced.
The Best Buy brand "Insignia" are actually decent TVs if you're on a budget. Most of them are produced by Samsung.
Keep away from 3DTV

Thanks for all the advice!

Mooney44Cards;420209 wrote:Well.....only about half the info in this thread so far is legitimate. I worked in the Home Theater dept at Best Buy for a few years. Heres the deal:

1) Contrast ratios are for the most part bullshit, so whoever said that wasn't lying. BUT, don't ignore it completely. A TV with a very low contrast ratio (say.....500:1) is going to look a lot shittier than a TV with a 15,000:1 contrast ratio. So, the lower it is, the more you pay attention to it. A TV with a really low contrast ratio may look fine in the store, but when you take it home, its gonna look like shit. The higher they get though, the more you ignore them.

2) LCD or PLASMA or LED/LCD? Again, a lot of misinformation and old information about this choice. Don't let anyone talk you out of plasma because "they get burn in" or "they don't last as long". Thats all bullshit and hasn't been true for 5 years or so. Is it possible to get burn-in on today's plasmas? Yes, if you leave a static image on the screen for hours at a time (who does that?) but they all have built in anti-image-retention methods. Is it also possible to get burn-in on an LCD? Yes, but nobody seems to mention that. Both are very unlikely so forget about it. Right now the best bang for the buck on the market are Panasonic Plasma TVs. You really won't find anything smaller than 42" for the plasmas so if you're looking at a 32" you have no choice but to get an LCD. Also don't listen to those who say "plasmas have way more screen glare". This is true, plasmas have glass panels so they are going to reflect light. But samsung LCDs have glossy screens too that reflect even more than plasmas. A lot of plasmas have an anti-glare filter that basically dims the glare to a point where its barely noticeable. People will say its way better to get an LCD for gaming. Also bullshit. Standard LCDs are actually worse for games because they have motion blur. You probably wouldn't even notice it though. Go with something thats a good deal, don't go in saying I NEED an LCD or I NEED a plasma, it just limits your possibilies. If it seems to good to be true, its probably a shitty tv.

3)720p or 1080p? Well.....1) it depends on how big the TV is. If its smaller than 50" than paying for 1080p is a waste. Also figure out how far you're sitting from the tv. If its a larger TV and you're sitting closer you may want 1080p. 2) What kind of content are you watching? If its HDTV its all in 1080i or 720p, except for some movies on demand on like DirecTV which are 1080p. Are you going to buy a Bluray player? They're cheap and play DVDs too. And a lot of bluray movies can be had for $10-15.

4)60hz? 120hz? 600hz? All bullshit. 120hz eliminates motion blur by basically doubling the framerate from 60fps to 120fps. This works fine for TV which is usually shot in 30 fps because they just show one frame 4 times, when it gets tricky is when watching content which was shot in 24fps. Then you bring in a method called 3:2 pulldown which doubles some frames and not others. What you tend to get is something called screen judder. Its worse than motion blur. Ignore all this bullshit. Just don't pay any attention to hertz. 600hz is marketing bullshit from the plasma companies.

Buy a 50" Panasonic plasma. Thats the sweet spot for TVs at the moment.
Sony TVs blow when you compare them to Samsung, Panasonic , or even LG tvs. They wouldn't be so bad if they weren't so overpriced.
The Best Buy brand "Insignia" are actually decent TVs if you're on a budget. Most of them are produced by Samsung.
Keep away from 3DTV

This is by far the best info on this thread - ignore the rest. I completely agree that plasma is still the best tv for the money and produces top-notch pictures. Plasma technology has increased dramatically.

mooney - I'm curious as to why you recommend staying away from 3D? I was actually just doing some research because I'm going to be in the market for another HD tv real soon. I've been checking out the Panny plasma 54" 3D HD tv. I know the tv retails at about 3k right now, but the technology seems pretty sweet. Direct TV is already starting to broadcast some 3D channels and they will be airing some college football games this fall in 3D as well. I'm interested in your opinion..

Its got gimmick written all over it. And I don't think any technology that requires people to wear glasses will ever catch on mainstream, regardless of how well it works or how much people like it. Hell, get the TV though, since 3D or not, thats probably one of the best plasma models ever made without the word Pioneer written on the front, and even then, its supposed to rival even the Pioneers. Is it the V model?

I was thinking the same thing about the gimmicky aspect of 3D, but I thought what the hell- it's about 1k more than the standard Panny HD 54", and figured I would at least be prepared in case it does get big. I would then have to get a 3D blue ray player, and figured that is where you would use the glasses the most - when watching movies.

Not sure what "V model" means, but here it is: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Panasonic+-+VIERA+/+54%22+Class+/+1080p+/+600Hz+/+3D+Plasma+HDTV/9825321.p?id=1218179418414&skuId=9825321&st=3D tv&cp=1&lp=2

Panasonic Plasma models always go P (for plasma) xx (screen size) xx (letter or letters indicating model line) and another number which differentiates slight differences.

The one you linked to is the V model since its the P54VT25. The V models have always been on the cutting edge and are supposed to be absolutely gorgeous. The only higher model they even make is the Z series which is ultra thin and has a separate tuner that communicates with the display wirelessly.

Interesting- thanks. I currently have a 50" Panasonic plasma that I bought 4 years ago, and it's still an amazing tv. I'm pretty brand loyal to Panasonic.

I bought the 50" G10 model last year. I fucking LOVE this thing.

Mooney44Cards;420209 wrote:Well.....only about half the info in this thread so far is legitimate. I worked in the Home Theater dept at Best Buy for a few years. Heres the deal:

1) Contrast ratios are for the most part bullshit, so whoever said that wasn't lying. BUT, don't ignore it completely. A TV with a very low contrast ratio (say.....500:1) is going to look a lot shittier than a TV with a 15,000:1 contrast ratio. So, the lower it is, the more you pay attention to it. A TV with a really low contrast ratio may look fine in the store, but when you take it home, its gonna look like shit. The higher they get though, the more you ignore them.

2) LCD or PLASMA or LED/LCD? Again, a lot of misinformation and old information about this choice. Don't let anyone talk you out of plasma because "they get burn in" or "they don't last as long". Thats all bullshit and hasn't been true for 5 years or so. Is it possible to get burn-in on today's plasmas? Yes, if you leave a static image on the screen for hours at a time (who does that?) but they all have built in anti-image-retention methods. Is it also possible to get burn-in on an LCD? Yes, but nobody seems to mention that. Both are very unlikely so forget about it. Right now the best bang for the buck on the market are Panasonic Plasma TVs. You really won't find anything smaller than 42" for the plasmas so if you're looking at a 32" you have no choice but to get an LCD. Also don't listen to those who say "plasmas have way more screen glare". This is true, plasmas have glass panels so they are going to reflect light. But samsung LCDs have glossy screens too that reflect even more than plasmas. A lot of plasmas have an anti-glare filter that basically dims the glare to a point where its barely noticeable. People will say its way better to get an LCD for gaming. Also bullshit. Standard LCDs are actually worse for games because they have motion blur. You probably wouldn't even notice it though. Go with something thats a good deal, don't go in saying I NEED an LCD or I NEED a plasma, it just limits your possibilies. If it seems to good to be true, its probably a shitty tv.

3)720p or 1080p? Well.....1) it depends on how big the TV is. If its smaller than 50" than paying for 1080p is a waste. Also figure out how far you're sitting from the tv. If its a larger TV and you're sitting closer you may want 1080p. 2) What kind of content are you watching? If its HDTV its all in 1080i or 720p, except for some movies on demand on like DirecTV which are 1080p. Are you going to buy a Bluray player? They're cheap and play DVDs too. And a lot of bluray movies can be had for $10-15.

4)60hz? 120hz? 600hz? All bullshit. 120hz eliminates motion blur by basically doubling the framerate from 60fps to 120fps. This works fine for TV which is usually shot in 30 fps because they just show one frame 4 times, when it gets tricky is when watching content which was shot in 24fps. Then you bring in a method called 3:2 pulldown which doubles some frames and not others. What you tend to get is something called screen judder. Its worse than motion blur. Ignore all this bullshit. Just don't pay any attention to hertz. 600hz is marketing bullshit from the plasma companies.

Buy a 50" Panasonic plasma. Thats the sweet spot for TVs at the moment.
Sony TVs blow when you compare them to Samsung, Panasonic , or even LG tvs. They wouldn't be so bad if they weren't so overpriced.
The Best Buy brand "Insignia" are actually decent TVs if you're on a budget. Most of them are produced by Samsung.
Keep away from 3DTV

Great post, though personally I will always go 1080p over 720p. It may be a waste but I swear I can tell a difference.

My next tv purchase is indeed going to be a Panasonic plasma. I love my current 40" Samsung LCD, though.