Outside of the wiseguys that are gonna tell me to throw the TV out the window [which I just did, because the old [non-HD] Magnavox bit the bullet], I'm lookin' to get a 32" LCD TV. I'm aware of the 720p vs 1180p for pricier sets. I'm half-blind anyway, so I aint too fussy.
What is fussy, tho, is trying to get a read on who makes the best TV. I've been going just about [nuts, too] everywhere now, and all 32"ers have many troubling reviews. I always read reviews; especially the 1,2,and 3 STARS reviews.
It's probably easier today buying a car, than a dumb TV.
All I'd like to know, is who has had good luck with a certain brand, easy menu/remote buttons [some now are just too much], why you like it, etc. I'm looking in the 32" and $300-$400 range.
Thanks all - fire away.
Chip
Williams U-12 8X5; Keyless; Natural Blonde Laquer.
FYI, the LCD units are bigtime power hogs, consuming even more juice than the old CRT. If you pay a bit more up front for the LED backlit units you will ultimately save it in your electric bill.
That's all I hear. LCDs use less power than PLASMAS.
LEDS - you don't find them readily, anywhere. And some comparisons claim there isn't much significant difference between LED and LCD.
Dave - what are old CRTs? I am absolutely clueless when it comes to TVs. All I [and everyone, mostly] want to do is turn the stupid thing on and watch/listen.
Why is this so complicated? This is nuts, to me.
No wonder people HATE TV. And the hate is absolutely justified, IMHO.
...What are these TV manufacturers trying to prove? They're splitting hairs, aren't they? And not doing a good job of it; PLASMA;LCD;LED;and what did you say,
CRT? What's CRT?
example: plasma = glass screen/ambient light glare.
LCD - BLACK isn't so black
Last edited by Chip Fossa on 18 Jun 2011 2:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Chip
Williams U-12 8X5; Keyless; Natural Blonde Laquer.
I landed on Samsung (40" HDTV) on both sides of the pond, after having gone through most of what's on the markets. To me they give the clearest and most natural picture, and are priced right.
LCD = Liquid Crystal Display - these use nearly as much power as the plasma units, so much so that the State of California has instituted a tax on both types due to their very high electrical power consumption.
LED = Light Emitting Diode - these are the ones that save you money at the meter, a LOT of money. Any comparisons that state otherwise are not honest comparisons, because the difference in power use is staggering. You may not find them at the local supermarket but they are definitely out there and any decent television dealer will have several models to choose from. Equal or better in performance quality to the LCD and Plasma units, they are significantly spendier to purchase but by far the most efficient and ecologically responsible choice and they WILL save you money in the long term.
CRT = Cathode Ray Tube - That old-fashioned fat-back thing you just tossed - if it isn't a flat screen skinny thing it's a CRT, with fairly high electrical consumption, although not so power-hungry as the LCD and Plasma units.
Samsung or Phillips. LCD is the way to go, best bang for the buck ! You should be able to find something like a 32" Samsung for around $400 or so.
But if the vision is starting to go , you might want something bigger . You can find a Phillips 42" for around $400.
In regards to 720p vs. 1080p , if you've only got broadcast channels , or basic cable/satelite box, a 720p is all you need. Only get a 1080p tv if you're gonna get an HD cable box , otherwise it doesn't matter. [/i]
....as an aside, I find living without TV, isn't so bad. Just gotta get used to it.
What I miss most about not having a TV is just the light and sound. You know, when you live alone, sometimes just the sound of a human voice, as mundane and stupid as TV broadcasters can be; it's still a warming effect.
Chip
Williams U-12 8X5; Keyless; Natural Blonde Laquer.
I'm still using the old 27" Phillips CRT that's about 35 years old..Thought about upgrading but all I watch is baseball games and history..Guess I won't replace it..
Papa Joe, you need to be watching the games in front of at least a 42" LCD , with the 1080p . Get yourself an HD box from your local cable/satilite provider and be watching all the games you could want,from the best seat in the park!! Your chair! Why not treat yourself.
I'm with "Bombcast". They suck me for $64/mnth. I have BASIC [nothing to write home about] cable. About $17 for junk TV, and the rest is for broadband internet.
Isn't this just ridiculous?????????
Dave, I don't need more time PRACTICING steel; I need more time playing the steel out somewhere...
Anyway, I appreciate all the input I'm getting here.
Just a footnote... I finally got my crummy dipole FM antenna properly hooked-up. Got a pretty decent Pioneer reciever. I live in an old trailer [metal surround] and so getting any radio receptions is tentative.
But, doggone, I caught the ninth inning of the Red Sox and Tampa Bay game (4-2) where Papelbon whiffed the last two batters for the win. Crystal clear reception, too; surprisingly.
Listening to radio has energized me, so to speak. Took me back to my teen years when transistor radios first came out. Mel Allen and Yankee baseball; brought to you by the makers of Ballantine Ale & Beer; The three ring sign - Body, Purity, Flavor.
Do yourself a favor the next time you're watching some sports.
Turn off the TV gasbags, and put on the radio broadcast.
The radio dudes HAVE to relay the game as it's goin' down, with little to no happy-talk; Cuz you can't SEE the game on radio. Aren't those TV flappers just annoying? They talk about everything that is irrelevant to the game. It's noise. The radio guys are cool. What a difference. Try it. You'll love it.
OK - I'm drifting now. Sorry
Chip
Williams U-12 8X5; Keyless; Natural Blonde Laquer.
My TV broke about 10 years ago. I realized that if I bought another one that I would spend time watching it. I don't miss it at all. If I ever wonder what I'm missing I can read a thread about an awards show. If I want to see a sporting event I can head over to a friends house or a bar. Those things are more fun with people around anyway.
Try living without a TV for a month or so. I know I feel better without it.
I put mine in the closet about five years ago, and my life is immeasurably improved. No more scheduling to watch something that's really mediocre, even though "it's the best show on TV!" I don't know what Paris/Lindsay/Britney are doing... the problem with trying to "cut down" is, it never happens. Like trying to quit drinking with a tapped keg as the center of your living room decor. If it's there it's on, sooner or later.
At some point, future historians will pose the question, "What ruined America?" Five hours of TV a day AVERAGE for American adults... 80% of their free time. Remember when everyone had a hobby, not just you? And a workshop, people could fix their own screen doors. And read to their children, and go OUTSIDE... they knew their neighbors? Oh well. Just turn it on, let the trance take you away....
If anyone would ever take the models for addictions and apply it to TV, whew! Lost productivity... "I can quit anytime I want to"...."I'm not hurting anyone else"....
Chip ... I'm in the same boat as you. My old TV took a dump a couple days ago and I'm not really up to speed on all thats available either. Truth is most of it seems to be some form of compromise in one way or another. I'm thinking of just getting a decent used old style unit off of Craigs List and let the dust settle for a couple more years.
Till then there is tons of stuff to watch online from the shows page itself or I've been watching a lot of stuff on Hulu too.
Chip, I highly recommend getting a screen with a matte finish so it's not shiny and reflective. Much harder to watch a show with window and lights reflections getting in the way. Like you, I don't know much about brands, and am biding my time. I'll wait for 3D to get cheaper or die, either path is possible.
E9 INSTRUCTION If you want to have an ongoing discussion, please email me, don't use the Forum messaging which I detest! steelguitarlessons@earthlink.net
I'm well aware of glass vs flat screen (matte). Found that out years ago what a difference there is. When I got the latest in PC monitors, an LCD.
I checked out Craig's List, and right here in nearby Palmer, MA there were a few get-me-by-for-now TVs under $100. Some were even large sets, too.
It's going on about a week now, and it's getting easier justifying not running out and plunkin' down $400 or so for what I figure is a 50/50 crapshoot; hoping you'll get something out of the box that actually works right.
Maybe it's just human nature, but those negative reviews bother me. How can one buyer give a TV 5 stars, and another give it 1 star; the same make and model. Just the hassle of having to send or take it back and go through all the BS involved with that.
Then what? Are you just gonna swap for the same thing?
I don't spend hours watching the tube, anyway.
Chip
Williams U-12 8X5; Keyless; Natural Blonde Laquer.
Chip Fossa wrote:Maybe it's just human nature, but those negative reviews bother me. How can one buyer give a TV 5 stars, and another give it 1 star; the same make and model.
For the most part it comes down to variations in personal preferences, different expectations, different need/use ... or just good/bad mood at the moment.
Most people can't/won't even (learn to) set-up their TV and units correctly, running them at some arbitrary settings by the factory, shop, the cable guy, or whoever had a hand at it before them. That counts for about 90% of all negative comments about everything, IMO, leaving 10% of negative comments/claims to cover faulty products.
I don't buy TVs to watch what some service providers serve anymore - not much worth watching anywhere in the world anyway. I buy larger screens for connecting selected units to so I can see what I want on them. Some TVs make good multi-use screens, others not so much or not at all.
So, I have my personal preferences, expectations and needs/uses to guide me through the selection process, that may or may not make sense to others.
I work in the TV industry and have to deal with video monitoring on a daily basis.
LCD and LED TV's are actually both LCD TV's. The LED uses an LED backlight instead of the high voltage light source panel on the LCD's.
As for power consumption, all the newer sets meet the new recommended power requirements, even the plasmas.
LCD/LED TV's are the brightest but have the worst blacks, which can be milky or blotchy looking. Colors and blacks shift when looking off-axis (anything other than straight on with the screen).
Plasmas have better color consistency and are excellent for off-axis viewing, but they only come in sizes 42" and up.
Since you are wanting a 32", your only choice is an LCD/LED TV. If you are planning on watching Blu-ray movies, then I would recommend 1080p capable. TV broadcast is finally settling on one format and that format is 720p, so if that's all you are going to watch you don't have to pay the extra for the 1080p version.
Plasmas
Michael Brebes
Instrument/amp/ pickup repair
MSA D10 Classic/Rickenbacher B6/
Dickerson MOTS/Dobro D32 Hawaiian/
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That's a good point to consider, George, about many people not hooking up the set properly to start with.
I can see that.
I took note also, Michael, on the fact you can't get a plasma tv under 42". I'm really limited for space and my actual view distance is under 8'. 32" seems just about right for me.
Also, do I have to pay extra for HD reception from Comast? I'm sure the answer is an unequivocal YES.
Chip
Williams U-12 8X5; Keyless; Natural Blonde Laquer.
In my opinion, the absolute BEST TV I have ever seen, or owned, is a PRO-151FD Pioneer Elite. This is a 60" TV, and when you refer to black, black IS absolute black. The color image is perfect. And yes, this is a plasma set. Much better than the LCD's, in my opinion. But, these sets were too expensive to manufacture, so Pioneer has discontinued them. I'm not sure if they offer any TV's, now. If at all possible, look around at the plasma's. Perhaps the smallest available would fit in your area. And, I imagine prices have come down considerably. As to brand, I really don't know, as I haven't researched them in a few years. Hoping the best for you.
I appreciate your input, here. I have done a bit of wandering, inspecting, asking, looking.
Just for starters, I went to Best Buy & Walmart. As mentioned previously, I couldn't find any plasmas under 42". And none that I found started at less than $400. OK - maybe on sale, for $385.
To me, buying a TV on sale is almost as bad as buying fruits and vegetables on sale. But we all know this.
Pioneer, IMHO, has always produced great audio toys. I can't see why they wouldn't be great at producing video toys, as well. I have a great Pioneer reciever right now.
Funny, but since I started this thread, I'm getting more & more used-to NO TV.
I've got Comcast. I pay $45/mnth for Broadband Internet and about $17 for the rock bottom crummiest TV cable. Absolutely none of the selection of channels I used to have [at $45+/mnth]. I got BASIC CABLE > BASIC CABAL.
I decided to get rid of the 'BIG $45 TV Cable', because everything is RERUNS. So, with that in mind, seeing how I've seen more of Clint Eastwood westerns than I can stomach [no offense Clint; it ain't your fault], decided to pay as little as possible for TV. It started at $9.00/mnth and now it's up to $17. They have even taken channels away, and I've had reception issues for years. Where's the justification & justice, here? Hmmm? Comcast Scuks! They all Scuk!!
As I say, the only programs I don't mind re-watching, are Two and Half Men, Everybody Loves Raymond, and 'most' Nova stuff.
......sorry, I need a drink. This explaining gets to be too taxing. But thanks for listening.
Chip
Williams U-12 8X5; Keyless; Natural Blonde Laquer.
If you want to have an ongoing discussion, please email me, don't use the Forum messaging which I detest! steelguitarlessons@earthlink.net