Help Me Pick an LCD TV
- Thread starter 94GTLaserRC
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parchisi
New Member
Recently bought a 46" Samsung. 120hz, 50,000:1 contrast ratio. The TV is AMAZING, great for games and movies, complements my PS3 perfectly. I had to turn off a feature though, had to do with anti-judder or something. It drove me nuts when watching blu-rays.
all i can say about the bargain brands such as westinghouse, vizio, etc. is that you always get what you pay for.The Vizio's suck! They're too "gaudy"
RC
Black95GTS
Active Member
I have this same TV. It looks pretty mint with both HD and Blu-Ray. I have Verizon FIOS in my area and the HD is 1080i, so 720 anything to me was out the window. Paid 1499 for it at BJ's wholesale club on tax free day last August. I did all of the formulas to indicate proper TV sizing, and came out with 37" to 46" would be ideal. I wanted the 46" Sharp Aquos but the price jump from 42" to 46" seemed disproportionately high to me.
In terms of the HDMI cable, you can get away with a "cheaper" one providing the distance is not long. If you're going over the 6' length look long and hard at the cable differences.
The myth that digital TV is 1's and 0's, and is either on or off, will never die. But coming from a power engineer that constantly deals with signals in substations, digital signal can most definitely degrade.
Adam
millhouse
Founding Member
You may want to check your cable box…as most have options to change the output resolution. The cable companies will output whatever signal is given to them from the source….but ultimately it’s at the cable box where you will have issues. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to go into the regular users menu (it may not be in the regular menu…but in the main setup menu) and choose a pass thru mode which enables the resolution to be as-is from the source. This enables your TV to determine if the resolution is native or not….and will use its high end scalars’ (much better than set top boxes) to modify them if needed. If your unlucky (anyone using a Motorola box) you can choose either 720p or 1080i, but not a past. Considering almost all HD broadcasts are currently 720p that’s what I set the STB to be. If by chance I’m watching something that’s 1080i native, unfortunately the STB scales the output to 720p instead of the TV. The quality is still damn good…but the scalars’ on the TV’s are typically much better.
One thing everyone should keep in mind is the distance and TV size has a HUGE bearing on what TV you should be getting. If you sit far enough away and have a relatively small TV you WILL NOT be able to notice the difference between 1080p and 720p!!! As the TV size gets larger….so does the pixel size with the same resolution. Here is a basic seating chart showing the cut-off lines for being able to distinguish the difference between resolutions. Chart: 1080P Does Matter - CarltonBale.com Also remember that unless you’re watching blu-ray discs, you will not be getting 1080p signals. A 1080p TV will only scale up broadcast from the cable box. Remember what I said before about the Motorola box’s? Well, if you set the box to 720p and get a 1080i signal….yet are running a 1080p TV, the 1080 signal will get scaled down to 720p at the box and then scaled back up to 1080p at the TV.
Another thing to be weary of is contrast rations. With different technologies even between the same “type” of TV, you cannot always directly compare them. Contrast rations between DLP’s, LED’s and plasmas are totally different. There are even differences between different types of DLP’s that make them impossible to directly compare. You also need to make sure to CHANGE THE SETTINGS on the TV’s you are looking at in the big box stores! Change the picture off of dynamic and put it on the “cinema” or “movie” mode. The colors will be much more accurate…and the brightness and contrast rations will be far more normal. The likes of dynamic mode were added only as a way to draw in customers to the brightest and most vibrant picture…and in no way is representative of the picture quality itself.
One more thing….do not fall for the uber expensive HDMI cables at the big box stores. They will not give you any better picture/sound quality as those see online. I have had GREAT service and noticed quality from HDMI Cable, Home Theater Accessories, HDMI Products, Cables, Adapters, Video/Audio Switch, Networking, USB, Firewire, Printer Toner, and more!
Lastly, check out AVS Forum You can find a ton of helpful info there...as well as a boatload of customer feedback, customer service feedback etc. for every TV/manufacturer you could think of.
89 blue lx
Founding Member
This is your TV
Woot : One Day, One Deal (SM)
Haven't replied here in forever but I saw this today and thought I would try to help you out. the only problem with this site is that this will be gone by tomorrow. Good luck. oh and the other cool thing is 5 $ shipping!
Woot : One Day, One Deal (SM)
Haven't replied here in forever but I saw this today and thought I would try to help you out. the only problem with this site is that this will be gone by tomorrow. Good luck. oh and the other cool thing is 5 $ shipping!
Black95GTS
Active Member
I disagree with this statement.
My girlfriend has had laser corrective surgery and sees things at 20-10. You should see her when I take her out to the duck blind or goose pit... she can see the damn birds about 20 seconds before myself or any of my 3 friends, and I wear glasses corrected to 20-20.
The only thing that I agree with in this statement is that if you back away from something, you won't be able to see it as well.
Adam
millhouse
Founding Member
Disagree with it all you like....but the "average" human eye can only detect so much detail at a given distance. Now obviously there are exceptions with those with better vision...but the farther away you sit from the same relative size tv, the less resolution you need. Take for examply my 46" 720p TV....I garuntee that you would see no difference between 720p and 1080p at my seating distance of 12-15ft. Now if I decided to upgrade to a 60" TV at my distance, I would start to notice a difference between the resolutions. Once again though, most broadcasts are 720p and 1080i...so everything has to be scaled regarless on a 1080p set. Keep in mind too that to the best of my knowledge, there is no cable company that plans to broadcast 1080p within the next several years. This means you are only going to get a 1080p picture a blu-ray disc.
blksn955.o
Founding Member
From what I found 50in and 12+ft or around there seem to be the watershed points.
The only broadcast that I know of that is in 1080p is Dish networks Video On Demand (VOD). That just started Aug. 1st at best as well. Almost everything will be 720p for the most part quality wise.
Also there are things out of ones control for the most part like weather conditions for us Direct/Dish users. Attenuation(sp?) or distance from the amplifier for those running cable or phone line programming. These factors will reduce some quality as well.
How many people naturally have 20-10 really? I mean Babe Ruth was thought to have that and it is said he could actually see the rotation of the ball and that is one reason he could hit well...that and bats were of "old" growth trees that were far more dense but you get the idea. Outside of surg. or corrective lenses depending on the distance/set/programming I think it would be hard to tell on a properly setup set.
For instance we have a 720p 50in Samsung Plasma. The in-laws have a 1080p 65in Mitsu. Diamond series DLP. Both of us have HD programming. We have Directv and the in-laws have Dish. The in-laws came over the weekend BEFORE we got the HD upgrade and thought our STD picture was HD compared to thier HD setup. They came over the next weekend and were in awe of the HD from our setup...to the point they were thinking of getting rid of their TV. Our sitting distance is about 13ft while the in-laws ranges from 7-18ft.
The people that play games will almost always pick the LCD. Plasma can have burn in but a good set will also not only be less prone but have good image cleaning software built in along with an image shifting program.
It really seems to come down to what your needs and use will be. An opinion is like a rear...everyone has one. No one is wrong and your choice is the only right choice for you.
The only broadcast that I know of that is in 1080p is Dish networks Video On Demand (VOD). That just started Aug. 1st at best as well. Almost everything will be 720p for the most part quality wise.
Also there are things out of ones control for the most part like weather conditions for us Direct/Dish users. Attenuation(sp?) or distance from the amplifier for those running cable or phone line programming. These factors will reduce some quality as well.
How many people naturally have 20-10 really? I mean Babe Ruth was thought to have that and it is said he could actually see the rotation of the ball and that is one reason he could hit well...that and bats were of "old" growth trees that were far more dense but you get the idea. Outside of surg. or corrective lenses depending on the distance/set/programming I think it would be hard to tell on a properly setup set.
For instance we have a 720p 50in Samsung Plasma. The in-laws have a 1080p 65in Mitsu. Diamond series DLP. Both of us have HD programming. We have Directv and the in-laws have Dish. The in-laws came over the weekend BEFORE we got the HD upgrade and thought our STD picture was HD compared to thier HD setup. They came over the next weekend and were in awe of the HD from our setup...to the point they were thinking of getting rid of their TV. Our sitting distance is about 13ft while the in-laws ranges from 7-18ft.
The people that play games will almost always pick the LCD. Plasma can have burn in but a good set will also not only be less prone but have good image cleaning software built in along with an image shifting program.
It really seems to come down to what your needs and use will be. An opinion is like a rear...everyone has one. No one is wrong and your choice is the only right choice for you.
Im looking at the Samsung 46" A650 and A630. Both are 120hz and 50k:1 contrast. The only difference is the HDMI outputs....4 vs 3? THe price difference is about $100. Is it worth the $100 for the extra HDMI? Im not sure what those are for.
Thanks
RC
Thanks
RC
Anyone here buy from BUYDIG.com? Can they be trusted? Would save over $100 in interest
Thanks
RC
Thanks
RC
Black95GTS
Active Member
The HDMI is the cable that brings the HD to your TV. You can't connect to the TV with the standard coax and get the HD picture.
So think about how many HD devices you will be connecting to your TV. I only use two inputs on mine right now, 1 for the HD cable (Verizon FiOS), and 1 for my Blu-Ray player (PS3).
I would personally go with the three and save the 100 bones because I can't imagine needing 4. Unless you had something like 1 for Cable, 1 for PS3, 1 for XBOX 360, and 1 for HD-DVD...
Adam
95strokerPSU
Member
RC, like I posted before, my sister used buydig.com two weeks ago and had no problems at all. TV came in two days. If you go to pricegrabber.com and read the reviews left for buydig.com, they're 99% positive. I'm ordering mine from them in the next two weeks.
millhouse
Founding Member
Actually, you can....as the coax is what brings in the HD signal orignally anyways. You just wont get all of the HD stations.
How about 1 for cable, one for blue-ray, one for an xbox 360 (or ps3) and one for a computer. There are many multimedia computers now that are coming with HDMI outputs specifically for HDTV's.
I used my three HDMI's for the Cable Box, the PS3 (also Blu-ray player) and my HD-DVD player which is a VERY good upconverting DVD player so i chose to keep it plus i do have a few HD-DVD's still.
Also, you'd want an optical audio out port...for 5.1 or 7.1 surround.
DVI Input is good for hooking your computer up to as well
Also, you'd want an optical audio out port...for 5.1 or 7.1 surround.
DVI Input is good for hooking your computer up to as well
LN46A650 LCD TV - TV SAMSUNG
This is the one I really want. Anything that a tv "SHOULD" have that this one doesnt?
Thanks
RC
This is the one I really want. Anything that a tv "SHOULD" have that this one doesnt?
Thanks
RC
blksn955.o
Founding Member
I am acutally doing this right now...building a HTPC got the board and Processor and am ordering the case tonight or tomorrow HDMI output on the board, 5.1 surround, fire wire, (I think) fiber optic audio as well, and supports 1080p/Blu-Ray. I will have like 400 in the whole build when I am done. Depending on how sites like HULU and Netflix online movies work out I may ditch directtv in 2yrs and just use the PC along with the fastest internet connection I can get with another video card or two for my own DVR or I might buy a HD projector and build a home theater in the next house we buy. There are getting to be so many options with/for the PC and this stuff.
I could see DVD's getting replaced by drives/flash or hard along with online sources for video. With even fairly cheap external hard drives hitting the T-bite level you could have a "few" movies on demand from a single drive.
RC- this is a quote from earlier post in the thread. The guy who gave me this advice is someone whose opinion/direction is worth it IMHO. It is the same model line but different size. The choice is one of, if not his top choice for an LCD.
- "Samsung LN52A650. The 650 is 120hz (Auto Motion Plus) 50,000 to 1 contrast ratio and a really nice glossy screen instead of a matte one like most LCD's."
95strokerPSU
Member
Do it! That's the one I'm getting. If you're doubting buydig.com just wait two weeks and I'll let you know how it's goes. I'm gonna order mine on the 11th while on vacation so it'll give me something to come home to.
Actually it's going to be a few months before I can do it. I want to Pay OUTRIGHT for it and I also need all the supporting cast and the furniture since my current wall unit wont support it. I just wanted to do my research now. Bookmark this thread and let me know when you buy it.
My wire only doubts Digibuy because if there is a problem it's hard to return, which I agree is a legit complaint.
By using them we're looking at saving about $300 plus tax, which is another $100.
Does Digibuy offer extended warranty plans like the retailers?
Thanks
RC
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