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Paco500 · Sep 12, 2005, 01:48 PM

We are looking to replace our aging 27" CRT with something a bit more up to date. There is no good place in our home to put a honest to goodness home theater, and we don't want it dominating our living room the way our current set does. So projectors are out, and we don't have room for a rear projection or CRT. However, I do want HDTV.

So that pretty much leaves LCD.

Trying to judge the quality of these things at Best Buy is a nightmare. The feeds to the sets are obviously not very clean, as sets that cost much more from well known brands can look horrible next to a budget set, and the staff is completely clueless.

From what I saw, there was a Westinghouse 30" for around ~$1000 that looked as good as anything, but I didn't even know they made TV's. What would I be giving up by going with it?

I would be hooking up digital cable with HDTV (comcast), a PS2 (I don't actually play games, really just a DVD player) and a VCR (you know, for kids).

What should I be looking for? Who makes a good set for the money? Do I need HDTV built-in or is HD ready if I only plan on getting content from cable?

Any helpers out there?

Stradlater · Sep 12, 2005, 01:51 PM

A friend of mine did a lot of research before settling on Sharp's Aquos line. He got a 32" and I have to say it puts out a gorgeous picture—sharper and better color than the plasmas I've seen.

SVass · Sep 12, 2005, 02:01 PM

Sharp sets appear to work and their cable-card ready sets work with Comcast in the Seattle area. ( http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hlight=seattle ) Local HD channels do not require an extra fee or box if you don't get the cable-card itself. Consumer Reports tested and rated all kinds of sets around March and your library should have a copy. sam

Paco500 · Sep 12, 2005, 02:05 PM

So if you get a comcast card, do you not need the box at all? Or does that only do the HD and the regular/PPV stuff still require the box?

SVass · Sep 12, 2005, 02:29 PM

PPV and Video On Demand require their box. Nothing else does. The Comcast business model suggests that their cash flow benefits from leasing boxes instead of cards. Just as their technical staff only understands Windows and pcs, they also only understand boxes.

ReggieX · Sep 12, 2005, 04:45 PM

Don't buy Dell, they're crap! A lot of reviewers recommend the Sharp line, as noted above.

Scandalous Ion Cannon · Sep 12, 2005, 04:49 PM

This might help.

http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.php?t=223497

Paco500 · Sep 12, 2005, 07:52 PM

Originally Posted by Scandalous Ion Cannon

This might help.

http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.php?t=223497

It's full of good and interesting information, just not a whole lot of info on LCD's. I understand all the downsides, but I can't figure out how anything else will work.

Scandalous Ion Cannon · Sep 12, 2005, 07:55 PM

Originally Posted by Paco500

It's full of good and interesting information, just not a whole lot of info on LCD's. I understand all the downsides, but I can't figure out how anything else will work.

Do you want an LCD or LCD rear projection?

Paco500 · Sep 12, 2005, 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by Scandalous Ion Cannon

Do you want an LCD or LCD rear projection?

What I want is almost irrelevant, as I have to buy what will work. I have a space about 30" wide and 12" deep to put it, which pretty much limits me to LCD.

Scandalous Ion Cannon · Sep 12, 2005, 08:26 PM

Originally Posted by Paco500

What I want is almost irrelevant, as I have to buy what will work. I have a space about 30" wide and 12" deep to put it, which pretty much limits me to LCD.

I have an LCD TV right now as a temp, it is horrible. Horrible contrast ratio and black level detail. It is the bottom of the line so I am not surprised.

Look for name brands with high contrast ratios.

Paco500 · Sep 13, 2005, 01:22 AM

Is contrast ratio the major factor? What about resolution- 16:9 vs. 15:9? What inputs should I be looking for? If I'm not planning on getting HD content over the air, does having a built in tuner matter at all?

Scandalous Ion Cannon · Sep 13, 2005, 01:49 AM

Originally Posted by Paco500

Is contrast ratio the major factor? What about resolution- 16:9 vs. 15:9? What inputs should I be looking for? If I'm not planning on getting HD content over the air, does having a built in tuner matter at all?

Contrast and refreash times are the major factors.

Tuner doesn't matter, never heard of 15:9, get 16:9 set not 4:3.

for connections DVI or HDMI is nice but a couple component is all you should need.

cjrivera · Sep 13, 2005, 02:17 AM

http://www.plasmatvbuyingguide.com/l...elevision.html

OB1 · Sep 13, 2005, 02:51 AM

Originally Posted by Scandalous Ion Cannon

I have an LCD TV right now as a temp, it is horrible. Horrible contrast ratio and black level detail. It is the bottom of the line so I am not surprised.

Look for name brands with high contrast ratios.

What happened to your DLP from the old thread?

Scandalous Ion Cannon · Sep 13, 2005, 02:39 PM

Originally Posted by OB1

What happened to your DLP from the old thread?

The POS rotted away over 10 months and I raised hell to get my money back, I am getting a Sony LCD -RP instead.

OB1 · Sep 13, 2005, 03:10 PM

Damn, that sucks. Post more pics when you get your new one.

hardcat1970 · Sep 13, 2005, 10:17 PM

i have the aquos 32 and it is gorgeous. If i had the cash, i would have bought the 37" HD-READY.

Severed Hand of Skywalker · Oct 18, 2005, 12:03 AM

Originally Posted by OB1

Damn, that sucks. Post more pics when you get your new one.