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Help Us Buy a TV

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jun 07 2013 09:45 PM

Our TV (we have only one) has been misbehaving and we think it'll soon be time to retire it. No idea what to look for in a replacement, though I get the impression we want wireless internet readiness, what else to look for? We are limited to a 40" wide box end to end, which means we can prolly get a screen size up to 42-46, depending. Preliminary searching indicates we can get such stuff from the $300s (Vizio) all the way to to $1200+ (Sony). We don;t have a number in mind yet but would obviously like to get as low along the scale as possible while getting what we want. What do we want?

metirish Jun 07 2013 10:20 PM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

WOW, seriously you bollox I was going to post same thing .....I have this is mind, also limited in size...46' would be good.... http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-UN46ES800 ... 9&sr=1-108 I'm all in with Obama seeing what I am watching ..... the price quoted in the link I have seen cheaper I want to have a TV that's compatible with my phone, PC etc...

Frayed Knot Jun 08 2013 06:16 AM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

My 42" diagonal VIZIO is right at 40" side-to-side so I'm not sure how you'd get something any bigger into that slot you've got there. Also keep in mind that there will be variations from brand to brand as one set advertised at 42" might actually be 41.6 and another maybe slightly different and that's all before you get into the trim around each. Both me and the D's have had good luck with the VIZIOs (essentially the same TV just a couple years apart) plus they seem to be competitively priced, are usually rated highly by Consumer Reports, and are American made if that's of any import to you. Haven't looked into the whole internet hookup stuff.

TransMonk Jun 08 2013 06:25 AM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

I have this one eyed up for when football season comes around. Has the smart features but skips the 3D. I have a 37" LG that I'm very happy with now, but it is only 720 (at the time of purchase, I couldn't tell the difference, but now I can) and doesn't connect to the internet.

Frayed Knot Jun 08 2013 06:26 AM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

Looking at Irish's link (and Monk's) reminds me that LED sets are the newest thing since you bought your last one, phasing out, even if not yet fully replacing, the LCDs and Plasmas that were the technologies for the first generation of flat-screens - so you might might to check out if a BARGAIN PRICE!! is that way because they're closing out one of the older ones. The LEDs are considerably better on power consumption than the others and supposedly give an even better (brighter!) picture even though I suspect few could tell much of a difference under most circumstances LED - Light Emitting Diodes LCD = Liquid Crystal Display Plasma = Some kind of plasma I tend to think 3D is a bunch of hooey but I could be in the minority on that.

Benjamin Grimm Jun 08 2013 06:59 AM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

metirish wrote: I want to have a TV that's compatible with my phone, PC etc... I'm so out of it that I have no idea how a TV can be compatible with a phone.

Frayed Knot Jun 08 2013 07:10 AM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

Benjamin Grimm wrote: metirish wrote: I want to have a TV that's compatible with my phone, PC etc... I'm so out of it that I have no idea how a TV can be compatible with a phone. Me too. Plus it seems to me that having to hold the TV up to your ear would be terribly inconvenient.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jun 08 2013 08:48 AM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

i'm on Team Monk at the moment, that LG looks about where we'd like to be feature/price wise. Don't want/need 3D I don't think but am convinced all appliances are headed toward a network arrangement.

Kong76 Jun 08 2013 08:57 AM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

My newest tv (Samsung SmartTV 5?") is on my network. It's cool but we never use it. Between PC's and phone, I'm connected enough. Love the LED, the bluerays are just mind-blowing in clarity.

metirish Jun 08 2013 09:39 AM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

I didn't mean to post the 3D one, I have no use for that....anyway, same TV without the 3D.......it's around $1400.......and I think like Kase I wonder if I would ever actually use those features...but it's the way TV's are going now.....to Grims'a post, my Samsung phone would interact with the TV if I wanted it too......I take pix with my phone then I share them to the TV and view them there.....stuff like that.

vtmet Jun 08 2013 09:39 AM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

I am not totally up on the "latest & greatest" technologies on TV's...so my question may sound a little naive... Is there a big advantage in a "Smart" tv versus getting an equivalent HDTV without the Internet capabilities and then just purchasing a "smart" box seperately? Most of those "Media Streaming Players" are under $100...and then technology improves, you just move the old Streaming Player to a different tv; and get the updated model for the primary tv... What is the cost difference to get an equivalent tv with/without the "smart" aspect? Isn't getting the "smart" thrown-in the tv, kind of the equivalence of when people would buy a tv with a built-in DVD player (or a built in VCR in it's heyday)? The tv technology may not change quickly, but the enhancements in the "smart" part might be more rapid (for example, early DVD players were not as good/reliable as they were a few years later)...and how many of those TV/DVD combos had broken DVD players in due-time? I know that Comcast (and what it was before Comcast) has replaced my "set top" box and also upgraded my DVR much more often than I've needed to upgrade my TV's...

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jun 08 2013 11:11 AM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

Differences in pricing pretty severe for seemingly like technologies. Can't buy till I figure out what.

Kong76 Jun 08 2013 11:20 AM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

One thing I don't get about tv's is the whole 3D thing. At one time they were pushing 3D televisions but seems to have waned. My LED television is 3D capable, and it sounds like a lot of LED tv's are this way too. When I bought my tv they were running a promo at Best Buy and they threw in two pairs of glasses and a cheap blueray player which is still in the box because I have a high end DVD that I just assume is better. Never watched anything in 3D, don't plan on it anytime soon. Are any sports broadcast in 3D yet?

Kong76 Jun 08 2013 11:26 AM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

And speaking of Jackie Gleason, I wonder if Ralph finally bought Alice a set now that 3D television is available.

Benjamin Grimm Jun 08 2013 11:34 AM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

I think they're both dead.

Kong76 Jun 08 2013 01:46 PM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

Most people their age are dead at the present time.

Ceetar Jun 09 2013 08:04 AM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

Kong76 wrote: Are any sports broadcast in 3D yet? MSG did a Isles Rangers game in 3D..like 2 years ago. It HAS seemed to ebb somewhat. I'm still not sure where 3D is going, and if everyone's going to have a 3D tv in 2 years or no one is. My TV is four years old now, Sony Bravia. I like it fine, although I just missed out on the Network/connectivity stuff. Depending on what you do with it of course, but this is a must for my next tv (yeah, like I can afford that soon..) My phone takes 1080p video. Nice to be able to easily play that on the TV. I've got a cable..somewhere.., but shared across the network would be nicer. As for getting a Smart 'adapter' or whatever? I dunno. I have the PS3 that acts as a media server, but Windows 7 just flat out stopped letting me share stuff about a year ago and it's endlessly frustrating. imo, the fewer steps from source to TV the better, so I'd hesitate going that route, unless you're getting a bargain. most of the newer Blu Ray players and hell, PS3 is probably cheap now, should be fine though.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jun 09 2013 09:05 AM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

We're on the way to electronics store hell now. Using that LG Best Buy deal as a starting point.

batmagadanleadoff Jun 09 2013 01:46 PM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

Benjamin Grimm wrote: metirish wrote: I want to have a TV that's compatible with my phone, PC etc... I'm so out of it that I have no idea how a TV can be compatible with a phone. I'm with Grimm. You need a Ph.D to figure out how to buy a TV these days. Good luck with your purchase, Lunchie. No can help.

Ceetar Jun 09 2013 07:46 PM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Benjamin Grimm wrote: metirish wrote: I want to have a TV that's compatible with my phone, PC etc... I'm so out of it that I have no idea how a TV can be compatible with a phone. I'm with Grimm. You need a Ph.D to figure out how to buy a TV these days. Good luck with your purchase, Lunchie. No can help. It's not so much that you need a Ph. D to buy a TV, it's that if you don't have one, you'll end up getting screwed and knowing it, whereas 20 years ago you probably just got screwed by the scammy sales guy and never knew it. at least, that's my theory.

Mets – Willets Point Jun 09 2013 07:50 PM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

TV is so twentieth century.

metirish Jun 09 2013 08:40 PM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

Watch Life Below Zero with that new TV.....you won't be disappointed Nat Geo channel

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jun 09 2013 08:43 PM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

Extra ridicuous day. Went to PC Richard and allowed the salesman to upsell us to an LG with 3D and wifi, etc., only to see him realize he didn't have the unit he pushed to us in stock. He tried hard to get the commission by ordering it from another store but we took his knowledge to Best Buy where we got a Samsung instead. Slightly smaller than the LG, non 3D, but looks nice. Fortunately no hookup till after the Mets game. I did not know that I'd have to replace all my cables with HDMI, got the cable box hooked in that way but will need to hook up the DVD that way as well. Best Buy guy told us the Wii could also work as a DVD player but apparently it doesn't. Stupid TV bullshit.

metirish Jun 09 2013 08:53 PM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

Damn, PC Richard guy fucked that up.....can you link the TV you got?

Ceetar Jun 09 2013 09:08 PM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I did not know that I'd have to replace all my cables with HDMI, got the cable box hooked in that way but will need to hook up the DVD that way as well. Best Buy guy told us the Wii could also work as a DVD player but apparently it doesn't. Stupid TV bullshit. Dont' get scammed by Best Buy on cables btw, they're not expensive. [url]http://www.monoprice.com/ Didn't think the Wii did DVD (And it's not HD)

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jun 09 2013 09:36 PM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

Thanks for the tip Ceets, ordered 2 10-foot cables for delivery, with shipping, for less than the price of 1 8-footer from RadioShack. Looks like I will hook up the DVD with hdmi. The TV I got was this one: [url]http://www.samsung.com/us/video/tvs/UN40F6300AFXZA the idea of hooking it up with a phone etc down the road was attractive and for our space it was a little better fit than the slightly larger HG, for about the same price.

metirish Jun 10 2013 06:09 AM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

Nice TV, great price too.

TransMonk Jun 10 2013 07:16 AM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

The TV I got was this one: [url]http://www.samsung.com/us/video/tvs/UN40F6300AFXZA... Keep us updated on how you like it. I'll want to know when I go shopping in a couple months.

Frayed Knot Jun 10 2013 07:47 AM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

Forgot to mention that the whole 'not including cables' thing can be a nasty added expense plus a PITA once you discover upon arriving home that they're not included and ideal set-up mode can't be immediately done. And the problem with picking them up at the time of purchase is that the big box type places who sell the sets are usually the worst places for the accessories as those stores try to make up for their small margins on the TV by jacking up the prices of the hook-ups and add-ons. Last set I bought came with HDM1 cables and whatever else I needed which makes me wonder if some stores don't take out the manufacturer-included cables for the sole purpose of selling them separately. Radio Shack used to be a place where cables and whatnot were good buys as their angle was just about the opposite of the discounters (higher priced units but lower priced accessories) but that doesn't seem to be the case anymore, so on-line sites are probably the way to go for those now.

metsmarathon Jun 10 2013 08:22 AM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

also, most of hte time, there's no need to upgrade to the super-extra-fancy cables. since it's all digital, the ones and zeroes don't really care all that much how much extra shielding or gold or powdered unicorn horn is in the cable. it's all the same to them. they come in a one or a zero, and they come out a one or a zero. this is especailly true if you're not making super long runs with your hdmi cables. you picture won't get fuzzier like an old analog set, and the instore demos that show how much sharper and clearer the expensive cables make the picture are all bunk. pure bunk. if you're cable isn't up to snuff, it'll likely start pixellating and what not (if you've ever watched satellite tv as a storm rolled in, this is what you'd expect to see). generally, about hte worst thing that would happen from less expensive cables nowadays is, if you have to move the tv around a lot or frequently switch around your cables, the cable might not last quite as long as it won't be physically as strong and stress-reliefed as the expensive cables. but if your tv is just gonna hang on the wall, and you're only gonna swap out the cables when you upgrade equipment, there's really no long term impact. save your money. analog cables make sense to spend a little extra money on, and speaker wires, too. note that i said "a little" and really it only makes sense if you've spent some change on your speakers. and if you're just running your audio out of your ipod, tehn it probably doesn't matter anyway.

TransMonk Jun 10 2013 08:35 AM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

mm speaks the truth.

TransMonk Jun 17 2013 01:22 PM Re: Help Us Buy a TV

ESPN Shuts Down 3D Channel Due To Low Ratings