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Posted

Are you planning on keeping this tv for a while? 5-10 years? If so, I'd strongly recommend getting an HDTV with widescreen (16:9 aspect ratio). Standard HDTV signals are widescreen, and this programming is becoming increasingly more available. With my Chater cable, all I had to do was swap out my box for a high definition box and pay an extra $10 a month. DirecTV, Dish Network, and Voom all have HD packages that are becoming more reasonable, too.

 

I prefer Hitachi, Sony, or Panasonic sets myself.......

 

This one is on sale at CC for a little over your budget......($850)

 

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Panasonic-3...roductDetail.do

Posted
Are you planning on keeping this tv for a while? 5-10 years? If so, I'd strongly recommend getting an HDTV with widescreen (16:9 aspect ratio). Standard HDTV signals are widescreen, and this programming is becoming increasingly more available. With my Chater cable, all I had to do was swap out my box for a high definition box and pay an extra $10 a month. DirecTV, Dish Network, and Voom all have HD packages that are becoming more reasonable, too.

 

I prefer Hitachi, Sony, or Panasonic sets myself.......

 

This one is on sale at CC for a little over your budget......($850)

 

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Panasonic-3...roductDetail.do

239511[/snapback]

Great TV- Walmart carries that set for about $100.00 less.
Posted
Great TV- Walmart carries that set for about $100.00 less.

239520[/snapback]

Sounds like someone better get his asss over to Walmart :blink:

Posted
Get a flat screen.  The problem with HDTV is they don't always look great with standard signals IMHO.  Get a SONY WEGA, best TV out there.

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This TV is generally regarded as the best:

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Sony-34-HDT...roductDetail.do

 

It's not flat screen, but it is HD and a lot of people report that the picture is so good, it almost looks holographic.

 

MikeInSyracuse has this TV and loves it as well...

 

CW

Posted
This TV is generally regarded as the best:

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Sony-34-HDT...roductDetail.do

 

It's not flat screen, but it is HD and a lot of people report that the picture is so good, it almost looks holographic.

 

MikeInSyracuse has this TV and loves it as well...

 

CW

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That's what I said. Yes it is a flatscreen and that is from the WEGA family. It is the higher end XBR's, but trust me it is a SONY flatscreen WEGA.

Posted
That's what I said.  Yes it is a flatscreen and that is from the WEGA family.  It is the higher end XBR's, but trust me it is a SONY flatscreen WEGA.

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Sorry, I misread and thought you said flat panel.

 

Flat panel=LCD, plasma

Flat screen=well, a flat screen... :blink:

 

CW

Posted
Sorry, I misread and thought you said flat panel.

 

Flat panel=LCD, plasma

Flat screen=well, a flat screen... :doh:

 

CW

239566[/snapback]

Read more, type less. :blink:

Posted
Read more, type less.  :blink:

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Hey, that's not entirely fair. The TV I posted *IS* HD -- has an HD tuner built in and everything. So I wasn't completely agreeing with you :doh:

 

CW

Posted
Are you planning on keeping this tv for a while? 5-10 years? If so, I'd strongly recommend getting an HDTV with widescreen (16:9 aspect ratio). Standard HDTV signals are widescreen, and this programming is becoming increasingly more available. With my Chater cable, all I had to do was swap out my box for a high definition box and pay an extra $10 a month. DirecTV, Dish Network, and Voom all have HD packages that are becoming more reasonable, too.

 

I prefer Hitachi, Sony, or Panasonic sets myself.......

 

This one is on sale at CC for a little over your budget......($850)

 

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Panasonic-3...roductDetail.do

239511[/snapback]

 

if you decide to go the HDTV route, be sure to get an HDTV READY unit rather then the integrated set. they do not have the built-in digital decoder to display high resolution. the decoders come separately. decoder technology is changing rather rapidly and getting a tv with it already built in may handcuff you as the technology changes in the future.

Posted
if you decide to go the HDTV route, be sure to get an HDTV READY unit rather then the integrated set.  they do not have the built-in digital decoder to display high resolution. the decoders come separately.  decoder technology is changing rather rapidly and getting a tv with it already built in may handcuff you as the technology changes in the future.

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And besides, if you are a DIRECTV user (or, I'm guessing, even a cable user) it does you know good....correct? Isn't a built-in tuner only good for OTA channels? It is certainly a way to save on the budget....

Posted

Also, if this is going into an entertainment center, measure the opening to see how wide of a unit you can fit. Mine ent. center was listed as being able to hold a 27" TV, but the was the old round tube style. The newer flat screen style in 27" was about an inch or two too wide for my unit.

Posted
And besides, if you are a DIRECTV user (or, I'm guessing, even a cable user) it does you know good....correct?  Isn't a built-in tuner only good for OTA channels?  It is certainly a way to save on the budget....

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yes, you're partly correct. an integrated HDTV set will come with only one decoder, i believe, so you must get the one that matches your environment (satellite,cable, OTA). however, if you change your environment after the fact, you're stuck. it's almost always better to buy HDTV Ready and get the decoder that meets your needs.

Posted
And besides, if you are a DIRECTV user (or, I'm guessing, even a cable user) it does you know good....correct?  Isn't a built-in tuner only good for OTA channels?  It is certainly a way to save on the budget....

239785[/snapback]

 

It's not necessarily a bad thing to have the integrated tuner. Your TV has an integrated tuner (the RF input) and nobody complains about that.

 

Chances are, 95% of your viewing will be through DirecTV and/or cable box, etc. However, the built-in one would be useful if you didn't have cable/DirecTV, if a storm knocks out your cable, etc, and the picture quality would still be perfect (assuming you have an antenna of some sort).

 

I guess I'm saying I wouldn't avoid a TV with a built-in tuner, I just wouldn't actively look for one.

CW

Posted
It's not necessarily a bad thing to have the integrated tuner.  Your TV has an integrated tuner (the RF input) and nobody complains about that.

 

Chances are, 95% of your viewing will be through DirecTV and/or cable box, etc.  However, the built-in one would be useful if you didn't have cable/DirecTV, if a storm knocks out your cable, etc, and the picture quality would still be perfect (assuming you have an antenna of some sort).

 

I guess I'm saying I wouldn't avoid a TV with a built-in tuner, I just wouldn't actively look for one.

CW

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...or you don't want to pay DIRECTV $10/month to be able to watch the same 3 boring documentaries on DiscoveryHD but you'd like to watch the Super Bowl in HD....I think about that every so often....

 

And as far as integrated tuners go, when I bought the 31" TV (that I replaced last year with the HDTV), I would have taken a 31" monitor (no RF input) if I had the option of getting one cheaper that way (I actually looked). In fact, ideally it would have no speakers either. For OTA, even before the days I could get local on DIRECTV, I always used a VCR. And all output goes to my receiver.

Posted
Sorry, I misread and thought you said flat panel.

 

Flat panel=LCD, plasma

Flat screen=well, a flat screen... :devil:

 

CW

239566[/snapback]

 

Fez, a CRT fills the bill for a lot of people, and the flat screen is a fine improvement in that market.

 

Right?

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