Looking towards the end of the year for an HDTV purchase

[FastRedPonyCar]

My wife and I are looking to the end of the year to buy ourselves a new TV sort of like a Christmas present to each other. Our budget is around $1500~ish.

A couple of friends of mine have bought their TV's from best buy using their no interest payment plans and it sounds like a good option for us as we never have $1500 laying around.

All that being said, do you guys think that prices will fall that much between now and the end of the year?

And also, we're looking at a size of 42" to fit in our TV cabinet and I've noticed that the 1080p models are way more expensive than the 720p TV's.

How much of a difference would there be watching movies or hdtv regarding the two different resolutions at that 42" size? I could understand a larger TV benefitting from a higher pixel count but I would think that teh smaller tV's wouldn't make that much of a difference but I really don't know enough about them to make an educated decision and I can't find any literature online to make any sort of indication.

If a 720p model would be sufficient then it seems we would be able to buy a nicer brand/model.

I know the 42" westinghous 1080p at best buy is within or price range but I'm wondering if something like a 720p sony or samsung would offer a better picture.

My dad's mom has this one that looks great.

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-p1rMBeI...HPT4264&tp=161

It's plasma though and we have lots of windows around so I'm not sure if it would work at our place

any suggestions or insight?

[FastRedPonyCar]

Anyone??

[zoomy942]

trust me when i say this friend...

for electronics, you can get some crackhead deals on Black Friday.

walk out your door with $1500 on black friday and you'll come home with a tv, some headphones and probably a midget to set it all up; and have money left over for Corn Flakes.

[Tygerwoody]

Originally Posted by zoomy942

trust me when i say this friend...

for electronics, you can get some crackhead deals on Black Friday.

walk out your door with $1500 on black friday and you'll come home with a tv, some headphones and probably a midget to set it all up; and have money left over for Corn Flakes.

The man speaks truth.

I bought my TV for $1900. 8 months later, it was for sale for $900 on black friday. I was hella pissed.

[Mr. Hunt]

If you plan to do the Black Friday thing... eat your Thanksgiving dinner at like around noon, then go camp at best buy, and you might be 1000th in line.

[Lyme]

As HD tv's go there are three different major types:
-DLP - Digital Light Projection.
-LCD - Liquid Crystal Display.
-Plasma - (Plasma).

Each of them have pro's and con's, but typically:
-Plasma
Is the most expensive.
Arguably the best picture (I don't think so, but most do).
Is the thinnest.
Suffers from burn in (if you like sports and/or video games, you might want to cross this off your list).
When one of the colours goes, you toss it in the trash, it is not fixable (They have a ~5year lifespan, and that is left on almost all day every day).
-LCD
Is the middle of the pack in price.
Gives a picture like any lcd screen.
Can suffer from dead pixels.
When the backlight goes, it can be replaced, some are easier than others.
Some have lower refresh rates and will cause motion blur.
Lifespan is typically directly related to bulb life span.
-DLP
Is the cheapest of the three (typically), but LCD is rapidly catching it.
Requires a stand that is 2ft to 3ft deep.
Some people notice halos and/or colour bands.
It comes with a replaceable bulb, most bulbs cost ~$200 and you can replace it yourself.

(I have a 2004 42" DLP set by Toshiba, it works great).

There are a few things that you want to look at (and it doesn't matter what kind you get).
a) The inputs offered on the set. HDMI and composite are required.
b) Check if the set includes a HDMI tuner or does it require a cable box.
c) Ensure that if the set says 720p or 1080p that it supports that resolution natively and doesn't have to do some weird scaling. Having a higher native resolution is fine, but having to shrink the picture because the tv doesn't support the full resolution is bad.

[superklye]

New DLPs no longer use color wheels OR light bulbs. No more moving parts, no more RBE and no more hidden cost in replacing a burned out bulb. The new Samsungs use a brand new engine that relies on LED backlighting.

They're stunning.

[Lyme]

Originally Posted by superklye

New DLPs no longer use color wheels OR light bulbs. No more moving parts, no more RBE and no more hidden cost in replacing a burned out bulb. The new Samsungs use a brand new engine that relies on LED backlighting.

They're stunning.

The LCD backlighting is projected at 30,000hrs, compared to the ~3,000 for current dlp (which is funny because I'm still on my first bulb from 2004 and we watch tv a lot). Anyhow I'm finding it hard to find reference to Samsung using the LCD backlighting, but I did find references to 3d-tv and nearly flat dlp systems (by Samsung).

[superklye]

Originally Posted by Lyme

The LCD backlighting is projected at 30,000hrs, compared to the ~3,000 for current dlp (which is funny because I'm still on my first bulb from 2004 and we watch tv a lot). Anyhow I'm finding it hard to find reference to Samsung using the LCD backlighting, but I did find references to 3d-tv and nearly flat dlp systems (by Samsung).

Hmm...I'm not exactly sure what you're talking about here...

This is the TV I'm planning on buying early next year when the profit sharing bonuses come:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...X0DER&v=glance



Enjoy more picture and less frame with Samsung's HL-T6187S DLP HDTV. The piano black bezel is just 0.6" wide; the set's slim depth lets it fit where others won't. The energy-efficient 61" screen features a powerful, long-lasting LED light engine that turns on almost instantly. Full HD 1080p resolution and Samsung Cinema Smooth technology deliver a wide range of brilliant colors, with bright images and crisp definition. The blackest blacks, brightest whites and nuanced tones are yours with a 10,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. Hidden speakers deliver clear, robust SRS TruSurround XT sound.

LED (Light Emitting Diode) for modern color realization
Samsung's new LED light engine replaces the arc lamp & color wheel design of previous DLP HDTVs, and realizes beautiful color. LED will last the life of the TV. Samsung LED DLP TVs eliminate the need to replace the consumable lamps every few years, and thus have less impact on the environment and on one’s wallet. Samsung's LED light engine makes possible an Ultra-Wide Color Gamut that exceeds the NTSC defined color space spec for richer color than you've seen before on TV. Samsung DLP HDTVs with an LED engine are more energy efficient than similar sized flat panel displays, and the lack of a moving color whell in the design means they perform with less noise than any previous DLP HDTV design.

Cinema Smooth Light Engine
Samsung is the worldwide leader in creating light engines that harness DLP HDTV technology from Texas Instruments. Samsung’s Cinema Smooth light engine brings together the right optics, electronic circuitry and replaceable light source to create a brilliant picture that’s more lifelike and much closer to film. Now in its sixth year of evolution, Samsung’s Cinema Smooth light engine delivers crisp, 1080p High Definition resolution with high contrast and brightness, defined edges and sharp detail.

Next Generation DLP Chips from Texas Instruments
Samsung employs a Texas Instruments DLP chip that is comprised of millions of microscopic mirrors. The DLP chip is faster than any other HDTV technology, with the mirrors switching on & off 15,000 times a second to deliver a razor-sharp picture for fast moving images. When combined with Samsung’s new Cinema Smooth light engine, the result is a crisp, bright picture with deep, rich colors that’s closer to film.

[FastRedPonyCar]

So a smaller version like this would be a smart buy?

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-HLT508.../dp/B000N50RLO

Edit: is that one any different than this one?

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-HLT507.../dp/B000N4Z39G

[superklye]

Hell yes.

[Lyme]

Originally Posted by -=Gib-McFragger=-

Dude. Those new DLP's are sexy. I dread the day I have to drop $300 on my DLP bulb when it finally goes. Also, with no color wheel, I would be able to listen to the TV at low volumes without listening to the hum of the color wheel any more.

Hahahaha.. I paid over $650 for the replacement bulb I have on hand, thankfully they are down to $350 now. I am tempted after the current and the next bulb go, to ditch the tv for a newer version.