Buying a new HDTV-LCD or Plasma? What brand? (price, store, best)

[Badfish740]

I was browsing through the Sunday advertisements and I'm at a loss for what kind of TV to buy anymore. It's too hard to keep up with 1080p, refresh rates, LCD vs. plasma, etc... Here are my preferences/requirements-sell me on a TV!

- Must be a flat panel

- No more than 42" (Anything larger won't fit in the entertainment center)

- Must perform well in a lit room (I understand that some models work better at different light levels)

- As far as HDTV goes I mostly watch sports in HD. I don't know if this really makes a difference in what TV I buy though.

- I don't need USB ports, etc...

I'm expecting to spend between $1400-1800, is that a realistic range?

[mr.man]

I have a 37 inch Olevia lcd HD monitor only, no tv tuner bought it in 2007 for around $750, one of the best investments ever, great picture quality at a very good price, HD is amazing can't look at regular tv the same anymore.

[LaoTzuMindFu]

Originally Posted by Badfish740

I was browsing through the Sunday advertisements and I'm at a loss for what kind of TV to buy anymore. It's too hard to keep up with 1080p, refresh rates, LCD vs. plasma, etc... Here are my preferences/requirements-sell me on a TV!

- Must be a flat panel

- No more than 42" (Anything larger won't fit in the entertainment center)

- Must perform well in a lit room (I understand that some models work better at different light levels)

- As far as HDTV goes I mostly watch sports in HD. I don't know if this really makes a difference in what TV I buy though.

- I don't need USB ports, etc...

I'm expecting to spend between $1400-1800, is that a realistic range?

This is a tough one. Sports still look much better on Plasma TVs but everything else you are saying says "LCD".

I would recomment Sony Bravia LCDs. They look great because of 1080P and 120hz refresh rates. You also want to make sure you get a tv that is 24f capable. Stop by any Sony store, Best Buy, Circuit City and compare for yourself. The Sony's with the 120hz blows away the competition.

[JFRRACING]

I just purchased a sharp aquis 32" . at walmart for 659.00. my wife and i love it. it has awsome picture and great sound. the best tv purchase i ever made.

[eggalegga]

Save money on your HDMI cables by ordering them online rather than paying the inflated price at Best Buy, Circuity City, Radio Shack, etc. I bought my 6ft cables online for $10 including shipping. Similar cables would have been marked up to $50-60 at another store.

[BORGUSX]

What are HDMI cables? P.S. I'm planning to get Directv!

[HEATHER72]

Yep I think that's a realistic price. We paid $1500 a year and a half ago for a HP 50 inch plasma tv. It just had the best picture in the store and couldn't beat the price.

[eggalegga]

Originally Posted by BORGUSX

What are HDMI cables? P.S. I'm planning to get Directv!

HDMI stands for High-Definition Multimedia Interface. These cables carry both audio and video signals all in one cable. The quality difference between these and your standard coaxial cable is vastly noticed once your connect them. I believe they are the highest quality connecting cables you can use for HD tv, Blu-ray DVD players, gaming systems, computers, etc. If you spend thousands of dollars on a new television, it makes no sense to use cables that aren't the best available.

More info here.

[flburgos]

bought a 37" sharp aquos lcd and the picture is unreal.I refuse to watch regular t.v channels also have the blue ray dvd player and it's well worth it.

[SpeedyAZ]

$1400-$1800 will buy you basically whatever you want for 42" or under. Personally I like Samsung LCD tv's but I'd get a plasma with you're budget and size specs. Plasma's are still the best at showing rich color and have the best viewing range but at 42" I wouldn't worry about 1080P as you can't see much detail until you get a 50". Panasonic has great plasma tv's and are always the most highly rated in Consumer Reports. I don't personally like off-brands like Olevia, Vizio, Insignia, etc if you can help buying one; they offer cheap prices but usually at the expense of quality of the tv or picture quality.