Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I want to buy my mother a very nice Christmas present for all that she has done for me. I was thinking of spending at least 200 but no more than 400. However, to be honest, I am way behind the times in TV technology. I am a big computer user and only watch TV on a small set (13 inch) when I lay down for the night. So the 10 year old TV that I have is fine. My mother sleeps in my living room right now. However, my mother watches a lot of it in the evening hours. She has a larger, but much older RCA 19 inch. It must be at least 20 years old. Since it is so old, I am sure I can get her a MUCH better picture and sound TV. Since I am willing to spend at least 200 dollars, I know that I can get a MUCH bigger picture than 19 inches. I looked at the Best Buy website and saw that the 40 inch TVs start at 290. However, there is one big problem. I am paralyzed waist down and unable to go to Best Buy in person. I will have to ask someone to pick it up for me. However, since I need to select the TV first, I need some advice.
I think at least 36 inches should be OK for a much better picture. Agree?
LCD would be better. My mother watches it with the lights on. Agree that this is better?
I do not need any fancy options. My mother is not tech savvy so we do not need any fancy options. I just want a good realistic picture with decent sound.
What should I look for for visual quality?
Should I get built in speakers or separate speakers? I know with computer monitors, those that offer built in speakers do not offer the small quality of audio as separate speakers. Is this true with TVs?
Is Best Buy the best place to get a quality TV at an affordable price? Or could I go elsewhere?
Finally, there is a lot of information on the internet about TVs. I am not sure what information is the most reliable since TVs are not my field. Is there any REPUTABLE websites that I can visit that can answer more of my questions? Thank you very much.
This is at the top of your $$ range, but it is a good TV. The only drawback is that it has a 60Hz refresh rate, which might cause some blurriness when something like a football pass is shown. 120Hz is preferable on a TV this size, but for a lot of people it isn't a big deal.
I wonder. Since the existing TV is only 19" I would think that a 32" would seem huge to her. I just bought this one and it is very nice. We replaced a 22" and it seems very large compared to the old one.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,551 posts, read 81,085,957 times
Reputation: 57744
First, do NOT buy a Westinghouse TV, they are known to die after a few months and take 4 months to issue refunds. They are made in China as are most US brands. Japanese and Korean made sets are reliable, such as Sony, Panasonic, Samsung, and LG. The technology has gotten to where LED, LCD and Plasma are all fine in all kinds of light and most self-adjust
depending on the conditions. While plasma is cheaper in the larger sizes, for her I would suggest LED as the most economical to run and has the capability for brighter picture.
For speakers I would put the TV in place and see what the ones in it sound like. If she's not happy with them (I bet she will be compared to the ones in the old 19") then buy some externals.
This is a great buy for you, IMHO. 32" Samsung LED sold by Amazon. Yes, it's only 60 hz and only 720p, but it's also only $248 with free shipping, super trustworthy Amazon service and (depending on your state) maybe no sales tax. For older eyes like your mom probably has, the Samsung picture shows a little brighter and sharper than other similar tv's. At least, that's what our senior citizens eyes are telling us.
I would personally avoid Best Buy - if there is a problem with the TV, their return policies are a PITA and often charge a restock fee. I agree with the previous comments about seeing how she feels about the sound system before adding any other equipment. If she is getting hard of hearing or the noise of her tv bothers you at night,
these Sennheiser headphones are wireless, reasonably priced, well made, comfortable and have an easy set up. My husband is hard of hearing and these things are wonderful for him (they also allow me to sleep in the mornings while he is watching TV).
You're a good son. I wish you and your mom a wonderful Thanksgiving. You're lucky to have each other, I suspect.
This is a great buy for you, IMHO. 32" Samsung LED sold by Amazon. Yes, it's only 60 hz and only 720p, but it's also only $248 with free shipping, super trustworthy Amazon service and (depending on your state) maybe no sales tax. For older eyes like your mom probably has, the Samsung picture shows a little brighter and sharper than other similar tv's. At least, that's what our senior citizens eyes are telling us.
I would personally avoid Best Buy - if there is a problem with the TV, their return policies are a PITA and often charge a restock fee. I agree with the previous comments about seeing how she feels about the sound system before adding any other equipment. If she is getting hard of hearing or the noise of her tv bothers you at night,
these Sennheiser headphones are wireless, reasonably priced, well made, comfortable and have an easy set up. My husband is hard of hearing and these things are wonderful for him (they also allow me to sleep in the mornings while he is watching TV).
You're a good son. I wish you and your mom a wonderful Thanksgiving. You're lucky to have each other, I suspect.
If you had read the previous posts you'd find I already recommended the Samsung and it can be purchased locally at Best Buy, Target , and Walmart.
I have found return policy at our BB to be a piece of cake. Not sure why you're having problems.
Thanks guys! I am now definitely leaning towards getting her the Samsung 32 inch LED. I think LED would be the best! Better than the LCD and more affordable than the plasma TVs. Also, 32 inches should be a big improvement from a 19 inch. But would a 40 inch just be too big? Or is 32 big enough? She usually sits on the couch roughly 7 or 8 feet from the screen. Based on that distance...what is big enough, or too big for that matter to get a clear, crisp image on the screen? Thank you all once again for your feedback.
You are going to need an HDMI cable to go from the cable box to the new TV.
Don't spend more than $10.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
