What not to buy?

[Mark4583]

Im thinking that after the holidays I may look to purchase a HDTV, Im not sure what type I am going to get untill I physicly see what they look like, But with so many name brands, are there any I should stay away from?
As of now my reciver is a Onkyo TX-SR602 and Pioneer DV-400V Dvd player.
Can I foresee any problems at this point at considering what HDTV to go with.
I have plans in the Future for a Pioneer Elite Reciver and Im not sure on the DVD for Blue ray or HD.
Thanks

[bobsticks]

Hey Mark,

The issue of "problems" sort of depends on the rest of your plans. The first thing that comes to mind is the question of how many hi-def sources you plan on using. Since you're 602 doesn't have hdmi inputs/outputs yer gonna be at the mercy of your tv for connectability. You might want to look for a unit with a few hdmi inputs, as well as component inputs so you don't have to immediately buy a new receiver as well.

Cheers

[pixelthis]

Dont worry too much about quality, as long as you stay away from cheaper brands.
The panels are built in just a few places(although thats changing) and theres a lot of
"badge engineering" going on.
Olevia, Westinghouse, Vizio are good lower price brands.
More expensive preferences are Sony, Samsung, Panasonic.
Type? LCD will probably your best bet, its shaking out to be the main type display.
Plasma has burn in issues and a shorter lifespan, and consumes more energy
(about 80$ more a year) and the high return rate is being swept under the rug.
All type microdisplays are soon to be extinct, these are the bulky sets that shoot the picture from the back ( DLP, SXRD, 3 LCD, L-COS) THE cheaper ones require a 200$ bulb every few years, the LED ones that dont require a bulb are way more expensive,
the higher temps inside the set age every part of it faster, and you cant hang it on the wall.
Hanging a set on the wall is important to a lot of people, mainly so they can get boss(wife) approval.
And get two, three HDMI connections if you can, and of course a computer connection,
a 37-65 in desktop is COOL
And good luck:1:

[jim goulding]

Pix, I take that as good advice. In fact, I'm (still) lookin at a Samsung LCD but I want the fastest refresh rate I can get. Would you agree that is important? Yeah, I watch sports and don't want my brother in law with a Pioneer plasma to get all smug on me. Thanks.

[pixelthis]

Pix, I take that as good advice. In fact, I'm (still) lookin at a Samsung LCD but I want the fastest refresh rate I can get. Would you agree that is important? Yeah, I watch sports and don't want my brother in law with a Pioneer plasma to get all smug on me. Thanks.

It IS important.
If you like movies they now have a "72" hertz refresh rate.
This is easily devided by 24, which is the frame rate of movies
With a 1080p player they claim that this gives you a true "pixel for pixel" representation.
No more of whats called 3:2 pulldown.
You still need 3:2 for other sources however.
Another thing is 120 hz, which Sony is pushing pretty hard. Havent looked at it much,
I know it will be a bit of a strain on a set, this is a pretty high rate.
Or maybe your talking about the number of times that a set replaces the picture on a screen, most LCD makers say theirs is 8ms, which is fine, I dont think the human eye
can differeniate anything much faster, although it cant hurt.
My set is 8ms, and every once in awhile I see "lag", about once every month or so, and it happens so fast that I barely notice it.
As for your brother in law, he might not be so "smug" in ten years when his set is history
and yours is middle age, or if the gas leaks out of his, and yours is still going strong.
AND when you show him how you can burn a lamp and theres no "glare" on your set at all, (LCD sets are made for light to pass through) that might get him irked somewhat.
this might not be a "big deal" but in a family room its nice to have a light on sometimes,
and still be able to see the picture. A lot of people think this is because the set is bright,
but its because the screen is made to pass light, and it passes it both ways:1: