HDTVs

Jubee · 08-31-2006, 12:08 PM

I'm in the market for a new HDTV. I won't be using it for TV *at all*. It will only be used for my XBox 360 and DVDs (played on my 360.) I try to stay up to date on technology but HDTVs were always outof my price range until now. What exactly are the most important things while looking at when selecting a TV? And possibly some recommendations on them as well, if you can.

I know the 360 supports 720p and 1080i. It's maximum resolution is 1360x768. And games are optimized for 16:9 aspect ratios. Should I pay much attention to the other specs such as Contrast Ratio's or Brightness?

I've also heard LCDs are more durable and have a slightly better picture. Is there any truth to that? Similar specced Plasma TVs seem alot cheeper, but I'm not sure if that's because they are cheaper to make or if they have an inferior picture/don't last as long.

The Jackal · 08-31-2006, 11:49 PM

just avoid Plasma.... most companies are dropping it and going with LCD and LED televisions due ot the technological advancements.

Rythonn · 09-01-2006, 01:54 AM

I'm not a fan of plasma's because of how they heat up a room. I really like DLP tvs they have good pictures and are generally lower price then LCD. Drawbacks of not as slim vs not worrying about dead pixels. I always check brightness now, bought a 32inch tv couple years ago and when i got home found out you had to crank it way up to get a good picture, and was still dark with some scenes.

Soriak · 09-01-2006, 02:33 AM

I use a Samsung Plasma and love it... 10,000:1 contrast ratio, 42'' screen, 720p, HDMI etc.

There are still new Plasmas coming out every cycle, I have no idea why anyone would consider the technology dead. It's comparatively cheap, can be mounted on the wall, crisp and clear picture - I never notice any heating, though if you touch the back of it, it does get warm.

Been using it for a year now (not all that long, I suppose) and no dead pixels so far. Just go with a good brand (I'd recommend Samsung or Panasonic) and it should be fine.

renthin · 09-01-2006, 02:34 AM

I actually just ordered this one

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16889102106

Havent got it yet but I kinda do the same things, play x-box and watch dvds with a lil bit of hd satalite here and there. Plus it supports 1080p which my old lcd didnt.

Zuuljin · 09-01-2006, 02:46 AM

I'v been looking at TV's, and honestly the DLP ones impress me the most. Less then half the price of plasma's/lcd's of the same size, and look nearly as good. They also have good brightness from all angles, unlike the old projection TV's.

The Jackal · 09-07-2006, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soriak

There are still new Plasmas coming out every cycle, I have no idea why anyone would consider the technology dead. It's comparatively cheap, can be mounted on the wall, crisp and clear picture.

Plasma does not last as long as LCD or LED (LED will replace Plasma, or so I have heard from dealers) and it burns in easily. The picture quality is great, but the major companies are getting out of the plasma markets because they have improved LCD and LED TV's to be just as good if not better. I think they found a way to make LCD and LED produce better HD quality images than most plasmas.

Lord Thanos · 09-07-2006, 11:48 AM

I bought a Samsung 40" LCD HDTV (HDTV built in!!!, not HDTV-ready which requires a decoder or whatever they are called), almost 4 months ago, and I love it, it got rave reviews from all the review webpages I looked at

It's this one:

http://www.samsung.com/Products/TV/L...Specifications

It's awesome, I have my XBOX 360 hooked up to it

Panel Type: Wide (16:9) LCD
TV System: American NTSC Std Color
Channel Coverage: VHF, VHF 2-13, UHF 14-69, CATV: 1-125 (up to 181 preselected channels)
Audio Power: 10W X 2
Power Requirements: AC 100~120 AC, 60Hz
Power Consumption:
Power On: Approx. 218 Watts
Standby: 1.0 Watt

Connections: R/F Input - 2
HDMI in: 2 (1080p/1080i)
Component (Y/Pb/Pr) in: 1(1080i/720p/480p/480i)
Side A/V inputs: 1
S-Video inputs: 1
PC (RGB Input: 1 side 1 rear
Headphone jack: 1
RS RS232: 1
PC input: 1
Net Dimensions: Monitor with stand 39"(W) x 28.1"(H) x 12.8"(D)
Monitor without stand: 39"(W) x 25.9"(H) x 3.4"(D)
Monitor with stand weight: 50.3 Lbs.
Order Code: LNS4051DX/XAA
UPC Code: 036725240582
Accessory: Wall Mount WMTL4001
Warranty: Consumer use 1 year parts and labor
Commercial use 90 Days

The dynamic contrast ratio on my TV is 4000:1, there are several with much higher contrast ratio 6000:1 and beyond, but of course the price goes up by a lot, I paid a little over $2,100 for mine at Circuit City

When it comes to electronics, Samsung has become my new favorite company, it used to be Sony, but lately they've been manufactoring pretty shoddy products (PS2 x 3, Digital Camera x 1)

Anyway, it's a great TV and it has 2 HDMI inputs, so am ready to hook up my PS3 when it comes out

Darus Grey · 09-09-2006, 03:38 PM

What kind of TV you want depends very much on what size your in the market for, and what kinda room you have.

< 40inches I tend to still recommend CRT HDTVs, since production on them has dropped, thier prices have plummeted and they can be picked up dirt cheap and still offer a better picture then any of the newer technologies.

40-49 Your looking mainly at LCDs

50+ Your looking at DLP and LCOS/SXRD

If you want solid advice you need to narrow your parameters down abit, and then can compare models in a smaller range.

Furism · 09-11-2006, 01:18 AM

Just make sure the TV you'll buy is HDCP-compliant, otherwise you'll be fuck in the ass. With sand. Twice.

Phoenix · 09-11-2006, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Furism

Just make sure the TV you'll buy is HDCP-compliant, otherwise you'll be fuck in the ass. With sand. Twice.

I thought that the bullshit copy protection shit was dropped on the current generation of HD-DVD/Blu-Rayd movies?

Eomer · 09-12-2006, 09:39 AM

It might be, it might not be. Regardless, why put yourself at the mercy of the movie companies and buy a non-HDCP compliant TV, and end up viewing your fancy new "HD" movies at less than HD quality?

The whole thing is just total bullshit, IMO, because you know damn well it'll take about 5 minutes for someone to circumvent their copy protection. The only thing helping them out is that the files will be so goddamn huge it won't be practical to share them over the net. And I realize that they know this, and that their goal in the end is not to completely eliminate piracy but to prevent the 98% of the general population that can barely set the time on their VCR from doing it. It just pisses me off that the consumer gets fucked by this kind of shit. My $3,000 dollar projector from last year is useless for the new HD formats because it's only got DVI and Component (which works just fucking great at 720p/1080i thanks, and I don't have to pay $500 for a 20 foot cable), and I have the entertainment industry to thank for it. And yes, I knew when I purchased it that would be the case, but it still pisses me off.

makist · 09-12-2006, 06:13 PM

So why'd you buy it Eomer??

Eomer · 09-12-2006, 06:19 PM

Two reasons. One is cause I had no intention of getting either of the HD formats within the next couple years anyway, and by the time I do I'll be upgrading to a 1080p projector in all likelihood. And I still don't have any intention of getting either until one becomes widely adopted and the other dies. It's my experience that with pretty much all forms of computers and electronics, it's pointless to try to "futureproof" for much more than a year in advance.

Second was that I doubt there was more than a handful of HDCP compliant projectors on the market a year ago, and those that were probably cost twice as much.

09-07-2006, 11:48 AM	#8 (permalink)
Lord Thanos Paisa y bien picado pa que vea! Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: West New York, NJ Posts: 776 -2 Internets	I bought a Samsung 40" LCD HDTV (HDTV built in!!!, not HDTV-ready which requires a decoder or whatever they are called), almost 4 months ago, and I love it, it got rave reviews from all the review webpages I looked at It's this one: http://www.samsung.com/Products/TV/L...Specifications It's awesome, I have my XBOX 360 hooked up to it Panel Type: Wide (16:9) LCD TV System: American NTSC Std Color Channel Coverage: VHF, VHF 2-13, UHF 14-69, CATV: 1-125 (up to 181 preselected channels) Audio Power: 10W X 2 Power Requirements: AC 100~120 AC, 60Hz Power Consumption: Power On: Approx. 218 Watts Standby: 1.0 Watt Connections: R/F Input - 2 HDMI in: 2 (1080p/1080i) Component (Y/Pb/Pr) in: 1(1080i/720p/480p/480i) Side A/V inputs: 1 S-Video inputs: 1 PC (RGB Input: 1 side 1 rear Headphone jack: 1 RS RS232: 1 PC input: 1 Net Dimensions: Monitor with stand 39"(W) x 28.1"(H) x 12.8"(D) Monitor without stand: 39"(W) x 25.9"(H) x 3.4"(D) Monitor with stand weight: 50.3 Lbs. Order Code: LNS4051DX/XAA UPC Code: 036725240582 Accessory: Wall Mount WMTL4001 Warranty: Consumer use 1 year parts and labor Commercial use 90 Days The dynamic contrast ratio on my TV is 4000:1, there are several with much higher contrast ratio 6000:1 and beyond, but of course the price goes up by a lot, I paid a little over $2,100 for mine at Circuit City When it comes to electronics, Samsung has become my new favorite company, it used to be Sony, but lately they've been manufactoring pretty shoddy products (PS2 x 3, Digital Camera x 1) Anyway, it's a great TV and it has 2 HDMI inputs, so am ready to hook up my PS3 when it comes out __________________ Last edited by Lord Thanos : 09-07-2006 at 11:54 AM.

09-11-2006, 01:18 AM	#10 (permalink)
Furism Registered User Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 1,120 +0 Internets	Just make sure the TV you'll buy is HDCP-compliant, otherwise you'll be fuck in the ass. With sand. Twice. __________________ - Furism

09-12-2006, 09:39 AM	#12 (permalink)
Eomer Registered User Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 9,517 +25 Internets	It might be, it might not be. Regardless, why put yourself at the mercy of the movie companies and buy a non-HDCP compliant TV, and end up viewing your fancy new "HD" movies at less than HD quality? The whole thing is just total bullshit, IMO, because you know damn well it'll take about 5 minutes for someone to circumvent their copy protection. The only thing helping them out is that the files will be so goddamn huge it won't be practical to share them over the net. And I realize that they know this, and that their goal in the end is not to completely eliminate piracy but to prevent the 98% of the general population that can barely set the time on their VCR from doing it. It just pisses me off that the consumer gets fucked by this kind of shit. My $3,000 dollar projector from last year is useless for the new HD formats because it's only got DVI and Component (which works just fucking great at 720p/1080i thanks, and I don't have to pay $500 for a 20 foot cable), and I have the entertainment industry to thank for it. And yes, I knew when I purchased it that would be the case, but it still pisses me off. Last edited by Eomer : 09-12-2006 at 09:45 AM.

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08-31-2006, 11:49 PM	#2 (permalink)
The Jackal Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 16 +0 Internets	just avoid Plasma.... most companies are dropping it and going with LCD and LED televisions due ot the technological advancements.

09-01-2006, 01:54 AM	#3 (permalink)
Rythonn Registered User Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,587	I'm not a fan of plasma's because of how they heat up a room. I really like DLP tvs they have good pictures and are generally lower price then LCD. Drawbacks of not as slim vs not worrying about dead pixels. I always check brightness now, bought a 32inch tv couple years ago and when i got home found out you had to crank it way up to get a good picture, and was still dark with some scenes.

09-01-2006, 02:33 AM	#4 (permalink)
Soriak Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: Switzerland Posts: 4,421 +20 Internets	I use a Samsung Plasma and love it... 10,000:1 contrast ratio, 42'' screen, 720p, HDMI etc. There are still new Plasmas coming out every cycle, I have no idea why anyone would consider the technology dead. It's comparatively cheap, can be mounted on the wall, crisp and clear picture - I never notice any heating, though if you touch the back of it, it does get warm. Been using it for a year now (not all that long, I suppose) and no dead pixels so far. Just go with a good brand (I'd recommend Samsung or Panasonic) and it should be fine.

09-01-2006, 02:34 AM	#5 (permalink)
renthin Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: ca Posts: 14 -1 Internets	I actually just ordered this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16889102106 Havent got it yet but I kinda do the same things, play x-box and watch dvds with a lil bit of hd satalite here and there. Plus it supports 1080p which my old lcd didnt.

09-01-2006, 02:46 AM	#6 (permalink)
Zuuljin So there's this plane on a treadmill... Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Southern California Posts: 2,904 +3 Internets	I'v been looking at TV's, and honestly the DLP ones impress me the most. Less then half the price of plasma's/lcd's of the same size, and look nearly as good. They also have good brightness from all angles, unlike the old projection TV's.

09-09-2006, 03:38 PM	#9 (permalink)
Darus Grey Dominatus Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 1,172	What kind of TV you want depends very much on what size your in the market for, and what kinda room you have. < 40inches I tend to still recommend CRT HDTVs, since production on them has dropped, thier prices have plummeted and they can be picked up dirt cheap and still offer a better picture then any of the newer technologies. 40-49 Your looking mainly at LCDs 50+ Your looking at DLP and LCOS/SXRD If you want solid advice you need to narrow your parameters down abit, and then can compare models in a smaller range.

09-12-2006, 06:13 PM	#13 (permalink)
makist Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Rodcet Nife Posts: 763 -1 Internets	So why'd you buy it Eomer??

09-12-2006, 06:19 PM	#14 (permalink)
Eomer Registered User Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 9,517 +25 Internets	Two reasons. One is cause I had no intention of getting either of the HD formats within the next couple years anyway, and by the time I do I'll be upgrading to a 1080p projector in all likelihood. And I still don't have any intention of getting either until one becomes widely adopted and the other dies. It's my experience that with pretty much all forms of computers and electronics, it's pointless to try to "futureproof" for much more than a year in advance. Second was that I doubt there was more than a handful of HDCP compliant projectors on the market a year ago, and those that were probably cost twice as much.