HDTV Help

[Moderator1]

OK, I know we've done this before. Indulge me. I'm finally succumbing to pressure at home to upgrade the TV.
I have no clue but am told this one is pretty good at the price I can get.

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Video_Conferencing/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=A2288408

Thoughts? Suggestions? 1100 is about the best I can go at this point and even that is a reach.

 

[slappy4428]

Sorry... two things to look for ... 120HZ and as much contrast as you can get

 

[slappy4428]

Allow me to suggest this one from the same place....
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Video_Conferencing/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=A2288409
with the discount from Dell (add to your cart) it's 100 bucks more, and you get 120hz which is better for sports and high action; contrast ratio is the same and comes with blu-ray too...

Nice move getting from Dell.. no interest for a year;

 

[The Big Ragu]

Moddy, It has been more than a year since I got a big HDTV, so I have no idea what prices should be. But that looks like a nice set. You can't go wrong with a 1080P TV at that resolution -- 1920 X 1080. One thing some less expensive sets scrimped on when I got mine were the inputs. The TV you are looking at looks great on that front, though. Plenty of component and composite inputs, back and sides and 5 HDMI inputs, which is key, if I am reading that correctly. One other thing to look at on sets is the contrast ratio, but that link says "not available" under "Image Contrast Ratio." I'd want to know, and would want a set that offers as much of a ratio as possible on an LCD TV. From what I understand, the contrast is an important part of the picture on an LCD TV, so you want the difference between the brightest and darkest aspects of the picture to be well defined. They are making TVs now with a 2 million to 1 contrast ratio. I'd make sure this one has a decent ratio. Other than that, the TV looks good. I'd want to actually see it in a store, and I did, but it was probably useless, because you have no idea how they have the thing hooked up or if your picture is going to translate to what you see in a showroom. My LCD TV was made by Samsung, by the way. Was very happy with it.

 

[slappy4428]

Moddy, It has been more than a year since I got a big HDTV, so I have no idea what prices should be. But that looks like a nice set. You can't go wrong with a 1080P TV at that resolution -- 1920 X 1080. One thing some less expensive sets scrimped on when I got mine were the inputs. The TV you are looking at looks great on that front, though. Plenty of component and composite inputs, back and sides and 5 HDMI inputs, which is key, if I am reading that correctly. One other thing to look at on sets is the contrast ratio and that link "not available" under "Image Contrast Ratio." I'd want to know, and would want a set that offers as much of a ratio as possible on an LCD TV. From what I understand, the contrast is an important part of the picture on an LCD TV, so you want the difference between the brightest and darkest aspects of the picture to be well defined. They are making TVs now with a 2 million to 1 contrast ratio. I'd make sure this one has a decent ratio. Other than that, the TV looks good. I'd want to actually see it in a store, and I did, but it was probably useless, because you have no idea how they have the thing hooked up or if your picture is going to translate to what you see in a showroom. My LCD TV was made by Samsung, by the way. Was very happy with it.

I have two -- one Vizio and one Philips and I like them both, but r-e-a-l-l-y like the Philips.
The one Moddy looked at has 10,000-1 contrast ratio

 

[Moderator1]

Allow me to suggest this one from the same place....
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Video_Conferencing/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=A2288409
with the discount from Dell (add to your cart) it's 100 bucks more, and you get 120hz which is better for sports and high action; contrast ratio is the same and comes with blu-ray too...

Nice move getting from Dell.. no interest for a year;

Thanks, slap. Looked at that one, too, wasn't sure what made it cost more - you think it is worth the difference?

 

[The Big Ragu]

Slap, The one he was looking at comes with the Blu Ray player also.

 

[The Big Ragu]

Another difference between your link and Slappy's is the response time. The one you are looking at is 6 ms. Slappy's is 4 ms. It is an indication of how fast the screen displays moving images. Slow response times create ghosting. It is particularly important for gaming, but if I remember correctly, 16 ms was a cut-off point where ghosting becomes a big problem with DVDs and games, so even though faster response time is probably better, both of those numbers are probably good.

 

[Hammer Pants]

Make sure you get the inputs, Moddy. I got my HDTV several years ago, and it has plenty of inputs ... but just of them is HDMI, and I have to use component cables for a few things I'd rather use HDMI. It does make a difference, and if you're buying an HDTV, that difference is important.

I'll have to upgrade at some point, but it's justifiably low on my priority list.

 

[playthrough]

"Succumbing to pressure at home to upgrade the TV" ... now that's one sentence I'll never get the pleasure of typing. My wife wants to get rid of our Dish and doesn't see any benefit in HD programming. Heresy!

 

[Moderator1]

My son is back home for a while thanks to a promotion/job transfer so I need to take advantage of his expertise (and trash removing ability) while he is there. I think the only thing we upgraded in his six years away was a new crock pot.

 

[Big Buckin' agate_monkey]

And you've not had us over for food in this new crockpot?!??!?! HRMPF!

 

[slappy4428]

Allow me to suggest this one from the same place....
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Video_Conferencing/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=A2288409
with the discount from Dell (add to your cart) it's 100 bucks more, and you get 120hz which is better for sports and high action; contrast ratio is the same and comes with blu-ray too...

Nice move getting from Dell.. no interest for a year;

Thanks, slap. Looked at that one, too, wasn't sure what made it cost more - you think it is worth the difference?

Slap, The one he was looking at comes with the Blu Ray player also.

So did that one

Moddy found this at 1100: http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Video_Conferencing/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=A2288408

I found this one at 1200: http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Video_Conferencing/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=A2288409

Both come with a blu-ray player, both are 1080p, both have 5 HDMI inputs, both have 10,000-1 dynamic contrast.
Is the 100 buck difference for 120hz worth it? yes, because current TV's are sort of like computers -- obsolete within a short time of buying it. So for 100 bucks more to get new technology instead of old?
Yeah, I think so.

 

[Hammer Pants]

"Succumbing to pressure at home to upgrade the TV" ... now that's one sentence I'll never get the pleasure of typing. My wife wants to get rid of our Dish and doesn't see any benefit in HD programming. Heresy!

When my girlfriend's in town, she frequently watches HD channels on their low-def counterparts. It drives me crazy, even when I'm working in another room of the house. I paid for the HDTV, dammit.

 

[OTD]

"Succumbing to pressure at home to upgrade the TV" ... now that's one sentence I'll never get the pleasure of typing. My wife wants to get rid of our Dish and doesn't see any benefit in HD programming. Heresy!

When my girlfriend's in town, she frequently watches HD channels on their low-def counterparts. It drives me crazy, even when I'm working in another room of the house. I paid for the HDTV, dammit.

Sounds like my wife . . . hey, when was the last time your girlfriend was in town? (checks wife's appt. calendar).

 

[I Digress]

Moddy, 1080p.. only one to get... Sharp Aquos is the finest LCD on the market. Sony Bravia would come in next. We have a Bravia... I can see it clearly from about 60 degrees or so from the side when I'm in the kitchen... Key to all this, use the HDMI cable.

 

[slappy4428]

"Succumbing to pressure at home to upgrade the TV" ... now that's one sentence I'll never get the pleasure of typing. My wife wants to get rid of our Dish and doesn't see any benefit in HD programming. Heresy!

When my girlfriend's in town, she frequently watches HD channels on their low-def counterparts. It drives me crazy, even when I'm working in another room of the house. I paid for the HDTV, dammit.

Sounds like my wife . . . hey, when was the last time your girlfriend was in town? (checks wife's appt. calendar).

I didn't know Ms. Slappy had sisters

 

[Appgrad05]

"Succumbing to pressure at home to upgrade the TV" ... now that's one sentence I'll never get the pleasure of typing. My wife wants to get rid of our Dish and doesn't see any benefit in HD programming. Heresy!

When my girlfriend's in town, she frequently watches HD channels on their low-def counterparts. It drives me crazy, even when I'm working in another room of the house. I paid for the HDTV, dammit.

Sounds like my wife . . . hey, when was the last time your girlfriend was in town? (checks wife's appt. calendar).

I didn't know Ms. Slappy had sisters

I might be related. Neither one of my parents has figured out the HD channel/normal channel thing. Dad complains once a month about the picture not being any better.

 

[Moderator1]

So the sucker shows up today in all its glory - and DirecTV can't get out to install the new dish and receivers until Feb. 9th.
I'm gonna have to smack someone.

 

[Sam Mills 51]

My son is back home for a while thanks to a promotion/job transfer so I need to take advantage of his expertise (and trash removing ability) while he is there. I think the only thing we upgraded in his six years away was a new crock pot.

Why can't I have an open-minded parent like this around?

Hope you get better DirecTV installers than we did. After we ordered it, they cancelled installation dates twice. We turned around, cancelled the service and sent the equipment back.

If they were going to be like that before charging for monthly service, I didn't want to think about how bad they were going to be once they had their hands in our checkbook.