Looking to buy HDTV

[Silver03SRT]

I am looking to buy a new LCD HDTV. I want between a 40" and 42" I was thinking of getting a Samsung LN-T4061F or something compairable. Anyone out there have a hookup? I dont wnat to spend a ton of money.

[pw_cc_runner]

Have you considered or looked at Olevia? I know the big brand name brings comfort to a lot of people but I can't say anything bad about my 537H. It has all the features and quality of the big name brands but costs a few hundred less. They have a 42" that runs between $800 and $1000 depending on the sales.

[Silver03SRT]

I dont mind paying $200 more to get a name brand. Just peace of mind for me I guess.

[badass88gt]

Have you seen it side by side with something like a Pioneer, Panasonic or a Sony? I bet you see a difference, I know I could.

Then again, I went with a plasma over an LCD myself, I could see the difference there too, though others say I'm nuts.

The best thing you can do is choose a price range, find some models that fit, and compare them with your own eyes. Ask 10 different people, you'll get 10 different opinions. I have a 42" Panasonic 1080p Plasma and I love it.

[badass88gt]

By the way, Ive heard that some killer deals can be found on sites like NewEgg.com.

And whatever you do, make sure you dont spend $80 on Monster Cables. You can go to Monoprice.com and buy the same cables for $4, Popular Mechanics just did an article on that, even their "Professional" eye couldnt tell any difference. I bought 2 HDMI cables, 6' long each for $4 a piece and returned my Monster Cable HDMI's for a total refund of $160.

[Silver03SRT]

I was thinking plasma but decided against it. I would like to get the samsung with the auto motion plus but thats like 2k.

[badass88gt]

Curious, but why not? They both have their pros and cons. Like I said, compare a couple side by side. I was torn between the 42" LG LCD and the 42" Panasonic plasma, once I had the Best Buy guy put them right next to each other on the shelf, it was night and day.

[WickedSix]

i can't tell the difference between all of these new tv's....colorblind ftl :mad:

[Heat Seeker WS6]

have you looked at the Sharps LCD's?
LC-42D64U
http://www.sharpusa.com/products/ModelLanding/0,1058,1922,00.html
The new series have faster than normal processors so fast moving images are more fluid and not broken up like other LCD's and can also produce moe of a truer 'black'- something LCD's arent known for. I dont know enough about that samsung to compare the two though.

[Heat Seeker WS6]

Curious, but why not? They both have their pros and cons. Like I said, compare a couple side by side. I was torn between the 42" LG LCD and the 42" Panasonic plasma, once I had the Best Buy guy put them right next to each other on the shelf, it was night and day.

Yeah, the Pioneer plasma should kill the LG LCD side by side

[badass88gt]

I have read many good reviews of Samsung TV's in general on some of the AV Forums. The image breaking up is what swayed me, it was pretty obvious on things like Football and Racing where the screen moves very fast.

[badass88gt]

Yeah, the Pioneer plasma should kill the LG LCD side by side


No, I said Panasonic, not the Pioneer. The Pioneer killed them both, but it also kills the wallet.

[Heat Seeker WS6]

No, I said Panasonic, not the Pioneer. The Pioneer killed them both, but it also kills the wallet.

missread that- my bad.

And the 'breakup' in fast motion you mentioned is a strongpoint of the new Sharps.

*Its the 120Hz processor. Others only have a 60Hz

[Neal Steffek]

two years ago LCD was the thing to purchase becasue Plasma could not do 1080P.

Now plasma that plasma sets do 1080P you would be crazy to purchase a LCD. LCD displays can not do true black so end of story right there for 99% of the people looking for a new set.

[Neal Steffek]

And whatever you do, make sure you dont spend $80 on Monster Cables. You can go to Monoprice.com and buy the same cables for $4, Popular Mechanics just did an article on that, even their "Professional" eye couldnt tell any difference. I bought 2 HDMI cables, 6' long each for $4 a piece and returned my Monster Cable HDMI's for a total refund of $160.


x a million. If you use monster cable I got a 94 Ford Explorer I would like to sell you for $28,000

[wrath]

I'm in the same boat as you. I want a 40" or bigger LCD for no more than $1500.

EDIT: I'm leaning towards the Samsung 4661F. Let me know what you buy and tell us how the standard broadcast (analog cable) looks. It's hard to find any comments on "SD" picture quality.

The Sony S3000 series is the best bang for your buck right now. It's only 720p. 720p isn't a problem unless you want to use the TV as a computer monitor or you plan on sitting right in front of the TV. The Sony V3000 series is 1080p. Both use 10 bit panels and processing so the color is amazing.

The Samsung 61F series is a close second to the Sony S3000 series as far as picture/color but it's a 1080p set. The 65F series has a reflective screen like a Plasma. The 69F are 120hz sets. The 120Hz sets are nice but pricey.

The Toshiba got good reviews also, and is another contender for the "bang for buck".

I'd buy a Plasma but I don't know where I'm going to be living in a year. It'd suck to have a Plasma if I had to put the TV opposite a big window. I'd buy rear projection but I don't like DLP and anything else is expensive... plus I don't know where I'm going to be in a year. I had rear projection for years. Now I have a CRT TV.

avsforum has a ton of info. I put my list together based on picture quality, problem-freeness, and price (bang for buck).

Here is the list that I've put together. I use this for comparing to brick and mortar ads, I'll probably buy my TV from Sears, CircuitShitty, or WorstBuy.

$1900 http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Bravia-KDL-46V3000-1080p-HDTV/dp/B000SBCA54/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1199286563&sr=1-1
$1500 free ship http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Bravia-KDL-40V3000-1080p-HDTV/dp/B000SB9K5W/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=audio-video&qid=1199373173&sr=1-11
$1185 free ship http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Bravia-KDL-40S3000-720p-HDTV/dp/B000P6R6D8/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=audio-video&qid=1199390163&sr=1-1
$1600 free ship http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Bravia-KDL-46S3000-720p-HDTV/dp/B000P6R6DI/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=audio-video&qid=1199390229&sr=1-1
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-LNT4665F-1080p-LCD-HDTV/dp/B000NVLQ72/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1199286432&sr=1-1
$1550 free ship http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-LNT4661F-1080p-LCD-HDTV/dp/B000N50S5Y/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1199286432&sr=1-2
$1595 shipped http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Bravia-KDL-46S3000-720p-HDTV/dp/B000P6R6DI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=audio-video&qid=1199374462&sr=1-1
$1270 free ship http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-LNT4065F-1080p-LCD-HDTV/dp/B000OE02G4/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1199301953&sr=1-1
$1150 free ship http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-LNT4061F-1080p-LCD-HDTV/dp/B000N4Z42C/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1199302331&sr=1-1
$1580 free ship http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-REGZA-47HL167-1080p-HDTV/dp/B000MXYD2Q/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=audio-video&qid=1199373173&sr=1-7
$1650 shipped http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-LNT4069FX-1080p-120Hz-HDTV/dp/B000WV47YW/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1199499265&sr=1-1
$1900 shipped http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-LNT4669-1080p-120Hz-HDTV/dp/B000WV8EK0/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1199499321&sr=1-1
$1900 shipped http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Bravia-KDS-60A3000-1080p-Projection/dp/B000TMFYBO/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1199499897&sr=1-1

[HAMRHEAD]

If you plan on using the tv for video games or pause movies long then don't go plasma. Images will burn into a plasma like the old projection tvs because of the gases used to make plasmas. Then get an LCD. Plasma will have a better picture but the life span of an LCD tv will be almost twice as long. Everything wears out but some sooner than others. It is just the way they are made not that the product is better. Just the technology is all. There are alot of informative tech sites out there just look into them. Whatever you do don't ask the salesman as 90% of them don't know shit about it other than what is on the box. Also the 1080p format isn't brodcast yet just the 1080i.
Today's high-def broadcasts are done in either 1080i or 720p, and there's little or no chance they'll jump to 1080p any time soon because of bandwidth issues.

1080p resolution--which equates to 1,920x1,080 pixels--is the latest HD Holy Grail. That's because 1080p monitors are theoretically capable of displaying every pixel of the highest-resolution HD broadcasts. On paper, they should offer more than twice the resolution of today's 1,280x720, or 720p,

1080i, the former king of the HDTV hill, actually boasts an identical 1,920x1,080 resolution but conveys the images in an interlaced format (the i in 1080i). In a tube-based television, otherwise known as a CRT, 1080i sources get "painted" on the screen sequentially: the odd-numbered lines of resolution appear on your screen first, followed by the even-numbered lines--all within 1/30 of a second. Progressive-scan formats such as 480p, 720p, and 1080p convey all of the lines of resolution sequentially in a single pass, which makes for a smoother, cleaner image, especially with sports and other motion-intensive content. As opposed to tubes, microdisplays (DLP, LCoS, and LCD rear-projection) and other fixed-pixel TVs, including plasma and LCD flat-panel, are inherently progressive in nature, so when the incoming source is interlaced, as 1080i is, they convert it to progressive scan for display.

Just food for thought:thumbsup

[Silver03SRT]

Thanks for the info. I want to buy within a month but I just bought some season ticket package thing for the brewers so that set me back a little bit.

[Silver03SRT]

$1150 free ship http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-LNT406...9302331&sr=1-1
link says its $1399 I might buy a new one off ebay for $1240

[wrath]

$1150 free ship http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-LNT406...9302331&sr=1-1
link says its $1399 I might buy a new one off ebay for $1240

The prices fluctuate a lot. My links include the lowest price I've seen since Christmas on Amazon. To me, that means that the TV can be had for that price since if they sold it for that at one time they can sell it for the same price later. Electronics don't go up in price.

Other than watching for "before superbowl deals" I'd probably wait until after Superbowl for the best deals. CES is going on also.

I'd buy from a licensed reseller. Otherwise you might have warranty issues. If you buy it brick and mortar and have them pricematch you can also exchange the TV easily if there is something you don't like about it.

[Silver03SRT]

what does the brick and mortar mean?

[wrath]

brick and mortar = real store. Like you walk in and pick your item up.

[badass88gt]

Image burn-in is a thing of the past. I use my plasma for gaming all the time, they have features built in to prevent that issue now.

As far as being across from the window, the TV I have has an anti-glare screen, works very well.

[Heat Seeker WS6]

check out Abt Electronics online store & see if it works for you. abtelectronics.com you get the benefit of online price matching & shipping PLUS they have a real store in Glenview,IL. Used to work there and they'll do just about whatever to get your business- BUT they dont screw people around... unless you work there.

[HAMRHEAD]

Plasma TV Screen Burn-In: Is It Still a Problem?

Reviewer: Phil Connor

Copyright © 2007 PlasmaTVBuyingGuide.com. All Rights Reserved.

Besides questions about the average lifespan of plasma TVs, the question I get most from people has to do with plasma TV screen burn-in. Which raises the question: What is plasma display burn-in, and how does one know what to expect and is it still a problem?

All phosphor based display systems (CRT direct and rear view and plasma) are susceptible to image retention also known as "ghosting, image shadowing, image burn in." This is due to physical properties of phosphor and how it reacts to light and electric impulse.

The good news is that for the past couple of years quality manufacturers have been steadily working on improving plasma technology resistance to "burn in" with great success. One technique used is motion adaptive anti burn in technology, which focuses on moving the on-screen image ever so slightly. The goal is to avoid detection by the human eye, but still move the image enough to cause color changes in the pixels. A second improvement by some manufacturers is improvement in the phosphor gas itself in order to make it more resistant. The green phosphor is the most important in this process. This is also a key element in increasing phosphor and screen lifespan to CRT levels.

As a result of these advancements, a couple of prominent manufacturers now claim that plasma TVs have the same burn in resistance and susceptibility as CRT TVs. When was the last time you heard someone say that they were concerned about image burn in on their tube TV? Never?

But to digress, burn in, simply put, is a damaged pixel, whose phosphors have been prematurely aged and therefore glow less intensely than those of surrounding pixels on the plasma TV screen. The damaged or "burned in" pixel has developed a "memory" of the color information that was repeatedly fed to it in a static manner over a period of time. And that phosphor color information has actually become seared or etched into the plasma TV glass. Hence the term, "burn-in." Once these phosphors are damaged, they cannot give the same output as the other phosphors around them do. But pixels do not suffer burn-in singly. Burn-in occurs in the shape of a static image that persists on TV screens -- things like network logos, computer icons, Internet browser frames, or an entire image that has been displayed in a static manner etc. Network logos were a problem initially but they have now become sensitive to the problem and have also adapted a motion logo technology which prevents burn in.

So, how do you prevent burn-in on your brand-new plasma TV screen?

(1) Some obvious advice: Do not leave static images on your plasma TV screen for more than an hour. Turn off your unit when you are not watching it. Do not pause DVDs for more than 20 minutes at a time.

(2) Know that plasma screens are more prone to burn-in during their first 200 hours of use. When phosphors are fresh, they burn more intensely as they are ignited. This means that relatively new plasma display TVs are prone to "ghosting", which occurs when on-screen images appear to stay on the screen belatedly. This is a function of the high intensity with which new phosphors "pop," and this phenomenon usually "washes out" on its own, as the screen displays subsequent images. Displaying a bright, or moving snow image (as with a DVD or VCR with no input) will "wash" a ghost image from the screen in most cases. Many plasma manufacturers have installed anti-burn settings, which are monotone gray or snow screen settings which recalibrate pixel intensity levels uniformly - thus eliminating any image retention (ghosting). It is a good idea to run this type of program after the first 100 hours or so.

(3) Adjust the CONTRAST setting at or below 50% on your new plasma TV. These days most plasma TVs are preset to either peak or very high contrast (also called picture setting on many TVs). This forces phosphors to glow more intensely, which decreases the length of time necessary for burn-in to occur. Our advice is to reduce the contrast setting to 50% or less for the first 200 hours of use. And, be sure to avail yourself of your plasma's anti-burn-in features.

(4) Some plasma televisions burn-in more easily than others. In my experience, AliS type panels -- the ones utilized by Hitachi and Fujistu -- seem more readily given over to problems with burn-in. As well, be more wary of the 2nd and 3rd tier brands as their technology is usually not as up to date as some of the better 1st tier brands.

(5) When displaying video games and other content which have static images, use your burn-in protection features like power management settings, full-time picture shift (both vertical and horizontal), and automatic screen-saver functions. Check your Owner's Manual for further information.

(6) Realize that quality matters with burn-in as with everything else. Purchase a plasma display that has really good scaling, so that you can watch 4:3 TV programs in widescreen comfortably. It is better not to display black bars on your TV screen for prolonged periods of time (especially in the first 200 hours), so you are probably better off watching most everything in "full screen" mode. This should not be much of a problem todays selection of widescreen HDTV and DVDT content.

Also, higher quality TVs tend to be more resistant to burn-in -- though not entirely immune to it. Of the plasma displays I've owned and/or tested extensively, NEC, Sony, Pioneer, and Panasonic seemed least prone to burn-in once the plasma screen was properly broken in.

Note: There are some applications which are simply not well suited to plasma display technology. The static flight schedule signage at airports, for example. It amazes me to walk into an airport and see a ruined plasma display monitor hanging from the ceiling with what is obviously an extreme case of permanent burn- in. As LCD monitors have increased in size, they are being used to replace plasma displays in this types of setting.
The Bottom Line on Burn-In

Plasma TV burn-in is not an issue that should cause undue concern in the average user. With a modicum of caution, most plasma TVs will probably never have a problem with image retention. A viewer may experience temporary ghosting, but this is not cause for alarm.

[Heat Seeker WS6]

Also, higher quality TVs tend to be more resistant to burn-in -- though not entirely immune to it. Of the plasma displays I've owned and/or tested extensively, NEC, Sony, Pioneer, and Panasonic seemed least prone to burn-in once the plasma screen was properly broken in.

and the proper proceedure for break in is?....

Pioneer Elite plasmas have a 'whitewash' feature to cleanse burn in. Other 'better' ones have a similar feature too.

[Neal Steffek]

If you plan on using the tv for video games or pause movies long then don't go plasma. Images will burn into a plasma like the old projection tvs because of the gases used to make plasmas. Then get an LCD. Plasma will have a better picture but the life span of an LCD tv will be almost twice as long. Everything wears out but some sooner than others. It is just the way they are made not that the product is better. Just the technology is all. There are alot of informative tech sites out there just look into them. Whatever you do don't ask the salesman as 90% of them don't know shit about it other than what is on the box. Also the 1080p format isn't brodcast yet just the 1080i.
Today's high-def broadcasts are done in either 1080i or 720p, and there's little or no chance they'll jump to 1080p any time soon because of bandwidth issues.

1080p resolution--which equates to 1,920x1,080 pixels--is the latest HD Holy Grail. That's because 1080p monitors are theoretically capable of displaying every pixel of the highest-resolution HD broadcasts. On paper, they should offer more than twice the resolution of today's 1,280x720, or 720p,

1080i, the former king of the HDTV hill, actually boasts an identical 1,920x1,080 resolution but conveys the images in an interlaced format (the i in 1080i). In a tube-based television, otherwise known as a CRT, 1080i sources get "painted" on the screen sequentially: the odd-numbered lines of resolution appear on your screen first, followed by the even-numbered lines--all within 1/30 of a second. Progressive-scan formats such as 480p, 720p, and 1080p convey all of the lines of resolution sequentially in a single pass, which makes for a smoother, cleaner image, especially with sports and other motion-intensive content. As opposed to tubes, microdisplays (DLP, LCoS, and LCD rear-projection) and other fixed-pixel TVs, including plasma and LCD flat-panel, are inherently progressive in nature, so when the incoming source is interlaced, as 1080i is, they convert it to progressive scan for display.

Just food for thought:thumbsup

This was true five years ago, not anymore.

Plasma > LCD. read my other post on this.

[Heat Seeker WS6]

This was true five years ago, not anymore.

Plasma > LCD. read my other post on this.

yep. I think the only LCD's that hold a candle to plasmas is the new Sharp line with the 120Hz processor which gives it a much smoother picture in fast moving scenes. Other LCD's have a 60Hz. It also has a 'darker' black than other LCD's. But still not a true black.

[Russ Jerome]

We need a sticky on LCD vs Plasma right up top, we come to the
same conclusion every time........get a 1080p Plasma. Get the
Pioneer if you can afford it (best picture period) with a cheaper
Samsung the unsung hero for picture vs dollar. Burn in or ghosting
is as old as "the guy who bought the $100 vet from an old lady".

Don not compare TVs at Best buy or American, go to a real A/V
store and compare apples to apples, side by side like Flanners.
There is no way you will walk out of flanners with a doubt on
true picture quality after seeing LCD and Plasma side by side.

I do have a question, why are LCDs getting so pricey? There
picture still pales to Plasma but they are growing in size.

[Lash]

We just bought a Samsung LN-T4665F. I LOVE IT!!!!

IMO.....it had one of the best pictures of ALL TV's in the same category.

[Reverend Cooper]

i have a perfect condition less than a year old phillips on my wall hd lcd for sale if you would like. i want a 60 inch plasma

[moels]

Coop, how much and what size is it?

[Neal Steffek]

[QUOTE=Russ Jerome;318430]

Don not compare TVs at Best buy or America, go to a real A/V
store and compare apples to apples, side by side like Flanners.
There is no way you will walk out of flanners with a doubt on
true picture quality after seeing LCD and Plasma side by side.

QUOTE]

I used to be a manager at Circuit City, American TV and Best Buy. Please tell me why people should not buy there? They all carry the same products more or less and at the same price. All three also have a 30 day low price guarantee.

(Yes, do not buy at Circuit City, they treat there employees like crap ever since 2002, they will be the way of Comp USA in less then 12 months)

[Russ Jerome]

I used to be a manager at Circuit City, American TV and Best Buy. Please tell me why people should not buy there? They all carry the same products more or less and at the same price. All three also have a 30 day low price guarantee.



Buy all means "buy" wherever you get the best deal or feel comfortable
with the sales person. But "shop" and "compare" the picture at a real
audio/video place for making your decision. The picture quality at Best
buy and American looks horrible, rarely ever have apples/apples models
or Plasma/LCD next to one another for comparison.

On a personel note after weeks of reading and studying about the subject
of Plasma/LCD, walking thru every store within 50 miles with over $2000
in my front pocket I bought thru Flanners, will do it on my next purchase
as well. Un-knoledgable kids at Best Buy talk a lot of BS, the broken English
guy at Amercian just about got punched by my normaly passive wife.
I dont know anybody at Flanners, they dont pay me but if you want to
get educated and have a great selection that place rocks .Got the best
Samsung 42" 1080 with stand and a box of freebies for $1200 tax in,
floor model I "just" got thru watching and agreeing it was right there with
the Pioneer! Wonder if they would hire me to work there at night?

[Karps TA]

I still say Flanners is not as impressive as it used to be. When I shopped there in Sept for my folks, I assumed they were going to be the most knowledgable and have the best setup for comparison. The sales person we got was straight off a used car lot, and came off like a real knob. And they for whatever reason were not even running an HD feed to their tv's. The pictures looked horrible. Not too mention they had very little of a selection. Like maybe 8 of each, and only 2 tv's over 42" both of which were way overpriced.

I liked their old store much better and got much better service. They were still arrogant, but atleast they were smart. The best and most accurate info we got was from the department manager at the Best Buy on Bluemound.

[Heat Seeker WS6]

Russ & others. If your that fed up w/ local stores- trust me, I feel yer pain... plan a daytrip down to Abt Electronics in Glenview,IL. All the same stuff is there but much more of it, but the caliber of most everyone down there is top notch. checkout thier website- just the tip of the iceburg.

[Reverend Cooper]

42 in i think wang and 1500.00 its the best phillips had at that time

[Heat Seeker WS6]

OK, time for my candid thoughts....

My problem with Flanners is that they lost thier focus and they comprimised themselves. They used to be revered in the market as 'the place to go'. But because of the market/industry trend with the manufactures making good stuff at competetive prices, now the average family can get cutting edge technology. That gave flanners the choice to now cater to the 'common' person and enter the retail price war, or stay with higher end & pricier things. From what I saw, theyre trying to do both and trying very hard at it. Youve got the die hard customers that knows the value of what they're buying and are willing to spend more to get it that have only boughten from flanners NOW mixed in with the guy w/ the Sunday ad from 'best' or Circuit, Sears or etc that wants it 'even cheaper' AND financed. You have the old schoolers that've been there for years & years (some have been around since the wheel was invented) and then you have the kids who got 'too smart' for best buy or american. yet still have TONS to learn- American alumni.

Best Buy- kids (highschoolers & college kids) masqurading as real theatre (<-proper spelling) profesionals. Sales & management included. That Magnolia name has gotten to too many heads there, and they sure as hell can't live up to it. They sell some decent product- however, good luck getting the right combination of it to your home. I can only name 2 or 3 people from best Id actually recommend to talk to.

Jerkit City- Dont know, never bought anything from there or worked there. What I do know is that they don't have thier own installation fleet like others do. They go through a 3rd party company out of New York that subs routesthier installs to 1 of 2 local install places.

American- Kudos to them for trying to do the right thing in pretty much all aspects of theatre. Although thier BIG weakness is knowlegable sales staff. When you go in there your going to have either a good sales person who knows thier shit, or one who really should go back to where they came from- best buy alumni/college kids. They are commision, so they are numbers & margin driven and are trained to sell whats in stock. Installation services are very good & reliable.

[Russ Jerome]

+1^^^^

Had been talking to you all along, you were right before and again
with the above post! I need a Blueray....I think I'll stop in and we'll
decide what I need!

[Cryptic]

1 thing I think you should do with any hdtv before you purchase it is check out its ability to change aspect ratios

Not all TV's do this very well. Some of them are down right horrible at it.

Normal TV's aspect ratio is 4:3 (1.33:1), HDTV's aspect ratio is 16:9 (1.85:1) and CinemaScope movies' aspect ratio is 2.35:1.

At 2.35:1 you get black bars on the top and bottom of the screen. Better TV's will let you stretch, zoom, or stretch & zoom on the image to better fit the screen to your liking.

Make sure you play with the different modes. Bring in a couple DVDs to the store and demo it for yourself. Bring a Full screen and force to wide, a 1.85:1 and a 2.35:1 to monkey with the stretch/zoom.

You dont want to find out your tv sucks at this after you get it home.

[badass88gt]

Ive read about the "break-in" of TV's, but I think its bullshit. I didnt do any break in on mine, and its just fine. Its not a new engine, its a TV.

[UnderPSI]

I wouldn't worry at all about burn in anymore. Screen wipe and pixel shift prevent that. The Hitachi's have a great pixel shift feature for gamers that virtually eliminates burn in. If you do end up with some light shadowing or phantom images, put the screen wipe on for an hour or two (use the sleep timer to turn it off) and you will never have a problem.

As far as HD goes. I doubt you could find some one that could tell the difference between 1080i and 1080p on the same tv watching the same show. 720p and 1080i are both beautiful pictures. Is 1080p worth the extra money? Some would say yes just to know that they have the best, but can you see the difference? I doubt it.

[HAMRHEAD]

This was true five years ago, not anymore.

Plasma > LCD. read my other post on this.

The article is from 2007 not five years ago. That site and many more have info on these facts and everything else about HDTV. Not arguing the facts but this is what I've researched. Can you post up some resources so I can read up on them. Not doubting you but I don't take it is cause I said so seriously. I like to have atleast 5 sources of research for a solid confirmation and would be interested in learning more on this.

[HAMRHEAD]

I wouldn't worry at all about burn in anymore. Screen wipe and pixel shift prevent that. The Hitachi's have a great pixel shift feature for gamers that virtually eliminates burn in. If you do end up with some light shadowing or phantom images, put the screen wipe on for an hour or two (use the sleep timer to turn it off) and you will never have a problem.

As far as HD goes. I doubt you could find some one that could tell the difference between 1080i and 1080p on the same tv watching the same show. 720p and 1080i are both beautiful pictures. Is 1080p worth the extra money? Some would say yes just to know that they have the best, but can you see the difference? I doubt it.

I agree about the 1080 issue about 98%. The difference would come in with faster moving images as the i shows all the even lines 1/30th of a sec behind the odd. Where the p shows them all together. Now is it worth the money? Not in my opinion but most top end tvs come with p now anyway.

[Neal Steffek]

The article is from 2007 not five years ago. That site and many more have info on these facts and everything else about HDTV. Not arguing the facts but this is what I've researched. Can you post up some resources so I can read up on them. Not doubting you but I don't take it is cause I said so seriously. I like to have atleast 5 sources of research for a solid confirmation and would be interested in learning more on this.

Would you believe an artical or your own eye? You know 99% of the articals you read are just advertisment right.

And for 1080P yes, it is a must. Many items use 1080P, such as PS3, XBOX 360, Blu-Ray, new camcorders, any computers, ect ect....

[Silver03SRT]

I just bought a Samsung 40" LCD 720P LN-T4042H at best buy for $1,149. My roommate is very smart when it comes to this new technology. He said I probably would not know the difference between 720 and 1080 and if I tell someone its 1080 they would think it is. I just have to figure out why my component wont work for my hd cable.

[Russ Jerome]

And for 1080P yes, it is a must.

Secong that!

Watch a true 1080 standard broadcast like Discovery HD on a
1080 and a 720 on the same brand TV side by side and you
will be amazed. But if you never saw Blue Ray movie on a
1080 you will be very happy with your 720 not knowing the
difference.....kinda like being with ugly girls all your life, they
are fantastic until your with a doll faced godess :)

[Silver03SRT]

but a ugly girl girls you wont have problems with and dont have to do much to keep them happy whereas a hot chick needs a lot more to keep her happy.

[Russ Jerome]

but a ugly girl girls you wont have problems with and dont have to do much to keep them happy whereas a hot chick needs a lot more to keep her happy.

Kinda like that old 19" Magnavox in the basememnt, hate to throw
it out cuz you know it will put out every time you pull her button.

[Heat Seeker WS6]

I just have to figure out why my component wont work for my hd cable.

:confused wont work? PM me

[HAMRHEAD]

Would you believe an artical or your own eye? You know 99% of the articals you read are just advertisment right.

And for 1080P yes, it is a must. Many items use 1080P, such as PS3, XBOX 360, Blu-Ray, new camcorders, any computers, ect ect....

your eye can't see anything other than the current image. It doesn't tell you wear effect, build quality, or how it will last. Reading does that. If all you read is advertising then I see your point but I prefer tech articles that are usually excerpts from books. Or are books just advertising too?

And as for things using 1080P. The machines are capable just like the tv's but 90% of the media isn't. Look at the back of the games. Most say 720P or 1080i. HD broadcasts are 1080i. There are no broadcasts in 1080p. Not saying not to get it (I have 2 myself) but it won't be utilized very often. 1080i is still the standard.

[Silver03SRT]

I dont see the justification in spending a few hundred more to get 1080p when in a year or two that will be out dated.

[BeesTwinEG]

2x 1080P 56' Flatscreen Hitachi HD. One in my living room and basement.

I have 1080i56' LCD samsung hd tv but i dont know if my brother want to sell it.