Shopping for a new TV

[illini40]

Hey INGO,

We are finishing up our basement remodel, and so now we need a new TV for the family room area.

Anyone bought a TV lately or can give any suggestions?

I have not looked around yet, but here are some considerations:

- Hate to spend much more than $1,000ish if I do not have to
- Thinking 60" would be good - doubt the budget would allow for much more and the space is not huge
- Needs to be a smart TV
- Would prefer it to be available at a common big box retailer (Walmart, Best Buy, etc)

 

[MontereyC6]

We just picked up a 51" Samsung plasma, non smart tv. We already have a smart tv, and we have a blue ray player with all the same things connected to the new one. Save some of your budget for a sound bar. The sound coming out of the flat screen tv's is crap at best.

 

[bobbittle]

Hard to go wrong with a nice Samsung or Sony. I won't knock Vizio stuff either, my Vizio plasma is going on 7 years old and looks just as good as when I bought it.

 

[MadMan66]

My wife and I bought a Vizio Smart TV about 6 months ago. We love it. We got the 42" and my wife uses it quite heavily with no complaints, though its fairly new. Cost us just over $400 including tax.

 

[Crbn79]

I've had all sorts of TVs over the last few years. The $1,000 budget will be right under the price of most 60in smart plasmas. Something I've been looking into is a 1080p projector. Right now my 65inch tv is acting up, gotta get it pulled down from my fireplace but it weighs about 300lbs. If it's done I'm replacing it with the BenQ w1070 FRYS.com | BENQ @ $749 I can run up a 100 inch screen in the same location.

 

[illini40]

Thanks for the feedback. I want to stay at 60" or bigger.

We currently have a 42" Vizio that has been great. Have not heard much about their newer models, but would think they would be good values.

 

[Hammer]

We bought this model last year for our living room. Amazon.com: LG 60PN5700 60-Inch Class 1080P 600Hz Plasma TV with Smart TV (2013 Model): Electronics
Could not be more satisfied. Love the plasma look as it is more life like than the LED versions.

 

[Hohn]

Alas, Panasonic plasmas are no longer made. Too bad.

 

[bobbittle]

Thanks for the feedback. I want to stay at 60" or bigger.

We currently have a 42" Vizio that has been great. Have not heard much about their newer models, but would think they would be good values.

If you're dead set on 60"+ I would consider upping your budget to get a better quality tv personally.

 

[illini40]

What are the pros and cons of plasma or LED?

I had assumed I would be going with an LED, but I see several references to plasma? Is one higher priced than the other?

 

[illini40]

If you're dead set on 60"+ I would consider upping your budget to get a better quality tv personally.

What do you suggest upping the budget to?

 

[Hammer]

What are the pros and cons of plasma or LED?

I had assumed I would be going with an LED, but I see several references to plasma? Is one higher priced than the other?

LEDs are more efficient and are brighter than plasma. LEDs do cost a bit more than LCD or plasma and produce less heat than plasma. If you have a bright room and need a bright TV to combat glare the LED is probably what you want.

Plasma, produces a bit more heat than LED and LCD. But it's worth it to me for the picture quality as it "Looks" more realistic than the other options IMO. Price is cheaper than the others too. EDIT, Plasma is much heavier.

When I bought mine last November the top LED was Samsung and LG a close second, but the LG was tops in the plasma TV's at that time. Like anything electronic it's all outdated when you walk out the store, So get what you think is right for your needs at the time and be happy.

 

[cagilber]

My family has had good luck with Sharp LCD / LED TVs.http://www.bestbuy.com/site/sharp-aquos-60-class-60-1-32-diag--led-1080p-120hz-smart-hdtv/8157159.p?id=1218864521752&skuId=8157159&st=pcmcat220700050004_categoryid$abcat0101001&cp=1&lp=1(On sale for $999.99, $200 off)

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Step One: Go to Walmart.

Step Two: Buy the largest LCD or LED TV that fits your budget.

 

[findingZzero]

Plasma is cheaper, but seem to be going bye bye. Native fast refresh speed (600 Mhz vs 60-120-240). More realistic colors, specially blacks. Uses more energy and gets warmer than LED's. I've had both and prefer the artificial brightness of LED's (more 3D like), but wouldn't kick a plasma out of bed. I have a 42" Panasonic plasma and recently bought a 50" Samsung LED. Nothing wrong with plasma other than the poor folks who are drained of it in dark alleys at night by vampire technicians supplying the monitor/tv industries.

p.s. Don't be turned off by the dimmer seeming plasma displays in big box stores (if they even have them anymore) . You need to see one in a darker room. In store displays are shown in boosted brightness mode to compete with ambient light. Led rigs do this better than plasma, though the first thing you do when you get home is to reset the display to a more normal level of brightness level. If you do buy plasma, take care to avoid dark alleys at night......

 

[Brandon]

I have both LED and Plasma. LED sets weigh next to nothing while plasmas are heavy as heck. I guess is should mention all 3 of our tv's are Samsung. I haven't noticed one being brighter then the other, however the way our house is laid out, both rooms are dark to begin with.

I've heard good things about LG and Vizio and would seriously consider them if I had to buy a new set today.

Also for the smart tv aspect, what are you wanting to do with it? May be an option, or something to consider and keep your budget lower, chromecast or something of that nature?

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Plasma is cheaper, but seem to be going bye bye. Native fast refresh speed (600 Mhz vs 60-120-240). More realistic colors, specially blacks. Uses more energy and gets warmer than LED's. I've had both and prefer the artificial brightness of LED's (more 3D like), but wouldn't kick a plasma out of bed. I have a 42" Panasonic plasma and recently bought a 50" Samsung LED. Nothing wrong with plasma other than the poor folks who are drained of it in dark alleys at night by vampire technicians supplying the monitor/tv industries.

p.s. Don't be turned off by the dimmer seeming plasma displays in big box stores (if they even have them anymore) . You need to see one in a darker room. In store displays are shown in boosted brightness mode to compete with ambient light. Led rigs do this better than plasma, though the first thing you do when you get home is to reset the display to a more normal level of brightness level. If you do buy plasma, take care to avoid dark alleys at night......

Thank goodness kidney tv's never caught on.

 

[Crbn79]

For what it's worth, LG puts Samsung plasma displays in their sets, some models have Samsung electronics as well. Samsung is #1 in Plasma.

 

[gregkl]

I'm looking also. I have done some research but mostly I talk to my kids(in their 20's) that seem to be keeping up with technology better than me. My son likes plasma but says I shouldn't buy one because our TV watching room has too many windows and will have too much glare.

My daughter says don't get a Smart TV. Get a Smart DVD player. They are less money and if something craps out on the "smart" pieces, you just replace the DVD player.

I like the Samsungs and will probably go with one of those when I am ready. Looking at them in the store, the Samsung's picture is visibly better than the Visio to me. Though I understand that they can mess with the settings in the stores.

 

[Crbn79]

I'm looking also. I have done some research but mostly I talk to my kids(in their 20's) that seem to be keeping up with technology better than me. My son likes plasma but says I shouldn't buy one because our TV watching room has too many windows and will have too much glare.

My daughter says don't get a Smart TV. Get a Smart DVD player. They are less money and if something craps out on the "smart" pieces, you just replace the DVD player.

I like the Samsungs and will probably go with one of those when I am ready. Looking at them in the store, the Samsung's picture is visibly better than the Visio to me. Though I understand that they can mess with the settings in the stores.

So I pulled down my 65inch old school plasma from my 5ft fireplace.... Let me tell you this thing weighs about 400lbs with the base attached. My new TVs will either be projectors or LED! That was an outrageous wrestling session. The projector I have my eye on weighs 10 lbs! Much less than 400, and I can crank it out to a 100 inch screen. I have seen this model in a friends house, it looks really good even in average light. Sure if you have all the blinds or curtains in the room open on a sunny day it's a little washed out.

On a positive note, something in my sound board went bad, causing it to pull to much power and display could not crank up. So I pulled the capacitor feeding the sound board and I'll just use my audio system with it.