tugmoose Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 After 17 years of perfect service, my sony trinitron died last week. So I'm out looking at TVs today, and could not help noticing that the pictures suck! Any time the camera moves, there's a bunch of weird pixulation or something. The sales guy says "well, they're getting better." But I can't get the kind of quality I could get 17 years ago? It's like the emperor's new clothes. Or is it just me? What's the secret to getting a 32'' TV for under $1,000 with a picture that doesn't look like ka-ka? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
VenusStopsTrain2 Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 The secret would be to date me...lmao..since i work at best buy but otherwise..getting a job at BB may be your only option. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
W(TF) Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 After 17 years....you need a primer on the different types of HDTV's. I sure as hell did. Some have the lag motion issue, some don't. And offhand I can't remember which do and don't. Try AVSforums.com I do feel that the consumer hasn't really been a huge winner in the battle of formats, and converging technologies. F'rinstance, some of the FX-heavy HD films (like Spiderman 3 on Blu-Ray), really look like shit on my display, which is 58" 1080p. The effects just look really fake in high def- especially the scenes of Spidey flying through the panning cityscapes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dazzler Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 I feel your pain brother. I just had the same thing happen. I ended up with a 32" Sony Bravia for just under $800. I spent a little more for the Sony name and reliability (hopefully). I have a small space, so 32" was large enough and I don't have hd programming yet. The picture is great on this set even though it looked so-so in the store. I think salespeople intentionally f with the pictures on the tv's they don't want to sell to make their push items look better. That is my conspiracy theory for the day anyway. When I set my Sony up I played with the set up and it looks great now. Consumer reports just published a tv issue last month if that helps. Take the gloves OFF and good luck. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
yermom Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 I hate having to replace a tv or similar home electronics because everything is ugly! Last time we had to shop for a tv was torture because I couldn't find any black ones, everything was silver. I don't like the big flashy electronics. I just want them to do their jobs then recede quietly into the background of the room when they're not in use. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
VenusStopsTrain2 Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Okay now I have time to actually try and help. To be honest it's difficult to find a smaller size tv..anything under 39" at the moment because most of them are either store brands ie. Insignia or Dynex or the companies that you would normally get don't make them in a look you would normally go for. I'm sorta picky though. I did do a search..not that you have to buy it at Best Buy..just cause I work there though, that's where I looked... There is a bit of info here for you because honestly I'm not sure what you do/don't know so I hope it is helpful and not sounding odd to tell you the extra info. AND if anyone has either of the tv's please do add your comments on what you like/don't like as it would be helpful to know what you think! Here's my search for the size range you were checking out. I suggest first off choosing a brand you trust and know about...such as Sony, Magnavox, Philips or Toshiba. Those brands have been around quite some time and you have a good guarantee they aren't going to go bankrupt any time soon were you to have any sort of problems. Also space may be an issue..there are flat tube where you still have the huge back end of the tv with flat screens or you can go with LCD or Plasma Flat Panel where it's not huge and you could probably hang it on a wall. LCD vs. Plasma...LCD: # Sizes from 5 to 50+ inches, about 4" deep# Capable of excellent picture quality# Matte screens don't reflect much light# Can fade when seen from extreme angles Along with plasma, LCD (liquid crystal display) technology represents a revolution in television design: the truly flat TV. LCD flat-panel displays typically measure around 4" in depth, and like plasma they're lightweight enough to be mounted on a wall (although they also look mighty sleek on the artsy stands designed to display them on tabletops). On a flat-panel LCD screen, a backlight streams high-intensity white light (provided by a series of fluorescent tubes behind the screen surface) through tiny cells filled with a liquid crystal material. [TVs with LED technology (newer backlighting systems) will be launching soon, though at this time CNET has not evaluated them]. Each pixel has three such cells Quote Link to post Share on other sites
froggie Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 the perfect TV has 4 legs, 2 speakers on each side and a channel dial that lists all the stations. they never fail after over 30 years hell, we have a 'stereogram' with 4 legs, AM radio and a record player thats 40 years old - still works perfect Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jimmyjimmy Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 I don't like the big flashy electronics. I just want them to do their jobs then recede quietly into the background of the room when they're not in use. That's basically my sentiments also.I can't stand a huge hulking TV that's the size of a small couch. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
iarooster Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 I always figured that guys with really big TVs were compensating for something that they were insecure about, you know, like Hummer owners. I think that when the old 21" tube set gives out, I'm pulling the plug and doing without TV. Putting it in high def and on a mammoth screen doesn't make the shows any better... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
myboyblue Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 New tvs have significantly better pictures than your 17 year old Trinitron. Not sure where you are shopping. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PopTodd Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 I need a new TV, but I don't think that I'm going with HD.Frankly, I don't really give a shit. As long as the picture is CLEAR, I'm cool. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Good Old Neon Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 The irony of sorts - with the advent of HD, the quality of the image on the screen has improved dramatically, while, inversely, the quality of the shows broadcast and delivered to those screens has taken just as dramatic a drop Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 The irony of sorts - with the advent of HD, the quality of the image on the screen has improved dramatically, while, inversely, the quality of the shows broadcast and delivered to those screens has taken just as dramatic a drop Quote Link to post Share on other sites
austrya Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 The only "new" tv that we have is a 19 inch plasma, which has a great picture for a little tv. The only complaint that I have is the display is too small, like for the chanel or to adjust the picture and you can't see it from the bed. It really sucked before we had digital cable in that room. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
quarter23cd Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 The irony of sorts - with the advent of HD, the quality of the image on the screen has improved dramatically, while, inversely, the quality of the shows broadcast and delivered to those screens has taken just as dramatic a drop Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Good Old Neon Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 We recently replaced our 10+ year old vga monitor with a widescreen 19 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Duck-Billed Catechist Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Absolutely. I'm dreading having to replace the tvs in my house. While I am intrigued by HD and the huge screens do look kind of cool and all, the fact remains that at no point in my life have I watched less tv than I do right now. Yet, if I am going to buy something I hope is going to last a while, I might as well buy something that is considered pretty good by current standards. But no way are my current tv-watching habits worth $1000+ to me. Hell, I remember ten years ago when my 27" tv at $250-300 seemed like a really big investment!From what I understand, the HDTVs have an expected lifespan of 11-13 years, so I'm not sure how much longevity you can expect for your investment. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Good Old Neon Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 From what I understand, the HDTVs have an expected lifespan of 11-13 years, so I'm not sure how much longevity you can expect for your investment. Just in time for the release of the newer, better, clearer, Super HDTV Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cryptique Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Just in time for the release of the newer, better, clearer, Super HDTV Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ShuckOwens Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 My advice: do not steer clear of a monitor simply because the display looked horrible in the box store. In most Best Buys, Circuit Cities, Wal-Marts and the like, the signals feeding these sets have been split & daisy-chained in a way that would make most high school AV clubs scoff. As boring as it can be, it really pays to do your research, and determine your viewing needs before visiting a merchant. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
VenusStopsTrain2 Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 For informational sakes if you have cable or satellite you shouldn't have to buy anything to upgrade for Feb 2009. You do not need to get rid of your existing analog TV. In addition, analog sets should continue to work as before if connected to a subscription service such as cable or satellite TV. Also, analog sets should continue to work with gaming consoles, VCRs, DVD players, and similar products that you use now. Between Jan. 1, 2008, and March 31, 2009, all U.S. households will be eligible to request up to two coupons, worth $40 each, to be used toward the purchase of up to two, digital-to-analog converter boxes. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has responsibility for administering the coupon program. More information can be found at www.dtv2009.gov. Make sure you request your coupons asap Quote Link to post Share on other sites
radiokills Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 i think that hd looks very good. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tugmoose Posted March 22, 2008 Author Share Posted March 22, 2008 Thanks for all the advice. After rolling through Sears, BB, Target, etc., I took the plunge with this. Might have gone with a 37'' if they offered it in this model - 40'' would have been too much money and size. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
VenusStopsTrain2 Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Thanks for all the advice. After rolling through Sears, BB, Target, etc., I took the plunge with this. Might have gone with a 37'' if they offered it in this model - 40'' would have been too much money and size. Because I'm a total nerd i have to ask..where did you purchase it? did you really get it on amazon? well at least i won't wait on any phone calls for a date so you can buy yourself a tv..lmao! Hope you enjoy your tv...Sony is a good brand! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Big Perm Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 it's not easy to judge picture quality at best buy (or your local electronics store), from my understanding, they feed all their tv's, with a few exceptions form the same source. Currently all forms of cable & satellite are trying to perfect sending the HD signal without any pixelation, but you still get it. Forget watching standard def on a HD tv, it just sucks. If you primarily are still interested and use standard def, then stick with your current tv if you can, cause it will not look better on a HD tv. If you are jumping into the HD world then the choice is obvious. IMO - if you stay under 50" and sit between 6 - 10' from your set, you will not notice much difference between 720p & 1080p. If you have a movie room or sit further away and plan on buying above 50" go with 1080p. I have a 720p pioneer plasma and it's amazing. the blu ray upconverts regular dvd's and they all look wonderful, cause i don;t need everything in blu. We have dish network and i pull local hd channels in with hd rabbit ears (for purest signal with minimal lost, great for sports & LOST) I still have my Sony Trinny 35" cause it still has a wonderful picture, especially at standard def rates of 480. It ain;t easy, but it's even harder to judge i your local electronics store to see what the heel the thing actually looks like. I know a lot on this subject cause I deal with SD & HD formats daily, with playback on every type of tv - and I'm happy to offer any advice I can. don't fear plasma because of early problems. Current plasmas are about 8th generation, and even though Pioneer is going to halt production, it's still the best on the market. The Panasonic Plasmas are quite affordable, but there are some great LCD's too. okay blah blah blah Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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