Plan B Forum

We're looking to retire the Zenith and get our first modern TV. We're looking for something in the 55" range, apparently, and we're looking to do it under $900, if possible. Any recommendations? Any warnings? Any considerations? Any rags, any bones, any bottles today?

I'm very happy with my Sony. It's one of the lower end models, from Best Buy, but the largest (36 inch) and best picture I've ever had. It was on sale for under $400. My sister bought an expensive 50 inch last Christmas from J&R and I honestly don't think the upgrade is worth the quadrupled price.

I prefer the LED over the LCD but I have both, Plasma is the suck.

Anything over 1080P is a waste as well as anything over 120Hz.

Buy 3D after it's out of it's infancy, remember Beta Max...

I'd get me one'a them color tv's. They say that some day purt near ever program's gonna be broadcast in livin' color.

I got me this one a few years back and it still gets all 5 channels PLUS some extras on uhf!!....

My free advice FWIW....

Wait until after xmas, you might get a better deal.

They are all LCD.

The 'LED' you read about is the back lighting. contrast ratio is WAY WAY better than flourescent backlit.

But to be honest, for motion tvs, the good ole tube still rules. even at 240/480hz refresh, fast detailed motion against a contrasting backdrop just cannot be done with an LCD.

The problem with the tubes (besides size/wieght) is the 535 lines in the mask. we have the technology to update this and did for cad/cam computer monitors, but this never trickled back to the TV. I recall in the early 80's at CMU working on a project to move the guns to abosolute positions rather than a mask to give near infinite resolution. But the 'puters at the time didnt think fast enuf.

BTW, my tv is actually a Sony Bravia.

Arrrgh, magic box has bright lights/pretty colors!

Must burn incense/sacrifice goat to 'moving pictures of the gods'.

Crackpot wrote:OLED

They are all LCD you know

My advice Sue is to go with LCD. Plasma is just about defunct and OLED are too expensive as yet.

If you want Sony quality without a Sony pricetag go for LG. They actually make the panels which Sony use in their TVs.
NEC are a good option too...
Expect to pay a fair whack more than $900 if you want a 55". That money would get you a 46" or possibly a cheapo brand 50".

Actually Best Buy up here is advertising a LG 55 inch LCD on sale for $899; I am sure there are stores in the U.S. that will beat that.

be sure you compare the size of the TV to the size of the room it's going in 55 is a bit large unless you have a really large room

The rule of thumb is the distance from seating to the TV should be about 2.5 times the TV size.

ETA - That is the same model that is on sale here at Best Buy for $899.

that even sounds a little big side to me

Not really. It would mean for a 55 inch screen you should be watching from 11-12 feet back; at that distance a smaller screen starts to look lost.

I've always fancied watching porn on a 55" TV

Yeah, but that much magnification can draw attention to things that turn you off, like if you get a shot of breasts from below and can make out the augmentation surgery scars.

My 46 does fine at 12 feet 55 would be nearing on too big