LCD choosing help please

[vexhold]

I am going to get my wife a 32" - 37" LCD TV for the bedroom for valentines day and need some help in choosing. It will be wall mounted and have access to both SageTV-HD-200 and DirecTV-STB (WAF backup input).

Believe it or not she scoffed at the picture my 52" Samsung ToC first displayed saying it looked like people were drawn on the screen. So picture quality is important.

Sound has to be audible over a ceiling fan and a possible second fan in the summer months.

Features she requires are...

Closed Captioning
Sleep Timer
Only one remote thats not hard to use.

But other than that shes open to anything... ROFL!!

Any help is appreciated.

P.S. - I get employee discounting at Best Buy, so if possible I would like a model they carry. thanks.

[QueOnda]

Costco has a 42" on sale with a $100 off coupon for $599 (after coupon). I forget the model number at the moment but I will get the information and post back. Its a 42" Vizio VS420LS1A.

Also Costco has a Scepter 40" online only for $600.

In my past experience with BB, they mark up there TVs, and usually can get them cheaper elsewhere. Unless your discount is 20-30%.

[vexhold]

discount = 5% over cost

[QueOnda]

So, how much do they mark up??

I have added the info above.

[vexhold]

Heres are some examples from when I built my main theater area...

Samsung 52" ToC --- BB price: 3200 my price: 2300

700w Power Supply --- BB price: 200 my price: 70

Chief LCD Wall Mount --- BB price: 800 my price: 250

Panamax Power Filter --- BB price: 700 my price: 260

Denon 3808ci AV reciever --- BB price: 1599 my price: 900

Harmony 890 Advanced remote --- BB price: 300 my price: 120

Klipsch Quintet SL w/ 12 sub --- BB price: 1600 my price: 660

And the big markup is cables...

High End
Monster Cable - Ultra Series 1000 8' HDMI Cable --- BB price: 128 my price: 35

Low End
Dynex 6' HMDI cable -- BB price: 40 my price: 6

[pjpjpjpj]

Originally Posted by vexhold

And the big markup is cables...

Amen, brother. The cost difference in BB cables vs. monoprice.com is enough to make you want to puke. Heck, even other B&M places like Staples... I got the same 100' CAT5e cable from monoprice for $12 that was $78 at Staples.

Not to threadjack too much... my experience has been that with LCDs, stick with the S's... Sony, Samsung, Sharp. Plasma, Panasonic. I have seen some Vizios that look okay, but not as nice at the others I mentioned. I have never seen a "store brand" that looked as good as others (Sceptre, Dynex, Insignia, Olevia, etc.) They do fine on still shots but they suffer in high-motion/action material.

But as I tell everyone who asks, go and look at it yourself in person. And more importantly, make sure SHE does. Everyone's eyes are different.

On another note, I've noticed that plasma TVs don't come in 37" any more (anywhere?), so if you could find one still at a store, I bet you could get a great deal on it... if your bedroom isn't very brightly lit.

[HelenWeathers]

In LCD TVs, Samsungs are hard to beat. I have a 32", 37" and 52" (750 Series) and they beat the Sony 40" I had hands down. The 52" has a slightly better picture that the 50" Samsung Plasma and the blacks are just as good as well. (Both 1080p sets)

Keep in mind, it takes two to four weeks for the pixels in an LCD tv to achieve their best response times and color depth.

Action sequences can truly be a blur for the first few weeks.

[SWKerr]

My brother researched his purchase forever and ended up with a Samsung Plasma. I have a 46" DLP, 42" Plasma and a 27" LCD. The best picture is the Plasma. I have not seen a black level on a LCD that is as good as a plasma. There is apparently a new technology out there that matches the Plasma but it was very pricey according to my brother.

[S_M_E]

Dead pixels on an expensive LCD TV would drive me mad (it's bad enough on my much cheaper 26" monitor), I'll be going plasma.

[HelenWeathers]

Originally Posted by SWKerr

There is apparently a new technology out there that matches the Plasma but it was very pricey according to my brother.

Starting with the 650 series (I believe) the Samsung LCDs have had the same contrast ratio as their plasmas (50,000 to 1). They are working toward 100,000 to 1 on the LCD's but the few that are out there are expensive. I moved from the 50" plasma to the 52" LCD with some trepidation. But the 52" LCD (750 series) is just as good and I think better that the 50" plasma.

The biggest downside to the plasmas: they put out a LOT of heat. 3 to 4 times as much as the LCDs.

EDIT: The 50,000 to 1 LCDs run about 50% more that the equivalent plasmas.

[S_M_E]

I can see why some people lean towards LCD but I just don't want to risk the dead/stuck pixel issues associated with LCD. I'd rather buy a new lamp every once in a while and deal with more heat.

I've been looking at this plasma:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16889102183
SAMSUNG 50" 1080p Plasma TV PN50A650
Contrast Ratio: 1000000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio

It gets very good reviews and no dead/stuck pixels.

[vexhold]

I can see why some people lean towards LCD but I just don't want to risk the dead/stuck pixel issues associated with LCD.

Thats what the warranty is for.

[QueOnda]

I've heard if you had a dead/stuck pixel or 2 then may not be considered a warranty issue. It has to be GROSS. I

[vexhold]

True. But getting better.

As of 2 years ago, the Pixel Warranty rule for MOST LCD's was 5 dead in an area the size of a quarter.

The current rule has dropped that to 2. ( ...again this is MOST)

The leaders in making this better are LCD monitors for computers. As LCD monitors are basically the "norm" now. Manufacturers are having to "entice" people into getting the extended warranties, as this is where they make thier money. Yes, they end up replacing more due the less stringent rules, but they gain more warranty owners that never use it.