Need a new tv for March Madness...suggestions?

[fullor30]

Originally Posted by LoveBasketball

Someone else mentioned a compatibility problem with Vizio TVs and the HDMI cables... have you had that problem too?? These are definitely things I need to consider if I am going to get a lesser-renowned brand like Vizio. I have heard it is a good TV but I don't want red lines across the screen!

Thanks.

Samsung.................

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by LoveBasketball

Someone else mentioned a compatibility problem with Vizio TVs and the HDMI cables... have you had that problem too?? These are definitely things I need to consider if I am going to get a lesser-renowned brand like Vizio. I have heard it is a good TV but I don't want red lines across the screen!

Thanks.

I'm the one that mentioned the incompatibility possibility. Just today, my coworker who is having the problem gave me some more info on the issue.

Looks like the primary culprit in the problem may not be the TV itself. He (a tinkering engineer and his father is a TV repairman) found an issue with the source...the makers of the source cut some corners by not properly grounding the ground pins on the HDMI output jack and it is causing the picture problems.

What that means for the TV is that it will probably work fine more most sources but for a few that cut corners, it might show similar intolerances....picking up interference that corrupts the picture. I'd say that the liklihood of you having the same problem (now that he's figured out the cause) is pretty low. His source was a shuttle PC used for home threater.

[tomegun]

I just got my new TV today. I didn't really get it for march madness though. i got a 52" Samsung LCD with 120hz motion which is supposed to make sports and action smoother. We chose Samsung over Sony because we have a Samsung LCD in another room and it works great.

I also got a Logitech Harmony One remote. I got it all set up but my wife was watching something on DVR so I couldn't check it out completely.

The new TV looks a lot better, sitting on my new entertainment console/table than my Sony big screen did. I don't know why everyone at work thinks my wife is the only one responsible for the decorating in my house.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by fullor30

Samsung.................

Yeah, I heard Sam sing too. He was great.

[SDRef]

Just because a TV 'looks better' in the showroom doesn't mean it has a better picture. The TV's in the big line at the store are all cranked way too high on brightness and are way too blue. Buy the best technology you can afford and spend the money to have your TV professionally calibrated.

A $2K TV can look worse than a $1K TV in the store, but calibrate them both to the correct brightness temperature, and the better technology wins every time....

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by SDRef

Just because a TV 'looks better' in the showroom doesn't mean it has a better picture. The TV's in the big line at the store are all cranked way too high on brightness and are way too blue. Buy the best technology you can afford and spend the money to have your TV professionally calibrated.

A $2K TV can look worse than a $1K TV in the store, but calibrate them both to the correct brightness temperature, and the better technology wins every time....

I think that holds true for women, also. Just ask Spitzer.

[David]

I bought the 40" Sony Bravia last summer and the picture is so spectacular I even watched some golf for a while. There's so much difference between a standard definition broadcast and the high definition broadcast that you can get spoiled. I’m so bad that I will change channels or find something else to do if the game I want to watch is in standard definition. Unfortunately the high def channels frequently broadcast standard def content.

[ace]

I've put in a few LCD s over the last few months at work, and the one I keep going back to is Samsung. It's got one of the better pictures out there, the only negative about them is the rear facing conenctors, which I like for permanent installation that I dont want people jacking around on.

I've also got 2 Sharp Aquos that live in road cases that go to various locations, and they look sharp too.

I originally had two panasonic plasmas in 1 room, and they put out a great picture, just not sure if they still make them or not.

If it were me, I'd buy the Samsung.

Component hook-ups (YPbPr)are just as good as HDMI. The most expensive part of HDMI cables are the connector ends. So buying the most expensive HDMI cable doesn't do you a whole lot of good. HDMI does provide a nice all-in one solution as HDMI does carry Audio.

To backup what someone else said - spending the tie to dial in your color settings makes a big difference. I use a rather old school technique. (IE CHEAP) I take a special blue gel that turns color bars into grayscale, and making adjustments until I get the optimal picture. There are tools and electronics that you can use to do that as well.

[grunewar]

You guys are a bad influence on me......in a good way.

Just purchased the Sony, Bravia 46" HDTV. Can't wait for the cable guy (hopefully not Larry) to come hook up my HD. My entire family thanks you all!

[26 Year Gap]

[LoveBasketball]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

I think that holds true for women, also. Just ask Spitzer.

OK wow I actually burst out laughing (loudly) when I read this while at work... oops Ohhh, Spitzy...

Thanks for the input everyone! I think I am going to go with the Vizio HDTV now that I'm not concerned about the compatibility factor that Camron_Rust mentioned. I do think the Sony and Samsung models are brilliant, but Vizio is just more my budget- especially with the size I want.

I got my bracket filled out today! Can't wait for the big dance!! I've got WVU beating Duke LOL but hey I wanted to take a gamble!!

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by LoveBasketball

OK wow I actually burst out laughing (loudly) when I read this while at work... oops Ohhh, Spitzy...

Thanks for the input everyone! I think I am going to go with the Vizio HDTV now that I'm not concerned about the compatibility factor that Camron_Rust mentioned. I do think the Sony and Samsung models are brilliant, but Vizio is just more my budget- especially with the size I want.

I got my bracket filled out today! Can't wait for the big dance!! I've got WVU beating Duke LOL but hey I wanted to take a gamble!!

Don't go all Donaghy on us.

[LoveBasketball]

Haha well I did put $20 bucks into my office pool so we'll see how well my gamble pays off...

So I think I've decided to get the 42" Vizio:

http://www.vizio.com/products/detail.aspx?pid=35

I'll probably check it out at Costco tonight- I was hoping to have this whole TV business finished and ready to go before the games tomorrow!! hope there are a lot of upsets- it's way more enjoyable that way!