Prices for 42-inch LCD TVs to drop to US$999 by end of 2007?

[Lazybones]

http://www.digitimes.com/displays/a20061218PD206.html

Prices for 42-inch LCD TVs are likely to drop to US$999 by the end of 2007 in North America, according to LCD TV makers amid heated competition in the TV market. Prices in the 37- and 32-inch LCD TV segments are also expected to fall to new lows, reaching US$799 and US$399, respectively, by the end of next year, the makers predicted.

Perfect, that is almost exactly the size I was planning on getting.

[Shayne]

I really do not see this as a problem.  A great Viewsonic 36" at Costco is $999 right now.

[Lazybones]

What model and how great? The last time I was looking around a few months ago the good ones where in the $1500 to $2000 range still. Also that is 36 not 42-inch.

[Melbosa]

That's kewl.  Only means DLPs should come down in price as well. I'm looking into getting a Samsung HLS-5066 50" in February of next year. All the reviews I have read put it as a decent 720p DLP TV, and it's at a decent price right now: http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=0926HDS0010077153&catid=23250&test%5Fcookie=1

[Shayne]

I know that its 36 (its actually 37), I'm just saying that ALREADY you can find a 37" for $999 so it totally sounds reasonable that in 365 days you can find bigger for the same price.  Doesn't it?

http://www.viewsonic.com/products/desktopdisplays/lcdtv/n3752w/

[Lazybones]

I know that its 36 (its actually 37), I'm just saying that ALREADY you can find a 37" for $999 so it totally sounds reasonable that in 365 days you can find bigger for the same price.  Doesn't it?

http://www.viewsonic.com/products/desktopdisplays/lcdtv/n3752w/

Someone with a 36 inch set might not even be able to see the difference between DVD/HDDVD and Blueray at normal seating distances. HD really is for more for people with 40+ inch sets.

[Shayne]

I read that and the guy is drunk.  At normal seating distances on Druid's 27" you can see the difference in HD

[Darren Dirt]

I read that and the guy is drunk.  At normal seating distances on Druid's 27" you can see the difference in HD

Curious, do you mean the difference between HD and non-HD? Or "the difference between DVD/HDDVD and Blueray"?

also, perhaps this thread is similar enough to this other thread to merge them? If not, at least the crosslink might be useful -- it's called "1080p Does Matter - Here?s When (Screen Size vs. Viewing Distance vs. Resolution)"

[Lazybones]

I read that and the guy is drunk.  At normal seating distances on Druid's 27" you can see the difference in HD

Curious, do you mean the difference between HD and non-HD? Or "the difference between DVD/HDDVD and Blueray"?

also, perhaps this thread is similar enough to this other thread to merge them? If not, at least the crosslink might be useful -- it's called "1080p Does Matter - Here?s When (Screen Size vs. Viewing Distance vs. Resolution)"

You mean the exact same link I posted above his comment that he is replaying to?

[Thorin]

Before we get all uppity about this, lets just define "normal seating distances".  In my house, our 52" TV sits in the living room, which is 16 feet wall to wall, with the TV against one wall and the couch against the other.  The front of the TV is about 25" out from the wall, so I'll call that 2 feet.  The front of my face when sitting on the couch is about 20" from the wall (don't ask me why I would ever bother measuring that, but I did ), so I'll call that 2 feet as well.  That gives me a viewing distance of 12 feet.  According to the graph from the article Lazy posted, at 12 feet I would notice a significant difference between 240p (my current TV) and 480p or higher on a 40" screen.  I would notice a significant difference between 480p and 720p or higher on a 60" screen.  I would notice a significant difference between 720p and 1080p or higher on a 90" screen.  The real point here is that by going to any of 480p/720p/1080p, I will notice a significant difference if I get a 40" or larger screen.  If I get, say, a 30" screen, it might not seem like that big of a difference.  If I get a 20" screen, it will probably be just as hard to make out all the details just because everything is littler.

I also have a downstairs TV, a 27" tube TV, and the viewing distance there is about 16 feet (the room is about 26 feet wall to wall).

So now, how far from the 27" do you sit at Druid's?  If your viewing distance is 16 feet (like it is when I'm watching the downstairs 27" tube TV), the difference might not be very noticeable.

[Thorin]

I've also found that 240p TVs can still have a very good picture if the signal they're receiving is clean (or perhaps recorded in HD?).  For instance, Shaw's channel 61 has Scrubs on every night and it's a much better, smoother, clearer picture than Heroes is on channel 8 (on Mondays).

[Shayne]

Guess thats all about positioning of the TV.

Looking at that chart it says that my seating 12' away from my 46" DLP that 720P is noticeable and 1080p might start to become.  I suppose I can agree with that.  I have the luxury of actually being able to prove this.

I think Druid's 27" is like 6 feet or so away (maybe less?) from where were playing on it.  The showing of that TV has pushed me into getting the 32" version.  Stunning, affordable, what more could you ask for I guess.

I will agree with Thorin on the above post that signal has a lot to do with it.

[Lazybones]

I will agree with Thorin on the above post that signal has a lot to do with it.

Ever try comparing sets at a large electronics store that has almost all of them running through a analog single splitter?
I think visions is the only one that tries to avoid that.

[Shayne]

A key reason why 95% of my TV purchase decision came before seeing it in person.

[Lazybones]

A key reason why 95% of my TV purchase decision came before seeing it in person.

The tricky part is trying to get an apples to apples comparison in a store. I want to compare the same TV running off the same source, through a high quality connection. It is rare that I have seen both of these in one place.

[Shayne]

This forum was instrumental in helping with my buying decision: http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/

[Melbosa]

Cova gave me this forum to check: http://www.avsforum.com/

[Thorin]

Looking at that chart it says that my seating 12' away from my 46" DLP that 720P is noticeable and 1080p might start to become.  I suppose I can agree with that.  I have the luxury of actually being able to prove this.

Yes, the difference between 480p and 720p is noticeable for your screen size at your viewing distance.  The difference between 240p and 720p is much greater than between 480p and 720p, thus comparing your 46" 720p to a regular 46" 240p, you'll notice a very significant difference.  Given the size of your screen and your viewing distance, according to the chart you probably won't notice much difference if you go out and buy a 46" 1080p.  Which is what that article was all about - the further away the TV sits, the less obvious the differences between the different resolutions are and the less value you'll perceive in the upgrade.  Of course, the easy answer is to just move your couch and TV closer together

I think Druid's 27" is like 6 feet or so away (maybe less?) from where were playing on it.  The showing of that TV has pushed me into getting the 32" version.  Stunning, affordable, what more could you ask for I guess.

Four 27" TVs at 6 feet (each at a different resolution) will nicely showcase the difference between 240p, 480p, 720p, and 1080p.  Those same 27" TVs at 20 feet will not do a very good job of showing how higher res is better than lower res.  Yes, you'll be able to see some differences, but it won't be the stand-out, eye-popping comparison that it is at 6 feet.  Like you said:

Guess thats all about positioning of the TV.

Now I have a question: what resolutions are HD-DVD and Blu-Ray?  Am I right in thinking they're 720p and 1080p, respectively?  Or are they both 1080p or both 720p?

[Shayne]

1080p both of them

[Lazybones]

HD DVD vs Blue-ray debate moved to its own thread.