Buying a new TV

[Thorin]

Yeah, but Adams was using the term "burn-in", so I thought I'd just go with the flow rather than define the term properly.

The Hitachi has a setting to make those bars black (completely unused) or grey (half-power) - grey is the default.  That will help with burn-in.  Last but not least, it can do some neat picture-in-picture things.  For instance, instead of one picture small inside the other, it puts the signals side by side on the screen.  Great for watching a hockey game while playing GameCube

Besides stretch, you can also do 4:3 zoom, where instead of stretching the picture sideways, the picture is left at 4:3 resolution but is zoomed in so that a little gets cut off the top and bottom.  This is usually alright for typical TV shows, as most TV shows are shot in such a way that the most important thing to the story is near the center.

Can you tell I read the manual start to finish?

[Adams]

Just a genital warning

Err, you meant "general", right?  I don't think I want to know what was on your mind while you were writing this post

Gentle or Genitalia or General dunno... maybe a bit of all.

[Adams]

Sounds like some neato features.

I gots me a LCD 32" and its pretty cool. But side by side would be cooler.

[Shayne]

Quick note here, I bought my 46" Toshiba DLP around October last year.  In december the bulb blew on it and was replaced under warentee (all lightbulbs have a one year), things have been smooth since.

At the beginning of the May Toshbia sent me a letter saying that DLP TVs within X and X serial and X and X date were given lightbulbs that didnt meet the expected logetivity that that I had already replaced mine.  Further down they say that I now have one of the new bulbs and should expect the estimated 5000 hours of life.  To make things sweeter, for my troubles they sent me a brand new lightbulb of the new variety totally free.  So now i have a spare sitting in my storage room waiting for that fateful day a couple years from now.

Toshiba has A++ service in my opinion.  I would expect most companies would not even come close to this kind of service.

[Thorin]

Toshiba's on my list of recommended manufacturers for electronics ever since I used my first Toshiba laptop.  Damn sturdy, great service (even for out-of-warranty goods), and *knowledgable local techs*.  That was over ten years ago, even.

Another example of excellent service is Memory Express.  They seem to have figured out the secret to long-lived sales.  Now if only the Fords and DaimlerChryslers of the world could figure it out!

[TheDruid]

My next TV will be a DLP. Probably 52". However im waiting for the next gen 1080p models, that way i can be bent over the table when the movie industry starts to re-release all my favorite movies in HD =P Im also waiting for the next gen light engines which have significantly improved reducing the rainbow effect. Basically redesigned the color wheel and doubled its rpm.

I've been watching Samsung very closely since i really like their DLP line. However i haven?t counted Toboshiba out yet. Even got an old work "alumni" friend who is now the northern Alberta sales rep for Toboshiba. Gets 40% off MSRP for all toboshiba products.

Although i do have a 27" LCD i love as well... Time will tell, I?m in no hurry at the moment. I really want to get the Shaw HD PVR first.

[Thorin]

So when are these next-gen DLPs expected to arrive?  We're down to just one Direct-View TV (tube tv) at a mere 27"   Don't know how long we can last just using that (funny how we used it for years before the big-screen).

[Thorin]

So I got the TV fixed a month after it stopped working back in 2006, and now almost two years later it's borked again.

<sigh>

RCA sucks.

And now I'm thinking of a 50" Samsung plasma for $1,399 (or less if they'll haggle): http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=0926HDS0010099752&catid=23249.  Amazing how the prices have dropped in half over two years.

I'm halfway through the manual already.

[Lazybones]

Ya the prices have fallen, the walmart here has a Samsung 42" model similar to the one I have for only $997 now. However since I have recently had some issues with mine I do not recommend it.

[Darren Dirt]

So I got the TV fixed a month after it stopped working back in 2006, and now almost two years later it's borked again.

<sigh>

RCA sucks.

QFT!

[Thorin]

Ya the prices have fallen, the walmart here has a Samsung 42" model similar to the one I have for only $997 now. However since I have recently had some issues with mine I do not recommend it.

What was your model, again?  LCD or plasma?

[Thorin]

So I got the TV fixed a month after it stopped working back in 2006, and now almost two years later it's borked again.

<sigh>

RCA sucks.

QFT!

WTF?

Seriously, you use weird acronyms that others don't know.  Either you're saying, "Quoted For Truth", or, "Quit @%&#ing Talking".  Very different meanings.

I think I'm going to start a grassroots petition on the Internet to start using whole words again.  Seriously.  How much work is it to type a word out?

[Darren Dirt]

RCA sucks.

QFT!

WTF?

Seriously, you use weird acronyms that others don't know.  Either you're saying, "Quoted For Truth"

sorry. and hey, TLAs are "cool"

Was just saying I agree with the "RCA sucks" statement, as I have had a couple of their bad TVs, both I believe due to crappy power supplies or something (too long ago to remember).

[Mr. Analog]

I'm actually looking at getting a new TV (gasp!).

I figure I'll have enough saved up in a few months to buy one cash, the trick is finding the right combination of features. I did a bunch of research about six months ago, but prices and technology has changed since then (to the point where I have to go hunting around again).

I'm leaning toward plasma at the moment, but only because it seems to be a bit cheaper without sacrificing quality.

[Tom]

I'm actually looking at getting a new TV (gasp!).

I figure I'll have enough saved up in a few months to buy one cash, the trick is finding the right combination of features. I did a bunch of research about six months ago, but prices and technology has changed since then (to the point where I have to go hunting around again).

I'm leaning toward plasma at the moment, but only because it seems to be a bit cheaper without sacrificing quality.

The only problem seems to be the short lifespan and the excess heat generated by plasmas.