Flat Panel LCD-LED advice

[irregularjoe]

Last year my S.O. and I were wishing for our first flat panel HDTV. After months of research we settled on the Samsung 46 in. 7000 series .We were all set to buy it for approx $2300 US. But it didn't happen. Life's little problems got in the way and we put it on the back burner.

The yankering for a new TV kicked in again when my Sony Trinitron 32 in. cathode TV started giving us problems recently. She talked me into going to Best Buy and Fry's to see this years crop. So off we go....I'm checking out the new Samsung "C" series (apparent upgrade to last yeats "B" series. I talked to the BB sales rep (surprisingly this guy DID know the difference between a diode and a commode) and asked him about the upgrades or benifits in this years model as opposed to last years. Well it turned out they had two last year models in stock. One floor model and one new in a box. I ended up buying the 2009 model new in box for 1599.00. And it is the 8000 series, a step up from the 7000.

This years model is rated as LED- 3D. 3 D dosen't interest me at all. I'm much more of a Strangers on a Train guy than a Snakes on a plane guy.

But I know there must be a lot of improvements over last years products.

I haven't picked the TV up yet. I might go there today. But maybe not. I just discovered that BB has free delivery.

Does anyone have any inside info on any of the TV's I mentioned???

Thanks,

Joe

Edited August 26, 2010 by irregularjoe

[baker7]

Joe:

The only thing I would say is to be careful with bestbuy. The reason I say this is when you go to a store like this, they have all the TV's lined up on shelves or on the wall, and they have the lighting set up so the TV looks really good in the stores, but when you get it home, and set in the place you want it, it can look worse then it did in the store - Be very careful about this, because your living room or bedroom is not going to be lit like they have it in the showroom.

Second, When I got my first LCD/HD TV, I got a DYNEX 26" - Problem was, this is a bestbuy brand, and I had nothing but trouble with it - I had to return it twice to West Lebanon, NH wait 3 weeks for a repair, and the TV was STILL causing problems - I the was told on the 3rd time around that they would send a tech to my house to FIX the TV because they thought it was the Picture tube (everything was GREEN) - The appointment was made, and then a few days before the appointment, I was told that they would order the parts they thought they needed, then I was called a day before the appointment and told that I was being alllowed a new TV because they could not get the parts to FIX the TV. They INSISTED that we had to go through this process to get a new TV, and I simply told them that if these Dynex TV's do this, then they should not sell them, because they apparently are JUNK.

I bought a 26" Insigna Flatpanel HD with DVD Player, and she has been working great ever since - Just wanted to let you know, the warrenty stuff can be a pain (spent $300 on the first TV, and $45 more for the Insigna, and she has a 2 year warrenty)

Take Care, and Good Luck!!

Brian

[Pete_C]

I think things are moving towards LED.

LCD have the problem of the back light going out after a few years. Mercury and fluorescents you know, if they sit too long the mercury vapor settles out and they don't start. If they start and stop to many times the mercury deposits on electrodes and the phosphor compound and they fail So you have to figure that after two or three years you will be replacing a back light at a cost which may be several hundred dollars. Or they go with halogens which are not much better.

Plasma may be a bit better , but they put out a lot of heat and eat a lot of power, and they too do not last very long compared to old CRTs.

So with the very long life and very low power usage of LEDs, I think that they are probably going to be the way to go as the prices drop.

You can get some real deals on LCDs because of that, they know they are selling old technology and that people are getting wise to the short lifespan of the back light.

Some LCD units are designed to make the backlight easily accessible , a couple screws and a tray slides out so you can change bulbs. Just hope it was some standard bulb that remains in production. If it is a halogen, make sure to not touch it with your hands ( wear latex gloves or use paper towels) or the residue will cause it to heat more than normal and fail early.

So, do your research. Calculate the life span and see if it makes sense.

Like I just bought a new ADA height dual flush toilet . The price was a bit higher than a standard unit, but I figure that the cost per month over its life span is so low that it is well worth it for the added comfort of having a chair height toilet with a big bowl over one of those little apartment size ones that you feel you will not be able to get up off some day without a bar on the wall to grab on

[marsh_0x]

Last year my S.O. I ended up buying the 2009 model new in box for 1599.00. And it is the 8000

Hi Joe, hope you give us a test report.

Off to Google whatever a S.O. is not a clue right now., but that's understandable for me haha

Took the trash out today/tonight, 2012 we will finish the job...

Marsh