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Post your comments for How to Buy a Cheap HDTV here

[dk3d]

Our 42" plasma HDTV (1080i) we bought 6 years ago for $2000 just blew out last weekend. We shopped around and visually compared screens and picked up a 42" LED/LCD 1080p HDTV for $360. Picture quality is noticeably better but the 2 most noticeable differences are

(a) The plasma TV put out some serious heat. I mean it was toasty walking in front of that screen and it actually warmed up the room to some degree.

The LED you have to put your hand an inch from the screen and then it's just barely warm. Exactly like a computer monitor.

the plasma weight about 70lbs. And was rather thick, about 4 inches deep. The LED is about 1.5 inches and weighs about 15 pounds. Crazy.

[dk3d]

I guess my point was... I would never ever ever never ever get another plasma. They may be cheaper but they are "old" tech. I've no doubt our plasma, based on the heat output, added $50 a month to my electricity bill. I've always hoped that one day computer monitors, with LED/LCD technology having been around for quite some time (but just small relative to a large TV), and with their crispness and cool screens with matte finishes, would someday become bigger and turned into basically large TV screens. And that's exactly what's happened these days. Do NOT... get a Plasma. There are hundreds of models of LED/LCD's or plain LCD's for under $400 that push the 50" and below range. 3D? Ok, maybe not that feature, but really, who actually wants to put on 3D glasses at the end of the day?

[mikedgolf40505]

Folks, what city do you live in; $50 a month more for your electric? Really? We are comparing Plasma's from 6 years ago. Plasma still has the best picture quality, much better black content (http://www.cnet.com....240036500.htm#2). Also CNET did a study showing that the highest performing Plasma vs. LCD energy comparison was $50 a year; not a month. That is less than $6 dollars a month with heavy usage. (http://www.ehow.com/..._-lcd-tvs_.html)

[KMZydhek]

mikedgolf40505, on 29 September 2011 - 01:43 PM, said:

Folks, what city do you live in; $50 a month more for your electric? Really? We are comparing Plasma's from 6 years ago. Plasma still has the best picture quality, much better black content (http://www.cnet.com....240036500.htm#2). Also CNET did a study showing that the highest performing Plasma vs. LCD energy comparison was $50 a year; not a month. That is less than $6 dollars a month with heavy usage. (http://www.ehow.com/..._-lcd-tvs_.html)

Not dk3d here, but having a 73" RPHDTV (aka DLP), I can vouch for increased costs to run the screen -- not necessarily from the equipment itself (that's still cheaper to run than the 36" CRT it replaced) -- but from cooling the room it's in due to the heat expelled by the bulb on our TV, and, I assume, the heat from the little plasma bubbles the OP had. Since getting the large screen four years ago, I've noticed an upward trend in AC costs during the summer, and a downward trend on heating costs in the winter -- and it's not just global warming, even though this past summer was a killer here in the plains states!

[mikedgolf40505]

KMZydhek, on 30 September 2011 - 06:23 AM, said:

mikedgolf40505, on 29 September 2011 - 01:43 PM, said:

Folks, what city do you live in; $50 a month more for your electric? Really? We are comparing Plasma's from 6 years ago. Plasma still has the best picture quality, much better black content (http://www.cnet.com....240036500.htm#2). Also CNET did a study showing that the highest performing Plasma vs. LCD energy comparison was $50 a year; not a month. That is less than $6 dollars a month with heavy usage. (http://www.ehow.com/..._-lcd-tvs_.html)

Not dk3d here, but having a 73" RPHDTV (aka DLP), I can vouch for increased costs to run the screen -- not necessarily from the equipment itself (that's still cheaper to run than the 36" CRT it replaced) -- but from cooling the room it's in due to the heat expelled by the bulb on our TV, and, I assume, the heat from the little plasma bubbles the OP had. Since getting the large screen four years ago, I've noticed an upward trend in AC costs during the summer, and a downward trend on heating costs in the winter -- and it's not just global warming, even though this past summer was a killer here in the plains states!

Hey two quick questions; first out of curiosity, how is the picture quality on that huge thing. I just don't have anywhere to put something that big in my basement. I am looking more towards a 50". Second, how old is your TV? My understanding (and I could be wrong), is that the newer ones not only have eliminated burn in as a problem; but also run cooler. Being in my underground basement, the extra heat will not be a factor during the summer and an aid in the winter; if that is still the case. Thanks for the information.

[Evildave]

I used to use a DLP projector against a huge, flat, textured plaster white wall. Worked great. Looked fine. Even though it was 480p resolution at 18 feet across.

Once it's moving, the video resolution isn't as important. Pausing and looking, yeah, you could walk up and look at the big, rectangular pixels. But otherwise, it was like a theater. You stop seeing the artifacts, cracks, textures, etc. as soon as you are immersed in the video.

So, a cheap, straight-up DLP projector, if you have the room for it, looks pretty darned nice. And it's PORTABLE! So you can take it outside and use the garage door, or other large, flat surfaces. You won't need three friends to help move it.

It can be a bit of a convoluted arrangement for speakers versus location of projector and other connections/devices... but Halo on a super-duper-big screen worked pretty good. Even multi-player split screen on the same screen. And of course if you need to be able to see it during daylight, you'll need darkening shades in the room you have the projector in.

So why settle for a six foot 'big screen', when you can have a sixteen foot, or even larger BIG SCREEN for less money?

The down-side for the projector I had was that it was a mechanical monster. Lots of whir noise, and yes, more than a little heat came out of it.

Also, be sure to buy the cables online, BEFORE you shop for the TV. If you go to a 'Best Buy' and buy the cables there, you're going to spend between 20x and 500x as much, per cable.

(A three foot HDMI cable for over $1000!)
http://www.bestbuy.c...agetype=listing

[JamieClarke]

dk3d, on 27 September 2011 - 08:16 PM, said:

I guess my point was... I would never ever ever never ever get another plasma. They may be cheaper but they are "old" tech. I've no doubt our plasma, based on the heat output, added $50 a month to my electricity bill. I've always hoped that one day computer monitors, with LED/LCD technology having been around for quite some time (but just small relative to a large TV), and with their crispness and cool screens with matte finishes, would someday become bigger and turned into basically large TV screens. And that's exactly what's happened these days. Do NOT... get a Plasma. There are hundreds of models of LED/LCD's or plain LCD's for under $400 that push the 50" and below range. 3D? Ok, maybe not that feature, but really, who actually wants to put on 3D glasses at the end of the day?

Where cam you buy a 50" under $400 ????