[Bob Pr.]

The small Magnavox LCD TV that I've used about 3 years suddenly went blank. I'll take it in to a repair shop tomorrow but if it's over $100, it's toast.

And I'd enjoy a bigger one. Consumer Reports lists Sony and Samsung as being among the most reliable.

I'm thinking of a 32" Samsung 1080p. The 780p models are $100-200 cheaper but I think they're not quite as good for the Blue-Ray DVDs. I can get a Samsung high end DVD player for about $60 more and --according to customer reviews on Amazon -- the resulting pictures are as good (or almost as) as the Sony Blue-Ray. (I have no special hankering for Blue-Ray but then again, I hold no grudge against seeing sharp detail and excellent color contrast and gradation.)

I belong to Sam's Club & Costco and there's a BestBuy in town but none have the model (or near equivalent) that I want except in 20% more expensive Sonys, 20% less expensive other brands or Samsungs and Sonys in the 780p models.

Any experience, recommendations?

 

[bbbbmom]

We have the 46" LCD Samsung 1080dp...based on Consumer Reports recommendations last year. I love it but what do I know? I'm not picky

We did buy a speaker set for $299 to enhance the sound. But, we really needed it for playing Rock Band.

 

[Allie]

At 32" you're really not going to see a huge difference between 780p and 1080p. You'd be just as well off buying an upconverting dvd player and watching your regular dvds on it (via hdmi) rather than a blu-ray player, plus save a lot of money. Blu-ray isn't going to be replacing regular dvds anytime soon.

 

[bearsdad]

I like both brands.. top 2 in my estimation. The big difference between the two is the audio quality when using the built-in speakers. I have an older Samsung and the speakers are on the front of the TV, the newer ones are on the back and do not face directly at the viewer. This is the reason I went with a Sony for my new main TV. There is a big difference in the sound. Picture wise they are really equal and Samsung and Sony cross-license their LCD production.

 

[kelli]

At 32" you're really not going to see a huge difference between 780p and 1080p. You'd be just as well off buying an upconverting dvd player and watching your regular dvds on it (via hdmi) rather than a blu-ray player, plus save a lot of money. Blu-ray isn't going to be replacing regular dvds anytime soon.

I agree 100%

If you get a 32", save the money and go 720p and pick up an upconverting dvd player for cheap.. however i'm going to warn you.. you get really used to the size really quickly.. unless this is for your bedroom, i'd suggest going up to at least a 42" for a main tv.

Samsung and Sony are the top for LCD, Panasonic and Pioneer are the leaders in Plasma.

 

[AZLAB]

I have 2 Sony's both 780dpi. Love them both but I will say the Aquos has a better picture.

The first is an Aquos 42 inch that I watch TV on got it on sale at Costco (check the coupons they hand out I saved $100 there) the 2nd is a 42 inch Bravo or something like that. I use for a computer monitor but it is also hooked up to the TV cable. At work I use two 20 inch monitors so when I work from home I was having to flip screens as I have about 5 sessions opened at once now I can just line them up across the screen. My uncle got me the 2nd one on Black Friday for $399 from Best Buy at midnight. I was just looking for a 22 inch monitor on sale.

 

[kelli]

I have 2 Sony's both 780dpi. Love them both but I will say the Aquos has a better picture.

The first is an Aquos 42 inch that I watch TV on got it on sale at Costco (check the coupons they hand out I saved $100 there) the 2nd is a 42 inch Bravo or something like that. I use for a computer monitor but it is also hooked up to the TV cable. At work I use two 20 inch monitors so when I work from home I was having to flip screens as I have about 5 sessions opened at once now I can just line them up across the screen. My uncle got me the 2nd one on Black Friday for $399 from Best Buy at midnight. I was just looking for a 22 inch monitor on sale.

okay..

720p not 780dpi
Bravia not Bravo

And saying i have an aquos and 2 sony but the aquos is better is like saying i have 2 fords but the chev is better.

Okay well.. every company has different lines.. base models, top of the line and a whackload of crap in between.

You need to compare apples to apples, trucks to trucks.. not a sub-compact to an SUV.

It makes no sense.

And don't even get me started on what you need to ensure an LCD is appropriate for a computer monitor.. not all of them are and people have no clue when buying an LCD to replace a monitor.

 

[kelli]

Oh.. which is to say.. Sharp is another good brand.. my point was you need to compare things like refresh rates and features and such.. to get a real indication of PQ.

 

[Benson's mom]

I agree 100%

If you get a 32", save the money and go 720p and pick up an upconverting dvd player for cheap.. however i'm going to warn you.. you get really used to the size really quickly.. unless this is for your bedroom, i'd suggest going up to at least a 42" for a main tv.

Samsung and Sony are the top for LCD, Panasonic and Pioneer are the leaders in Plasma.

I agree with the above statements 100%
We just bought a 42" Panasonic plasma 720p from sears for $699. Beautiful picture, great quality. You can't tell the difference between 720 and 1080 in a tv 42 or 46" and smaller. Sears actually had them marked down another $100 last week. Too late for the price guarantee, though
We went with the plasma because the screen is more durable and the refresh rate is great and with the advances in technology they are saying that the plasmas can last just as long as the LCDs. A similar quality LCD would have cost us hundreds more.

 

[Mygirls2]

We have the 32" Samsung 780p for our bedroom. I love it. Also bought it because it was rated so well in consumer reports.

 

[kelli]

720p

 

[rubberballs]

Go top of the line. Sony Bravia 1080p flat-panel LCD HDTV

120Hz Motionflow high frame rate technology

DLNA compliant

24p True Cinema input capable

 

[Trickster]

No idea about the technical details, but we have a Samsung LCD (it's either a 32" or 37" -- can't remember) we got a couple of years ago. We love it and have had no problems with it whatsoever.

 

[Allie]

Go top of the line. Sony Bravia 1080p flat-panel LCD HDTV

120Hz Motionflow high frame rate technology

DLNA compliant

24p True Cinema input capable

For a 52" yes, I would agree....but not a 32". It just isn't worth the money.

And for Bensonsmom saying you can't tell the difference between 720p and 1080p on a 42 or 46" TV, I would disagree. 32" is usually the cutoff for the 720p vs. 1080p debate. But you will still get a great picture at 720p on a 46" TV, especially if all you do is watch movies or HD TV channels. But if you play Xbox360 or Playstation or are a serious movie guru, you will want the better resolution that 1080p affords. Me, I think it's crazy to get a 42 or 46" 720p TV...if you're going big you might as well go for 1080p. But since we are talking 32" here, I still think it doesn't matter much. Neither will the frame rate.

 

[kelli]

Viewing distance is also a factor.. the closer you sit, the more you'll appreicate 1080p on a larger TV.

 

[Samson]

I have a 32" and a 26" Samsung LCD ! I totally agree with Eric re the sound ! I now have a surround sound DVD player and the sound is adequate.

My consumer magazine says that Panasonic have it all stitched up quality wise but they go into the nitty gritties and if like me your eye sight isn't what it used to be I can't see the 1080 making that much difference although both of mine are !

I personally wouldn't go down the Plasma route because of their high power usage and standby costs.

I would also agree with Kelli re the size ! Go for the larger screen if you have the room and the finances ! I regret getting the 32" and I only have a small room !

 

[Benson's mom]

For a 52" yes, I would agree....but not a 32". It just isn't worth the money.

And for Bensonsmom saying you can't tell the difference between 720p and 1080p on a 42 or 46" TV, I would disagree. 32" is usually the cutoff for the 720p vs. 1080p debate. But you will still get a great picture at 720p on a 46" TV, especially if all you do is watch movies or HD TV channels. But if you play Xbox360 or Playstation or are a serious movie guru, you will want the better resolution that 1080p affords. Me, I think it's crazy to get a 42 or 46" 720p TV...if you're going big you might as well go for 1080p. But since we are talking 32" here, I still think it doesn't matter much. Neither will the frame rate.

All the research I had looked at seemed to indicate that I would not be able to tell the difference. I do only watch movies and usually only hd channels, except discovery health which is not in hd in my package. So far, it's great. Then again, I was going from a 27" tube tv to a 42" plasma.. huge difference!

 

[Benson's mom]

I have a 32" and a 26" Samsung LCD ! I totally agree with Eric re the sound ! I now have a surround sound DVD player and the sound is adequate.

My consumer magazine says that Panasonic have it all stitched up quality wise but they go into the nitty gritties and if like me your eye sight isn't what it used to be I can't see the 1080 making that much difference although both of mine are !

I personally wouldn't go down the Plasma route because of their high power usage and standby costs.

I would also agree with Kelli re the size ! Go for the larger screen if you have the room and the finances ! I regret getting the 32" and I only have a small room !

When I was doing my research, I think the annual cost of plasma over LCD was about $40/year more. Not that huge of a deal when you consider that the LCD's cost more typically up front.

 

[Bob Pr.]

Ahh-hh-h! Thanks!!

I HAD ordered a 32" Samsung LCD TV 1080 from Amazon before getting your replies (especially Kelli's) -- and after, began reconsidering.

My 3 year old 17" Magnavox went toes up a week ago.

I wanted a larger one, so ordered a Samsung 32" from Amazon.com after digesting the info in Consumer Reports.

I was going to get a quote on getting the Magnavox fixed thinking, if it was less than $100, I could use it in the bedroom to check the morning weather conditions on TheWeatherChannel before Puff and I went out about 6 AM.

BUT, almost all of the many places in Topeka that USED to repair TVs are now out of business. There are only 3-4 (for a metropoltian pop of 180,000) whereas there used to be 18-20. And the ones that I'd previously used and liked were defunct.

SO, Puff and I drove to Lawrence, KS, (home of KU and the Jayhawks -- BB game tonight!) which has an electronics repair place I'd often used for quality HI-FI/etc. stuff -- excellent place except - it's no longer in business -- it was occupied by a (nameless) political party HQs.

So I went to KIEF's, a high end audio/electronics store from which I've often bought speakers, tuners, amps, etc., and asked them where to go for repairs.

The very helpful manager said the TV/Electronics repair business has shrunk enormously. (no $h*t)

He called a couple places still in business and both said that parts for my 3 yr. old Magnavox were no longer available.

THAT got me wondering about differences in the various company's ability to stand behind and support the products they're producing.

Maybe 25 years ago, I'd bought a 23" and a 30" Mitsubishi TV from Kief's. No repairs were ever needed until 5 years ago for the 30" and that led me to buying the Magnavox at Sam's Club.

BUT IF some LCDs last only 3 years -- WHICH are the ones that can last 10-15 years? And which will have parts available AFTER 3-5 years?

I'd ordered (prematurely, before reading suggestions) a Samsung 32" LCD 1080p TV from Amazon -- thinking it'd get here in a few days. BUT the order conformation said delivery by March 3rd. Too long to wait, with all the KU Jayhawk BB games, Weather Channel updates, Jim Lehrer News Hour, Charlie Rose, CNN, etc., favorites.

I WANTED it delivered ASAP, or nearly so. BUT (found out in a call to Amazon today) these TVs ship ONLY at the super-saver (free shipping) rate and with a 10-13 day lag time -- expedited, extra cost shipping is NOT available for them.

SO, then I called Amazon to ask which company? -- Samsung or Sony? -- provided parts for their products at least 5 years down the road?

Amazon gave me phone #s to call to ask.

Samsung 1-800-726-7864

Sony 1-800-222-7669

I called both.

I got a non-commital response from Samsung and a generic response ('we're committed to LCD TVs so I'm sure we'll help you') from Sony.

Neither company's response assured me that IF I invest (near or over) $1k in that company's product that -- IF it needs repair in 4-5 (or 10-15) years, that parts will still be available. Sony came just a LITTLE bit closer than Samsung, IMO.

I THINK that among the factors to consider (including initial cost, specifications, performance, etc.) is the long term reliability, repairability, sustainability of the product.

Certainly if someone told me that the Magnavox for which I paid $300+ would last only 3 years ($100/year), I'd have looked for a more favorable depreciation rate.

 

[zoezoe]

bob, go to costco and walmart and LOOK at each TV. you don't have to purchase a samsung or a sony to get a decent tv. i have a 32 inch sanyo (internal parts made by samsung) which I love. I've also had an off-brand that the ex got almost 3 years ago that is good quality but not as good as the sanyo. if you are not into hi def movies and games; others tv's will suit your needs fine. i am a tv freak...i have one in almost every room..sick, i know....