In the market for a new flatscreen TV

[Chris D]

Here's one for Jason and everybody--I just bought a new house. The great room (living room) has a built-in wall cabinet that would be perfect to put a flatscreen TV in, so it's not overtly obvious in the room. Can you guys help me pick out a good model? Here's what I'm going with:

- Would like one of the biggest displays I can fit. Limiting dimension is going to be width, which is 39 and 1/2 inches for the opening. (maximum outer dimension of the TV casing) Plenty of height. Not enough depth for a full CRT, but more than enough for any flatscreen.

- I don't have a specific budget in mind. For now, let's say that price is no object, and then if they come back unreasonably expensive, we might have to constrain it.

- Want 16:9 HDTV

- Want 1080p capability.

- Should be as "future-proof" as possible, with modern HDMI 1.3 technologies and such.

- Doesn't have to be bought right now. If something is about to be released in the next 6 months, I can wait.

- Doesn't need an onboard NTSC/ATSC tuner, but I wouldn't mind.

- Doesn't need speakers. (matter of fact, would prefer it without speakers, or with detachable speaker options)

- Room does have lots of windows for outside light, but I'm not hung up on needing something overly bright.

- Current sales in any big store or mail order would be a plus, but not mandatory. (We do have Best Buy, Sears, boutiques, military stores here in Alaska, and I think Circuit City, but I'm not sure)

[Chris D]

Oh, yes, and this would be used on a display stand. Next, I'll be looking for a flatscreen TV for the master bedroom, wall-mounted. (no size restriction on that one)

How about the Sharp Aquos LC-37D62U? 1080p, fits my dimensions, and Amazon has it on sale for $1,333.29 plus $60 shipping to Alaska. Just HDMI 1.2

[aud19]

If your going LCD the Sharp's would be on the top of my short list, along with the Sony and Samsung units. Otherwise for plasma I'd go with the new Pioneer plasmas with they're tasty black levels and stellar PQ even if it's not 1080p res (which is unimportant at that size IMO anyway)

[Alloroc]

The new Philips 37" Cineos (37PF9731) with ambilight is a great set. I have the 42" version as my main set and it's just perfect. The fit and finish is great. Almost Loewe or B&O level of build quality and style. They're pricey though and I'm not sure if they're available in your market.

http://www.consumer.philips.com/consumer/catalog/tree/en/gb/consumer/tv_gr_gb_consumer/flat_tv_ca_gb_consumer/ce/_productId_37PF9731D_10_GB_CONSUMER/digital_widescreen_flat_TV+37PF9731D_10?proxybuster=VBN0CZHAW2FBFJ0RMRESHQNHKFSEKI5P

I also recently bought a 40" 1080P Samsung for the family room and it's ticked all the boxes. It was cheap, really decent picture, 3 x hdmi 1.3 and looks good too.

http://www.samsung.com/Products/TV/LCDTV/LNT4065FXXAA.asp

V.

[Chris D]

Thanks, I'm kind of thinking I might just go ahead and spring for that Sharp. Vincent, I checked out the Samsung and it looks great! Only problem is, it's one or one half inch too wide.

I'm going to keep looking, though. If I can shoehorn a 40" in there instead of a 37", that extra 3" could be great.

[Alloroc]

Thanks, I'm kind of thinking I might just go ahead and spring for that Sharp. Vincent, I checked out the Samsung and it looks great! Only problem is, it's one or one half inch too wide.

I'm going to keep looking, though. If I can shoehorn a 40" in there instead of a 37", that extra 3" could be great.

Cool. Sharp isn't really a big brand over here. The market is a bit too small really. Sony, Philips and Samsung are most popular followed by LG, Panny and Pioneer. Whish is a bit crap as selection can be limited and costs are usually higher. I've read good stuff about the Aquos though...

[Chris D]

Well, here's the latest of what I'm thinking:

Best Buy is having a few sales right now. Here's a Samsung 40" 1080p Flat-Panel LCD HDTV, model: LN-T4061F. Very similar to the one Vincent posted.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8249736&productCategoryId=pcmcat95100050006&type=product&id=1169512288959

On sale for $1799.99. Not bad. But it also has free shipping, including here in Alaska, which is pretty big. (now Ron Popeil voice) But WAIT! There's more!

Buy a TV like that from Best Buy, and you also get a free under-cabinet TV with DVD player.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8256763&type=product&id=1169857426752

I've been thinking about putting something like this in the kitchen. Free... not bad.

Thoughts on these, particularly the LCD TV?

[Alloroc]

Hi Chris,

I'm really happy with my sammy. Mine being the euro version of the LN-T4065F. I think the only difference betweek the 91 and the 65/66 is the contrast ratio - 65/66 = 15000 & 61 = 10000. I have no idea if this makes a massive difference and is worth shelling out and extra $500 for the 65/66. The 61 variant is not available here. The euro version supports 24p too, although they're only stating this in certain euro markets. A firmware update on the set will deliver this. Mine does as it has the latest firmware - although they don't advertise that it does. I have it working with my PS3 and my PC - tested with Powerstrip.

The picture quality is great - best blacks I've seen on a LCD. Blu-ray and games on the PS3 are fantastic. Better (not by much, but better) than the more expensive Philips (build quality and looks on the Philips is better, imo).
Colours are also great to me but I've read a little criticism in some fora about it - apparently it bleeds a little, but I can't tell. It's also amazingly bright - probably the higher contrast ratio. SD pictures are also great.

Sound is iffy, but I keep the set muted so it's not an option. The three HDMI 1.3 inputs are really handy to have. Two at the back and one at the side. There are 2 RGB SCARTs for us euros, 1 component and 1 s-video. there's also a toslink out for audio (no use to me). Anyhow, it's got connectivity licked. The euro model also has a DTV tuner but since I've got a HD PVR STB, it's no use to me. I think the US model has a HDTV tuner.

Here's a pic of my exact set. Different looks - it's all black.

My bottom line was this. I wanted a new set for the family room. I was all out to get either the new Sony 1080p LCD or the Panny z700 plasma. They were all side by side in the store and were hooked up to blu rau players (all sonys) and playing the same demo disk at 1080p. The Samsung and the Panasonic were clearly superior to the Sony - even after some experimentation. The Panny was (only) a little better on 1080p, i and 720p. The Samsung was better on SD. The z700 (best looking set though) cost over €1400 more than the Samsung! Case closed and decision made - made the wife very happy. The Samsung was in the back of the car and on the way home shortly after. I'm experimenting with its config now and i'll post my settings for you if you're interested and you buy.


V.

[Alloroc]

BTW, I got one of those undercounter players a couple of years ago for 'The Blonde' (the wife). She liked it at first but never really used. The quality was pretty poor and just ended up in the way to be honest. It's gone now.

[Chris D]

Huh... good stuff to know. I can't find printed anywhere that the 61F has 1.3 compliance on the HDMI inputs. Do you know whether that's the case? I would assume it is, if it's a slightly different version of the same generation, same model.

[Alloroc]

Huh... good stuff to know. I can't find printed anywhere that the 61F has 1.3 compliance on the HDMI inputs. Do you know whether that's the case? I would assume it is, if it's a slightly different version of the same generation, same model.

Logically, I'd assume the same. But who knows. With the price difference and all it could be their way of pushing the 65f.

[comeup]

Hi Chris,

Have you looked at the July issue of What HiFi Magazine?

They have these flat screens competing with each other and ranked out of 5 stars.

Atec 47ODS ** poor black levels and detail

Hitachi P50T01 **** Excellent, clean & stable off air,solid video,vivid
colour, but lack insight.

Panssonic TH-50PX70 ***** great black levels and superb depth of field:close
runner between this and Samsung

Pioneer PDP-507XD **** performance is impressive, thanks to vivid colors
and good, deep blacks and slight softness lets it
down.

Samsung PS 50Q97HDX ***** (CONTEST WINNER)Superb attention to detail
that's second to none here, together with an
impressive color palette and solid insight

Sharp LC 46XD1E *** Rather noisy image from all inputs and a
disappointing on-board digital tuner mean the
Sharp doesn't trouble the best

Sony KDL46W2000 **** a sharp, detailed image that's free of any noise
or grain is only let down by the LCD trouble at
dealing with blacks



Chris, these are quotes from the magazine not my own they have details on each flat panel in the Magazine. Worth the ten bucks IMO. Good Luck

[Chris D]

Thanks, comeup!

I bit the bullet last night and bought a Samsung LT-N4066F. I couldn't find the info printed anywhere, so I asked the store guy and he said the 66F is 1.3 compliant, but the 61F is not. Turns out, after I got home, I checked Samsung's website, and it says that anything 6XF is 1.3 compliant. Oh, well. It looks awesome in my cabinet--wish I had access to my camera.

[Alloroc]

Great stuff Chris. :T

Wait till you try the playstation on it.

How much was it in the US, if that not too nosy a question? Mine was €1800.

BTW, I'm not sure if this is an issue with sets in the US but over here our models also support 24p. Well sort of. In some markets Samsung advertised that it did and in others they didn't. There is a firmware update that's needed on sets manufactured before May 29th. My set is firmware 1012. It does not support 24p - 1013 does. But, as the salesman stressed that it did, I have comeback. They have a new bunch of sets coming in that do and they'll replace for me. Now, the latest version of the firmware v.2000 fixes another bug with EDID on HDMI and the PS/3. This firmware version can only be factory supplied, apparently.

This however could all be moot as although the sets and specs between Euro and US models are the same - the software is probably a little different and does 24p matter on that size of set anyway?!

Eitherway, my retailer said they'd replace it so that's fine with me.

V.

[Chris D]

Yeah, that's about right. I ended up paying $1999 out the door (no tax in Alaska) with the free undermount TV as well. (about $250) You can get a better deal on Amazon, but with the shipping issue to Alaska, that's the best deal I could find.

Huh... interesting. I assume there's no way for the user to update the firmware? I'll have to check on what mine is.

Yeah, I can't WAIT to hook up my PS3 and try a game and/or BD movie in 1080p for the first time! My next step after that would be to get a 1080p projector for my theater. So far, this TV looks good, though. I did a OTA channel scan with it, and found several local HD channels that it brought in. Now, if we can just get TV stations to broadcast in true 1080p!

Interesting--here's what the Samsung website says about fps:

Samsung's 1080p LCD TVs are 1080p30. That is, 1080p at 30 fps (frames per second).

[Chris D]

from the website about HDMI 1.3.

Of the LN-T series Samsung LCD TVs, those models whose last two digits are 61, 65, or 66 (for example, LN-T4066F) have the HDMI 1.3 interface.

Though other series of Samsung LCD TVs (LN-R, LN-S, etc.) have HDMI connections, none have models with the HDMI 1.3 interface.

[Alloroc]

I assume there's no way for the user to update the firmware? I'll have to check on what mine is.

Firmware needs an engineer, apparently. Although I've heard some noise about it being updated over the air - but not too sure about that one.

You can find the firmware version via the service menu. Put TV on standby, then press info, menu, mute, power. Below the menu options are 5 lines, the last 4 digits of the first line are your firmware version. As I mentioned, 1012, bad. 1013 good and 2000 best.

I got the game 'Ninja Gaiden Sigma' over the weekend and it's by far the best looking game I've seen yet. It's a bloody great game too. I also got Brucie Live in Dublin on bluray and the picture is amazing. DD and PCM via optical is ok. Not as good as my DVDP but that's no surprise. It's pushing me now towards a reciever or processor with HDMI 1.3 uncompressed audio. It never ends, does it?!

V.