Purchasing LCD TV's on the web...

Ramblings
#1

Have any of you done this through websites such as UBid.com, BuyDig.com, TigerDirect, RefurbDepot.com, etc?

I’ve seen some good prices offered but am skeptical of going through some smaller party b/c I’m worried I’ll get screwed, or get faulty equipment.

#2

I bought a set of speakers and AV receiver from UBid about a year ago with no problems. I’ve never bought anything else there though.

#3

Buying AV online has come a long way over the years and it’s unfortunate that so many people are still paranoid about it. With that said, my biggest caution against buying a TV online is that you simply cannot see it in person unless you find the exact same model locally to compare. But as far as trusting online merchants, that’s really nothing to be concerned about if you do your homework.

Just run them by [URL=http://www.resellerratings.com]http://www.resellerratings.com[/URL]

If the reviews/ratings are good, then I wouldn’t worry about it in the least. I’ve ordered LCD panels, surround sound systems, digital cameras, countless pieces of PC hardware and even an acoustic guitar from California, all online from small party vendors. Never had a single issue with anything, ever. But again, I did my homework first.

#4

JCL

If you were going to be one HDTV right now for approx. $1,500, give or take, what would your recommendation be?

#5
JCL

If you were going to be one HDTV right now for approx. $1,500, give or take, what would your recommendation be?


I think that really depends what my needs (size, primary use, location, etc.) are. But, for that price range, I would rule out plasma simply because you’re not going to get a high quality, large screen plasma for that budget (though prices keep coming down every day). So I’d look for the best LCD 1080p I could find. I love Samsung’s HDTV’s and personally, I think their picture is hard to beat. But I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the best bang for your buck HDTV is Vizio if you’re on a budget. I’d rather get a bigger LCD Vizio than a smaller Samsung, Sony, etc. Costco has a Vizio 47" 1080p LCD for $1599.99 that I’d put up against virtually any comparable TV. Go compare them to other brands and you’ll see how great they are for yourself. We have one here at work that has a nicer picture than the Samsung I have at home.

And if you can hold off until Black Friday or for holiday sales, you will likely get an even better deal.

#6

Unless you actually want an on-air tuner, you could go with an HD monitor instead of an “HDTV”. If you have cable or satellite like 99% of people do, then I’d go with a monitor.

Westinghouse as a great 1080P monitor for as low as $1,200 shipped:

http://electronics.pricegrabber.com/plasma-lcd-televisions/m/16643153/search=Westinghouse+LVM-42W2+42%22/sort_type=price

Just plug your cable/satellite box into it.

#7

Hey if you are looking for a LCD right now I know that Chip Player guy (I can’t recall the name of the business right now) is making a deal on a 42" and if the panthers win the super bowl you get a full refund of your money. If you are in the market for one already then this is a good deal.

#8
Unless you actually want an on-air tuner, you could go with an HD monitor instead of an "HDTV". If you have cable or satellite like 99% of people do, then I'd go with a monitor.

Westinghouse as a great 1080P monitor for as low as $1,200 shipped:

[URL=http://electronics.pricegrabber.com/plasma-lcd-televisions/m/16643153/search=Westinghouse+LVM-42W2+42%22/sort_type=price]http://electronics.pricegrabber.com/plasma-lcd-televisions/m/16643153/search=Westinghouse+LVM-42W2+42"/sort_type=price[/URL]

Just plug your cable/satellite box into it.

You mean a monitor like a computer monitor?

#9

I have had no problems with tigerdirect.com and highly recommend them.

#10

I’m looking at 32"-37", I don’t need a 56" screen b/c it would flood my entire living room.

I’ve found some nice prices on Vizios, Olevias, both of which I’ve heard some decent things about. I’ve obviously found some really cheap ones made by companies I’ve never heard of so I’m steering clear of them.

#11

My roommate got a 50 inch Samsung HD Plasma (1080p) for $1,600 on tigerdirect.com.

We have had it for almost three months now and no issues. It is actually great.

#12

I bought my 42" LCD online, though I can’t recall the site right now. It was a deal that I tracked through a forum that I frequent, and I ordered based on the reviews of others that had struck the same deal.

The biggest thing that I considered when buying online wasn’t the TV itself, but the shipping. You may find a good deal on a set, only to find out that shipping is well over $100, etc. It should also be noted that many of the larger sets (I would venture 37"+) get shipped with a freight company - not a UPS/FedEx/DHL service. Some of these companies can be hard to track, and are also typically slower, as their network is smaller than the big guys. I also had to schedule a delivery time with their dispatcher so that someone would be home.

I wouldn’t be overly concerned, but just keep it in mind when ordering. Mine took about 2 weeks to get here from Atlanta, and was delivered from the back of a company van that had apparently driven up from Charlotte (to Statesville) for the delivery.

I would do it again in a heartbeat, but it was a different experience than orders I’ve placed online in the past.

#13

Has anyone heard anything about this DLP HDTV? Panasonic PT-61DLX76 61" 1920x1080 / 1080p Native / HDMI / ATSC Tuner / DLP HD TV

[URL=http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3053692&sku=P333-6104]http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3053692&sku=P333-6104[/URL]

Only $1,399.99 on tigerdirect.com … Seems like a pretty good deal but I don’t know anything about the DLP’s …

61" might be too big for our room too, we wouldn’t be able to sit back far enough to enjoy it …

#14

the latest samsung DLP’s are pretty darn good. I’ve seen people choosing them over LCD’s. IT’s teh slim fit ones with LED lamps. The LED is preferrable because it will last much longer than the bulbs in most DLP’s. Here’s a link to the 50" model at amazon… http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-HLT5087S-Slim-Engine-1080p/dp/B000N50RLO/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3/105-2604056-4874044?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1186796590&sr=1-3

#15

Mac, how long are we talking on the bulbs holding up in those things … that link you provided was a drastic price reduction, looking pretty good to me …

#16

From what I understand, the LED life is more like 20,000 hours as opposed to the normal DLP bulb life of 3000-6000 hours. Of course, I don’t have one of these Samsung’s, but if I was buying it’d be what I would be buying right now.

#17

We got a Sony 53" LCD for about 1800. Worth every penny.

#18

[QUOTE=Brick Tamland, Weather;252854]JCL

If you were going to be one HDTV right now for approx. $1,500, give or take, what would your recommendation be?[/QUOTE]

Samsung 720p 50" plasma

or

Vizio or toshiba 42-47" 1080p lcd.

Ive purchased 3 HDTVs from buydig.com. Completely satisfied with each transaction. Items came well packed.

#19

Finally took the plunge…

Just got a Samsung 42" 720p plasma. The DirecTV HD service comes next Friday.

#20

I own a Panasonic 42" Plasma. It only runs 720p native, but it scales anything. While it does have a lower resolution, with the exception of using it for a computer monitor, I can tell ZERO difference when watching HDTV or playing HDTV video games.

That said, the colors pop on a plasma a LOT more than an LCD. Now don’t call me bias, I own stock in Syntax Brillian, the company that makes Olevia tvs, and I try to stay as unbiased as possible. But for me, to spend over a grand on a TV, DLP would be out because its still too damn big, and LCD would be out because the color just IS NOT AS GOOD.

Most of the issues are gone with plasmas that plagued the early models… I think you will really enjoy your choice!