Best Buy: Consumers baffled by HDTV

[Deja Q]

http://money.cnn.com/2007/09/24/news/companies/bestbuy_hdtveducation/index.htm?postversion=2007092414

:rofl:

When I was there, they tried to peddle the high def player and everything else.

No, I knew what I wanted. A replacement, high quality flat panel LCD (not plasma) TV. The TV's built-in filters clean up SDTV (NTSC) signals and make it look very good. While obviously not the resolution of HDTV, in most circumstances people will not care.

Let them buy a 32" Vizio that will break after 18 months.

[Bombero1956]

1. I am now on my 3rd LCD monitor in 2 years

My first which I bought at Costco lasted 11 months, half the picture disappeared, luckily I was able to return it under their more than generous return policy. I then bought an Akai 27" LCD monitor with built in DVD player from Costco, this one lost the picture just 13 months later. The technician said it was the main circuit board which curiously isn't made anymore. We just bought a new Westinghouse last week. I'm not baffled, I'm disgusted. :banghead:

[Deja Q]

2. I wouldn't trust the lower cost brands at all.

Which sadly includes the brands you specified. :(

I'd stick with Sony or Samsung, but I hope their lifespan exceeds 11 months too.

I'm surprised it's a circuit board and not the backlight, but anything's possible. Some Dell PC models have capacitors that blow up after 20 months, and any PC power supply whose price is really low is best left really avoided. They tend to cut corners... :(

[Blue Gardener]

5. Just bought a Toshiba Regza

With he extended warranty. Hope I don't need to use it. Got a great deal on buydig.com I just couldn't pass up. Ordered it on a Monday and it was at my door on Friday, plus free shipping, and I didn't have to pay state tax.

[Bombero1956]

8. further info

my service person told me that the Akai is basically a Samsunginsofar as most of the internal parts are made by Samsung. I also purchased an extended service agreement for this one. Hope the 3rd time is the charm.

[CrownPrinceBandar]

9. Samsung only made parts for Akai until 2003..........

after that, its Akai in all its shitty glory.

edit: I am a TV service-person also.

[supernova]

15. What brand(s) do you recommend?

Which ones would you buy for your home?

[CrownPrinceBandar]

22. sorry for the late response.....

Plasma: Samsung, Panasonic or Pioneer. I have been consistently disappointed by Toshiba's foray into plasma, and we have seen quite a few in the shop.

LCD: Sony or Samsung Some folks say Sony is shit, but we don't see many of them and Samsung just makes a good product (depending on model)

DLP: Sony or Samsung

Before you buy anything, always check to see what the online buzz is on any of the models. And call your friendly neighborhood repair shop and run the models you're interested in past a repair person and see if they've seen many of them. And always, ALWAYS get the extended service plan (especially on plasmas and LCD $$repair$$).

[Richardo]

3. TMA

Too many acronyms :scared:

[Deja Q]

4. That's probably why I'm still single.

:spray:

[Dukkha]

6. my Samsungs are very reliable

a plain 27" CRT TV still perfect after 7 years
a 19" and 20" LCD computer monitor each perfect after two years
a 30" HDTV perfect after 3 years

all of them get constant use too and excellent picture quality on all media

[CrownPrinceBandar]

10. Samsung is a pretty good brand..........

they had some problems w/ the light engines in their DLP's after they first came out, but they've gotten alot of those bugs worked out. Their rear-pro LCD'showever, still need some work.

[WinkyDink]

7. Just had capacitors replaced in my 14-year-old Mitsubishi. $164, and it's good for another ten years

I'd bet.

[Mountainman]

11. Do you mean after paying $800 to $1,500 for HDTV they only last

about a year?

[Deja Q]

13. Depends on the make and model, but many users have complained

about a certain brand on amazon.com about their TV dying after 12~18 months...

Of course, that brand's price being half that a decent brand, I wouldn't be surprised either.

[TommyO]

12. It's funny, but with a small amount of research, HDTV isn't that confusing

I think Best Buy, Circuit City, and other retailers are trying to make it more confusing than it really is so people will spend more than they have to.

Cheapest 2.0 meter HDMI cable at Circuit City: 79.99, similar cable at the Apple Store (yes, the Apple Store!) just $19.99

There's no way I'm buying any HD player until the market settles on one technology, I don't need a "Betamax" HD player floating around.

[Deja Q]

14. Wow, the HDMI cable at walmart is $29!

:wow:

And I agree re: the hi def disc battle. Even then, standard def is often good enough too; the best reasons for LCD sets being power saving.

[TommyO]

17. I got two HDMI and one component cable at my local Apple Store

and laughed when I returned the single, unopened, HDMI cable that cost more than the other three combined.

When the TiVo HD came out, I bought one right away, and installed two cable cards from Service Electric, got them setup in 13:05 (timers on phones are handy) and have been enjoying HD ever since - there is a noticeable difference and I won't go back to SD except for DVDs and programs that aren't available in HD. With the TiVo HD, it's handling of SD signals with the cable cards is a definite step up from my old digital cable box.

[QueenOfCalifornia]

16. Aren't all LCD's High Definition TV?

I have a 46" Sony Bravia - it is a high definition LCD TV - What you are implying is that you want to buy a LCD TV that is not HD - I guess I may be one of the confused people - I thought that ALL LCD's are High Def....


Please help me understand ----

[TommyO]

18. All of the big ones, yes they are HD

however they're only as good as the input, if you're using an analog or digital cable box, then you're getting standard 480i programs.

[Deja Q]

20. The LCD TV upsamples the 480i signal automatically (so the upconverting DVD player is a joke)

Especially if the upconverting player can't do as good of a job; I've had far worse problems with interlace video titles (most TV shows) than film titles (movies)...

[pink-o]

19. A brief, 12-year history of Anja's (that's me, Pink-O) television adventures

1995: I moved out of my ex-husband's flat, and due to dire financial circumstances, bought a rabbit- ears antenna, giving me reception of 3 major networks, UPN, FOX and WB. Cost: one time $25.00

2002: NBC affliate moves to station I can no longer receive on rabbit ears. Call Comcast for "Limited Basic" service in order to see Olympics. 36 channels. Cost: $14.00 per month.


2003: Kill Landline, get broadband cable internet from Comcast. Now pay them $45.00 per month.


2005: Upgrade cable TV to all channels except premium in order to get MSNCB to see Olbermann (days before YouTube) Pay Comcast $90.00 per month.

2007: Buy Samsung 40" LCD HDTV. Pay $1600.00. Upgrade to Comcast Digital Classic. Get DVR (at least they threw the cables in for free). With Internet, DVR and HDTV digital signal, I now just endorse my paycheck directly to Comcast. Cost per month: $130.00.

Wow! From zero to 130 in 12 years!

Yes, I am an idiot. Yes, I love every digital minute of it. It also doubles as my computer monitor.

[TommyO]

21. My cable company, Service Electric, gets around $135/mo from me

It's for the full cable package, hi-def, two cable cards for my TiVo, HBO and Showtime (both of them worth it for the hi-def movies, IMHO), and cable modem.