Stan's HDTV Buyers Guide

Ah, the holidays and classes have kept me from blogging for too long. So, since I have had to pull 60+ hour shifts over the last couple months, let me help you the way I have helped many customers.

This is my help to those looking for a new TV with their holiday monies.


Name Brand vs. Non- Name Brand

Every single damn day, I see customer after semi-intelligent customer by a TV from a brand that they had never heard of UNTIL that day and until that minute. Brands like Olevia, Curtis, Dynex, Hisense, and Vizio are some stickers that come to mind. YES, That’s right; VIZIO is technically a non-name brand. On Vizio’s website, they pride themselves on being a “value” brand electronic seller. I’m sorry, but when a company goes so far as to say VALUE BRANDED ELECTRONICS, I lose all interest, and you should, too! You see, the reason for my mini-rant on off-branded TV’s is, WHY???!!!! Why spend hard-earned money on an inferior product that will likely break shortly after you buy it? I understand, people in the world are cheap, but have you ever considered what goes into making a cheap TV? How about cheap parts, lack of manufacturer support (usually 90days as opposed to a full year), and the fact that Wal-Mart and Target are the only places that sell them. Also, do yourself a favor and go to Dynex’s website and read the user reviews (plants, all of ‘em are shameless plants) just to prove that if you trust a company, shouldn’t you be able to review the product for yourself?

So, what brands should you get? Try names you have heard of (Vizio aside) like Samsung, Sony, LG, Panasonic, and Sharp, to name a few. The names I just dropped are the top rated ones in Consumer Reports, so they can’t be all bad? As a matter of fact, before you spend hundreds of dollars getting your TV, why not just drop $5 and buy an online Consumer Report guide? Go to CNET, go to ZDNET, visit a store and look at the ones on display. Yes, they are slightly more expensive, but quality always is. Here is a pricing example:

-Dynex 46” 1080p/60Hz/ LCD HDTV, model # DX-46L150A11: $599
-Samsung 46” 1080p/60Hz/LCD HDTV, model #LN46C630: $895
-LG 47” 1080p/60Hz/LCD HDTV model# 47LD450: $750

A bit of a price jump, yes, but do me a favor and go to
www.dynex.com
www.samsung.com
www.lg.com

…and then tell me which you would buy.

LCD vs. LED vs. Plasma

I will make this part short and sweet. An LCD TV uses fluorescent bulbs to provide lighting for the TV and they are very popular. They are also mid range to low in pricing, so many people are attracted to them. A LCD TV, though somewhat good-looking is nothing more than a poor man’s LED TV nowadays. The colors on them are more washed out compared to the others and soon manufacturers will just abandon the line altogether. Technically, they are outdated.

LED TV’s are the newest type of TV tech and they produce incredibly bright pictures and a fluid picture with a vibrant picture. Unfortunately, they are also the most expensive type of TV. If you got the money, you can go for it I guess, but by more expensive, I mean REALLY expensive.

-Insignia 46” 1080p/120Hz/LED HDTV model#NS-46E570A11: $899
-Sony 46” 1080p/120Hz/LED HDTV model #KDL46EX710: $999
-Samsung 46” 1080p/120Hz/LED TV model# LN46C6300: $1300

Finally, and I purposely saved the best for last, we have plasma TVs. By and large the most misunderstood of all the HDTVs, the average consumer has a large stigma against plasma TVs, mainly because since they were the first new type of HDTV out there were problems with them (burn-in, outages, dead spots) but all new tech have their foibles, especially when dealing with creating a picture out of the fourth element, a super heated gas. Plasma TVs are actually the best TV on the market; when you consider picture quality, color depth, motion blur reduction, and even price-to-screen ratio. I mean, that’s all that needs to be said on the topic. Year after year, the best TV of 20XX is declared and it’s always a plasma TV. And they aren’t even that expensive, compared to the LED option! Here’s a breakdown:

-LG 50” 1080p/600Hz/Plasma HDTV model #50PK750: $1230
(Author’s Note: This model, the 50PK750, is rated the best TV in the world currently.)
-Samsung 50” 1080p/600Hz/Plasma HDTV model #PN50C550: $900
-Panasonic 50” 1080p/600Hz/Plasma HDTV model #TCP50G25: $1230
(Author’s Note: This was last year’s, best TV model, the TCPXXG25 series that is.)

So what TV should you buy? That is solely up to you, the consumer. My only real suggestion is to ask yourself, Is saving $200 worth getting a non-name branded piece of electronic? Nope, it never is. Should you finance the TV on some special no-interest deal? Sure, if you have the financial means, and credit. Should you invest into a store warranty? Depends, ask questions, look over the literature, and if a store bought one doesn’t cover dead pixels or promise in-home service, then maybe it’s not worth it. Budget yourself, do your research, and don’t forget to buy some HDMI cables, otherwise you are wasting your time.