Flat Panel TV

[Black02Silverado]

Looking at upgrading to a flat panel. Anyone have any experience with Sony? We are limited to the size due to our entertainment center that we just bought and can't afford to get a new one so a 32" TV is all we can get. Well at least for now, until we win the Power Ball.

[Wingnut]

When you say "flat panel", do you mean just a flat front, or something along the lines of a plasma or LCD, hang on the wall type?

[Black02Silverado]

Sorry about that, yea an LCD flat panel. We were looking at upgrading our Directv to HD as well. From what I have read Sony is good but there are others out that are comprable and a little lower in price. My problem is finding a 32" size that will fit the entertainment center. Most have the speakers on the sides and that takes from the size that I can fit in the center.

[VistaRidgeGMC]

i use to work at Circuit City in the TV department and I can tell you from experience....that TV SUCKS.....if i were u and u want to get the best picture quality out there, get the 32 inch samsung LCD....its really nice and its got a way better picture than the Sony....Samsung and Sony are made in the same plant.....you're buying Sony because of the name, npt what they have in it.....its not worth it....

when you upgrade your direct TV box to HD, get an HDMI cable for the best picture quality possible....its a little more expensive but it's worth it....

[Elwood 2000]

I have always had great luck wtih Sony products. I have a lot of them and they have always been trouble free and lasted a very long time.

 

Russels comments reminded me of information I gathered when we were shopping for appliances. There are hundreds of brand names and 4 manufacturers, unless you get into expensive brands like Viking, etc.

 

Maybe the same is true for TV's? Do some research, you will be amazed at what you will find.

[Truckin2003]

I was looking at Flat Tv's in Best Buy one night and the Samsungs really cought my eye. Great picture quality I thought

[J45p3r]

Check out the Panasonic Plasma's. I was in BB the other day and they had a Panny Plasma that was

[Wingnut]

I will do everything in my power to avoid purchasing ANYTHING Sony puts out unless absolutely necessary.

 

They screw the consumer at every turn by ramming proprietary (and expensive) formats down our throats. Luckily, they've failed just about every time...The 3.5 floppy was their baby, I believe.

 

-The minidisc (early 80's)

 

-Music Clip

 

- HiFD (like a Zip drive)

 

-Memory Sticks

 

- PSP

 

-Of course, let's not forget the Betamax debacle (looking at that stuff, it has twinges of the current DRM battles going on...VCR's will run every theater in the country out of business, etc)

 

Almost all of these (and others) restrict the users options, and (illegaly, IMO) keep the consumer from any resemblance of property rights on something they bought.

 

The straw that really broke the camels back for me was the rootkit BS. That whole deal is worthy of two pages worth of ranting from me. What they did was illegal, unethical, narrow-minded, malicious, and in some cases, downright dangerous (making thousands of computers completely vulnerable and easily exploitable by any script-kiddie with an internet connection, and then denying it even after proof was brought forth by thousands of people.)

 

I refuse to reward that type of anti-me behavior by buying crap from them.

 

I really can't stand Sony...But I bet most of you have figured that out by now

[SoCalChris]

Glad I'm not the only one who's refusing to buy anything Sony.

 

As far as their propietary formats, don't forget ATRAC, and their current baby, BLU-RAY. Some of the DRM on BLU-RAY is far beyond the ridiculous measures that they have come up with in the past. For example, being able to downgrade the signal if you're not using a HDMI cable, and being able to remotely disable your BLU-RAY player if someone ever comes up with a way to disable the DRM on it.

 

Description of the DRM on BLU-RAY

 

I quit buying their stuff years ago, I had way too much high end equipment of theirs go bad, always right after the warranty expired. We literally had about 10 Sony items quit working right after the warranty ended.

 

The whole rootkit fiasco soured me from even more against Sony. The worst part was the complete arrogance that they showed over it, saying things like "Most people, I think, don't even know what a rootkit is, so why should they care about it?" Ask almost any computer professional their thoughts on Sony, and be prepared for a tirade. Especially if you ask someone who got stuck cleaning their crap up.

 

As far as I'm concerned, Sony can go screw themselves. They're not getting another dime from me.

[Wingnut]

The whole rootkit fiasco soured me from even more against Sony. The worst part was the complete arrogance that they showed over it, saying things like "Most people, I think, don't even know what a rootkit is, so why should they care about it?" Ask almost any computer professional their thoughts on Sony, and be prepared for a tirade. Especially if you ask someone who got stuck cleaning their crap up.

 

 

 

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I work in a building that is nothing but computer people, and there were at least 6 people install that rootkit. Our network folks were pretty much cruising the halls with shotguns looking for Sony CD's, and because of that crap, we're no longer allowed to bring music to work.

[mmmikkke]

The LCD TV industry is currently in a competition for fastest response times and highest contrast ratios. But you'll be sorry if you just play that game and don't look at the other specs and behaviors:

 

1. Look at how colors was out as you move off axis.

2. Look at how black the blacks are, and how consistently black is black.

3. Is the backlight adjustable? Important for nighttime/dark room viewing.

4. My opinion is that 6ms response time is *too fast* and will bring "flicker" to the otherwise flicker-free medium. 12ms is better--still no detectable motion blur.

5. Room light sensor makes sense.

 

Humans can detect a 10000:1 contrast range. The best LCD tv's do 4000:1. (CRT and plasma displays can do much better.) So an honest and thorough assessment of blacks and whites on your set better be done at the store before you buy it.

[MustGoFaster]

IIRC the last time I looked at tv's (jan - 06) the panasonics were top of the list at the mid-grade LCD spectrum, with hitachi next, followed by RCA then sony.

[arens]

I have a 50" Panasonic LCD and it has been spectacular. It is now about 3 years old, but back then it was one of the best picture qualities we could find. My only complaint is the bulb life. It was supposed to be good for 10k hours but we didn't anything near that. However, our replacement bulb has gone about 2 years so far.

 

Based on our experience with this one I would definately recommend Panasonic.

[Wingnut]

I have a 50" Panasonic LCD and it has been spectacular.  It is now about 3 years old, but back then it was one of the best picture qualities we could find.  My only complaint is the bulb life.  It was supposed to be good for 10k hours but we didn't anything near that.  However, our replacement bulb has gone about 2 years so far. 

 

Based on our experience with this one I would definately recommend Panasonic.

 

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I'm the same way about my Sammy DLP, except I haven't had any bulb problems.

 

But I think he's looking for an actual LCD screen, not anLCD projection set. Completely different animal.