2011 Official LGP HDTV Buying Guide

[JS©]

The tv that I mentioned is down to 1399 until Saturday. 150 in gift cards would bring it down to 1249 + tax.....delivered.

[JeffDFD]

Usually are some good deals around Super Bowl time. Wonder what we will see.

[pittsoccer33]

to be honest, this week and last week have had horrible prices in general. the stores are trying to sell off as many 2011 model televisions as they can. you will see prices start to fall greatly in the next four weeks, however, these are national ad campaigns, and different regions are likely to not be able to get the tv you want.

make sure you have a certain set of requirements, and have three or four choices. I can already not get the most popular LED and most popular plasma from last year. the stores quit ordering them, and the manufacturers quit making them.

if you see a deal on a TV jump at it before you can't get it any more, or you might be buying a floor model.

[mac5155]

I am thinking about getting a home theater but I don't need a blu-ray player. What are my options? Just suck it up and get BRP? (I have a PS3 now but don't do the whole physical media thing anyway)

[pittsoccer33]

the lower tier electronics stores just don't carry as many dedicated surround systems.

the problem with the ones with bluray integrated is that they have few external connections for attaching things like game consoles, cableboxes, and digital media players.

if i wanted 5.1 in a box I'd probably buy something like this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004O0 ... PDKIKX0DER

all the "nicest" stuff comes seperate - you buy a receiver from one of the big names (onkyo, yamaha, denon, marantz, pioneer) and then speakers.

[mac5155]

I figured I would have to buy it separate. So with something like that, I would plug my PS3 and DirecTV box into the receiver, then the receiver into my TV?

[Letang Is The Truth]

Yeah. I love having everything ran through my receiver. Makes it so much easier. I have a Yamaha receiver and I'm building a Polk surround sound system with a lava Subwoofer that's awesome

[mac5155]

That Onkyo that you posted PS is actually in my price range. Is that expandable in any form or fashion just in case 3-4 years from now I want to go bigger?

[pittsoccer33]

it is expandable in the sense that you could replace the stock speakers with some higher quality ones, but not turn it into a DTS Neo X 11.1 system. they only have so many speaker ports so adding more of them isn't possible.

[shmenguin]

if you're setting up a 5.1 system, you should really try to do it up right with in-wall speakers if possible. if you have a basement under your living room, it's not hard at all.

[mac5155]

if you're setting up a 5.1 system, you should really try to do it up right with in-wall speakers if possible. if you have a basement under your living room, it's not hard at all.

We don't own the house we live in. I would love to do that but I'd say the chances in us being allowed to do that are slim to none.

That said;

would a 7.1 system be better?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6882120088

there's a promo for another $50 off making it only $150. is this a good deal?

EDIT: it looks like that actually doesnt come with a receiver..

[shmenguin]

from everything i've heard,7.1 systems are effectively no better than 5.1 systems.there's almost no noise that gets channeled to those 2 extra speakers. you'd probably need really high volume, and high-grade speakers to even notice.

[mac5155]

The room isn't huge. I feel I'd struggle to find locations to put 7 speakers but hey, more is better

If that came with a receiver I'd almost have to bite on it. Since it doesn't, I'm back to watching out for a solid 5.1 complete out of box system

[pittsoccer33]

at set from newegg is JUST speakers. you'd need to spend around $300ish on an entry receiver to power them.

when i install a projector this year (god willing) ill probably go a 7.1 route (ill actually lay speaker wire for 11.1, but thats just so its there for the future), but thats mostly just because im investing into a specific space in my house for it.

-dvds are only 5.1
-broadcast/cable tv is 5.1
-netflix streams are 5.1 at most (could theoretically change)
-most bluray discs are still 5.1, although they use higher quality audio tracks

you can either do one of two things with the extra speakers - not use them during a 5.1 track or "matrix" them, which will send sounds that would pass by them through them.

if you don't have a neat even way to hang 7 speakers i dont think its worth it.

[mac5155]

I got excited when I saw the price but then read more into it and noticed it was just speakers. Yeah, not worth it IMO.

[shmenguin]

if you don't have a neat even way to hang 7 speakers i dont think its worth it.

good point.

it's come to the point where any time i go into someone's house, i immediately size up their living room to see how they should set up speakers - even if they have no desire to do that. about 75% of the time, i then get pissed when i see how ergonomically superior their living room is to mine - home theater-wise.

[JeffDFD]

Ok, need some help.

I am looking for a 60 inch or larger TV (may settle for 55 if I have to).

Guessing I need to avoid Plasma because it is going to be in a room with a lot of sunlight (a sunroom)

I imagine 120 HZ is good enough (is 240 worth it?)


I love a good deal and will consider anything, but I the closer to or over 2000, the more I am turned off. (is that being reasonable?)


So any advice or word on good deals? should I wait until the super bowl week? Best Buy has that commercial with the sharp big sharp TV's (60 and 70 inch) on sale. Anyone know much about those?

[Hockeynut!]

Has anyone seen the new 80 inch TVs that the stores are advertising? I think they're from Sharp. Just wondered what the quality is like. I can't find legit reviews anywhere.

[pittsoccer33]

the 80 inch tvs are the LE632 model. just for reference, the 60" sells for around $1400 and most of the stores have the 70" for $2000 this week.

its a nice enough tv especially for the price/size, but its probably closer to a 5 or 6 out of 10 on the over all picture quality scale. id caution anyone whos thinking of buying a 60+" tv to really consider their space. if its a large family or basement game room it will be fine, but if youre just trying to get the largest tv you can into a smallish room you will probably be dissapointed. standard def material (dvds) look horrible on an 80", and so does a lot of "hd" content. the mitigating factor is how far away you are sitting from it. the further the better it looks.

few companies are making LCD models above 46" now. so you're going to be buying either an LED or a plasma at 60+" for the same price the plasma tv you buy is going to be much higher quality, but you mentioned not wanting one. my general opinion is that on the lower end the LED tvs have too many extra issues (blooming, clouding, flashlighting - look these up).

Right now the prices on a lot of tv's are really lousy. The 60" Samsung D6000, our stores best selling tv of 2011, was $1500 Thanksgiving week. It's $2100 now. The good prices you find are on things that stores have already quit buying and are selling off their back inventory - making them harder to actually find new in a box.

My store has the 55" Sony NX720 for $1600 this week, and it's going down another $100 next week (if you can still find one). It was one of CNet's two editor's picks for 2011 (along with the Samsung D7000 plasma). I think of all the prices in our store that has to be the best one I've seen since Christmas.

A 60" Panasonic ST30 (plasma) is around $1500 and thats a great deal on an above average tv.

Most of Samsung's prices right now are pretty lousy. I think the stores still have a lot of stock on them and are trying to clear out some of the other brands before they get to their Samsung stock.

[JS©]

Ok, need some help.

I am looking for a 60 inch or larger TV (may settle for 55 if I have to).

Guessing I need to avoid Plasma because it is going to be in a room with a lot of sunlight (a sunroom)

I imagine 120 HZ is good enough (is 240 worth it?)


I love a good deal and will consider anything, but I the closer to or over 2000, the more I am turned off. (is that being reasonable?)


So any advice or word on good deals? should I wait until the super bowl week? Best Buy has that commercial with the sharp big sharp TV's (60 and 70 inch) on sale. Anyone know much about those?

I'm in the same boat. I have $2000 budgeted on a TV, but would prefer to stay around 1500-1600. That 59" samsung plasma didn't blow me away. I imagine this is the case with plasmas but the whites didn't seem that white.

[pittsoccer33]

The Samsung 550 plasma has fairly lousy colors, but I understand the 6000 series to be pretty good and the 7000 was one of CNets top two "if a normal person asked what tv I should buy, id tell them this one" picks

Plasma colors are warmer than LED - think of it like comparing a soft table lamp and an office fluorescent light. The plasma colors tend to be more accurate whereas LEDs oversaturate. The LEDs jump at your so much more on a show floor than plasma because of the store's lighting. Best Buy's Magnolia rooms are the best place to try looking at a tv, but they only usually have their most expensive setups in there.

[Hockeynut!]

the 80 inch tvs are the LE632 model. just for reference, the 60" sells for around $1400 and most of the stores have the 70" for $2000 this week.

its a nice enough tv especially for the price/size, but its probably closer to a 5 or 6 out of 10 on the over all picture quality scale.

Thanks for the info! I bought a 65" Panasonic a year and a half ago and I'm completely satisfied with it. I was just interested in what the quality was like on the biggest screens.

[shmenguin]

The Samsung 550 plasma has fairly lousy colors, but I understand the 6000 series to be pretty good and the 7000 was one of CNets top two "if a normal person asked what tv I should buy, id tell them this one" picks

Plasma colors are warmer than LED - think of it like comparing a soft table lamp and an office fluorescent light. The plasma colors tend to be more accurate whereas LEDs oversaturate. The LEDs jump at your so much more on a show floor than plasma because of the store's lighting. Best Buy's Magnolia rooms are the best place to try looking at a tv, but they only usually have their most expensive setups in there.

you guys hear any rumblings about the OLED's that were shown at CES? i can't imagine them being under $7,000.

[pittsoccer33]

LG's rep told me their's would be special order (ie not sold in big boxes, only high end dealers) and would be close to $10,000.

LG makes a few tv's every year that no stores want to sell, so they don't really go into production. They had a 75" tv last year, but it was something like $14,000.

edit - I guess I shouldn't say I talked to the LG rep, I got that from one of the department leads who spoke to him earlier this week.

[shmenguin]

LG's rep told me their's would be special order (ie not sold in big boxes, only high end dealers) and would be close to $10,000.

LG makes a few tv's every year that no stores want to sell, so they don't really go into production. They had a 75" tv last year, but it was something like $14,000.

yikes. i pray that my TV lasts me several more years. i have a 5 year-old Pioneer Elite 50 inch plasma. it was the last pioneer to come out before the Kuros were released. even at 720p, it has better picture than almost every TV i've seen at Best Buy or wherever. it only has 2 HDMI slots, and one of them is busted. if the other one goes, i'm in trouble.