need a new tv

[bjl584]

Well, my 1990 model 42" projection style tv finally bit it last night. So, now I am in the market for a replacement. I'm thinking LCD flat screen. Walmart has some nice tv's for fairly cheap. The Vizio's look nice. They are made by Sony, but at a lot lower price. I'm thinking of getting at least a 42", since thats what I have now, and because my living room is fairly large and anything smaller will be swallowed up by the room. Does anyone have any suggetions as to what kind of tv I should get? Anyone have any good or bad experiences with any particular brand, style, retailer, warranty department, or anything else? Thanks for any advice.

[sweeps]

I have 2 Olevia LCD TVs (42" and 32"). They're fine... picture is good, price is very good, but they have some annoying flaws -- most notably the fact that universal remotes (except for "learning" remotes) don't work with them.

I suggest monitoring slickdeals.net for the best deals.

[snafu]

Find Product Reviews and Ratings from Consumer Reports

VIZIO has ceased production. WM gives no after service. Consumer's magazine sez...warranty programs are gimmicks to increase sales staff commission. If you have problems they should show up during manufacturer's warranty

[srblanco7]

I have two 42" Sharp Aquos LCD TVs (one 1080i, one 1080p). Selected based on Consumer Reports feedback (cheaper than Sony, Samsung, Toshiba).

At present, CR gives their best buy rating to Samsung LN40A550 model at $1300 (rating of 79). The Sharp Aquos (model LC42D65U) is also recommended (though not listed as a best buy) at $1100 and a rating of 75.

As an FYI, in general, the only downside of LCD seems to be "viewing angle".

[boosami]

Samsung seems to dominate the ratings in CR. Though it's been a while since I bought a LCD. I've moved on to HD projectors

[noppenbd]

Originally Posted by snafu

VIZIO has ceased production.

I think it is only Plasma TVs that Vizio is no longer producing. As far as I know they are the leading producer of LCD TVs in the US.

Vizio Ceases Plasma TV Production — Reviews and News from Audioholics
VIZIO

I'm a proud owner of a 42" Vizio refurb myself. Never had a problem with it. I think I paid around $650 with free shipping and a wall mount included from onSale.com - Buy Desktop Computers, Laptop Computers, Digital Cameras, and Electronics, about 1.5 years ago.

[brandini25]

Samsung! They are the best by far! (Well, behind Vizio anyway...)

[Broken Arrow]

Originally Posted by boosami

Samsung seems to dominate the ratings in CR. Though it's been a while since I bought a LCD. I've moved on to HD projectors

Rub it in, why don't you?

I have a small Samsung. 1080p. Built-in tuner. $400.

To add to the conversation, part of what I would look into is what kind of connectivity you want. Mine, for example, also had to have enough to hook up a PC, Blu-Ray, and Xbox 360. I double checked all that before I bought mine.

Right now isn't a bad time to buy. The reason why I bought mine recently is because, with the sharp drop in consumer demand, I heard that there is a large build-up of inventory from Asian LCD suppliers. Supposedly, they have enough to supply the next few years unless demand picks up again.... In other words, the over-supply has already been priced into the cost of finished consumer products that we currently buy, and that price is likely to remain largely flat for the new future.

So, assuming that's true, I reasoned that I might as well buy now, since I'm unlikely to see any major drops in price anytime soon.

[Caoineag]

I have a 37" Vizio, works like a charm. I agree with BA, what connections do you need? Main issue with my Vizio is that I needed a surround sound system (cheap one worked fine) to amplify the sound from my PS3 and Computer.

[Broken Arrow]

Speaking of which, the next consumer item I've been scouring for is a nice set of 5.1 speakers that can fit on my desk with everything else. My current 2.0 computer speakers are very, very nice, but it obviously doesn't decode surround sound, so all of my DVDs and Blu-Rays sound strange and faded sometimes.

To complicate it a bit more, it also needs to have enough connectivity for all of my stuff....

But as always, I'm willing to wait until I see a really good deal on really good speakers.

[jimstolz76]

I splurged on an open box deal I couldn't pass up (I work in the AV industry)

Panasonic 42" professional plasma for $595. It's $1,280 msrp. 720p, but it has a 100,000 hour lifespan (appx. 42 years).

Didn't really have the money for it, but it saved me from making a BIG splurge for a TV this summer for $1,200-$1,500. Not kicking myself over this decision, but I would have felt sick laying out $1K+ for a TV.

[GrimJack]

Don't forget to check out OverStock.com.

[sofocused978]

Samsung makes a solid tv. I purchased a Samsung 42" 720p plasma bout a year and a half ago that made all the 1080 lcds look like garbage. Was priced at $1499 but I got lucky and due to a managers screw up go it down to $999. Best purchase I have ever made.

[GoodBuyGirl]

Vizio is giving away 17 55" TVs for 28 weeks. They are just going into week 5.
You might give winning one a whirl. The Million Dollar Event - brought to you by VIZIO

Only one entry allowed per person/household.

[GREENBACK]

I have a 25" Sharp TV that I bought 10 years ago for $350 and I keep saying I'm going to buy a big screen TV when it dies but it just keeps going so I guess I'll either wait it out or Goodwill may get a nice donation

[wincrasher]

Keep an eye on prices at Amazon and Costco.

Personally, I like the Samsungs - they get great reviews and are usually much cheaper than Sony.

The Vizio and Olevia are discount brands and tend to have fewer features.

Connectivity is key though - get 4 HDMI ports - everything is going that way.