Topic: I need a new TV

[hans]

So, the other night I'm watching my (few years) old 42" Samsung DLP TV and I look up and all of the sudden there's a white dot in the middle of the screen. I tried turning it off and looking at it again in the morning but I think it's done for. I've read it could be dust on the mirror but the dot stays when I turn off the TV and is the last thing to fade away. From the searches I've done it looks like it might be a chip problem and be a bit expensive to fix. I'm going to try and clean it and hope, but I'm not optimistic. So I've been looking at a few new TVs.

I'm pondering sizes but the one I'm sort of thinking about getting is a 46" Sony Bravia EX701. My SamsClub has them for a pretty sweet deal right now and even though it's more than I'd like to spend on a set, it looked pretty nice in the store and has the wifi adapter included to do the Bravia Internet video. And since it's LED the thing is super thin and I've though about wall mounting it.

My question is, anyone have a similar set and used the internet video? How is it? Is it worth it or should I look at other sets? (the Sony is $1250 right now)

They have a smaller 40" HX701 for $800 that I thought about too, but it just seems small. My current one is only 42" but mostly I watch movies and stuff so I thought I might splurge and get the slightly more expensive 46" one. But the 40" might be OK and I could move it into my den/office and end up getting a bigger one for my basement when I finish that off and set it up as my family room.

[KnuckleBuckett]

1) LED TVs have not matured yet.  Most unbiased reviews note that they are blotchy.  It is has improved in 2010 models but I have seen it first hand and find it annoying as hell.  Check this article out....
http://hdguru.com/samsung-un46b8000-240hz-lcd-led-tv-exclusive-first-review/429/

2) Recommend Samsung or Panasonic LCD.

3)  Best bang for buck size these days is 50ish".

4) Get rid of the DLP using Craig's List or some such, while you still can.  Don't wait till you have to pay to have it disposed of.

[hans]

The DLP may be getting donated to a friend's garage, for Nintendo (original) playing and occasional game watching while being banished outside the house.

So, I might be better getting the smaller 40" for now and waiting a bit? Decisions, decisions. I like the Samsungs, but I'm not a huge fan of the all the glass fronts that seem to be the norm these days. I actually kind of liked the 46" Sony simply because it's a matte finish. Oh and it's a 2010 model, so maybe the LED is better? Plus it has some sort of 3yr limited warranty I guess, I'm trying to figure out what that covers.

[KnuckleBuckett]

They don't make a non-splotchy LED yet.   At any reasonable price.  Bummer.

I am hoping that they do before I replace our TV in a couple years.  Actually I was hoping for laser to make it.  Shame it didn't.

[hans]

Well, it looks like it's the chip and it's a known problem that Samsung will do a one time free service replacement for. So they're going to fix it and it won't cost me anything unless it turns out to be something else, but I'm pretty sure it sounds like the bad chip.

I'm probably still going to get another TV though and move this one.

[hans]

So they're coming sometime next week to replace the chip but I went out and bought a new Samsung ln46c630. I was going to go with the Bravia but I liked the screen on the Samsung a bit better and the gf agreed. I'm pretty happy with it so far and the price was really good too. It was interesting bringing the thing home in her Aveo. I didn't expect the box to be as long as it was. The Sony boxes were shorter, whoops. I need to calibrate a bit though and figure out all the adjustments but a bonus is the TV outputs the audio in sync over the optical out so I don't need the big delay on my receiver and I think my game playing should be better too. I still need to test that though.

[Jake]

I'm glad someone is contributing to the economy

We have a small (23") LCD in our bedroom. Our main TV is a 32" Toshiba flat tube. purchased right before plasmas/lcd got affordable. and it still works great, i doubt we'll replace it any time soon.

[Jake]

I also have a 27" tube Deawoo TV in the garage!