Low-cost HDTV Suggestions?

[AzBat]

I've decided to buy a new HDTV this year instead of buying the Xbox 360. The main reason is my current TV is small and going out anyway. Plus, I want to view Xbox 360 games as they were intended and with my current TV it'll look like crap.

Anyway, I've decided I can afford probably around $500-$600(yes I have low income). Since this TV needs to last about 5 years I'd like it to have HDMI/HDCP support. I know Xbox 360 may not support it initially, but I expect I'll need it in the future for HD-DVD or BluRay players.

Anyway, my preference is 27" to 32" CRTs at 4:3 with built-in tuners. We don't see a great need for 16:9 as initial HD content we will be viewing will most likely only be Xbox 360 games. Since we don't currently have cable or satellite, we only expect to view some local HDTV broadcasts and play anamorphic DVDs in 480p. So as you can see purchasing an HDTV set with HDMI is mainly for futureproofing. We may want to view more HD content in the future and I don't want my TV choice to limit that.

Being in the mid-south, I've visited my local Wal-Mart. I found a few choices:

Sanyo HT32744 32" 4:3 CRT with built-in analog and digital tuners and HDMI support for $697.

Sanyo HT27745 27" 4:3 CRT with built-in analog and digital tuners for about $480(I think). Don't see it available online anymore.

I really prefer the former since it has everything I need, but the latter has the price I can afford. I know my preferences may severly limit my choices, but I was hoping others might have some suggestions. Maybe I should go with an projection TV, LCD, DVI or no tuners? I suspect some compromise will be necessary. Thanks in advance for any help.

Tommy McClain

 

[BlueTsunami]

Get 16:9

I repeat,

Get 16:9!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No 4:3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Widescreen is a very important aspect!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a Samsung 4:3 HDTV and I want a 16:9 tv instead!!!!!!!!!!!!

Believe me, get a game that currently supports widescreen (Gamecube=Resident Evil 4 | PS2=Star Ocean III | XBox=Halo2?). Also 1080's resolution is nativley 16:9 (I believe). I plead with you dear sir...get 16:9.

 

[Acert93]

AzBat,

An alternate suggestion if you cannot find a *quality* HDTV (not EDTV!)...

Since your main goal seems to be playing console games in HD, may I humbly suggest you probably already have a High Definition display to do such. That is of course your monitor. That is what I plan to use seeing as I do not have a TV, don't watch TV, and don't plan to either.

What ever you do I recommend checking out some reviews and getting info on the specs. 720p or 1080i should be minimum (choose whatever format you like best... go to a Best Buy or Circuit City and take a look at them... while there DO see different models and technologies and get a good bearing of what looks good to you and what does not... EVERYONE is different when it comes to displays). I am not sure what your ideal "size" is, but I am thinking 1080p displays wont be in your range.

Also, if you are doing this for gaming and/or High Def primarily I would agree with BT. I see no reason not to get 16:9.

The HD sets I have had the luxery of viewing I would have to say 16:9 media on a 16:9 set really makes up for the turn off of letterboxed 4:3 media. 16:9 really gives a MUCH better "feel" IMO.

Of course do check out some different models and see what you like best. Good luck and enjoy your new purchase

 

[DemoCoder]

Don't bother buying a 4:3 *HDTV* since by definition, 720p and 1080i are not 4:3. Just get an EDTV CRT for 480p.

Moreover, no existing CRT TV can resolve HDTV horizontal resolution. Most max out at around 800 pixels horizontal, although some claim up to 1400. They will display a 720p or 1080i signal, but you won't be seeing all the pixels.

 

[Sxotty]

Well give out some suggestions for HDTV that is in 16:9

I too am in this situation. I use 21" monitor currently to watch TV b/c my TV is 21" and is going out. But I wanted a 30" so I can read web pages and so forth on it as well.

 

[AlphaWolf]

I wouldn't bother buying into HDTV at the low end at all, but if you feel you must I'd recommend 16:9 also. More and more programming is heading that way and in 5 years (I'd expect a TV to last you at least 10 years) you may regret the purchase of a 4:3.

As for what to buy you really have to pick a few features you want, make a list of displays that meet that criteria, and make an effort to see how the display looks to you, because that is by far the most important feature of any TV.

The longer you can wait the better display you will be able to buy, I'd certainly wait the 2 or so months until xmas pricing hits.

 

[zurich]

Go widescreen! The stretching is a little odd at first, but now I don't notice it, and the wide aspect is a pretty sweet visual effect.

 

[BlueTsunami]

Go widescreen! The stretching is a little odd at first, but now I don't notice it, and the wide aspect is a pretty sweet visual effect.

heh...on my 4:3 Samsung I have letterbox mode on all the time. I'm either going to buy a new one real soon...or trade in this one and get a new one with the money I get back.

 

[ZoinKs!]

Here's my low cost HDTV solution: wait about six months.

 

[Sxotty]

Here's my low cost HDTV solution: wait about six months.

Well I hope you are right and I am happy to wait that long, but I have already been waiting and they aint gettting chep fast enough

 

[London Geezer]

Man this is SO not fair.... It will take a long time till we see those kind of prices here in the UK.

At least you guys have a choice. A whole range of option from very cheap to very expensive.

 

[Mariner]

Here's my low cost HDTV solution: wait about six months.

Hey - that's exactly what I'm doing! I'm expecting prices on the 26-27" screens to fall by another 25%+ in the next six months and when I finally do buy, I might even go for a 32-incher if prices have fallen enough.

Prices seem to have fallen drastically already here in the UK over the past few months so hopefully the trend will continue (or even accelerate)!

 

[Xenus]

Toshiba TheaterWide 26" HD-Ready Flat-Tube TV with HDMI Inputs Model: 26HF84
$599.99

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...CategoryId=pcmcat31800050031&id=1097582050451

Samsung DynaFlat 26" Widescreen Flat-Tube HDTV with HDMI and Component Video Inputs Model: TXR2678WH
$649.99

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...CategoryId=pcmcat31800050031&id=1099396991028

Sanyo 30" Widescreen HDTV wityh HDMI Inputs Model: HT30744
$598.00

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=2601425

though this one is out of stock at the moment

Panasonic 26" HDTV Monitor (CT-26WX15) has an HDMI Input
$539.99

http://www.circuitcity.com/rpsm/oid...o/rpem/ccd/productDetailSpecification.do#tabs

 

[AzBat]

Sorry for the delay in replying guys. Thanks for all the responses!


BlueTsunami,

Sooo, let me get this right: you're suggesting widescreen? LOL

This new HDTV will be our main TV. My wife, who doesn't work, will probably use it more than I will. She don't like the idea of a widescreen TV. She watches a lot of non-HDTV programming and fullscreen DVD movies. She don't like watching widescreen movies on normal TVs because of black bars on top and bottom. And she don't like the idea of black bars on the left and right of the screen when watching normal TV on widescreens. Yeah, damned if you do and damned if you don't. Personally I want a widescreen TV, but I can see how appealing it is to have a 4:3 instead. A 32" widescreen(16:9) TV would be equivalent to a 26.1" normal(4:3) TV. However, a 32" normal TV would be equivalent to a 29.4". You don't loose as much screen real estate when using a 4:3 TV and viewing 16:9 programming. Now, if DemoCoder is right and I'm actually loosing horizontal pixels on a 4:3 TV, then that's a little disturbing and might be enough to make reconsider a 16:9 widescreen TV.


Acert93,

I currently have a 17" monitor that's 8 years old and is about to go out. I figured I could use the HDTV as a replacement for the computer monitor if It had HDMI or DVI connections. It would save me from having to buy another computer monitor. My wife liked the idea. Another reason why she's willing to get an HDTV instead of a normal one.

720p and 1080i are already on my preferred list. I want what's just enough for Xbox 360 games. As of yet, I haven't found any native 720p CRT sets. Almost all are listed as 1080i. As for EDTV, I'm completely turned off of them since they're just 480p, but it does seem Wal-Mart is really starting to push them.


Democoder,

I completely understand that 720p and 1080i are by definition 16:9, but there's no way in hell I'm getting 480p. The whole point of this is to get 720p or greater for Xbox 360 games. If I can't have that, then I may decide to not even get a Xbox 360. I'd rather have nothing then to have to buy a normal or 480p TV(4:3).

I'll research your horizontal resolution comment. Hopefully it's not that bad.


AlphaWolf,

I'd regret not getting a HDTV at all more so than not even getting 16:9. I'm not sure I'll be able to convince my wife that 16:9 is better and personally I'd rather have a 4:3 HDTV than no HDTV at all.


Zoinks!,

That's something I've been considering. However, I'm wanting to purchase my Xbox 360 with my tax refund next year. So that means buying a HDTV before then. I was hoping to get a HDTV for Christmas. Hopefully prices will be a little lower by then.


Xenus,

Thanks for the suggestions. Those really help even if they're widescreen. I've seen the Sanyo at Wal-Mart. Looks nice, but it looks really small compared to the 32" Sanyo 4:3 HDTV.

I figure I'll have to go with 32" or greater 16:9 widescreen in order to get a 26" or greater 4:3 TV. I wasn't really wanting anything smaller than 26" for a 4:3 picture. Bad thing is the 32" or greater 16:9 HDTVs are too expensive. This is one of the reasons for considering a 4:3 HDTV instead.

Tommy McClain