LCD HDTV suggestions anyone?

[Kevin M]

So, this year what I wanted for christmas was a new TV. My old one, a TV/VCR combo, is working just fine, except it's running out of inputs. I got it about 6 years ago. 2 years after that, I made the mistake of moving it without unplugging the coax connection... oops. Good thing for the RCA plugs. Unfortunately, I've been plugging and unplugging PS2s, Xboxs, DVD players, and whatever else into the one set of RCA plugs that they're wearing out. The video feed in particular often loses a good connection and has to be twisted, fondled, and cajoled back into not impeding the signal.

Since we're all gonna need an HDTV before long anyway, I figured I'd go ahead and get one. I don't want to spend much on it, so I want bang for my buck. I figured getting a 20-23" LCD HDTV panel will make a great TV and also a serve as a monitor when I get around to replacing my laptop with a decent desktop. So, here's my basic requirements, unless one of yous guys can give me a good reason to change any of them, which is not unlikely given my current state of knowledge of all things video.

*HD-ready. No EDTVs, must be the real deal.
*20-23" so it fits on my desk but uses all the space it has.
*16:9 preferred, but if it displays HD widescreen inputs in letter-box at proper resolution, then 4:3 is okay too.
*PC connectivity.

Am I missing anything? Is there any speific must-have feature that I'll kick myself over not having after I have it? Is there a good reason for skipping any of the features I think I need? All advice and input is appreciated folks.

Looking on eBay, it seems I can maybe score what I want for around $375-400. But if anybody has an electronics hookup local, that would rule. I've got some gift cards I'll gladly trade for a discount on a TV.

[Dean]

Good luck. Idealy, you want a native resolution with at least 1080 lines so you can display 1080p or 1080i(1920x1080). I'm not sure you can actually get one in the size you are talking about. The 1080p DLP projectors just came out, but not sure about LCD. Most of them appear to be only 768 lines which is OK for 720p(1280x720p), but not 1080anything.

[Kevin M]

Part of what led me to specify LCD was potential shipping- if I buy online, it's gotta be LCD because that saves like $80 on shipping compared to a similar CRT screen, which is usually more than the difference in price. But if I buy local, I could live with a heavy-ass CRT for a while if I got a great deal. But I think the more likely solution is a 720p monitor... which will still be a quantum leap ahead from my 19" TV, since I'm usually only about 30" away from it anyway. So as long as I can still watch HD stuff in better than standard resolution, at the proper aspect ratio, I'd be satisfied. (I hate watching 4:3 programming stretched to fit a widescreen TV- makes everything look weird. No chick looks hot with her face stretched 30% horizontally. )

[sperry]

Get a:



and wait on the HD hardware. Since computer monitors are so much better than TV's as far as resolution goes, I'd just wait for HD to finally go mainstream, then pick up an HD tuner that outputs VGA or DVI and a kick-ass flatpanel computer monitor. It seems rediculous to me to spend $1000 on an HDTV that can't match the resolutions of a $400 computer panel. All you're paying for is the "HD ready" sticker on the back.

Plus, by the time HD is "required" by the FCC, I'm sure there'll be a new standard that's just that much better than the 1280p HD "standard". Maybe the 2nd time around they'll get it right and use a digital video bus w/ resolution information embedded in the signal so the video self-describes the resolution, and the monitor can display it as best as it can, rather than all this drama that is the current HD standard.

[Dean]

Originally Posted by sperry

Get a:

OK, what is that? I've been looking for up converters from NTSC to "VGA-XGA..." but have yet to find a cheap one.

I have a couple 1280x1024 displays that it would be interesting to upconvert NTSC, and HDTV to.

Actually, in Kevin's case, he probably would be best off getting a 19" or so inch monitor and drop a tunner card, HD, or otherwise into his PC. flat pannel or CRT, that might be the way to go.

Oh, rereading Kevin's first post, I think Scott's gadget is a switch box... If you are really lazy, they make switch boxes with remote controls also.

[doubleurx]

Like Dean said. We just bought a 56" 1080P dlp for our office. The biggest advantage of the DLP technology is zero burn in. The 1080P resolution also allows you to use the TV as a computer monitor as you get 1920X1080 lines of resolution. The big question is whether or not you can find one smaller than 42". Try looking at

www.bestdigitalonline.com

I bought ours there for $2599.

[M3n2c3]

I got a new Samsung 42" DLP a few weeks ago. I'm running my PC on it at 1280x720 (I need to get a video card capable of outputting interlaced signals to do 1920x1080), and it looks decent - it's the same horizontal res as a 17" monitor, but I'm sitting back much further, so it balances out. And of course, it does 1080i for my XB360

I got it for $1800 at Best Buy. Well worth it.

Finding a small LCD will be easy. The problem is finding a high-quality, reliable one for cheap. Since you're using it as a TV, you'll want a better contrast ratio (think 2500:1 or better) than PC-specific LCD monitors can afford (normally about 700:1). Good HD LCD is still a tad on the expensive side for the amount of screen you get.

That having been said, if I intended to buy a smaller HDTV, it'd probably be this.

I feel I should also voice the fact that I would never feel comfortable buying relatively delicate video equipment off of ebay.

[tysonK]

I've been looking at these lately and I like this one, I think M3n2c3 will like this one also, it's the bigger, bad asser, version of what he posted:

http://reviews.cnet.com/Samsung_LN_R...1.html?tag=sub


Cnet has a lot of cool reviews. When I went to RCWilley this Sony Owned the other LCD's for black level and overall brillance.

http://reviews.cnet.com/Sony_KLV_S26...l?tag=pdtl-img

It's easy to yell at the manufactures for not having the perfect TV for you but really doesn't matter how much we bitch. The manufactures are in it for the money if they all colluded and gave us a HD 1080 multi-pass Super Input LCD-DLP-OPP TV how are they going to make money on the R&D for the crap they are selling now. I'll probably just end up with nothing unless I find a deal I like. I would rather just bite the bullet and get a 32in rather than a 26in. Eventually when the TV's get "bettter" then hopefully I'll be making more money and I'll just throw this TV straight in the fuckin garbage.

I've been thinking about getting an LCD for a while now. I want to get rid of my 19" TV and 17" LCD monitor. and just have 1 monitor and save room.

Wanna buy my 17" LCD monitor Kevin. It's a Samsung Syncmaster 175v and I really like it.

[M3n2c3]

Good find!

Haha, I jest.

That 32" is really nice. The only thing I have against it is that it crosses to the next "price-point line," where I realize that for an extra $200 or so, I could have a DLP with an extra diagonal 10". . . but I didn't have quite the same space constraints when I made my choice, so that tempers my opinion a bit.

My last PC monitor was a Samsung Syncmaster 171v. I was always quite pleased with it.

[doubleurx]

Originally Posted by M3n2c3

I got a new Samsung 42" DLP a few weeks ago. I'm running my PC on it at 1280x720 (I need to get a video card capable of outputting interlaced signals to do 1920x1080), and it looks decent - it's the same horizontal res as a 17" monitor, but I'm sitting back much further, so it balances out. And of course, it does 1080i for my XB360

I got it for $1800 at Best Buy. Well worth it.

Finding a small LCD will be easy. The problem is finding a high-quality, reliable one for cheap. Since you're using it as a TV, you'll want a better contrast ratio (think 2500:1 or better) than PC-specific LCD monitors can afford (normally about 700:1). Good HD LCD is still a tad on the expensive side for the amount of screen you get.

That having been said, if I intended to buy a smaller HDTV, it'd probably be this.

I feel I should also voice the fact that I would never feel comfortable buying relatively delicate video equipment off of ebay.

Those video cards are well worth it. We just got a new ATI card that supports higher resolution than the 1920X1080 and it recognized the exact samsung unit that we have plugged in. Amazing resolution, especially on a 56" diagonal format. I use it as my Autocad station with a wireless mouse and keyboard from about 6 feet. You can split the screen into four screens or use PIP to play or view other formats. I'm not sure which card it is, but I will check next week. The best way for this type of screen to work as computer monitor is to get the HDMI to DVI cable with a video card that has DVI output.

[Kevin M]

Eh, I really can't afford, nor do I have room for anything bigger than 26", absolute max. 23" is preferred and 20" would be okay too. Also, I'm not looking to spend more than $500, hopefully less... since I basically will only use this to watch DVDs and play video games, I would feel like I wasted any more than that, especially with a C Stock car parked outside that needs CSP mods. And using this as a monitor won't come for several months at least, since there's a few things on the list ahead of a new computer too. so you ballers can go play in another thread with $3000 TVs. Okay, just kidding, any input is good input still.

[tysonK]

I pretty sure that samsung is like $1400ish at old RCWilley. From what I looked at most 20in and up LCDs start at like $600.

I decide between a notebook computer or a different TV setup. I just want to save some space. I'm tired of not having a desk space,

[Dean]

Originally Posted by tysonK

I decide between a notebook computer or a different TV setup. I just want to save some space. I'm tired of not having a desk space,

If you get a notebook with a large display, I think there are USB TV tuners that would let you use it for both. 15-17" notebook display would make a nice small room TV... Tied into some nice PC speakers.

[doubleurx]

Originally Posted by Dean

If you get a notebook with a large display, I think there are USB TV tuners that would let you use it for both. 15-17" notebook display would make a nice small room TV... Tied into some nice PC speakers.

My business partner has a 17" HP laptop that came with a USB TV tuner. I agree that it would work fine.