I just moved into a new apartment. My first time living without roomates. Everything is all set up. I have a couch, a sweet table, my computer desk, PG&E, and a great cable package with HD and an awesome internet connection....

OMG my roomates have ALWAYS had a great television

I've never needed to own a TV, because the roomate has always owned some large television with college level "throw a block party" sound system. I'm 30 years old, and I remember going from: 36" Sony Trinitron "flat screen" to a 55" Mitsubishi rear projection to a 72" Pioneer Elite rear projection to a 47" Pioneer plasma and most recently I was watching Sons of Anarchy on my roomate's 52" Samsung LN52B750.

I've been doing my online research, and I'm highly interested in the new LED LCD televisions with localized dimming ability. They look great in the stores also.

I've been a Samsung fanboi since I bought a 22" Samsung LCD computer monitor about 3 years ago. Now I have a dual Samsung widescreen monitor setup that I love.

The new Samsung 8500 series LED TVs with local dimming are so $expensive! There's a 55" LG (55LH90) with very similar specs/reviews that I can snag for $1999 or so. The LG has great reviews and it's not too bad looking. The LG framing is wider than the Samsung, but at least it's piano black and not some "touch of color: rose" or whatever. The equivalent Samsung (UN55B8500XFXZA) is over $4k in most places. I can't justify spending that much on a television.

I thought I could wait it out by buying some random 40" LCD and watching that for a few months to see how things shake down, but anything 1080p with around 40 inches looks to be like $900. At $900 + the cost of a stand and mediocre sound system...I might as well just grab the LG.

What do you guys think? I need at least some form of TV soon, because watching my shows on a 24" monitor is getting old fast. Maybe one of you has a decent flat panel they've been looking to get rid of for some $ to tide me over?

 

I was thinking along similar lines, but cash flow and other factors drove me to grab a cheap (<$400) off-brand 36" 720p for now with the expectation that this will be the #2 TV once I can afford the big 1080p I really wanted, (if that ever happens) in any case- I've been happy with that decision so far.

 

The LED samsungs are petty good exceptthat they pump brightness too much. This auto contrast crap they have is MUCH too strong. If you watch scifi stuff, you'll see it, and it will be VERY annoying.

Can't knock them any other way, other than, PRICE... why pay $2000+ for any TV these days?

I highly recommend a Plasma, like the Panasonic V series. Or LCDs from Sony or vizio.

Do a search, you'll find many, many threads on TVs in the BAIC.

But don't pay $2000+ for a TV when you can buy great ones for less than $1000 or HUGE ones for less than $2000 from other brands.

Maybe one day I should take pictures of our lab at work.

 

I agree, I also like the look of Plasma better. The only drawback I've seen with plasma is that the picture bleaches out when the sun shines directly on the screen...otherwise to me, plasma looks "alive"...the newer LED screens also look nice, but they are sooo expensive and I don't think they look one whit better than plasma.

 

oh and Jon, not sure if tidewater dr is on your beat, but you're welcome to come over and check out my plasma if you want to see it a living room setting.

my house is the one on the right, next to the tracks.

 

you can find 52" Sharp LCD slimline models for about 1k$ on CL or ebay, 46" can be had for $800 or so. thats the way to go imo. i'm sure you could live with that for the next 5 years before OLED TVs (much better than local dimming LED) are available.