the "help me choose an LCD" thread - Page 124

Thanks for your helpful feedback. I will have a separate sound system. I will most likely use a Harmony remote. So, no other sets I might have missed?

-Ted

ncted

Well there are a few other sets that you could include for completeness:

65" LG LM6200
65" LG LW6500
65" Sony HX729
70" Sharp 745U
70" Sharp 847U

Sharp 847U:
This is an edge-lit, native 240Hz panel, with a Quattron panel, that does 3D and Smart Applications.
Its born out in multiple reviews that the yellow sub-pixel does not assist in more accurate colours - in fact THX modes on Quattron panels disable the yellow sub-pixel.
The argument that increased sub-pixel counts from having a 4th sub-pixel lead to better anti-aliasing and better brightness also has not been shown to be true.

Summary: The Quattron features appear to be mostly marketing and thin on objective performance benefits outside of the native 240Hz panel.

Sharp 745U
This is an edge-lit, native 120Hz panel, that does 3D and Smart Applications.
On paper and in a few reviews the benefits over the Sharp 640U appear to be negligible in 2D picture quality.

Summary: The main benefit of the 745U over the 640U is the ability to watch 3D content.

Sony HX729:
I own this set and while I could talk on it for a while the basic break down is that it is an edge-lit, 240Hz panel, that does 3D and Smart Applications.
I am happy with the 2D picture quality, however the glossy screen can lead to some glare and reflections if placed near a window.
Most of the video processing features like the X-Reality Pro are superfluous with HD content and best used in the off position.

Summary: Decent picture quality comparable to the other sets, does 3D and Smart Applications - has a glossy screen.

LW6500
This is an edge-lit with local dimming, native 240Hz panel that does 3D and Smart Applications.
The 3D is passive vs active meaning lighter/cheaper glasses. The local dimming is a plus for increasing dynamic contrast.
However the screen on this model is glossy, and the black levels are not as good as the other offerings.

Summary: People seem to like the passive 3D this set offers but the 2D performance is nothing to write home about.

LM6200
This set has the fewest comments on the avsforums from what I can tell. Its very similar to the LW6500 but with a matte screen.

Summary: No a lot of info out there but no one seems particularly displeased with it.


Note: I highly recommend reading the owner's thread for any set before seriously considering one of these.

I'll take a look at these. Thanks again for your help.

-Ted

Vin,

As you know from a few posts back I'm looking at sets in this range. I've been weighing the features of the Sony HX729, LG LM6200 vs the Sharp 640u and 6400u(costco version). Anyway, I found the LG LM6200 at my local HHGregg and have to say the picture didn't meet my hopes or expectations. I messed around with the menu settings and even did a picture reset with not much success but I still think there was just something wrong with that set. Also, all sets had the same DTV feed but it wasn't great so that may factor in too. But that said, the Sharp 640u and 745u had much better picture quality. I was also disappointed in the LG's bezel size, it looked almost 2 inches where as the Sharp looks about an inch. Not a huge factor I know but it contributes to the overall look. One other note, you say above that the LM6200 has a matte screen. I thought I read it was glossy like the other LG and I can tell you in the store it looked glossy as that is a concern of mine and I was comparing it.

I really wanted to like the LG b/c of the smart apps and the passive 3D that the same Sharp's don't have, but right now I'm leaning back to the Sharp for good PQ and 5 more inches. BTW, thanks for the informative summaries.

Any suggestions for a 2012 model 1080p 32-40" TV that does 4:4:4 as I want to use it 100% of the time to play movies from my PC. Not even going to hook it up to cable :P

Hi Guys!

I have been looking to upgrade my TV to fit my new living room.

I am looking for a TV that is between 40-46" that will be used for just about everything: gaming, movies, and TV.

1. Budget
Not a big spender, preferably around $1000, less would be great, but that is around the range I have in mind

2. Seating distance
I would say 10 ft, but if we re-arrange it could be up to 15 ft.

3. Size/placement limitations
I do have a limitation on size here, 46" is probably the biggest I could get away with, though I was looking more for 40"

4. Uses and sources
The TV will be used for just about everything, Gaming, TV, Movies...It will be connected to a receiver that is connected to a HTPC as the main media source. Then of course there is the XBOX and PS3. Blu-rays are also becoming a much bigger portion of my collection.

5. Room lighting
The room is definitely not a movie theatre, it is fairly light and my shades are not terribly thick. At night it gets pitch black in the room though. As for fInish, I prefer to have a shinier surface, I am not a big fan of Matte finishes.

Side Notes
I have one other requirement to meet my needs. The main issue I am facing is that the TV needs to have some mechanism to communicate with my PC. I would like to be able to send commands to the tv that will change the channel or input. I would also like the TV to be able to communicate back what it is currently doing. I.e. if i need to know if it is on or off, or what input it is on, it can tell me. Unfortunately I have been out of the loop with TV technology since I purchased my TV back in 2006, so I am unaware if this is possible. Hopefully there are TVs that exist that have this capability.

Anyways, that's my list! Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks everyone!

Hello everyone,

I just registered and I am in a hell choosing the right LCD for my needs, so I will appreciate your kind help very much.

1. Budget
1000 EUR

2. Seating distance
3,5m

3. Size/placement limitations
- 46 inches is the chosen size, no room for 50 and 42 is just too small
- TV will be set on tv table

4. Uses and sources
- 60% watching HD movies through PC
- 30% surfing net, youtube, photos through PC
- 10% gaming through PC
- no TV viewing
- 3D not required
- accurate colors and deep black needed, mainly for photo viewing
- SMART capabilities,media player, usb, lan or wifi not required
- good audio is not required, I have separate audio system
- wide viewing angles are not a top priority
- I hate any kind of 'soap opera' effects so I don't care about motion smoothing, I always turn it off.
- Ghosting and clouding should be minimal I am quite sensitive to it

5. Room lighting
- east window, quite issue watching a movie weekend morning on my current CRT Philips 32PW9551
- so matte screen required as I hate reflections

Thank you very much, i have read a million reviews, visited a lot of shops, but I am not able to find a right TV by myself.

Did you ever reach a decision? My wife and I are pondering the same models since our VT30 has been deemed irreparable.

I'm trying to decide on what TV to get.

That said, I am not looking to spend overly much either, around $550 - 600 ..

Seating distance is around 8-10 feet.

We were thinking of a 46".

Use is very casual. Mostly for watching Hockey, some movies and casual PS3 gaming. I'm not a very big TV watcher and the wife watched TV in the bedroom.

Room lighting is from a window to the right of the entertainment center. There is shelving to the right of the TV however to block most of the light.

I found these two TVs.

SHARP 46" LC 46SV49U

LG 47CM565 47'

3D isn't the biggest deal but I would prefer the most reliable and best value.

Opinions? Thanks!

I am struggling between 2 TV's greatly.

the Samsung UN55EH6000 and the LG 60PA6500

the LG is a 60" Plasma where the sammy is a 55" LED

I have a 50" Sammy plasma right now but it has formed some screen issues so I am looking to replace it.

I mostly watch HD television, play PS3, and watch movies off my PS3.

I do like how plasmas look more 'natural', but am afriad that the LG might be too low end.
where as the samsung I dont think is on the bottom teir. (i may be wrong about both tv's)

I am not sure how Direct-lit LED's look.. LCD's always look like they are on eyeball burn setting.

I am just looking for a great picture, with good colors, black/whites and a good refresh rate for games etc..

does anyone have any insight?.. before I lose my mind =)

Catspit30

In response to your question about where in their line-ups the LG PA6500 and Samsung EH6000 are positioned - both are considered lower-midrange in comparison to their overall respective competition.

As for how Direct-LED looks - it looks the same as most LCDs.
The differences between Edge-Lit, Direct-Lit, Full-Array; local dimming, no local dimming are just subset differences between LCDs - they all still all have the same LCD appearance.

I'll refrain from recommending one set over the other as they are very different television sets - the decision between plasma and LCD is more a personal preference than anything else. Both technologies have differing strengths and weaknesses to the point its basically impossible make a valid claim one is better than another for a broad range of viewing situations and content.

I'd recommend you make an effort to see both in person - to decide what you like and don't like with an open mind.

However don't judge how a set (or specific technology) looks based solely on the default in-store appearance - you would sorely misinformed.
At their default showroom settings - plasmas appear dull and darker, LCDs appear over-saturated with exaggerated brightness - its just how things are, sky is blue, grass is green, showroom defaults are terrible.
I'd recommend bringing a movie you know, asking for the remote to change the settings around, and test driving the sets you are considering buying - most stores in the face of a 1k+ purchase are happy to accommodate you.

I'll keep this short and simple.

I'm looking for a 50" LCD solely for gaming (PS3, Wii, Xbox 360).

Budget isn't a problem but I probably won't spend over 3k for a LCD TV.

Input lag, ghosting, etc. are a huge concern but I can switch to CRT if it comes to frame dependent games such as Tekken.

Clouding, banding, prone to dead/stuck pixels, etc. are an issue as well so I'd like to avoid these if possible.

Thanks for reading.

Here is what I am looking for:

32" or above

VGA port

Minimal input lag

no overscan issues

$450 or less

any suggestions?
Edited by Pop-O-Matic - 7/21/12 at 1:44am

Hi

I need a TV for my living room. I'm not interested in paying extra for gimmick stuff like addons for gesture based control of TV, or fancy looking foot. Functionality is king, so a better picture is more important than getting a 0,5cm frame around the picture over a 2,5cm frame around the picture. A foot that doesn't reflect light off it and that the TV can turn on, is more important than a foot with the new in design of the year.

I'm leaning towards getting LED because:

- LED being less power hungry (electricity is expensive in Denmark)
- LED having less chance for burn-in/retention (good idea with the Starcraft2 watching I will do on the TV)

Main brands available in Denmark:

Samsung, LG, Panasonic, Philips, Sharp, Sony, Toshiba, Grundig and a few others.

For my computer screen I tend to like Matte display over the blank reflective ones. I haven't had a TV in 6 years so not sure if I feel the same with a TV when it comes to matte vs. blank.

All the different series confuses me, fx. is there really that big a difference on Samsung series 6xxx/7xxx/8xxx?


1. Budget

Max. 2000 EUR

2. Seating distance

3-4m

3. Size/placement limitations

Minimum 40"
I have two main spots for where the TV can be, so before hanging it up I will have it on a TV furniture for a few months until I decide.


4. Uses and sources

- 45% watching HD movies/series through PC / NAS / USB, or some other external source like fx. a WDLIVE box
- 35% watching Starcraft2 tournament streams from fx. twitch.tv (or youtube) through PC (not always 720p+ or even high bitrate)
- 15% TV viewing via DVB-T/2, DVB-C
- 5% gaming through PC / console


5. Room lighting

No direct sunlight on the two walls I have in mind, but its not a dark living room. But I am leaning to LED, partly because of this and also because of less power usage.


Must have:

- DVB-T, DVB-T2, DVB-C (not sure i there is a DVB-C2 yet)
- accurate colors, good contrast/black
- Ghosting and clouding should be minimal
- i'm guessing good up-scaling, since not all the signals I will watch are 1080p
- good at handling lower bitrates (inputs from streaming over the internet aren't always 1080p at high bitrates)
- not sure how I will like motion smoothing, so properly a good idea if I can turn it on/off


Nice to have:

- good remote, meaning better than this one from the 2011 7xxxx series of the Samsung remote
- control tv with smartphone/tablet (Android)
- ability to record to USB, and watch a different channel at the same time
- good enough sound for not missing speaking voices in series. Will get better sound for movies later on.
- SMART capabilities,media player, usb, lan or wifi
- wide viewing angles are not a top priority, but nice to have
- low input lag, as I might use the TV for gaming
- 3D not required, as I most likely wont use it much


Prefer if TV is without:

- camera/microphone are 100% NOT required
- other gimmick based features like control TV with speech commands, or flapping your arms
- I am not gonna play mini games, or use Skype on my TV.
- I'm never ever getting a Thomson TV again.

Hello,

I'm debating between two Samsumg LCD's.

I saw the UN46D7000 model over a year ago and decided that would be my next T.V., but at $2,000 it was a little too much. It has fortunately gone down in price a lot and I can get it online for about $1,250 with delivery.

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-UN46D7000-46-Inch-1080p-Silver/dp/B004O6MN7E/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1342925315&sr=1-1&keywords=un46d7000

I called the place regarding the T.V. and they said it has been discontinued, but they have 60 units on hand. He also added that these units have been resent to Samsung to be opened and rechecked. They're not refurbished, but they have been opened for inspection.

Add to that the risk you take when you order something like this online (if you don't get white-glove service, you can only open the box to make sure the screen isn't cracked and if you don't reject the delivery, you're kind of stuck with any problems the T.V. might have), and I'm not so sure if it's worth it anymore.

Then I just decided to go to Fry's Electronics to check out some T.V.'s and the salesperson showed me the updated model.

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-UN46ES7100-46-Inch-1080p-Silver/dp/B0078LSTAM/ref=dp_ob_title_ce

He said I should just get this model rather than searching for any remaining D7000's. Not such a huge price difference between $1,200 to $1,500 (let's just say $300 for convenience and security is not a huge expense). Amazon has a far more generous return policy from what I read (30-day no questions asked return?), but I'll be contacting them to verify how generous they are. I don't want to find out that you have to pay for return shipping or a restocking fee.

I guess what I would like to know is if there is a huge upgrade between the two T.V.s (UN46D7000 and UN46ES7100)? I really only liked the thin bezel. You would think it wouldn't make such a huge difference, but it really does (at least to me).

Also, I'd like to ask the obvious question of which one would you guys choose. Take the risk, save about $300 and buy the new model from Amazon? Or save $300 and order the previous model from an online store at the risk of encountering some a problem set with having to deal with only the manufacturer (i.e. once you receive the set, any problems are with the manufacturer not retailer).

We need a better TV for our vacation home. It's on the beach, so there are a LOT of windows in here. Do I go for the LCD with the matte screen or this LED with the matte screen? I assume the LCD is better for glare but don't LED's have a better picture? It is my impression that the LED is ACTUALLY 60 Hz and the rest is interpolated. Is that correct? So it comes down to an LED with 60 hz. or last years LCD with 120 Hz.

Help me decide! I want to get something here before the Olympics.

Here are what I think are the best deals on Amazon. If you have any other suggestions I'm all ears. It needs to be available on Amazon Prime. Thanks!


Samsung UN40EH5000 40-Inch 1080p 120 CMR LED HDTV - Black $579.00



Samsung LN40D630 40-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LCD HDTV (Black) [2011 MODEL] $549.00

1. Budget
Would prefer under $1500

2. Seating distance
Roughly 7 feet in current configuration

3. Size/placement limitations
Cannot wallmount currently, in an apartment. Looking for something 55" or bigger. TV would go on an older stand I was using for my Samsung 56" DLP

4. Uses and sources
primarily gaming and tv. Xbox 360 is main gaming device but also use PS3 and HTPC all via HDMI

5. Room lighting
This will likely change as well when we purchase our house. Current configuration has limited lighting, other then natural light that comes from the large sliding patio door but shades are always closed.

So a brief explanation of my situation. I have a 56" Samsung DLP thats 5 years old that has the white dot issue that so many of them have. I wanted to hold off on buying a new tv until next year (getting married and buying a house this year) but the issue has gotten to the point where I have to get a new set. I bought a LG 55" LED 2 weeks ago from Amazon. First tv was cracked 2nd came in perfect condition but Im not sold on the set. The passive 3d is great but isnt a make or break feature, infact 3d as a whole isnt a requirement. Issues I have with this include pretty bad light bleed, input lag, fast motion accuracy (sure there is a technical term, but I have trumotion off because I hate the soap opera effect) and overall issues with color accuracy mixed with contrast/brightness issues. Everything looks to bright or too dull, have played with the settings included the settings several others here have used and im still not close to satisfied with the picture. Since it had been 5 years since I got my DLP I expected an improvement in most areas but so far I feel this tv has been a downgrade.

Must Haves
- 55" or higher
- LCD/LED, with the heavy gaming use obviously plasma wouldnt be the way to go
- minimal light bleed and accurate color/brightness/sharpness/motion display

Added bonus
- decent smart apps, not a major deal as my 360/ps3 have most the apps I could want but thats one thing the LG does well

Pallenda

I'd recommend taking a look at the Sony HX929 series.
This series of sets provides for the best picture quality in your budget.

The Sharp Elite series also provides excellent picture quality - but I think they are are outside of your budget at this time.
If you are able to find a good deal on one that is in your price range - you should consider it as well.

In comparison to these two options everything is distant third in terms of picture quality.
This has to do with the fact that everything else is edge-lit and suffers to a degree from uniformity issues like banding, flash lighting, etc.

New-TV

The Samsung D-series and ES-series are very different TVs - a lot has changed between the model years. For instance the ES series no longer has hardware local dimming but instead uses video processing as a means to effect contrast levels - one of the side effects is that the black levels on all ES models are higher than the D models. I'd recommending reading through the owner threads on each set to decide if there are any feature differences that are truly important to you.

As for Amazon, they include a 14-day one time price matching opportunity with other online sites that they have listed on their site, there is a 30 day return policy with free return shipping, and they offer a white-glove shipping policy.
There are important factors to weigh in your decision against any killer features the D-series may have.

Good luck in your decision.

Bareyb

As you know CCFL-LCD and LED-LCD are references to the back light use the white light emitting source that the LCD panel then filters to produce colors.
Obviously if the light source is missing specific wavelengths of color then no matter what the LCD panel does to filter its emission - the missing wavelengths will remain missing.
There are wide gamut CCFL lights as well as wide gamut LED lights - both of which cover an area of the color gamut that is larger than what is specified by Rec 709 (the gamut used in creating all HD content).
So in terms of color reproduction there should be little difference.

The difference between CCFL and LED comes in the way light is created.

Most CCFL-LCD TVs have between 2 and 4 CCFL bulbs running across the width of the set at different heights to generate light - this light output is then evened out over the expanse of the set using a diffuser prior to its transgression through the LCD panel to create picture.
The easy way to think of it is like 2 - 4 long fluorescent bulbs like in a office building sitting behind your screen generating light for the LCD to filter.

In LED TVs the light is generated by many small diodes that are positioned in an array to generate the source light that will pass through a diffuser prior to transgressing the LCD panel.
Having many lights opens up the opportunity to dim individual lights depending on the content in order to increase dynamic contrast (LED Local Dimming).
The ability to do this and its effectiveness are dependent on the array of LED lights used.
A full-array of LED lights positioned behind LCD panel will produce the best local dimming results, while an edge-lit configuration will have decreased effectiveness at dimming specific areas of the screen to increase contrast, while a Direct-Lit may screen simply lacks enough LED lights to do any local dimming.

Finally LED lights don't have a frequency associated with them unless they are doing back light scanning which is a means of making it appear like a pixel is refreshing faster by removing its light source during transitions.
The refresh rate relates to the LCD panel itself. At the current time 60hz, 120hz, and 240hz LCD panels exist - everything else is using some kind of back light scanning to pretend its faster by some made up factor (most manufactures just multiply x2).

Samsung uses a CMR which is a made up number consisting of different factors.
While the actual calculation isn't published I'm pretty sure the calculation is: ((native panel refresh x2 if back light scanning is used) + 240 for every series increment by 1000 if series >6000 or + 120 for every series increment by 500 if series >6000)

As for the TVs mentioned above - I've not found the native panel refresh rates published for the EH5000 or D630 so don't know if the CMR of 120 means native panel 120 or native panel 60.

I am looking for about a 46" TV to be used in a physician waiting room. Room is well lit with a skylight in the center of the room. There will be no need to use the TV for 3D or gaming, just an upgrade from an old non HDTV. Patients will sit at various angles from TV . It will be positioned in upper corner of one side of room.TV mostly will have CNN or Fox news on. Since office is open from 8AM-5PM weekdays, there will not likely be much sports viewing.TV will be on all the time during business hours. I doubt I will ever personally watch this TV but want patients to have a decent viewing experience. I expect to use the TV's own speakers rather than a HT type setup.

I found a Toshiba 46L5200U for 654.43 with free shipping from PC Richardson and Son. This TV has no frills and I could not find the contrast ratio, so I suspect ratio may be limited. Any thoughts or alternatives?

Vinhsynd

Thank you so much for you response. I was worried no one would respond because I didn't follow the format.

I guess I could narrow down the question to: What would you choose? The Samsung UN46D7000 for $1,250 or the new Samsung UN46ES7100 for $,500?

I'll try posting in either thread to see what people think, but from scanning the posts it seems to be filled with people have some problem or how best to calibrate the television. I didn't see many posts about how they liked their purchase or if they would choose a newer model if they had the chance.

New-TV

In my rather meaningless opinion - I'm more attracted to the D-series.
Whenever I'm walking down the line-up of TVs on the wall in Best Buy not knowing which ones are from which series - I'm consistently more drawn to the picture on the D-series.
In all honesty however this is a very weak opinion as I didn't compare them in any more detail than a passive glance on rather terrible default settings in poor lighting conditions.

I recommend you go into a brick and mortar store, bring a Blue-ray movie you know and ask to view your content and use the remote to adjust settings on the TVs in order to test drive them.
Your particular scenario should be possible since both series are still out and available, for example - both my local Best Buy and Hhgregg still have D-series and ES-series on display.

I actually did testing like this when I was looking for a TV in Hhgregg.
They're way less busy than Best Buy which helped with some of the awkwardness I initially felt from asking to watch a movie I brought on their TVs.

It ended up being a pretty cool experience as the sales guy had nothing else to do so we spent about an hour talking about TVs, messing with settings, and comparing multiple scenes between way more sets than I'd originally planned.
I used it as way to figure out the TV that I wanted to buy, and the sales guy used a way to get more familiar with the pros, cons and features of the sets he was selling.
In the end - the sales guys are still just regular guys and like us want to know how the different sets measure up, what all the settings really do, etc. - and sometimes you coming in there gives them just that kind of an excuse.

vinhsynd

I don't see the Sony HX929, or any 900 serie on the danish market yet. And I can't find Sharp Elite models. There are Sharp AQUOS models. I checked out a LG 47" 669 model, look ok. Better black than the Samsung 7000 series next to it.

I have to be honest that I'm a bit scared of bying Sharp as I know noone who has one. I know someone that has Sony, but the whole thing with Sony loosing people credit card info in 2011 makes me hesitant at giving them money. I'm also worried with Sony that they at some point will cut out features in the software, as they did with the PS3. But that is kinda offtopic.

did anyone answer you? I have the same question!!

What do you eggheads have to say about a 32 inch budget LCD? I don't need any bells and whistles -- just reliable, good picture, and two hdmi ports. preferably under $400. thank you for any replies, and sorry for breaking any forum rules.

Pallenda

They may not be marketed in Denmark. The Sony HX929 series and Sharp Elite were actually released in 2011 and have not changed since so I don't think its a matter of being new in the market.
I think given the market differences between our locations you may want to come up with a listing of TVs that interest you and put them up on the forum so you can feed back about the options available to you.
An alternative is to try visiting avforums.com - a UK based site similar to avsforum.com which has a larger European population who could help you more.

I'm looking for a smaller TV, to be used as main tv in a small room. There's no Hulu or Netflix available here in Belgium, so I prefer picture quality over Smart TV features. When it comes to 3D I'm not that interested because I already wear glasses on a daily basis. 3D is therefore more of a nuisance to me. If given the choice however, I would prefer passive over active.
A great colour palette is what attracts me most. My current "tv" is a Dell Ultrasharp 2007WFP, my laptop is a Dell XPS 15 with RGB LED screen. Just to give you an idea of what I am used to right now.
The RGB LED is sometimes too vivid, overall I like more understated/neutral colours. I heard this is one of the strong points of the 2012 models from Sony?

1. Budget
About €500. Prices here in Europe are, as far as I know, equivalent to those in the US; ex. $100 = €100.

2. Seating distance
2 meters (approximately 6ft)

3. Size/placement limitations
Looking at 32", mainly because of room limitations (I live in a small studio) and because I would like room next to the tv for decent speakers. I currently have a pair of ancient Marantz speakers with dito amp which will be replaced as soon as the funds become available.
37" or 40" could be possible, but is stretching it a bit.

4. Uses and sources
Currently I'm stuck with analog tv, but I will also use it to watch OTA DVB-T (non HD).
I will be hooking up a HTPC (repurposed old desktop atm). Also it would be nice if I could hook up my N64 via composite for some retro gaming.

At least 1 HDMI input with ARC is necessary for when the new amp arrives. In the meantime I would like an analog audio out (be it via cinch or via headphone out) so I can continue to use the old amp when watching movies.

5. Room lighting
The room will almost never be completely dark. I usually keep a light on to reduce eye fatigue. I'm not a fan of glossy screens, I prefer matte if possible.

Currently I'm looking at the following TV's
- Sony EX720 (older model, but good review on flatpanelhd)
- Sony EX650
- Panasonic ET5
- Philips 6007 series
- LG LM620

vinhsynd

So confusing with all these brands and models, and so hard to compare between them and even more to find the one that fits ones needs the best.
Link to a danish online shop. Includes Samsung, LG, Panasonic, Philips, Sony, Sharp and Grundig.

Models over 45" from 1000-2000 EUR

(UE46ES6805 is like other 6xxx models but with dual core, special model just for this online shop.)

I think I've decided just to get the new 7100's. It's only about $1,500 from Amazon and they offer free shipping, no tax, and free 30-day returns with a manufacturer's warranty of one year.

The D7000's I was looking at only had 3 months and less generous return options.

I've been to Best Buy, but their customer service just isn't that great. Plus I feel bad because I'm almost certain to just order it online. Brick and mortar can't compete with online. I did go to Fry's Electronics which was helpful; the salesperson pointed out the ES7100's and urged to get them instead.