[leland]

Ok, I watch some tv, sometimes put on dvd and on rarer occasions will play some ps2. My stereo is mainly for music, but I hook it in for movies and the like.


I also live in NYC, so my living room is the size of a shoebox. I don't need/want HDTV, nor can I fit anything bigger than a 30" tv (that would appear monstrous so I'm thinking 24-27"). I currently have a 19" piece of crap, so anything modern will look amazing in comparison.


All I want to do is go to a big box store or order something online for a low price that has a nice picture, acceptable features (ie, a remote control and enough i/o's) and won't break on day 91 of a 90 day warranty.


Any recommendations? Or just pick the cheapest?

 

[Bill1313]

Well if you want a Flat Tube 24" set the only one I would buy is the Toshiba because only Toshiba & Sanyo 24" sets have the 16:9 DVD Mode. In 27" Flat Tube sets I would take a look at JVC, Toshiba or Sony. The Panasonic 27" set is also a good set but it doesn't have the 16:9 DVD Mode. The 24" sets can be had for around $250 & the 27" sets can all be had for under $300 if you fight with them & on the Sony you'll have to fight the hardest to get that price.

 

[leland]

Cool. I had no idea that I could even get a 16:9 mode at that price point.


On a 24" model, 16x9 will still be pretty small, but fine for my viewing distance (4-8 feet).


A flat 24" for $250 would be pretty nice.

 

[Bill1313]

Best Buy has the 24" Toshiba model 24AF44 up on it's website with the specs & pictures of the set, remote & back panel. They want $299.99 for it but if you notice they are clearing out last years 24AF43 for $199.99 (But no one has had any luck in finding out in what zip code it is in) but that's a good way of pointing out that your not going to spend $299.99 when last years model was going for $349.99 & now it's $199.99 so knock off $50 on the 24AF44 & I'll buy it. I think you'll be more than happy with the 24" Toshiba in picture quality & it's really loaded with features except for P-I-P which most people never use anyway. Good Luck & have fun fighting with the stores.

 

[leland]

Thanks for the great recommendation from the quick web reviews on CNET (100% thumbs up) and amazon (all good).


I'm traveling now, but hopefully they'll have a sale on it two weeks when I'm back in town and setting aside the weekend to redoing my living room.

 

[Bill1313]

The Toshiba is in store pickup but only to certain zip codes & most of the people that have tried to order it have not been able to get it including a friend of mine who lives in CT. If you want try to order it & see if you can get it but if I remember right people who lived in NY were out of luck. All I can think of is that they must be in some obscure warehouse of Best Buy's who only ship to some local stores that also must be out of the way because the $199.99 price has been up on Best Buy's website for around 5 months now & I haven't heard of anyone who has been able to get one but maybe they have been sent back to a main warehouse & they are now available to more stores who knows? but you can't go wrong with the new "44" either at around $250 it's a nice little set. Of course the "43" is a steal if you can get one at $199.99 which is probably close to what Best Buy paid for them if they were selling them for $349.99 My friend who did get the "43" last year loves his & if I remember right he paid around $300 for it. Also there is no difference between the "43" & "44" except the new "44" has a drark frame around the picture tube compared to the all silver "43"

 

[PatG25]

One question on this model? I saw conflicting data on the screen size. Is this actually a 16:9 set or a 4:3 set. I am also looking at a TV for my sons bedroom, and he will be using it with DirecTV and a DVD player (all our DVDs are 16:9 ration).

 

[Bill1313]

The 24 inch sets are all 4:3


4:3 Square Tube Sets = 13, 14, 19, 20, 24, 27, 31, 32, 35 & 36 inches


16:9 Wide-Screen Tube Sets = 26, 30 & 34 inches


There are a few older 40 inch 4:3 sets & 38 inch 16:9 sets as well as a few odd ball 21 inch 4:3 sets. Most all of the Wide-Screen sets are HDTV sets except for a couple of oddball 30 inch Analog Wide-Screen models from Philips & JVC.

 

[Joxer]

I think they were refferring to "16:9 enhanced or squeeze mode" on a 4:3 set, not a 16:9 TV - they are a lot more than $300.

 

[PatG25]

Quote:

Originally posted by Joxer I think they were refferring to "16:9 enhanced or squeeze mode" on a 4:3 set, not a 16:9 TV - they are a lot more than $300.

So what does this 16:9 squeeze mode do on a 4:3 set?

 

[Bill1313]

For 24" sets with the "16:9 Squeeze Mode" Toshiba, Sanyo & the new Sony have it. For 27" sets (And this is just off the top of my head) Toshiba, Sanyo, Sony, Sharp, JVC & Zenith Flat Tube sets have it. Also in my area a store this weekend is selling the Sony 27" FS120 for $295.00 so I would think there are a lot of Very Good sets which are Loaded with features in the under $300 range if your willing to really fight with the stores over their prices. If I was going to move up to the 27" size I would check out JVC, Toshiba & Sony but on the JVC make sure it's the regular model number in JVC's lineup not the "Discount Model" that Best Buy has. Circuit City has the "Regular" JVC model AV-27F475 & I've seen the JVC advertised for as low as $268.88 Pat, simply put it makes a 16:9 DVD Picture around 30% Sharper because it doesn't use the lines in the picture tube to make up the black bars at the top & bottom of the picture it takes the line & "Squeezes" them all into the 16:9 picture itself.

 

[Joxer]

16:9 squeeze mode allows a TV to utilize the higher vertical resolution available with 16:9 enhanced (anamorphic) widescreen DVD titles - you get 33% more vertical resolution. With a 4:3 display with no 16:9 mode, the DVD player has to shrink the anamorphic DVD output vertically reducing from 480 vertical lines to only 360 - throwing away resolution. DVD players in their setup menu have a 4:3 and 16:9 display setting, the latter setting outputs the full 480 vertical lines for anamorphic DVDs. While designed for a 16:9 output display, it can be used on the more advanced 4:3 sets that have a 16:9 squeeze mode.

 

[copybeaver]

If you wanna be cheap like I was... I was initially searching for a 27 inch flat screen. I managed to price match + 10 percent off on the sony 27 inch flat screen wega... didn't like it though. It was 300 dollars. You could probably do that with another tv and run off with it. I think the panasonic tau is better than the wega (in terms of 27 and 32 inches). Toshiba seems to be very consistent as well as samsung(or was that sharp?). You're good any way you go I assume... just don't get a JVC

 

[Bill1313]

The Panasonic's don't have the 16:9 DVD Mode & JVC is made in the same factory in Mexico as the Panasonic. Just don't buy the "Discount" JVC or Panasonic models that are at Best Buy (JVC) & Wal-Mart (Panasonic) look for the "Regular" model numbers.

 

[PatG25]

I have pretty much decided on the 24" Toshiba. A little bit bigger than a 19", and not quite as large as a 27". Since it is for my kids rooms, and they will probably watch a lot of DVDs (all 16:9), the DVD Mode on the Toshiba looks good.


My local Best Buys has them for $299.


Thanks for the input.

 

[Ranger]

I just bought my mom a Toshiba 27AFX54. Is this a good tv ?

 

[copybeaver]

I *hear* toshiba is consistent and pretty good quality, so I assume you got a good tv, but I dunno for sure.