[mtbmtb01]

my budget tops is about $1500.

i switched from a 46" to thinking about a 52" i was looking at the cheap Samsung - Samsung LN52A550 or one of the sharp's -Sharp AQUOS LC52D65U, Sharp AQUOS LC52D64U or Sharp LC-52SB55U. all are right at the $1495-99 list.

i looked at the sharp specs and it seems the 64 may have the better specs, but i was worried about banding issues and since the 65 and 55 were newer models hopefully the banding has been fixed. i looked at best buy and sams and circuitry city before they sold the last 55 and the picture did not look bad to me. i know the Samsung gets better reviews and the contrast spec is higher. would it really get a noticeable better picture? my av dvd is samsung so if i stayed with the brand everything would match. also i could live with my 40" sammy lcd a while longer. should i wait for better, faster and hopefully cheaper new models?

i am used to watching my pioneer 50" 5070 plasma which to me gets one of the best pictures yet, but i don't have to have the absolute best pic and specs to be happy. sometimes i think the cheapest upgrade for me to get a better and clearer picture would be to invest in a new pair of eyeglasses. also where i bought my 50" plasma and 40" lcd i purchased the On Site Three Year Extended Warranty Certificate , is it worth it (about $100 - $150 at some on line dealers)

comments from owners and people that know about the sets please.

 

[woodyjoe]

You might take a look at toshiba. They have some models in your range.

 

[D_O_M]

I have a Sharp LC52D64U 52" Aquos LCD HDTV. I hooked it up with a HDMI cable….. It looks great put too much red. I looked at MANY posts but not sure if the 46” is the same as the 52” settings. PLEASE HELP! It’s starting to drive me CRAZY!

 

[wiigirl]

I would go with the Sharp AQUOS LC52D64U.


Just my 2 cents...

 

[HarrisonS]

I would recommend in first place Sony, followed by Samsung and Panasonic. Sony has had, generally speaking, the best signal processing. On the other hand, Sharp has not been very good in these areas, although their sets may be cheaper. The diferences will typically show up in moving images, so that you may see blurring or or other "artifacts" of moving objects. You may also have better performance, in dark scenes, if you have good processing. A "washed out" look has been a common problem with LCD's, and so you need really good perfomance here, comparatively seaking.


You can get better performance and more "bang for the buck" buying a 50" plasma. You might be able to find a 1080p Samsung or Panasonic in your price range. Pioneer is even better, but also more expensive.

 

[N1LSS]

I have a Samsung 550 (though it's only 46"). I like it a lot, highly recommended.