Quote:
Originally Posted by jmb667 /forum/post/15522895
So my wife and I are saving up to get our first HDTV to replace my 1999 Sharp CRT which has seen better days. We're trying to decide between 46" and 52" for starters; we like the idea of the bigger size, but the cost difference is crazy.
Also, we're trying to figure out a good brand. I have this love for Sony TVs (a personal thing), but they tend to run a bit on the spendy side. I've heard good things about Samsung and Toshiba, but wasn't sure what everyone else was using or if there were opinions either way.
Any suggestions or input is greatly appreciated!
TV size is going to be dependent on your room size and personal preferences. If it's a small room, 52" could be overkill (though there are some that'd be ok with having a 100" screen and sitting only 3 feet way. There's a word for ppl like that- crazy
). For me personally, 46" is about perfect for a 10-12' viewing distance. For anything over 12', I'd probably want the 52".
If it ends up being a toss-up to you, I'd tend to go with the bigger size. The "I bought a little too big" feeling is definitely better than the "I bought too small" feeling.
You also ask about brands. A few will violenty disagree, but this seems to be the way it is right now, in terms of picture quality:
Tier 1 - Sony, Samsung
Tier 2 - LG*, Toshiba, Sharp
Tier 3 - Insignia
* the better LG's are almost Tier 1
Of course, the TV makers know this, and price accordingly.
You get almost nothing for free. Though I'd say that some Samsungs are coming across as a bit of a bargain (like the 6 Series), because they're as good as the Sonys, but cheaper.
That's LCDs. If you like plasmas, Pioneer plasmas are definitely Tier 1, and Panasonic plasmas are Tier 2, almost Tier 1 in some models.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with a Tier 2 set. You might not be as picky as others in terms of getting the last little bit of image quality, and you will potentially save a lot of money on such a set. Tier 2 sets tend to be the 'good values'.
I wouldn't buy Tier 3. I haven't seen the Westinghouse TVs enough lately to judge, but I strongly suspect they're right down there with Insignia. Basically, the cheap stuff, and you can really tell.
You might dig the price, but once you get the set home, you'll probably have regrets. Unless what you had before was pretty lame, so that the Tier 3 set looks good by comparison.
There's a lot of choices, and lot of opinions, so be sure to a
lot of set viewing prior to purchase, and make your mind up for yourself. Good luck.