# New HDTV!!



## Andy M. (Feb 27, 2008)

I just ordered a Sony Bravia 52" HDTV (KDL52XBR4) online.  I am eagerly waiting for delivery.  I did a lot of shopping around and found a really good price that included a surge protector and HDMI cable.

I visited three electronics chains and the online price was $500 less than the least expensive store price, and they all wanted in excess of $100 for the HDMI cable I got for free.  This is an outrageous gouge!

The Red Sox season and Summer Olympics should be great on this new set.

Can't wait to get it and hook it up.  Gotta call the cable company next.

Big thank yous to all of you who shared your research, caveats and knowledge with me on this subject.  I feel I was a lot better prepared as a result.


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## GB (Feb 27, 2008)

That is basically my TV, but bigger and newer version. You are going to be beyond thrilled with your choice Andy!

Contgrats on a great purchase. I can't wait to hear what you think once you get it all hooked up.


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## Fisher's Mom (Feb 27, 2008)

WooHoo Andy!!! Congrats on the new addition to the family!


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## Andy M. (Feb 27, 2008)

Thanks, guys.  SO is convinced I'll never go to bed once I get it!


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## Fisher's Mom (Feb 27, 2008)

I would be worried we'd never see you _here_ again except that you have a laptop, right?


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## pacanis (Feb 27, 2008)

Andy M. said:


> Thanks, guys. SO is convinced I'll never go to bed once I get it!


 
I'm going on three weeks for mine.
I find myself watching stuff I never would just so I can be watching a HD channel   You'll love it.

Where did you end up purchasing from?


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## NAchef (Feb 27, 2008)

nice!  Hope to get one next fall.


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## buckytom (Feb 27, 2008)

congrats andy.

would you like my hd copy of the super bowl to help you break it in?


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## Andy M. (Feb 27, 2008)

Laptop & HDTV = multi-tasking.  No problem

Ordered from Abe's of Maine, which, surprisingly enough, is in Edison, NJ.

I'm not going to watch Dr. Phil no matter how good the picture is on my TV.


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## Andy M. (Feb 27, 2008)

buckytom said:


> congrats andy.
> 
> would you like my hd copy of the super bowl to help you break it in?


 

Do you have the director's cut version with the alternate endings?


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## In the Kitchen (Feb 27, 2008)

*Congratulations*

Okay, this is unusual our tv had problems for two weeks.  we decided to get tv Sony 40" should we think of bigger one?  Also we want to mount it on the wall over fireplace but have plaster walls.  You think this could be done?  Of course, we would have to have professional but I can't imagine 52" Do you have huge room to put it in?   Isn't that how you pick these tv's out but he size of your room?  We are already in debt since our dog needs acupuncture so I might as well go deeper if we have to order bigger one.  This will all be of interest to the family since I just noticed all t his information.  Thanks.  Really strange how we all have same problem in common.  Kind of good I think


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## Jeekinz (Feb 27, 2008)

Andy M. said:


> *The Red Sox season* and Summer Olympics should be great on this new set.


 
Now you'll REALLY see how ugly Julian Tavarez is.


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## Andy M. (Feb 27, 2008)

Jeekinz said:


> Now you'll REALLY see how ugly Julian Tavarez is.


 

YIKES!!! Maybe he won't be pitching too often...


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## GB (Feb 27, 2008)

Andy M. said:


> Laptop & HDTV = multi-tasking.


Now you can hook your laptop up to your TV and use your TV as your monitor. That comes in really handy for me.


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## Andy M. (Feb 27, 2008)

GB said:


> Now you can hook your laptop up to your TV and use your TV as your monitor. That comes in really handy for me.


 


Holy mackerel, 52" pictures of my grandson!

I guess that means another kind of cable.


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## GB (Feb 27, 2008)

Yes another cable, but this one is not expensive


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## GB (Feb 27, 2008)

Yes another cable, but this one is not expensive.

You can then find one of the hundreds of sites that host movies and TV shows and run them through your computer onto your TV.


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## pacanis (Feb 27, 2008)

Andy M. said:


> Do you have the director's cut version with the alternate endings?


 
LOL

I ended up getting mine from ABT, after done screwing around with Amazon.  Very nice place to deal with.


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## plumies (Feb 27, 2008)

Congrats, Andy!  HDTV is the bomb! Can't wait until everything is in HD.  I find sports programs are especially nice in HD.


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## GB (Feb 27, 2008)

Nature shows are by far my favorite things to view in HD. The Discovery HD Theater channel has some amazing visual things on it. Sunrise earth is a great one. It is just sunrises around the world. There is no talking. The most you will hear is the babbling brook in the shot or birds singing or something like that. I love putting that on when I wake up on the weekends and grab my cup of coffee and just slowly wake up. Great stuff.


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## In the Kitchen (Feb 27, 2008)

Laptop? I didn't know this was included?  Now I know why they all want this thing.  I thought for tv shows but laptop?  You think that is fair?  I am going to ask for one to be put in my bedroom so I can watch tv if they put laptops on there.  Kids!  Know all the angles.


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## Andy M. (Feb 27, 2008)

In the Kitchen said:


> Laptop? I didn't know this was included? Now I know why they all want this thing. I thought for tv shows but laptop? You think that is fair? I am going to ask for one to be put in my bedroom so I can watch tv if they put laptops on there. Kids! Know all the angles.


 

ITK, I already have the laptop.  If I want to, I can connect it to the new TV (or even my old TV) and use the TV as the computer screen.


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## Corey123 (Mar 1, 2008)

Andy M. said:


> I just ordered a Sony Bravia 52" HDTV (KDL52XBR4) online. I am eagerly waiting for delivery. I did a lot of shopping around and found a really good price that included a surge protector and HDMI cable.
> 
> I visited three electronics chains and the online price was $500 less than the least expensive store price, and they all wanted in excess of $100 for the HDMI cable I got for free. This is an outrageous gouge!
> 
> ...


 


I just bought a Sony Bravia 26-inch flat screen HD two weeks ago. I got the last one that was in the box from Best Buy. 

When I went back there today to get another -3-jack cable that didn't come with the DVR, the Sony on display was gone! This though, is my first Sony TV in years.

But along with it came some disadvantages; It made the VCR obsolete by not being able to record from it, so I was forced to buy a DVR for recording. It plays good though Comcast's HD cable box!


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## In the Kitchen (Mar 2, 2008)

*Lower Price?*

Don't you think these tv's should drop in price soon?  Just wonder how you get them repaired or do you just toss them too?  Seems like this is the big thing now and will we have more problems than we can pay for?  I can remember our first tv and it was black and white.  Loved Mr Rogers.  My favorite program.  I just wonder if the kids today would still like him?  

Well, guess can't worry ahead of time.  Only think we should get bigger one since we are attaching it to the wall.


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## GB (Mar 2, 2008)

Actually the price has dropped dramatically ITK. They are still very expensive compared to regular TV's, but 5 years ago Andy's TV would have cost 10k or more.


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## Andy M. (Mar 2, 2008)

GB said:


> Actually the price has dropped dramatically ITK. They are still very expensive compared to regular TV's, but 5 years ago Andy's TV would have cost 10k or more.


 

And you can rest assured I did not pay that much!


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## TATTRAT (Mar 2, 2008)

Congrats, Andy! 

I know I am late on this...

I have a 46 in JVC HDLCD 1080p and feel it is the best purchase I have made in a long time. HD ROCKS!!!!!!! It REALLY rocks for sports! And I ordered the Planet Earth on Blue ray and was blown away. Amazing!

I love the MOJO Channel too!


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## GB (Mar 2, 2008)

Yeah Tatt those Planet Earth shows were some of the best HD viewing I have ever seen!


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## Corey123 (Mar 2, 2008)

In the Kitchen said:


> Don't you think these tv's should drop in price soon? Just wonder how you get them repaired or do you just toss them too? Seems like this is the big thing now and will we have more problems than we can pay for? I can remember our first tv and it was black and white. Loved Mr Rogers. My favorite program. I just wonder if the kids today would still like him?
> 
> Well, guess can't worry ahead of time. Only think we should get bigger one since we are attaching it to the wall.


 


Our first one was also a b&w console model back in the '50s. In the '60s, it was a portable b&w. Then, one by one, we ALL started buying our own TV's,
though still b&w. Back then, Olympic was the brand that we all bought from discount store like Lechmere. 

No one could afford color yet. I didn't get my first color TV until '82.

I took out an extended warranty on mine for like three years. And I don't have to lug the unit to a repair shop. A technician will be sent out, should one be needed.

It's really the giant theater-like plasma models that will cost you a fortune! You can get a good quality 26" unit for about $599.00 to $699.00.

Regular or analog TV's are no longer in production, as you may already know. 

Those ones that you might still see for sale in stores like Best Buy, Circuit City and other stores are pretty much leftovers marked way below their regular prices because the stores are trying to move them out the door.

These models still provide great reception when hooked up to cable or satelite, but they are extremely heavy and you are forced to pay to have it delivered to your house. They are also now too cumbersome and space-robbing! They demand a considerable amount of living room real estate.

I was going to go this route again, but I thought to myself, that since I had the money to spend, why NOT go HD? Besides, an HD flat screen uses far less space than those dinosaur regular TV's do! And if you get a 20" model and have to carry it home, it's almost as light as a feather! 

And if you don't have cable or satelite service by next February, you'll have to get a special converter box for local reception, or your TV can't be viewed. Flat screen or otherwise. You'll still need the rabbit ears though.

I carried my flat screen on public transportation home. The whole country has gone HD digital TV. Analog TV has gone bye-bye.


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## Andy M. (Mar 4, 2008)

A very large heavy cardboard box arrived on a truck today.  I have it tucked into a corner of the LR.  I hope to uncrate it tomorrow.  

Yesterday SIL and I moved the old oak entertainment center to the family room which is one floor down.  I almost crushed him on the way down.  We pick up the new TV console tomorrow.  

The cable guy comes to Friday so I will be up and running for the weekend.  I signed up for an extended digital package and the sports package so I won't be lacking for shows to watch.


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## Katie H (Mar 4, 2008)

Guess we know what you'll be doing all weekend.


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## Andy M. (Mar 4, 2008)

24/7!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## NAchef (Mar 5, 2008)

I think its about time for us to upgrade, starting to have issues seeing the whole screen. Some programs have scores or information at the top or bottom of the screen and it is being cut off.


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## pacanis (Mar 5, 2008)

That's exactly why I pulled the trigger NAchef. I couldn't take watching Netflix movies anymore as if I was watching them on a 20" set.

I can't believe you didn't take the day off, Andy..... 
Major purchases entitle you to that.....


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## Andy M. (Mar 5, 2008)

pacanis, I work at home taking care of my grandson.  We'll get it opened today and be ready to have my SIL lift it onto the console tonight.


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## DawnT (Mar 5, 2008)

Andy M.,  You're going to love the different sizes you can adjust your screen, the depth, the color, even the cartoons that you and your grandson may watch are going to be awesome!!!  We have a HDTV 42" plasma in our LR and really notice the difference.


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## GB (Mar 5, 2008)

Andy just a little tip. If/when your grandson gets hand prints on the screen, they come off very easily with a damp lint free cloth and gentle circular motions. My daughter got her little hands all over the screen one day and I was terrified to try to clean it so I left them there for months. When I did finally get up the courage to clean it though it was very easy did no damage at all.


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## pacanis (Mar 5, 2008)

Andy M. said:


> pacanis, I work at home taking care of my grandson. We'll get it opened today and be ready to have my SIL lift it onto the console tonight.


 
Cool 
I wouldn't have the patience to wait that long, but that will give you time to read the manual.  I still haven''t looked at my manual yet


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## Andy M. (Mar 5, 2008)

I can connect it tonight but will not be getting an HD picture.  When the cable guy brings the digital HD box, then the magic begins.


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## Corey123 (Mar 5, 2008)

I'm having a rough time trying to hook up the DVR to mine.

Had to schedule an appointment for a Comcast technician to come out this Friday!


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## Andy M. (Mar 5, 2008)

I didn't get the DVR function.  We seldom feel the need to record something because it's "unmissable"


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## GB (Mar 5, 2008)

Recording is a great feature of DVR's, but it is only one of many other features that make it such a great product.

My wife recordes the awards shows like the Academy Awards. She then watches it the next day or whenever she wants. This way she is able to skip over all the commercials and applause and other fluff. A 2 hour award show can then be watched in about 20 minutes 

What I love it most for though is all the times that my wife decides to talk to me at that critical moment right when the show is telling you that one piece of info you have been waiting an hour for (who the killer is, how it was done, etc.). I can now rewind so that I do not miss that sort of stuff  when she picks that time to ask if I emptied the litter box.


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## Andy M. (Mar 5, 2008)

Good point, GB.  I may have to reconsider.  I can't tell you how many times one of us turns to the other and asks, "What did he say?".


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## GB (Mar 5, 2008)

It is great for moments like that. Most even have a button that automatically rewinds just a few seconds (5 or so) for those very times.

I also love it when I need to go to the bathroom or answer the phone or get a drink or whatever. You pause it, go do what you need to do, then when you come back you can fast forward over the next set of commercials.


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## pacanis (Mar 5, 2008)

GB said:


> It is great for moments like that. Most even have a button that automatically rewinds just a few seconds (5 or so) for those very times.
> 
> I also love it when I need to go to the bathroom or answer the phone or get a drink or whatever. You pause it, go do what you need to do, then when you come back you can fast forward over the next set of commercials.


 
I love my new DVD player because it will do just that.... you can hit a button and it will back up just a bit and automatically start playing again.  Being hard of hearing that's a great feature, but if I had DVR I could do that to also, those 2 hour Academies you mentioned would take me 3 

My ultimate goal is to have a TV in every room so I can keep up with the program.  And it's not that complicated anymore with wireless TV tuners.


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## buckytom (Mar 5, 2008)

quick question: should i spend the extra $400 bucks and go for the newer 120 hz frame rate technology on the samsung 1080p sets?  or is the older, standard response time and lower contrast ration ok? 
i've looked at the samsungs and the sonys, and imo, the samsungs were very slightly better, but for a good price i'm open to either.


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## pacanis (Mar 5, 2008)

Can you find any reviews anywhere?
I went with the Samsung LNT 4665F and am pretty happy with it. I just looked and it is 60 hz.
400 bucks..... that'll by a small HDTV for the kitchen! (lol)


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## GB (Mar 5, 2008)

I do not know about the frame rates, but I do know that I could not be happier with my Sony which must be the older technology. If you have the extra $400 to blow then go for it, but my guess is that you would be plenty happy with the older ones.


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## Andy M. (Mar 5, 2008)

buckytom said:


> quick question: should i spend the extra $400 bucks and go for the newer 120 hz frame rate technology on the samsung 1080p sets? or is the older, standard response time and lower contrast ration ok?
> i've looked at the samsungs and the sonys, and imo, the samsungs were very slightly better, but for a good price i'm open to either.


 

From what I've read, the 120 hz is especially useful when watching sports or other high speed action.  I was shown a side by side demo in a showroom of a live cable broadcast and you can see the difference.

I bought my TV online at Abe's of Maine (located in Edison, NJ).  It was a very good price and free shipping.  Much better than store prices.  I bought the Sony for the price of a Mitsubishi or Samsung.

Check out avsforum.com to read what the AV geeks have to say.


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## In the Kitchen (Mar 6, 2008)

*HDTV Question - Turning it on and off - OK?*

Hello,

Do you think it is OK to watch an HDTV for 5-10 minutes and then turn it off.  And to do this over its lifetime?  I don't want to shorten the life of the HDTV.


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## buckytom (Mar 6, 2008)

itk, i'll ask the guys that repair monitors and tvs today. i doubt there's long term specs on large lcd or plasma tvs, but they'll have an idea what's good for the power supply and electronics.

thanks to andy, gb, and pacanis for the info. i'm gonna have to do a side by side like andy mentioned.


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## GB (Mar 6, 2008)

Bucky, can you ask your guys something else too? This is something I heard a long time ago that made sense to me, but have never really researched it. I was told that it makes sense to leave electronic equipment on instead of turning it on and off because the constant heating and cooling makes the little wires and whatnot expand and contract which will weaken them over time. Keeping them on all the time will keep them expanded and will not weaken them as quickly. I am curious to know what the pros think.


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## buckytom (Mar 6, 2008)

gb, this breaks down to 2 categories, first of all. there's consumer elecronics and then there's the pro stuff. consumer electronics in general is pretty much *not* intended to be left on all of the time. the pro stuff is built heavier, with more robust power supplies, heat sinks, and electronics.
we've had problems where a dept. tried to cheaply replace monitors and speakers and associated equipment with consumer stuff, and they burned out within a year because they were on 24/7. they're not built for that kind of use. 
the only thing that i've found that prefers to be left running are hard drives. any type of hard drive, from ide to internal scsi to whole raid arrays. every time you power off and on a drive, you risk a crash. the older and more used the drive gets, the higher the risk.

as far as wires and connectors go: it's not so much the expanding and contracing of the wires or insulation, but oxidation that can build up on the connector surfaces. most home environments don't have extremes in temp and humidity, so it's usually not a problem. besides, as electronics get smaller, there's fewer and fewer wires and connectors to be affected that way. they're too bulky and heavy.

ok, gotta run. lol, i have to go change out a monitor. (no kidding!) bbl.


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## buckytom (Mar 6, 2008)

one last quick thing, thinking about it: the characteristics or properties of silicon chips changes over time with usage (essentially the amount of time being heated), so it's better to leave things powered off when not in use.

i recently saw a show about keeping a "green" house by cutting power to all electronics in order to reduce the "vampire" power drain that many devices still draw, even when powered off. my first thoughts were hard drive failures, operating temp fluctuations causing chip failure, and systems that need to be re-initialized every time power is completely pulled.

ok, gotta run again, he heee.


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## GB (Mar 6, 2008)

Thanks BT!


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## buckytom (Mar 7, 2008)

andy, thanks for the link to avs forum. i'm more confused now than ever, about which hdtv to buy. the 40" sony xbr4, or the samsung 4071.

but at least i have a lot more info to agonize over. 

itk, i asked the experts, and they said it depends on how often you turn it on and off. the biggest risks are to the power supply (easily replaced if needed), or the backlight (not easily replaced). 
it's ok to turn it on for 5 or 10 minutes, so long as you're only doing that a few times a day. in fact, you're saving energy.
but if you're turning it on and off for 5 or 10 minutes a few times an hour, then you end up stressing the power supply trying to provide the high voltage for the backlight, which is usually a type of flourescent lamp. flourescents eventually burn out, so it would be better to leave it on.

somewhere on a curve, there's the difference between saving money on energy and having to spend it on repairs.

hope this helps.


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## GB (Mar 7, 2008)

Bucky, when i was looking at TV's I found the Sony's were much better when it came to how black their blacks really were. Well "much better" might be a stretch. They were better. I also love what my TV looks like when it is off. It looks like a framed piece of art (honestly) with a floating glass frame. From people I know who have bought the Samsung HDTV's, they have all been extremely pleased. I honestly do not think you could go wrong with either of them.


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## Corey123 (Mar 7, 2008)

I was either going to get a Sony, Panasonic, Toshiba or a Magnavox, and I chose a Sony.

None of that no-name junk!!


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## Andy M. (Mar 7, 2008)

Andy M. said:


> Good point, GB. I may have to reconsider. I can't tell you how many times one of us turns to the other and asks, "What did he say?".


 

I broke down and changed my order to add the DVR to the package.  I decided it would be worth it for us.


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## GB (Mar 7, 2008)

You are a smart man Charlie Brown.


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## Andy M. (Mar 7, 2008)

Thanks for the encouragement!


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## Corey123 (Mar 7, 2008)

You're welcome!


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## Andy M. (Mar 11, 2008)

Well, I had the cable box/DVR hooked up last Friday and have had the opportunity to watch a lot of HDTV.  

I have to say I am amazed at the clarity and depth of the HD images.  It also doesn't hurt that it's a lot bigger than what we had.

I haven't used the DVR function yet to record a show but I have used the 'bakup 5 seconds' feature a couple of times to hear something I missed the first time through.

I have a Sony WEGA I had been watching before  this HDTV and it has an incredibly crisp clear picture.  I had a hard time imagining how much better HDTV could be.  I had no idea there could be so much of a difference.

My sincere thanks to all of you who offered advice, links, information and encouragement to help me with the purchase decision.  You made me a wiser and more frugal consumer.


Now, if the baseball season would just start...


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## pacanis (Mar 11, 2008)

When I'm not actually "watching" TV, I've gotten into leaving it on ESPN HD.  When they start showing college basketball at night it's amazing the clarity. And I don't even follow college BB. I will say I'm getting a bit used to it now, but it still rocks!


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## GB (Mar 11, 2008)

I am so glad Andy. Watching TV will never be the same.


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## Andy M. (Mar 11, 2008)

pacanis said:


> When I'm not actually "watching" TV, I've gotten into leaving it on ESPN HD. When they start showing college basketball at night it's amazing the clarity. And I don't even follow college BB. I will say I'm getting a bit used to it now, but it still rocks!


 

I know what you mean.  I have been watching Celtics games and they are amazing on the new TV.


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## smoke king (Mar 11, 2008)

52" ? too cheap to buy a big one,  huh?


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## Andy M. (Mar 12, 2008)

smoke king said:


> 52" ? too cheap to buy a big one, huh?


 

There was the 70" Sony for $33,000.00 but I decided to NOT give SO a reason to bean me with a cast iron skillet.


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## lyndalou (Mar 12, 2008)

We are going to buy a new flat screen plasma tv very soon. You have all given me a lot to think about. Ours will be a 42 inch one. Looks like Sony is a good one. Friends have a Panasonic which they like . Any opinions on that one? 
Where do you go to look up various  tvs and prices?


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## Andy M. (Mar 12, 2008)

I don't know about the Panasonic.  

There are some links earlier in this thread that lead you to lots of good info on TV's.


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## pacanis (Mar 12, 2008)

lyndalou said:


> We are going to buy a new flat screen plasma tv very soon. You have all given me a lot to think about. Ours will be a 42 inch one. Looks like Sony is a good one. Friends have a Panasonic which they like . Any opinions on that one?
> Where do you go to look up various tvs and prices?


 
This is my favorite site for buying anything electronic.
Product Reviews - Welcome to CNET Reviews - CNET.com

The of course there is Amazon and their customer reviews.
There's another one, too.... it was posted in my topic on HD TVs, but I don't have it on this PC.  It has a good review section and a forum that you can do a search on whatever set you are interested in.  Someone will have one and either be saying how great it is or b####in' about it 

I've read good things on Panasonics and one of their models is supposed to be "the one" all others are compared to.  I don't remember if it was a plasma or an LCD, though.


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## In the Kitchen (Mar 13, 2008)

buckytom said:


> andy, thanks for the link to avs forum. i'm more confused now than ever, about which hdtv to buy. the 40" sony xbr4, or the samsung 4071.
> 
> but at least i have a lot more info to agonize over.
> 
> ...



thanks buckytom for checking to see about turning on and off!  Now I question myself about even thinking about turning it on unless I am almost SURE I won't have to leave in next 15 minutes!  I want to do what is best but it sure isn't easy, if you are conscious of all the results.  Getting something new and expensive is one thing I want to respect.  We all should.  

Thanks for your help and time buckytom.  I certainly appreciate.  Now if I only can remember and not get into old habits.


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