Two Plus Two Newer Archives

Two Plus Two Newer Archives (http://archives1.twoplustwo.com/index.php)
-   The Lounge: Discussion+Review (http://archives1.twoplustwo.com/forumdisplay.php?f=65)
-   -   Help Me Buy an LCD TV (http://archives1.twoplustwo.com/showthread.php?t=503001)

mscags 09-17-2007 12:53 PM

Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
So I'm gonna use my onecall gift certificates to buy a new TV. I'm thinking 32in. Anyone have any recommendations on which one I should get. I don't know much about TVs, so I will list them all in price range.
This is the cheapest one at 700, but I've never heard of the brand, no idea on if it is any decent or not. Westinghouse
Next is the Panasonic on sale for 750 Panasonic
This Toshiba on sale for 800 Toshiba
I know Sharp is supposed to be good, this one comes in a little shy of 900. Sharp
Next another Panasonic, the TC32LX700, same price as the Sharp Panasonic TC32LX700
This Samsung at 930 Samsung
and this Sony at 975 Sony

So if anyone has any suggestions or opinions I'd love to hear them. I'd like to wall mount it if that makes much difference. Thanks for the help.

Mike

Orlando Salazar 09-17-2007 01:03 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
Find the TV's that have these things, then buy the cheapest.

1080p
120hz
2 HDMI slots
cable card ready

Pricewatch.com for the win

Taso 09-17-2007 01:29 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
If you aren't set on wall mounting and LCD...I'd recommend a DLP. You can get a 50" Samsung dlp HDTV for around $1500 or so.

cts 09-17-2007 01:32 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
I just got a 52" Samsung from Amazon, love this thing.

Hey_Porter 09-17-2007 02:45 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
Why LCD over Plasma? I'm also planning on purchasing a new TV, and was leaning towards a Panasonic 42" plasma that's on sale for $950.

mscags 09-17-2007 02:51 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
[ QUOTE ]
Why LCD over Plasma? I'm also planning on purchasing a new TV, and was leaning towards a Panasonic 42" plasma that's on sale for $950.

[/ QUOTE ]
What is the main difference between the two and is that on sale at onecall?

kabouter 09-17-2007 03:44 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
lcd= cheaper, try to find a plasma with 1080p it will set you back a lot.

Just get the sony w2000 it's a 40" 1080p device, and I really love the design. Should go for 1700-2000ish.

And to the OP, I bought the 32" samsung for my parents, and I kind of like the design (although I don't like the table stand) and the image quality is quite good too. Ofcourse you could save some money and go for the westinghouse, but damn that tv is ugly.

z28dreams 09-17-2007 04:18 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
[ QUOTE ]
Find the TV's that have these things, then buy the cheapest.

1080p
120hz
2 HDMI slots
cable card ready

Pricewatch.com for the win

[/ QUOTE ]

This is pretty terrible advice. There's a HUGE difference in quality going from a no-name TV to something like samsung/pioneer/sony.

Orlando Salazar 09-17-2007 04:39 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Find the TV's that have these things, then buy the cheapest.

1080p
120hz
2 HDMI slots
cable card ready

Pricewatch.com for the win

[/ QUOTE ]

This is pretty terrible advice. There's a HUGE difference in quality going from a no-name TV to something like samsung/pioneer/sony.

[/ QUOTE ]

what no name TV's have 1080p and 120hz with 2 HDMI inputs?

R*R 09-17-2007 04:42 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
I have 55" Sony HD1080 that I have been very happy with. I would suggest you go with a well known brand. I would also suggest you by directly at a retail store and not online, just in case there are problems, setup questions etc.... I prefer the personal touch.
Is it for poker? I have a 32" that I use for poker.
See here:
http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showfl...ue#Post12006203

absoludicrous 09-17-2007 05:02 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
Going for anything but 1080p at this time would be a huge mistake. Samsung and Sony make excellent TVs. I know Pioneer make some of the best plasmas, not sure if they've broke into the LCD scene. Nonetheless, they're fantastic.

mscags 09-17-2007 05:17 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
[ QUOTE ]
Going for anything but 1080p at this time would be a huge mistake. Samsung and Sony make excellent TVs. I know Pioneer make some of the best plasmas, not sure if they've broke into the LCD scene. Nonetheless, they're fantastic.

[/ QUOTE ]

Onecall doesnt have a sinlge 32in lcd w 1080p. Do you have to buy a bigger size or they dont come in LCD or what? SOrry I dont know much about this stuff

Hey_Porter 09-17-2007 09:59 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
So I just got back from a buddy's house. He bought a new HD TV this weekend, and got the HD tuner from Comcast today. If he had it all set up right, I wasn't that impressed. Are the images from HD channels supposed to fill the screen? They weren't on his. And honestly, I had a hard time distinguishing the image from the ESPN HD Monday Night Football and the regular. Is it possible it wasn't set up right? He thought the same thing. Samsung, fwiw.

Taso 09-17-2007 10:05 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
It definitly wasn't set up right if you couldn't tell. It should look AMAZING if its working right.

Myrtle 09-17-2007 10:19 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
Without intending to offend anyone here….there is so much miss-information in this string that it frightens me.

In no particular order of importance………

Brand name may or MAY NOT have ANYTHING to do with quality. Virtually every ‘brand name’ out there has a “good/better/best” choice to offer consumers. Just check out why most of them have 3 models of a particular size” that cost….X….X+ 25%.....X + 50% or more. The ‘best’ Sony, Panasonic, Pioneer, Samsung, Sharp, etc. models are truly high performing sets. If you had the opportunity to compare those three different level from any manufacturer, you would expereience first-hand what I'm talking about. Remember, you still DO get what you pay for in many cases.

There are some lesser known brands that cater to those who are looking for top-notch performance, and most folks have never seen or heard of them…..Fujitsu Ten, Nuvision, Nexus, Marantz…….etc.

1080p CAN BE very important, but unless put into perspective, it is nothing more than another high-tech ‘buzz word’. I will not write a dissertation on this subject…..Do your homework and educate yourself. I will however, give you one very important hint…..The quality of your picture is totally dependent upon the weakest link in your system. The best performing screen made will look like doggy doodoo with poor source material or medium, while an average screen will look gorgeous with a high quality source.

Dual HDMI inputs have nothing to do with performance; they just allow you to have two different HDMI sources, which (for sure) is a worthwhile feature.

LCD vs. Plasma? Both advantages and disadvantages (according to most “experts”, and I support these points). Short & Sweet…….

LCD over Plasma: Brighter (easier to see in a highly lit room). The best LCD’s also have amazing depth acuity which will readily show up in a fair comparison. Their screens are non-reflective (Plasma’s have glass fronts, which are highly reflective and interfere with one’s viewing during the day in a bright room).

Plasma over LCD: More accurate and natural color renditioning. Very little (in higher quality plasma’s) motion artifacting. This phenomenon is very disturbing to those who are cursed with sensitivity to it. If you are, you know exactly what I mean. If you’re not sure, try this…....Watch a live broadcast HD source hockey (or football) game on an LCD. If you feel as if you’re getting seasick, motion artifaction is the culprit. Compare the same source on a quality plasma set, and see what happens. If you don’t have a problem with the LCD, that’s great, as the real issue here is more how each of us actually ‘perceives’ what we see. It’s an eye/brain thing, and it varies from person to person. We’re dealing with the actual response time of each of the pixels and the best LCD’s are not as fast as plasma’s in this regard. Some of us are very sensitive to this time domain issue; some are not.

The REAL problem with this subject is that it is highly technical, complicated, and very relative in nature. Objectivity (specs) and Subjectivity (what YOU see) are both very important, but you rarely get a chance to see any of these sets in a store that are performing to their max because it’s both difficult and expensive to do so in a retail setting.

Please remember, I'm only talking about "flat-screen" (LCD & Plasma) technology here. To expand the conversation to some of the other technologies currently available out there is an even more daunting task!

I’ve been here before on 2+2 about this issue. I don’t want to get into a pissing war with anyone, nor do I have the time to write a thorough ‘primer’ to dispel all the myths about this subject that are floating around out there.

If you have a specific question, I will do my best to answer it.

And, yes, I am in “the business”.

Myrtle 09-17-2007 10:25 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Going for anything but 1080p at this time would be a huge mistake. Samsung and Sony make excellent TVs. I know Pioneer make some of the best plasmas, not sure if they've broke into the LCD scene. Nonetheless, they're fantastic.

[/ QUOTE ]

Onecall doesnt have a sinlge 32in lcd w 1080p. Do you have to buy a bigger size or they dont come in LCD or what? SOrry I dont know much about this stuff

[/ QUOTE ]

1080p on an LCD smaller than 37" is a non-issue to 99.5% of us.

The law of diminishing return applies here.

As screens get smaller in size, the individual pixels are also proportionally reduced in size.

It gets to a point where the eye is unable to perceive each of the pixels, regardless of how close we sit to the set.

This point is commonly believed to be on sets below 37", which is why there are very few 1080's smaller than 37" on the market (Yes, there are a couple, but I defy anyone to tell me that they can actually see the difference between them and a 768 resolution set.)

Myrtle 09-17-2007 10:34 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
[ QUOTE ]
So I just got back from a buddy's house. He bought a new HD TV this weekend, and got the HD tuner from Comcast today. If he had it all set up right, I wasn't that impressed. Are the images from HD channels supposed to fill the screen? They weren't on his. And honestly, I had a hard time distinguishing the image from the ESPN HD Monday Night Football and the regular. Is it possible it wasn't set up right? He thought the same thing. Samsung, fwiw.

[/ QUOTE ]

Uh....yup.

Forgive me for LOLing (it's really NOT funny....It's very frustrating!!)

HD images ARE supposed to fill the screen.....I sure hope it is a 16x9 aspect screen, not a 4x3?

Did he read the owners manual to see how to 'set up' the TV? Sounds like he didn't, and the set isn't in the proper mode to differentiate a regular signal from an HD signal. There should be a STUNNING difference on MNF between the two.

And then, there's the mf'king incompetent cable companies that have installers who really don't have a clue as to what their doing.

In most cases, the cable box has to be 'programmed' to properly transmit a quality HD image.

Then, you MUST have quality cables from it to the set, regardless of whether or not your using the HDMI or regular inputs/outputs. Do NOT disregard this point!!!

mscags 09-17-2007 10:38 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
Awesome, thanks for all of the help. I think I'm just gonna go to the store and check out some different TVs. If I am looking for a 32in LCD do you have any specific recommendations that I should be checking out. I'd prefer to stay around 1K or so. Thanks.

Scags

Myrtle 09-17-2007 11:01 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
[ QUOTE ]
Awesome, thanks for all of the help. I think I'm just gonna go to the store and check out some different TVs. If I am looking for a 32in LCD do you have any specific recommendations that I should be checking out. I'd prefer to stay around 1K or so. Thanks.

Scags

[/ QUOTE ]

The "Big-Box" stores are for cattle that are trained to buy on price alone. It would be extremely rare if you got either good information or a fair demo in any of them.

Here's what I'd do if I were you.....

Find a small, independent AV specialist or two.

Visit them and try to get an education.

Many of these guys really know what they're talking about and have a passion for what they do (but not ALL of them!).

Ask them to explain and demonstrate the differences in quality between sets.

Don't be afraid to ask the hard questions.

Don't be afraid or embarrassed to show that you know little about the subject.

DO ensure that your BS detector is turned on, as not ALL of these guys know what they're talking about!

DO some research on the net....Google away and read.

Knowledge is Power and Ignorance is no reason to piss away your hard earned dollars!

R*R 09-18-2007 12:19 AM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
Myrtle's post is solid. I remember when I did my shoppping about a year ago that I chose an LCD as the room I have it in is bright. This is very important. I would not put a plasma in a bright room. Someone can possibly confirm this but I think I also remember that if a plasma goes it is more difficult and expensive to repair.

Hey_Porter 09-18-2007 12:37 AM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
So I just got back from a buddy's house. He bought a new HD TV this weekend, and got the HD tuner from Comcast today. If he had it all set up right, I wasn't that impressed. Are the images from HD channels supposed to fill the screen? They weren't on his. And honestly, I had a hard time distinguishing the image from the ESPN HD Monday Night Football and the regular. Is it possible it wasn't set up right? He thought the same thing. Samsung, fwiw.

[/ QUOTE ]

Uh....yup.

Forgive me for LOLing (it's really NOT funny....It's very frustrating!!)

HD images ARE supposed to fill the screen.....I sure hope it is a 16x9 aspect screen, not a 4x3?

Did he read the owners manual to see how to 'set up' the TV? Sounds like he didn't, and the set isn't in the proper mode to differentiate a regular signal from an HD signal. There should be a STUNNING difference on MNF between the two.

And then, there's the mf'king incompetent cable companies that have installers who really don't have a clue as to what their doing.

In most cases, the cable box has to be 'programmed' to properly transmit a quality HD image.

Then, you MUST have quality cables from it to the set, regardless of whether or not your using the HDMI or regular inputs/outputs. Do NOT disregard this point!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Yea, obviously it was a setup issue, and it's apparently working fine now. True to crappy customer service form, apparently the comcast folks fixed an initial problem and in doing so screwed up the HD settings.

Myrtle 09-18-2007 08:24 AM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
[ QUOTE ]
Myrtle's post is solid. I remember when I did my shoppping about a year ago that I chose an LCD as the room I have it in is bright. This is very important. I would not put a plasma in a bright room. Someone can possibly confirm this but I think I also remember that if a plasma goes it is more difficult and expensive to repair.

[/ QUOTE ]

It all depends on what exactly "goes".

It's pretty simple.....It will either be the actual screen itself, or the associated electronics that drive it.

If it's a full screen/panel failure and the set is out of warranty, you may as well toss it on the junk heap, as the cost of the replacement panel is very prohibitive.

Opinions vary as to what the 'lifetime' of a panel is. Early PDP (plasma) panels were nowhere near as reliable as the latest versions of them are.

LCD's are also pretty reliable these days.

Both LCD's and PDP's should have at least as long a life expectancy as vacuum tubes, and probably a bit longer.

The most often reported 'failure' of a panel is a pixel or two going out. This is a pain, but really nothing can be done about it. Individual pixels are not replaceable: they are incredibly tiny!

Think about it for a minute.......

If you've just bought one of the higher quality LCD's, it probably has a resolution of 1920 x 1080. Multiply those numbers and you get 2,073,600. That's how many actual pixels there are in that screen, regardless of its' size.

Now, remember, in each LCD there are three different colors, so in reality there are really over 6 million pixels in that screen!

Hope this answered your question.....

gusmahler 09-18-2007 01:09 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
[ QUOTE ]
Then, you MUST have quality cables from it to the set, regardless of whether or not your using the HDMI or regular inputs/outputs. Do NOT disregard this point!!!

[/ QUOTE ]Depends on what you mean by "quality." One doesn't need $200 HDMI cables when you can buy them for $20.

Myrtle 09-18-2007 09:25 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Then, you MUST have quality cables from it to the set, regardless of whether or not your using the HDMI or regular inputs/outputs. Do NOT disregard this point!!!

[/ QUOTE ]Depends on what you mean by "quality." One doesn't need $200 HDMI cables when you can buy them for $20.

[/ QUOTE ]

Gus, Please...........

Quality is NOT necessarily always defined by price.

Your statement as written above is misleading and can easily be interpreted incorrectly, leading one to a bad decision.

The reality is that there are different levels of quality of HDMI cables out there for a reason.

There is a very complex "handshaking" process that occurs using HDMI.

Part of the difficulty in choosing a good cable is that very few folks know how to define "good" when it comes to HDMI.

That is also compounded by less-than-ethical cable manufacturers who misrepresent their product. This happens most often within a line, and a certain cable is misrepresented to be "better" than it's lower priced counterpart, when in reality the only thing it offers is extra profitability to both the manufacturer and the retailer.

In plain language, you can get ripped-off quite easily in this regard.

Check out this article (and site) if you want more legitimate information about HDMI.

http://www.etherealhometheater.com/news.php?id=14

p.s. With non-HDMI cables, there is a very easy way to verify what I'm saying......

Compare them by LOOKING AT THE PICTURE!! If you've never done this you will be totally amazed at the easily discernable visual difference in quality of various cables!

gusmahler 09-18-2007 10:11 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Then, you MUST have quality cables from it to the set, regardless of whether or not your using the HDMI or regular inputs/outputs. Do NOT disregard this point!!!

[/ QUOTE ]Depends on what you mean by "quality." One doesn't need $200 HDMI cables when you can buy them for $20.

[/ QUOTE ]

Gus, Please...........

Quality is NOT necessarily always defined by price.

Your statement as written above is misleading and can easily be interpreted incorrectly, leading one to a bad decision.


[/ QUOTE ]And your statement is vague and could easily be interpreted to mean "buy expensive cables."

What cables would you recommend?

PS Surely you realize that there is a huge debate in the audiophile community between the "cable is cable" crowd and the MIT/Kimber cable buyers. I'm far from the only cable skeptic.

Myrtle 09-18-2007 10:39 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Then, you MUST have quality cables from it to the set, regardless of whether or not your using the HDMI or regular inputs/outputs. Do NOT disregard this point!!!

[/ QUOTE ]Depends on what you mean by "quality." One doesn't need $200 HDMI cables when you can buy them for $20.

[/ QUOTE ]

Gus, Please...........

Quality is NOT necessarily always defined by price.

Your statement as written above is misleading and can easily be interpreted incorrectly, leading one to a bad decision.


[/ QUOTE ]And your statement is vague and could easily be interpreted to mean "buy expensive cables."

What cables would you recommend?

PS Surely you realize that there is a huge debate in the audiophile community between the "cable is cable" crowd and the MIT/Kimber cable buyers. I'm far from the only cable skeptic.

[/ QUOTE ]

My apologies for any vagueness.......I simply do not have the time to write 4-5 pages thoroughly explaining every facet of this issue.

That's why I provided the link....Did you check it out?

As far as the "Wire/Cable" debate.

IMHO, skepticism is a good thing in regards to this subject.

O yes, I've been involved with it since the 70's, and again I don't care to write a dissertation on my views.

The reality is something that most folks don't want to hear.

The correct answer is..... "It all depends....".

You may not like it, but that's the truth.

The variables are too many to make broad definitive statements about the issue.

Now.........given what you've written, and the fact that you're familiar with, as you call it, the MIT/Kimber debate, let me remind you that I have already stated once in this string that I don't care to get into a pissing contest with anyone.

I've been doing this for a living for almost 40 years, and I'm weary of debating most of these issues.

Again, please, no offense intended.

I just don't care to go there any more.

revots33 09-19-2007 10:17 AM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
I'd go for 40 or 42 inch, I guarantee 32 is gonna seem small. A 32" widescreen is much smaller than a 32" standard 4x3 tv.

I have a Toshiba REGZA 42" 1080p, also got a Toshiba HD-DVD player, both awesome. Don't get a cheapo like Westinghouse or Vizio, not that they are terrible but the quality is just not as good as the better brands even though some of the specs may sound the same.

Don't buy HDMI cables for 80 bucks from Circuit City/Best Buy. You can get the same thing for less than 10 bucks on Amazon, these cables are all basically the same (unlike non-digital cables where expensive ones might improve the pic quality).

coyote 09-19-2007 02:03 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Then, you MUST have quality cables from it to the set, regardless of whether or not your using the HDMI or regular inputs/outputs. Do NOT disregard this point!!!

[/ QUOTE ]Depends on what you mean by "quality." One doesn't need $200 HDMI cables when you can buy them for $20.

[/ QUOTE ]

Gus, Please...........

Quality is NOT necessarily always defined by price.

Your statement as written above is misleading and can easily be interpreted incorrectly, leading one to a bad decision.


[/ QUOTE ]And your statement is vague and could easily be interpreted to mean "buy expensive cables."

What cables would you recommend?

PS Surely you realize that there is a huge debate in the audiophile community between the "cable is cable" crowd and the MIT/Kimber cable buyers. I'm far from the only cable skeptic.

[/ QUOTE ]

My apologies for any vagueness.......I simply do not have the time to write 4-5 pages thoroughly explaining every facet of this issue.

That's why I provided the link....Did you check it out?

As far as the "Wire/Cable" debate.

IMHO, skepticism is a good thing in regards to this subject.

O yes, I've been involved with it since the 70's, and again I don't care to write a dissertation on my views.

The reality is something that most folks don't want to hear.

The correct answer is..... "It all depends....".

You may not like it, but that's the truth.

The variables are too many to make broad definitive statements about the issue.

Now.........given what you've written, and the fact that you're familiar with, as you call it, the MIT/Kimber debate, let me remind you that I have already stated once in this string that I don't care to get into a pissing contest with anyone.

I've been doing this for a living for almost 40 years, and I'm weary of debating most of these issues.

Again, please, no offense intended.

I just don't care to go there any more.

[/ QUOTE ]

I appreciate your experience, but instead of writing that long post about how weary you are of these debates, and how you don't want to write a dissertation on X or Y, you could have written 1-2 sentences in which you answered his question as to what cables YOU, as a man in the business, would recommend as a quality product....

Sorry, but that would seem to be far more useful in this thread.

AceLuby 09-19-2007 02:12 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
If you're not opposed to going online I would recommend tigerdirect.com. I bought a 32" LCD from there for $500 a year ago and I think they are getting bigger and cheaper.

Mr_Pathetic 09-19-2007 07:15 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
If i had to buy another 42" HDTV right now I would grab this in a heartbeat. I absolutely love my Panasonic 42 720p. Too bad these weren't out a little over a year ago.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductLis...amp;Order=PRICE

Myrtle 09-19-2007 07:44 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Then, you MUST have quality cables from it to the set, regardless of whether or not your using the HDMI or regular inputs/outputs. Do NOT disregard this point!!!

[/ QUOTE ]Depends on what you mean by "quality." One doesn't need $200 HDMI cables when you can buy them for $20.

[/ QUOTE ]

Gus, Please...........

Quality is NOT necessarily always defined by price.

Your statement as written above is misleading and can easily be interpreted incorrectly, leading one to a bad decision.


[/ QUOTE ]And your statement is vague and could easily be interpreted to mean "buy expensive cables."

What cables would you recommend?

PS Surely you realize that there is a huge debate in the audiophile community between the "cable is cable" crowd and the MIT/Kimber cable buyers. I'm far from the only cable skeptic.

[/ QUOTE ]

My apologies for any vagueness.......I simply do not have the time to write 4-5 pages thoroughly explaining every facet of this issue.

That's why I provided the link....Did you check it out?

As far as the "Wire/Cable" debate.

IMHO, skepticism is a good thing in regards to this subject.

O yes, I've been involved with it since the 70's, and again I don't care to write a dissertation on my views.

The reality is something that most folks don't want to hear.

The correct answer is..... "It all depends....".

You may not like it, but that's the truth.

The variables are too many to make broad definitive statements about the issue.

Now.........given what you've written, and the fact that you're familiar with, as you call it, the MIT/Kimber debate, let me remind you that I have already stated once in this string that I don't care to get into a pissing contest with anyone.

I've been doing this for a living for almost 40 years, and I'm weary of debating most of these issues.

Again, please, no offense intended.

I just don't care to go there any more.

[/ QUOTE ]

I appreciate your experience, but instead of writing that long post about how weary you are of these debates, and how you don't want to write a dissertation on X or Y, you could have written 1-2 sentences in which you answered his question as to what cables YOU, as a man in the business, would recommend as a quality product....

Sorry, but that would seem to be far more useful in this thread.

[/ QUOTE ]


Fair enough comment, but based upon the literally thousands of times that I have found myself in that position, here's where that so often ends up.....

......simply put, in a proverbial pissing contest.

It is very difficult to explain the reality to someone who considers their opinion to be based upon factual info, when it really isn't.

Invariably, it gets down to a "You're wrong....No, YOU'RE wrong" scenario.

The hobbyist audio/video community is FILLED with folks who's only life centers around their equipment, and it literally become their alter-ego.

I simply do not want to waste my time with folks like that here on 2+2.

Let me remind you, that this is my business, and I spend a certain time each and every day doing exactly that.

Forgive me for not wanting to do that on my own time.

Do you blame me for not wanting to go there here on 2+2?

If you have noticed, I have made numbers of comments, replies and statements here in this string.

I reserve the right to do so when I feel that my doing so can bring something to the party.

When I see a situation that I judge will just get me into a chitstorm, I just avoid it.

Hope that more fully explains my state of mind regarding this subject.


p.s. The answer to your questions as to what cables I personally would use?

.... "It all depends" [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

hint, hint....(Did I not provide a link in that post? My hope was that some would check it out and educate themselves about the issues instead of appealing to authority and looking for a simple answer) [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

gusmahler 09-19-2007 07:48 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
[ QUOTE ]
Hope that more fully explains my state of mind regarding this subject.

[/ QUOTE ]

We respect your want to avoid a "pissing contest." But the guy you're responding to (and me) just want to hear you say "I personally use [insert brand name here] and think you should try it."

TLDR really isn't a place full of flame wars, so I think you can expect that none of us will come full bore at you for your opinion. Especially now that you've said you're not going to argue.

Myrtle 09-19-2007 07:55 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Hope that more fully explains my state of mind regarding this subject.

[/ QUOTE ]

We respect your want to avoid a "pissing contest." But the guy you're responding to (and me) just want to hear you say "I personally use [insert brand name here] and think you should try it."

TLDR really isn't a place full of flame wars, so I think you can expect that none of us will come full bore at you for your opinion. Especially now that you've said you're not going to argue.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hehe....Hell man, I'm not worried about anyone coming full bore at me!

Again, I've supported my family doing this since the early 70's.

It is my profession and I'm very well respected nationally in the business community.

No insult intended, but I think it's much more valuable for me (as a Lounge participant) to help my fellow Loungers LEARN something of value.

I just edited my last post with a p.s.

Does that help?

p.s. Not for nothing, regardless of how much I know, I don't know everything that there is to know. But, I do know where to go to find the answers.

If I can help just one of you learn how to do this, it will put a smile on my face.

[img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Myrtle 09-19-2007 07:58 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
[ QUOTE ]
I'd go for 40 or 42 inch, I guarantee 32 is gonna seem small. A 32" widescreen is much smaller than a 32" standard 4x3 tv.

I have a Toshiba REGZA 42" 1080p, also got a Toshiba HD-DVD player, both awesome. Don't get a cheapo like Westinghouse or Vizio, not that they are terrible but the quality is just not as good as the better brands even though some of the specs may sound the same.

Don't buy HDMI cables for 80 bucks from Circuit City/Best Buy. You can get the same thing for less than 10 bucks on Amazon, these cables are all basically the same (unlike non-digital cables where expensive ones might improve the pic quality).

[/ QUOTE ]

I like your choice of products, and more importantly, the advice in your post is both insightful and solid.

gusmahler 09-20-2007 12:27 AM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
[ QUOTE ]
hint, hint....(Did I not provide a link in that post? My hope was that some would check it out and educate themselves about the issues instead of appealing to authority and looking for a simple answer) [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

That link tells what brand you recommend. But it doesn't say much else.

All it says is that one specific cable manufacturer has decided to rate its own cables. How is that any different from Monster having different series of cables?

Myrtle 09-20-2007 06:58 AM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
hint, hint....(Did I not provide a link in that post? My hope was that some would check it out and educate themselves about the issues instead of appealing to authority and looking for a simple answer) [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

That link tells what brand you recommend. But it doesn't say much else.

All it says is that one specific cable manufacturer has decided to rate its own cables. How is that any different from Monster having different series of cables?

[/ QUOTE ]

Gus,

I made an assumption that those who checked out the link would also cruise the site, which gives you much more specific information.

My Bad.....I know better than to assume anything.

Get back on the site & hit the Home button. Check out the other press releases and the rest of the site for more info.

The DPL ratings are the stepchild of Jeff Boccaccio of In-Vision Technology, not of Ethereal. It just so happens that the folks at Ethereal build HDMI cables that perform very well to the required standards.

Virtually all cable makers have different series of cables. The problem that we run into in this particular case is that it has been almost impossible to separate the good ones from the bad ones.

The DPL ratings that In-Vision has established as standards for HDMI signal transmission will serve to clarify how good each of them are.

gusmahler 09-20-2007 12:54 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
[ QUOTE ]
Gus,

I made an assumption that those who checked out the link would also cruise the site, which gives you much more specific information.

My Bad.....I know better than to assume anything.

Get back on the site & hit the Home button. Check out the other press releases and the rest of the site for more info.


[/ QUOTE ]

You're telling someone to learn about how to evaluate cables by going to a specific cable manufacturer's website. That's like asking someone for info on what OS to pick to go to the Microsoft website.

If you want to learn about HDMI, go to:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=168

Myrtle 09-20-2007 05:41 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Gus,

I made an assumption that those who checked out the link would also cruise the site, which gives you much more specific information.

My Bad.....I know better than to assume anything.

Get back on the site & hit the Home button. Check out the other press releases and the rest of the site for more info.


[/ QUOTE ]

You're telling someone to learn about how to evaluate cables by going to a specific cable manufacturer's website. That's like asking someone for info on what OS to pick to go to the Microsoft website.

If you want to learn about HDMI, go to:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=168

[/ QUOTE ]

Geezez Gus....I'm getting frustrated.

Did you READ any of the info at that link?

gusmahler 09-20-2007 06:33 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Gus,

I made an assumption that those who checked out the link would also cruise the site, which gives you much more specific information.

My Bad.....I know better than to assume anything.

Get back on the site & hit the Home button. Check out the other press releases and the rest of the site for more info.


[/ QUOTE ]

You're telling someone to learn about how to evaluate cables by going to a specific cable manufacturer's website. That's like asking someone for info on what OS to pick to go to the Microsoft website.

If you want to learn about HDMI, go to:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=168

[/ QUOTE ]

Geezez Gus....I'm getting frustrated.

Did you READ any of the info at that link?

[/ QUOTE ]

Are we even talking about the same site:

http://www.etherealhometheater.com/index.php

You keep talking about that site like it's some magic tutorial that will teach everyone anything they will ever need to know about cables. But I've been to every page on the site. All I see is marketing BS about how their cables feature special construction and quality materials. Barely different from anything I've seen on Monster or Audioquest's website.

Myrtle 09-20-2007 07:47 PM

Re: Help Me Buy an LCD TV
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Gus,

I made an assumption that those who checked out the link would also cruise the site, which gives you much more specific information.

My Bad.....I know better than to assume anything.

Get back on the site & hit the Home button. Check out the other press releases and the rest of the site for more info.


[/ QUOTE ]

You're telling someone to learn about how to evaluate cables by going to a specific cable manufacturer's website. That's like asking someone for info on what OS to pick to go to the Microsoft website.

If you want to learn about HDMI, go to:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=168

[/ QUOTE ]

Geezez Gus....I'm getting frustrated.

Did you READ any of the info at that link?

[/ QUOTE ]

Are we even talking about the same site:

http://www.etherealhometheater.com/index.php

You keep talking about that site like it's some magic tutorial that will teach everyone anything they will ever need to know about cables. But I've been to every page on the site. All I see is marketing BS about how their cables feature special construction and quality materials. Barely different from anything I've seen on Monster or Audioquest's website.

[/ QUOTE ]

Gus,

We are talking about the same site.

The link I gave (I thought?) took you to one of the press releases on their home page.

If you read it (and the related one)you will read some hard information surrounding In-Vision Technology and Jeff Boccaccio.

In-Vision has done some in-depth engineering studies surrounding the performance characteristics of HDMI cables.

Jeff Boccaccio is a well-respected electrical engineer who has been involved in the audio industry since the 60's.

Should you wish more detail on their position, I would suggest that you contact them directly.

And now....Your responses have supported the case that I've made in earlier posts as to why I am hesitant to get involved at this level with these kind of discussions.

You are the one who labeled what is there as "Marketing BS" without even having the diligence or curiosity to do any follow-up.

It is not my fault (or problem) that you do not appear to have the ability or desire to perform due diligence in regards to this subject.

Opinions are like arseholes.....everyone has one.

We're done.


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 12:59 PM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2026, vBulletin Solutions Inc.