View Full Version : Good HDTV between $1500-2500
barbinmike
02-20-2002, 10:29 PM
I need all of your help. I am looking for an HDTV, but have to get at Circuit City-due to store credit (other normal tv-tube is dead)..
So let me know your thoughts..
Thanks again for your help!!:D :D :D :D :D :) ;)
You are definitely not going to get the best deals at Circuit City - at least when it comes to tube HDTVs. They don't carry Sampo nor I believe, Panasonic tube TVs which are the best values. The best thing they have is the RCA 38 inch HDTV with the built in Direct TV reciever which is a good value if you are going to be getting HDTV through sattelite.
Otherwise, unless your store credit is a LOT of money you may want to forget Circuit City and look elsewhere.
Dan
barbinmike
02-20-2002, 11:13 PM
Yes, the store credit is alot.........
Second...It does not have to be tube...
I know Sears sell that 57HW40...If I can get it in print via something other that the web, i think i can get cc to match it..
But this is me dreaming, so lets all think very very postive for us.
Then maybe it will happen...One can only dream...Right?
Take care and thanks again for the great feedback..
Barbi:)
AUMMitsu
02-21-2002, 12:56 AM
What size set are you looking to get?
sieve11
02-21-2002, 03:46 AM
Circuit City was never my favorite store, but I did get my RCA 38310 there because they were willing to match a competitive offer. I took in an ad showing the price of the set to be $2100 and through a manager's approval, they matched it.
Later, I found out that Best Buy's cost for that set is around $1800. So, CC had room to haggle and still make some money. Their sales staff works on commission, so they are motivated to sell big ticket items, especially if you act like you are ready to go elsewhere.
Best Buy does not match any internet price, and they didn't have the matching stand, which CC did. It cost an extra $300 and matches the lines of the set perfectly and locks the set into place. Well worth the extra for me.
There are 38310 sets on ebay that are refurbished, with full warranty, that are listed as "buy it now" items at $1749 plus shipping, though no sales tax.
So, go to CC, bargain hard, get the stand, add their 5 year no-lemon service contract and start enjoying all that this set has to offer (I wish I could get a commission from RCA for all the publicity I do for this TV. lol)
Good luck
hjriver
02-21-2002, 05:06 PM
sieve11
I bought my RCA F38310 from Best Buy, $2100 included: matching stand, Monster power center, 4 year parts and labor warranty and a bunch of monster cables in a pack.
The salesman was very knowlegable and helpful. He had worked for Circuit City for 10 years prior going to Best Buy. We went through every tv in the store, The RCA beat them all except the $7800.00 plasma. They had them all on the same signal and there was no comparision with the RCA. I had intended on just buying a good Sony analog as digital is spotty. I didn't realize we have an NBC station broadcasting full time in digital. I'm sort of helping them with signal strength readings as I'm 47 miles from the transmitter.
kevinw
02-21-2002, 05:21 PM
Look on line for your best price on a tv that Sears sells. Tohiba,Panasonic, some Mitsbishi and I think Sony. Print out the best price(with out shipping). Take it to them and they will match. Just do not expect them to answer questions as to which is better..They do not know..after all someday they sell refridgerators and others TV's.
Ooops reread message..majority of the TV's in the 2-2500 range are similar Toshiba, Sony or Hitachi fit that price range in the 50-53in Wide(only wide please) panasonic is a littlle smaller ...
Hjriver
How can your NBC affiliate be broadcasting 24/7 in HDTV. As far as I know NBC only broadcasts the Tonight Show in HDTV along with maybe one or two others. Are you refering to them broadcasting the Olympics? That is a temporary thing - not ongoing. Once the Olympics are over you will find them broadcasting very little in HDTV. Hopefully, they will change that soon but right now they are laggards in HDTV.
Dan
hjriver
02-21-2002, 09:19 PM
Dan,
I didn't mean to imply that they broadcast 24/7 in HD. Their analog channel is 10, their digital channels are 10-1, 10-2 and
10-3. Normally they broadcast a letterbox digital 1080i feed of the regular NBC programming on 10-1, a digital 480i full screen on 10-2 and a digital weather radar sweep on 10-3.
The Tonight Show and Crossing Jordan are the only thing they broadcast in HD on a regular basis. They started out broadcasting the olympics on 10-1 only, they found out that it required a lot more bandwith so they took 10-2 and 10-3 and gave their bandwith to 10-1. I ended up with a far better pic than on HDNET on Directv satellite.
Sorry my post was confusing.
That is interesting about how they use their bandwidth. THey were given 6MHz to broadcast HDTV and basically they are cheating by using it for other things. What slime. Hopefully, that will change and they will start using it for its intended purpose. There are some U.S. Senators who have threatened to take back bandwidth from networks who don't use it for HDTV.
Your comment on NBC's HDTV being better than HDnet is also interesting. Of course, they should be exactly the same as they are both 1080i. Are you sure that isn't something caused by your TV displaying some channels better than others? Has anyone else experienced this? It could be an optical illusion. I've noticed that the difference between analog TV and HDTV seems to be more pronounced depending on what is being shown. When I was watching the Ski Jumping they looked pretty similiar. However, when watching hockey HDTV is noticeably better. So maybe it is something like that that you are observing.
Dan
barbinmike
02-21-2002, 10:50 PM
I am just glowing cant you tell...Finally....An Owner of HDTV!!
Only thanks to you all, on the forum!!
Ya...Now, need to get the tuner..
Happy Happy Happy Girl..
And hubby..
Just need to wait for delivery...
WhewHew!!!!
Thanks again..
mquinn25
02-23-2002, 05:34 AM
Please? :-)
barbinmike
02-23-2002, 11:16 AM
We got a Sony KP57HW40!! We should be getting it today!!
Ya~~
Thanks again everybody!!
hjriver
02-23-2002, 05:14 PM
Originally posted by Dan
That is interesting about how they use their bandwidth. THey were given 6MHz to broadcast HDTV and basically they are cheating by using it for other things. What slime. Hopefully, that will change and they will start using it for its intended purpose. There are some U.S. Senators who have threatened to take back bandwidth from networks who don't use it for HDTV.
Your comment on NBC's HDTV being better than HDnet is also interesting. Of course, they should be exactly the same as they are both 1080i. Are you sure that isn't something caused by your TV displaying some channels better than others? Has anyone else experienced this? It could be an optical illusion. I've noticed that the difference between analog TV and HDTV seems to be more pronounced depending on what is being shown. When I was watching the Ski Jumping they looked pretty similiar. However, when watching hockey HDTV is noticeably better. So maybe it is something like that that you are observing.
Dan
hjriver
02-23-2002, 05:17 PM
Originally posted by Dan
That is interesting about how they use their bandwidth. THey were given 6MHz to broadcast HDTV and basically they are cheating by using it for other things. What slime. Hopefully, that will change and they will start using it for its intended purpose. There are some U.S. Senators who have threatened to take back bandwidth from networks who don't use it for HDTV.
Your comment on NBC's HDTV being better than HDnet is also interesting. Of course, they should be exactly the same as they are both 1080i. Are you sure that isn't something caused by your TV displaying some channels better than others? Has anyone else experienced this? It could be an optical illusion. I've noticed that the difference between analog TV and HDTV seems to be more pronounced depending on what is being shown. When I was watching the Ski Jumping they looked pretty similiar. However, when watching hockey HDTV is noticeably better. So maybe it is something like that that you are observing.
Dan
I think the reason for the difference in video quality is: The OTA was broadcasting 1080i HD on one digital channel, maybe 2 mhz?
They had to take their other 2 digital channels to give the HD broadcast full bandwith. I don't think HDNET is getting that from directv.
This doesn't sound right. A HDTV signal takes up 6MHz - they can't broadcast it at all with less than that. For them to be using 2MHz channels they would have to be broacasting 480p or some other non-HDTV signal. But I don't think NBC or HDNet broadcast anything in that format.
