Question for Tech guys... (TV)

[IbanezPrestigeBoy]

Hey guys,

I haven't been on these boards in long time, as I sold off most of my guitar gear and haven't played in a few months. ANYWAYS, I remember that there were alot of guys on this board that were good with electronics and stuff like that, so I figured I'd ask around the Jemsite boards...

I'm expecting my tax return shortly and wanted to pick up a new TV. A friend of mine recommended a site called Tigerdirect.com b/c they have some stuff fairly cheap. I see there are some REAL cheap things on there, but they're refurbished. Never having bought a refurbished item, I wanted to know if it was safe. (i.e. would you ever purchase one?)

Since I really don't know about TVs, but have a vague Idea of what I want, I can show you a link with hopes that some one could give me advice as to whether or not this is a smart buy.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...4&sku=V25-4208.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[elcid]

I've been a custom home theater installer for a few years, and I would pass on that. Just like with guitars, just because its cheap doesnt mean its a good deal

[JJEMMER777]

Right!! You get what you pay for

[jay ratkowski]

~1 month ago I bought a Westinghouse 37" 1080p model from Newegg. I absolutely love it. I looked at several Westinghouse models in stores and their 720p versions are also spectacular if you want to stay around $600-700.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...e=WESTINGHOUSE

[alex10]

do you want to go HD?

[kirk]

Many refurbed electronics still carry the full manufacturer's warranty and most stores offer an extended warranty or replacement plan.

I bought a refurbed Dell (it was a $2k PC that I got for $800) about three years ago and I have had zero issues with it. I also bought my kids refurbed PS and PS2s and had zero issues with them. Granted they are not TVs, but my point is that refurbs can work out well and sometimes even save you a boatload of money.

You can also find deals in non-refurbed items too. A lot of "open items" are from people who found out they couldn't afford to keep the gear they bought, or were just unhappy with the items. Look for closeouts too. Technology improves more quickly than it used to and what is hot today may go cold tomorrow. That doesn't mean it is junk.

I bought my home theater gear from J & R. http://www.jr.com/JRSectionView.proc...Video_-_TV/TV/

I think the best suggestion is a simple one - have patience and shop around.

[jb4674]

IbzPrestigeBoy,

The tv you listed there has poor resolution and it's sub-par at best IMO. Depending upon the kind of content and how picky you are in terms of clarity, resolution, detail, etc. I think it would be best for you to allocate a little more $$$ to get something that will definitely give you an impressive display. Kirk is completeyl right about refurb stuff. With that being said, you just have to be cautious about what brand you decide to buy. Sony's refurb stuff is pretty good and comes with the original warranty. It may be worth your while to check out one of their outlet stores to see what kind of tv's they have in stock. Last time I was in Ocean City, I took a drive to Rehoboth to check out the outlets and when I walked into the Sony outlet, they had a bunch of flat panels for decent prices.

I believe they have a couple in NY, here's the link:

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTE...cations%2eisml

If you're thinking about purchasing a flat panel, I would strongly advise you to get one that will do 1080p (Everyone, I'm not starting a debate about 1080i vs 1080p at all) because it'll allow you to keep up with technologies like blu-ray or hddvd (when the whole debate settles and the prices come down).
It never hurts to keep your options open.

Jimmy

[newbieguitarmaker]

agreed go 1080p and also I'm going to have to get an hd tv sooner or later since i think it is like march 2009 they are only going to be broadcasting in hd signals. I've been looking at the sony's because they are really good, its like the j-custom model of hd tv's

[elcid]

Last time I checked Sony doesnt make plasmas or LCDs, although they do make a nice tv

[IbanezPrestigeBoy]

Thanks guys, the advice is greatly appreciated. I plan on moving when I come back from vacation this summer and feel that an HD TV is a necessity. I can't watch hockey in any other televised form.

So I guess I'll continue to look around and try and find something that will suit my range, yet deliver the features you've all recommended.

So I want a 1080p, that's flat panel, with HD.

I've also been instructed to stay away from Plasmas and gear more towards LCD's. Is that a fair statement, or is my friend just blowing smoke up my @$$?

[jemsite]

that tiger direct model is junk and to be avoided. it's not even true 720p (1280x720)
Resolution 1024 x 768

sony makes LCDs... panel by samsung. totally overpriced and stuff to avoid.

start with the set Jay mentioned or the $100-300 more 42 Westy 1080p. judge by resolution and contrast ratio, not logos

[elcid]

Originally Posted by IbanezPrestigeBoy

I've also been instructed to stay away from Plasmas and gear more towards LCD's. Is that a fair statement, or is my friend just blowing smoke up my @$$?

Just blowing smoke. Did he give you any specific reasons?

[IbanezPrestigeBoy]

His reasoning was picture quality, and the lenght of time it would last. He said Plasmas don't last as long.

[elcid]

If I remember right the half-life of a plasma is somewhere around 60,000 hours.
Does he work at Circuit City by any chance?

[Reaper]

I don't know much about TV's, but having dealt with TigerDirect once, I won't be going back. Everything got resolved in the end, but some of the emails I got from them have led me to believe that most of their customer support department is brain damaged.

Just my two cents.