Can you help with my decision!

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swanson

Nov 21, 2008 - CST 10:03 PM

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I'm trying to help someone by a HDTV for my sister. My sister has never even seen a HDTV (trust me I know that's INSANE). The person wants to spend $1000 total and would possible like to throw in one of the sub $200 blu players available on black friday. So with a budget of $800 left and with her or her husband never even seeing HD before, I recommended a LG 42LG30 which is a 720p 42 inch lcd. I realize Blu is best at 1080p but I figured it was a good setup for a newbie (She says she will be the 1st in her town to have HD that she knows, yes it's close to Amishville).
LG makes the same TV in a 1080p model for $250 more. But then she wouldn't be getting Bluray and only have comcast HD to watch in HD.
Does my suggestion of 720p and a bluray make sense to others on the forum. With a 42 linch would she notice a major difference in 720p and 1080p? My impression was no.

I read these boards daily and love what everyone contributes so I figured I'd ask you guys. Thanks for any comments at all. I realize it's all personal preference but I wanted to ask.

posters5

Nov 21, 2008 - CST 10:06 PM

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if you're going to get a TV that's at least 40-inches wide, then you might as well get 1080p.

a blu-ray player is a better investment than paying $50-$100/month on cable or satellite tv.

swanson

Nov 21, 2008 - CST 10:43 PM

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So if you had to choose between these options which would you pick:

A: 42 inch 720p lcd TV and a blu ray player
B: 42 inch 1080p lcd TV

The TV's are both LG's (not my choice) but are comparable except the resolution. The bluray would be a black friday cheapy. Probably the Samsung BD-P1500. I use a PS3 and love it but I'm not familiar with the Sammy unit at all. Then again please keep in mind this would be for a person who has never even seen hd before and not one of us super aud/vid/gmr types.

Thanks again for your advice.

posters5

Nov 21, 2008 - CST 10:51 PM

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if your sister is totally unfamiliar with high-def electronics, then AVOID SAMSUNG. samsung blu-ray players have been giving people the most grief.

get a funai clone for the technologically-challenged--
magnavox blu-ray player at wal-mart ($128 on black friday)
sylvania blu-ray player at amazon.com and blockbuster
insignia blu-ray player at best buy (there are two models--get the one that looks like a tank, NOT the slimmer one that looks like a samsung)

swanson

Nov 21, 2008 - CST 10:53 PM

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Thanks! That's helpful info. I had no idea on the Sammy unit so I will make sure they get her one of the clones.

bladerunner1

Nov 21, 2008 - CST 10:59 PM

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Quote:
A: 42 inch 720p lcd TV and a blu ray player

Thats my pick. Why? Well you kinda answered your own question in your original post! At that screen size, and normal seating distance, there are ZERO benefits to having a 1080 set. OH! and you can also join eddies (poster 5) "funai clone federation"!!! (of which btw is right over there>)

you may be asking yourself right about now..."Then why do they even make 1080 42" sets?" Because they can, and 1080p, is the "sexy" word right now.

[Post edited by bladerunner1 on Nov 21, 2008 - CST 10:59 PM]

jamesplath

Nov 21, 2008 - CST 11:05 PM

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I think it depends on whether she'll mostly be watching movies or TV. Right now, not that many stations broadcast consistently in HD, and plasma handles the lower resolution stuff better than LCD. So if she watches mostly TV, plasma might be the way to go, even if it's 720p/1080i. If she watches mostly movies on playback, then 1080p is the way to go, even if you forego the Blu-ray player. Besides, prices are dropping daily on the Blu-rays, and I wouldn't be surprised if there weren't big after-holiday sales if manufacturers made more units than they ended up selling over the Christmas season. You might get a real steal if you wait on the player.

John J. Puccio

Nov 22, 2008 - CST 1:30 AM

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"At that screen size (42"), and normal seating distance, there are ZERO benefits to having a 1080 set." --bladerunner1

No offense, but I must respectfully disagree. At a "normal seating distance" from a 42" screen, which would be around six feet (given an optimum viewing distance of between 1 1/2 and 1 3/4 times the diagonal screen size), a 1080p set will provide quite a lot of difference in detail and definition when watching 1080 material. --At least to my eyes and in my experience, having two such sets at 720p and 1080p respectively.

On the other hand, if the seating position for a 42" set is ten or twelve feet away, it probably doesn't make much difference if you're watching high definition or standard def (480). So, distance from the set is probably the single biggest factor in perceived differences in video quality.

John

[Post edited by John J. Puccio on Nov 22, 2008 - CST 2:35 AM]

Love Hendrix!

Nov 22, 2008 - CST 10:35 AM

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Yeah... I was going to write ^exactly what John wrote above. The closer you sit to the set (within 8 feet), your eyes can easily tell the difference between the higher resolution (double the pixels) of 1080p vs 768p. However, once you go beyond 8 feet, the difference can drop off dramatically, so if this set is going in a larger room (living room for example), and you sit 10 feet or more away, I'd consider the option bladerunner is recommending: 768p TV + Funai-made BD player ($128 Magnavox at Wal-mart next Friday!).

Reports from users (and Eddie, of DVDTOWN's staff) say the Funai-made players are consumer-friendly, and don't have the occasional playback problems reported on some other brands w/certain discs.

It's time to adopt HD!

EDIT: forgot a word

-JOE- (Love Hendrix!)

[Post edited by Love Hendrix! on Nov 22, 2008 - CST 10:37 AM]