Flat Screen. I Need One. Which Kind?

[Sens55]

I'm sure someone could help you on the Costco thing. I personally have had VERY good luck with them. My first was a Sony Vizio several years ago when they were fairly new and the price was about half of what the regular retailers wanted for the same thing. I think pricing has leveled off a bit, but Costco still has quality electronics IF they have what you want. I just bought my son a 22" Sony Vizio Razer Thin model for college. For $220 he got a great little TV that fits perfectly in his room and I get 2% back at the end of the year. They have several others that are awesome as well.

[Area Man]

The best plasmas are made by Panasonic and Samsung. Panasonics are slightly better, but Samsung is slightly cheaper. The best LCDs are made by Samsung and Sony. IMO Samsungs are the best value here too.

Plasmas really have the best overall picture, although the MUCH more expensive LEDs are getting close. However, if you're in a bright room you'll want LCD. I bought a 42" clearance model (read: last year's floor model) Samsung LCD at Sears for around $600. (It was a birthday present for my mother.) Because it was a floor model they gave me a 3 year extension on the warranty at no cost. In other words, where Best Buy and NFM don't budge much, Sears will accommodate.

Don't hesitate to check Amazon, Tiger Direct and other online retailers. You can save quite a bit, especially if you can avoid paying sales tax.

[bigbirddog]

Hi Ali:

You are getting some really bad information here. I have been an AV hobbiest for many years -- I spent almost $100k on my home system.

1) It is not true that an LCD will break down in the first year, if at all. For example, I had a very high end LCD display go on me after 14 months and complaints of similar failures are common on AV hobbiest forums.

2) Samsung makes some of the best displays out there. They are also known for a fairly high rate of panel failure and for having the worst customer service in the AV industry. I would avoid them.

3) Most televisions have poor sound. You can get a sound bar that will produce a surround sound effect for less than $500.

4) The best deals to be found can be on discontinued models. For example, you can buy a Sony XBR8, possibly the finest tv ever made, for less than a Samsung 850. Sony discontinued the XBR8 because they originally overengineered it and could not sell it at a profit. They and Amazon and others are unloading their stock (if any are still available).

5) Panasonic makes some great LCDs and their plasma, the Kuros?,. is considered one of the finest sets on the market. Unfortunately, the price reflects the quality and then some.

6) There is very little difference between the display quality of an LCD and a Plasma at this time. You don't want a plasma if you get bright sunlight in the room or have to view at an acute angle.

7) Ignore how the picture looks in the showroom; the settings are hyped for showroom display and the picture will not look like that when you get it home. Depend on reviews; they are done under typical viewing conditions. Be careful, however, many "reviews" are not done by objective third parties but by shills pushing a brand.

8) When you get your set adjust the picture settings to those that you will find on expert review threads. Some sets come out of the box with settings that are appropriate for store display rather than home. See the link below for a place to find expert settings and how to access them.

9) Go here to research brands that you are considering: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/

PM me if you have any questions.