|
|
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 463
CEG\'er
|
OP
CEG\'er
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 463 |
looks like my 6.5 year old 32" sony wega took a dump sunday afternoon; won't power on at all anymore.  it has always been my intent to replace it with a bigger HD set, but i would've preferred to hold off the "upgrade-itis" until after we sell our current house and move to a bigger one, hopefully one w/ a suitable "media room". 
however, it looks like i'm in the TV market a bit sooner than anticipated. i could, in theory, bring the 27" down from the bedroom and move the 20" from the guest room into our bedroom till the move, but i'd really rather not have to deal with the tv shuffle or the reduced quality of the set to be used for primary viewing.
current thinking is that i'll replace my blown wega with a new 32" 4:3 HD-ready set or perhaps a 34" widescreen HD-ready set. most of our TV viewing right now is analog cable, so HD broadcasts aren't something we'll be taking advantage of immediately - and so between that and the ~$500 price differential i'm kind of leaning toward a 4:3 set instead of the widescreen model.
brand-wise, sonys seem to have the best picture quality...but having had my wega take a dump after only 6 1/2 years and reading of other hardware longevity problems with sony products, i'm a bit leery of buying another only to have it give up the ghost later. i've been reading on avsforum.com, and the toshiba models i was looking at are apparently now outsourced and aren't up to par with the previous toshiba models, so i'm leaning away from them. haven't read too much about the panasonic tau models, but a few years ago i seem to recall reading some good reviews.
my budget is as low as possible, but high enough to get something of good quality that will do well as a primary OTA cable-viewing set with the occasional dvd use - especially until the aforementioned "media room" comes to life. the 32" 4:3 sets i was looking at range from about $600-800, and the 34" WS sets are in the $1200+ range.
any thoughts/recommendations from anyone here? obviously i'm looking at the AVS site (as has recommended in other threads) and HTF, among others, but just thought i'd test the waters here as well.
no plasmas, no LCD's, no RPTV's....i'm working with strict space limitations, a fairly limited budget, and the knowledge that a "better" HT-dedicated display will come later. while not a "beater" TV per se, this is to be a good set w/ good PQ, a reasonable price, good reliability, and decent aesthetics to reside in a living room and serve as a primary TV for both cable and for DVD's for the time being - but it doesn't have to be the be-all, end-all of HT displays. don't want to sacrifice too much quality, but neither do i need a $5k plasma or something like that.
any recommendations or thoughts on what to stay away from? 
blake
--former CSVT owner--
MINE: 2002 jeep grand cherokee limited 4x4 - stone white/taupe
HERS: 2005 acura TL 5AT non-navi - satin silver/quartz
GARAGE ORNAMENT: 1962 chevy C10 fleetside pickup - tan/rust
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,451
Hard-core CEG\'er
|
|
Hard-core CEG\'er
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,451 |
You should really consider the widescreen. Service providers are really making a push to bring more HD channels to their lineup and someday widescreen should be the standard. Even if you watch mostly analog right now and would have to stretch the picture, it's not terrible looking; although there's definately a difference. On the bright side, you'll have HD to drool over from time to time. 
Vinny 2000 T-RED CSVT
MODS: 18" REV model 2 ST200 struts/Roush springs
CTA intake Pipe/K&N Filter
Dtec Heatshield
Optimized TB
True Duals w/ magnaflow mufflers/resonators
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,542
Hard-core CEG\'er
|
|
Hard-core CEG\'er
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,542 |
it may be a little more work now to move the tv's around but hey you won't have to move all 3 tv's later one less tv to worrie about
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 463
CEG\'er
|
|
OP
CEG\'er
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 463 |
Originally posted by Pienstars:
You should really consider the widescreen. Service providers are really making a push to bring more HD channels to their lineup and someday widescreen should be the standard. Even if you watch mostly analog right now and would have to stretch the picture, it's not terrible looking; although there's definately a difference. On the bright side, you'll have HD to drool over from time to time.
that IS why i'm considering it. just not sure if it's worth the extra $500 right now....almost doubles the cost of the non-WS TV.
Originally posted by GS474:
it may be a little more work now to move the tv's around but hey you won't have to move all 3 tv's later one less tv to worrie about
it's not the work of moving TV's that bothers me - it's a pain in the rear, but realistically that's not the main issue. i feel confident we'll find a home for the new tv in the new house, and in the meantime i'd rather not have to spend all my tv viewing time watching a spherical-screen, composite-video, 5"-smaller TV after having grown accustomed to a flat-screen 32" sony with decent PQ & multiple connectivity options. that sony has admittedly been far surpassed in technology and PQ in the last 6-7 years since i bought it, and i'd rather take advantage of a little slice of that pie rather than regress toward old-tech displays. i'm no videophile, mind you, but i'd much rather watch a movie on a tv at least as good as my now-DOA sony than on my wife's 27" philips that works fine for the 10:00 news but just isn't "all that" when it comes to finer media. (not that my sony was either, but it was at least better!)
this is a chance to upgrade - why let it pass me by? 
blake
--former CSVT owner--
MINE: 2002 jeep grand cherokee limited 4x4 - stone white/taupe
HERS: 2005 acura TL 5AT non-navi - satin silver/quartz
GARAGE ORNAMENT: 1962 chevy C10 fleetside pickup - tan/rust
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,149
Hard-core CEG'er
|
|
Hard-core CEG'er
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,149 |
Originally posted by blake:
while not a "beater" TV per se, this is to be a good set w/ good PQ, a reasonable price, good reliability, and decent aesthetics to reside in a living room and serve as a primary TV for both cable and for DVD's for the time being - but it doesn't have to be the be-all, end-all of HT displays. don't want to sacrifice too much quality, but neither do i need a $5k plasma or something like that.
sounds like you need the CSVT of televisions.
Continuing on your thoughts and ideas, my completely unscientific opinion would lead me towards a Panasonic. Two years ago it was between a Tau and a Wega before saying to heck with this-TV-format-in-flux nonsense and getting a beater Phillips flat-screen from Wal-Mart. The Tau had a better picture than the Wega IMO and was nominally less money. Unless you're opting for HD or DirecTV service I'd save your money in lieu of an HD set. The PQ of even digital cable blows chunks; DirecTV on my Phillips was better than digital cable on my father's Wega.
So go cheap! Save the money for the media room in the new house and get that FP HD setup like we all want.
EDIT: at least have someone check out the WEGA, could be something simple.
Last edited by bigMoneyRacing; 07/19/05 07:44 PM.
-- 1999 SVT #220 --
In retrospect, it was all downhill from here. RIP, CEG.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,451
Hard-core CEG\'er
|
|
Hard-core CEG\'er
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,451 |
Originally posted by blake:
Originally posted by Pienstars:
You should really consider the widescreen. Service providers are really making a push to bring more HD channels to their lineup and someday widescreen should be the standard. Even if you watch mostly analog right now and would have to stretch the picture, it's not terrible looking; although there's definately a difference. On the bright side, you'll have HD to drool over from time to time.
that IS why i'm considering it. just not sure if it's worth the extra $500 right now....almost doubles the cost of the non-WS TV.
Originally posted by GS474:
it may be a little more work now to move the tv's around but hey you won't have to move all 3 tv's later one less tv to worrie about
it's not the work of moving TV's that bothers me - it's a pain in the rear, but realistically that's not the main issue. i feel confident we'll find a home for the new tv in the new house, and in the meantime i'd rather not have to spend all my tv viewing time watching a spherical-screen, composite-video, 5"-smaller TV after having grown accustomed to a flat-screen 32" sony with decent PQ & multiple connectivity options. that sony has admittedly been far surpassed in technology and PQ in the last 6-7 years since i bought it, and i'd rather take advantage of a little slice of that pie rather than regress toward old-tech displays. i'm no videophile, mind you, but i'd much rather watch a movie on a tv at least as good as my now-DOA sony than on my wife's 27" philips that works fine for the 10:00 news but just isn't "all that" when it comes to finer media. (not that my sony was either, but it was at least better!)
this is a chance to upgrade - why let it pass me by?
Definately worth it!!!
Vinny 2000 T-RED CSVT
MODS: 18" REV model 2 ST200 struts/Roush springs
CTA intake Pipe/K&N Filter
Dtec Heatshield
Optimized TB
True Duals w/ magnaflow mufflers/resonators
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 463
CEG\'er
|
|
OP
CEG\'er
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 463 |
Originally posted by bigMoneyRacing:
sounds like you need the CSVT of televisions.
Continuing on your thoughts and ideas, my completely unscientific opinion would lead me towards a Panasonic. Two years ago it was between a Tau and a Wega before saying to heck with this-TV-format-in-flux nonsense and getting a beater Phillips flat-screen from Wal-Mart. The Tau had a better picture than the Wega IMO and was nominally less money. Unless you're opting for HD or DirecTV service I'd save your money in lieu of an HD set. The PQ of even digital cable blows chunks; DirecTV on my Phillips was better than digital cable on my father's Wega.
So go cheap! Save the money for the media room in the new house and get that FP HD setup like we all want.
EDIT: at least have someone check out the WEGA, could be something simple.
one thing i've noticed is how hard it's getting to find CRT-based TV's in >30" sizes. tweeter's selection was almost nonexistent, and best buy and circuit city weren't exactly overloaded with choices. based on reading about panasonic and toshiba outsourcing CRT production to orion, it appears that tubes are definitely becoming the dinosaur technology being put out to pasture....
definitely want to go FP HD in the media room once it materializes, but that may be a year or two down the road.
as far as checking out the wega - thought about that, but i really think i'd be just as well off flushing $$ down the toilet. i'd have to spend a minimum of $100 for them to crack open the case, and that's after having lugged the 200-lb beast across town to begin with. then i'm probably looking at a blown tube or something, which will cost more to fix than just replacing the tv w/ a new one. i'd hate to trash it because of a $20 part, but my gut tells me it's more like a several-hundred dollar part instead of something easy and simple.
blake
--former CSVT owner--
MINE: 2002 jeep grand cherokee limited 4x4 - stone white/taupe
HERS: 2005 acura TL 5AT non-navi - satin silver/quartz
GARAGE ORNAMENT: 1962 chevy C10 fleetside pickup - tan/rust
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 3,395
Hard-core CEG\'er
|
|
Hard-core CEG\'er
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 3,395 |
Just get a regular ass CRT Based RCA Television 
Former owner of a 1995 Ford Contour GL w/ 2.0L ATX
Proud owner of a 2005 Ford Taurus SE 3.0L V6 Vulcan
--Looking for Commodore stuff (Drives, Units, Amiga, games, etc)If anyone has any of this laying around and wants it gone, lemme know --
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,118
Hard-core CEG\'er
|
|
Hard-core CEG\'er
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,118 |
Have you tried getting inside the busted TV to check for simple things like a fuse, broken solder joint, etc?
"Moore has also accused the American people of being the stupidest, most naive people on the face of the Earth. And after last weekend, he's got the box office numbers to prove it!"
|
|
|
|
|
