12-13-2005, 03:46 PM
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#1 |
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Rear Admiral Lower Half
  
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Del Mar, CA
Posts: 2,261
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New TV Time!
Hey guys, I need a new TV.
I currently have a Panasonic LCD RPTV - PT-50LCX63 The bulb blew just last week, and after speaking with pana reps and people, it is assumed there might be a ballast problem. I thought it'd only be a bulb issue Further investigation online http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...0LCX63+ballast has shown that there seems to be a widespread problem with the TV units. Luckily i purchased my television @ costco. I called the store up, spoke with the manager and they confirmed that I can return the TV because of its problematic nature. So, now onto what's important: What should I buy in replacement? I think I'm getting approx 2770 or so in refund. I saw a few more RPTVs at costco, but am sort of wary, as I know bulbs are consumables. - Costco - No Extended warranty, more expensive, but great warranty stuff like this LCD RPTVs Sony KDF-E50a10 - $2399 DLP RPTVs Toshiba 62hm15 - $2999 ( Apperantly same has Toshiba 62hmx94, similar to http://www.tacp.toshiba.com/televisi...?model=62HMX95) Samsung HL-R5656C - $2499 (http://www.samsung.com/Products/TV/D...R5656WXXAA.asp) PDP TVs Pioneer PDP-4214 - $2499 (Entry level - 6th Gen Pioneer PDP) - Onecall - Cheaper, no tax, free shipping will have to purchase 350 extended warranty. Toshiba - 56HM195 - $2479 http://www.onecall.com/ProductDetail...c3-16&id=27854 Sony KDF-E50a10 - $1949 http://www.onecall.com/ProductDetail...c3-16&id=28434 Any other recs?
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Victor 
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12-13-2005, 04:36 PM
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#2 |
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Rear Admiral Lower Half
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: NoVa
Posts: 2,644
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Sammy all the way... No hard facts to back it up, other than the experience with mine and all the research I did prior to buying it. They really seem to have their s*it together when it comes to DLP HDTV's.
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Spigs, you MFR#1N! |
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12-13-2005, 04:36 PM
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#3 |
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Admiral
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Boca Raton, FL: By way of: Poway, CA; Gainesville, Fl; Penn Valley, Pa.
Posts: 5,680
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Lol - You do realize that except for computers, EVERYTHING at Costco can be returned under their 100% satisfaction guarantee. They will even take back 3 yr old printers that died on you. You just need to have your receipt showing the purchase price and a reasonable reason for the return. Its the reason I buy as much things at Costco as I can, especially electronics. I have yet to have a problem with them taking back a product, although I must say that I have never returned something that wasnt honestly broken.
At the Carmel Mountain costco, they have a bunch of the RPTVs including Mistubishis, Sonys, Panasonics, Samsungs, and Toshibas. They also have a bunch of Plasmas and LCDs. All of our RPTV's that my family has owned have never had their bulb burn out to my knowledge. Our original 72" Pioneer from 1987 still worked until we got rid of it in 1997. Our Sony 65" XBR was bought in 96 and is still plugging away, although frankly it should be replaced for technological reasons. I dont know if the new sets go through bulbs faster, but it isnt something I would generally concern myself with. No matter which option you go with, RPTV, Projector, LCD, or Plasma, you will have something which can go wrong with it.
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Welcome my son, welcome to the machine...Where have you been? It's alright we know where you've been.... |
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12-13-2005, 04:40 PM
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#4 |
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Rear Admiral Lower Half
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Del Mar, CA
Posts: 2,261
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My TV is only 14 months old. Hence my pissiness @ Pana.
ufcrusher - THe main difference between your older RPTVs and the new ones is that your gen RPTVs use CRT tubes to drive the image. My RPTV is one of the new gen ones that uses an LCD or DLP panel backlit by a high power bulb. It's a new gen of RPTVs called Microdisplay televisions Last edited by psycho- : 12-13-2005 at 04:44 PM. |
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12-13-2005, 04:51 PM
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#5 | |
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Admiral
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Boca Raton, FL: By way of: Poway, CA; Gainesville, Fl; Penn Valley, Pa.
Posts: 5,680
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Quote:
Yep.....  studying is getting to me. I knew that and wasnt thinking. My main point was about the Costco guarantee and that part mad sense...I think. |
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12-13-2005, 05:52 PM
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#6 |
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Rear Admiral Lower Half
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Del Mar, CA
Posts: 2,261
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Additional Plasma TVs:
Panasonic - TH42PX50 http://www.onecall.com/ProductDetail...c3-15&id=26639 Samsung -HPR4272 http://www.onecall.com/ProductDetail...c3-15&id=27715 |
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12-13-2005, 07:49 PM
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#7 |
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What's Da Pho*?
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SoCal (714)
Posts: 13,296
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Get the Samsung DLP RPTV.
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Dell Dimension 9200 | Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 (2.4GHz) | 4x1GB DDR2 | 256MB nVidia GeForce 8800GT Dell Studio 17 | Intel Core i7-720QM (1.6GHz) | 2x2GB DDR3 1066MHz | 1GHz ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650 Intel P4-C 3.0GHz | ECS 865PE-A | 3x512MB PC3200 | 128MB PNY GeForce 6600GT 
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12-14-2005, 07:38 AM
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#8 |
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Lieutenant
 Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Bridgewater, NJ
Posts: 339
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DLP TV's are very nice, but I'd get an LCoS TV, or an LCD RP tv. Just my opinion
 I've looked at a lot of TV's and I like the LCoS the best.
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Shut up, dummy. |
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12-14-2005, 08:38 AM
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#9 |
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Rear Admiral Upper Half
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: FL
Posts: 3,240
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In the $2000 range, your best bet is the Samsung HLR5667W 56". Great TV that your can now find for about $2100.
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12-14-2005, 08:52 AM
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#10 | |
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Vice Admiral
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 4,927
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Quote:
AFAIK, LCD is superior to DLP and some of the LCoS sets have issues, at least when I was looking last year that is what Apex said. |
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12-14-2005, 02:03 PM
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#11 |
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Lieutenant
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Bridgewater, NJ
Posts: 339
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I've heard the same thing from the AVS forums, but it seems every TV has issues. People having problems with the color wheel on the DLP TV's, and stuck pixels, ghosting and other problems with LCD/Plasma/LCoS TV's and even people complaining about the SXRD TV's from Sony which is just an LCoS TV with a different screen.
So just find the technology you believe looks the best, has the inputs you want, and run with it |
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12-14-2005, 03:30 PM
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#12 | |
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Rear Admiral Lower Half
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: NoVa
Posts: 2,644
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Quote:
Where'd you get that LCD's are superior to DLP's? I found that DLP's provided better HD images while LCD's produced sharper standard def images. At least when I bought my set (granted, 15 months ago), DLP's had higher brightness and contrast ratings and were generally considered to be the best bet out there for HDTV's, aside from your ultra expensive plasmas. |
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12-15-2005, 10:52 AM
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#13 |
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Rear Admiral Lower Half
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Del Mar, CA
Posts: 2,261
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Okay guys.
I went with plasma I picked up a Floor sample Costco model Pioneer for 2200 dollars. It was labelled as 2250 down from 2500. But, it rang up as 2200. I think of it as an exchange policy.  In particular, I wanted this model, dubbed the PDP-4312. An HD panel that does 720p. People on AVS forums are all over this panel. Specifically, it has a few Pioneer technologies that I wanted: Puredrive - all-digital processing that maintains a digital path throughout signal processing. Encased Cell Purevision PDP panel - 4th or 5th gen according to AVSforum folks 60,000 hour screen half-life - But who cares. Pure Color filter II - Some glass tech ACE II (not the new one, which is IV) Pioneer rep folks say that the 4312 is basically a last gen panel (not the new ones that came out in october) that has all the technologies of a high end Pioneer Elite panel, but without the media breakout box. It's very similar in spec to this display, but with speakers, and 2 HDMI inputs, as well as VGA- http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pn...etailComponent Thus far, the picture quality, brightness, color depth, etc blows any RPTV out of the water. There was some "burn in" from some still image that they ran at costco, but I ran Discovery HD on it for a few hours (as per Pioneer tech recommendations), and it's all gone now. The TV is flawless. There's one small scratch in the cabinet in a hidden place. Doesn't detract from the TV. Anyways I figure, that if i don't like it, i'll just return it. Last edited by psycho- : 12-15-2005 at 11:31 AM. |
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12-15-2005, 11:09 AM
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#14 |
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Admiral
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Boca Raton, FL: By way of: Poway, CA; Gainesville, Fl; Penn Valley, Pa.
Posts: 5,680
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The 42 or the 50" version? If memory serves the 42" unit doesnt have the external box, but the 50" one does. I happened to like how the inputs were all in the boxes on the larger one, made for a cleaner connection. Although, I am basing that statement on what I saw on the box...not on the unit itself.
Congrats and use it in good health. |
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12-15-2005, 11:17 AM
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#15 |
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Rear Admiral Lower Half
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Del Mar, CA
Posts: 2,261
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It's a 43". The 42" models are supposed to be entry level and don't have the puredrive and ACE and advanced video process. There is no video breakout box on this 43", but there is a connection for it. Some other consumer 43" ones have the breakout box included. Those panels tend to run for 3700 dollars or so, even when they're literally the same or similar technically as my TV.
This is the newest gen panel. One gen ahead of mine. But it's hard to tell the differences. This panel has a tuner w/ cablecard, etc. Mine is just a monitor http://www.onecall.com/ProductDetail...12-82&id=29600 Last edited by psycho- : 12-15-2005 at 11:21 AM. |
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12-15-2005, 03:35 PM
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#16 |
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What's Da Pho*?
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SoCal (714)
Posts: 13,296
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That's a pretty good price for that model.
 Congrats on your new plasma. I'm pretty happy with my Panny TH-42PX50U. |
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12-16-2005, 01:52 PM
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#17 |
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Rear Admiral Lower Half
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Del Mar, CA
Posts: 2,261
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Pictures of it
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12-16-2005, 04:01 PM
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#18 |
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Admiral
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Boca Raton, FL: By way of: Poway, CA; Gainesville, Fl; Penn Valley, Pa.
Posts: 5,680
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Looks like you have a HT PC there too...or else just your cable modem and router. I take it you are happy with the set then?
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12-16-2005, 04:32 PM
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#19 |
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Admiral
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 7,223
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now you need to get a new camera
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12-16-2005, 04:36 PM
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#20 |
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Rear Admiral Lower Half
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Del Mar, CA
Posts: 2,261
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That's my cell phone camera. The cell phone camera is 1.3mpix.
There's a HTPC, dreamcast, xbox, PS2. The reciever is a Kenwood THX reciever. Infinity Primus speakers. Klipsch sub. Scientific Atlanta HD-DVR. There's also 3 routers, cable modem and my cordless telephone (hooked to a vonage router) back there. Last edited by psycho- : 12-16-2005 at 04:40 PM. |
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12-16-2005, 05:33 PM
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#21 |
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Admiral
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: California
Posts: 6,681
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Dreamcast???
 I'm waiting for the multiple CRT surface mounted dealy bobs.
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"I remember my first orgasm, I just wish someone was there to share it with me..."11-05-2003 05:33 AM - Topane They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. - Benjamin Franklin Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, & the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opiate of the masses. - Karl Marx Hell is other people - Jean-Paul Sartre 
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Linear Mode
