I've been looking at several flat screen TV's, I've got a 62" projection Hitachi upstairs in the media room, but I'm looking for a 40-42" LCD non projection flat screen for the kitchen to be wall mounted.
I like the newer LCD's over the Plasmas. Sharp, Samsung, Toshiba, Hitachi are what I've been looking at. I don't need a HDTV tuner as I'm on sat dish. Don't need a bunch of HDMI inputs as I doubt if a DVD player will ever be hooked up to it, maybe a video game but doubt that too.
So, a basic LCD TV, 720P at my pricepoint, don't think I need 1080i, but the 1080i and newer 120hz refresh rate do seem to be much sharper, but without a built in tuner who cares (I can't get over the air signal). My video source will most likely be SVHS cable coming from my upstairs Sat dish box, I'll have to check with Dishnetwork to see what a second HDTV tuner receiver would cost.
thanks for your input.
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- Dave
Vipers are fast with tons of Torque but are nose heavy, a Porsche 911 is quick and nimble. I love to corner like a hummingbird.
For that price point 120hz is not an option and most have issues anyway so I would not recommend them now anyway.
I assume you mean 1080p not i, as any 720p TV would also be 1080i capable (they display it at there native res, no LCD displays i) at 40" most would say you don't need 1080p I am not one of them.
I would recommend
1 Samsung LN-T4061 (1080) (I had this one as well as the 46" version)
2 Sony KDL40V3000 (1080 and a little more then 1500) (have this one)
3 Sony KDL40V2500 (1080)
4 Sharp LC42D43U (720) (had this one)
5 Toshiba 42HL167 (1080) (had this one in 47")
All but the Sony are 1500 or less
Best cheap TV would be a Vizo, there 42" tv is > 1K and is a decent TV.
Panasonic and JVC make nice sets to but I have no experience with them (LCD wise) but have heard good things. I am currently looking at a JVC LT32E488 as an office replacement.
Ones I would stay away from LG, Hitachi, Phillips, Magnavox, Polaroid, Olivia (sorry Denny) and just about any store brand.
Best advice go look at them narrow it down and come back and ask about a specific TV they all have pluses and minuses no TV is perfect.
Sorry I had the LN-T4081 it went back 20days later (gave it a good try), good idea and once they work it out it will be great but its not there yet.
The one you linked BTW is not LED its CCF it is 120hz had that one for 1 week and back it went. They need to work out there interpolation problems and it still does 3:2 to 60 then doubles it to 120 why no one knows.
Tower really came through with the best info. I too am about ready to buy one and realized that 720p and 1080i are basically the same. 1080p would only be worth it if you were going to play blue ray. As tower said vizeo which can be picked up at costco, wal mart, etc is the best bang for the buck but love the looks of the samsung. If you didn't have to hang it a DLP would definantly be a geat way to go $ wise.
Sorry I had the LN-T4081 it went back 20days later (gave it a good try), good idea and once they work it out it will be great but its not there yet.
The one you linked BTW is not LED its CCF it is 120hz had that one for 1 week and back it went. They need to work out there interpolation problems and it still does 3:2 to 60 then doubles it to 120 why no one knows.
Damn...I figured CC's most expensive one would be LED, apparently I was wrong (been out of the game now for a little over a year, so I don't know my model numbers like I used to). Good info from Tower.
Thanks Tower, you really pointed me in the right dirrection. 1080p seems the way to go, and circuit city has some 46" units for not much more than my 1500 price point. Time to go look at 'em in person. The sony's and samsung have some good numbers.
IMO - Sam's Club is the best way to go - they have a huge selection - and best of all - you can return any electronic device with no questios asked - and thy hand you a refund right there - or apply the monies to a new model - oh, and all without a receipt...
I went thru two plasmas in my garage in Minnapolis - each time I went back to Sam's Club, without a box, receipts, or cables (they were in the wall) - and they never raised an eyebrow - and one was three years after I purchased...
So, I posted this long ago - I try to buy all my electronics from Sam's Club since they have such a great return policy...
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You know, I keep getting tempted by the Aquos because everytime I see them in the store picture looks great.
I bought two 42" Philips 1080p LCD's with Ambilight in the last few months (because I love the Ambilight effect) and both times, I was torn between them and the Aquos which was basically the same price.
Are you using it for HD or Blue Ray and if so, how is it?
S.
720 and 1080i are not the same but any 720 TV supports 1080i. Really ony analog TVs (think CRT) can display interlaced material, digital TVs (LCD,Plasma,DLP so on) are progressive and must first deinterlace the image to display it. Very few TVs do this well but when done well it is 1080p if it is not done well it could be as low as 540p. Any 1080i broadcast (most are 1080i) can be deinterlaced to 1080p so you don't need BD for 1080p
Remember that it image will be scaled to the native res of the TV no matter what you send it, so if you have a 1080 TV it only displays 1080 a 720 (768) TV only displays 720 (768). Some TVs have better scalers then others and is why some say "up-converting" DVD players are great and others say they saw no difference from there progressive player.
Best flat screen LCD TV for ~$1500
to 60 then doubles it to 120 
why no one knows.
