HDTV choices

I’m going to pull the trigger on purchasing a new HDTV in the next week or so. I’ve checked quite a few stores, Chuan-Gwo, Cost Co, Carrefour, 3C, etc., and read quite a few reports on the net about various brands and models. There are so many options, it all gets a bit mind-boggling.

Any experts on the topic out there? Things to watch for, things to target, things to avoid?

I’ve narrowed my search down to a 42" Vizio model or a 42" Toshiba at Cost Co, but would gladly expand my considerations if someone had something to say about other choices out there. I certainly don’t want to buy a very top level HDTV, but also don’t want a bottom of the barrel or entry-level model either. Something nicely in the middle range.

[quote=“k.k.”]I’m going to pull the trigger on purchasing a new HDTV in the next week or so. I’ve checked quite a few stores, Chuan-Gwo, Cost Co, Carrefour, 3C, etc., and read quite a few reports on the net about various brands and models. There are so many options, it all gets a bit mind-boggling.

Any experts on the topic out there? Things to watch for, things to target, things to avoid?

I’ve narrowed my search down to a 42" Vizio model or a 42" Toshiba at Cost Co, but would gladly expand my considerations if someone had something to say about other choices out there. I certainly don’t want to buy a very top level HDTV, but also don’t want a bottom of the barrel or entry-level model either. Something nicely in the middle range.[/quote]
I’m in the same boat here in the US. I’m looking for internet connectivity and as many HDMI ports as I can manage. Seems to me that the megatrend is for the television to be fully integrated with the home wireless network, at least here in N America.

I’m holding off for as long as possible, though. I have a JVC 27" box that still works beautifully at the ripe old age of 15yrs, and I just can’t pull the trigger until it up and croaks (it’s my Yankee abstemiousness).

I bought a TV several months ago and after doing all sorts of research, I settled on a 37" Vizio for around 20k. The Vizio line seems to be a really good value here in Taiwan; from what I can recall, a lot of the fancier brands like Panasonic are priced significantly higher relative to Vizio and Benq here than they are in the States. The other brands I was considering were LG and Benq.

Go for 1080p instead of 720p (which is actually 1388x768 or something wacky like that for most panels) if you’re going to hook your computer up to it and play HD rips. The Vizio didn’t have as fancy a contrast ratio as the LG, but once I got home and hooked it up to my computer and calibrated the color and brightness, it looked plenty fine to me. The one feature that I didn’t get that I wonder would make a real difference is 120hz or higher refresh rate. My set is 60hz and I watch a lot of movies, which are 24fps, and in order to fit those 24 frames per second into 60 frames per second, some sort of pulldown has got to be applied. The effect is noticeable when the credits of a movie are rolling; they seem to stutter across the screen. That being said, action scenes are fine.

I bought mine at Carrefour, which not only was the exact same price as at Costco, but they were able to toss in really cheap delivery to my rooftop apartment, which I’m not sure Costco does.

Vizio is getting a lot of good reviews as they’re meant to be very good for the price.

Forget about the high contrast ratio crap, it’s called dynamic contrast ratio for a reason, as it’s not the real deal. The back light is reduced to make it seem like a higher contrast ratio, but it’s all just trickery and not the real deal. Something around 3000-5000:1 is the read deal, anything above that (unless you get a plasma screen or LED backlit TV) is dynamic.

Samsungs new LED backlit TV’s look fantastic due to in part the great contrast ratio, but they’re also insanely expensive, especially in Taiwan for some reason.

In Taiwan there really is no sensible reason to get 1080p over 720p unless you have a cable provider that does 1080p content, a Blu-ray player or other access to HD content. Upscaling looks crap on most 1080p TV’s, but pretty much all new models are 1080p. Considering how poor the TV signal is in the first place in Taiwan and then imagine when you try to stretch that by a factor of too much…

The 120Hz is meant to reduce motion blur (there are also 100, 200 and 240Hz models), but there’s another advantage and that is IF you own a PS3 or a computer with Nvidia graphics (recent models only), then you can use it as a 3D screen with optional glasses (which are expensive as they’re active shutter glasses). The PS3 add-on won’t launch until next year apparently.

60Hz and 24fps has no relation, but not all TV’s can handle a 24fps input signal, as they’ve been designed for 25 or 30 fps. Only some Blu-ray discs offer 24fps, so if you don’t have a Blu-ray player or a PS3, then this isn’t a huge issue. From what I’ve read, 24fps movies look more cinema like, but I have yet to see one.

Pulldown correction is something entirely different which only applies to NTSC content as it’s transmitted at 29.97 (30) fps and this means the video runs too fast if it was originally shot at 24fps. It’s also known as Telecine, but all modern TV’s should be able to handle this no problem.

For all the download freaks, getting a tv that supports DLNA also enables you to pair it with a Win7 pc and browse/watch the movies from your PC directly into the TV. If not using Win7, you can try ps3mediaserver that also does the trick.

When I move to my new apart I will tell you how good that is in both my Sony 32V and 40W… biggest problem of these tv’s is that they do need to get the network cable on it, as transmitting any decent quality movie in realtime over WiFi is doomed to failure…

Thanks for all the feedback and commentary, guys. Muchly appreciated.

While those new LED models sure do look amazing, I simply can’t justify spending upwards of $80,000 on a television. I’m still leaning towards either the 42" Vizio or Toshiba one I have targeted at Cost Co. Seeing as they are almost identically priced though, I’m leaning towards the Japanese one.

You owe it to yourself to look at the Chemei 42inch LCD.

It has by far the best picture I’ve ever seen on an LCD. There is an RT mart near my home and they have it on a wall with about 10 other brands. When crowds gather to watch the cool HD movies they show they all look at the Chimei. When you stand 30ft away it’s the only one that leaps out at you.

Perhaps they just adjusted it like that? Perhaps…but I went to a 3C store near my home and when I walked towards their TVs one had a picture they just drew your eye to it. I walked closer and saw it was the same model Chimei.

Chemei makes three different 42inchers. And this one is their most expensive (while still being cheap): shopping.pchome.com.tw/?mod=item … 7338&c=A05

As TheLostSwede has pointed out Chemei’s larger LCD’s (50inch and up) are known to have problems, but their 42inchers seem solid.

But since you want a 42inch…make sure you at least check out the one above. It’s whites are so white it’s like looking at a light bulb…(in a good way). And don’t get anything 60hz, get 120 or higher.

The only other thing to consider is that Vizio has a 5 year warranty as opposed to the normal 3 year.

Sounds worth checking into, Mordeth. Thanks for the heads-up. I’ve got the day off today so I think I’ll head to the big RT Mart in Nei-Hu and see if they have any 42" Chimei models to take a look at.

I ended up buying an imported Toshiba 42". It’s been a little over a month. Very happy with my purchase, very satisfied. RT Mart in Nei-Hu was NT$200 cheaper than Cost Co. and offered free delivery. The two cronies they had deliver it were priceless…but all good. No problems.

Just waiting like everyone else now for the expected increase in HD channels and coverage in Taiwan to take hold, of course. :s

[quote=“k.k.”]I ended up buying an imported Toshiba 42". It’s been a little over a month. Very happy with my purchase, very satisfied. RT Mart in Neihu was NT$200 cheaper than Cost Co. and offered free delivery. The two cronies they had deliver it were priceless…but all good. No problems.

Just waiting like everyone else now for the expected increase in HD channels and coverage in Taiwan to take hold, of course. :s[/quote]

I’m honestly surprised you didn’t go with the Chimei. Better picture and cheap as dirt.

I got my first HDTV as well. Problem is with the larger screen the normal TV channels look worse blown up to a larger size. A friend’s computer has an HDMI out on it. He brought it over and hooked it up to our TV and we were all drooling over the picture. But now he’s gone I’m back to watching blurry TV on it. And the odd DVD which doesn’t look great as my DVD player doesn’t upscale.

[quote=“Mordeth”][quote=“k.k.”]I ended up buying an imported Toshiba 42". It’s been a little over a month. Very happy with my purchase, very satisfied. RT Mart in Neihu was NT$200 cheaper than Cost Co. and offered free delivery. The two cronies they had deliver it were priceless…but all good. No problems.

Just waiting like everyone else now for the expected increase in HD channels and coverage in Taiwan to take hold, of course. :s[/quote]

I’m honestly surprised you didn’t go with the Chimei. Better picture and cheap as dirt. Chimei is on the right track, but Toshiba has been making great TVs for a long time already.

I got my first HDTV as well. Problem is with the larger screen the normal TV channels look worse blown up to a larger size. A friend’s computer has an HDMI out on it. He brought it over and hooked it up to our TV and we were all drooling over the picture. But now he’s gone I’m back to watching blurry TV on it. And the odd DVD which doesn’t look great as my DVD player doesn’t upscale.[/quote]
I checked out the Chimei sets at RT Mart. I like the Toshiba better. Crisper.

I never got an HDMI cable from my installation guy when I signed up for the cable box extension. I bought one the night I got my TV though, you simply must have it.

I know what you mean about regular channels not looking as good on a big new HDTV. The old CRT TVs give you a better picture for those, oddly enough. I’ve noticed there is varying degrees of picture quality for all the local channels, but I’m still happy to have made the switch. It’s still worth having a new HDTV for the bunch of HD channels I’ve got already with my cable package. Watching movies, even if they aren’t Blueray, are great on a new flat screen too.

For the ones whom can wait a few months - 3D DTV is the new thing to look at.
Massproduction has started after CES, so they should be here around May - June. All major Japanese brands at least.

They are going to cost an arm and a leg. Even the newest LED TVs are very pricey. But yeah, 3D TV will be cool as.

Only because of the hype,as the technology behind is cheap to make…

LED 46 inch, 1280 HD, Bluetooth, Wifi integration, good contrast ratio.
Well , yeah, 80-90K might be the minimum price for such a gadget. :whistle:

Yeah, I’ll treat the new 3D tvs as I did the HD LCD ones…wait a few years for the prices to come down and the bugs to be worked out…and then get one.

I got me a Heran, also known as Ranso…cheap as chips, picture quality is good and has all the connections , 1080 etc you ever need. Don’t spend too much on something that goes out of date in a year or two! Only weird thing is the audio seems to have some type of feedback loop every now and then on very low volume. These things are all made by the same manufacturers…the average consumer can’t telll the difference. The dirty secret is that regular cable looks crap on HDTV…the old cathod ray tubes gave better contrast and picture quality. I’ll be signing up for some HDTV and digital channels soon…the world cup would be nice in HDTV!

I have an LG I’m happy with but I’ve heard good things about Vizio.

Of course the thing is useless if you’re just using it for regular Taiwan cable. The HDMI/computer hookup is imperative to myself, and of course if you play console games they look great on there too.

[quote=“mups”]I have an LG I’m happy with but I’ve heard good things about Vizio.
[/quote]
I looked at LG, but was told to pass on the entry level models. If you spend a bit more on at least a mid level LG, probably be satisfied. Vizio is heading in the right direction. The 5 year warranty sure is attractive. They’ve sold tons in the USA.

[quote=“Mordeth”]You owe it to yourself to look at the Chemei 42inch LCD.

It has by far the best picture I’ve ever seen on an LCD. There is an RT mart near my home and they have it on a wall with about 10 other brands. When crowds gather to watch the cool HD movies they show they all look at the Chimei. When you stand 30ft away it’s the only one that leaps out at you.

Perhaps they just adjusted it like that? Perhaps…but I went to a 3C store near my home and when I walked towards their TVs one had a picture they just drew your eye to it. I walked closer and saw it was the same [/quote]
Almost certainly the brightness on the Chimei is turned up to its highest setting, or close to it. This makes it look great for a short viewing session in a brightly lit store in comparison to the other TVs around it, but has no correlation to how good the TV really is. Stores do it often to push whatever TVs have the highest markup. Chimei TVs and monitors can be good for their price, but like most Vizios, they are meant to compete on price with the Japanese manufacturer’s lower end models–they are not trying to get the best quality possible. Without knowing the exact models he saw, I suspect I would have also chosen the Toshiba the OP bought.

Correct. Fact is that Wang,Taiwanese founder of Vizio knows where to get the mustard and offers TV’s with great technology at prices way below the “A” brands.
Vizio judged: youtube.com/watch?v=poth7f73 … re=related

The real Vizio manufacturer = AmTran Taiwan
amtran.com.tw/index.html

Besides, they use LG Displays which is also a +++
I will most likely buy the 42" Vizio 240Hz SV421XVT - though they mainly distribute via Costco here in TW

Downside is that this model is still 40% more expensive here than Sam Club offer of 689$ USD in the states. :doh:
The newer 422 now offers Wifi N but won’t be on offer here in Taiwan.

@ Buscador, for sure Chimei puts its default settings too high.
I was a sales guy for Consumer electronics in my previous life and when i had incentives on certain brands, I obviously “prepared” those ones being better :blush:
When choosing at TV, always ask to put all values at default. Sadly, most shops only play a HD sample DVD, which is also an overkill of colors.
Bring your own DVD to the store, and look at refresh rate of screen (blur - blinking) including detail of fast moving action images and if important, check out the sound, being better than a tin bin if required.