Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with TV and lcd

White flatscreen TV around 42"?

Riki tiki — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 09:57:20 -0800

Looking for a good flatscreen TV, 42" or thereabouts... and white. I haven't been able to find anything that size that isn't in industry-standard black. Any suggestions?

Help me design a new home entertainment system.

ColdChef — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:08:04 -0800

My old tube television has died a terrible sputtering death. Help me get over my sense of loss by assisting me in replacing it with a new HD television and entertainment system. Here are my needs: I'm working with a budget of around $2000. I want a HD LCD television set that's between 46-52 inches. I currently have an old-style Tivo box, a decent DVD collection, a Playstation 2, a Nintendo Wii, a DVD/VCR combo, an iMac, and a Netflix account.

I'm not interested in converting all of my DVDs to BlueRay, so I want a player that has a good conversion system for old DVDs. I'm fighting the urge to get a Playstation 3, because I have a tendency to spend too much time playing games--but I could probably justify it with my wife if it's the best option.

Here's what I'd like to be able to do: have 2 or three game systems hooked up simultaneously, stream Netflix, YouTube, and Hulu from my iMac.

Should I upgrade my Tivo to the Tivo HD/XL? Would that keep me from having to get the PS3?

Also: my home is very Mac friendly, but I've never really looked at the AppleTV. Should I?

So here's what I'm looking at:
HD LCD Television
BlueRay Player
New Tivo?
Whatever will allow me to stream Netflix, YouTube, and Hulu

Thanks in advance.

Recommend me an LCD TV!

Alterscape — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:33:56 -0800

I'm thinking about getting a 32"/37" LCD TV. Primary applications are DVDs (and I guess, now, BluRay), NetFlix/Hulu streaming, and an existing PS2. I'm also eyeing the PS3 (or a Wii?) but haven't made a decision yet. We don't have cable/satellite, and don't typically watch over-the-air. What factors should I be considering? I'm looking into a modern TV to replace our ancient 13" CRT. My budget is flexible, but I'd like to keep it around $500. Right now I'm looking at the Vizio line, through Costco. There are a couple of $550-ish sets -- one 37" 1080p, and one 32" 120Hz 1080p. I've checked out the AVSForum reviews for both, and they seem generally positive -- mid-to-low-end sets with features and performance to match, but okay quality.

Questions: Given the applications I've listed, where is my money going to be more useful -- the bigger screen, or the faster refresh rate? Am I missing any other obvious considerations I should be paying attention to? Brands I should be paying more attention to? Other places to get a better deal? I like Costco because of the warranty/return service, but I might be persuaded if I can get significantly higher quality for the price, or lower price for the same quality.

How much is my 37" 720p LCD TV worth?

greendress — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 21:53:48 -0800

How much is my used Sharp Aquos LC-37G4U (37" 720p LCD TV) worth? How much would YOU pay for it? A co-worker may be interested in buying my old TV. Neither of us is sure what would be a fair price. Can't find any of this model on eBay to make a direct comparison; found 2 listed on Craigslist in other cities -- one for $400 and one for $600 (which I'm SURE is too much) -- but who knows how much they actually got. The details:

- Sharp Aquos LC-37G4U
- Bought Feb. 2005
- 37" LCD
- 720p (does not support 1080p)
- does NOT have built-in HD tuner
- Nice condition, fully functional, still have all accessories and whatnot, e.g., stand, remote, manual

Links: Sound & Vision - ExtremeTech - PC Mag - Amazon.com

Looks like a new 37" 720p LCD can be had on Amazon for not too much over $600 -- but since technology marches on, a new one would have a built-in HD tuner, better contrast ratio, probably more inputs, and might be better in other ways.

If it were yours, how much would you expect for it? If you were buying it, how much would you pay for it?

Should I fix my LCD TV or replace it?

underthehat — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:33:34 -0800

Should I fix my LCD TV or replace it? Our 18-month-old LCD TV has died. Tech support says it's probably the "main board." We're outside the warranty period. Repairs (including shipping) will probably run to at least half the cost of simply replacing it. The TV is an Olevia 532H; we'd probably replace it with a Samsung 32".

I'd like your advice on what to do. Here's how I see it:

Pro fixing: Until now, the TV has worked well, and we like it, so if a repair is likely to keep it going for another 5 years or so, that seems worthwhile-- but how long should we expect an LCD TV to last anyway? Repairing is probably cheaper, though it's unclear by how much. I think it's also better for the environment, since we won't be discarding one hunk of plastic and glass for another.

Pro replacing: Prices have come down, so the replacement would be a better-quality, more reliable set (though again, how long should an LCD TV last?). The cost of replacing it is known, whereas we don't know the cost of repairs until we've already spent $150+ sending it in and paying a diagnostic fee. We also get back to a working TV quicker.

What do you think?

maintanance agreements: threat or menace?

anonymous_account — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 10:47:05 -0800

I just bought a giant LCD TV and didn't buy the maintenance agreement. Now I feel that maybe I should have. In fact, I probably still can, although it would be some trouble. The TV cost $1300. It's a Sony. The agreement was $100 for 2 years, and $200 for 5 years, I think. I've bought a bunch of them over the years for various appliances and electronic stuff and have never used the service once.

I was slightly pissed off at the point of sale because the salesman tried to get me to buy a $120 package of MONSTER equipment after we finally decided to buy the TV and I just felt like stabbing the a-hole in the back.

The salesman said that I couldn't change my mind on the maintenance agreement after purchase. However, I can return the TV within the next 30 days with no restocking fee. So presumably, I could return the TV and then purchase it again with the maintenance agreement if I were so motivated.

My question: are these maintenance agreements in general, and in particular, good deals?

Do all TVs make crappy monitors?

muscat — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:25:56 -0800

Dual use TV and second macbook monitor (with as little compromise as possible on both uses)? I have a small room that I want to double as a guest bedroom and a home office. I'd like to have a flat panel in there that I can use as an external monitor for my macbook that guests can also watch TV on.

I know TV pixels and computer pixels are much different, and I currently can hook the MB up to the living room plasma via HDMI, with expectedly crappy results.

Are there any products out there for just this purpose? Or can I buy something relatively simple that will run TV on an LCD monitor?

I need to find an affordable 50" LCD.

DMan — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 12:30:34 -0800

Hey AskMe, it's time for the yearly "Help me buy a TV" question! I need to find one that's right for me... Or actually, my parents. They've asked me to do some research on it for them, and they have a few requirements.

They want to get a 50+ inch LCD, and they want to do it relatively cheaply (we'd like to spend less than $1300, $1500 would probably be doable if it's an awesome TV) so I'm not looking for anything top-end. I want to find a quality product, but they're upgrading from a Westinghouse 32 inch LCD so anything will be a drastic improvement.

720p vs. 1080p: I measured out the room and we sit approximately 12-14 feet away from the TV. This link says that at that distance, there's no discernible difference between 720p and 1080p--is that really true? I'd be fine with a 720p as they're usually a lot cheaper, but my concern is that a 720p TV is going to be lower-quality in other areas as well, such as colors and the like. We're getting HD cable and a DVR but I can't think of any content we'd be watching that would be in 1080p; I want to be future-proof, though, if there will be a noticeable difference between 720p and 1080p.

So, in short, I realize most people spend $2000+ on a TV of this size. That's not in our price range, and we're okay with that and understand that we might not get the best TV ever. However, I know that some TV's in that range have to be "good enough", and that's what I'm looking for.

I haven't posted on AVS Club yet, and I plan to. But I've always turned for Metafilter for advice, and wanted to do so again. Thanks for the answers that I know will come!

maybe I should just clean my glasses

randomstriker — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 10:58:41 -0800

37" widescreen LCDTV viewed from 12' away, do my eyes have the resolving power to justify getting a Blu-ray instead of upscaling DVD player? I realize the best way to the answer this question is to go into Best-Buy and see their demos or something, but it's hard to find demos setup exactly the way I need to make an accurate, objective comparison. Everything seems to be setup to sell me the most expensive thing.

Hopefully someone with knowledge of the anatomy of the eye can provide advice based on "first-principles".

When should I buy my new TV?

Caz721 — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 07:06:03 -0800

When is the best time to buy a new tv? I'm moving into a new apartment at the end of the month and I want to buy a new tv. Currently my roommates and I have a hand me down tv that has some color and sound issues on occasion. Its functional, but now that I'm getting my own place, I think it may be time to invest in my own new television.

I'm in Manhattan, so space is definitely at a premium. I won't know until I move in (Oct 1st or thereabouts) exactly how much space I have, so I can't buy until at least then. Our current tv is about 20" I think, for the four years prior to this I was using a 13" tv, so I don't need a huge tv. But if I'm going to invest hundreds of dollars, I want something that I'll have for years. I was thinking a 32" or 37" LCD, but that's not set in stone.

My question is whether October/pre-Christmas is a good time to buy a tv with those sorts of specs or whether I should wait until the pre-Super Bowl sales (or after? Are there deep discounts in mid-February)? If the savings were likely to be a couple of hundred dollars, I'll definitely wait, as the tv we have now is serviceable, if not great. If it's unlikely to change much, I'll get a new one soon so I don't have to move the old one.

If it matters as to what tv I'll buy and how prices will move, I don't play videogames and am unlikely to buy a system. I do watch a lot of sports, if that makes a difference. Thanks

Needing a new useful remote.

actionpact — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 09:47:52 -0800

Help us find a replacement remote for a TV/DVD combo, or else a good universal remote with an eject button! My mother is trying to replace a remote for a LCD-TV/DVD she has, a Sylvania 6615LDF she got two years ago. The remote has since kicked the bucket and when searching for a new replacement, we're finding a remote with the same model number (NE204UD) but clearly meant for a DVR instead of a DVD. So we're not sure exactly what to do.

I'm wondering two things:
1) Is there a well-recommended site for buying replacement remotes for your systems? A lot of the sites I saw are either really generic or don't have photos for everything so I'm a little wary I'll get the wrong remote.
2) Can you recommend a universal remote that also has an eject feature? All the ones we saw at Target and other stores seem to lack an eject option, which is kind of important since the tv has a built in dvd player. Would prefer one that is not more than $40, but am open to suggestions anyway.

Thanks, hivemind!

Will it make it intact?

QuantumMeruit — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 22:16:26 -0800

I have a 42-inch LCD TV in its original box that needs to make its way cross-country. Can we just drop it off at FedEx/UPS, or does prudence and shipping policy require us to find a larger exterior box with more cushioning?

Flat TV's behind one-way mirrors?

monkeybutt — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 17:24:19 -0800

Flat TV's behind two-way mirrors? Good idea or no? Does anybody out there have any firsthand experience with LCD's or Plasma TV's situation behind two-way mirrors so that they "disappear" when they turn off?

We are renovating our house (on a budget!) and the designer suggested this scenario to my wife as a way to de-clutter our home. I'm open to it but know from experience (i work in the film biz and visual effects) that ANYTHING you put in front of a light source (or tv) will knock down the gain. my question is how bad of a hit will i take on the luminance of the TV? I have seen the commercially available flats that offer the tv-to-mirror feature, but they are WAY out of my price range. What I was hoping for is a resource for the right type of glass that will achieve what we want with a minimal light loss (if there is such a thing).

thanks for any help

I gave up TV. Now help me buy a TV. (...Or a humongous monitor for my computer/dvd player.)

jkl345 — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:43:11 -0800

A couple months ago, I sold my old Sony Trinitron and gave up TV. It's been fantastic and I haven't really looked back. But I *have* been missing watching movies on a screen bigger than my 15” laptop. I've also always wanted a bigger monitor for my laptop, so I can juggle more projects at once. So I'm starting to look around for a large LCD monitor or sizable HDTV to serve these needs. I've had a couple co-workers at previous jobs tell me they use an LCD TV as a monitor and they swear by it for cost savings and multi-functionality. I'm kinda clueless though and need your advice. I've read through some similar AskMeFi questions, but most of them were from 2005 and 2006, so (in theory) the technology should be getting better. I won't accept anything short of a 1920 x 1080 resolution, so that should help with the resolution issue... or maybe I just totally misunderstood the problem with using a TV.

My budget:
I'd be willing to pay around $500, up to $1500 for a perfect device, although I'd prefer to go cheaper. 40" is probably the perfect size for the room it'd be in. (I don't need a 60 inch monitor necessarily but I kinda feel more comfortable paying $1000+ for a 60” DLP HDtv with tons of hook ups and multiple HDMI inputs, than paying $1000+ for a 32” LCD computer monitor. Am I missing some huge advantage over the 32” monitor?)

My needs:
- Widescreen, HD resolution
- Over 30 inches, ideally (Uh, less than 60”, I think)
- Able to plug my laptop into it to use as a big monitor
- Able to plug my DVD player into it (so I don't have to keep using my laptop as a DVD player)
- Able to plug a possible future Blu-Ray or Xbox device into it and get full HD quality
- Cheaper is obviously better, but I don't mind splurging for something really cool or high quality that will last me forever (No plasmas! I don't want to derail things but I've had 3 friends with horrible experiences using Plasmas. So, no plasmas.)

Would be cool:
- Thin profile (LCD's are cool, but not mandatory)
- Having the whole TV tuner/remote/speakers option might be good for resale and useful in special cases (Superbowl or entertaining guests)
- The ability to rotate (from portrait to landscape) is cool too. (I realize this contradicts the previous request since I don't think any TV's can do this. But wouldn't it be cool?!)

Any specific recommendations on models, tutorials/guides that have been helpful to you or general real world anecdotal advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Is there a dpreview-like site for LCD monitors/TVs?

odinsdream — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 06:42:16 -0800

Is there a dpreview-like site for LCD televisions and monitors? Alternatively, suggest a good LCD television or monitor. I do not have cable. I currently use a standard CRT television with coaxial input hooked up to a DVD player, a computer, and a VCR. All of those get routed through a receiver whose output is then sent through a modulator before going to the TV.

I'd like to replace this with an LCD monitor or an LCD television. I'm leaning more towards a "computer" monitor since I don't need speakers and would be mostly viewing things sent from the computer. Getting an actual television would give me the tuner input, which would be nice, but here's where I have some questions.

Almost every LCD television I've seen in person has horrible picture quality. I'm not sure why - but it looks like there are severe differences in software or hardware that does the scaling and rendering in the TV when showing something from the tuner input.

What I can find online only goes as far as telling me which inputs a product has and other technical specifications. Most sites don't have anything about picture quality. Is there a site like dpreview for LCD monitors that would help me pick the correct model by providing actual metrics related to picture quality?

Also, should I look into getting something with a digital tuner in preparation for the nationwide move away from analog broadcast signals?

Will I get a crick in my neck from watching a TV over the fireplace?

adverb — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 09:43:37 -0800

My wife wants to get a plasma/LCD TV and mount it over the fireplace. That just seems way too high to watch comfortably, though. Does anyone have any experience with a TV mounted that high? Will the kids be able to watch it if they're sitting on the floor? Does angling it help?

Help me find a new bedside HDTV.

cmicali — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 20:24:30 -0800

I am looking for a cheap TV to put on the night stand next to my bed after my old 12" LCD SDTV broke. I'd like the new one to be 16:9, HDTV (720p) and as cheap as possible. My comcast cable box has component and DVI connectors.. any recommendations? I've seen a few Dells and no-name brands for $250-$400... it needs to have speakers, and i'm interested in the best picture quality possible considering the budget. Anything over 20" might be too big...

Our lcd tv suddenly shows red pixelation on dark colured areas. What gives?

jacalata — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 05:45:20 -0800

Our new digital television just started showing red highlights on dark colours. What's wrong? It's an LG HDTV flatscreen lcd of around 50 inches. My housemate bought it last week ex-display, and it's been beautiful until we started watching the football tonight. Now on some dark areas, red pixels appear as a sort of highlight mostly around the edges and in the centre. It still happens if we plug the antenna directly into the TV (so it's not the dvd player), and it also happens when we play dvds, so it's not the reception. The problem is reduced by turning up the brightness so that less dark colours appear, but not removed. The three of us agree that this problem is new as of today.

Decent TV-to-LCD boxes?

onshi — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 09:25:42 -0800

Are those inexpensive, make-yer-LCD-a-TV boxes decent? Along the lines of this AskMeFi question, I'm looking for a way to pipe Wii through my 19" Widescreen LCD.

I'd ruled out external TV (and s-video, and component, etc.) to LCD boxes as most ran upwards of $200 CDN and none would drive my monitor @ its native 1440 x 900. Enter the Kworld TV 1440 [see Tigerdirect for $50 after rebate, and Newegg].

As a class, are these things any good? Has anyone tried this particular model, or others by Kworld?

How do I best deal with overscan on my philips LCD tv when connecting it to a computer?

RustyBrooks — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 14:25:49 -0800

How do I best deal with overscan on my philips LCD tv when connecting it to a computer? I've long had a media PC hooked up to my TV. Until recently I had non-HD CRT and I had it hooked up to my computer via a VGA-to-svideo converter. It had overscan adjustments so I could set the level of overscan and the position of the image on screen.

I hook up my computer to my philips LCD TV via the HDMI connection (using a DVI to HDMI cable). I set the right modeline for the TV and I get a nice high-res picture.

But, it's overscanned by about 3-4%, that is, about 20 pixels on all sides. When watching content, no problem. When using the TV as a computer display, it sucks. Menu bars on full screen programs are not visible. The status bar at the bottom is not visible. In text-modes the bottom line and several characters on each line are not visible.

The media computer runs linux, and typically I run it with no display manager (the software I wrote to run my media stuff acts as a primitive display manager). I launch most programs in full screen. I am willing to use a window manager as long as it's small and fairly fast (media PC is very modest). I need no other features than the ability to say "the usable window of the display is from X1,Y1 to X2,Y2, treat everything outside of that as not part of the display"

Alternatively, if anyone has had any luck altering their modelines to reduce the overscan, or altering their screen resolutions to the actual shown pixelage, that would be great. All attempts I've made at altering the mode line have made no difference, until they diverge from the standard mode line too much, at which point they don't work at all.

LCD TV vs LCD Monitor

Mave_80 — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 07:16:22 -0800

Looking to get either an LCD TV or LCD Monitor as a new primary monitor for my computer. Given that I'm not that interested in watching TV on it nor having an ultra high resolution (say 1900 x 1200) which makes more sense to buy? I know a common resolution for TVs is 1366 x768 and I feel like I should be OK with that. Am planning on looking at it as I would a common monitor - probably about 2 foot away when I'm at my desk, but I may choose later to look it from the couch - maybe 5 foot away. As such, I was thinking something around 24" - 26".

Should I go and get a TV with a decent contrast ratio, HDMI etc (maybe HDCP but not that bothered about that honestly) or go and buy a 24" dell monitor (other recommendations welcome)? Remember, not that interested in watching TV on it, although I will be using the PC for gaming and as a media center. Ideally I'd like to be about the $500 range which is why I'm not pulling the trigger on a 24" monitor, but if $700 is what it takes so be it. Just trying to get the most bang for my buck...

Yet another LCD TV question.

althanis — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 17:51:01 -0800

Yes, another LCD TV question, but please bear with me. I just want a big, flat TV to watch non HD programming and my DVDs. Im sorry if this is a repeat question, I have searched, but I think my situation is a bit different.

I need to buy a new TV, and I want to mount it on my wall, so its gotta be an LCD, and not a huge CRT.

We also have no HD programming here, and I neither have nor want any console that would require an HD TV, so I dont need need all the fancy HD stuff, it would just be money wasted.

It should also be at least 30" and cost around $400-$600, but I guess thats the part thats not set in stone. I definitely don't want to be spending over $700 though.

Are there any television sets that would meet these requirements? All I'm finding all over the net are HD sets, that cost an arm and a leg, plus I wouldn't ever even be using anything HD. I just want wall.

Can you guys help me?

How to connect PC sound card to an LCD TV?

titans13 — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 05:42:55 -0800

I have a Gateway desktop with a standard sound card in it. The video is connected to a Vizio 42" LCD TV via VGA cable. We would like to connect the sound to the TV as well. There is no PC Audio input on the TV...just red and white RCA jacks. I looked for an adapter cable or sound card that had RCA jacks out, but got confused really quickly. All help is appreciated!

New TV for me

Diskeater — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 11:09:34 -0800

New TV needed for gaming, DVDs, but NOT cable/satellite. Point me in the right direction! My current TV is a 27 inch CRT HDTV and it was an Advent floor model that I bought from Best Buy a few years ago for a great price...now I know why. The TV is definitely on the way out and I've decided that I can afford to spend a little cash and get myself a brand new TV.

I've checked out AVS and searched AskMe but I haven't found anyone with my exact situation yet. I will not be using the TV to watch HD cable/satellite programs. I will only be using it for DVDs, gaming (360 and Wii), and streaming video from a PC.

I know that CRT seems like the best option for me but finding a decent CRT HDTV in a B&M store is getting harder and harder to do. Plus, I'm looking to get a TV that is widescreen and at least 32". A CRT that fits those specifications is 200+ pounds and huge.

Originally, I set a budget of $600 but I'm seeing a lot of decent LCD HDTVs for around $1000. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16889022029 This one in particular comes highly recommended as does http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824234015 this one. $1000 is doable but I don't really want to go much higher than that.

Right now, it looks like LCD is the best bet because I don't really want to spend $1500+ on a new TV and it seems like most new plasmas/DLPs/anything else would cost that much or more.

So, in summary...I'm looking to get a new HDTV so I can watch my DVDs, stream video, game, and it doesn't matter how well it displays SD or HD channels since I won't be using it to watch TV. A lot of inputs are always good but I can always get a switch so it isn't a must.

Thanks!

How to get my LCD television a few inches higher?

thatgirl — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 17:02:28 -0800

Does something convenient exist that can elevate my LCD TV a few inches - like a monitor riser, but for a 37" television? I have a 37" LCD TV on a pretty standard TV stand that is 24" high. I'm currently looking for a new TV stand (for other reasons), and I'd prefer it to be a few inches taller than my current one, so the TV is a little higher. Unfortunately, I've done an awful lot of looking and so far everything I've yet seen that I (even slightly) like and can afford (not much) is between 20" and 24" tall.

They make risers for monitors - like this and this. Does such a thing exist for televisions? Since it's LCD, it's not like it has to support the elephant weight of a CRT. I would need it to be at least 31" wide, 17" deep, and able to support about 55 lbs. The closest I've found is this, but because it's meant for a monitor, it's still too small and also has features I wouldn't really want/need, such as the drawer and the "holes" for CDs and a cup.

I'm sure I could build something, but I'm not really the DIY type. I'd much prefer to just buy something (as long as it doesn't cost an arm and a leg).