Ask HD Beat: What HDTV should the President of Weblogs, Inc buy
These are the times that we here at HD Beat could use all of your collective HDTV experience as the President for our company has turned to us for help. Brian Alvey, the President of Weblogs, Inc, needs a new HDTV and is looking for recommendations. He is moving his current Mitsubishi big-screen (around 52-inches) to the basement because of glare and needs a replacement. This is your chance guys. You get to be the salesman here but keep in mind that we are trying to sell to the needs of the customer.Brian is looking for the biggest and baddest HDTV he can fit in the same spot that is going to have little-to-no glare. He doesn't plan on using HD DVDs or Blu-ray ether - but that could change. The HDTV needs to be currently available and as he put it to us, "What I don't want is a recommendation to wait 6 months for 'technology X' that is going to change the market."
What you would recommend to Brian?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Carl @ Jun 16th 2006 11:23AM
Well I had bought a new Sony SXRD, but returned it a week ago after the announcement of new lines. I'll be purchasing a new KDS-a2000 50in when they come out.
Matt @ Jun 16th 2006 11:45AM
I've had a sony 50" SXRD since Feb, and I couldn't be happier. The black levels are absolutely ubeleiveable. My father-in-law has a 50" samsung DLP and I have to say that while watching standard def on the tv doesn't even come close to watching an HD picture, the scaler in the sony makes SD look much better to me.
just do your research though. While I would have loved to have gotten the 60", (the only other size available at the time), I read that both TV's used the same size bulb, which actually made the 50" picture brighter, which through comparison, I found to be true.
MUGEN @ Jun 16th 2006 12:00PM
samsung ln-s5797D
forcedinduction666 @ Jun 16th 2006 12:23PM
Can't go wrong with the Pioneer PDP-506XDE. Awesome spec and performance - dunno what the US model number of this TV is though.
http://www.pioneer.co.uk/uk/product_detail.jsp?product_id=11143&taxonomy_id=62-63
F
Michael Honore @ Jun 16th 2006 12:24PM
Choose out the slew of new 1080p Sony XBRS. Flat Panel would be the prime choice. If he wants a two peice system I say go the with the Sony Ruby SXRD Projector. I can't remember the model name for it.
zombieflanders @ Jun 16th 2006 12:30PM
Samsung DLPs are, IMHO, the best bang-for-the-buck sets. The HLSxx87W and HLSxx88W (xx being screen size) are the "hot" items. The 50" can be found for under $2500, and the 56" should be around $3000. They're 1080p, so even if he doesn't expect to go Blu-ray or HD DVD, it's good to be future-proof.
Chris @ Jun 16th 2006 12:43PM
While I am firmly in the Sony Camp (Go SXRD!), I must say that the new Samsung HL-S5679W intrigues me. 1080p with an LED DLP engine (no traditional bulb, no spinning color wheel). It was supposed to be out last month, so it's a crapshoot on the release date right now. If he's got the coin (~$4k), and Samsung gets this thing out the door soon, I'd vote for this. Otherwise, do a 2006 55" or 60" SXRD.
Jim @ Jun 16th 2006 12:48PM
Sony 60" SXRD or the bigger Samsung 71" HL-R7178W
Chris Heinonen @ Jun 16th 2006 1:16PM
A week ago, I would have said to go with an SXRD for sure, as I'm in the same situation, but now I'm waiting for the 47" Westinghouse LCD to come out as well. It's almost as large as the 50" SXRD, same resolution, and if it's like the 40" version will have great color and contrast ratio. I can also mount it on my wall. However, if I see it soon and it's not amazing, I'm going SXRD as I know it's the best picture I've seen.
route66 @ Jun 16th 2006 2:10PM
I would say the Panasonic TH-50PHD8UK plasma for home theater, this is the best plasma for the buck at $2700 from visualapex.com - i got this monitor about 2 months ago and still can not believe how awesome the picture is
WiFiSpy @ Jun 16th 2006 2:10PM
A Sony VW100 "Ruby" SXRD Front Projector.
DJ @ Jun 16th 2006 2:13PM
Definately a Sharp! It doesn't matter what size or shape. Sharp by far has the best glass on the market - which means the best quality picture available. They also pack their HDTV's full of extra and handy features for extreme tweaking.
kevin @ Jun 16th 2006 2:29PM
A Toshiba 56" 1080p DLP for under $3k at Sears. Because it has a dynamic iris for darker night scenes and brigher day scenes, it's picture is bright enough on the low power setting for a room with lots of ambient light, and it can do PIP with dual audio outputs, see my home video:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3580407491250454117
MacGuruTX @ Jun 16th 2006 2:47PM
Sony 50" SXRD for sure if it will fit. With the outboard speakers the size is wider then some. But the picture quality and features are hands down best for the price.
jsheff @ Jun 16th 2006 3:11PM
For great picture with no glare (and ambient light rejection), LCD is a no brainer. In a similar size I would look at either the Sharp LC-45GD7U or the Sony KDL-46S2000. They are both excellent TV sets and should deal with light issues quite well. If the space or money issues are less important, definitely look at the LC-65D90U. It'll cost an arm and a leg (his is the president of weblogs though), but it would definitely fit the conditions of biggest and baddest with little to no glare.
Jake @ Jun 16th 2006 3:37PM
Since screen glare is an issue, obviously plasmas are out (which other posters seem to have missed...).
That leaves RP and LDC.
If rear-projection (think,
Jake @ Jun 16th 2006 3:46PM
Well, I wrote a whole lot in the above post, but somehow only the first 2 lines made it. Grr.
So I'll summarize:
If RPTV: Samsumg HL-S5687W (or 5087W)--absolutely gorgeous
LCD- If 1080p: Samsung LN-S5797D; if too big: JVC LT-46FN97 (both available in July). If 1080p not important: LN-S4692D.
Westinghouse is not a serious option for a serious hometheater.
Jonathan Fingas @ Jun 16th 2006 10:31PM
If you want to eliminate glare, go for a 46" Sony LCD set (make sure it's an XBR model, as expensive as those are). Sony's great at colour reproduction and displaying HD content.
technologist @ Jun 17th 2006 12:19AM
we are talking about a big wig here people.
he wants the best!
fujitsu or pioneer elite.
(sharps are also excellent)
technologist @ Jun 17th 2006 12:20AM
ps
dont forget the mac mini ; )
and if you need installation,
dont hesitate to call :)
Neal Saferstein @ Jun 18th 2006 4:16AM
I also recommend the Pioneer PDP-506XDE is reallly a great product.
Neal Saferstein
Frank @ Jun 18th 2006 11:49AM
I saw several pro SXRD comments in this thread, so I'd like to share a con that I heard at Best Buy yesterday.
They had set up a Blue-Ray Demo in the store and decided to use a Samsung 1080p DLP for the display.
The guy told me the Sony SXRD line doesn't accept 1080p thru HDMI, only Firewire.
If that's true, alot of HD-DVD/Blue-Ray/PS3 people are going to be pissed.
Kenneth @ Jun 18th 2006 6:51PM
Philips 42PF9630A
Canuckx @ Jun 19th 2006 11:18PM
Based on your needs, I recommend a large Pioneer plasma, such as the forthcoming 5070HD. It is superior technology available today, with an amazing picture quality that makes DVD or plain old cable look great packaged in a gorgeous piano black. Rear-projection/ DLP is out-of-date, and it is too early to spend mega$ on a bigger LCD so plasma is the way to go. Pioneer makes top quality stuff and you don't need to splurge on the Elite series to get a superb product. The Panasonic plasma comes in a close second.
G. L. Dybwad @ Jun 27th 2006 11:23AM
Mr. Alvey: I own a Brillian 6580iFB 1080p LCoS TV designed and made in Tempe, Arizona. The view screen is particularly good - better IMO than Sony Qualia006 at twice the Brillian price. It is available and future proof (direct reads 1080p at the DVi input) with excellent engineering and tech service. I recommend looking at one and trying it before making a final decision. G.L.D, Albuquerque, NM
Randy Ogle @ Jun 29th 2006 12:34AM
Sony KDS50XBR1. The best TV out there. Simply astounding.
David @ Jul 7th 2006 4:41PM
Sony KDS XBR960 !
It's not 1080P, and it's not Huge, and it's not LCOS, DLP, Plasma, or LCD, but it has perhaps the best picture out there currently under $10,000.00.
nano second response time, unlimited contrast, 3D like image, great with 480i and cable card, built in firewire (lots you can do with that), it has a great warrantyy, will last over a decade, and did I say the 'Picture Quality" is second to none!
P.S. Sony dicontinued it and is closing most if not all of there CRT Tube plants, this is the one area where sony products are clearly superior, oh well.
Now samsungs makes Sony LCD's.
LCD make more short term profit for sony so bye bye Sony CRT's.
And I was Hoping for A Sony 1080P direct view tv. oh well.....
Scuba Steve @ Aug 2nd 2006 10:42AM
I ended up buying a Samsung HL-S5687W. It has some great looks and some great functionality. Keep in mind though, that it is not true 1080p. They use a technology called "wobulation" (I think I spelled that correctly) that allows them to only have to resolve half of the lines. You get a perceived 1080p resolution, but that is not the same as effective.
I would have purchased the new Sony SXRD TV (55" KDS-55A2000) which does accept 1080p to its HDMI port and as far as I understand it has a full 1080p resolution. However, it is also more expensive. ~$500-$800 more.
One problem I appear to be having with my new TV is that it randomly gives everything an extreme red tint, to the point that it looks like one of the color wheels has stopped. I am not sure if something is broken or not...
Other then that, the TV looks great and I am sure I am going to love the picture. But, if I had the extra $500-$800, I would have probably bought the KDS-60A2000 or the KDS-55A2000. They look just as good as the Samsung, but they have the effective 1080p
David @ Aug 5th 2006 8:58AM
congrats with your samsung, true 1080p or not, I am sure it looks great, my friend has a 720p Samsung DLP and it looks great also.
Did you calibrate it with Avia or DVE and is it set to Monitor?