Buying an HDTV: Get the latest or Save on 2007?
by Ben Drawbaugh 
posted Apr 8th 2008 at 3:09PM
Here at Engadget we just love the spring. No, it's not the because Winter is over and Summer is right around the corner. No, it's not because we're huge baseball fans. It's because all the new HDTVs we lusted over at CES are starting to hit the streets. Unfortunately we can't upgrade every year, but some new models are so much better than last year's, we wish we could. But some aren't really much different from last year, so it can be the perfect time to find great deals on closeout sales. Lucky or us, our friend Gary Merson -- aka The HD Guru -- has put together a pretty good synopsis of which models are worth the new model price, and which aren't. For those who'd rather skip all the why and go straight to the bottom line; the HD Guru recommends the new Panasonics and maybe the new Samsung and Pioneer plasmas, but for the rest, you're probably better off getting a deal on a 2007 model.Read: Part 1; Samsung, Sony, and Pioneer
Read: Part 2; Mitsubishi and Panasonic
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Rob @ Apr 8th 2008 3:45PM
What about Toshiba? Sharp Aquos?
FrankTheCrank @ Apr 8th 2008 4:02PM
I was just checking out a 46" Panasonic Plasma, the TH-46PZ85U. What a beautiful set. All the bells and whistles, 1080P, 30:000:1 contrast, 3 HDMI ports, VGA port, Deep Color and 24P Cinema mode.
Now I just have to convince the old lady that $2200 bucks isn't so expensive.
Dan Kulinski @ Apr 8th 2008 4:36PM
Actually the 85U series does not have 48HZ playback. I have a TH-50PZ85U and can confirm this is not included on the set. However, the picture is beautiful and I love it.
Dan Kulinski
GhostDoggy @ Apr 9th 2008 7:19AM
"FrankTheCrank
FrankTheCrank @ Apr 8th 2008 4:02PM
I was just checking out a 46" Panasonic Plasma, the TH-46PZ85U. What a beautiful set. All the bells and whistles, 1080P, 30:000:1 contrast, 3 HDMI ports, VGA port, Deep Color and 24P Cinema mode.
Now I just have to convince the old lady that $2200 bucks isn't so expensive. "
I wouldn't be depending on that market contrast ratio. First, most people do not employ flat-panels in environments to benefit from low black levels, and secondly flat-panel manufacturers are notorious for grossly exaggerating CR values by much more than 100%. If you can measure one tenth the CR I would be happy for you.
Ben @ Apr 9th 2008 7:23AM
@Ghostdoggy,
It is usually the LCD manufactures lying about CR, because of the technologies inability to produce good CR.
So basically what you are saying is that most people don't watch their displays in a room at night. I can't speak for everyone, but I'm usually at work when the sun is out and I usually watch TV in the evenings when it's dark out -- weekends depending on football season. And unless the lights in your living room are mercury lights like at the big box stores, just about everyone will appreciate the improved CR of plasmas.
But of course LCDs look better than plasmas under bright lights and since all the big box stores have bright lights, they understandably sell better.
MooseMuffin @ Apr 8th 2008 4:25PM
From reading the article, it looks like his recommendations are based entirely off of information from press releases vs actually comparing 2007 sets to 2008 ones.
Erwos @ Apr 8th 2008 5:13PM
To be fair, it's rare for the major names to put out HDTVs which are worse than the previous' years in intangibles like image quality.
Deathwish238 @ Apr 8th 2008 6:57PM
The latest Panny gives no reason to get an '07 HDTV. It trumps them in every way and they're no more expensive
joe @ Apr 8th 2008 7:18PM
Now is a bad time to buy LCD based sets.
Plasma is pretty much as good as it can ever get.
The same for Lcos and DLP systems.
Lcd's are staring to get really good, at the high end. Unfortunately they also cost a lot. In the next two years or so you will see LCD's get good enough that you won't be tempted to ditch your mid level set.
Unless you pay over 4k your set is going to be out performed by a new $1500 tv in 2 years.
To use computers as a reference think of the 486 vs the Pentium and the pentium4 1.8 ghz vs the 2.3 ghz. There is a difference between all of them but the gap is MUCH smaller as of late.
John B @ Apr 8th 2008 7:45PM
My 47" LG LCD TV does everything that I need from an HDTV and more. Spare us the platitudes of which one is best and what's "as good as it can ever get."
What's best for each consumer is up to each consumer to decide, thankyouverymuch, Mr. Plasma Fanboy(TM).
joe @ Apr 9th 2008 12:05AM
Glad your Happy with your LG TV. I'm not offering a critique of which one is best as much as what is the state of the market.
All tvs at this point should do everything you want.
Quality wise LCD's have a number of significant of significant display enhancements that are starting to make their way down from the high end. Plasma doesn't have any such developments in the works. They may get better but not by much.
Unless you are going high end or don't care about picture quality it's best to wait for the 2008 or 2009 tv's.
My TV is 2 1/2 years old and was high quality for the time and isn't as good in terms of image as the new sets coming out.
Meccalangelo @ Apr 9th 2008 2:28PM
stick with 07