First HDTV (But Not a Really Big One)

[themiester]

I'm a sophomore in college (so I'm really thrifty), and I'm looking to buy a new TV. I currently have a teeny Daewoo that I got in middle school or something, but I get HD channels in my cable package (just not in HD, obviously). I have been to many different sites and read many different articles and comparisons, and I still don't know which TV is right for me right now. I mostly watch cooking and cake-baking shows, interior design shows, DIY Network, sit-coms, and movies. I am looking to spend between $200 and $300, and I would like a screen at least 21". I know about most of the differences between LED, LCD, and plasma (like I said, I've read many, many articles), but I have no idea which one is the best value. I also don't know where is the best place to buy one. I've looked at the TVs at Walmart because I do most of my shopping there, and I'm thinking that it might have the best prices. But I don't know enough about the market to know if that's true. As far as makers, I've been considering LG and Vizio primarily, and maybe Sony if the price is right because I've heard that has some models that are a good value. So, I'm asking someone to tell me which display (LED, LCD, or plasma) I should get and also to name specific brands and models if possible. Sorry for the novel that is this post.

[MrBoylan]

Hello and welcome to the forum! At the size and price range you're talking about, plasma really isn't an option. Too bad because for most purposes, plasma produces the best overall picture. But plasma TVs start at 42-inches diagonally, and around $500. So you're down to LCD, either with standard CCFL backlights (aka "LCD TV") or with LED backlights (aka "LED TV"). In this price range, you're not going to see major picture quality differences between LED/LCD and CCFL LCD TVs. The LED TVs will be a little brighter, a little thinner and a little more energy efficient, but as to whether they're worth the additional expense, that's doubtful. Generally speaking, if you compare an LED to an LCD TV at a given price point, the LCD TV is going to be larger, and screen size actually matters more for enjoyment of a show or movie than the lighting technology used to make the image. I'd even get a 720p 32-inch LCD TV over a 1080p LED-lit 26-inch or 23-inch TV, assuming similar pricing. At these screen sizes the number of pixels really isn't as crucial (you really need a 1080p TV when you get into the 50-inch+ sizes).

One nice thing on the VIZIOs is that they all include a VGA input, so if you want to connect an old school laptop with no DVI or HDMI, you can do that via VGA. But VIZIO no longer really has the price advantage If you have a more modern laptop or Macbook with HDMI out, then most LED or LCD TVs can also be used as a rudimentary kind of HD monitor. And actually, that's an additional option - if you buy an HD-compatible computer monitor, you can use it with a cable box, a Blu-ray player, a game console or a computer as a source as long as it has HDMI inputs. Samsung makes some "multi-functiona monitors" that are actually full-fledged 1080p HDTVs. In terms of where to buy it, I like Amazon for most of my electronics purchases. Free shipping, no tax to most states, and a good return policy if something is defective or damaged in transit.

In that price range, I like Panasonic, LG and Samsung, but the Samsung is going to be a little smaller. The Panasonic I like is slightly outside your price range ($369 shipped) but worth it:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...SIN=B0039213XY

What makes it nice, other than the IPS panel, which improves the black levels and off-axis viewing, is the integrated iPod dock. Thisallows you to watch videos and listen to music from an iPod, using the TV's speakers and the TV's remote control. You can even hook up external powered speakers or a receiver for better sound.

There's a pretty decent LG in the same size, for a little less money, but it lacks the iPod dock:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...SIN=B0039RNGNY

The Samsung I would recommend is a bit smaller in screen size (24.6 inches diagonally), but it is a full 1080p TV and works well as a computer monitor too. The list is around $550 but I think it's right around $299 on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...SIN=B002DHKJTK

Anyway, for the $300 range, these would be my recommendations. I like the Panasonic the best for its multimedia and ipod-friendly features and overall picture quality and value.

Good luck!

-Chris

[themiester]

Thank you so much, Chris!! The information about LED/LCD as opposed to standard CCFL not really mattering at my price point was really helpful. I didn't know that before; I just assumed that LED was just better. But now I know not to shell out the extra dough for it with a smaller screen. And now that I think about it, I would rather have a bigger screen with slightly-not-as-good picture quality for the same price. And I think I like the LG model that you recommended the best. I actually don't even have an ipod, so the extra money for the Panasonic wouldn't make much sense!

And I found some 22"-26" TVs on Walmart's website for under $300 by AOC, Viore, Sceptre, Philips, Emerson, and Element, and ViewSonic at some other website. They are all LCD (some with LED backlighting) and are in my price range, but I wasn't sure about them because I have never heard of most of the brands. But I know that with some things, the less well known, less expensive brands are just as good as the pricey name brands. Any thoughts?

[MrBoylan]

Personally I would avoid those brands like the plague, except ViewSonic which has a decent reputation. Even Philips is a pale substitute now for what it used to be back in the Philips/Marantz days when it was a European company. Most of those brands are now Chinese made and offer little if any support after the sale. Even VIZIO, who has made great strides in quality over the past couple of years, still has a less than stellar support record when you need service and very few local service centers able to take care of in-warranty service. Most of VIZIO's panels are made in China, though they get a fair amount from LG also, so those ones are Korean made (at least the panels themselves).

Stick with the majors like Panasonic, LG, Toshiba, Sony, Samsung, LG and you're less likely to have problems if your TV does require service. I think that LG I recommended went down a few bucks today:

LG 32-inch 32LD350 - $324.98 on Amazon.com (free shipping)

Amazon adjusts their price constantly though - to stay below their competition - so it may be a little higher or a little lower by the time you click through on the link.

BTW, I'm not saying that LED is never worth paying for. But in these smaller screen sizes, where the LED lighting is done mostly using the edge-lighting technique, it's really not significantly better than CCFL backlighting, at least in these entry-level sets. Both LED and CCFL TVs use actual LCD panels to produce the images, so it's really just the backlight source that varies.

Good luck!

-CB

[themiester]

Again, thank you so much!!! You have really helped, and now I know what to look for when I'm shopping around.