Here's a chance for you to show off your smarts, gents! I know enough about TV to be able to turn it on and watch - LOL! A little while back, I bought a 19" HDTV at Sam's for like $198 for the bedroom. Works great and the picture looks good to me! (It's just hooked up to a tabletop antenna, not cable or satellite). Anyway, Sam's now has a 32" Vizio for $378.00. It has a contrast ratio of 5,500:1. The 19" one has a contrast ratio of 1,000:1 as a comparison, and like I sad the picrure looks great to me. If I get the 32", it would be hooked up to a Dish receiver, but I don't want to get the DISH HD channels. So, would this be a good TV to get? Is that a good contrast ratio? Waht exactly IS a contrast ratio? This is just for me, I'm not a big sports watcher, and I don't have to feel like I'm sitting in a big theater if I watch a movie. Do I have to have a HD Dish receiver or can I keep my regular one if I don't want to get the HD package (HD package costs extra and I'm cheap(!), and if you have a HD receiver and don't get it, they charge you almost as much to not have it!). I had asked that question awhile back for my mother's new HDTV, but we had to switch her TV out to another model because it messed up (Magnavox, exchanged it at Sam's for a Sony), and that one looks fine w/ her regular DirecTV receiver. Here's a link to the TV: http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=413748&pCatg=13309 Anyway, I don't need the biggest, bestest one out there. My living room is small, so I think anything over 32" would be too big anyway. Yea or nay on this model??? TIA!
Here's a link to a short semi-technical explaination defining contrast ratios. http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com/contrast-ratio.html As to the TV in question I have the same model in a 37" and have been very happy with it, to the point that I'm looking for a 19-20" Vizio for the spare bedroom. And while you can upconvert a standard 480 signal to either 720 or 1080 doesn't mean that it is really going to look better, as the upconverting has to do some "guess work" to fill in the missing pixels. Honestly I think you'd perfectly happy with the TV...especially compared to some of the higher models where you partially pay for the name on the tv as much as the tv itself.
They still have the 19" one I bought at Sam's. I saw it last night. There's a great big display of them right when you walk in the door of the S. Saunders store. It's $198 and change. They also have a 22" Vizio for 267.84 (it's 1080p). If you don't have a membership, get someone to go w/ you! Thanks for the help.
The contrast ratio can be misleading. But, I would get one with at least 5,000:1 As far as the pixels go, unless you are going to watch the TV from less than six feet, you may be wasting your money with a 1080p unit. The average person usually can not see the difference between a 720p and a 1080p beyond six feet. Who watches at less than six feet? This is just my opinion after hours of research before buying my HDTV.
This I researched for 3 mos before purchasing my HD projector for my home made theatre (bonus room). Go with 720P especially if you watch a lot of sports like I do.
Oddly enough 2 years ago 720p was the predominate hd format, and 1080i was the "new and imporved" thing hitting the market. The technology used is almost outdated by the time it comes to the consumer mass market in this industry, as such what you researched 2 years ago was more than likely outdated within 6 months. Just when 1080p first made the mainstream, within 3-4 months the big thing was the 1080i at 120hz which reduces image flicker/ghosting. And now it's the 1080p at 120hz or whatever the "next big thing" around the corner is.
We've got a Mitsubishi Diamondline 60 inch bigscreen upstairs that cost 4 times what they are going for now, it was the stuff at the time. We bought it before DS was born because we figured it would be years before we ever got to go out to movies etc. once he got here. It's been a GREAT TV, but poor DH is salivating over replacing it. I told him when it died he could, I think he's trying to figure out a way to sabotage it when I'm not looking. :lol: I think we will break down soon though. That HHGregg is advertising a 65 inch Mitsubishi for a song. But I gotta figure out how to get that bad boy outta here now. It's huge and heavy.
post it on Craig's list. We just did the same thing, that big ole monster TV finally started going on the blink and got a great deal on a flat screen at Best Buy - posted on Craigs List and within 5 minutes had 3 people call that wanted to come get the monster - 1st one came, took them about an hour but they got it out - hey i can see my living room floor again:lol:
I have a Vizio 42" LCD, I've been very happy with it. Be sure that the TV you purchase has a high definition tuner built-in and 1080P. 1080P is only good with a BluRay DVD player. If you purchase a HD antenna, you will be able to pick up the local HD channels over the air. Constrast ratio is basically how sharp of a picture you have and how many color combinations that your TV will display. Hope this helps!
