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Home audio & video: please specify (technical) reasons for the Vizio hate...
Just Keep an eye out for good deals...
by joba_bear - 1/26/07 8:16 PM In reply to: please specify (technical) reasons for the Vizio hate... by shawnlinI really think you should just keep an eye out for the specials that best buy and circuitcity have on a weekly basis. I was also looking at Olevia and Vizio because they were cheap but I decided to wait for a good deal and I got it.
I bought a 42 inch Samsung DLP 720p resolution at circuit city for $899. I'm glad I did and I think I got a good deal.
3 Vizeo's purchased all returned.
by skyking99 - 1/27/07 6:19 AM In reply to: please specify (technical) reasons for the Vizio hate... by shawnlinI bought a 50" Vizeo Plasma from Sam's club. The first one lasted a week, and then would not turn on. I took it back and traded for another one. What a horrible picture this one had. Took it back after 2 weeks. Tried a third one, this lasted a couple of months and then quit working. I have the Dish Network vip622 receiver, with the HD package. All regular signals will not look as good on a plasma, but HD is really worth it. Always use a good HDMI cable. I now have a Panasonic 50"--TH50PX6U--Awesome so far. Only a few hundred dollars more.
Off-Brand TVs
by mlweekle - 2/13/07 9:24 PM In reply to: please specify (technical) reasons for the Vizio hate... by shawnlinI personally have been burned more by the major brands than the lesser known brands. I like to look at all the specifications and then do a little research on the company. I do this on just about anything I buy. It is surprising how often I have discovered a little known brand is actually connected with one of the better-known brands. Or is from a company that is a large player in another market that requires the same kind of technical expertise.
I say never buy something just because of brand name recognition. You are almost certainly paying a large premium for the brand name.
re: community hot topic
by christine_s_00 - 2/13/07 9:24 PM In reply to: please specify (technical) reasons for the Vizio hate... by shawnlinI don't own a Vizio (picture quality stinks) but I did purchase a 37" Polaroid 720p from Circuit City over the holidays last year. The picture quality is just amazing! I brought my father with me for a second opinion (and a good set of eyes!) and looked at the 42" Sony 1080p and 42" Samsung 1080p and picture quality was so/so. Maybe it could of been the feed in the store but it was very granny during the football game and saw boxes when the players moved. The Polaroid was crisp and clear with no boxes following the players. The downside of my Polaroid is the built in speakers. They suck point blank. It's like listening to mono. I hooked up my surround sound to it and all is well.
I only paid $929 but took out the 3 year warranty just in case the TV blows up without warning and I lost out on a good investment. So far, no problems with my TV.
Mostly happy with my 26" Polaroid
by msmith1953 - 2/14/07 6:31 AM In reply to: re: community hot topic by christine_s_00I got the 26" Polaroid, last year. I'm happy with the picture quality.
There are a few issues, but they could be related to the cable box (Scientific Atlanta 8300HD) or TimeWarner's software.
1. HDMI from the cable box to DVI IN on the TV causes a green line at the top. Polaroid Tech nor TW tech know why. Tried several different cables...no change.
2. Using the same cable from my PS3 HDMI out to DVI TV IN is no problem.
3. When the TV is cool (off several hours) I have to turn it on and off 2 or 3 times before it actually starts and picture/input recognized.
4. The on screen menue has a unique feature that makes it not completely compatible with Logitec's Universal remote (really good remote).
I have the Circuit City 3 yr warranty. I'll start fussing in a year or so and maybe get some upgrades.
Here today, gone tomorrow.
by jdeere_man - 2/13/07 9:28 PM In reply to: please specify (technical) reasons for the Vizio hate... by shawnlinThe decision to buy popular brands or no-name brands can be a tricky one. There are several factors you must consider. For a TV, one might be "how important is this tv?". Maybe if it's just going in the bedroom to watch on occasion you might consider cutting some cost and going budget price. If it's something you're going to watch several hours a day you better make sure you're going to be satisfied. I figure if you’re looking at $1000 vs. $1200 dollars and it meant spending $200 more dollars to be satisfied I'd go with the better unit. You can go look at picture quality all day at a store, but that doesn't tell you everything. You have to consider potential longevity of different sets. If you consider your tv as a disposable item, sure budget sets may be your choice. Support is another issue. I assure you that if you run into a problem a major manufacturer will come near helping you out vs. a no-name company. I have a Sony LCD tv I bought a couple years ago and paid a pretty penny for, but have unquestionably been very satisfied with. I recently bought a small 15" off-brand lcd/dvd combo to put in a truck sleeper, but haven't had a chance to install or evaluate it, but for the $200 I paid for it I figure it can't be that bad, and it's not something I'm going to use every day. On another note, remote control compatibility is quite honestly another serious issue. Do you want to fumble around with 5 remotes, or go with some company that has the capability of successfully integrating remote functions into a single unit? I don't sell TVs and don't own stock in any companies. To cut cost doesn't always mean to cut quality. I agree with that, but it usually means off-brands. I'm not saying their bad, but I do believe you can run a higher risk. The final decision ultimately lies with the individual consumer to make. Ultimately I read reviews and let other people take the risks and rely heavily on other’s individual’s opinions of different sets. My only concern with this approach is it doesn’t always cover every base. It usually never covers longevity tests. But hey, with the costs of new units dropping every day and technology improving along the way, is it really worth it to invest a boat-load of money into something you’ll want to replace in a few years anyway? I’m not sure yet. Ask me again in a few years.
my off-brand experience...
by JawsOGRE - 2/13/07 9:32 PM In reply to: please specify (technical) reasons for the Vizio hate... by shawnlinFor me... I tried a Daytek LCD from Costco. The first one had a problem with the wiring on the backlight on 1/2 the set. It would turn itself off after about 2 min, and if turned off and then on would be ok for another 2 min or so... after 15 min... it wouldn't happen again.
So... I took it back (always a good reason to shop at Costco), and tried the exact same type of set (40" LCD), and that one worked PERFECTLY... for one month. That one had problems with the DVI input. Anything coming in through it would be some shade of red. I checked the cables, and the devices, but nope... it was the TV. Back went that one too.
I bought a Sharp from the Costco website then. That TV has been SOLID. I've owned it for a while now, and I don't know that I'd ever try another off-brand set. It will be Samsung's or Sharp's only for me from now on. My only complaint with the Sharp would be the lack of a VGA input. Sure, I have it hooked up to my computer with a DVI-HDMI cable, but the pixel mapping on most 1366 x 768 LCD's through HDMI leaves a LOT to be desired. Samsung for me next time.
J.
Sony WEGA
by redillon - 2/13/07 9:34 PM In reply to: please specify (technical) reasons for the Vizio hate... by shawnlinI purchased a 55" Sony WEGA on the Internet and could not be happier with price, delivery and quality!
Vizio 42" LCD
by AuldMike - 2/13/07 10:07 PM In reply to: Sony WEGA by redillonThere will always be people who are satisfied with Costco's $20 sneakers and others who will insist on paying $200 for the latest Reeboks. I chose the Vizio 42" LCD at Costco 1) I found the picture to be perfectly satisfactory. I saw little,if any difference between it and the Sony's and Pioneers that were next to it. 2) It cost considerably less than any other LCD set. 3) LCD's use substantially less electricity that plasmas. I attached a wattmeter to the set and found it uses 127 watts as compared to 450 for a similarly sized plasma.4) I liked the fact that I could hang it on the wall. 5) The idea of having to replace a $300 bulb in a DLP set on a regular basis bothered me.
I've had the set for over 4 months now. It has performed flawlessly.(The Superbowl was absolutely stunning on this set) It has given me absolutely no problems and I have more money in my pocket than those who insist on buying Sony, Pioneer or Reebok. They're buying a name and nothing more.
I love my Vizio 42"
by DUMBnEASY - 2/13/07 9:51 PM In reply to: please specify (technical) reasons for the Vizio hate... by shawnlinI read CNET just before Thanksgiving and studied your recommendations. Seeing the Vizio plasma as a best buy for price and being all I could afford I went for it. I happened to be at COSTCO in Helena, MT. on grand opening day when they had a one-day special for $999. I am in awe of my Vizio. I just love it. I too, am on DISH and the HD channels just POP!
As for only being 768P instead of 1080. Pffff! Any clearer and I'd never be able to tell the difference anyway. I already feel like Lana Lang is sitting right beside me! 
I've looked until my knees buckled and for the price I paid I know I got the best deal in town. It's a great feeling!!!
ANYONE LOOKING TO BY A NEW FLAT-PANEL TV: READ THIS!!!!!
by gamer1489 - 2/13/07 9:55 PM In reply to: please specify (technical) reasons for the Vizio hate... by shawnlinOn the whole Plasma vs. LCD vs. DLP war: Plasma sucks becaus of it's life expectancy: 5 years. LCD and DLP are scheduled to have about 10 to 12 years of life, depending on how often you use them. As for LCD vs. DLP, I'd go with LCD because LCD is the leading medium. Look at your cell phone. What does the screen use? LCD. Sony's PSP? LCD. Apple's iPod? LCD. And so on. As for name brand vs. off brand, I'll go with the off brand. Specifically, Spectron IQ. They've recently changed names from Protron to Spectron IQ.
I got my Spectron IQ 32" from ShopNBC.com and I couldn't be happier. The picture beats Sony's LCD and most other off name brands such as Olevia. Though Sharp's Aquos has the best black among any LCD TVs. This TV came with 2 component inputs, 2 AV inputs, inputs for analog, and digital, TV, VGA input for computers, and an HDMI input. The TV I purchased also came with a DVD player that upconverts any DVD to hi-def formats; so there's no need for Blu-Ray or HD-DVD. The whole set came to $850 and then I paid another $50 for a protection plan with ShopNBC so I'm totally covered for any malfunctions with either product for 2 years including normal wear and tear. I do believe that's a good deal in anyone's book.
My suggestion to anyone is to buy off brand, but if you do, go retail and buy through a website or physical store so you can tack on some sort of warranty.
Eh...I love my DLP...had one for the past two years...
by lanahan95 - 2/13/07 10:10 PM In reply to: ANYONE LOOKING TO BY A NEW FLAT-PANEL TV: READ THIS!!!!! by gamer1489Samsung 50"...best bang for the buck. At the time, LCDs were just not bright enough and the pixels blew out WAY too often. I know things have changed...and I am looking forward to getting back into the game for shopping for another television to go into the study to replace the "second" tv. Be interested to know who is going to win the HD DVD war...HD-DVD or BluRay? That is more on my mind...
Also, who on EARTH is paying the big dollars to buy a 1080p tv? I mean really...cable will only be broadcasted in 480-720p...maybe...just maybe it might be broadcasted in 1080p in 15-20 years...maybe...
Shop NBC and JUNK Protron TV"S what till you have a prob!!
by sharonc00 - 2/14/07 7:06 AM In reply to: ANYONE LOOKING TO BY A NEW FLAT-PANEL TV: READ THIS!!!!! by gamer1489I purchased a Protron dual tuner 32" TV from Shop NBC and also purchased 100.00 extended warranty. I took value pay which let me make 5 payments, right after last payment was made starting having issues, after it was on a while sounds started fading out, then a green line cane into the middle of the picture and had a buzzing noise even when it was shut off. You call Spectron (as they are known now, for obvious reasons) and you get someone who knows very little english and their answer to everything is just unplug it and reset it. There are no places that offer warranty, outside of California, so I have to send the TV to them for repairs, then they give you a refurb and yours was only 7 months old. DO NOT BUY THESE WHATSOEVER UNLESS YOU LEAVE ON THE WEST COAST!!! they will need work at some point. ShopNBC wasn't very helpful either and their warranty is also shipping to them no local... CRAP!!!!!! Sharon
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