HDTV... Wait or jump on this deal?

[rayikeo2]

I say "Buy it". I have a 40" Sony with the features of the one in your post and it has perfect picture and perfect sound. You can't go wrong at $999, I paid $1100 for mine last year about this time and it was higher at christmas time. You will need a good stand, we used our old sony stand. 40" is plenty good. I am watching mine right now.

[thetravlor]

The price on the 52" isn't that much more at Best Buy right now. We've been watching the prices and they are down $1500+. I say stay with the Sony, best natural picture IMO.

[Wired]

Well you guys have been a big help!! Some say go for it and others say wait... ugh. I knew that was coming though. Hmm. I'll talk to the wife now.

[Majk]

Just curious have you actually gone into some place and looked at that specific tv compared to others? Trust me you are the best judge on the picture quality. Each here will have their favorite which they think is best.

It's your $$$ so you have to judge if you like it. But I wouldn't buy unless you've seen it running. For the sound system I would wait till Xmas if you can, ALL retailers come out with smoking deals and in January a good majority release new models. Used to work home audio and digital imaging at BB.
Just don't settle on something you think you like, you'll regret spending all that money if you don't really love it.

[akmjolnir]

I'd say go for it if you want it. What good is money if you don't spend it?

Keep in mind... (this is true for ANY new product) as soon as you buy this TV, you'll see it either advertised for less, or a better unit offered for the same price. Gotta love Moore's Law.

[paul34]

Originally Posted by bowl443

On an unrelated note, I recently saw one of the new Samsung LED TV's and it was absolutely amazing. They cost a quit a bit more money though. One can dream.

A note about the "LED" TVs - it's kind of silly to call it that. It's actually still a LCD TV, but backlit with LEDs rather than with a CCFL. This results in more a more uniform backlight, thinner casing, as well as lower power consumption, and longer backlight life. However, most people will not keep their TVs long enough to have a CCFL crap out, and modern TVs have fairly uniform backlighting even with a CCFL.

LED backlighting makes the most sense on laptop screens where it can extend battery life noticeably and improve the quality by providing a more uniform light as I've noted above.

It's nice to have, for sure, but I guess what I'm trying to say is don't feel obligated to spend extra on it, or believe Samsung's marketing that it's an entirely new kind of TV. No such thing as an actual LED TV right now

(there is another technology called OLED, which is an entirely different technology which only recently has started coming to smaller screens like some very high-end cellphones and small, very expensive TVs... but is a revolutionary technology).

Originally Posted by Wired

Well you guys have been a big help!! Some say go for it and others say wait... ugh. I knew that was coming though. Hmm. I'll talk to the wife now.

Well, just remember that LCD HDTVs are essentially a mature technology now. The price will continue to go down over time until the next technology comes out (probably OLED). Retail is expected to take another record hit this holiday season, so it is indeed possible they may lower prices to try to encourage people to spend. It's up to you, but if there's one thing about men is that's we have a hard time holding off on super important purchases like cars, beer, and TVs

[akmjolnir]

Originally Posted by paul34

It's up to you, but if there's one thing about men is that's we have a hard time holding off on super important purchases like cars, beer, and TVs

You forgot to mention guns.

[paul34]

^^ very true! I should have my man card revoked for such an oversight

[Wired]

Originally Posted by Majk

Just curious have you actually gone into some place and looked at that specific tv compared to others? Trust me you are the best judge on the picture quality. Each here will have their favorite which they think is best.

It's your $$$ so you have to judge if you like it. But I wouldn't buy unless you've seen it running. For the sound system I would wait till Xmas if you can, ALL retailers come out with smoking deals and in January a good majority release new models. Used to work home audio and digital imaging at BB.
Just don't settle on something you think you like, you'll regret spending all that money if you don't really love it.

No I have not gone in somewhere and looked at it. I guess I could do that this weekend. Good idea.

I was also waiting for a TV- theater bundle to come out for the holidays. Do you think one will?

[paul34]

If you go to a big box store, keep in mind that the default settings on those TVs turn up the brightness and contrast all the way (which is how it will look when it comes home, and won't look right), so unfortunately even that may not give you a good view of what it looks like. The theory behind this is that people will buy the most "colorful" and brightest TV they can, if only on a subconscious level.

My advice would be to research the models you are thinking of buying on the internet, to see if there are any reviews of the product, especially by those good AV magazines that review a lot of high end video and audio equipment.