The next great "which TV should I buy" thread

[Indy]

LCD, 50-ish inches. Planning to spend $2,000 or less. Big sunlight problem, so I tend to think I should prefer matte screens to the ultra-glossy Samsung type.

1) Who makes the best ones? What would you buy?

2) What is the whole LED thing about?

Thanks in advance, my geekilicious friends.

[oddlycalm]

Vizio broke the price barrier on LED backit sets. Around $1800 from the warehouse stores. If you get it from Costco you get a 2yr warranty. It's got an anti-glare matte screen.

Vizio 55" TruLED (http://www.amazon.com/VIZIO-VF551XVT-55-Inch-XVT-TruLED/dp/B002JPEWOO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1260087367&sr=1-3)

Sharp also has LED sets for under $2K. The Samsung and Sony are more than double the price.

The big deal with LED's is a) they never burn out like CCFL tubes do, b) their instant on/off time allow dynamic dimming of sectors on the LED array which produces true black and c) they draw 40-60% less power. Samsung also makes a line of edge lit LED sets that do not do dynamic dimming which adds some confusion.

I've got a Samsung LED backlit set that's a couple years old and the blacks are like like a plasma set rather than a normal CCFL backlit LCD.

There's an 87 page thread on the Vizio on AVS if you've got a bit of time...:)
AVS Vizio LED thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1106863)

oc

[Indy]

Great response, thank you very much. Sounds like the LED is better than LCD.

But I should have added no Costco. I do not shop there. I will probably buy from HH Gregg, which is a chain based very near where I live. I have friends there, so I will get a good deal on whatever it is. Here is their selection (http://www.hhgregg.com/ProductListing.asp?SID=n&CategoryID=765&CategoryName=Digital+Television&SubCategoryName=LED&PageNo=1). What do you think?

[WickerBill]

If you have a sunlight problem, you want LCD or LED, avoid plasma to avoid the shiny screen and glare.

[Sean Malone]

Samsung.

[KLang]

Sounds like the LED is better than LCD.

They are actually the same. LED is the light source for some LCD panels.

[dando]

They are actually the same. LED is the light source for some LCD panels.

True dat. The diff is LCD w/LED vs. LCD w/CCFL.

-Kevin

[Indy]

Just went and asked some salespeople about this. LED is better, apparently, because it is an LCD that uses LED lights (thanks KLang), but the Samsung LED's seem to use a system that decreases the advantages of using LED's. From my point of view, even knowing that in-store comparisons are not always very useful, the LED's, particularly the Sharp I was looking at, had visibly superior color, contrast, and brightness. Very impressive.

So does anyone have an opinion on non-Samsung LED's?

[Pilgrims Drop]

Id take a serious look at the stuff from Sharp... especially since Sony gets the panels on their cheaper models from Sharp :)

And definately go for a LED backlit LCD :thumbup:

[dando]

Just went and asked some salespeople about this. LED is better, apparently, because it is an LCD that uses LED lights (thanks KLang), but the Samsung LED's seem to use a system that decreases the advantages of using LED's. From my point of view, even knowing that in-store comparisons are not always very useful, the LED's, particularly the Sharp I was looking at, had visibly superior color, contrast, and brightness. Very impressive.

So does anyone have an opinion on non-Samsung LED's?

You really have to be careful about how sets are calibrated from the factory and in the stores. That can have a dramatic effect on the PQ you perceive.

-Kevin

[oddlycalm]

Here is their selection (http://www.hhgregg.com/ProductListing.asp?SID=n&CategoryID=765&CategoryName=Digital+Television&SubCategoryName=LED&PageNo=1). What do you think?
The LG 55" and Toshiba 55" and the two sets they show with LED local dimming. I've not seen either of them but if they will sell them at your price point that's a good place to start. Both have matte screen coatings.

Here are reviews
Toshiba review (http://hometheatermag.com/flat-panels/toshiba_regza_46sv670u_lcd_hdtv/)

LG review (http://hometheatermag.com/flat-panels/lg_47lh90_lcd_hdtv/)

dando is right about factory & store calibrations. Most have the brightness and contrast cranked up and the color set to cold (blue) so they "pop" in the store. It won't look anything like that when properly calibrated.

oc