HDTV????

[Keith4USC]

My TV went out on me yesterday..... Fortuantely, I have a 20 inch to hook up so I can watch some TV before I buy one..... My question is (and I hope it's not a dumb one)...... Do they have some good 27 inch size HDTV sets...... I know absolutely nothing about this so I hope you guys can help..... I'm gonna get my local channels by year's end, so I should go ahead and buy the HDTV because I gotta get the new dish anyway......

[Frank Z]

I picked up a 27" Zenith 4x3 HD set for my bedroom from CC for less than $700.

[angiodan]

Samsung has some 16X9 30" sets for around $1000, if you want widescreen.

[tampa8]

Think about getting wide screen. If your getting an HD set you must have or think you will have programming available to you that will be HD. It is all in the wide screen format. Most of the evening schedule on network tv is HD - if you have access to a station carrying it in HD. With Discovery and ESPN joining in, go wide screen. My TV has a good screen format for putting 4X3 into the wide screen format and that is how we watch all programs.

[DarrellP]

Ditto, it's worth the extra $300 to go widescreen. You need a 34" widescreen to get the same picture size as a 27" 4:3 image.

[bolco]

May I suggest that you go with the 16X9 widescreen 30" Samsung HDTV for $999 at many electronics outlets. I purchased one last month after several weeks of research. I love mine. Picture is better than many other HD sets...even at double the cost.

[Cyclone]

One of the most beautiful things that my wife has ever said to me was, "I think we need a new TV".

Celebrate this time in your life. Get HD.

[Keith4USC]

Thanks for all the inputs...... I looked at so many at Best Buy yesterday...... I'm confused now..... There not as high as I thought...... My cable has more HD channels then directv..... I'm just not sure I want to invest in 1000.00 TV plus the 500.00 equipment on directv for just a few channels...... I got some thinking to do but I got to get TV before the final 4......

[JStanton]

If your cable has HD, I'd definately go with that. Even if you go with Dish/DirecTV for HD, you'll still need an antenna for your HD locals (i.e. Final 4). (The DBS companies only have room for SD locals.)

I'd also second the motion on the Samsung 30" 16:9 displays, but make sure you get the 3097 or 3098. The 3096 doesn't have 3:2 pulldown for film sources.

- Jim

[ibglowin]

I love the Circuit City ad where the wife says....We can go bigger!

That said, once we had the 60" Sony in the living room, I was hungry for an HD set in the bedroom. We looked at the tube sets (widescreen of course). The PQ on the Samsungs were not up to par with the Panasonic and Sony's (yes they were half the price though) The drawback to the widesreen tubes is the weight of the sucker. Were talkin close to 200lbs here folks (don't have to worry about it walking out the door while your away I guess) We ended up going with a second LCD based RPTV, the 40" Panasonic. Picture is outstanding, no burn in, no convergence, weight is less than 100lbs, slim design compared to tube or conventional RPTV's. That said, it did cost us $2500 (18mo free financiing!) which is more than we started out wanting to spend but we are very happy with the TV(s) we have. Contrary to a lot of press, I find there is plenty of HD out there to watch between OTA and DBS.

Last Friday, CBS broadcast one of the college games in HD, was awesome. The Grammy's were in HD, The Oscars, The Masters (coming up) ESPNHD only a week away. Lots of stuff coming down the pipe. This is an exciting time if you love technology.

Remember.......You can go bigger!:welcome:

[Keith4USC]

I called to see what my cable would charge for the HDTV and it was only 8.95 per month for the converter and for one year I would pay 49.95 for the full digital cable plus the HDTV channels...... Seem like the channels were ABC, CBS, ESPN (3-30), My local PBS, HBO and Showtime......

But when I called directv to cancel or should I say to see how much it would cost to cancel, they informed me that my locals are coming and my locals would not need a dish upgrade....... In other words, the dish I have (the single 18") will get my locals.....

Now, I don't know what to do...... My ole lady thinks it is a waste of money for HDTV...... How many years do you guys think before all the channels go HD......

[ibglowin]

You will not get any locals in HD on a DBS for along while if ever. I am a Dish sub but from what I understand you have to upgrade DTV to the triple LNB config and the larger oval Dish as well to get any HD channels.

If you have a good line of site to the OTA locals you can pull them in in HD with a decent antenna. The signal is free of course. receiver will set you back around $500

I thought cable was only charging a buck or two a month for the HD receiver?

[mattyro]

Directv has really come thru for its customers, huh. I have sit by and watched DISHNETWORK add Discovery, ESPN HD, plus CBS with al its HD programming. I cant believe I backed the wrong HD horse!