Thread: Going to buy a TV anything new I should look out for?

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Firebird77clone wrote:

If you are buying TVs that are manufactured outside of US then it's not OUR economy you are helping

From what I can tell if you follow this advice your choice may be only the Vizio or Olevia brands (American assembled parts from Asia). Vizio does have a "recommended" rating from Consumers Reports. I will just as likely by the Vizio 50 inch Plasma which retails for $1500 or the 47 inch LCD 120mhz model for $1400. Both are full 1080P and are excellent choices. Just about everything else is made in China or Korea. Even though most are Jap companies, the product is made in China. American companies that do manufacture electronics are not producing products for consumers. Mostly very high end stuff for commerical markets.


As for the contrast ratio, it is important, but only within a manufacturer's product line. Contrast is measured differently form company to company, but is usually the same within a company's product line. All models of Samsung LCD' may use the same system, but the LCD's made by Sony, Sharp, JVC or other companies will be different. Comparing two companies contrast ratio's is like apples and oranges. The same is true between LCD and Plasma, there is just no comparisons.

I recommend that you either visit some websites dedicated to assisting people understand the new products or to get a copy of the most recent issue of Consumer's Report (the one with a flat screen on the cover). The article on flat screens and the model comparisons are excellent. They also list prices. This is not the site I normally use but it has good info: http://www.cnet.com/hdtv-world/

I recently purchased a LCD 32 inch unit based on manufacturer and a super price. I am getting ready to purchase 2 19" or 22" units for the kitchen and a spare bedroom. Because of the reliability of most of the products sold today, my choices will be primarily based on cost (less is better) Your criteria could be completely different and the choices enormous.

Oh and if you go check them out in the stores, make sure they are all setup the same (same color, brightness, contrast, sharpness levels) otherwise the one you like the best, may just be the one they are pushing the hardest. And it may not look the same when you get it home.