$1999 42" Plasma HDTV @ Costco

[SleepyRaTT]

after looking at the model at my costco I too was searching for the coupon... I searched through my mail and saw the famous costco coupon booklet! Low and behold the coupon was there... as advertised... Vizio 42" HDTV Regular 2,399.99 - 400 off at register... your cost 1999.99!!!
BTW book states Postmaster please deliver between Dec28,2004 and Jan 4, 2005....

 

[ectx]

Originally posted by: dds8
I was just in the Sunnyvale, California store and bought a P42HDe. Got the coupon book from membership services and they told me to bring the receipt and coupon in during the sale period and they will credit the difference. They still have several in stock high up on the shelves. This is the new model with 5000:1 CR (white box with orange lettering)
No need to go on the 17th and hope for available stock

Well, how good is the unit?

 

[dds8]

Yes, I picked up the coupon book from membership services at the Sunnyvale store today. She opened a drawer and pulled out one for me. Answered my question about buying now and getting a price adjustment after the 17th.
That's why I did not want to wait till the 17th to buy.

 

[GT GUY]

May have to get one of these just to have fun for a while., it would eventually have to go back though .

 

[linuxthinker]

Originally posted by: GT GUY
May have to get one of these just to have fun for a while., it would eventually have to go back though .

Please don't abuse the return policy like this. If you're not gonna keep it, don't buy it.

 

[GT GUY]

Originally posted by: linuxthinker

Originally posted by: GT GUY
May have to get one of these just to have fun for a while., it would eventually have to go back though .

Please don't abuse the return policy like this. If you're not gonna keep it, don't buy it.

I'd only abuse it as much I as do every stores return policy. It'll be returned within 30 days.

 

[Maximus96]

i was just at costco today and saw the display unit. i wonder if my costco will let me buy early and re-adjust the price during the coupon period. i suppose if they refuse i can always return, and rebuy.

i plan to make full use of their return policy. since i have to pay a membership fee to make use of it, i don't see it as abuse. if the unit craps out in a year, i sure as hell will bring it back and get my $2000 back.

 

[jimmythehammer]

I called into the Costco here in Boise, ID and the person on the phone said no problem if I buy now, and redeem on the week of the 17th. Went in. There were no P42HDe's on the floor. I talked to the manager and he said they would not sell me one until the 17th, & they are holding them back until MLK Jr. day (17th). They have 16 in stock. I had no problem with the policy as such, but if I get there Monday AM and they are all gone I'll throw a fit. Generally I like the idea of a store actually having the item they have in an add in stock on the day they go on sell. They confirmed they would raincheck the item, but my worry there is having them only able to get a P42HD (which I would refuse) instead of the P42HDe. They seem to equate the two, but their computer system does state the model number specfically as P42HDe. The manager said they have 30 backordered in the system (all Costco's) - meaning any store that rainchecks can claim one of those. After that, it may get a bit uncertain on getting one.
Wayne

 

[LongCoolMother]

i can see why costco wont allow people to buy the TV before it goes on sale and then redeem the coupon later. ill just get real pissed if they end up only having several in stock. the point of a sale is to sell the item, if you're not going to have enough, then dont sell it before the sale.

 

[ericgl]

Agreed.

It is unfair to those who play by the rules.

 

[mikester0421]

Big Picture of the Set

Link to the Product Page on Manufacturer's Website

It took some digging but I found the manufacturers website. I thought others might also want the story stragiht from the donkey's mouth.

 

[mikester0421]

Oh. I noticed the specs are different (i.e. contrast ratio). I would just go with Apex since it seems others have confirmed updated specs at Costco (I guess they havn't updated their website).

On another note, do you think Sam's would price match with Costco on the week of the 17th???

 

[Apex]

The specs on vinc's site are of the older panel.


When you buy it at Costco, look at the box. The contrast ratio is marked on the box. 5000:1 is the new one, that you want. 3000:1 is the older one.

 

[jimmythehammer]

mikester0421 is linked to the "old" model of the Plasma screen. Not that there is a new version listed on the vinc web site - which seems kind of odd for any company thinking they are in this game for the long haul. I can understand outrunning your coverage a bit, but not even a press release (that I could find) is a strange way to market a new product. That said, I'm still going to take a long lunch Monday and get one. As Apex noted, you can tell the P42HDe from the P42HD by the prominate marking on the box - 5000:1 contrast marked in blaze orange print on the box. And if they have a display model, it will have P42HDe on the back vs. P42HD. And the P42HD that I saw was more a silver/gray where I would call the P42HDe black or a very dark gray by comparison. Why this may matter is that Costco did not change their sign (here in Boise) when they put out the P42HDe in place of the P42HD, which states a 3000:1 ratio and (therefore) could be the same Costco SKU# in their system. So I suppose some stores may have the older model or a mixture or if you get stuck with a raincheck you may not get the new model.

 

[imported_Bud]

I asked the Vinc techsupp staff a quick question or 2, and they responded overnight...

1- was about the outdated user manual - 7/21/04 version is on the website, whereas the comment on the side says it should be 12/1/04 rev a.
they replied that they would pass my comment along. I did see a copy of the
userman in costco - i dont know which version, but it had a table in one section, showing a matrix the possible combinations of video sources for the main screen and the pip window. The 7/21/04 vinc onlne manual does not have this table in it. thus making me believe i saw the 12/1/04 version in the store.

2- my 2nd question, was about the YPbPr vs. YCbCr inputs . being new to hd tv concepts (I dont have my P42HDe - yet), i have done some reading on the web, and seen a number of people post that "a lot of manufacturers mis-label the inputs and most are really ypbpr and not ycbcr". Vinc responded to my question asking about the difference in the inputs (since the user manual makes not distinction in the description of them):
"Y-Cb-Cr is interlaced and Y-Pb-Pr is progressive scan. You must be able to select the output of a device connected to Y-Cb-Cr to be interlaced.
The Y-Pb-Pr will accept either type."

Should I thus be concerned that there is only one progressive scan input on the
tv??? Like I said, I'm a newbie at this, so would my DVD player & my HD cable box thus perhaps have to share the progressive scan input port on the tv, and i'll need to get some sort of component a/b switch?

from what I gather, the signal quality from a dvd player is "better" if you can output a 720P signal... as to what my HD cable box is going to output, that's gonna take some digging, Time Warner here in NYC doesnt have much info online, and I'm sure that it is subject to change as to what HD box they are handing out at the moment.

btw- i think i saw someone complain about an xbox connected to ycbcr and some sort of interference / banding ... someone suggested to use ypbpr instead. that would make sense if the 2 inputs are indeed actually not equal.

comments on the above would be appreciated.
BTW-I did like the display and picture quality on the tv, not sure if it was an "e", when I saw it at costco. Another gentleman was vowing to return on MLK day and get it. Said to me for a true hd set, the price was the best he ever saw.

Many thanks,
Bud

 

[StageLeft]

Plasma life expectancy is not an issue unless you are bedridden and plan on being for the next several years.

 

[aircasper]

bud,

you may have actually read my posts (on avsforum) regarding problems using an xbox with the vizio. the unit i have does not properly display a 480p signal (either from dvd player, or xbox, using different component cables), in that i get these faint vertical columns of greenish noise all across the screen. it goes away when i force the dvd player or xbox to run a 480i signal, or if i switch the component input to the YCbCr which is 480i only, but then you lose PQ.

currently, i'm debating whether to exchange my unit or simply return it. exchanging this unit may solve the 480p problem i'm having, but it may not (and probably would not) improve the SD quality, which is rather poor when connected to a directivo. i briefly owned a samsung hlp5085 dlp hdtv monitor for a while and the directivo looked significantly better on that tv based on my recollection.

regarding the component inputs, you're indeed limited to one progressive scan component video input (YPbPr) on this tv. the YCbCr input only accepts 480i signals, which is a complete waste as far as i can tell. how much more would it have cost them to include two YPbPr inputs???

 

[imported_Bud]

aircasper -

yeah, the comment the tech made that the ypbpr accepts both an interlaced signal and a progressive signal surprises me. if true, were you able to use that interface with the xbox when you set it to to do 480i?

I'm hoping if i get the vizio, for the money (to me it's a good chuck on change, even if a name brand is another 50-100% more), i expect it to last for a while, and the interfaces better work !

I have to look on the web and see if they make a.v. a-b-c-.. switches for component video cables, and how much they run!

How long have you had the p42HD, and is it an "e" model? (and how come you haven't exchanged it, considering the YPbPr input is suspected to be damaged on your unit?)

The picture in costco they were pumping into it looked DARN good!
I think Time warner may actually have a hd cable box in my area that will give you a DVI output, which would be nice, because then my Ypbpr input will be free!

Regards,
-Bud

 

[aircasper]

bud, i've only had the tv for a couple of days. the YPbPr input accepts basically all inputs (480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i) whereas the YCbCr accepts only 480i. i'm not sure if it's the YPbPr input that's busted on my tv, or the actual scaler that scales the input to the tv's native resolution. the YPbPr input works fine on my tv for 480i. my problems occur when running a 480p signal. i'll let you know how it goes after the exchange.

 

[aircasper]

alas, i exchanged the tv, but am still having the same problem. i suppose it could be my xbox or hd cables, but it worked fine with a samsung dlp hdtv just a couple of months ago. i think i'm just going to return the tv once and for all. hopefully others will have better luck than me.

 

[bigpow]

Originally posted by: greys2k
couldn't resist replying

BURN IN - keep contrast lower duh
PANNY PWD7UY - since this is the industrial model - NO SPEAKERS!, u have to buy optional board for DVI input (~+$150) + optional stand (~$199) and at 2k + optionals, it's still only EDTV. at that pt, u might as well get the PX series with everything built in

i had a sammy hlp5039 50" plasma and returned it - too much fan noise
i now have a sammy hlp6163w and haven't looked back - 61" for 3k - can't beat that

BTW, How's that HLP6163W?

I'm inclined to get it, but the size/weight scares me

 

[joemiller13]

Come on guys, you know there's an easy work around for that single YPbPr input. JVC has a 3 input 1 output switch made just for this problem.

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-K...7JXS111&search=jvc

 

[XNice]

damn i want one now.....

 

[markinrichmond]

I found this forum searching for info on this TV at Costco and appreciate everyone's comments. The unit I purchasesed yestereday was the "e" model.

I went to Costco Friday and they had 7. Yesterday they had 5 and did not want to sell them to today. I told them that I did not mind playing by the rules but since they had strarted to sell them I wanted one. As I was loading mine up- I saw another person hauling one out and the cashier said this was the third one she sold thta day. Definitiely a hot item.

Off to comcast today to get the hd box. Thanks for all the info!

 

[joemiller13]

I need help! I just bought this Vizio P42HD from Costco the day it went on sale 1/17/05. Everyone is talking like there are 2 models, the P42HD and the P42HDe. The only difference mentioned on this website is that the P42HDe has a contrast ratio of 5000:1. Well the one I just bought (P42HD) says right on the box with orange lettering 5000:1 CR. Can anyone identify another difference between the P42HD and the P42HDe? (Beside the dark gray versus light gray housing difference).