Better than bestbuy.com deal, 55 inch HDTV

[Brandon2000]

I just went to my sam's club today. I have been looking for a big screen tv for a long time, and did research on the Wega series. However, I saw a 43 inch tv at Sam's first and it's hdtv, the toshiba 43h70 for $1499. Then to the right of that tv, they had a 55 inch toshiba hdtv, the 55h70 for $1439, is this a good price. The lowest price that I have seen on the web is at crazy eddie's for $1677.95 Toshiba. I am asking the experts at Anandtech to see if this is a reasonable deal, thanks...

 

[AnferneeQuinn]

I can't help much on the price/value, but any current model is going to end in "1". I'm not sure what improvements came this year, but I just picked up a 50h71 and I LOVE it! Check out the Toshiba specific group at www.hometheaterspot.com
hometheaterspot

 

[Braxus]

Erm... doesn't getting a projection TV defeat the purpose of HDTV?

 

[namlook]

<< Erm... doesn't getting a projection TV defeat the purpose of HDTV? >>



Heck no. Projection HDTV's look absolutely fantastic.

 

[Braxus]

Interesting... I was told that HDTV generally looks best on tube TVs.

 

[olouie]

hm... i am not sure either, but yes projection hdtvs look great, but then again i am not that into the spec so who knows

 

[amnesiac]

It DOES look best on tube tv's but that doesn't mean a projection TV is going to have such horrendous picture quality that it will completely invalidate the purpose of HDTV.

 

[Nutcase99]

Personally I like the tube quality alot more so I went with a Tube HDTv When I bought mine.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Madcowz]

Good price but the H70 series is an older model now

HX71, and HX81 is where it's at

 

[frysad]

I don't think it is so much that HD looks better on a CRT, it's that anything looks better on a CRT. All professional video work is done on CRT's. The advantage to projections is that you can achieve larger screen sizes than you can with a tube, but a tube is always superior for picture quality.

 

[SpongeBobPalmBay]

Sam's usually stocks last years models or last years model with a slightly different part#... for a wholesale club this is really LAME. You are not getting a deal - you are helping move old inventory!! And you are paying to belong to a club to help do this!

I found this out when I was shopping for a Toshiba 32" a few years back. Sam's had it $50 cheaper but with an odd part number. I looked all over the net and even the Toshiba web site and could not find any info on that model #. I then called the Toshiba 1-800 nimber and after a few minutes the operator came back and told me that Sam's was selling older models with different serial #'s.

 

[broadwayblue]

<< I don't think it is so much that HD looks better on a CRT, it's that anything looks better on a CRT. All professional video work is done on CRT's. The advantage to projections is that you can achieve larger screen sizes than you can with a tube, but a tube is always superior for picture quality. >>



projection sets use CRT's.

tube sets will be sharper as they are smaller. since you only have 1080 lines of resolution the pixels will be further apart on a larger screen size. the downside of a tube is you lose the cinema feel. you will always be watching the movie on the tv as you can see the whole set and its surroundings with your eyes all at once. when you upgrade to a larger set (a 55" for example) the image on the screen takes up a larger percentage of your field of vision and results in a much more emmersive experience. no 34" widescreen tube can replicate that.

 

[Pliablemoose]

That's a pretty good price, I just ordered a 61H71 Toshiba @ Sears, pricematched to Craxy Eddies, took $600 off Sears price, but then added some on with state sales tax & delivery.

I spent the better part of 2 hours working the deal @ my local Sears & noticed that the 50H81
looked the best of all the rear projectors up & running, all up to the 61" use the same 7" CRT's I've been told.

Now if I can just settle on a speaker system by Wednsday when it's delivered

Cnet reviewer liked this series, & Consumer Reports ranked it # 4: Toshiba TheaterWide HD 50H81
Good performer, and a good value for a wide-screen model. Among the best performers with progressive-scan DVD and HD images. Performance slightly better with component inputs than S-video inputs. 51x46x22 inches. Optimum viewing: height, 36 inches; distance, 7 feet.

CR picked Hitachi UltraVision Digital 53UDX10B, Pioneer SD-533HD5, SD-532HD5, Sony Hi-Scan Series KP-53HS20, KP-53HS30 as 1,2, & 3

 

[hopster]

Big screen projection TV's are all about real estate. If you want to feel like you are in the action... that is where it is all at.... Unless of course you would rather buy a $14000.00 plasma screen to hang on the wall.

 

[Coldplay]

ANy Big Screen HDTV set you buy today is already obsolete!!
Basically, without a DVI port, you cannot view premium 1080i content from the studios like hbo..etc..


GET one with DVI this summer!!

Information Link

 

[DVDBob]

I watch HD from HBO all the time. Its all about having the right dish and the right decoder box. I used to use an RCA but have since upgraded to the Toshiba DST-3000. I can get OTA(Over-the-Air), HBO, Showtime, and HDNet. The Olympics in HD are amazing. (albeit one day behind)

As for picture quality, for regular television off of Cable or Sat, a tube wins hands down. But for DVDs and HD, a projection unit is the way to go. Front projectors are even better.

 

[Boogak]

Projection tv's have come a long way from those ugly scanline filled atrocities of yester-year. My 43" Toshiba 43HX71 rear projection HDTV looks as bright and sharp as my 27" Sony Trinitron tube tv.

 

[Jdog]

<< ANy Big Screen HDTV set you buy today is already obsolete!!
Basically, without a DVI port, you cannot view premium 1080i content from the studios like hbo..etc..


GET one with DVI this summer!!

Information Link >>



Actually, you can do just as well buying one that has VGA. No, it isn't DVI, but the reality is such that finding a DVI converter might be hard later.

 

[Darthkim]

<< ANy Big Screen HDTV set you buy today is already obsolete!!
Basically, without a DVI port, you cannot view premium 1080i content from the studios like hbo..etc..


GET one with DVI this summer!!

Information Link >>




I would disagree with that statement. Though the industry seems to be moving that way, it is generally understood that moving to DVI would not allow the consumer to record any of the signals coming in. Fortunately IEEE1394 does allow one to record and I am hoping that Mits (with their promise module) and Sony will continue to stuck on that platform (though sony seems to have straddle the fence)

Plus, premium 1080i content is and will be available to those who have purchased their respective HD STB. We'll see this summer, how this all works out.

Also regarding 1080i on tube. Though watching 1080i content may seem sharper on a smaller tube, watching the NBA Championships on a 65 HDTV is unbeatable. Plus most hdtv tube tv are not in the correct aspect ratio. Though 480p looks sharper, you still have those bars on the top

 

[ShynnSw33tx]

I heard that everyone should start getting widescreen HDTVs because soon progs will be shown in widescreen and soon all tvs will be HDTV... true?

 

[wcheung26]

What is the different betwen the H and HX series?
E.g: 65H81 ($2499.95) Vs 65HX81 ($2739.95)
crazyeddie.com

 

[Wooster]

Yes, I missed the bestbuy.com deal, but I have found better deal else where.

I just brought Sony KP-61XBR48 61" projection TV for $850 from local Craiglist. It was used but original seller had it for only two years. Even though it's out of date, but can't beat that price.

Sony KP-61XBR48 project TV (description only, this is not where I got my TV from)

 

[AlfaWulf]

The generalization that tubes are better than projections is false. Both tubes and projo's have come a long way, but projections can outperform tubes. Most people don't realize that a lot goes into properly calibrating a projection TV. Once configured, an HD projo can produce a larger picture that is as good or better than a tube. Naturally, a highend tube can out perform a cheap projo, but...

It always comes down to personal preference, but all of the HT engineers that I know will go projection if there is a choice. I've seen test patterns, movie clips, and side by side comparissons of tubes and projections that illustrate the differences...Don't write of a TV's picture quality just because its not a tube!

 

[akshatp]

SHouldnt this be in Off Topic or Brag& Moan??

Where is the hot deal?

 

[VisionsUCI]

wooster... am i correct to assume that your deal was one of a kind?