*HOT* 27" and 32" Samsung TXN FlatScreen TVs - HDTV (1080i)free! 27"-$450, 32"-$650 +10% CC Giftcard & 2.2% cashback!

[conjur]

Originally posted by: Wag
I hear you. 4yrs ago I purchased a 30" 16:9 set used and it already had significant burn in on the sides.

I'd go for a nice big 4:3 tube if it supported 720p. It really annoys me that most CRTs don't support it, because that's just where it excels over any other display. Now that ABC, ESPN-HD and FOX all use 720p, it's a must.

Most HDTV sets don't support 720p natively. Plasma will, though. 720p will be converted to 1080i by your tuner and will look great. Granted, some of the fast motion may result in artifacts, though. And, FOX is still 480p. Not 720p until next year (and I'm not holding my breath for that).

 

[JWilco]

I have had the TXN-3245 for about 2-3 months
The CC deal back then was $50 CC gift card + $100 MSN dollars -> Total was $550 incl delivery.

Pluses:
1. 4:3 non-hd digital cable looks great with the built in line doubler - this is definitely a reason to get this set over the equivalent Toshiba and Sony
2. 4:3 analog cable looks a little worse than my old analog TV, but about the same as other HDTV's
3. DVD's look great, although I wish I had the 16:9 aspect ratio for these
4. HDTV work's fine with the service menu tweak (I have Comcast HD cable) and is watchable if you can ignore the overscan bounce (I've trained myself to ignore it . Note that on a 4:3 set this small - it's about the same as DVD quality from 8 feet and more distance.

Minuses:
1. The overscan bounce aka blooming problem is really noticeable on the HDTV channels as per the previous post. This is power-supply related and not fixable in the service menu.


All in all, I'm happy about this set, but mostly because it was so much cheaper than other options. Plus, the 32" image for regular and digital cable (non-HD) is about as good as any other 32" TV out there

To see more about this set, go over to hometheaterspot -> the Samsung forum -> and read the FAQ

HomeTheaterSpot forum FAQ

 

[PacoDeth]

LOL not at all, Progressive Scan for DVD players is 480p (as mentioned above for the P=Progressive and I=Interlaced). Unfortunately DVD's arent the best in picture quality these days like many people think. Its amazing to see something in true 1080i mode compared to a DVD, its like DVD is the VHS of HDTV cable. Man watch Jag on HDTV, some of the newest episodes when they could afford better camera's, you will see what Im talking about. HDTV's and 1080i mode are actually on the verge of 3D!!! When watching some Jag scenes and some other shows it almost seems as though the images are bubbling out of the screen its amazing! One more thing, I remember watching some movie with Eddie Murphy on HD, it was amazing to see how bad his face was, you could see every blemish and pore on his face, it was really creepy. Also I could be wrong but I believe DVD's could be displayed at higher resolutions or better picture quality that 480p or Progressive mode but they can't because of Macrovision or some other kind of protection.

 

[QuicknDirty]

I don't deal with the 4:3 vs 16x9 debate.

I've got a 45" 4:3 Mitsubishi RPTV downstairs that I watch regular TV on, and the 65" Mitsubishi Diamond ($4,500!!!) 16x9 upstairs that I watch NOTHING on but DVD's at the moment (waiting for HDTV to have something tempting to watch, worth spending the $$$ on).

IMO, I wouldn't probably buy a new 4:3 at this stage in the game, unless it was for one of the kids rooms. But I know people who actively refuse to purchase a 16x9 for any reason what so ever. So to each his own.

It does seem like a pretty good price on this Samsung...although the reviews do seem to be mixed.

QnD

 

[SimMike2]

For people not aware of this, projectors are selling for $1000 or less. I have an Infocus X1 which outputs a superlative HD picture and excellent DVD quality. Why you ask is this so impressive? Because it can project an enormous picture. I have a 70" across screen, so my 16:9 diagonal is probably around 80" (4:3 is 87"!) If you want bigger, it can easily go bigger. It is also nice being able to pack it up and bring this 6 lb projector to friends house. Try that with a 65" RPTV or even a 32" tube TV.

Projectors are without a doubt the most bang for your buck. My friends jaws drop open when they see my projector.

 

[JameyF]

Originally posted by: SimMike2
For people not aware of this, projectors are selling for $1000 or less. I have an Infocus X1 which outputs a superlative HD picture and excellent DVD quality. Why you ask is this so impressive? Because it can project an enormous picture. I have a 70" across screen, so my 16:9 diagonal is probably around 80" (4:3 is 87"!) If you want bigger, it can easily go bigger. It is also nice being able to pack it up and bring this 6 lb projector to friends house. Try that with a 65" RPTV or even a 32" tube TV.

Projectors are without a doubt the most bang for your buck. My friends jaws drop open when they see my projector.

Try putting it in your den or bedroom with lots of windows and/or lights. There is no one size fits all, but I agree...Front projectors can be a great bang for the buck IF you can TOTALLY control light.

 

[LDegrelle]

Thats my issue. Wife doesnt want to go to basement to watch TV - she likes the big open roominess of our living room. With all the light in there front projection is out. The only rear projection I would touch at the moment is DLP and that's WAYYYY out of my price range.

Unfortunately my 17 year old car is killing me now with its lack of AC, so the next major expense is a new vehicle. Looks like TV upgrade is out of reach.

I would be very tempted by one of these units - I am a big fan of Samsung as a whole. The absurd placement of the one S-video is annoying (VHS) - as well as the fact that I would have to buy a new entertaiment center to house the thing (even the 27" is 1/2" too big to be squeezed in).

Good luck to all of you folks that get this deal! Keep us posted on your results!

 

[Fant]

Has anyone compared 1080i and 480p material on this set to see if they see a difference? I am wondering whether the service setting is simply letting the set "understand" the 1080i signal and it is then being downconverted to the native 480p that the set supports. If you dont have a reference to compare to then even 1080i->480p will looks nice.

 

[conjur]

Originally posted by: SimMike2
For people not aware of this, projectors are selling for $1000 or less. I have an Infocus X1 which outputs a superlative HD picture and excellent DVD quality. Why you ask is this so impressive? Because it can project an enormous picture. I have a 70" across screen, so my 16:9 diagonal is probably around 80" (4:3 is 87"!) If you want bigger, it can easily go bigger. It is also nice being able to pack it up and bring this 6 lb projector to friends house. Try that with a 65" RPTV or even a 32" tube TV.

Projectors are without a doubt the most bang for your buck. My friends jaws drop open when they see my projector.

And bulbs are expensive to replace and if you watch a lot of movies...that will add up. Also, find one low-cost project that does HDTV resolution. Most are 1024x768 which covers the horizontal resolution but is a far cry from the 1920 lines of vertical resolution. Black levels will not be close to those of an RPTV either. And, they're noisy so you need to find an enclosure for them, too.

 

[Staples]

I wonder what dimentions that ratio calculator uses. It is a pretty handy tool. I have been eying (the urge to buy it is overwhelming) a 34" widescreen CRT ($2000) for the last few days and I did my own calculations using 3:4 and 9:16 ratios and I came up with different numbers. Not that the numbers the calculator came up with are totally different (within 15%) but apparently it is not using the ratio of exactly 9:16 nor 3:4.

And the point of why widescreen is so attractive was brought up. I am buying widescreen for future compatability. I have a progressive DVD player so I will be able to watch TV in widescreen progressive however besides that, probably the only place I am getting widescreen is from my Xbox. I really do not watch much TV at all and even if I did, I do not have digital cable let alone the few HD channels that TW offers. I just want a TV that I can keep for a while and not worry about having to replace it to take advantage of the newest technology. I very rarely watch DVDs for that matter so if I am going to spend an arm and a leg on something, I want it to last since I will be using it so little stretched over time.

 

[superflysocal]

In my earlier post, I was not trying to imply that widescreen is not better than 4:3. All i was saying is that if people are comapring this 32" 4:3 with a 30" widescreen, then the amount of widescreen image is virtually the same and a 4:3 image favors the 32" significantly. Of course, a bigger widescreen is whole different story and that has lead to much digression in this thread.

This tv is a great for bedroom or apartment as HD alternative. If anyone has tried hooking this up to PC or HTPC via component to VGA adapter, please report result. That would be only reason why I would get this.

 

[Fant]

Point of widescreen is those people plan on watching more material in widescreen then in 4x3 and dont like having black bars on either side. So if all depends one what type of material you enjoy watching more. If all you will use it for is DVDs or HDTV, then the obvious choice is widescreen. If all you will use it for is standard 4x3 cable tv and own fullscreen dvds, then obvious choice is 4x3 TV. If you are somewhat in the middle then you must choose what is more important to you. If you dont want a compromise, buy a 56" widescreen tv for dvds and hdtv and buy a 32" 4:3 tube set for watching cable tv

 

[isaacmacdonald]

Also I could be wrong but I believe DVD's could be displayed at higher resolutions or better picture quality that 480p or Progressive mode but they can't because of Macrovision or some other kind of protection

You are. DVDs are encoded @ 720x480. Most 2hr films are less than ~5 gb, and they're compressed w/mpeg 2, so 480p will give you basically the best you can get off a dvd. Of course you can resample the dvd but it would be stupid to go to 1080i (720 is another story, but I bet comparing 720p to resampled 480 is going to be akin to watching that awful resampled SDTV material). Film is obviously a progressive source, and really looks better when it's not interlaced.

 

[SimMike2]

And bulbs are expensive to replace and if you watch a lot of movies...that will add up. Also, find one low-cost project that does HDTV resolution. Most are 1024x768 which covers the horizontal resolution but is a far cry from the 1920 lines of vertical resolution. Black levels will not be close to those of an RPTV either. And, they're noisy so you need to find an enclosure for them, too.

The X1 has a bulb life of 3000 hours. I think they cost $299. If you watch three hours per night, which is probably the most I ever will, this bulb should last three years. If you haven't seen the X1 in HDTV resolution, then you haven't seen the amazing job it does with both 1080i and 720P. Believe it or not the X1 is 800 X 600 SVGA resolution and still DVD and HDTV look amazing. Both are sharp, bright and clear. Don't take my word for it, read the reviews.

There is lots of negative stuff about projectors which is being sent out by plasma and RPTV salesman. They don't want to believe a $1000 projector can be as good as their $5000 plasma or $2500 RPTV. It is economically in their favor to trash something that might cut into their salary.

In my opinion, the best combination is a projector and a 36" tube HDTV. Use the projector for movies and special events. Use the regular TV for casual viewing. The cost of both of these will be about $2500 which equals what people are paying for one heavy 65" RPTV. Plus you can bring the projector to your friends house for "movie night."

http://www.projectorcentral.com/infocus_x1.htm

 

[JameyF]

So, where are you going to put that projector? If you say, "between me and the screen"...No thanks. I HATE anything...ANYTHING between me and the TV (even carpet and the rare floating lint, but those I can't get rid of). If you say, "behind me", that will be hit by the door when someone comes in. Also, if it makes the noise of a fly's fart, it's WAY too loud for my room. The only way I would use a projector is have it dropped from the ceiling, and only if it is absolutely quiet or insulated so I can't hear and fans. For that to work, I would have to do some rewiring and remodeling. For my RPTV, I covered all windows with black fabric and curtains to let ZERO light in the room. Then, I went around covering and LED light with black electrician's tape. I have 3 or 4 other things I can't do anything about, but for real HT a ton of planning needs to be done. I think the majority of people hear won't be as picky as I nor you are.

Most will be looking for more plug and play with technology they are used to dealing with but with the ability to work with future technology. Of course, your device does the latter, but not the former. I think the front projector is a great OPTION, but other options may work better for other individuals. I respect your opinion, and I hope to eventually go front projection when I can design a room around it. It just seems you're pimping a specific product that isn't one size fits all.

 

[Fant]

I set it up at my parents house with a 27" (i know small) in the center of their entertainment center and i hung a pull down screen bout 6 inches in front and mounted the projector on the ceiling behind the couch and bough standard home depot external covering to run a line to the projector and it looks great. I dont like the size of a 65" tv taking up my space...and with the projector i get more like 80+ inches...when watching a movie...the size of the picture really engulfs you...even if it isnt hdtv quality...iman how this thread has digressed...

 

[JameyF]

Originally posted by: Fant
I set it up at my parents house with a 27" (i know small) in the center of their entertainment center and i hung a pull down screen bout 6 inches in front and mounted the projector on the ceiling behind the couch and bough standard home depot external covering to run a line to the projector and it looks great. I dont like the size of a 65" tv taking up my space...and with the projector i get more like 80+ inches...when watching a movie...the size of the picture really engulfs you...even if it isnt hdtv quality...iman how this thread has digressed...

That sounds great, but there would be well over $1k (maybe $2k) invested in the projector, screen, and accessories. This deal doesn't come close to $1k. Like you said, this thread has digressed. I agree with you...Depth is a real issue for many. The main reason I haven't jumped on a 30" 16x9 is depth. In my bonus room, the depth of a RPTV is workable, but in a bedroom, 25 inches or what ever the specs are is a bit tough to swallow.

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

Originally posted by: Fant
Point of widescreen is those people plan on watching more material in widescreen then in 4x3 and dont like having black bars on either side. So if all depends one what type of material you enjoy watching more. If all you will use it for is DVDs or HDTV, then the obvious choice is widescreen. If all you will use it for is standard 4x3 cable tv and own fullscreen dvds, then obvious choice is 4x3 TV. If you are somewhat in the middle then you must choose what is more important to you. If you dont want a compromise, buy a 56" widescreen tv for dvds and hdtv and buy a 32" 4:3 tube set for watching cable tv

You're still going to get black bars on a lot of 'widescreen' material. Many movies are formatted in AR's wider than 16:9.

 

[SimMike2]

Originally posted by: JameyF
I think the front projector is a great OPTION, but other options may work better for other individuals. I respect your opinion, and I hope to eventually go front projection when I can design a room around it. It just seems you're pimping a specific product that isn't one size fits all.

I'm not pimping anything. I just think the more people that are aware of projectors, the better. Maybe it will bring plasma TVs price out of the stratosphere (and I stand by the opinion that plasma and RPTV salesman are scared to death of projectors.) It is funny how people think very little about spending $2500 on RPTV or $5000 on a Plasma TV, but when it comes to spending $1000 on a projector, they get all picky and act like it is going to break the bank. I mean come on, were talking potentially a 100" diagnonal picture for $1000! And not just a good picture, but a great picture. And the projector is not prone to convergence problems which has haunted RPTV since they first came out.

All I know is that everyone who has seen mine in action wants one. And they are amazed at the value they get for the cost. It is true they do make a little noise, kind of like a computer, but not a real loud one. And even though mine is mounted on a shelf at the ceiling, if people stand up they can block the screen until they move. Nothing is perfect. It is more like "going to the movies" than "watching TV." Which is why I will always have a regular TV for casual viewing, especially in the daytime.

 

[beatle]

I went to look at the 32" today. The bounce was too much for me to take. It's really pronounced, as stultus mentioned, when there is text at the bottom of the screen, like on certain commercials or when there's text at the bottom of the screen and then the scene changes. This would drive me up the wall, so I passed. Other than this, the picture looked extremely vibrant. The CC employee of course denied that this had an hdtv tube in it, despite me showing him the service menu and enabling 1080i.

 

[stoner87]

Picked up the 32". Couldn't be happier with my purchase.

 

[LDegrelle]

Was looking at the reviews on CircuitCity's website for the 32" Samsung and noticed someone mentioned the ability to change to HDTV in the menu.

The Circuit City folks responded right below the guy's opinion with:

Editor's Note: Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on this television with us and our customers. Your review about the high-definition capability of this TV prompted us to do some research, and we would like to address your comment about changing the display. While the menu can be changed to indicate that it's in HDTV mode, this TV does not include the computer chip or the receiver that will allow it to receive and decode HDTV broadcasts. As a result, the resolution of this TV is limited to 480p, which is perfect for movies on a progressive scan DVD player. We hope this clarifies the capabilities of this TV, and we thank you again for your comments.

Just thought I'd pass that along.

 

[Wag]

Yeah- the tuner is strictly NTSC. It can indeed display 1080i from an external source.

 

[Fant]

Yah but its prob just downconverting the 1080i to 480p which means its just a 480p set...

 

[sk3tch]

No...if you read the rest of the thread Fant and do some research on the linked threads - this set is a TRUE 1080i when you set the option in the menu.

When you set it to 1080i in the menus you get HDTV picture - native at the resolution of 1080i or 480i/p. No downconverting, unless of course it is 7xxi then it has to up/down convert like any other HDTV set would.