Recommend a new HDTV + Home Theater speakers. Budget: $2000

[TangoJuliet]

I am in the market for a new HDTV. I have been saving up for the past 2 years to upgrade from my 37" Westy. I am looking for something in the range of 46-55". I think I will pass on plasma because the room has a lot of light and I think the reflections off the glass screen will be bad no matter how hard I try to block the sunlight.

I do not need to purchase the TV immediately but if an awesome deal pops up that I can't refuse I can go with it. I can buy right now or I can wait for a nice Super Bowl sale or I can wait until March (bday). Not sure when the new models cone out if they havent already.

Right now I have a 5.1 Sony HTIB which needs to be replaced but if I can get a better TV in the budget then I can scrap the plans for the setup. I would like something compact (less wires) - maybe wireless surround or a sound bar. Maybe even a solid 3.1 setup??

Lastly I would like the TV to have some access to my network so that I can stream movies to it. Built in wireless would be nice but not a deal breaker. I do have a 360 so I can always stream from that but I would prefer to do it right thru the TV itself.

I have looked at the Samsung LEDs and they are on the top of my list right now. The only issue is I can go with the 46" B8000 or the 55" B6000. So it's basically size or features to choose from. The Pany G10 is nice but I am concerned about the reflections off the glass. I do not like the Vizio LED. It just looks cheap and the bezel is gross.

The TV will not be wall mounted. It will sit atop my console and the furthest seat is about 8 feet from where the TV will be placed.

 

[mshan]

http://myhometheater.homestead.com/viewingdistancecalculator.html

 

[Doclife]

I purchased the following HD TV + Home Theater speakers during the Christmas holidays and I paid $1150 for it (after Bing cash back).

60" Mitsubishi DLP HD TV (WD60C9) from Dell.com - $640 (after 20% Bing cash back)
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/p...9&sku=A3092263

Polk Audio Monitor 60 (for front channel) from Newegg.com - $120 each
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2100310494 50012345&name=Polk Audio

Polk Audio Monitor 30 (for rear channel) - $100 pair
Polk Audio CS1 (center) - $70
Polk Audio PSW10 (subwoofer) - $100

The picture quality of the Mits TV is great and I have no complaints. For a big sceen TV, nothing can beat DLP TVs in terms of price/screen size. The sound quality of the Polk Audio speakers is superb for the price I paid for.

 

[TangoJuliet]

http://myhometheater.homestead.com/viewingdistancecalculator.html

Thanks - I had already done that about a year ago from someone's suggestion for the AVS forums. I know at 8' 1080p isn't really justifiable but I will be sitting much closer as my guests will have the further seats

I purchased the following HD TV + Home Theater speakers during the Christmas holidays and I paid $1150 for it (after Bing cash back).

60" Mitsubishi DLP HD TV (WD60C9) from Dell.com - $640 (after 20% Bing cash back)
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/p...9&sku=A3092263

Polk Audio Monitor 60 (for front channel) from Newegg.com - $120 each
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...e=Polk%20Audio

Polk Audio Monitor 30 (for rear channel) - $100 pair
Polk Audio CS1 (center) - $70
Polk Audio PSW10 (subwoofer) - $100

The picture quality of the Mits TV is great and I have no complaints. For a big sceen TV, nothing can beat DLP TVs in terms of price/screen size. The sound quality of the Polk Audio speakers is superb for the price I paid for.

Thanks for the suggestions but I HATE DLP TVs. Sure they offer the best bang for the buck and for the most part they have really come down in size but I just don't like them. The viewing angles are horrible and the screen dooring effect on most of them drive me nuts.

 

[TangoJuliet]

anyone else?

 

[TangoJuliet]

Guess I'll be heading back over to AVS forums.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Well I haven't been keeping up with LCDs, or I might have a suggestion. Depending on how much you spend on the display, it seems like you might have anywhere between $0 and $1000 to spend on the audio side of things. With a range that big, I don't know what to suggest.

There are a few options for wireless surround speakers, with "wireless" meaning that there aren't wires running from the front of the room to the back. There's still going to be an amplifier of some sort at the back of the room that plugs into an outlet and then has speaker wire running to the surround speakers. Some HTIB sets have those, or you can buy whatever you want and get a product designed to add the capability... or you can use a rug to cover up speaker wires and get a superior system

 

[alimoalem]

We have a 54" Panasonic G10. It can easily be had for <$1500 after tax/shipping/etc. (we got our's from Sears).

We had a Sharp 52" LCD from Costco to compare it to. We have a LOT of ambient light in the room. The Anti-Reflective coating on the G10 is pretty good at taking out glare. It was as good, if not better than the Sharp LCD when it came to dealing with ambient light. But there is still glare.

If there's anyway for you to bring a G10 home (or any other plasma you're interested in) and see how it fares when it comes to glare, I'd do that.

 

[najames]

I was walking around Walmart the other day and saw a 46" Panasoniic 1080p plasma for $698. They also had really cheap 720p Pioneer sets.

A year ago I bought Panasonic 42" and 50" 720p sets for $498 and $798. I really like them. I can't comment on receiver and speakers since I'm currently using a 10yr old Pioneer Elite receiver and equally old Klipsch fronts and center, just bought some cheap Polks for the rear surrounds so I could use my ancient B&Ms somewhere else.

 

[mchammer187]

Do you have a receiver or subwoofer already?

All from amazon
Panasonic g10 50" $1250
Klipsch quintet SL $400
Polk PSW10 - $120
Onkyo HT-RC160 $350
$2120 total

if you can't go over budget you can get

Onkyo HT-S7200 which is a speaker / reciever/ sub package for $680 from amazon as well (I don't have experience with this setup though)

if you already have both than you can spend then rest on better speakers but for $400 the quintets are hard to beat

 

[TangoJuliet]

Do you have a receiver or subwoofer already?

All from amazon
Panasonic g10 50" $1250
Klipsch quintet SL $400
Polk PSW10 - $120
Onkyo HT-RC160 $350
$2120 total

if you can't go over budget you can get

Onkyo HT-S7200 which is a speaker / reciever/ sub package for $680 from amazon as well (I don't have experience with this setup though)

if you already have both than you can spend then rest on better speakers but for $400 the quintets are hard to beat

Thanks for the replies guys. I understand that in the Home Theater only the rears will be wireless (sort of) as they do have to plug into an amp. I saw some Sony's that had that concept - something like S-AIR they're called.

I would prefer to have a simple HT setup - like a HTIB. I do not have a receiver or any speakers. I currently have this http://reviews.cnet.com/home-theater-systems/sony-dav-fr1/1707-6740_7-30788078.html
and would like something similar possible with Blu-Ray. I want something simple, compact and elegant.

I don't think there is any way that I can get a plasma in my living room. I don't know any friends that have one and I don't think a store will let me borrow one. Maybe I could go to Costco and buy one and return it??

 

[alimoalem]

You could go to Costco. I think they only have the S14 (and not the G10), though. But if you're satisfied with the AR coating of the S14, the G10 has a better AR coating iirc.

If you can't get one, though, there are good LCD's out. If it works, it works.

 

[TangoJuliet]

You could go to Costco. I think they only have the S14 (and not the G10), though. But if you're satisfied with the AR coating of the S14, the G10 has a better AR coating iirc.

If you can't get one, though, there are good LCD's out. If it works, it works.

Thanks, I'll see what I can do.

Anybody know if there were there any HDTVs demonstrated at CES that are due out soon that look amazing?