someone give a brief summary

[fLum0x]

okay, i have considered doing the BF thing, but I dont really know what a good deal is at this point. I would like a 32-42" LCD (over plasma), but i dont know what the 720p or 1080p stuff means. Also, what does "built in" vs "ready monitor" mean in the long run? Also, how does all of this work since i have Comcast currently and i would look to get the HDTV channels.

I am admitting i am ignorant in the field, but i want to learn about it. If you know of a site to check out for all of this, please link it. Otherwise, could someone give me a brief explanation? I dont want to get ripped off and lied to by a BB rep.

 

[michaels]

http://blackfriday.gottadeal.com/Item/2025

499 720P 32 inch LCd

 

[jpeyton]

32"-42" is a huge range for LCDs; almost double the price.

Almost every single LCD TV in that range is 720P. Look for important things like response time, contrast ratio, brightness, etc.

1080P is nice, not necessary, and carries another big price bump.

Narrow down your budget first.

Call Comcast and order an HD cable box for $5/mo.

 

[EstimateMe]

Basically, 720p LCD screen prices have PLUMMETED in recent weeks. There's an Olevia 32" hd-ready monitor for $540 shipped plus tax in the hot deals forum. I've had mine hooked up for an hour and love it.

The thing that I understand with 1080p is that no broadcasts are really taking use of it yet, and by the time they do there will probably be the next "ultra-mecha HD format" that you'll want to format.

Some sets, like the Olevia on sale right now, are monitors only, meaning they can't tune channels themselves with an antenna or straight cable hooked up. They can take existing HD cable boxes, satellite receivers, VCR's, video games, etc. and be hooked up with A/V cables. You're basically missing the coax connector on the back, but if you have an HD set top box (which you SHOULD with this set), you wouldn't need it anyway. Let's say you moved into an apartment one day and had free straight cable and didn't want to buy a box. You could use a VCR to tune channels, then run A/V cables out to the TV and view the TV that way.

"True" HDTV's have an ATSC tuner built right in, meaning in a pinch, you could hook up an antenna in a metro area and instantly have free, over the air HD channels (like fox, cbs, abc, nbc, depending on what over the air networks you could pull in). Also, with built in tuners, the TV's could tune straight cable in a pinch.

If you're going to have a set top box or don't mind changing channels through a DVD Recorder, it's perfectly okay to get an HDTV Monitor instead of a "true" HDTV. Your picture will be just as good.

 

[MisterServer]

get 1080p if you are going to be using it as a PC monitor, for anything else 720p is fine.
built-in means the tv has a built in hd tuner where with an antenna you can pick up HD channels OTA. hd-ready monitor means no built in tuner and you need a cable set top box, satellite converter, etc to view HD channels.

 

[Baked]

If you get a 32" HDTV, make sure it can display 1080i, because that's the resolution Comcast HD digital box outputs. I really wanted a 1080p HDTV, but didn't want to pay the premium for something I don't need.

 

[jpeyton]

Originally posted by: Baked
If you get a 32" HDTV, make sure it can display 1080i, because that's the resolution Comcast HD digital box outputs. I really wanted a 1080p HDTV, but didn't want to pay the premium for something I don't need.

You can adjust your Comcast box to output 480i/480p/720p/1080i.