Westinghouse 37" HDTV is $799 at Costo.com

[Crucial]

DAMN YOU PEOPLE stop talking about how great this is. I have been reading the hard forum and it isn't helping. Convince me why I shouldn't buy it.

 

[Safeway]

I took delivery of my monitor today. I need to get my computer desk (Ikea Jerker) cleaned up.

 

[Crucial]

Originally posted by: Safeway
I took delivery of my monitor today. I need to get my computer desk (Ikea Jerker) cleaned up.

I am sitting at a jerker desk right now. It is awesome. :thumbsup:

 

[travisj]

Originally posted by: Crucial
DAMN YOU PEOPLE stop talking about how great this is. I have been reading the hard forum and it isn't helping. Convince me why I shouldn't buy it.

As a computer monitor it's not really better than something like a 2407wfp, which you can get for much cheaper. The Westy is obviously a lot bigger, but the Dell actually has a better res. (1920x1200 instead of 1920x1080) and you can sit closer to it to negate the size difference.

Of course, using it for TV/movie watching there is a big edge for Westy, but you have to ask yourself is it worth the ~$350 difference, especially if you already have a TV you're happy with.

... That's the best I could do.

EDIT: If I were a real adult living in a multi-room place instead of a 1 room apt. I'd probably get a bigger LCD or plasma for the living room and something like the 2407wfp for my computer. But as is, I bought this screen because it can do -everything- better per $ than any other set up.

 

[neocor]

Originally posted by: Crucial
DAMN YOU PEOPLE stop talking about how great this is. I have been reading the hard forum and it isn't helping. Convince me why I shouldn't buy it.

No man you have no choice, there is nothing negative in this.
You have to buy this..
Be a man and stop being a sissy, stand up and make yourself noticed and cough up the dough and order it now.

neo

 

[doggyfromplanetwoof]

Originally posted by: Crucial
DAMN YOU PEOPLE stop talking about how great this is. I have been reading the hard forum and it isn't helping. Convince me why I shouldn't buy it.

Long term use of an LCD monitor over 24inch can give you cancer to the brain, eyes, and nose. Best to avoid.

 

[isekii]

Originally posted by: doggyfromplanetwoof

Originally posted by: Crucial
DAMN YOU PEOPLE stop talking about how great this is. I have been reading the hard forum and it isn't helping. Convince me why I shouldn't buy it.

Long term use of an LCD monitor over 24inch can give you cancer to the brain, eyes, and nose. Best to avoid.

LMAO hello cancer

 

[Fraggable]

I'm very tempted and have been there looking at the checkout screen several times, but I just can't do it...

Switching jobs in mid-July and the likelihood that this kind of price will probably be around one place or another in the next couple of months keeps me off it.

Just hate going another $1K into debt while switching jobs...

Oh forget it, I just did it. The option to return to a local store was just too much.

 

[exdeath]

Originally posted by: exdeath
Only thing that concerns me on the SE is when using the DVI or HDMI port with a PC it only works in Windows and Windows apps and games.

Stuff like full screen command prompt, POST, BIOS, Windows loading screen, (ie: legacy signals) all look like they are 4:3 images stretched to 16:9, but the sides are clipped so you only see the 4:3 portion. The scaling option on the monitor just takes that 4:3 portion of a an already 4:3->16:9 stretched image and stretches it even further. Basically you can't work in the BIOS or see POST data effectively and if you go to a command prompt full screen all you can see is something like "tings\username>_"

The Windows desktop and games set to VGA resolutions are ok, and WoW, UT2004, BF2, etc. are absolutely gorgeous. It only seems to be legacy modes like text and CGA.

I haven't tried with VGA, I suppose it might be necessary for emergencies and OS installs to see what you are doing. Still, its as annoying as having to keep a floppy drive or PS2 keyboard laying around to have to switch to a VGA cable just for that.

Previously with the non-SE I was able to use the left hand side solo DVI port and all legacy signals were correctly displayed as proportionally scaled and centered 4:3. POST, XP boot screen, all centered 4:3 until it hit the logon screen and went into 1080p.

This problem with scaling text and CGA modes over DVI, coupled with the SE defaulting to 1080i instead of 1080p... I wonder if there is a problem with the firmware appropriately detecting and synching signals over DVI...

Confirmed that VGA is ok, it will display text modes (POST, BIOS, full screen cmd, etc) in either scaled 4:3 or 16:9 without clipping, so at least the option is there if need be. Will just have to keep a VGA cable with the floppy drive and all the other legacy junk.

Can anyone else confirm if 4:3 full screen 80x25 text mode displays in it's entirety on the DVI port of the SE? For me, the screen logically stretches to fill the whole 16:9 area of the screen, but it has black bars on the left or right masking a 4:3 area, resulting in 22 columns of text covered by black bars on the left and right of the screen. Again, not a problem with the VGA port.

I'm curious if this is a problem with the monitor or maybe my video BIOS not clocking text modes through DVI properly.

 

[kki000]

Originally posted by: travisj

Originally posted by: Crucial
DAMN YOU PEOPLE stop talking about how great this is. I have been reading the hard forum and it isn't helping. Convince me why I shouldn't buy it.

As a computer monitor it's not really better than something like a 2407wfp, which you can get for much cheaper. The Westy is obviously a lot bigger, but the Dell actually has a better res. (1920x1200 instead of 1920x1080) and you can sit closer to it to negate the size difference.

Of course, using it for TV/movie watching there is a big edge for Westy, but you have to ask yourself is it worth the ~$350 difference, especially if you already have a TV you're happy with.

... That's the best I could do.

EDIT: If I were a real adult living in a multi-room place instead of a 1 room apt. I'd probably get a bigger LCD or plasma for the living room and something like the 2407wfp for my computer. But as is, I bought this screen because it can do -everything- better per $ than any other set up.

Funny u mentioned the 2407, thats the monitor i returned to costco to get this sucker. (my net cost was 48 dollars!!)
2407 is not a better monitor. Its a smaller display and has a much higher pixel density.
My nose is about 2.4 - 3 feet from this screen and i cant see pixels. I cant imagine a scenario where i would prefer the 24 over this 37.

I have a 61in 1080p dlp i connected to my pc for some htpc gaming action, but the combination of the seating distance and the illegible type compromised the usability. Also edge to edge focus and brightness is a bit of an issue in any rptv. The 45 minutes i've had with this bad boy, its a much better match for htpc gaming than anything ive ever seen.

Travis is dead on about the versatility. This thing is a bargain as a lcd monitor, and a steal as a video display. I bet even the most jaded technofreak could find a use for it as one or the other.

 

[Crucial]

I currently have a 2407. I would be giving it to the wife if I get this monitor.

 

[osiris3mc]

So is it true that Costco will be selling the 42" Westy for $999 later this month or the next? I'm trying to decide what to buy...

 

[GeezerMan]

Originally posted by: osiris3mc
So is it true that Costco will be selling the 42" Westy for $999 later this month or the next? I'm trying to decide what to buy...

That's the one I want to check out. This Westy is a good deal, but I really want to see one next to it with a better contrast ratio to compare.

 

[kki000]

Originally posted by: osiris3mc
So is it true that Costco will be selling the 42" Westy for $999 later this month or the next? I'm trying to decide what to buy...

Just buy this now. You have 3 months with costco to return it if the 42 winds up being the better deal for you.

This morning i discovered some light scratches on the screen surface thats only visible when the monitor is off.. dunno if i should order a replacement. Anyone else have some slight surface blemishes on the screen?

 

[exdeath]

This is for people looking for either the 37" or 42" as a dedicated full time conventional PC monitor sitting on a desk.

Thought I'd drop a few thoughts about 37" vs 42" for those passing up the 37" for a 42". Plenty of people running the 42s who are happy, but these are some things some people may not consider.

42" is a bit big for a PC monitor. By this I mean sitting 3-4 feet away in front of a desk as a dedicated PC monitor, not a HTPC or media center or something where the 42" would be just fine. 37" just seems to be the perfect fit for the depth of a typical desk as far as viewing distance, etc.

-Pixel pitch, which is already high, but doable on the 37" will be even larger on the 42".

-Fatigue, having to move your head or eyes constantly to scan the screen. The 37" is pretty much right at the boundry line between what is tolerable and what breaks the camels back for me.

-No room on desk for speakers, etc.

And the most serious problem for me:

-LCD viewing angle and back light bleeding and brightness uniformity. The larger the screen and the closer you sit to it, the more extreme the viewing angle of the edges compared to the center when you are positioned at the center of the display. Basically you are sitting so close that the edges appear dimmer or brighter than the center even though the screen itself is perfectly uniform. As you shift your head side to side the 'sweet spot' moves around. I notice this with the 37" just BARELY starting to take effect but just barely. Any bigger and I think it would be more than I could live with. Usually just try to pull my chair back another 6-12" or slouch back instead of leaning forward to compensate. Thats how 'just barely right for a PC monitor' the 37" is. 30" is too small and 42" is too big IMO.

 

[osiris3mc]

Yeah, I was planning on getting the 42 for TV/DVD/video games...I might run my laptop to it to watch stuff I have on it, but that would be about it.

 

[travisj]

Originally posted by: GeezerMan

Originally posted by: osiris3mc
So is it true that Costco will be selling the 42" Westy for $999 later this month or the next? I'm trying to decide what to buy...

That's the one I want to check out. This Westy is a good deal, but I really want to see one next to it with a better contrast ratio to compare.

I'm not 100% sure, but isn't the westy 42" 1200:1 contrast? I ask B/c the LVM-37 W3 se, the one with only 1 dvi port, is also 1200:1 contrast (the non-se version was 1000:1 and had 2 dvi ports). At least for me, costco shipped the second edition (1200 contrast).

 

[LOUISSSSS]

OMG just popped into this thread, is this deal for the 37" still going on?

 

[Fraggable]

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS
OMG just popped into this thread, is this deal for the 37" still going on?

It was yesterday, why don't you click the link and find out?...

 

[CherryBOMB]

*DEAD* and gone!

 

[osiris3mc]

Any news on the 42? I am looking at that Magnavox 42 that costco will be selling for 999 starting next week. I'd rather have the westy, but I am getting impatient. Magnavox: here

Oh, and there's that vizio deal which supposedly ends in a couple hours, the 42 also for 999.

I just don't know what to do...

 

[BentValve]

Yep the 42" is $999.........

http://www.costco.com/Browse/P...gnavox42in_BCEmail_211

 

[Tweak155]

Originally posted by: BentValve
Yep the 42" is $999.........

http://www.costco.com/Browse/P...gnavox42in_BCEmail_211

I think he meant Westinghouse.

 

[Heller]

doh, i should of jumped on this!

 

[deadseasquirrel]

It was really REALLY hard to give up this monitor. I bought it on the assumption that my current CRT was dying. No more than a mere second after I clicked the buy button, the problem on the CRT cleared up and didn't show up again.

I could tell my dad was eyeing the new Westy, and I really needed that $950 for a system-wide upgrade in the next 2 months or so, so I gave it to him. Taking it off my desk and slapping that 22" Mitsu in its place was just so... so... shocking. One of the largest CRT computer monitors made (and arguably one of the best) ended up looking like I was using a blackberry screen after being used to the Westy.

If there are any faults in the Westy, I sure didn't see them. The screen was a little bit big, but I got used to it quickly. Games looked great and casual desktop use was perfect. But I suppose I shall "suffer" through this Mitsu 22" until it actually does die. Or until I have enough disposable income for a 1080P monitor.