Beginning the process if upgrading the sony rear projection (~ 6 years old), sometime this coming year. I want one of those thin screens 55-70". I am not crazy about 3Dtv wearing the glasses and all but will this be the de facto standard? Will everyone need to wear those wacky glasses to watch TV?

I have not kept up on tv technology in the last 6 years.

What is your favorite set today??? any style. (under 4K)

You'll probably replace/upgrade your main tv 2-3 times before 3D technology is any good. If the blockbuster movie production houses are still having trouble getting it right, it's sure to be quite a while before it gets broad support in the home.

The quality of specific models within a manufacturer are pretty consistent as you increase the size up to the 55" range or so. Typically, the manufactures will have a few different lines they produce at the standard sizes - such as, Sony has an EX- line that comes in something like 32", 37", 42" etc and an NX line that comes in the same sizes but with different features.

Sony Bravia and Samsung have been proven leaders.

Do your research and have a decision made before going to the store. Stores will often optimize their higher-margin TVs so the pictures look better than the ones they make less money on - some stores have been found to have the cheaper TVs on Standard Def channels and the pricier units on HD channels.

Also, talking to the workers at any of the stores that sell TVs to try and get more info is a waste of your time. They are typically poorly trained or trained to guide you towards the higher-margin units.

Lastly, after you choose a TV and go to buy it... do not let them talk you into buying any cables or other accessories for the TV. Monster Cables, Gold-tipped, higher throughput, Next-Gen... these are all marketing buzz words that are used to convince you that the wires they sell at the store will perform better than the wires you get elsewhere. They aren't and they are a huge waste of money.

Buy your cables ahead of time from monoprice.com. You could save yourself up to $100 or more. Use that saves to buy a bigger/better TV.

Samsung beats them all IMHO

i was talking to one guy and he explained it to me and i agreed

that certain Tv's have such stark reality images that it looks
almost phony like your on the set of a filming studio

in other words everything is Blasted/ basted in bright white light
like your in the spot beam of a ufo

what ya want is to feel like your at the movies in a theatre
setting and about to enjoy a good film. plazma runs hot
and looks pixelated or looking thru a window screen.

i'll be waiting for the after xmas sales and won't buy anything with less than a 120 hz refresh rate

Jim , I did ton's of research on TV's and just pulled the trigger on a 60 inch Plazma LG , it has 3d and wifi etc etc cheap $1300 and it's a huge 1.5 inches thick lol , does not run hot and the picture is 2nd to none ................ MINT

I bought this one because it can Do 3DTV , and has wifi the most important thing ,
Netflex movies and Striped-bass.com over 60 inches ,
Some of the more $$ samsung may be bigger and have better wifi , As I have to buy a adapter / dongle for mine


Best price I found was from abes of maine on line .

Now to update all the little add -ons because they are so out dated, Sound , DVD , Games etc, PS3 is a quick fix :)
Wireless sound is next for me

Good luck

Yeah I have to re-do the entire package as well...old sound, dvd,games, routers, video receiver etc as well. I need a 60in(or better) screen (that is what I have now) ...would like bigger, it is in a large room so a 40" screen looks tiny. 60" is OK. 70 would be sweet. A Thin set that I could wall hang would be fantastic. and allow me to remove the stand and give me 2' more of room back.

There is a lot to chose from...LCD, fancy LCD's, Plasma, LED, 3dtv... I have a sony 60 a fancy lcd of some kind and it was fantastic but now the picture has a slight green tint to it and I can not clear it up via adjustments. I looked online and it seems to be a common problem. Earlier they replaced sets now...it is out of date so they are not doing anything. It was a great set and I was very pleased with it but I only got 6 years out if it. It can be fixed (for about 1K) but I would rather invest that in newer technology. It is still very watchable but my plasma in the bedroom is now better.

By the way... what to you do with all your obsolete electronics... TV's, computers, printers, etc? I have a boatload of it... I was thinking of creating my own offshore reef with it...
;) kidding of course

By the way... what to you do with all your obsolete electronics... TV's, computers, printers, etc? I have a boatload of it... I was thinking of creating my own offshore reef with it...
;) kidding of course
If they have little residual value I just drill the hard drives and take them to the electronics recycling POD at the dump.

-spence

If they have little residual value I just drill the hard drives and take them to the electronics recycling POD at the dump.

-spence


Does it cost you anything ? Here it costs like 50 bucks to throw away a TV

+1 sony bravia

Spent all morning reading reviews...wow...things have changed in the last few years.

Right now I have two on my list....Samsung PN64D8000 and the Panasonic TC-P65VT30 ...both seem great and are in the $2500 range. (+/- a few hundred) There are some suble differences that to be honest...I probably could not tell the difference.

I will let it simmer for a few days than take another look.

I have a high end samsung that has a great picture. No issues with quality after 3 years.

By the way... what to you do with all your obsolete electronics... TV's, computers, printers, etc? I have a boatload of it... I was thinking of creating my own offshore reef with it...
;) kidding of course

Best Buy takes it all ....free of charge

don't forget to get the cart from the store first-eh?

Yeah I have to re-do the entire package as well...old sound, dvd,games, routers, video receiver etc as well. I need a 60in(or better) screen (that is what I have now) ...would like bigger, it is in a large room so a 40" screen looks tiny. 60" is OK. 70 would be sweet. A Thin set that I could wall hang would be fantastic. and allow me to remove the stand and give me 2' more of room back.

There is a lot to chose from...LCD, fancy LCD's, Plasma, LED, 3dtv... I have a sony 60 a fancy lcd of some kind and it was fantastic but now the picture has a slight green tint to it and I can not clear it up via adjustments. I looked online and it seems to be a common problem. Earlier they replaced sets now...it is out of date so they are not doing anything. It was a great set and I was very pleased with it but I only got 6 years out if it. It can be fixed (for about 1K) but I would rather invest that in newer technology. It is still very watchable but my plasma in the bedroom is now better.

Sony was building some serious junk for quite a few years. They won't in the strictest sense admit it, but when a company starts replacing failed sets at discounted prices and making people sign something stating they won't bad mouth Sony in exchange for the replacement discounted set... IMO you are basically admitting you were making junk.

I had one of the TV's you speak of, an LCD rear projection, and was fortunately able to take advantage of the getting the set replaced through the "secret recall". Only got 3 years out of mine and initially they told me to pound sand or pay big $$ for the repair. As you noted it was a rather common failure on many of their sets and thanks to the Internet people became aware. Lawsuits started flying, websites and Facebook pages dedicated to the issue popped up, etc.

Should you be grumpy enough about the whole thing (and having 3 year old expensive and defective TV with known issues and being told to GTFO I was heated...) this website has all the details. https://sites.google.com/site/sonylcdrptvproblems/

According the the bulletin across the top of that page they may still be running discounted prices for defective sets, although the discount isn't as good as what I took advantage of a year or two ago. If they were - there's no question it would be an avenue you'd want to consider.

Did you look at the new Sharp Aquos, 70" LED/LCD no 3D, $2300?

http://www.amazon.com/AQUOS-LC-70LE632U-70-LED-LCD-TV/dp/B005LYRYPE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1323701112&sr=8-3

I sent a non-hostile email to sony explaining my dilemma. They got back to me with a person to contact. I called them and I told them I loved this tv until it turned slightly green about a month ago and felt it provided me with good service I just wished it would have lasted a couple more years (I got 6 out of it) They got back to me and offered me 2 deals that are pretty good.

The best one is a 60" LED 3D tV (kdl60ex720) for $1400
or a 55" TDL55ex500 for $770.

Both are decent and I may just take the LED and chalk it up to a minor upgrade. I will ask if they would discount their new 64" top of the line model (a $5000 tv) but for 1400 bucks I just may move on this one. It is better than what I have now (even if repaired) and the same size. There are better TV's out there that I would rather have I like some panasonic's and some samsung's but for the money I am liking this. I need to sleep on it for a couple days.

On the south shore it doesn't cost to drop a TV off at recycling because a firm in Brockton comes around with a truck and picks them up for free. I guess there are precious metals, gold?, inside that makes it worth it. But some of the stuff is a little hazardous I believe. I don't know what happens afterward to them, crusher, I guess. I had a phone conversation with the owner of the recycling firm once, and he wasn't to friendly. I believe what makes it profitable was that he underpaid imigrants to do the work. Sorry to digress. That being said, I love Toshiba!

pulled the trigger, did the upgrade thru Sony for the 60. I saw the TV in BB, it was 2800 all in, it will be fine (not my first choice but fine)and for the money I can't say no. They were very nice and basically by accepting the upgrade I can't sue them...

I told my wife ...if your car breaks after 6 years of daily use, do you expect GM/Ford/even Mercedes will say...Oh, sorry to hear about that here is a deal, I'll give you 50% off retail from your next new car. More than likely, they will say...sorry and give you a bill for the repair or a window sticker for a new one.