Help a Reader: Me Again

Ok, I need some help again. We've decided that we're getting a new (bigger) TV. It's been about 15 years since we purchased our last one, so it's time for an upgrade. We've done our research (both with Consumer reports as well as looking at options in stores) and there seems to be a TON of conflicting information/opinions our there. I know I'll probably get the same here, but I thought it at least worth a shot to hear what you all had to say on the subject. So here are some thoughts/questions to get you going:

• Do the newest (120 Hz) LCDs have the "motion blur" that LCDs are "known for"? We watch sports and play video games on our TV and don't want any sort of blur. We've been told (and read) that these LCDs do (some say) and do not (others say) have motion blur. What's the truth?

• Do plasmas have "burn in" at all or is this something that also used to happen but doesn't any longer? Is plasma going to be around in five years? Seems like LCDs are killing plasma.

• How important is 1080p versus 720p? Anyone really notice a difference in these two?

• Size? We're looking between 40 and 50 inches (a big gap, I know). Any pros or cons to any of these?

• Brands? We've been told (and read) that Sony, Samsung, Toshiba and Panasonic seem to be winners. True?

• Where to buy? Options, options, options...

• What accessories do we need? Surge protector, etc.?

• Should we wait for technology? Is there anything breaking that we'll really need/want and thus should wait for? For example, TVs seem to be moving towards better/easier web connectivity. Is this something we will want? Is it coming soon?

Answers to these and any other thoughts you may have on the issue would be very much appreciated.

Comments

[Reid]

I have a 2 year old 37" LCD from Olevia. I haven't noticed any motion blur, and I pretty much only watch hockey, which is the fastest sport. Some people swear they see it on their ts. Most Tv isn't going to be 1080p yet. That is all I know. Just get lots of inputs on it. and make sure you like how the tuners handle before you buy it. The brain in mine is slow.

[Matt]

I have a 40 inch samsung 1080p. I love it. I read that anything over 40 inches you need 1080p. I watch a lot of ESPN and Atlanta Braves and I don't notice any blur.

I bought from Amazon. Free shipping and no tax. The first TV I got was busted. I was very upset. But Amazon made it right in short order and didn't question it.

My friend also bought his 40 inch samsung from Amazon as well and had no difficulty.

[Matthew]

Samsung or Sony Bravia's are excellent TVs. I debated and shopped for awhile and ended on a Sony Bravia KDL-46Z4100. I found it on clearance at Ultimate Electronics, but all they had was a beat up floor model. Best Buy price matched it, so I ended up with a new one. I narrowed it down because Samsung and Sony both have great performance for the price. I chose Sony because it has a matte screen which is quite important in my very bright living room. Samsungs have a glossy screen which gives it a bit of a better appearance of contrast ratio, but you can use it as a mirror.

I chose the Z series because of it's specs, and when I saw it in person, it's fantastic.
The 4100 is the 2008 model, the 5100's are 2009.
The samsungs are great too, the A series is last year, the B series are this year.

Hope that helps.

[John @ Hard Work Blogging]

* 120 Hz LCDs can have motion blur. depends on the source. they are a lot less likely than 60Hz to have blur. In my experience i have not noticed motion blur.

* Plasma does still have burn in. Unless you are using it for a security monitor you will likely not have any problems. tv, games, etc will not burn in under common use. you might notice a 'memory' of the last image that was on the screen but it goes away when you use the screen again.

* 1080p vs 720p - can you tell the difference between 128kb mp3 files and lossless audio? can you read every line on eye charts? do you normally increase computer monitor resolution to the maximum? Do you have 1080p signal sources (most HD cable services are not at 1080p) If you don't answer yes to at least one you will likely not notice the difference in 1080p vs 720p.

*Size? i say get the best quality and largest size you can in your price range.

*Brands? Those 4 are good. i prefer Sony and Panasonic myself but that is personal preference.

*Buy somewhere you feel comfortable. Once again personal preference. I prefer Sears to Best Buy. Both price match. But i prefer stores to online.

*Accessories - A Harmony remote; and power station or ups. both clean power signals and reduce spikes much better than just a surge protector.

*I know of nothing coming soon that would be worth waiting for.

[Sean]

I have a 2.5 year old Sony Bravia XBR2 40" LCD that I love and has been really great for me. That said, here is my opinion on your questions:

* motion blur? On mine at least I don't notice any motion blur and I've watched many an action film. If it's there I simply haven't noticed it and I'm pretty picky about such things.
* burn-in? I can't speak to this. I went LCD because they put off less heat and the burn-in scared me, but you will get a more "true" black with plasma from what I hear

* 1080p vs 720p - I went 1080p because I figured I may as well buy as high as I can. Everything I've read says 40" or less don't bother with 1080p, but I have to say to my eyes 1080p looks noticeably better even on my 40"
* Size? Depends on how far away your tv is from your couch...or just how big you wanna go :-)
* Brands? I love my Sony, my recommendation is to go into a store and look at them side-by-side. Apparently, the Sony and Sharp Aquos used the panel for the LCD at the time, but the Sony looked way better. From what I understand this is because the Sony has a better processor which is especially important for non-HD material, the upscaling on the Sony is amazing.
* Where to buy? I bought from vanns.com they offered an unbeatable price, no taxes, free shipping, a free harmony remote ($100 value) and 24 months no interest at the time, so I could continue earning interest on the money I had saved for the tv while waiting to actually pay the final bill. Also, they had great customer service and prompt delivery.
* What accessories do we need? Invest in a good surge protector, it's always worth while.
* Should we wait for technology? You will always be waiting for technology, just jump when it feels right, sometimes you hit, sometimes you miss, c'est la eletronics vie

[Neil]

How important is 1080p versus 720p? Anyone really notice a difference in these two?

If you ever plan on hooking up a PC or a Blueray player to your TV go 1080P, otherwise if you are just watching HDTV, 720P is fine.

Size? We're looking between 40 and 50 inches (a big gap, I know). Any pros or cons to any of these?

Go as big as you can. The resolution of the new TV's makes it to where you can watch them at a much closer distance than older TV's.

Should we wait for technology? You will always be waiting for technology, just jump when it feels right, sometimes you hit, sometimes you miss, c'est la eletronics vie

If you wait for technology you will never have the opportunity to sit down and enjoy the TV. There will always be something newer and better...

[Saro]

60Hz or 120 Hz ?
I never noticed any blur on my Sony XBR6 - 120Hz while watching sports or movie. Picture quality is great.

How important is 1080p versus 720p? Anyone really notice a difference in these two?
I don't think with current HD channels you would notice any difference in pic quality. But it might make diff in future tech development

Size?
Mostly it depends on your room size, go for bigger size within your budget.

Brands?
I personally prefer SONY as I am still using my 11 year old SONY(tube) tv and never had any issue till date. Samsung also has great LCDs.

Where to buy? Options, options, options...
Since you are in Detroit, Check out ABC warehouse(you can negotiate price) where I got good deal last Dec 2008 and you could check Costco also(NO negotiation but you get 1 year extended warranty for free)

What accessories do we need? Surge protector, etc.?
I bought a Blue ray DVD player as bundled offer. It is almost like free.
HDMI cables

[A_Muslim]

I don't notice any difference between 60Hz or 120Hz or for that matter 240Hz (newest kind.) How the heck did we survived when the only option we had were 60Hz? Now, I would like to purchase one of those really, really thin LED TV. But they are still very expensive. Those things are so darn cool and space saving. I hate clutters. If money is no object, you may look into one of these:

http://www.samsung.com/us/productsubtype/led/

They are top of the line in everything. 120Hz, super-megazoid, trans-atlantic, XBR, QPF, etc, etc, etc. (I made these qualities up :P.) So is the price. You can get a 40-incher for less than 1500USD. Probably even less if you hunt for a better deal. Frame that sucker up on your wall and enjoy some clutter free TV.

[MC]

I have a 2 yr old Sony 37" LCD 1080p TV. Never noticed any motion blur.

- I'm not sure if my cable provider broadcasts HD higher than 720p--you might check with your local service to see if they are actually sending signals at 1080p. I bought a 1080p though because I don't plan to buy another TV for 10 yrs or so.

- Regarding size---you need to consider the size of your room and how far away you will be viewing it. The bigger the screen, the farther you need to sit away. I wouldn't want anything larger than 37" in my family room--too small a room.

- Get an adequate surge protector of course.

- I got it from Best Buy (I know, I know)--but it was a good price and they had a deal where they would deliver and set it up for free. I'm a small-ish woman and I knew I wouldn't even be able to get it out of the box by myself.

- re accessories: At the same time I got the TV, I purchased a Sony DVD player that up-converts normal DVDs to something close to HD. Really makes a difference. My old DVD player played awful-looking stuff on the large screen.

[Josh Stein]

I wonder if the 5" B&W television I set up with an antenna-to-coax connection to our cable will still work now that we have that digital conversion thingee going.

[Harry Crawford]

I bought a 40" Samsung, Model 40A650, 120 hz, 1080P. I love it. I would recommend Samsung or Sony. You should stand to the side of them and see which one has the least fall-off of color and clarity. I recommend 1080p, a very fast refresh rate (my Samsung has 4ms, about the fastest I've read about), and 240 hz (just coming out). I purchased mine from Amazon and received free shipping. My neighbor has a 40" Sony and he loves his.

I would recommend a surge protector (I bought APC SurgeArrest) that has an RF jack and a warranty that guarantees equipment replacement up to about $50,000. I like the fact that if lightning or a power outage zaps my TV, APC is on the hook to replace my equipment up to the maximum their specific Surge Arrest is guaranteed for (like $50,000).

If I had to do anything over again, I would get the 40A750 which has PC/internet capabilities which the 40A650 doesn't have. I may never use those capabilities, but they would be nice to have.

[J. Miller]

The answers to these questions are very subjective, so the final answers rest with your judgment. Because you asked, I will give you my take. I am a technophile who has closely followed home theater developments and products for the last seven or so years and who has been to CES two years running -- just to see the new products. I don't work in the industry or make any money from it.

1. Any television with a touted refresh rate above 60 Hz is using the video processing circuitry in the TV to create frames that aren't really there in the source material. This technology seems to vary by manufacturer and is still maturing. I would expect LCD TVs with faster fresh rates to have less motion blur, but I don't have much personal experience to compare other than in-store viewing and canned demos at CES. (Yes, faster moving text is more readible the faster the touted refresh rate.) You should compare this feature in-store with known source material if this is a dealbreaker. Make sure this feature is fully enabled on the TV (it's often buried in menus and called something else) and test with fast motion in sports and/or camera pans. Personally, I found 120 Hz on the Sony XBR8 models to look overly smooth and somewhat wrong. Some Samsung models are now touting 240 Hz modes. Although the technology is different, some people see differences with plasmas, as well. I noticed some plasma models claiming 600 Hz, but I can't vouch for that. My Pioneer plasma is 60 Hz and I notice less than smooth motion in camera pans and fast motion, but it doesn't overly bother me. Some people don't notice it at all.

2. Plasmas still do experience some burn in and after image -- it is the nature of the phosphor technology -- but it isn't a big issue for plasmas sold today. It won't be a problem during regular viewing unless you leave a static image on the screen (or a portion thereof) for hours. Even then, most plasmas have a built-in feature to wipe the display clean. Plasmas will still be around in 5 years, but LCD really has overtaken the market based on price and size. Two final points on LCD vs. plasma. Weight: plasmas are much heavier than LCDs so verify the weight capacity of your TV stand and the strength of your unpacking crew. Power consumption: a plasma TV uses ~40-60% more power than a comparably sized LCD, and any new LCD will probably use more than your current 15-year-old TV.

3. The benefit of 1080p first requires 1080p source material (currently only Bluray discs and video game consoles). Then, the question depends on the size of the display and your viewing distance. My rule of thumb is that you probably won't notice a benefit of 1080p on a 42" or smaller display unless you are really close (< 10 feet). For 50" and larger displays, you will begin to notice a difference, assuming normal viewing distance of 10-12 feet. If you are gaming on Xbox 360 or PS3, you might want 1080p. Most games today, however, are rendered at a lower resolution that is scaled to 1080p, so the benefit is somewhat less than advertised. The Wii does not offer HD output (only up to 480p), so there is no benefit from 1080p. FYI, most HD broadcast or cable television is currently 720p or 1080i.

4. See #3. My suggestion is to go as big as you can on your budget -- particularly for a first-time HDTV buyer. It isn't long after getting your first 42" HDTV home, that you begin thinking, "I could easily fit a 50" or 55" TV there."

5. For LCD, I stick with the 3-S's Sony, Samsung, and Sharp. I also liked some of the new LG models at CES, but I don't know if they are out yet. Plus, this year's model means it has the highest price. For plasma, I stick with Panasonic and Pioneer. None of these brands are the cheapest, but I find that they reproduce moving images and colors the best, and those are my primary requirements for a TV.

6. After going the online route in the past for a better price, I stick with local big box retailers for HDTV purchases because they are generally less hassle for purchase, delivery, and issue resolution. I also buy with my Visa because it doubles the warranty (up to an extra year). With that, I end up with a free 2-year warranty, which I have used in the past. Aside: the power supply in my 42" Westinghouse once blew up in month 22 and Visa covered the repair.

7. Warranties and accessories are all high-margin items, so shop with that in mind and be ready for the up-sell. Better yet, prepare beforehand.

You shouldn't need to purchase an extended warranty because the manufacturer usually gives you one year and Visa gives you another year.

A surge protector is a must, but I would choose a model from a reputable manufacturer and buy separately based on price. Right now, I would buy one from APC. Their products are UL-certified, which surprisingly is not always the case in hometheaterland.

For cables, resist the up-sell and buy from monoprice.com -- you'll save a ton. Be forewarned, cables are often filled with snake oil claims and fraud. Resist. See audioholics.com for the debunking.

Finally, if you buy from a big box store, they'll suggest you pay for in-home setup and calibration. Assuming you are reasonably technically competent (e.g., you can hook up a computer), you can hookup the cables and get the TV setup. FYI, you'll likely need a second person to unpack and hoist the TV to its pedestal. Most HDTVs from the major manufacturers come reasonably well calibrated out of the box. You can get closer with the calibration included with any DVD movie that is THX certified (or even closer with a $20-30 dedicated calibration DVD/Bluray).

For further discussion of a particular question, I trust articles from the writers at www.audioholics.com. They debunk home-theater snake oil with science and have no qualms about saying so. They have an online store now, but I hvae yet to avail myself of it. If you have questions about a particular model TV, I would search the avsforums.com. I have confirmed several bugs and nits with specific HDTVs models in the past.

[bob]

Forget all that.

Go to Walmart. Buy a Sanyo 50" 720P for $800.

IT will work just fine. You will never notice any 120HZ blur or 1080P "difference".

And you will spend less than half of what you normally would.

[Wise Money Matters]

120Hz Motion Blur

You will likely notice it on some content and not others. It really depends. It makes some content looks great and others not. You can turn it off and on as you see fit. I would recommend getting it if it's in the budget.

Plasmas

The Plasma burn in is no longer an issue with newer plasmas. It takes a REALLY long time to burn in (as in 8-10 hours) and most Plasma's have built in screen refreshes in the menu to guard against that.

Plasmas are cheaper in the 50" range but more expensive below 42". It doesn't matter if the technology goes away, they are great TVs. Plasma tends to have better black performance and a more natural look to them. LCD's tend to have a brighter display and often look better in the showroom because their whites are so over-exaggerated. A properly calibrated Plasma will usually look better than a properly calibrated LCD if you are anal about perfect picture quality. That being said, I have an LCD which I personally calibrated and am fine with it.

1080p vs 720p

Huge difference at 50". Minor difference at 42". No real difference below that. Note that you need a 1080p source to notice a difference. HD Cable or Satellite is sent at 720p so you really only notice on Blu-Ray (which is amazing I might add).

Size

As stated above, Plasma is cheaper at 50". They usually run similar at 46" and LCD tend to edge out Plasma at 42". Bigger is obviously better but you really need 1080p at the higher size and the prices are usually pretty high. There are size calculators and such if you want true Dolby certified sizing but I just prefer the biggest I can afford. Also bigger makes 1080p look amazing!

Brands

Sony or Samsung are the real winners. I prefer Samsung because you tend to get more bang for your buck. That being said, I own a Sony because Best Buy was getting rid of the floor model and I got $700 off.

If you go Plasma, Pioneer was the best with their Kuro line. They discontinued it and I think Panasonic is taking it over. They are pricey but WELL worth it if you want the best.

If you are looking to save money, Vizio makes surprisingly good TV's as well. They are a budget brand but raelly make a good product.

Where to buy

Best Buy. You can shop around online and find competitive quotes and Best Buy will usually match them but often their prices are close enough anyways. Just don't buy any HDMI cables (or any cables for that matter) from them. You can get an HDMI cable at Best Buy for $70-$120 or at Monoprice.com for $5. Same quality.

Accessories

Surge protectors are always good. APC is best in this category. HDMI/component cables. If your receiver/source takes HDMI, go with that. Component maxes out at 720p/1080i. Plus it's less clutter as audio and video are in one cable. Just remember, don't buy these at Best Buy. Monoprice.com is the best.

Should we wait for technology

There has been something new every other year for the past few years. There's no getting around that. One of the newer technologies that I do recommend is LED backlights. They provide better color and quicker turn on. It's one thing I wish I would've waited for but my TV is still gorgeous. Also note that much of the web connectivity is also showing up on Blu-Ray players. So if you have Netflix and want it's online selection on your TV, you can eventually get a Blu-Ray player and get such functionality. Plus companies like Roku and Boxee have/are releasing boxes which do all of the cool web stuff you want for under $100. Don't waste thousands on a TV with specific functionality when you can get the same for under $100 plus the advantage of upgrade-ability.

[tom]

Motion Blur:
- Not noticeable on either LCD or Plasma anymore. 120Hz is the new standard.

Plasma vs. LCD:
- Plasma used to be king, now LCD has taken over. LCD is the way to go, all of the benefits of plasmas are now seen in LCDs and more. The new technology is LED LCD. They are extremely thin, have better contrast and brightness.

720p or 1080p:
- I do notice 1080p when watching Blu-Ray movies. You'd be hard pressed to find a new 720p TV. 1080p will be the new standard as soon as technology catches up. 1080p will be more noticeable as you increase your screen size.

Size:
- Most LCDs come in 40" and 46" in your range. It all depends on how far away you sit and how much you are willing to spend. In an average sized living room, I think the consensus is "the bigger the better". It's your preference and budget that determine this one.

Brand:
- Consumer Reports ranks Samsung LCDs in the top 3 of every size category. Doing an "eyeball" comparison at Best Buy, Samsung had the best picture. That is my brand of choice. Samsung seems to be developing the newest technology faster than Sony or Toshiba, the other 2 major LCD producers.

Where to buy:
- I bought my TV at Best Buy and took advantage, multiple times, of their price match guarantee. I also asked for a 10% off coupon which they gave me, no questions asked. After all said and done, my TV was marked down about $400 off original sales price. Costco also has a great warranty, but limited selection. I prefer a store vs. online for a large purchase like this.

Accessories:
- HDMI cables, from www.monoprice.com, cheapest around and great quality. DO NOT BUY MONSTER CABLES, they are excellent quality, but extremely expensive. Get a good quality surge protector. If you get a TV wall mount, monoprice has those for cheap also (again, good quality as I mounted mine with it). You shouldn't need anything else.

Wait?:
- LED LCD is a new expensive technology that you might want to wait for the price to go down. The benefit is thinner, lighter TV that uses less power, with more vivid, deeper colors. As for web connectivity... you have a computer, do you really need your computer to connect to the web? You can always plug in a cable from your computer to the TV and use it as a monitor.

I bought my 46" Samsung 1080p 120Hz LCD a year and a half ago and am still thrilled with it. Good luck and have fun looking.

[JimL]

40-50"? Why do small. The only way to go is front projection using at least a 100" screen!!!!!

As for the question at hand, go out and look at a few models. Then, I would suggest going to the following forum and look at what current owners have to say about them:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=9/

This website is probably the largest one out there on home theater enthusiasts. Note that they have separated out the different types of displays (LCD, plasma, screen, projectors, etc.)

As for dealers, there are great companies on-line like Visual Apex. Make sure you understand each companies dead pixel policy. Places like Visual Apex will take a return for this, whereas other dealers consider that a certain amount is acceptable and not a reason for return.

[mrm]

I bought an LG over Sony because with Sony you're just paying for the name. I negotiated a good price - in my opinion (about $1,100) for our 47" LCD 1080p 120Hz refresh TV. The same TV everywhere else was going for $1,600+.

We only buy TVs when ours literally die so I am alright with getting something like that right now.

You should pick a size that goes with your room's decor. You don't want to walk in the room and have your attention immediately drawn to the TV, that's just tacky. Even if you're like me and love some football.

We LOVE the quality of our TV and don't regret our decision to spend $1,100 instead of $800. WalMart's selection is crap.

[chynalemay]

Consumer Reports Magazine on "the rack" now has larger TV ratings, etc., I am very satisfied w/ my Toshiba Regza 47", it was as big as I could fit in my alvoe and I wanted a TV w/ HDMI input(s) to stream from my laptop, VERY important (!) to watch TV on the net!! I'm an OTA watcher, not cable as OTA typically has better picture quality ... and the 120hz, I "think" is nice but, never really noticed it except on the TV's demo track where it's obvious. Unless you sit close, go as BIG as you can afford w/ an LCD set and be sure the input/output "jacks" are what you want AND need, now AND in the future..."Best Buy" matches Wal-Mart prices and if near buy you: "Video Only" stores have knowledgeable staff and even BETTER Prices...

[Tim]

Where to buy? Be sure to go somewhere with a good return policy. You don't want to be charged a restocking fee if something is not to your satisfaction. For example, I know many big shop retailers will not allow you to return your LCD TV with burned out pixels directly out of the box. I bought my TV at Sam's Club 2 years ago as they have a no questions asked return policy (at least they did 2 years ago). Do your research on this. You don't want to spend $1000 and not be completely happy.

[Richard]

Regardless of what TV you select, as FMF you owe it to your readers to ASK FOR A DISCOUNT!!! We better hear a good story of you getting run out of Best Buy because the manager wouldn't give you an extra 5% off the floor model ;)

[Brian]

You know what? You will be pulling your hair out if you listen to all of these comments.

Trust me, I just purchased a tv and it was difficult.

Take your take time, do your homework and look at the tv in person. On something like this, you'll get what you pay for mostly.

Talk to an informed sales rep (most likely *not* someone at Best Buy - more like Sears or something) and tell them not to bs you.

As for reading all the comments here, forget about it as a good deal of them are misinformed (i.e. plasma burn in etc).

Good luck!

[Paula]

love my Sony Bravia 1080. Great for sports, bought it because the quality of the picture was better than the others that we looked at. Never noticed blur. Have noticed how disgusting baseball dugouts are!

[Dedicated]

We have a 42" LCD and it is plenty big for our large living room. Size does matter and should be determined by room size.

The 1 main difference between Plasma & LCD is where you can put them. LCD does not show the reflection of the windows in a room, where Plasma does (making it more suitable for a basement or darker area).

Plasma will burn, but it takes a long, long time and it also takes a continuous or some what continuous watch of the same thing - say channel 7 with their news logo on the corner all the time. You should still get the standard 20 years though (estimated life of t.v.s)

There is a difference in picture clarity and I would definitely go up to the 1080p. Hard to see in stores, but with a quality movie you can see - depends on if you care.

[FMF]

Thanks for all your help! I appreciate the feedback and suggestions!

[Maria]

We have had 3 Sony's and they have all served well. The trinitron we bought in 1980 is still providing outstanding service. When we left the "glass tube" we went to Samsung, 52" DLP and never looked back. It is a bit bigger (bulkier, about 14" deep), but the DLP is worth the compromise. We negotiated the extended warranty into the price, and have used it once after a move to get the mirrors realigned. Hubby is a techno geek and did about 6 months worth of research prior to purchase. His greatest concern was pixel burn-out, not burn in. Once it happens can't be fixed.
Lastly, I dont know if its true or not, we also negotiated a package price including a new DVD player of the same brand, according to the sales associate, this makes setup easier for the do it your selfer.

[John]

Samsung all the way. Go for their newest LED tv's. They are thin, lightweight, have a 240hz refresh rate and are top of the line for image quality. 46" msrp is $3199. LED tv's will soon take over both LCD and plasma, so why not be a little ahead of the curve?

UN46B8000 46" 1080p LED HDTV

http://www.samsung.com/us/consumer/detail/detail.do?group=televisions&type=televisions&subtype=ledtv&model_cd=UN46B8000XFXZA

[rwh]

I think your readers really watch a lot of TV.

[Ryan]

Do the newest (120 Hz) LCDs have the "motion blur" that LCDs are "known for"? We watch sports and play video games on our TV and don't want any sort of blur. We've been told (and read) that these LCDs do (some say) and do not (others say) have motion blur. What's the truth?
[Ryan]: Motion blur is caused by the response of the pixel when the voltage is turned off. MOST modern LCD panels used in TVs are of the 11ms or faster variety. Most people won't notice any "blur" at this point. 120 hz refresh can help with this because technically the frames don't change as significantly which can help mask this issue. I'm a gamer, and I play a lot on an LCD panel that is 12ms/60hz (a few years older) and it is fine, I don't have a problem with it.

*

Do plasmas have "burn in" at all or is this something that also used to happen but doesn't any longer? Is plasma going to be around in five years? Seems like LCDs are killing plasma.
*
[RYAN]: Yes, Most new panels incorporate pixel orbiting technologies that help prevent this. Practically speaking, changing your picture mode and lowering the brightness from default (torch mode) settings will prevent this issue. LCD is nearly the quality of Plasma at this point, although high quality (read: expensive) Plasma panels still have better contrast and black levels than LCDs, you are in the 5k+ range at the point where you would see a difference.

How important is 1080p versus 720p? Anyone really notice a difference in these two?
*
[RYAN]: This is purely a function of how far you are sitting from the screen. If it is (generally speaking) 11 ft or more you will not see a difference, your eye simply cannot perceive it at that distance. Most TVs @42+ inches are 1080p at this point anyway...

Size? We're looking between 40 and 50 inches (a big gap, I know). Any pros or cons to any of these?
*
[RYAN]: If you sit closer than 8 feet you probably want less than 50" and definitely 1080p. Personally, I always buy the biggest TV I can afford that fits in the space I plan to have. It is just more satisfying, better experience.

Brands? We've been told (and read) that Sony, Samsung, Toshiba and Panasonic seem to be winners. True?
*
[RYAN] Sony, hands down. Samsung makes excellent, quality sets, as does JVC. Stay away from Panasonic, they don't last as long, generally speaking.

Where to buy? Options, options, options...
*
[RYAN]: for me, this comes down to price. Find the TV you want, and look for the best price on a new (not refurbished) set. Don't forget to factor in shipping vs. tax and if you have a local mom and pop place, call them before you order to see if they'll match or come close to the internet price. Sometimes they will come close, and that extra couple of hundred will get you in that new TV sooner. :-)

What accessories do we need? Surge protector, etc.?
*
[RYAN]: If you are getting an RPTV you need a battery backup. Otherwise a regular surge protector will work. If it does stage 3 or better filtering, even better.

Should we wait for technology? Is there anything breaking that we'll really need/want and thus should wait for? For example, TVs seem to be moving towards better/easier web connectivity. Is this something we will want? Is it coming soon?
[RYAN]: This is a dangerous game to play, there is always something better on the horizon. At this point, there are a smattering of interesting technologies being pushed, BUT THERE IS NOTHING GAME CHANGING, say like HDTV is. Make sure you get a TV with a tuner, and speakers, and HDMI 1.3 inputs. Otherwise, forget the hype. If your TV is 15 years old you have already stretched that 5 years longer than the average (good for you!) and you are missing out on high quality programming you could be watching now. The leap to HD is an order of magnitude better, and you work hard and deserve to enjoy that! :-)

Good luck, and given all the great advice I've gotten from you for free, feel free to email me if you have more questions, I'd be happy to help.

-Ryan

[Rae]

I've been extremely impressed with budget brand Vizio. Personally, I find their color much better than any of the other "cheap" brands, and on par with the mid-range Samsungs and Sonys (although both of those company have high-end models that Vizio can't match - but then, they're also 3-4x the price).

I can't say much toward your other questions... we have a 32" 720p plasma. I have noticed some ghosting when we turn on the TV or if the screen goes black for any amount of time, the last image will be faintly visible, but it quickly goes away when a new image comes up. At that size, I frankly can't tell the difference between 720 and 1080, however I do think it's more obvious with larger sets. Also, and this gets into some semantics, our tv is technically a little higher-res than 720p, but I can't tell the difference between 720 and full HD broadcasts on our set.

As far as accessories/surge protectors go, however, I am in love with our surge protector strip that automatically cuts power to all items in the entertainment system when we turn off the TV. We did see our energy bill drop when we bought that - no more accidentally forgetting to turn off the sound system/dvd player when we turn off the TV. It also has a few additional outlets that are always "on" and not controlled by TV if you don't want to cut power to the cable/satellite box. I can't think of the brand right now - we bought ours from Circut City when it was being liquidated, but I know you can probably find them if you search for TV-controlled power outlet or something.

[Eden]

Definitely go with Consumer Reports recommendations. I recently bought one of the 46" 120HZ 1080P Samsung LCDs they recommended. I couldn't be happier.

120HZ is HUGE for sports, but looks bad for regular TV and movies. I only turn it on for sports and video games. I wouldn't consider 720P. It honestly looks like crap in comparison.

46" is plenty large for our room, we sit about 8' from the TV. Consider TV size based on your room size.

And if you don't get a true digital source, your TV will still look bad. DirecTV is awesome and I would never go back to cable...if you want the full experience, I'd check that out. They broadcast everything they can in full 1080P, even if your cable is 'digital' they are compressing it and not giving you the true experience. You can't see the difference until you've seen the difference, but it is quite noticeable once you have.

Good luck!

[Eugene Krabs]

A lot of stuff said here, and overall, I think they are pretty good advice.

Another factor that does not appear to have been mentioned is viewing distance. Here's a helpful chart:

http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-7608_7-6871238-2.html

For your 1080p resolution to make a difference, it is ideal to stay within those ranges.

To emphasize, it's highly recommended that you go and see display models for yourself. And when you do, I recommend to watch it from the distance that you will be watching if it was set up in your home.

[Wise Money Matters]

One thing to note is that display models are often setup incorrectly and can be deceiving. Many manufacturers hike up some of the brightness and contrast in order to catch you attention. Enthusiasts call this "torch mode". This is why LCD screens look better on the display floor than Plasma and probably a reason why LCD is winning.

Make sure you get a hold of the remote and change the brightness and contrast to their neutral setting (usually either 0 or 50 depending on the numbering system) and then watch the display. I can't tell you the amount of difference in quality between a properly calibrated TV and a poorly calibrated TV. You get so much more detail when the TV is calibrated correctly.

[Eugene Krabs]

That's true, but what's worth considering as well is that most store tend to be very brightly lit. And when you set up at home, ideally, the room should be shaded.

So, unless it's a specialized room that is set aside for TV viewing (some Best Buys are, but not all), then turning the brightness and contrast up and down isn't going to give you a realistic depiction of image color quality in a true home set up.

However, what is useful to look for when watching display models is to comparing 1080p details, and 60hz vs. 120hz for that matter, to see if you can pick out any discernible differences that way.

[Jeremy]

Just to throw my thoughts in the ring. I have a 1080p Vizio that I purchased at a local BJ's. I watched it side by side with a Samsung both optimized with settings from avsforum.com and I couldn't tell much of a difference except over $1,400 in price difference. I would check out avsforum on whatever models you're considering and go for the best deal.

Word is, FSC will be in HD soon. I know that thought will excite you. Confed. cup was all in HD and was AMAZING. FSC in SD is acceptable with bars on the sides, not so much when stretched or zoomed. I cannot wait for EPL, Serie A, and La Liga in HD. I am w/ Time Warner and the weekly HDNET games were amazing before TW dropped HDNET.

[FMF]

Jeremy --

Do you know if I can buy basic cable from Comcast and then add the FSC from there? If so, I'm in. Just saw that FSC is the new home of the Champion's League (so long ESPN.)

[Jeremy]

Quick google search makes it look like Comcast Basic + $5 for FSC.

Thrilled with the transfer of the Champion's League. I hope FSC moves up the HD timeline. Initial word was by the end of 2010. Hopefully sooner...

[kitty]

I have 46" Sony Bravia that I bought in November of 2007. The model was an older one at the time, and I kind of regret not buying the newer model.

It is fine and I didn't notice any blurring a) black isn't a true black, you can see the light b) there is an issue with clouding which is only noticeable when there is nothing on the screen. The comments on amazon mention it. I heard their new models resolved both of these issues. I had known about these issues when I bought, but I figured they aren't that important to me.

Something you may want to consider is to go to any store, and look at a) black - is it really black? b) when you move to the side, how do the colors look?

Another thing I'd suggest is to go to amazon, search for few models you like and read the reviews. I found the reviews on amazon, especially negative reviews, very helpful. More so than in consumer reports.

Mine is 1080p, but cable companies only support 1080i, so unless you have a Blue Ray DVD player (which I don't) you probably wouldn't notice the difference if you have cable. But.. I still choose 1080p because I plan on keeping this TV until it breaks much as I did with the previous one.

Where to buy? Shop around. Figure out what you want than look for the best deal. When I bought, amazon's was the best deal. Now - I don't know. I did like amazon's service: they have free "blue glove" delivery and they guy actually brings the TV into your home, unpacks it, puts it where you tell him. He isn't allowed to touch the wires, but you can ask him to wait a moment, plug it while he waits and see if you are OK. So you can check if it is working right away and return it immediately. If you find a problem later on, apparently you can call, and the same delivery company will pick it up and take it back. Not sure they still do it, but I found it very useful especially as the TV is very very heavy.

Which size is better depends on the size of your room or rather the distance between where you sit and the screen as well as your preferences. You don't want a very large screen if your room is small. There are suggested guidelines on the internet if you google for them. You can also go to any store and try to watch from the same distance as you would in your home.