Cactus Game Design Message Boards

My current living room TV is on the fritz. The picture and sound come and go, and it is not the cables. The TV is an old tube TV that weighs 1000lbs. I basically need a new primary TV, but I do not know anything about the new panel TVs (i.e. LCD vs. LED vs. Plasma). Here is what I can tell you:

1. I don't have cable or satellite. I use a digital antenna for broadcast local channels.
2. We primarily watch Netflix streaming through the Wii, and a DVD player.
3. I do not do online or video intensive gaming.
4. I do not want 3D (it gives me a headache).
5. My living room opens to sliding glass doors that go outside to the pool, therefore there is considerable glare throughout most of the day.
6. I am interested in hooking up my TV to my PC/laptop.

Other than the above, there isn't much that I am looking for specifically. Any pertinent info related to modern TVs would be appreciated. I am trying to stay below $500 (as far as possible). My initial searches have brought me to this TV as a possibility:

Move into the entertainment experience you’ve been waiting for with 42-inch 42CS570 1080p LCD TV from LG. Its Full HD 1080p gives it superior picture quality and you’ll see details and colors like never before. Plus, get easy self-calibration with on-screen reference points for key picture quality elements such as black level, color, tint, sharpness and backlight levels. This LCD TV also features Triple XD Engine and Intelligent Sensor with Picture Wizard II and Clear Voice II. Futhermore, the TruMotion 120 Hz technology lets you see sports, video games and high-speed action with virtually no motion blur. Moreover, with the smart energy saving features, you can help conserve energy. With all these and more, the 42CS570 LCD TV takes the guesswork out of picture adjustments with this simple-to-use feature.

Just go to best buy and shop.  They have a wide variety and have knowledgeable people.  After that, buy what you want from a less expensive place.

There are at least 4 Best Buy stores within a 10 mile radius of Orlando city center.  You can go to Josh if you want or you can go to one of hisBest Buy peers.

Install a mirror in place of the TV that reflects a view of the pool...you know, in case anyone forgets the pool is there.

I already have kids that run into the glass sliding doors trying to get to the the pool. Now you want kids running into a mirror, too? 

is netflix streaming via the wii a built-in feature, or was there some unofficial modding involved?

Interesting accusation, but Netflix sends you a Wii disc to allow streaming, so I'm going to go out on a limb that Nintendo is aware of it.

Quote from: burlow on July 19, 2012, 02:34:50 PM

is netflix streaming via the wii a built-in feature, or was there some unofficial modding involved?

Interesting accusation, but Netflix sends you a Wii disc to allow streaming, so I'm going to go out on a limb that Nintendo is aware of it.

Sweet! No I was asking because we just got a wii, and didn't know it could steam Netflix (was bummed to find out it doesn't play DVDs with 'unofficial modding', which I'm not interested in at this time).
Was the disc free? I had no idea it existed, or how to get one.

I will offer you some tv thoughts of my own in a follow up post shortly!

So your TV use is almost identical to mine - I don't have cable/satellite, it's only used to watch netflix and redbox via the computer.

I ended up buying a 32" Westinghouse, 1080p (60Hz) for just over $300. 32" is plenty big for me, most people want at least 40"+, which you can definitely get for under $500. Amazon has the best prices that I could find, coupled with an excellent return policy (they sent me the wrong tv, UPS came by the next day and picked it up for free).

There's a lot of numbers, so I'll try to streamline it here:
-I would definitely get 1080p, don't settle for 720p (there was only a $30 price difference from 720 to 1080 on a 32" tv, and you can definitely tell the difference).
- 120Hz is overkill in my opinion, most sales people will try to talk you into it. I am very satisfied with 60Hz.
- LED vs Plasma: from what I understand, LEDs are less expensive, but blacks aren't as dark as plasmas. And plasmas wear out faster than LEDs (I've read 4-5 year lifespan for plasmas). Mine is LED and again I'm very happy with it. No desire for "deeper blacks" or anything.
- Name brands: when I was looking for a TV a few months ago, I found a decent price premium on 'name brands' - LG, Samsung, Sony, etc. Brands like Westinghouse, iSymphony, and a few others are more "generic" and usually cheaper (with near-identical picture quality).
- Sound quality: some more expensive TVs have better speakers for those with a real ear for audio quality. I don't, I just want to be able to hear the movie, and am no looking for deep bass, etc. If this is your fancy, I'd look into getting a TV with good speakers.

Hope this helps.

Do you have a Blu-ray player or just a regular DVD player?

Regular DVD, but I am still wanting to pick up a PS3 for Blu-Ray.

We Used to have that Disc, But Now There is a Updated Netflix "Channel" Available through the [Wii] Shop ...

You are correct, sir. I forgot about that.

Hope this helps.

Yes, all of that was helpful. 

Based on the information provided, I would undoubtedly spring for a LED tv. Glare is simply something I cannot stand, and LED's provide the best in glare reduction. It also seems you do a lot of Netflix/movie watching, and the black levels on a LED rival those of Plasmas.

This is the kind of stuff I needed to know. Thanks!