^likewise. I'm in full tightwad mode and looking for a 55" smart tv for under $650.

12/2/2013 12:54:35 PM

Just payed for a Samsung UN75F6300 at hhgregg to be delivered Saturday. Originally went in for the 70" Sony 550 with 3D but for $200 more walked away with the Samsung. No use for 3D and the 75" will fit perfectly above my mantle. Also hhgregg is giving 11% off in store (to match their online deal) and 24 months no interest. Walked out with the tv delivered for just under $2500.

http://www.hhgregg.com/samsung-75-1080p-120hz-led-smart-hdtv/item/UN75F6300

12/2/2013 1:05:17 PM

http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-TC-P55VT60-60-Inch-Plasma-Glasses/dp/B00BC4SJEC

it tempts me so

12/2/2013 1:38:36 PM

I really like this one and it's been fluctuating between $1750 and $1490ish, but nothing lower than that $1490 and that was the amount it was on sale for last week.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BCGRVUI/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1IWSH4ALXOIFY&coliid=I2OTEEPV6IR3LI

12/2/2013 1:50:09 PM

^ $1428.44 with tax at hhgregg. $1499 - 11% + 7% tax. Delivery will cost you $80 though.

12/2/2013 2:09:57 PM

I went ahead and ordered the LG 42LN5700. I didn't do my research beforehand so I don't know what the "normal" street price is, but it ticked all the correct boxes (42", 1080p, 120Hz, Wifi) for under $500. The smart capability is a bonus that I wasn't even looking for. All other things being equal I might have preferred a plasma, but a)they don't make them in sizes under 50" anymore and b)we're currently renting, and I've no clue how much light there will be in the next place we live.

Did in-store pickup, going over tonight, I hope to god it fits in my car. Shouldn't be a huge problem with a 42 though.

[Edited on December 2, 2013 at 4:54 PM. Reason : d]

12/2/2013 4:53:19 PM

Need 55 Inch LED, audio out, slim, mountable, 120HZ, 3 HDMI ports, not smart. $700, hoping for as close to name brand as possible? Suggestions?

12/4/2013 2:15:25 PM

^Does it specifically have to be "not smart" or is that simply a capability you don't plan to use?

Also define slim. If slim is "not a deep as a plasma and not too heavy to wall mount" you're probably fine. If slim is <2.5" and attractively designed, you might have a bit of a problem getting that for <700 in a 55".

12/4/2013 2:50:56 PM

Can anyone tell me why I shouldn't buy this TV? 60" LG for $800 and all the reviews I can find on it look great.

http://slickdeals.net/f/6572230-lg-electronics-60ln5600-60-inch-1080p-120hz-led-lcd-hdtv-with-smart-tv-799?src=pdw

12/19/2013 2:50:56 PM

120hz edge lit

12/19/2013 6:13:34 PM

Is that something I can find in this price range?

12/20/2013 11:37:14 PM

I thought he was answering your question by saying that the tv you linked is 120Hz edge-lit. But everything I found on it says that it's direct-lit/direct LED. So maybe he was saying you should get an edge-lit.

Edge-lit is not the best, but it is the most common. The LEDs are around... the edges. Which means the center of the panel gets less light than the edges. So the image can be a little inconsistent. You may also get some brighter spots around the edges. Most of the LED LCDs in best buy or other big box stores are going to be edge-lit, as are most LED tvs your friends/family may have, and it's more than good enough for most people.

The best picture comes from Full-Array with local dimming. But you'd have to spend more money for that. That has a bunch of rows of LEDs all across the back. And they're also in clusters that can be dimmed/brightened independently if one part of the image should be darker than another.

Direct-lit, which is what the tv you linked is, is back-lit like a full-array. However, there are a lot less LEDs and they usually do not have local dimming. The tvs are not as thin as edge-lit or full-array LEDs. The reason they're thicker is because there are fewer lights, so they need to be further away from the panel for the light to disperse enough to cover the panel.

Everything I've read about direct-lit LED LCDs is that Edge-lit are better for a variety of reasons.

And yes, you can get an edge-lit LED LCD in that price range.

[Edited on December 23, 2013 at 12:31 PM. Reason : .]

12/23/2013 12:28:16 PM

That TV isn't even 120 Hz, it's 60Hz (with some bullshit wanna-be 120MHz feature that blurs the image..so most turn it off)

^ Thanks for the info!

12/23/2013 12:53:23 PM

I searched high and low for backlit LED Tvs with full array dimming. The ones I found were in the 50-55" range and markedly more expensive. They don't even seem to exist in the 60" and up sizes.

I ended up with a Sony 70" and am happy with it. Reading reviews of many TVs had me paranoid as fuck with all of the problems people complained about with bleeding, darker areas, etc but one thing I've learned is the hardcore AV geeks that post on avsforum and the like will latch on to the slightest perceived flaw and are so jaded that they get the technology equivalent of "princess and the pea" syndrome.

Things that matter more to normal people are basic capability, UI usability, and glossiness of the panel for those of us limited to rooms with a ton of natural light. I have not noticed any of the issues mentioned by the avsforum people-- not necessarily because my display is free of those issues, but because I don't notice it. I think for most people that will be the case.

12/28/2013 12:13:38 PM

I keep my tv at 24hz. 95% of the content I watch is 24hz. I have some 30hz content but there's never any need to go above 30.

12/28/2013 9:41:50 PM

I was commenting that the tv you linked was edgelit. There's no full array dimming 50" or greater for less than 1500. the backlight isn't what causes the soap opera fast motion, the interpolation shit is. i prefer pull down myself. my plasma is 600hz and i still turn the framerate interpolation/fast motion enhancement way down.

in the price range, every thing you look at will be edge lit and led/lcd. i would focus on picture quality first, surface area second. at <$1000 you'll have to give a weight to surface area and one to PQ and go from there. within the range, PQ should be really similar and not great imo. i'd look into used/refurb to get more tv for the money

12/29/2013 8:30:32 AM

I got a 60" vt60 a few weeks ago and have been pretty pleased with it. If anyone is on the fence to buy one I can say mine doesn't have fan noise and doesn't buzz on all white screens. Image retention of broadcast logo is present for 20-30 minutes post watching ESPN. Its really hard to see but I am probavly hyper critical. I can actually see dlp like rainbows in the content due to the phospher light output decay variance between colors. Its not that bad and I see it on all plasmas that are large enough ( eyes rapidly panning across display). Probably not an issue for everyone else.

I would recommend it to anyone else who is comfortable with plasma technology. I dont think its worth more than 1500$ though. Due to amazon shipping screwing up, cyber Monday, and chase rewards I think I came in around 1430$.

B+

12/29/2013 10:01:27 AM

In the market.

Do I really need a smart tv?

we just cut our direct tv service and I am planning to use the over the air stations coupled with netflix for anything I want to watch.

I have a ps3 with hulu, netflix etc on it. I also may want to turn on the browser and find the front row sports feed for anything on espn etc.

With that said...critics let me know...smart or not smart?

I am looking at a TCL model tv as well...anyone have any personal experience?

1/2/2014 8:43:03 PM

The difference in smart vs. not price wise is slim...so I am looking at either this:
http://www.samsclub.com/sams/42-60hz-led-wifi-1080p-3-hdmi-wifi/prod7940209.ip?navAction=

this: http://www.walmart.com/ip/LG-47-47LN5200-1080p-60Hz-LED-HDTV/28419205

this:http://www.walmart.com/ip/LG-42LN5300-42-1080p-60Hz-LED-3.11-ultra-slim-HDTV/23658363


or this:

http://www.amazon.com/TCL-LE50FHDE3010-50-Inch-1080p-120Hz/dp/B00BP5N3BM/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top


PLEASE TO TELL ME WHAT TO BUY


[Edited on January 2, 2014 at 9:14 PM. Reason : f]

1/2/2014 9:07:33 PM

^I just got an LG 42LN5700 and, so far, I've been quite happy with it. The color depth seems to be very good, brightness is great and consistent (despite all of the LG LN5xxx series being backlit rather than edge-lit), just a really nice picture. No regrets on the purchase so far. Both the models you listed are similar but 60Hz, among other differences. Also no onboard wifi but if it's not a smart TV anyway that's pretty irrelevant. If you're looking at LG models you might want to consider the LN5400--it's 120Hz unlike the two you posted. Basically the same display as the 5700 but without the smart/wifi built in so it comes in at a lower price.

Don't know much about Vizio. They seem to have both ardent defenders and detractors. Never heard of TCL.

1/3/2014 10:28:16 AM

So, Super Bowl weekend is typically a great time to buy, yeah? I'm moving and will be in the market for 2 55-60in sets at the end of the month so around 700 each would be nice.

I don't want 3D, no real need for smart....my main things are clarity and NO soap opera effects. Can most of that be turned off these days? I haven't been in the market for a TV in quite awhile...starting from scratch.

1/3/2014 11:01:08 AM

I've read that you can turn off the soap opera effect on all the TVs now.

1/3/2014 11:17:43 AM

Turning it off was simply a matter of finding the right menu setting on mine. (Got turned off within 15 minutes of setting the TV up as my wife complained it was giving her a sense of motion sickness.)

1/3/2014 11:30:37 AM

Yeah, my set is a few years old and a friend turned it off b/c it drove him nuts even though I never noticed it.

1/3/2014 12:14:07 PM

I;ve never seen this superbowl TV deal stuff you all speak of.

Do they even do that? i need proof.

I am considering buying one...then seeing what comes out superbowl weekend deal wise and if its better...either get the price match difference or take it back(within 90 days from sams) and get a different one.

I really think I am set on a 47" smart TV, either LG or Vizio.

LG has the google smart TV system, I figure google will keep it fairly updated. and Vizio has their own apps as well...plus its what i had before.

Do they really do deep superbowl discounts though?

[Edited on January 3, 2014 at 11:40 PM. Reason : f]

1/3/2014 11:34:48 PM

Everyone I know with a smart tv uses some other device anyhow that has all of the same apps (and more). And the apps on the other devices are updated more often because they're more widely used.

If there was no price difference for two TVs that were basically the same but one is a smart tv, get the smart tv. But if you already have a roku, apple tv, etc., and there's a price savings, I probably wouldn't bother with the smart tv personally. And if you don't already have one, keep in mind that an Apple TV is 99 and Roku is between 50-99 depending on model.

That's just food for thought. Maybe someone else here has different experiences.

1/5/2014 11:53:57 AM

Does anyone know of the 3d movie selection on 3d smart TVs is much better/worse than the playstation store 3d movie selection?

1/5/2014 9:57:00 PM

I didn't have any kind of smart device but I ended up getting a smart TV. And, while a few things have been annoyances, by and large I've been happy with the built-in functionality. Granted, I've never used a Roku/AppleTV/PCH/WDTV, but at the time I think this will work just fine.

(I will admit I wasn't specifically *looking* for a smart TV but this one had all the other specs I was looking for and it was something like $430 on a black friday sale, regular price appears to be $600.)

1/5/2014 11:29:30 PM

if the vizio p-series could come out before super bowl sunday, that'd be great

1/8/2014 12:11:23 PM

yeah i was about to buy a tv a month ago or so but decided to wait to see what's coming out for super bowl - i didn't see if the 4k $1k 50" would be out by then though

1/8/2014 12:44:31 PM

^^^^

probably not. The gimmick known as 3D is pretty much dead. ESPN shitcanned the ESPN3D channel. Vizio just announced that all of their newer sets will not feature 3D capability.

I'd guess that over the next couple of years, you'll see 3D content pretty much go the way of Divx, HD-DVD, and laserdisc

1/8/2014 2:28:23 PM

^ yeah i saw that: https://twitter.com/stephencass/status/420294074038353920/photo/1

I just bought a 3D TV a month ago, and really like watching the 3D movies

I imagine it'll be resurrected when they can do high-quality, glasses-free 3D.

1/8/2014 4:37:02 PM

I'm saving up for one of those 4-D tvs

1/8/2014 6:01:25 PM

Has anyone else noticed their smart TVs displaying ads?

I was at a friends watching tv (time Warner digital cable), a FedEx commercial came on, and the tv showed a little box asking him to type in his phone number to download a fed ex app.

1/8/2014 11:11:56 PM

sounds like a TWC thing.

I have an antennae and never had that happen and hope i never do.

1/9/2014 12:13:43 AM

It's possible, but it seems odd twc would embed a signal to trigger an ad in Samsung TVs, that isn't in the broadcast signal. If I was the network, I'd be pissed on twc getting side revenue from the ad I sold.

[Edited on January 9, 2014 at 12:26 AM. Reason : ]

1/9/2014 12:25:59 AM

directv does that anyways sometimes, especially during football season so

whatever.

But no, my vizio has not done that.

I am interested in seeing if anyone has hacked these tvs though...I really want a watch espn app.

1/9/2014 12:28:01 AM

no, it's from the tv having a network connection. my panasonic shows ads whenever i turn it on

1/9/2014 12:34:15 PM

I'm sure the network connection factors in, but how does the TV know that i'm watching a particular channel, and that a particular advertisement is being shown? I'm assuming it has to be an embedded signal somewhere.

1/9/2014 1:19:13 PM

you sure it's the tv and not the cable box?

1/9/2014 1:44:28 PM

100% . I'll snap a pic next time. It has weird aliasing, and tells you to use the Samsung remote to press "enter".

[Edited on January 9, 2014 at 1:51 PM. Reason : ]

1/9/2014 1:50:43 PM

it might be going off the audio or something, like shazam

1/9/2014 3:52:11 PM

I just ordered the Vizio E601i-A3 for $800 from Best Buy. I'm moving in a week and needed a bigger tv for a bright room to hang above the fireplace. I just couldn't find anything comparable in size and it had pretty damn good reviews.

I'm sure this set has been discussed here before, anyone have one? The knocks seemed to be:
1.)Not the best blacks....but, like I said this will be a bright room and reviews say it has great bright color
2.)Not the best "smart tv" implementation....I use an ATV so it's not going to be an issue. In fact, I was looking for a non-smart/non-3D but I couldn't even find a non-smart in this size/price range.

http://www.amazon.com/VIZIO-E601i-A3-60-inch-1080p-120Hz/dp/B009H8JOZS/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top#productDetails

1/20/2014 10:19:23 AM

^I ended up taking that TV back to Best Buy and getting it at Costco for $760. Not only is it a bit cheaper, they have a 90 day return policy and extend the manufacturers warranty to 2 years. Their customer service is also fantastic.

1/24/2014 2:55:36 PM

Sams may have it for even cheaper, if you know someone with a membership.

I have that TV in the 47" version and love it so far...The Apps could be a little more practical but overall its hard to beat it given the TVs performance.

Very happy that I went with vizio, the only other option I considered was LG because they are pairing with google TV for their apps.

1/24/2014 4:08:41 PM

help me choose:

Vizio M551d-A2R or Samsung 55" 6300? They're both $999 this week. I don't care about 3d at all, but if it comes with the tv, so be it.

1/27/2014 9:59:02 AM

samsung anyday

1/27/2014 10:26:35 AM

That's my initial thought, but I've read/heard good things about Vizio's M series.

1/27/2014 10:29:35 AM

bought the Samsung. Thanks!

1/28/2014 1:55:04 PM

the M model vizios are super nice.

Really thin and solid design.

1/28/2014 2:50:15 PM