WdnUlik2no

I have narrowed my new TV search down to two TVs
TOSHIBA 62" DLP

or

SONY 60" SXRD

The price difference is $1300 ($1389 with 6% taxes). I've seen them side by side in the store, the Toshiba is 2" bigger, but I can tell that the Sony has a slightly better picture. It seems to have less "snow" in the picture. But do you think its worth the extra $1300?

Also on a side note, how annoying are those two little black bars on either side when watching regular TV? I have a full screen 53" Sony HDTV now, so I get the black bars on the top and bottom when watching movies and HDTV stations, I have come to ignore them, but they do bother me sometimes.

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

Sony is 1080p, Toshiba is 720p... so the Sony better have a better picture.

Personally, if you want to go with a 1080p TV, wait for the 2006 models to start coming out later in March. The new TVs will support 1080p via HDMI whereas the current ones do not. Granted nothing is available in 1080p and probably won't be for some time, but when it does, it would be nice if your TV could support it, right? I mean, why spend all this money on a 1080p TV only to have to do it again later on to get the HDMI support? That's my

As for the bars, I have a Samsung 52" DLP and Samsung 42" plasma, and on both of them I have the 4:3 picture full screen, so I've never watched TV with bars. That and 85% of the TV I watch is HD anyway, so it's always full screen regardless (why you're getting any bars while watching HDTV programs is beyond me... I would guess either the TV or cable/SAT box is not configured correctly, b/c if your current TV is 16:9, HDTV should be full screen, no bars).

keg1997

I'm w/bean- wait....

Scrib

meh... I say buy.

It's like waiting on buying the latest and greatest computer technology. You'll always be waiting as the technology is contantly changing.

Ya, so 1080p is coming out. 3-5 years if and when it actually does something in the market, you'll want to get a new TV that is leaps and bounds ahead of what you bought a few years ago. Technology 18 months from now will lap the 2006 models... And why pay the 1080p premium right out of the gate?


Heck... TV stations don't have to go HD until what??? 2009 now? And when they do? The ones currently out there broadcasting in HD aren't going to re-invest into 1080p. What's the point? Unless you watch lots and lots of movies... But are Blu-RAY and other HD formats all going to be in 1080p? I doubt it.

The SXRD is nice. If you have the room, get that one and forget about 1080p.

Sarlacc

Personally, I hate Toshiba.

WdnUlik2no

how come?

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

I used to hate them too... but their DLPs are starting to appeal to me for some reason. Don't think I'll get one... but they've been on my list whereas before they never were. Right now Sony is the only company I stay away from... but that could change over time...

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

I agree with this only if he's going to get the Toshiba (720p). Yes, it may take years for programing or DVDs to be 1080p... but why spend the money on a 1080p TV now, then have to buy another one again in 2-3 years just to get HDMI support?

Maybe it's b/c I'm married with a house and a list of projects, but my wife doesn't let me spend $4k+ every two years on a new large TV. Personally, 2-4 months wouldn't kill him to wait and he can get a 1080p TV with HDMI support at that point... and not need a TV for a long, long, long, long time. He'll be ready for any and every advancement in 1080p technology without needing to upgrade for the foreseable future.

So, if you're leaning towards the Sony, I'd say wait for the new models. As Scrib said, why pay the 1080p premium now? I completely agree, especially since you'll need to pay the premium again down the road. So if you want 1080p, just wait a few months. If you're leaning towards the Toshiba, I'd say take advantage of the clearing out they're doing on the 720p models and jump on the deal.

But again, that's just me...

Sarlacc

Back in my windows owning days I bought one of their "all in one" PCs...black tower w/ the matching black monitor with a contoller under it. Had a tv tuner/answering machine/music etc...one of those...round the time when the first came out. I bought it for college.

It was THE worst pos I ever bought. And in less then a year Toshiba discontinued and stopped supporting it completey. So, no more software/firmware upgrades to support newer games, video cards, versions of windows, etc etc etc.

The internal modem got fried.. The CD player busted twice...in which i finally said fuck it and got a DVDrom....

turns out everything was built into the motherboard...so trying to get a new video card installed was a nightmare.

A lot of it was my fault...I should have just built my own PC...like i had always done with my father in the past..this had just seemed easier and more cost effective at the time.

BUT...I have never forgiven Toshiba for thier total lack of support for their product.

Consequently, it was the last windows machine I ever owned.

fsttyms1

Sony

Bobbydoedoe

whats the ponit of buying a 1080P unit when there are hardly any progams out there? lol i still say sony, and you should look into the jvc unit too, good stuff

teg_to_bike

my parents just bought the 60" sxrd. its teh coolness.

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

Well, it's not that there's "hardly any programs out there"... there are ZERO programs out there. But, that doesn't mean you shouldn't buy one.

All 1080p TVs upscale the input signal to 1080p... so whether they're receiving 720p or 1080i programming, the TV will upscale it to 1080p, and it will look soooo much better then the same picture on a 720p/1080i native TV. Plus, 1080p programming isn't too far off... couple of years or so. But with HD-DVD and Blu-Ray around the corner, the thought of having those images upscaled to 1080p just makes my shorts tight....

Bobbydoedoe

i have read somewhere that human eye can't tell the difference between 1080i/720p and 1080p. but i guess your right, it allows the tv to be "futureproof"

Sarlacc

For the most part like 95% of the people out there will NEVER see or know the difference.

Nor will they even care.

You really have to scrutinize...look at professional monitors, do comparisons over and over to really even tell any kind of difference...

Scrib

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

Like Sarlacc said above, most people won't notice it... however, I have and do. I've seen Sony's 720p 60" and their 1080p 60" side by side, and there is a huge difference in my eyes.

Not only that, but the larger the screen, the more you'll notice the difference. Comparing 42" screens may not be much different, but look at it on a 60"+ screen, and there's a big difference IMO. The "futureproofing" is just a bonus

gsrblack

Aren't the new 1080p televisions more bright than the 720p? I've been looking and when they are side by side, the 1080p looks much brighter and crisper.

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

They should be more clear and vibrant, but keep in mind that pretty much both of the things you mentioned can be adjusted... so it could be that the stores have the 1080p TV's tweaked to be brighter and crisper then the 720p's so you'll buy the more expensive TV

You can't really compare them properly until you see them in a controlled environment.