Best sites for electronics/ LCD TVs

[NoDecafPlz]

I have two links, one for the video section on slickdeals.net and here:
http://dealnews.com/categories/Electronics/Televisions/LCD-TVs

They keep track for Tiger Direct, NewEgg, Mac Mall, Dell, etc.

Anyone else have any ideas on where else I should be looking?

(I have gotapex as well.)

[SCI-Nurse]

Have dealt with this company a number of times and always got decent pricing and good service. They are based in NYC:

http://www.jr.com/

(KLD)

[Human]

I like using newegg most of the time. However, I am very froogle so most of the time it is the lowest price store, if they have good ratings.

For example, I ordered a camera from b&h electronics, which had good prices and seems like a very good story.

I visit slickdeals.net a few times a day.

I got a refurbed theater in a box at accessories4less too.

[NoDecafPlz]

I just found Geeks.com which sells refurb stuff with a square deal warranty. I'm looking at a 37 inch vizio with a two year home warranty only costing an additional $75.

[Scorpion]

Hey, Joe for a 37" Vizio, check out BuyDakota.com... 37" Vizio, 1080p, refurbished, $549.00 w/free shipping, and with a $59.00 2-year extended warranty (in-home service), it'd be as good or better than new. My brother has a Vizio, as does a good friend of mine, and they're good TVs at a good price.

[NoDecafPlz]

Hey, Joe for a 37" Vizio, check out BuyDakota.com... 37" Vizio, 1080p, refurbished, $549.00 w/free shipping, and with a $59.00 2-year extended warranty (in-home service), it'd be as good or better than new. My brother has a Vizio, as does a good friend of mine, and they're good TVs at a good price.

Woah. I do hear that 1080p is a waste at 37 inch, especially since I wont be gaming on it. Great deal though!

[Scorpion]

Woah. I do hear that 1080p is a waste at 37 inch, especially since I wont be gaming on it. Great deal though!

I don't think so. I've seen 1080p on a 37" and it's worth it imo, especially if you have a Blu-Ray player. Now, on a 32", maybe 1080p isn't necessary and 720p will suffice, but I'd go with 1080 on anything larger than 32".

[Notwoodward]

i visit techbargains.om more often than slickdeals.net. they post more items throughout the day and you can usually find the same best deals on both.

[Scott Pruett]

The monitor on my work computer is a 24" Samsung T240HD, runs @ full 1080p w/ a HDTV tuner built-in. I used to share the same opinion as Scorpion, but it's definitely noticeable (and much sweeter than 720) when a full HD signal is piped in.

I use the resolution for more than video, however.

Go 1080p if you can... if you have an HD source.

[Scorpion]

The monitor on my work computer is a 24" Samsung T240HD, runs @ full 1080p w/ a HDTV tuner built-in. I used to share the same opinion as Scorpion, but it's definitely noticeable (and much sweeter than 720) when a full HD signal is piped in.

So it's noticeable even on a 24"? I'm looking for a small one for my bedroom, so that's good to know.

[Scott Pruett]

it is on mine, but maybe b/c I'm used to the 1920x1200 resolution on this thing as a monitor as well... dunno about a dedicated tv @ this size.

[PN]

Costco (http://www.costco.com/Common/Category.aspx?cat=2341&eCat=BC|79|2341&lang=en-US&whse=BC&topnav=)

[NoDecafPlz]

OK Techies, another question.

Can I get a 1080p HD monitor and utilize an external HD tuner?

Is this a cheaper option?

[Scorpion]

OK Techies, another question.

Can I get a 1080p HD monitor and utilize an external HD tuner?

Is this a cheaper option?

Yes, you can. My brother was going to do that since he already had a sound system and would be using an HD cable box from Comcast. You don't necessarily need a built-in tuner, and you might prefer using an external speaker setup anyway. Will it save you money? Maybe, maybe not, depending on what you find, I guess. My bro found a nice monitor (42" I think) at a great price online, but with shipping costs it wasn't a deal after all.

[NoDecafPlz]

Ok so. I see plenty of external tuners that support less than 1080p. I also see the tuners that are for computers with software support.

Can I just go Cable HD provider---> External Tuner-----> HD Monitor

or does there definitely need to be a PC with specific software to recognize and coordinate everything in that equation?

[Scorpion]

Can I just go Cable HD provider---> External Tuner-----> HD Monitor

You should be able to, as long as the cable box (ext. tuner) is an HD box and you can connect, preferably with an HDMI cable, to the monitor.

[NoDecafPlz]

You should be able to, as long as the cable box (ext. tuner) is an HD box and you can connect, preferably with an HDMI cable, to the monitor.

How sure are you? :p:D

[Scorpion]

How sure are you? :p:D

Pretty sure, but I can ask my bro to be sure (he's a Comcast installer now). Do you have a specific one in mind? I could ask him.

[macska]

I use www.Newegg.com all the time.

[NoDecafPlz]

Pretty sure, but I can ask my bro to be sure (he's a Comcast installer now). Do you have a specific one in mind? I could ask him.

Awesome! Actually, if you could ask him what type of external works best separate of a PC, just HD source ---->external hd tuner ------> monitor, that would be huge! Thanks!

[McDuff]

I'm wondering if you would even need the hd tuner at all? It's not like the old days where you had to put your tv on ch3/4 to sync up signals. If you had a cable box(which is the tuner) with hdmi out and a monitor with hdmi in, seems like you would get the picture(no sound of course).

On my tv's, they are all set to hdmi in and bypass the tuners anyway. It's just a direct digital->digital connection, should be the same way with a monitor unless I'm missing something, like you want to pickup local OTA channels too. But even then I don't think you want to pipe the cable box thru a tuner, use a separate digital input on the monitor for that.

But don't buy on just my opinion. :D

[Foolish Old]

I watch "TV" on a speaker-less, tuner-less 50" HD plasma monitor. The HD (1080I) Comcast DVR (cablebox) audio and video goes into the AVR. Using the cables I had on hand at the time of hook-up, I use component video and am very satisfied with the picture. I used an optical cable for the audio. The sound is awesome. Cable has my local channels. Of course, I get no broadcast reception.

[Scorpion]

I'm wondering if you would even need the hd tuner at all? It's not like the old days where you had to put your tv on ch3/4 to sync up signals. If you had a cable box(which is the tuner) with hdmi out and a monitor with hdmi in, seems like you would get the picture(no sound of course).
Oh, did Joe think he needed an extra hd tuner? Joe, McDuff's right, you don't need a separate tuner if you have an HD cable box. You'd only need one for over-the-air broadcasts if you don't have cable.

[Scorpion]

I watch "TV" on a speaker-less, tuner-less 50" HD plasma monitor. The HD (1080I) Comcast DVR (cablebox) audio and video goes into the AVR. Using the cables I had on hand at the time of hook-up, I use component video and am very satisfied with the picture. I used an optical cable for the audio. The sound is awesome. Cable has my local channels. Of course, I get no broadcast reception.

I understand component is very good, but HDMI is supposed to be better. You have a surround-sound audio system, I presume? 50"... nice! :)

Joe, this sounds similar to what you want to do, albeit with a bigger screen than you're looking for.

[McDuff]

Yea, Surround Sound is the BOMB! I pump my sound thru a Denon receiver, the tv speakers are shut off, might as well be a monitor, but they don't make 61" monitors. :D

[Foolish Old]

I had planned to "upgrade" to HDMI, but after reading quite a few posts on http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/ from folks that had gone from component to HDMI, the perceivable improvement appeared to be little to none. HDMI has evolved, so it is possible that the difference is greater now, but I'm totally satisfied with the component video. HDMI does help reduce the "spaghetti syndrome".

Yes, I have surround sound using five top end Boston Acoustic speakers (love, love them) powered by a Denon AVR. I was going to add a sub woofer - absolutely no need - the BA's shake the paint off the neighbors walls without cranking the volume.

After decades of increasingly "pretty good" systems, this one doesn't leave me thinking I want something better. Yet. :D

I understand component is very good, but HDMI is (http://is) supposed to be better. You have a surround-sound audio system, I presume? 50"... nice! :)

Joe, this sounds similar to what you want to do, albeit with a bigger screen than you're looking for.

[NoDecafPlz]

Holy Moly.

Are you telling me if I am going through a cable company for all my HD I don't have to buy anything other than a HD monitor???

[Scorpion]

Are you telling me if I am going through a cable company for all my HD I don't have to buy anything other than a HD monitor???

And a set of speakers/sound system if you don't already have it, unless the monitor has built-in speakers.

[NoDecafPlz]

And a set of speakers/sound system if you don't already have it, unless the monitor has built-in speakers.

Gotcha. Well, guess I've gotta consider downsides but I have seen more reasonably priced Westinghouse "HD ready" monitors.

Thanks all for your help and it does seem that techbargins.com and slickdeals.net keep you the most informed of the best prices!

Also Buy.Dakota has some outrageous free shipping deals on refurbished hd lcds. Add a two warranty for like $69. I am thinking of pulling the trigger on one of those.

[NoDecafPlz]

Quick update.

I have watched slickdeals.net every day and came across this from Dell Home Clearance. Absolutely sick, sick deal. I pulled the trigger.

Dell Home has the Philips 32PFL6704D 32" 120Hz 1080P Widescreen LCD HDTV for $449 (or $436 w/ DPA) with free shipping. Next lowest on Google Products is $666.

Specs:Tuner: ATSC, QAM, NTSC
* Resolution: 1920 x 1080p
* 120Hz: Yes
* Response Time: 2ms
* Contrast Ratio: 48,000:1 Dynamic
* Viewing Angles: 178 Horizontal, 178 Vertical

Inputs:1x Composite
* 2x Component
* 4x HDMI
* 1x S-Video

[Scorpion]

Sounds like a good deal, Joe. And Philips is a good brand. Let us know how it is once you get it.

BTW, thumbs up on your new avatar. It's a good, happy pic of you.

[Le Type Français]

$666? That might be an evil deal.