Good 32" HDTV?

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Right Now I'm looking for a good price on a 32" HDTV.

First off, what am I looking for? I own a ps3 and a standard direct TV box.

Oh and I'm on a budget. My Dad isn't going to spend 1.5k on a TV for me.

Right now I hear plasmas are best for gaming, but these is the issues:

There are no 32" plasmas on the market
The smallest is 42" which is a little too big for my room
and The cheapest is $650 + only 720p

From what I know, 1080p is the best for gaming. But, I've been told there's really no difference between 720p and 1080p on smaller sets.
My only problem with that is that I want to update to better technology and 480i-720p isn't a big difference.

Somebody help me out?
These are the sets I was looking at:
32" LG 1080p 60hz
32" LG 1080p 120hz
32" Samsung 720p 60hz
32" Vizio 1080p 60hz

I'm also confused about HDMI cables and a little skeptical about which one to buy.
 
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When on sale, 32" LCD's can go for as low as $300-$350, it might go even lower, maybe $250-300 this upcoming Black Friday - when the holiday shopping season kicks off. If you can't wait, it seems like an everyday price for 32" LCDs is maybe $350-450, not factoring in the ridiculous $25 e-waste recycling fee (if you're in California).

And if you're looking for an extended warranty, you might want to go with SquareTrade.com than a warranty from the place you buy it from.

And like the HD-DVDs and the Blu-ray wars, it seems like the battle is shifting toward LCD's over plasma, as LCD's keep rolling out newer technology that a) cuts costs b) lowers the prices of previous models faster than the plasmas

From what I read on Slickdeals, you really wouldn't notice the difference between 720 and 1080 on a 32" when gaming or movie watching, unless you want to use this TV as an output source for you PC - then 1080p supposedly looks a LOT better than 720

And as far as HDMI, I think they're all really the same as far as quality, the $80 HDMI cables Best Buy cons you into buying from them look no better than the $3-5 HDMI cables you can buy from places like monoprice.com
 
First of all, what are you going to be using your TV for? Just gaming? Or Blu-ray movies as well?

If JUST gaming, you don't need 1080p as MOST PS3 games aren't 1080p native.

That 32" Samsung 720p set you're looking at is very nice, Samsung makes excellent "smaller" HDTV sets.

On a related note, I also have a 32" Samsung from over 2 years ago and it was almost 2.5x that price. HDTV have gotten so cheap lately.
 
[quote name='shivaedge']First of all, what are you going to be using your TV for? Just gaming? Or Blu-ray movies as well?

If JUST gaming, you don't need 1080p as MOST PS3 games aren't 1080p native.

That 32" Samsung 720p set you're looking at is very nice, Samsung makes excellent "smaller" HDTV sets.

On a related note, I also have a 32" Samsung from over 2 years ago and it was almost 2.5x that price. HDTV have gotten so cheap lately.[/QUOTE]

Gaming + Blu-rays
 
Best Buy has/had a 40" Sharp Acqous 1080p for $600 a few weeks back. You should just keep checking SD & FW daily and eventually you'll find a good deal. As others have stated you could get a 720p 32" for $350 or less.
 
I have that 32-inch Samsung you listed and it's a great-looking HDTV. My 360 games look really nice on it, too. I think for the price, it's a great value.
 
Alright, maybe. I just don't want to upgrade to a 720p when there is 1080p on the market. I'm probably not getting anpther TV until some wierd new technology comes out 20 years from now.

Also, another thing to consider is that the average price of the 32" Samsung is about the same as the 32" LG 1080p
 
[quote name='help1']I second the notion of waiting until black Friday. It isn't that far off.[/QUOTE]

AAANNDDD, I want to wait til black friday, but:
a: I'm inpatient. I've wanted a new TV since April
B: I don't wanna wait just to find out that there's nothing good for sale
 
i love my 32 inch lcd olevia tv. i believe i paid 700 after taxes and life time warranty. i use mine for cable/ps3/xbox360/ and wii. i has an hdmi slot and is easly mounted on the wall.
 
Check out the Sony KDL-32XBR9. I purchased two 40" LCD televisions from Crutchfield (Sony XBR and Toshiba Regza), great customer support.
 
[quote name='thingsfallnapart']Don't wait for black friday! Most of the major chains only put crap brands on sale.[/QUOTE]

Exactly my point
 
Right now I can say my max budget is 350-400

That being said, I need a good deal

Can anybody find me a good deal on any of the TVs listed above? I suck at deal-finding.

Also, what about vizio's 720p eco TV?
 
The only deals I see at the moment are for a Toshiba 32" $370.00 free shipping two different Panasonic Viera 32" 399.00 and 420.00 with free shipping all from Newegg. The Panasonic Viera has good reviews on the internet.
 
I would at least wait until some more black friday ads are leaked so you can see your choices. The longer you wait the more things drop. I got my Philips 32" 1080P 120hz for 400$.
 
So try it out.

If you're shopping for a 32", I doubt you will be able to see the difference between 720 and 1080 unless you're sitting ~2 feet away from the T.V.

For $400 or less, you'll probably have to settle for an off-brand T.V., or an older model from Sony, Samsung, etc.

Just shop around at different sites, looking up similar models and comparing prices. I myself wouldn't necessarily wait for Black Friday, unless Amazon themselves have some deals on televisions. B&M stores just wouldn't be worth the wait.
 
what is your viewing distance?
and its going to be pretty difficult to get a display too big for a room IMO.
optimal size is usually 1.5 x viewing distance some like it closer to 1x1
so a 32" if youre viewing it from 48"

anyway your budget dictates the size.
the value of 1080p is vastly overblown. at 32" youd need to be sitting close to 3 feet from the display for your eyes to discern that resolution.
resolution isnt the end all or even at the top of what makes a good display.

as for black friday, the tv doorbusters arent high end products, they do however offer good sales starting next month leading up to black friday.
 
I have that 32" samsung, its awesome.
and yes, you wont be able to tell the difference between 1080p and 720p on a screen of that size.
 
I have bought two vizio's over the last 5 years (46 & 36) and cannot tell you how pleased I am about them. I had previsouly had two Sony XBR HDTV's and then both went up within three years. The only complaint I would say about the Vizio is the sound is not great so as long as you have a small room or have a sound system your should be good. Another thing I have heard is the Vizio's at Walmart are made specifically for Walmart and are not as good a quality set as you would find in a club store or another retailer.
 
I bought the 32" 1080p Visio at Wal-Mart about 6 months ago. I'm perfectly happy with it. Both my PS3 and 360 look fantastic on it. I can't really advise about the sound though, because I am running both systems through my surround sound amp. But, for the money, I give the TV the highest recommendation.
 
I'm currently playing shit on my 32" Vizio 720p. Snagged it for $330 shipped to California so I got a pretty sweet deal. A lot of people I know are really against Vizio because it's not a "brand" name, but many are really surprised with the quality and finish of it.

I'd personally recommend just lurking on deal sites for a good deal, if you're really lucky, you might be able to grab a 32" HDTV for about $300 base price.

I'd also recommend looking into just a 22-24" HD monitor if you're just going to game on it. Make sure it has HDMI and speakers and you're set. I think I saw some real good deals for around $160 for a 23".

Be patient, and you shall be rewarded!
 
[quote name='Mako1215']I would at least wait until some more black friday ads are leaked so you can see your choices. The longer you wait the more things drop. I got my Philips 32" 1080P 120hz for 400$.[/QUOTE]

Is it a good tv?
 
[quote name='pixi']Well, I'm going to be using it for blu-rays too.

I'm going to be sitting about six feet away from the TV.[/QUOTE]

Haha. Nevermind about the monitor then. I seriously cannot recommend Vizio more for a sub 32" HDTV. I personally think it's the best bang for your buck. :lol:
 
[quote name='mis0']Haha. Nevermind about the monitor then. I seriously cannot recommend Vizio more for a sub 32" HDTV. I personally think it's the best bang for your buck. :lol:[/QUOTE]

With 6ave's Name Your Price Promo I could probably get higher quality for less
 
NVM. Still, since its more than a few feet, then 1080p would be a waste if you pay more for it unless you have the best eyes on the planet or would be using it as a computer monitor. Good brands at 32" are Samsung and Sony. Keep looking at Slickdeals and you'll eventually find one for a price you like if you're willing to go online instead of just B&M.
 
Samsung is probably the best maker of LCD's out there. They are great TV's. With a 32", you won't need 1080p. I am confused by your comment that 480i-720p isn't that big of a difference - - - it's a HUGE difference. 720p will be good enough for that size.

As for the 120hz, some people don't even like the 120hz at all - so you might not even want it. It's not "better" in some case...just "different". I have 120hz on my 40" Samsung ($1600 TV though), and I love it. It smooths out all the motion in the games. No jerkiness at all.

I will say though, Vizio and LG are just fine too, and if you can save some money on those, go for it. You can't go wrong with any of them.
 
I think it's a good price, and you'll love the picture. Samsung makes GREAT LCD's....ask around if you want. Samsung and Sony, everyone will say.

Of course if you spent another 3 months looking for deals, you might be able to find something better - but is it worth it? You'll be happy with the B360 and it's certainly the right price.
 
at 6 feet id definately try and get a bigger display. though if your budget is set at $300 i doubt you could.
6ave is a good site ive been happy in my dealings with them.
 
I agree....I would try to go up to a 36 or 40 inch. For about $100 more, you could get a bigger set. Once you have the 32, you're going to want bigger. Guys ALWAYS want bigger TV's!
 
I personally used to avoid off brands but reading the reviews about my Olevia Tv that I currently had made me wanna try it. Turned out to be awesome. I primarily use it for standard DirectTV, PS3, 360, and the occasional Blu Ray. But I got it for $500 a little more than 2 years back before I knew about all these deal sites. The best deals I see now are the following:

http://www.jr.com/panasonic/pe/PAN_...are&SiteID=lw9MynSeamY-*diyR0rsED1Sz4lOPVgNWg -(BCB)


http://www.beachcamera.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=TB32AV502R -(BCB)

http://cgi.ebay.com/Toshiba-32AV502...ID=1225267&hash=item19b6f4a4ae#ht_3047wt_1165 -(BCB)

I like the Panasonic best but you save about 60-80 on the Toshiba. They both look like good TV's and easily within your price range. Hope I could help out :)

PS- All of them are eligilble for Bing Cashback
 
[quote name='pixi']With 6ave's Name Your Price Promo I could probably get higher quality for less[/QUOTE]
Actually, Vizio has close to the best quality available in an HD TV and one of the highest in customer satisfaction. You will not find much better quality and you certainly won't get it for less. If you'd rather go with a more well-known name brand, then do your thing, but DO NOT think that you're getting something better than Vizio, just because you're paying more and getting a name that's been around 20 years.

Sources: Me: happy owner of a 32" Sony Bravia HDTV purchased from non-other than 6th Ave. They had the best price at the time and even though I could've saved money and got Vizio, I spent the couple extra hundred for Sony. Honestly I've seen many Vizio's and talked to many owners. Had I known what I know now, I'd of got the Vizio and saved the extra couple hundred. OR just bought a bigger Vizio for the same price.

With the name brands and prices that Walmart are having, it really is the place to go. I wouldn't even look anywhere else. I'm going to sound like a commercial here, but they've got the most unbeatable prices and the top quality on HDTV's. They've got real big Vizio's at great prices, those other HDTV's that are almost twice as much are not worth an extra dollar, believe me.

Just make sure the TV looks right to you and the buttons shouldn't be on the front of the TV (not stylish). All HDMI cables are the same, just buy any old one, they get more expensive because of the length more than anything.

1080p is worthless on a 32in, 720p is best for that screen size. If you get 42in, then look at 1080. Trust me you can trust Vizio, don't make the mistake of paying extra money for a name, and not to mention Vizio still might even be better than the bigger name brand you can find.

Don't wait until Black Friday, it's not worth risking your life over.
 
[quote name='pixi']Right now I can say my max budget is 350-400

That being said, I need a good deal

Can anybody find me a good deal on any of the TVs listed above? I suck at deal-finding.

Also, what about vizio's 720p eco TV?[/QUOTE]

Okay, you believe the guy who says black friday only has crap TV's, then you say you want a Vizio.

Listen, the black friday ads leak WEEKS before black friday itself, so you wouldn't have to wait that long.
 
Keep an eye on slickdeals. You can even set up a deal alert.

1080p isn't needed on 32". Buy your cables from monoprice.
 
[quote name='SMITTYBLAZE']Actually, Vizio has close to the best quality available in an HD TV and one of the highest in customer satisfaction. You will not find much better quality and you certainly won't get it for less. If you'd rather go with a more well-known name brand, then do your thing, but DO NOT think that you're getting something better than Vizio, just because you're paying more and getting a name that's been around 20 years.

Sources: Me: happy owner of a 32" Sony Bravia HDTV purchased from non-other than 6th Ave. They had the best price at the time and even though I could've saved money and got Vizio, I spent the couple extra hundred for Sony. Honestly I've seen many Vizio's and talked to many owners. Had I known what I know now, I'd of got the Vizio and saved the extra couple hundred. OR just bought a bigger Vizio for the same price.

With the name brands and prices that Walmart are having, it really is the place to go. I wouldn't even look anywhere else. I'm going to sound like a commercial here, but they've got the most unbeatable prices and the top quality on HDTV's. They've got real big Vizio's at great prices, those other HDTV's that are almost twice as much are not worth an extra dollar, believe me.

Just make sure the TV looks right to you and the buttons shouldn't be on the front of the TV (not stylish). All HDMI cables are the same, just buy any old one, they get more expensive because of the length more than anything.

1080p is worthless on a 32in, 720p is best for that screen size. If you get 42in, then look at 1080. Trust me you can trust Vizio, don't make the mistake of paying extra money for a name, and not to mention Vizio still might even be better than the bigger name brand you can find.

Don't wait until Black Friday, it's not worth risking your life over.[/QUOTE]

1080p isnt a good value at the 42" screen size either.
my experiences with vizio do not match yours. also check the threads on avs, they side with the majority here. they are not top quality, in certain instances they may be good qaulity for the price, but not top quality.
check reviews and owner feedback on each model youre considering.
at $300 id just buy whatever had decent feedback. (you should save up a few more $ and buy a 42" panasonic plasma) the difference in price is nothign compared to the increase in size, picture, and quality youll get.
 
Bought a Samsung 32B650 from Fry's last month. Its top of the line for 32" and Fry's sold it for $699 in store. Amazon still sells it for $899. 1080P & 120hz, it makes all my old crappy dvds look brand new again. Blu ray is the future so I needed 1080P. I sit 3.5 feet away so I can tell the difference.

I was about to go with their LED-lit displays but reviews are suggesting that tech is still too sketchy such as uneven backlighting.

Switching inputs and channels are extremely fast (very important imo), the style and glass stand is first class, the remote is back-lit, and if you hook up an ethernet cable you can view widgets (yahoo, weather, etc.) as well as always getting the latest firmware.

At $699, you can't get a better 32" when all specs are considered.
 
I bought a 32" Philips full 1080p 120hz LCD for $599 + tax from Costco. Great TV, bright screen, great color too. The only thing I didn't like is the Active control and dynamic contrast but you can turn them off at will to fit your viewing experience. It also has USB media port which allows you to play some video files included Divx, music files, and photo straight off your USB drive, though I don't use this feature much since my PC also hooked up to this hehe. But yeah I switched from an 24" Vizio 720p LCD to this and god the difference is so vivid lol.
 
[quote name='epictempo']Bought a Samsung 32B650 from Fry's last month. Its top of the line for 32" and Fry's sold it for $699 in store. Amazon still sells it for $899. 1080P & 120hz, it makes all my old crappy dvds look brand new again. Blu ray is the future so I needed 1080P. I sit 3.5 feet away so I can tell the difference.

I was about to go with their LED-lit displays but reviews are suggesting that tech is still too sketchy such as uneven backlighting.

Switching inputs and channels are extremely fast (very important imo), the style and glass stand is first class, the remote is back-lit, and if you hook up an ethernet cable you can view widgets (yahoo, weather, etc.) as well as always getting the latest firmware.

At $699, you can't get a better 32" when all specs are considered.[/QUOTE]

just out of curiousity why are you reccomending a tv twice his budget?
at $700 you can get one of the best displays at 42"
 
According to Consumer Reports, Samsung is making the best LCD TV's on the market right now. Sony is second (but a bit overpriced) and Toshiba is 3rd.

I personally have a Toshiba Regza 720p 32in and love it!
 
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