f13.net

So for about 6 months I've been looking at HDTVs  but I'm finding it impossible to pick one.  Here is a list of features that I need:

1) No more than $800
2) It has to be delivered
3) It needs to be between 46" and 50"
4) I don't need to wall mount it
5) I like to watch sports and DVDs.
6) Maybe someday I'll get an Xbox360 and stream movies on Netflix.
7) I'd like 1080P
8) I'm not one of those people that freaks out when the picture isn't perfect.

Any ideas?

I bought something like this about a year and a half ago. (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Insignia%26%23174%3B+-+42%22+Class+/+1080p+/+120Hz+/+LCD+HDTV/9553878.p?id=1218131142821&skuId=9553878) Brand is fine, and image quality is good. I haven't had and issues. I do not think for under $800, you will find the size you are looking for.

This looks pretty close:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5373457&Sku=S222-4616

That's pretty tempting.

http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/black-friday-2009/968537/

Anyone stupid enough to go shopping on Friday deserves a price break. 

I would only do online stuff for Black Friday.

Anyone have any opinions on that 847 deal?  Newegg has it too.

Its 60hz refresh rate.

I am rather funny about getting large items from UPS/FedEx delivered - considering the condition of the boxes and the stories I heard from the UPS drivers when I was working the ship/receiving end of Best Buy. Holiday help at UPS/FedEx are disposable employees that really are not accountable and easily replaceable which tends to result in hurried shipping that overpacks trucks. But that is neither here nor there. As for the samsung - yes, please. That size and at that price is pretty cherry. The Insignias are decent and made by LG now but can be bitchy as in my mother's hates all universal remotes even with the specific codes. Samsungs, IMHO have the prettiest pictures but most come with a reflective coating on the screens that tends to give too much glare in sunlit rooms.

As for Black Friday shopping... its not too bad if you are not in a zone of suck, i.e., a well-off part of town who can afford to go shopping.

Yes, the refresh rate is one of the things I agonize over.

Well, you need to figure out if it's acceptable to you or not, because you'll not find a halfway decent 120hz set anywhere near that price in that size.  Go to a store and look for yourself, if you haven't.  It's even possible you won't like the 120hz tech.

The linked Samsung tv is a solid choice for a 60hz set, however.  Won't comment on the price, as you can obviously compare that pretty easily online.

I bought a Regza for $800, but it's a 40". Solid ass TV. Sounds tough to get anything great at 46"-50" though.

I'd go with the slightly more expensive Sony KDL465504. It has more inputs and it has a 24p mode even though it's 60 Hz.

Edit: That 46" Sharp at Newegg looks tempting.

I'm in the midst of trying to convince my husband that we should get rid of this monster TV and get something way smaller.  Maybe 30-something instead of the 50-something we have.  When there's a close up of someone, I feel like I'm in giant head land.  It's creepy.

If you win that argument, I hope you know that we're going to have to take his man card away from him. 

Make sure you paint the walls pink in the TV room while you are at it.

http://slickdeals.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=9&sort=lastpost&order=desc&icon=28

Scope that out for a week or two. I'm sure you'll find one.

Found a real nice Samsung on there 2 days ago. 32inch 1080p LCD for $409. Free shipping and no tax from crutchfield.com

Trying to find a 1080p 46-50inch for under 800 after tax + shipping is going to be rough unless you get lucky at a place like crutchfield or amazon.

I got a 40" Toshiba from Newegg recently for $500, free shipping, no tax. It's gotta be 60hz, but who cares at that price point?

My Toshiba 40" is one of the 120hz ones, but not sure if I see a difference. Haven't really tested it or anything. I think I was going to get the exact TV you have actually, but saw this one for $100 more.

Was just in Costco if you have access to that. They had a 46 inch 120hz Toshiba (the 640u) for 899 that looked pretty nice and it seems to have generally good feedback over at AVS (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1136673) on it for being a lower-priced set.

Mine's the 645u. I don't understand why these Toshibas are selling so cheap lately, but yeah...

Samsung is cocky these days and thinks they are Sony (they pretty much are though), but that used to be the great competitively priced brand.

Toshiba REGZA 40XV645U 40-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV, Black is $764.97 on Amazon.com.  The 46" is $899.

Best Buy (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Insignia%26%23174%3B+-+47%22+Class+/+1080p+/+60Hz+/+LCD+HDTV/9390848.p?PID=3087823&id=1218097979085&ci_sku=9390848&ref=39&ci_src=11138&loc=01&URL=http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9390848&type=product&id=1218097979085&ci_src=11138&ci_sku=9390848&AID=10474050&skuId=9390848) has a non name brand 60hz one that's 1080p, 47", that's only $699.00 plus $70 shipping?

Why does refresh rate matter?

TV comes in at 60hz or less, if you run a normal TV signal in 120hz mode all it does is some funky headache-inducing interpolation.

I guess there are some DVD/BlueRay players that let you run movies in 24 fps mode (as 120hz is divisible by 24) for the most authentic movie-going experience, but only a true cinephile could care about that.

With LCDs it is to reduce artifacts, smearing and judder. Some people don't like the effect, but that is what it is for.

Tons of HDTV deals today. I was able to pick up a LG 42LH40 42-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV (http://www.amazon.com/LG-42LH40-42-Inch-1080p-120Hz/dp/B001VJHWTQ/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?tag=slickdeals) for 598 - free shipping and zero tax at amazon.com today. Needless to say, I'm pretty happy I got in on the deal before it was dead (and it went OOS/Dead in less than a half hour)

Stalking slickdeals is, imo, the best way to get the jump on deals... especially in the next few weeks.

HEB is advertising a 50-inch Panasonic plasma for $499 (http://heb.inserts2online.com/I2O_MainFrame.jsp?pageNumber=1&drpStoreID=998&adId=24730&adPath=HEB11272009HEBplusDoorbusterSale) (720P, which in spite of what you may have been told is plenty for a 50" unless you insist on sitting 4 feet from your screen).  Some other decent deals in there, too (720P 32" LCD for $299, portable 7" DVD for $49, GPS touchscreen for $49).  Seems that it's only at the HEB"plus" stores that are their Walmart equivalent, there's only two in the Austin area (Anderson Mill and 620, 1700 East Palm Valley Blvd in Round Rock).

--Dave

Plus or not, HEB only operates in TX I think.

That's still crazy though. That TV must be shitty. But then, perhaps 720p tvs have really fallen that cheaply. I would agree that it's only a minor annoyance. Besides, many console games are still just 720p anyways.

If you're doing anything computer related, 1080p is pretty much required unless you like shitty odd-ball resolutions.

I disagree with what you said.

That 46" Samsung that was $847 (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung+-+46%22+Class+/+1080p+/+60Hz+/+LCD+HDTV/9548769.p?id=1218122908352&skuId=9548769) that people were asking about is now ~$799. Black Friday knocked it down $50. That makes it in the price range of the OP if he still is looking for something.

For those looking at the $1k range, there is a Best Buy exclusive Samsung 46" (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung+-+46%22+Class+/+1080p+/+120Hz++/+LCD+HDTV/9293506.p?skuId=9293506&productCategoryId=abcat0101001&id=1218076081627) that is 120mhz for $999.99. More HDMI inputs, composite inputs, a usb port, and higher contrast ratio are also the benefits in addition to the mhz over the 46B500. Just contrast ratio and mhz over the 46B550. Compared to the higher B650, that is in the spoiler below as well as the comment from a Samsung rep stating it is a Best Buy exclusive. Honestly, sitting next to other Samsungs and Sonys in the same price range convinced me enough to buy one for myself and one for my parents Christmas gift today. It was a solid TV set that looked great and had more then I expected for $999. I even liked how it looked compared to some of the 120mhz Sonys, and liked that it was also $300-$1000 cheaper.

If you're referring to the Panny, they don't know how to make shitty TVs. 

Panasonic doesn't make shitty anything. They don't really make WOWBANGZIPAMAZING anything either.

Ya I still haven't pulled the trigger yet.