Smart Tech Buy

A best seller, the Sony Bravia KDL-40V2500 40 inch LCD TV currently lists at $1,799.99 at Circuit City, but you can buy it for as low as $999.99.  Check out these deals on Shopzilla.com!

Bravia is the Sony’s HDTV

See Specs Below

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On the 1st day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…

A 65 inch Sharp Aquos TV

Sharp Aquos LC-65D90U
65 inches
LCD
HDMI
1080p

Straight from Market Watch, here are 10 important tips to follow if you’re considering buying an HDTV for the holidays.  Make it a Smart Tech Buy!

1. Think big. “High-def” looks best on a large TV. Buy the biggest set you can afford, but make sure it fits the space. A 37-inch screen may work best in a bedroom, but a 50-inch plus screen is ideal in a large entertainment center.

2. Know your ABCs. HD sets come in a confusing variety of technologies — plasma, LCD, DLP, LCOS and SXRD (Sony’s version of LCOS). What the letters mean is unimportant. These technologies all show a high-quality picture. They just deliver it in different ways.

Yet there are important differences. Plasma generally seen as best for movies, LCDs for daytime viewing and sports. DLP and LCOS sets might provide the best value and overall picture. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses.

3. Avoid a numbers game. The latest HDTVs tout a “1080p” signal and carry a higher price, but the advantage is small. Older models with a “resolution” of 1080i, 720p or 768p (LCD and plasma) also deliver a great picture. Unless you like to sit close to a big TV, sets based on lower resolutions are perfectly fine and less expensive while supplies last.

4. Thin is beautiful. But don’t limit yourself to a pricey flat-panel plasma or LCD. Sets based on DLP, LCOS and SXRD technology are cheaper and can deliver a superior picture. Most are less than 15 inches deep or half the thickness of big tube TVs popular a decade ago.

5. Count the total cost. While sets based on DLP and LCOS technology are cheaper, they may cost more to own in the long run. Why? These sets use bulbs (average cost: $300) that need to be replaced after roughly 3,000 to 5,000 hours of viewing. To fix that problem, Samsung has introduced a line of DLP sets based on so-called LED technology that do not require extra bulbs. LCDs and plasmas generally last at least 20,000 to 30,000 hours.

6. Look outside the box. Big box stores such as Best Buy and Circuit City offer great deals and cheap financing and it’s easy to make returns. Yet the biggest savings are to be found online at e-tailers such as Amazon. Shipping is often free and there’s no tax. Just make sure the site is an authorized dealer or is rated highly by customers, especially on product returns.

7. A plug for HDMI. This new plug is the best way to hook up your high-def set to a set top box or DVD player that also includes an HDMI connection. HDMI cables carry both video and sound on one cable and eliminates the need for multiple wires. Beware of unreasonably high prices, however. Retail stores can make a big profit on surge protectors and special cables such as HDMI. The cheapest 3-foot HDMI cable at Best Buy, for instance, is $50. And longer cables cost more than most DVD players.  It is not difficult to find the same cable online for under $10 (like right here for example).

Yet a reputable online dealer such as Blue Jeans Cable sells 3-foot HDMI cables for $15 or less and also lets buyers customize their own length. Shipping is cheap and fast, usually just a few days. “Cable is fundamentally wire and plastic stuck together,” said Blue Jeans owner Kurt Denke. “There’s nothing in a $100 HDMI cable that’s not in a $5 cable.”

8. Get the picture. About 20% of consumers who own an HDTV think they are seeing high-def shows when they are not, the market researcher Leichtman Group found. To get an actual HD picture, customers have to order high-def service from their cable or satellite provider. It costs about $10 a month. Some over-the-air HD channels — ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS and Fox - can also be seen for free with an old-fashioned antenna.

9. Do some fine tuning. Most HDTVs are not picture-perfect out of the box even if they look good. To cite one problem, contrast is usually set too high, which could shorten the life of the set. A cheap and simple way to improve the picture is to use the THX Optimizer tests found on popular DVDs such as “Star Wars,” Monsters, Inc.” or “Finding Nemo.” This article at EndGadget explains how.

10.Listen up. You’ve bought an expensive TV, but save some cash for a decent sound system. Home theaters are not the byproduct of tinny speakers that rattle at higher volumes. A nice high-def picture deserves great sound to go along with it. The good news is some surprisingly good audio systems — at least five speakers and a subwoofer — can be had for as little as $500. The Ventriloquist, by online retailer Hsu Research, is one well-reviewed system.

Everywhere you go, people taut the how 1080p is so superior to 1080i, but can you really tell the difference?

First, lets describe what both 1080i and 1080p mean.  First both are 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution, but the difference is from how the TV signals are sent.  The “i” in 1080i means interlaced.  That means images sent to 1080i are displayed in alternative fields.  That means that odd fields get the image first then even fields.  This creates a jagged look to the screen.  The “p” in 1080p means progressive.  This means both odd and even fields are filled in the same time making the image look smoother.

 Now, lets see if this makes a difference.  Yes, 1080p does look better than 1080i, but can you tell.  The main reason why people cannot tell the difference is that there are not that many 1080p inputs out there!  Yes you got Digital Cable or Digital Satellite, but that only outputs in 1080i!  So there is no real difference.  Unless you purchase a high end Blu-Ray player or HD DVD Player or a receiver that upscales to 1080p, you will not really see the difference between a 1080i and a 1080p TV.

 Some people I know do spend thousand of dollars on their Home Entertainment system.  Now if you watch Blu-Ray copy of 300 on a high end Blu-Ray player using an HDMI connection to a 60″+ 1080p TV you can tell the difference, but how many people can afford that.  For the ordinary person, 1080i is as good as 1080p!  In fact, most cable and satellite companies will not be send out 1080p quality video any time soon because of the bandwidth costs.  Unless your a gamer with a PS3 and a XBox360 Pro / Elite or you are a technophiles with the latest equipment, 1080i is perfect for you!

Check out these “HDTVs and tell me if you can see the difference!

Sharp Aquos LC42D43U HDTV Read About It

Sony KDL-46XBR4 Read About It

Pioneer PRO-FHD1 Read About It

Sharp Aquos LC-65D90U LCD Read About It

Black Friday 2007 has come and gone leaving in it’s wake millions of people who are not looking forward to getting their credit card bills in the mail.  Today’s pick of the day is an actual pick that I was lucky to get this past Friday at a very good deal. The Sharp Aquos LC42D43Uis a 42 inch LCD HDTV, part of the Aquos line, the higher line from Sharp.  It is a bit expensive for its size, but according to reviews has very good picture quality and HD capabilities.  This Aquos comes with HDMI connections, which allow for better picture quality than component cables, which will excite many.  Overall, the Sharp Aquos LC42D43Uis a good TV if you can afford it and will definitely help you enjoy this Holiday season as I know I will.

Find the best deal on the Sharp Aquos LC42D43U here:

To see the full specs, please read entire article

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Sony is known for great quality in all of their electronics (while usually at a higher ticket price).  Despite paying a little more, the Sony KDL-4XBR4(Bravia series) is the most popular HDTV.  It’s a 46 inch LCD, TFT active matrix meaning that the picture is refreshed more than other models, allowing for a smoother image, especially when there is a lot of movement.  Of course this TV supports 1080p resolution!  Definitely check out this TV this holiday season to find a good deal!

Find the best deal on the Sony KDL-46XBR4 here:

To see the full specs, read the entire article

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If you’re looking for an HDTV that will WOW your friends, look no further than this monster 65 inch LCD HDTV!  The Sharp Aquos LC-65-d90U LCD TV is one of the biggest and affordable TVs out there on the open market (bigger TVs do exist, but are hard to purchase publicly).  Despite its size, this Sharp TV gets very detailed with the full 1080p HD experience so the image is still crystal clear.  Include this with an HD tuner and HD DVD/Blu Ray player and you’ll never need to go to the movie theater again!

Find the best deal on the Sharp Aquos LC-65D90U LCD here:

Read full article for specs

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