New TV Advice Wanted

hso

hso

Joined
Dec 16, 1998
Messages
1,066
I thought I'd toss this question out - What's the best quality (picture/sound/reliability) vs best price color television out there?
No HDTV, digital cable TVs, please. Cable ready, S-video input, a remote a blind man could use, 27-37".

The father of a life-long friend of mine is like a grandfather to my 4 year old daughter. If he doesn't get to see her at least once a week he's very unhappy. One of the things they like to do is watch movies together. Since his old Curtis Mathis TV has a tube that has lost most of it's color and much of it's resolution and since the technology behind televisions has actually improved in the 15 years since he bought the set I thought it would be nice to get another TV for him.

Let me know your recomendations.
 
I don't know about best, but my wife and I are extremely happy with our two Sony Trinitron VEGA televisions--one is a 36" XBR-version, the other a 27" plain VEGA.

Everyone who comes over to our home and watches television comments on how clear the picture is. It is not a flatscreen, but the front of the picture tube is flat--if you know what I mean.

I highly recommend them, short of getting into some of the bitchin' Pioneer & Panasonic HDTV flatscreens out there.
 
I second the vote for the WEGA series, i have the 13" model plugged into my Playstaion 2, its absolutely amazing:eek:
DVDs look perfect on it, games look almost real

plus the screen looks bigger than other models of that size because it is flat and not curved, also theyres almost no glare
and i belive every model WEGA 20" and above have an S-video input
 
I'm a sales manager for Sony; without a doubt, we make the best conventional tubes in the world. Another plus: 32" and up screen sizes are made in the USA (Pittsburgh). If you need specific advice, feel free to contact me offline.
 
Everyone seems to be on the same page here.
I used to work in TV repair as a part time job and Sony's were always held in the highest regard. If you shop around you can find one at a nice price as many models are not cheap.
I have also had good experiences with Toshiba's.
Donald :)
 
One suggestion befroe you buy anything ........
Check to see if the gentlemans eyesight can fully see the
clarity of a Sony. I take care of my 92 year old aunt
and found that she could not tell the differance between
my Sony XBR 32" and her Wal-mart Sanyo TV.
Even I can't see that much differance like I used to
when I bought my Sony.

When it came time to buy her a new TV I let her pick out
what looked best to her and she chose a Sharp TV this
time because she could use the remote easily. Older folk's
have different needs that younger folk's so check first.
 
MikeD60 offered:
I'm a sales manager for Sony; without a doubt, we make the best conventional tubes in the world. Another plus: 32" and up screen sizes are made in the USA (Pittsburgh). If you need specific advice, feel free to contact me offline.
Click to expand...

I have a tangential question for you, Mike.

Is it true there are "optimal" viewing distances for different size screens? And such being the case, is it possible to actually buy TOO large a screen for standard-size, say, family room for "optimal" viewing?
 
"Is it true there are "optimal" viewing distances for different size screens? And such being the case, is it possible to actually buy TOO large a screen for standard-size, say, family room for "optimal" viewing?"

Absolutely! Too big and too close (the rule of thumb is to sit back 3x the diagonal size of the screen, i.e. 8' away from a 32" tube). Any closer and you'll start to notice the individual pixels and perhaps even the apature grill or shadow mask inside the tube. This is perceived as a "graininess" or keystoning to the picture.

Of course, I sit @ 9 feet away from my own 36" tube, so sometimes you can't follow this advice. And some people are more sensitive to the effect than others.
 
Another vote for the Sony Wega series. Take note though that there are usually two different models per screen size: one lesser expensive model with the speakers on the bottom of the screen and without picture-in-picture (PIP) and some other small features; and the more expensive version with PIP and surround sound speakers, among other things. There can be a fairly large difference in price between the two, and Best Buy and Circuit City ALWAYS advertise the less expensive model in their Sunday flyers for obvious reasons.

Go with the more expensive model if you love PIP and/or if you have to have the very best model of everything. The less expensive model may be more appropriate if you don't care for PIP and/or will be using the TV with auxiliary speakers, making the surround sound speakers on the TV a non-factor.

Bucky
 
Toshiba makes the best "low end" value priced TV I have personally owned and used. Great picture, easy to use remote, great sound and, a very competitive price.

If you want to step up to a "premium" TV and don't mind the cost increase, Sony WEGA is the way to go.
 
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