Flat Panel Buyers Guide For Noobs

Bleedgreen71

Magnavox on the most basic level is a lesser model Phillips. Both companies from time to time make nice sets, but both companies have a habit of making bad sets. They are priced in the low to moderate range and some of the more recent Magnavox LCD's have looked good in my opinion. Their DLP from 2006 was a horrid tv set and overall I wouldn't recommend their sets across their entire line-up. Some of their sets are nice and if you can get them for the right price, do it. But be hyper critical of the unit before you pick it up and make sure your happy with it. I would classify them as a low end "medium brand" or a upper "low end" brand.

Welcome to the forum.

__________________

Equipment:
- 42" Toshiba 42HM66 DLP
- Toshiba HD-A3
(43 HD-DVD)
- Xbox-360 (live tag: BleedGreen71)
- No sound equip for a while since im still in an apt.

Scottnot

Correct, or more accurately, Magnavox TVs sold in North America are Philips products labeled with the Magnavox brand name. Whether the Magnavox labeled products are "lesser models", would be difficult to say; I suspect that the "Philips" name and the "Magnavox" name are in some manner positioned for slightly different market segments, perhaps with identical electronics, perhaps not . . .

[/quote]Both companies from time to time make nice sets, but both companies have a habit of making bad sets. [/quote]
This is a bit misleading, since the phrase "Both companies" is a bit of an oxymoron; there is only one company - Philips - that makes televisions which are branded with either the Philips name or the Magnavox name.

z28rod

There does seem to be alot of Philips refurbs out there .....

rockaway1836

I just came across this over at Satguys. I think it's important info for all of us, not just newbies.

http://hdguru.com/your-new-disposabl...anel-hdtv/107/

Scottnot

That's pretty old news; also has been discussed ad nauseam both here and elsewhere . . . bottom line being that because of its bias toward the writer's advertisers, extreme slant, and factual misinformation, it is not important at all but rather is terribly misleading, innacurate and unfair.

It's a great example of bad news and biased reporting.

rockaway1836

Well I must have missed it if it was talked about here. I know that the part about Westinghouse is true. I own 5 of them and had to deal with them once. They were going to try to charge me for shipping the TV back to them. I did manage to get them to waive that. And as it turned out I found an easy work around for my problem and never shipped it at all. Now if the Polaroid part is true also, I think it's outrageous.

Scottnot

One customer's experience proves nothing . . . it is a single incident.

There have been horror stories about Sony, Panasonic, Toshiba, and every other manufacturer as well . . . even to the point of the dissatisfied customers ranting that they will "never again buy any product from so-and-so". That's just plain silly and applies equally to every manufacturer, be it Sony or Westinghouse or ???.

When evaluating it is important (though often difficult) to remain unbiased and objective. The report was neither.

edders

Thanks for the posted link, had not seen it. Makes us happy to own a Panasonic, a JVC, and a takes a lawyer to red the warranty Olevia.

Ed

z28rod

I ordered a 32" Olevia from newegg. It came doa, had to call Olevia they answered on the first call. They had ups at my door the next day to pick up the set. Three weeks later a brand new set was in my bedroom and we love it, so whats wrong with Olevia ? Everyone has a different opinon who knows ?

__________________
Panasonic TH-42PX60U 42" Plasma HDTV
Klipsch Quintet™ II MicroSystem
AudioSource SW-15 sub.
Yamaha RX-V596
Oppo 971H dvd
SA 8300 hd stb
Olivia 332H lcd
Magnavox Progressive DVD Player DP100MW8
Logitech Z-2300 2.1 THX Certified Spkr.
Westinghouse LTV-27w2 lcd
Magnavox Progressive DVD Player DP100MW8
Logitech Z4 Spkr.

bsr26

I have a Philips refurb and it's been working great for several years. I'd have no problem buying another.

z28rod

Alot of people at slickdeals bought refurb phillips lcds and plasmas and if you read the thread about half of the sets were screwed up alot of doa and horizontal and verticals lines thru screens........

__________________
Panasonic TH-42PX60U 42" Plasma HDTV
Klipsch Quintet™ II MicroSystem
AudioSource SW-15 sub.
Yamaha RX-V596
Oppo 971H dvd
SA 8300 hd stb
Olivia 332H lcd
Magnavox Progressive DVD Player DP100MW8
Logitech Z-2300 2.1 THX Certified Spkr.
Westinghouse LTV-27w2 lcd
Magnavox Progressive DVD Player DP100MW8
Logitech Z4 Spkr.

dashock333

I am looking to buy a new TV. Should I go plasma or LCD. My entertainment center cannot take a TV any wider than 39" or taller than 27". I have researched soem Sony's, Samsung's, and Vizio's. The 37" is much cheaper but the contrast ratio is much less than the Samsung 37" at 8000:1 or the Sony 37" at 2500:1. The Vizio is around $800 and the other two are around $1200. Are the Sony and Samsung worth the extra cash? Is there a plasma set that is better than all of these? I will be using it to watch a lot of sports, dvds, hddvd's, and maybe some blu rays. Any help is much appreciated.

Scottnot

It is not nice to double post!

Please check the forum rules.

dashock333

Sorry, I was just trying to get as many opinions as possible. It won't happen again.

trapper43

Don't worry about it 'dash.

It's not like we are on the OP's topic anyway.

It's called "hijacking" and usually not cool - a rookie mistake.

Cheers.

PS - I have a Viz' and I love it.