Anybody deal with "East Coast TV's"?

discmanmfe

Thanks for the link. Always interested what people have to say.

Did you take note of the comment: "Monster's M500CV was the winner here, as all three wires inside the cable varied within a negligible 1 ohm of 75 ohms. Translation: This cable imposes as little distortion as possible."

Therefore, there is a difference in cables. Maybe not as obvious in digital mode, but it exists. Test equipment regardless of its merits do not take into account visual and audible differences that the human ear and eye can detect. Specifications no matter how good they look on paper or on test equipment have nothing to do as to how they are perceived by people. Maybe that is why a person may buy one brand over another.

What was stated by a speaker wire and interconnect company, that there is no secret in making cables. You just need to use the best material and connectors to manufacture them perfectly and consistently. Then it is a matter as to whether you want to charge an unreasonable price for their product when the cost of making the cable is inexpensive.

Yes, high price does not make a product better.

However, if you can't tell the difference, don't spend the money.

It's been very interesting chatting with you.

IGExpandingPan

You know, I have no clue on the Monster M500CV cable. It's been years since I bought analog cable, and I just have your regular run of the mill 75 ohm el, cheepo quad quad shielded discount special.

But you gotta love quote mining

This quote is from PC world's test
http://pcworld.about.com/magazine/2309p111id121777.htm
In terms of performance, Monster RCA cables are simply better than average. THAT'S IT. There are more industrial solutions that are far better at far better prices. If you want balanced cables, buy a resister. Really!

This logic kind of works in the analog world, but not digital. Here's the deal, if an digital cable is not performing to specs, you're going to see it. It's not that vague 60cycle hum, or that 15.625kHz frequency from your TV caps. We are not talking a vague blue shift. We're talking interruption in your data scream and CLUNK. For audio, same deal. You got interference or signal attenuation, it's going to be dun fucked up or not work at all. That's the nature of digital, it works 100% until the drop off point, then it drops off fast.

Of cables? Analog, you "may" have a point. A person might actually enjoy twisted pair for speaker interconnects even though it'll filter out the high frequencies. But digital, no. You're totally wrong. Either it tests okay or it doesn't. If a given cable doesn't meet HDMI 1.3 standards, odds are the sucker will work anyway since HDMI 1.3 calls for much higher bandwidth than required for 1080P. Fancy that. Now, you "could" mean in your enviroment you might need better shielding than in the lab. This could be true, but not if we're talking 6ft cables, unless you're running a 240V motor. I just tried a hair dryer and Kerby vac near mine, and there was no issue.


Here's the deal, for speaker wire, for runs under 25feet, there is NO issue using lampcord. That's what you use, 14 gauge lampcord. You can get away with less for your average 5.1 set pumping 25watts/speaker, you might want more if you've got a ton of watts, but really 14 gauge lampcord is what you need. For longer runs, you might want shielding in case there is an AM station near by that you can pick up with a stick. Nothing fancy is required for speaker interconnects. There are different styles of wire that will affect your final output. You may want machined connectors as they will be more consistant that what you can do by hand. But really, coat hangers do as good a job as Monster. They've got the gauge baby.

IGExpandingPan

Because it's $20 more than you need to spend?

Testing would disagree with you.

Welcome to a shitty analogy. If we're talking fuel, then gas is to a Ferrari as electricity is to HDTV, and as such this is a valid argument for an online battery backup. If you have a set worth over $1500 spending $50 to $150 for a good online battery backup makes a fair amount of sense.

But you put premium gas in a Ferrari not because it's "quality" but because it's got a higher octane rating. Here's how it works, you've got octane and you've got heptane. Something rated at 87 octane acts like a solution of 87% octane and 13% heptane. Something rated at 92 burns like a solution of 92% octane and 8% heptane. Some heptane is desirable because it makes the fuel easier to ignite. Too much makes it too easy.

Understand?

Now the reason you put high octane fuel in a Ferrari has jack shit to do with the fact that it's a high price sports car, but because it has an engine that has higher than average compression due in part to the turbo charger. The same would hold true for a Corolla, and in fact whether you own a 1976, 1986, 1996 or 2006 you might enjoy testing out some high octane fuels and see if you enjoy better MPG. On a 1976 and 1997 I enjoyed 40mpg using 101 Texaco / Chevron, vs. 30mpg.

A Caddy might be geared for 87 Octane fuel. Big engine, low compression ratio, 87 offers the benefit of being easier to ignite. High compression ratio, or high rev 4 banners like Honda, Toyota, are more likely to benefit. Cars with superchargers are more likely to benefit with them on, when they are off it sort of depends on the engine design. But a Ferrari in the city, odds are you won't actually notice a difference. US V12 Jaguars whether pre 89 you want 87. Some post 89 using the Marelli ignition have a jumper for 87 (91 Ron) or 91 (95 Ron). UK versions, well, those enjoyed leaded fuel for longer that it was available in the US.

Get it? If there is a performance benefit, you use the higher octane fuel. If there is no performance benefit, don't bother, you're wasting your money.

discmanmfe

Interesting comments.

Obviously a Ferrari cannot run of regular gas due to its compression ratio. However, it was just used to make a point not to cut corners.
You misunderstood what I was trying to get it. But it is not important.

We can go back and forth, but you both don't seem to understand that in the real world there are difference between items regardless of the test engineers opinion or findings. BTW, PC World does not state that you would not see any difference, but say unlikely you would notice the difference between cables. We are speaking about nuances here that either you can or cannot appreciate. What you might find ineteresting regarding 1.3 HDMI cables, the Monster Cable M1000HD is a High Speed Cable not standard speed.
Take a look at thee following link: http://www.hdmi.org/learningcenter/faq.aspx#49

The original question asked was whether someone should purchase from East Coast TVs. My answer remains as yes.

I will leave it up to the buyer as to what and where they want to buy
their products and wish them the best of luck in doing so.

When you try to be helpful, someone is bound to become defensive. This is why I do not like to offer free advice. Everybody has their own opinion and they are certainly entitled to it.

So I end my discussion by stating once again, we agree to disagree.

ckone180

Ha ha ha! I never said I spend more money than I should! I purchased quality inexpensive cables($8 HDMI, 3), and I was suckered into the Monster Cable game at first. I have both types of cables to compare by myself, and I must say, damn! There is no discernable difference to my eyes.

What it boils down to in this particular game is the profit the retailers desire to make. Therefore, they limit their selection to two (sometimes just one) brand, and that is where they make a lot of profit. Not just a inventory issue.

And if you remember correctly, that is a talking point of ECTVs. Very like-minded there are we?

Even the best of brands have their lemons, or products that have issues do to shipping, missed quality control inspections, storing and set up. These issues may have nothing to do with the manufacturing process, may just simply be a component jarred loose from rough shipping, that will not prove itself evident until 10 or so days after purchase. 90 days is a good benchmark, why would MOST B&M stores adopt this magical number?

Once again, not really a true statement. Let us take a normal person, who works throughout the week. This person only has time to watch TV for, let's assume, 2 hours per day. If he has a small pinch in a wiring harness leading from the power supply on the inside of the set, and operates this unit without prior knowledge of such, the wires will eventually begin to heat. Let us imagine he hasn't been able to sit down in front of the TV for a couple of weeks for a real power day, 2 movies and a bit of gaming. The amount of heat generated after the 6 hours of operation could cause the insulation to wear down, creating a short. At this point he is an owner for 14-15 days. The set fails. The more realistic scenario would be that it would take longer to wear the insulation down, but I have sped up the process. He now has a TV that is better suited for return than repair, due to timely servicing not being available in the rural area he lives in. 14-15 days are outside of the return policy for ECTVs, and we can argue about whether or not they would accept it anyway. The point is that their return policy is only 7 days.

And I truly appreciate those people who are just trying to help others in their decisions, and assist them in making an educated one. I, however, am just trying to shed light on the LACK of customer service in this regard. And yes, they may not go strictly by their policy, but what is written is the only liability they must meet.

I disagree, this is where you are correct. We agree to disagree. This is a blanket statement with absolutely no basis in reality. Those people who do their research may or may not purchase from ECTVs. It is a matter of perception. If I were trying to gain knowledge and read this thread, I would run far away from ECTVs, as there are many, many other retailers, online or B&M, that compete with the pricing and have much better policy and customer service. When we are discussing a product for $2000, a hundred dollars is not that big of a deal when you can rest assured that you are being backed by companies that can support you in every way.

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snl54

Yeah sure, I'll even try to capture it on video if they're okay with that. You'll have to excuse the mess in my house though - I'm still moving in.

film11

FWIW, I spoke with an ISF calibrationist regarding ECTV and not only had he heard of them, but he'd also ordered sets from them, with nothing negative to report. If they're good enough for ISF, they're good enough for me.

Nerologic

I just placed an order with East Coast TV's on the Panasonic TC-P42G10 for the bedroom. I was pretty sure on what i wanted and after looking around everywhere i decided to just go for it because they had the best price.

Grand Total was $890. I plan on buying the 54" version later down the road for the living room.

I will post my experience with pics and all once i receive the set.

PFC5

Nice display you bought there.

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G3rron

I plan on getting the same model after viewing instore and comparing. Thats a real good price but I"m not so sold on ECTV yet. But good luck with the purchase.

Nerologic

Thank you

I was in your same situation for a while, After reading this entire thread i just kept going back and forth until now. Did i make the right choice or not that remains to be seen. However, after my short conversation with Jimmy when he called me right after i placed the order i feel more at ease, very nice guy.

Jimmy reminded me that i had forgotten to add in my free HDMI Cable when i placed my order. Also, after telling him i was from this forum he upgraded my shipping to 5-day for free, Not bad.

If you are sure about what you want and know you aren't going to change your mind i don't see a problem with ordering from them. The only thing i was worried about was the return policy, but after making sure i wanted a G10 all that was left for me to do was take a chance.

I also called Panasonic prior to placing the order and i was told that they would indeed honor the warranty.

IGExpandingPan

It sort of is. Running around town, odds are VERY high that you won't notice a difference between regular gas and premium gas. If you turn on the super charger, run as higher RPMs, odds are high you'll notice it.

For something like a Corolla or a Honda, you are actually likely to notice a fuel efficiency improvement because they run a higher compression ratio, and operate at faster RPMs. This will vary depending on the brand of gas you use.

For a US Jag v12 pre 1989, it's actually geared for regular gas. Post 1989, you had to engage a jumper to advance the timing to use premium gas. For a UK Gag pre 1989 your going to want leaded fuel.

Buying regular for a performance vehicle, when you're not performing is no big deal, unless we're talking about a REAL performance vehicle not designed for the street. This is why I bring up Japanese 4 bangers that operate hat higher RPMs for crusing speeds. Even there it's sort of iffy whether you'll be able to measure a differerence, and if that difference is justified.

Understand? It's not about cutting corners, it's about buying the right fuel for the job. If there is NO benefit to the higher octane rating, don't buy it. There may not be. Fuel rated at a lower octane is easier to ignite and MIGHT actually work better for a given auto.

Oh please! This high speed business is a load of crap. I'll grant you that M1000HD is rated for a higher speed than your average cable, but guess what, el cheepo mono price cable at short lengths will pass the same tests.
http://gizmodo.com/268788/the-truth-...keep-upusually

As a point of interest 1080P uses only about half the bandwidth specified in the certification.

But here's the deal, it's pointless to spend any extra on something rated for an even HIGHER speed in the hopes it will be future compatible. If you need resolutions higher than 1080P today, you use a dual link cable. Your monitor and source will have HDMI B 29 pin connector.

There are no nuances in digital.

This is purely an analog phenomenon. Either your signal is 100%, or it's not. If it's not, you're not just going to see it, you're REALLY going to see it.

For analog speakers, there are a varaity of cable designs that you can go with, each offering their own unique properties. But for short distances, odds are you want lamp cord. If you want nuances, you tweek with your crossovers. Caps and resisters are going to be cheaper than MAGIC WIRE, and actually do the job much better.

Oh THAT'S what you mean. Just your standard 1.3b. You can call b "high speed" if you like. It's easier to type 1.3b.

Monster is NOT special in the fact that it offers 1.3b HDMI cable.

I thought you were talking about monster cables rated for bandwidth greater than 10.2Gb/sec. 14.9Gb/sec in "their" tests. They have even more expensive cables that THEY rate 20Gb/sec. I'll grant them that their cable is better than average. It DOESN'T make a hill of beans of difference. For 1080P, you need about 5Gb/sec. It's a good idea to get something rated at twice what you need. That's a $3.00 1.3b ceritifed cable.

Buying a monster 1000HD cable won't improve your color, it won't improve your resolution, it won't improve defination, it won't have any nuances. There are NO nuances in digital. It's either 100%, or it's not. If it's not, it'll either be a little bit fucked up, dun all fucked up, or not fucking work.

If you want the best possible connection, with a lower chance of error, you buy as short of patch cables you can get away with. It may or may not cost you more going this route, but it's not going to be 5x, 10x, 50x, 100x the price for NO BENEFIT.

That's fine, so long as a person knows they only get a 7 day refund/exchange with a 10% restocking fee plus double shipping if defective. A B&M store will give you 30, stores like Costco give you 90. This is important for first time buyers because a given set might not work so well at home. Further, someone might need better subtitle support which is a feature not well documented. My toshiba has crappy subtitle support. Even further, even tier 1 products do have some sub 30 day failures. It's the nature of solid state electronics, while not as bad it as was in the 1980s, there are still sometimes bad production runs not noticed until the end user tests it.

For sets below $1500, odds are high that Best Buy will either be cheaper, or with in a hair of ECTV. For sets above $1500, odds are higher you'll enjoy 10% savings, but B&M stores like Best Buy may offer things like free hookup. Odds are VERY high that your average with a few exceptions that buydig.com, US-Appliance, Amazon, Newegg, buy.com will offer competitive prices. For stores like Costco, that extra year warranty is FREE and they do have a few sets which have exceptional prices, such as what I bought.

IGExpandingPan

Since I was long winded, I'll address this important point.

A "high speed" HDMI cable is one that complies to HDMI 1.3b standards. This covers 1080P and a little bit beyond. Monster is not unique offering "high speed" cables.

http://www.hdmi.org/learningcenter/faq.aspx#112

snl54

gotta create post #5 so i can add links...

snl54

JUST GOT THE TV!



Everything looks good so far. The delivery company came in a 16' Budget Truck. They're based out of NY and have a LOT of deliveries (for numerous companies I'm guessing).

They brought the TV in, put it on the floor in front of the TV stand, turned it on and said it works. I was like uhh...can we hook it up and check everything? (Dead pixels?) So we got to doing that, had to go through the setup screens, and plugged it into my cable box, verified everything, and ran my credit card through their wireless terminal after I was happy with the TV's condition.

Then I got em some water cause it looks like they've had a long day that isn't even over yet and they headed out.

That was that.

Just a note about my experience with Amazon's white glove delivery last year (CEVA):

I purchased an LN40A550 from Amazon last year with "white glove delivery." We set up a time for delivery. I stayed home from work that day. After waiting all day, I decided to go down to my condo lobby to find out they just left the TV in the mailroom.

So as far as TVs go, it looks like ECTVs has good prices, and delivery is assured. The TV came to me well before the 7-10 day range they stated on their website. I got it within 4-5. I was not charged until I powered on the TV and made sure everything worked fine.

Jimmy at ECTV can seem a little short on the phone but maybe it's a NJ thing? (No offense). But I was able to communicate well with him and we worked out a deal on an extended warranty for the TV and he then threw in an upgraded HDMI 1.3 cable as well.

If the TV holds up, and their customer service does, I would have no problem purchasing from them in the future - when I buy a TV I know exactly what I want, and if they've got the best prices - I'm happy with that.

Best,
Steve

ps (I took some video too, but I'm still unpacking, so I have to find the dock/cables for it)