Looking for a 27″ Bedroom HDTV
Posted December 6th, 2006 @ 11:48am by Erik J. Barzeski
Ever since I got the DirecTV HD-DVR, I've had the old DirecTiVo hooked up in the bedroom to Carey's old 19" TV. It's so old it just has a cable jack - no red/white/yellow composite input, let alone an s-video.
So, I'm looking for a good deal on a 27" or so TV for the bedroom. Our bedroom isn't terribly large - we'd be viewing the TV from about ten feet or so. The TV would ideally be a 16:9 TV that supported HD of some variety (720p, maybe 1080i). I prefer brand names (Sony), but the TV won't be used much, so I might be convinced to go with a second-tier brand like Samsung or something.
We have a Best Buy and a Circuit City nearby, along with Sears, JC Penney, etc. The only things that will be hooked to the unit are a DirecTiVo (currently - potentially an HD-DVR in the future) and an older DVD player.
Carey and I have a price point in mind, as this would be our Christmas present to each other, but aren't going to share it. Suffice to say it's under $1,000.
Does anyone have any suggestions? Please comment below.
Large, Personal Addendum
They say no good deed goes unpunished, and I admit to feeling a bit burned by this specifically relating to televisions. I spent about $2000 on a 36" Sony Wega CRT when I lived in Florida. It has a great picture, a nice remote, and whatnot. It also included a custom-fitted stand for other AV components.
When Carey and I bought the house and our 60" TV, the 36" had no place to go. We loaned it to Carey's parents while we took their old 27" TV, which we basically stored in our playroom thinking that we might want to watch some over-the-air broadcasts. We never did, which was fine - we weren't storing a massive TV and someone was enjoying it.
A few months ago, we ran into Carey's brother at Sam's Club. He was looking for a TV. We offered to loan him the 27" via Carey's parents if the parents agreed. They did, and so it came to be that Carey and I were the only people who were effectively "out" a TV.
That 36" Sony Wega CRT still sells for about $400 to $500 on local eBay auctions. No-name 36" CRT TVs cost $289 at Wal-Mart. Suffice to say, with the stand, that TV is still worth $300 at a minimum. That's money Carey and I could apply to our TV, and money Carey's brother was more than willing to spend before we saved him the expense by proposing the "trade."
This isn't indian giving (or whatever the politically correct term is) because Carey and I were clear in calling everything we did a "loan" or a "favor." By all rights, I could ask for my old TV back, but Carey's parents would not request their TV back from Carey's brother. They'd buy themselves a new TV, and that's not fair. In reality, what would be most fair would be for Carey's brother to buy the 36" Wega from Carey and I. He could then choose to leave it with his parents or swap their old TV with them for it.
But that won't happen. 🙁 Instead, Carey and I are out a TV and the money we could get for it.
Donate Life
Posted 06 Dec 2006 at 11:50am #
It's too bad Circuit City didn't have a 27" version of this: a 42" 720p Samsung HDTV for $999.
Posted 06 Dec 2006 at 12:14pm #
Westinghouse 27" is a nice, affordable option usually available from Best Buy. I have their 42" 1080p one and it's awesome. My roommate just got the 27" and it's awesome too. Does 1080i, is bright etc. Like many "second tier" TVs it uses the same panels as "name brands".
Nice blog... grew up in Pittsburgh (and a diehard Mac user), which is probably how I stumbled onto it from northwest Montana. 🙂
Posted 06 Dec 2006 at 2:25pm #
I'm a Sony TV guy myself - The 26" Bravia (KDL-26S2000) can be had for under $1000. Likewise, I've seen a similar Samsung (LN-S2641D) for ~$900.
If you drop down into the 20-23" range, you start looking at spending $600-$700.
Posted 06 Dec 2006 at 2:55pm #
Gizmodo has a review (sorta) of inexpensive 32inch models that was posted today:
http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/features/frankenfight-cheap-32inch-hd-lcds-219626.php
Posted 07 Dec 2006 at 1:36pm #
Man, I must've missed the memo... I thought Samsung was a top brand name. I thought something like an LG would be second-tier.
I've got a Samsung TV, 2 Samsung LCDs for my computer, and a Samsung phone. Now I'm finding out they're second-tier? Where'd that info come from?
Posted 08 Dec 2006 at 1:28pm #
Samsung is top tier Richard. They may just not have the same cache in the US, but Samsung is a huge brand globally. In fact Samsung and Sony teamed up for LCD. They formed S-LCD which operates the plants that make the actual LCD panels.
And LG? They are arch rivals with Samsung and are also a brand name. They are also the biggest seller overall thanks to the top position in CRT and plasma displays. Westinghouse and the like are probably not known widely enough to be called a "brand name".
Here is the global market share data for LCD TVs in Q2 2006:
Sharp - 14.5%
Samsung - 14.2%
Sony - 13.8%
Philips - 12.4%
LG - 8.4%
Data from iSuppli
Posted 13 Dec 2006 at 9:05pm #
Seriously, I'm with Jon. I work at ESPN and all the executives, who could pretty much afford any HDTV for their offices all have Samsungs (or walls of Samsungs). It's a great TV. I have one, as well, at home though that I LOVE. The Bravia's are nicer from what I've heard/seen, but the Samsungs are great, too. My mother has had a nice Samsung tube TV for years now, too, that has worked great. And this is coming from a Sony household that was a Sony household since I was 1.
My mom just got a Samsung DLP last year that also has been a phenomenal TV for her (it's only 1080i/720p unlike my 1080p LCD), but the picture is gorgeous.
You won't go wrong with the Samsungs, and you'll likely save money over the Sonys, especially if this is a secondary TV.
Posted 20 Dec 2006 at 1:40pm #
Okay, that's what I thought. Whew. Thanks guys!