flat screen TV

musiscout

I'm not one for huge TVs, but now that a lot of people have a flat screen I can understand why  my husband would want one and maybe it would be nice after we move into our new house and finances adjust.

3 questions... What are some good brands, buying tips? I think I just want a 32". Eventually we're going to have kids. How do you keep a flat screen safe from damage? Most of the TV stands I see are for huge flatscreens. Any recommendations on a console that will be more for a 32"?

THanks

catali150

The size screen you buy should be largely dictated by how far the seating is from the screen.  There are charts online that will guide you to the right size.  My point is that 32 in seems pretty small to me and I wouldn't recommend buying a TV that is too small.  We could have gone with a 46 or 52 inch for our space, and chose the 46 inch.  I don't regret it.

We considered Sony and Samsung.  These were the brands recommended by my coworker.  Her and her husband are intelligent, tech savvy and did a ton of research.  I think they were rated highly in consumer reports, if I remember correctly, but I didn't do my own research as I said.

We ended up going with Sony because I could NOT stand the red line on the front of Samsung TVs.  They call it "touch of color" but I called it stupid.  Very happy with Sony.

We also went with LCD.  Personal preference.  And we chose a 120Hz vs the 60 or 240 that were out at the time.  It was a value-based decision.

Not sure what to tell you about keeping the TVs from getting damaged.  Beat the kid if they go near the screen, touch the screen or rough house near the screen? (J/K) You might want to hang it on the wall high enough so that the kid cannot reach it nor climb up to it, rather than putting it on a shelf of furniture..

Ms_Matched

I have a 32" Sony Bravia. I did a lot of research and as pp stated the Sony and Samsung are the 2 most popular brands. I bought mine at Sears and the salesman confirmed. He also stated that unless you are buying a 40" or above, save the $ and opt for the 720p. That there is no difference in picture quality in the 720p to 1080p in a 40" or below. I also read the same while researching online. The reason I chose Sears is they always stand behind their products and price match competitor's prices.

As far as consoles, I have this one Chocolate Arts & Crafts 60" TV Cart, and I am very happy with it. They also come in smaller sizes, 42"+. It is similar to one I saw at Pottery Barn that I really wanted, but did not want to spend $$$ for a console.

Not sure about keeping the children from touching. Maybe when you decide to have children, have the tv mounted instead of using a console.

MartiniChick01

My DS got a good deal on a Samsung HD 24" LCD from Tiger Direct.  I believe he paid $259 with free shipping.  He did his research on TVs and prices and found that Tiger Direct had the best deal (even better than Black Friday deals because he got a better brand than the Black Friday deals).

snoopy3319

If you're worried about your kids damaging the TV, then plasma is actually the better way to go than LCD. It's a glass screen and much easier to withstand damage. You can tell if you put even a finger up to an LCD that it's not going to handle much. Don't be afraid to talk to the guys selling it to you. If they're any good, they will know their stuff and guide you in the right direction. I'm a Panasonic person myself. They actually took over Pioneer and have better quality in my opinion. Sony is really a lot of hoopla over the name. Samsung seems to be great, but I'm not a fan personally. Stand at a distance away from the wall of TVs in a store and go to something that catches your eye. Unless you're a big gamer and have a reason for all the fancy numbers, you won't notice the difference when it's in your living room.

queenofkings76

We have 3 Sony Bravia XBR's.  I think 32" is small.  That is the size in our bedroom.

All our LCDs are 1080p.