new TV advice?

[Johnny Rockets]

If you're buying from firefold, then just pick the one for 46" & up TVs. Just make sure it's load capacity exceeds the weight of your TV plus the wall mount. I think the mount I have in my bedroom tilts but I don't remember setting it to tilt down.

Your TV really should be mounted to match your sightline from where you'll be sitting. Center of the TV should meet your eye line. If you can't possibly mount it like that, then you should definitely look into the tilting type....especially if it's a LCD.

The wallmount for my TV in the living room is a Peerless and the one in the bedroom is from PDR.

Thanks, I will need a tilt becuase it will be slightly higher than eye level. I just saw that the peerless ones were more than the storebrand and was wondering if there was a big difference. Also, what is the deal with a wide style mount or low profile. Any big advantages? I just want something to hold the TV on my wall and tilt down slightly.

[shinner]

Wider ones should allow the mount to be used with larger TVs (larger TV has mounting holes further apart making a wider base plate on the wall, necessary). You can still use that with a smaller TV (though if the TV is too small you'll see the base plate sticking out). Wider mount should also have a larger load capacity. Probably helps if you have studs that are 24" apart instead of the usual 16".

Low profile keeps the TV tighter to the wall (and limits the amount of tilt I would think too). Keep in mind that low profile mounts also severely limit your access to the connections on the back of the TV. Not a big deal the first time you hang it since you'll most likely make the connections and let the wires hang free at the component end until you get it on the wall. But if you add anything or want to use the other inputs you'll probably have to take the TV off the wall to get at the connectors.

Peerless is one of the biggest names in wall mounts so that's why they cost more. They're located near Chicago I think but I don't know if they're made in the USA or not. The no-name brands are probably made in China or some other foreign country. If the no-name brand was made from material as heavy as the Peerless, I don't think I'd have a problem using one. I bought the Peerless for my bigger TV because I was able to be sure the mounting specs would work with the hole alignment on my TV. And I found it a lot cheaper on the internet than what it would have been from a local store. Was already delivered to my house before the TV even got here. The other mount I have from PDR is equally as good as the Peerless and was cheaper.

[cookinwithgas]

Circuit City used to send you home with a nice little setup DVD with all the audio and video tests needed to get things setup pretty well. My 52" LCD Samsung had a lot of good video tests built in, and my Onkyo reciever had a great auto setup function with a microphone for auto measurement.

[cookinwithgas]

Knowing what I know now I would not buy another Plasma.

[shinner]

Knowing what I know now I would not buy another Plasma.

what do you know? I've not had a bit of trouble with either plasma I own.

[cookinwithgas]

Mine died after 2 years 10 months. I had the ESP with Circuit City, but since they were going bankrupt, no one there would help me and referred me to the warranty company, who just had a message that they were too busy to answer and to just fax my request in - which went, repeatedly, into a black hole.

Tuesday my uncle calls me and says that his plasma - the exact same one I had, 50" Samsung, awesome picture, died exactly the way mine did, 3 years and 2 months afer he bought it. So far they are estimating a 500 fix, which is better than the $700 I've heard from other places.

My plasma is now back in it's box waiting for the price of the engine to go to $300 or so, then I will fix it and give it to my kid or something.

[Carolina Husker]

Other than that, were you happy with it? I just got a 54" plasma last weekend and it looks awesome, but now you're scaring me.

I went with the 5 year warranty from Best Buy fwiw.

[shinner]

Mine died after 2 years 10 months.

<snippage>

Tuesday my uncle calls me and says that his plasma - the exact same one I had, 50" Samsung, awesome picture, died exactly the way mine did, 3 years and 2 months afer he bought it.

Sounds suspiciously to me like a product defect for that model...no? Hardly a reason to distrust the technology. Your experience is in the minority of plasma owners, I'd say.

[cookinwithgas]

That's true, my evidence is only anecdotal, and I am probably in the minority of owners. I'm just relating my experience.

[Niner National]

Mine died after 2 years 10 months. I had the ESP with Circuit City, but since they were going bankrupt, no one there would help me and referred me to the warranty company, who just had a message that they were too busy to answer and to just fax my request in - which went, repeatedly, into a black hole.

Tuesday my uncle calls me and says that his plasma - the exact same one I had, 50" Samsung, awesome picture, died exactly the way mine did, 3 years and 2 months afer he bought it. So far they are estimating a 500 fix, which is better than the $700 I've heard from other places.

My plasma is now back in it's box waiting for the price of the engine to go to $300 or so, then I will fix it and give it to my kid or something.

Hmm, must just be bad luck for you and your family. When I sold TV's, I saw very very few plasmas ever come back. LCD's came back all the time for lost pixels and various other problems. Plasma's have a lot less moving parts than an LCD, so the odds of them breaking down are generally less.

Sucks you paid for that warranty and got nothing but hassle.

[shinner]

That's true, my evidence is only anecdotal, and I am probably in the minority of owners. I'm just relating my experience.

Did you do any online research after your uncle's TV crapped out to see if it's pretty common? Wondering maybe if it really does seem to be a defect with this model that maybe Samsung might do something about it...or maybe someone's started a class-action suit? I know they generally only benefit the lawyers that file the suit, but maybe a judgment would include a free repair or greatly discounted one? I know I'd be pissed if it were my TV and I would look into it.

[cookinwithgas]

I am going to do this....maybe I'll get lucky - the problem with these TVs is that they are soooo big, getting them around for repairs and such is tricky. It's like having to return your fridge to Home Depot for repairs or something. Just getting the @#$% thing off the wall was a PITA - the LCD was a LOT lighter.

[shinner]

I am going to do this....maybe I'll get lucky - the problem with these TVs is that they are soooo big, getting them around for repairs and such is tricky. It's like having to return your fridge to Home Depot for repairs or something. Just getting the @#$% thing off the wall was a PITA - the LCD was a LOT lighter.

yep....that's why I bought the in-home ext warranty

If they can't fix it at my house, they need to transport it!

[Johnny Rockets]

HHGregg is commission so he's likely just trying to upsell you. I sold TV's for a while, but always heard that the higher end HDMI cables made little, if any difference at all. Don't even buy from Costco. Buy from firefold.com. They are located near Concord Mills and you can go in and pick one up from their store in person. You can get a 3ft for about 4 dollars and a 6 foot for not much more. Cables are marked way up. There is very little mark up in televisions themselves so they make up for it by selling accessories that are marked way up. I got paid 1% on televisions, 9% on accessories.

I bring this thread back up because I finally got around to getting the stuff to hang my TV and wire my theater and I went to Firefold. Not only do they have great service and great prices but possibly the 2 hottest girls in the Charlotte area apparently work there as well. The owner of that company sure knows how to run a business.