Jon 5 Posted February 4, 2006 Share Posted February 4, 2006 Hello eveyone. I would like to purchase a big screen hdtv. I am still in high school and since my parents arn't going to buy one I am going to buy one and then take it to college. So seeing as how I am in high school I have a budget of absolutely no more than $1500 USD and probably closer to $1200 is what I want to spend (as I will have to buy a stand also or if it is rear projection DLP maybe I don't have to?). I also want either LCD, plasma, or DLP. Mainly DLP because it seems cheap and seems like a good technology. And I want a tv light enough to move down stairs into our basement and then move up to my dorm in college. I would definately want to play video games and watch dvd's on this tv as well as normal tv shows. Is DLP what I want? Should I wait and look for Lcos (or something like that)? Are better DLP's coming that have less rainbow effect or longer bulb life? And how many hours should I expect out of a normal DLP tv bulb? Is this Samsung HL-P5067W any good? I know that price is refurbished but I assume the bulb would be brand new. Do you think it's safe to buy a refurbished tv? The only thing wrong I see with it is it doesn't seem to have 1080p only 1080i... is that bad? And is a 1500:1 contrast ratio good or bad or decent? Sorry for all the questions. I'm new to this whole tv market thing. And let me reiterate that I am willing to wait for something better but not for too many months. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimboh1 Posted February 4, 2006 Share Posted February 4, 2006 Well, I can't answer you question specifically, but I can tell you that I've had that very TV for about a month now and have been very pleased with it. It sure shows the lack of resolution in your normal TV signal though, so digital HD cable or satellite, and upconverting DVD player really are extra expenses you should consider. Ours was open box; Best Buy knoced $200 of it so I paid $1800 CDN a month ago. We've been very pleased. HTH, Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
y0sh Posted February 4, 2006 Share Posted February 4, 2006 How large are your college dorm rooms? Or do you plan to use the TV as your bed too? That's ambitious, man.. Also, it's going to be heavy. I'd suggest something like a 30~ inch LCD TV - HD ready Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangbang023 Veteran Posted February 4, 2006 Veteran Share Posted February 4, 2006 How large are your college dorm rooms? Or do you plan to use the TV as your bed too? That's ambitious, man.. Also, it's going to be heavy. I'd suggest something like a 30~ inch LCD TV - HD ready Same thing I was thinking. I won't even get into my lecture on buying a reburbed set....the simple idea of bringing a 50" TV into a college dorm is nuts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
y0sh Posted February 4, 2006 Share Posted February 4, 2006 I didn't really want to mention anything, in case he's somehow managed an extraordinarily large dorm room. Or unless he was calling his rented apartment a "dorm room". In any case, if he is sharing a room, his roommate might not be that pleased (or very, depending on how much he loves TV and/or space). Edit: I agree on the refurb issue - Not a recommended move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magik Posted February 4, 2006 Share Posted February 4, 2006 I agree, a 30 or so inch LCD HDTV seems much more practical for your needs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink Floyd Veteran Posted February 5, 2006 Veteran Share Posted February 5, 2006 back 10 years ago while I was at university in dorm, our room wasnt more than 10'x10' hehe so a 50'' screen is :no: to me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackwanders Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 My freshman dorm room, which I shared with a roommate, was 16x11 I think. Then when I had a suite and we each had our own rooms, our 'bedrooms' were 8x10. Another thing to consider, besides just the amount of available space, is viewing distance. If you're in a dorm that doesn't have a lot of room, you might wind up sitting fairly close to the set, at which point a large 50" screen becomes a bad thing. Here's a handy viewing distance calculator to see what screen size is ideal for your viewing distance, and vice versa. http://www.myhometheater.homestead.com/vie...calculator.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon 5 Posted February 10, 2006 Author Share Posted February 10, 2006 Thanks for the replies guys. I think my dorm room might be a little larger than most but I'm still not sure. I will definately take your suggestions into consideration. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quigley0 Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 ever consider a cheap projector? Like around $800-1000? Check out the infocus 4805. It is easy to carry, and it will be as big as you want! (Note: Ambient light is a big issue with projectors) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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