What's a reasonable price to pay for a TV?

[DawnCt1]

We have a Sony. It's a few years old. 32 inch on the diagonal for an 18 by 22 ft. family room. It's big enough for us. It cost less than $700. Lately, I have seen tv's at Costco, Best Buy, etc priced in the $3000 to $6000 range. They have boxes of them so someone must be buying them. The picture is nice but what is so wonderful on tv that costs that much money to see? I can't imagine spending this much money on a tv. Am I back in the dark ages?

 

[disney4us2002]

Funny, ours died on Friday and dh just brought home a new Sony yesterday, lol. We talked a lot about getting a hi-def tv but honestly we just didn't see much advantage (plus we'd have to get a new, more expensive cable box too). This stereo Sony is 36" diagonal and just fit in the entertainment center and was appx $600. Other than a wide-screen I cannot see paying $2000 or more for a tv.

 

[CourtasanSatine]

I paid about 50 bucks for a small set to use with my dvd player(average size)

 

[Papa Deuce]

Don't ask me.... I'm currently looking at a $9500 HDTV. LOL. Already have a $2000 widescreen in my basement. Total of 6 TVs in my house, the smallest is 27 inches ( only paid $250 for that one, though ).

 

[arminnie]

A couple of years ago I was coming up the escalator at a department store (may have been in Orlando) and there was a big TV at the top with the most incredible picture I had ever seen. I swear you felt like you could just walk into it the depth and clarity was just amazing. Like nothing I'd ever seen. So was the price tag - thousands. I don't remember how many thousands but a lot.

I guess if you watch TV and movies a lot (and have a lot of money) it would be worth it. We have one TV here that is on almost all day - did you know that you can watch Bonanza, Gunsmoke and Western movies practically around the clock - my dad does.

I mentioned about my SIL's big screen in another thread - I wouldn't want to know what that cost.

 

[dsneygirl]

We have a 42" Plasma so not really the best person to ask either. I think it depends what you use it for.

 

[Donnainnj]

Ddad just bought a 52" projection HDTV wide screen for my Grandparents for $880 at Expo. Good picture and came when promised. I thought they were a lot more $ then that, and the last time I looked you couldn't see a projection TV from most of the room.(not anymore) They love it. Dgrandma has Macular degeneration and this has helped her a lot.
Donna
By the way dad is their ex-son-in-law

 

[Micca]

I think anyone who doesn't consider HDTV when buying a new tv is similar to the person who was buying a new cassette deck when cds were new.

 

[katerkat]

You can't see a huge difference between regular and HDTV? I think it's amazing, and I can't wait to get one. DH and I have budgeted around $5K for the TV, sound surround and entertainment center, and we're looking at a 60" Sony Wega.

We did buy a TV for the bedroom, around 27", for about $150. It's not a name brand or anything fancy.

 

[Crankyshank]

We paid $400 for our 32inch 3 yrs ago. It's a panasonic

 

[janette]

I paid $300 for a 32 inch on sale not long ago. I'd like one of the ones that hang on the wall but I'm waiting for the prices to be more reasonable. It's not worth it to me.

I look at it kind of like a Disney vacation, I love my DVC, Annual Pass & multiple trips in a year. There are plenty of people who would say I spend way too much there.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

There is no way I'd ever pay that much for a tv. Even if I was filthy rich, I'd just take the money and use it for a vacation or something. No way could I ever justify $3000 on a tv.

I'm sure my BF thinks differently. Supposedly he can tell the difference in picture and sound quality between the cheap tvs and $3000 ones. I can't. I don't watch that much tv.

 

[DawnCt1]

Originally posted by katerkat
You can't see a huge difference between regular and HDTV? I think it's amazing, and I can't wait to get one. DH and I have budgeted around $5K for the TV, sound surround and entertainment center, and we're looking at a 60" Sony Wega.

W.

I CAN see a huge difference but I CAN'T justify spending $5K for a better picture.

 

[stinkerbelle]

Originally posted by DawnCt1
We have a Sony. It's a few years old. 32 inch on the diagonal for an 18 by 22 ft. family room. It's big enough for us. It cost less than $700.

I think we have the same TV...we bought it back in 2000! heheh...it's HEAVY as ANYTHING...but it still works.

My father has one of those $10k "hang on the wall" HDTV tv's...he LOVES it. (This is actually his 2nd one...his first one, at 53" was "too small" I forget how big his new one is) Trust me - I had to sit through him telling/showing me

"this is hi-def"
"this is regular"
"hi-def wide screen"
"hi-def regular"
"did you see that? lemme show you again"
"this is hi-def..."
etc...

about 18,964 times. I see the difference...it IS amazing. I don't think we'd ever pay THAT much for a TV...but hey, if I was to inherite it soon, I wouldn't complain. hehehe

 

[Patch'sD]

The wonders of Modern Electronics, let History be your guide. As new products enter the market they are priced very high. People who want the newest Gizmos will pluck down big bucks for these Novelity Items. VCR's first out in the late 70's were going for$ 1,000. as were DVD Systems in the early 90's. Now both can be had for less than $60. HDTV's were priced well over $ 5,000 when first out and now are down to $ 1,000 as demand increases they will be the same as regular TV's. Plasma Displays are the newest and were up at $ 40,000 when first out. Wait it out as they become the Standard and will be priced similiar to regular TV's. My 36inch RCA is four years old and cost me about $600, now it can be had for about $ 250. The next TV I get will be a Plasma in about three years for about $ 600 I figure.

 

[Elwood Blues]

Originally posted by DawnCt1
I CAN see a huge difference but I CAN'T justify spending $5K for a better picture.

You don't need to spend that much for a wide screen HDTV.

The rear projection HDTV models are 1500 and less.

The LCDs and DLP types are around 3500 depending on size.

I would avoid plasma altogether.

I have a 36 inch Sony HDTV (tube model) and while it was more than the non-HDTV model, the picture on regular TV and DVDs are better than the non-HDTV model.

I look at as a long term investment. My TVs usually last more than 10 years (the old one is still going after 15). I don't watch a lot of TV but when I do, I like a good picture. Especially with DVDs.

One other option (less costly based on size) is a projector and a movie screen. This option allows you (within the specs of the projector) to get the size picture you want. Just move the projector farther away or closer to from the screen. Projectors are 1500(or so) and a decent screen is about 300.

But in the end (about 10 years from now), wide screen HDTV is all you'll be able to buy so the prices will come down. A lot.

Plus, a 32 inch TV is too small for that size room. The rule of thumb for the viewing distance is 2.5 times the diagonal measure of the TV. 2.5 times 32 is about 6 feet.

 

[snoopy]

I have no desire to spend more than a couple of hundred dollars on a TV, DH would like to spend thousands, so the last time we bought one we got a Sony flatscreen for about $500? Can't remember the exact price. Its 32 inches, plenty big for our tiny house, and we have a small 19 inch TV for the bedroom that cost about $100.

 

[Elwood Blues]

Originally posted by Patch'sD
The next TV I get will be a Plasma in about three years for about $ 600 I figure.

You might be waiting a little longer than that. I also think that Plasma is not a good choice with DLP and LCD available. They run hot and degrade over time faster than and old tube style TV.

Personally, I'm waiting for the DLPs to get around the $2000 mark before I get one. Probably in about 2-3 years.

 

[caitycaity]

spending the money in other ways is more important for us right now. not to mention we live in a pretty small apartment.

however, i can definitely see a big difference and i would love to buy one in the future.

my parents bought a huge hdtv at xmas time and i was jealous.

 

[Maleficent13]

At my SO's this weekend I saw a commercial for a TV with "ambient lighting"...so that whatever you were watching on TV colored the room around you in the same light...it was kinda cool...wonder how much that goes for (it was one of those wall hanging kinds).