I need TV advice

[matt819]

My 10-year-old TV apparently committed tv-cide last night. Maybe it didn't like the DVD it was playing. Who knows. But it's a goner. I don't even know if there's such a thing as a TV repairman anymore, but it sured smelled fried.

So I need TV advice. All I watch are tapes and DVDs. I don't have network, cable, or satellite programming. I do not want to spend an arm and a leg (interpret that to mean under $700). I like the widescreen idea, and I would like 32".

Does anyone have any specific TV recommendations?

[Robb]

1. Move with caution on widescreen

I settled on a Sony Wega (there are bargains to be had) that was TV-shaped, but could re-aim the guns into 16x9 and "fool" the DVD player into thinking it was a 16x9 TV when that was going on. Hence, improved vertical resolution! :D

My thinking was/is most TV is still TV-shaped. :shrug:

[ForrestGump]

2. Toshiba

I've really been liking Toshiba TVs lately. Mine is one (I'm just renting a room, now, so it's a small one I got for cheap, new off eBay) and some of my relatives, who have more TVs in their house than are present in many developing nations, have lately gone mostly for Toshibas.

I just like them because, when looking in the stores, it always seemed like the Toshiba TVs had a particularly nice, crisp, and well-balanced picture compared to most others. And the prices are usually betetr than on comparable models from other manufacturers. My previous TV was a Sharp 27" (from Costco) and it was a nice television, but I don't think you can really go wrong with a Toshiba. Sony TVs are, of course, generally very nice, but pretty much anything under the Sony marque (it's not like they actually make all of their own products) is usually significantly overpriced.

I'd pay special attention to Toshiba, as well as Panasonic and Hitachi.