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cheap lcd tv—westinghouse, vizio, olevia

lord patton

lord patton

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jun 6, 2005
1,053
15
Chicago
Can anyone recommend a cheap-ish brand for a LCD TV? I'm looking for a 37" lcd, and some of the cheaper brands are Westinghouse, Olevia, and Vizio.

I'm looking for cheap, but not garbage (that is, I'm not going to get the cheapest thing I can find at NewEgg).

Any personal knowledge, warnings, or things to look for would be appreciated.
 
lord patton said:
Can anyone recommend a cheap-ish brand for a LCD TV? I'm looking for a 37" lcd, and some of the cheaper brands are Westinghouse, Olevia, and Vizio.

I'm looking for cheap, but not garbage (that is, I'm not going to get the cheapest thing I can find at NewEgg).

Any personal knowledge, warnings, or things to look for would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

Of all those, Vizio gets the nod. I hate to say it, but they are up and coming. I'm pretty sure you can get their 37" LCD for about $750 or so. I sell them at Circuit City, and they seem to be pretty popular for the price.
 
I did a search for this article I read about LCD TVs that got the nod from gamers but I couldn't find it. I recall it said Vizio actually got the nod over some HP one that was tested. I would go Vizio, Westinghouse and wouldn't even tough the other.
 
Personally I think the Olevia's look terrible even though they are cheap. I mean, compare one to a Sony Bravia LCD and you won't touch one with a ten foot pole. Westinghouse pretty much dissapoints as well. I haven't heard of Vizio. In my opinion you're going to lose when buying a cheap HDTV. I have yet to see one that looked decent. They all pretty much look like crap. If I were you I'd just save up for a much better model. But hey, that's me.
 
I just bought a Sharp HDTV (not a cheap one, the 42" 1080p version), that was a pretty good discount on Amazon. Depending on your budget you might be able to get a better TV than you think.
 
thanks, all. 'preciate it.

QuarterSwede: what about them looks terrible? The wife and I aren't videophiles, but we don't want to live with disappointment throughout the life of the tv.

Should I go for a smaller screen, but better set? I was thinking of a 37" because that was the biggest we can fit in the entertainment center, but, come to think of it, we're watching from a pretty close distance. 12 feet to our eyes on the couch, much closer if I'm lying on the floor between the couch and set.

The rents got a 32" Sharp Aquos from Costco recently for $650 after coupon. Maybe that's the way to go?
 
You may not believe you are videophiles, but you will see the difference.

The most irritating thing you'll find with a cheap set is motion artefacts. When the camera pans across (horse racing is an example), then you'll see everything seems to 'judder' or blur. It's VERY irritating believe me, and you'll also find the black level (how dark things can look) and uneven backlight very very irritating.
 
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