HDTV

[chrisasst]

Any one here have or know anything about this tv ----> Element 32" Class LCD 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV $339
I was going to ask here before I bought it but I placed my order last night. It has decent reviews from walmarts web site. I was going to go on black friday to target and try and get ---> Westinghouse Digital 40" Class 1080p 60Hz LCD HDTV -
Really can't find any reviews on this one. What got me was the 120 hz vs 60 hz.. There are a couple other option that are slightly better on the element. I am just worried about the brand... I did get a 3 year warranty, but.... So any one have experience with the element TVs

 

[Cazimere]

I bought one at Walmart on sale for 299. Picture was bad. Returned it for another of the same. Took it back too. Same problem.

 

[firefighterjake]

No experience with Element . . . for some things I pay a little more and go with the brand name . . . I have had very good lucky with Samsung and currently use two Panasonic plasma TVs.

 

[southbalto]

CAZ-Did you have a HD feed into the tv?

 

[Dix]

Elements & Westinghouses have very little (if any) manufacturer support.


We recently had an Element in for service under the Walmart extended service contract (Newcorp is the administrator, they're in bed with Best Buy) that needed a main PCB. It took 3 months to find one, and that was bought from someone who buys scrap tv's and salvages the parts.

 

[mayhem]

Canel the order and spend the extra $9 on the Vizio 32" tv. Even better, go with the Samsung 32" 720p, 60hz set. You'll likely never see the difference between 720 and 1080 if you're more than a couple feet away and Samsung is one of the best LCD tv manufacturers.

I see alot of complaints online about Element HDTV's and many seem to center around either picture problems or what seem like lousy QC...lots of odd things like having to press the power button repeatedly before it turns on, buttons not working right, etc. Cheap soldering and poor quality control.

 

[bluefrier]

Get a Vizio if you want a good starter HDTV. Otherwise, go with a Samsung or Sony.

 

[Delta-T]

Get a Vizio if you want a good starter HDTV. Otherwise, go with a Samsung or Sony.

+1, I have the vizio 41" going on 4 years (will be exactly 4 years on superbowl, cuz my old RCA died at 6am on superbowl sunday). No complaints. I'd get another.

 

[Dix]

Exnay on the Samsung.

Capacitors in the power supplies are cutting out any where from 18 months or more. Samsung isn't doing much about it.

 

[chrisasst]

Canel the order and spend the extra $9 on the Vizio 32" tv. Even better, go with the Samsung 32" 720p, 60hz set. You'll likely never see the difference between 720 and 1080 if you're more than a couple feet away and Samsung is one of the best LCD tv manufacturers.

I see alot of complaints online about Element HDTV's and many seem to center around either picture problems or what seem like lousy QC...lots of odd things like having to press the power button repeatedly before it turns on, buttons not working right, etc. Cheap soldering and poor quality control.

thats the problem, I wanted a 1080 and 120. this is the only one I found... oh well I guess I will see... thanks for the heads up

 

[mkling]

Panasonic Plasma all the way, I have 42" 720p and 50" 1080p. People come to my house and always comment on how incredible the pictures are, and they have there own HDTVs at home. That being said, one thing I have noticed with lower end HDTVs is that the picture quality is good as long as it is hooked up to and HD source. If you are putting SDTV into it though the picture quality can be horrible. I have a small HD LCD TV in the my bedroom that was like that but since I upgraded to satellite TV with most channels in HD the quality is pretty good for a cheap set.

 

[Dix]

Canel the order and spend the extra $9 on the Vizio 32" tv. Even better, go with the Samsung 32" 720p, 60hz set. You'll likely never see the difference between 720 and 1080 if you're more than a couple feet away and Samsung is one of the best LCD tv manufacturers.

I see alot of complaints online about Element HDTV's and many seem to center around either picture problems or what seem like lousy QC...lots of odd things like having to press the power button repeatedly before it turns on, buttons not working right, etc. Cheap soldering and poor quality control.

That slow on is the capacitors failing in the power supply. It's not limited to Samsungs. There are only a handful of PCB manufacturers.

 

[Dix]

Panasonic Plasma all the way, I have 42" 720p and 50" 1080p. People come to my house and always comment on how incredible the pictures are, and they have there own HDTVs at home. That being said, one thing I have noticed with lower end HDTVs is that the picture quality is good as long as it is hooked up to and HD source. If you are putting SDTV into it though the picture quality can be horrible. I have a small HD LCD TV in the my bedroom that was like that but since I upgraded to satellite TV with most channels in HD the quality is pretty good for a cheap set.

Pansonic makes a very OK product ( with the technology, nothing is perfect :smirk: ). Product support in warranty is primo. If the part is in stock, and not a display panel (ground ship), we have it the next day.

 

[Cazimere]

CAZ-Did you have a HD feed into the tv?

Yes, Directtv with HD. Wound up getting a 32" RCA and a 32" Emerson. Happy with both.

 

[RSNovi]

On a 32" TV 720p is plenty. You might notice the difference of 1080p on a larger TV. I do think 120hz is worth it though. I vote Samsung as one of the best.

 

[mayhem]

I have a 50" 720p Panasonic plasma in my living room and a 40" Samsung 1080p 60hz in my master bedroom. Not even funny how much sharper the picture is on the plasma. For the record, I do not own a HD input so the best these are getting is 480p.

I've purchased about 2 dozen HDTV's in the last 4-5 years (most of them for work, every time we opened a new office we put one in the lobby). I've used LG, Samsung, Sony, Viewsonic and Toshiba LCD screens and Samsung and Panasonic PLasmas. For LCD I wouldn't buy anything but a Samsung, for plasma I wouldn't buy anything but a Panasonic. This is of course at a price point...I do not buy state of the art, top of the line sets as this is never a decent value. In my opinion, only the very latest, high priced LCD sets can compare with the picture quality of a decent plasma set.

Both of my TV's are about 2 years in service at this time.

Exnay on the Samsung.

Capacitors in the power supplies are cutting out any where from 18 months or more. Samsung isn’t doing much about it.

Have not experienced a single issue with any Samsung HDTV in four or so years...doesn't mean this isn't an issue...just that I know nothing about it directly. Since Samsung probably doesn't make their own capacitors, or probably even the power supplies really, I bet this issue is across multiple manufacturers and ever product types. I had a dozen and a half Dell Optiples workstations at my old job. We had a 74% failure rate of the power supplies due to failed capacitors in the first 18-24 months...I bet its the same cap manufacturer.

Unfortunately, if things fail after 18 months, you're out of luck...the warranty is up and thats that. If its a big enough problem and enough claimants get organized they might be able to force a recall, warranty extension or maybe a class action suit...other than that, its no different than the batteris crapping out in your ipod at 18 months...you throw it out and buy another one.

To the OP:

Go out shopping on Friday of this week, with cash in hand, ready to buy. You will find a good deal on a good set. Google black friday deals and look at the sneak peek deals you'll be able to find at your local retailers.

 

[chrisasst]

To the OP:

Go out shopping on Friday of this week, with cash in hand, ready to buy. You will find a good deal on a good set. Google black friday deals and look at the sneak peek deals you'll be able to find at your local retailers.[/quote]

Unfortunaetly I am on a tight budget. So I am stuck looking at the "budget" tv's if you will that have the best deal. I have looked at all the ads and I don't see any good deals on 1080 and with 120. Walmart does have a Samsung 32" Class LCD 720p 60Hz HDTV for $328, but not exactly what I am looking for. The tv I did get seems too good to be true. Atleast from walmart, the next closest tv up with 1080m 120 is a sony bravia for $583 or a viore for $449. But I don't know , I guess I will see this week, if it is junk then I will return it..

 

[BrotherBart]

I think it was Forbes that had an article a while back predicting lots of great deals this year end on TVs. Seems the market slowed down but the panel producers didn't and the warehouses are packed with panels and they are expected to drop the prices to get the TV makers to take'em.

 

[woodmeister]

i've got a 40" samsung no complaints

 

[chrisasst]

Recieved my tv today. I need to get an HDMI cable which is coming tomorrow. So far though even on an S hook up it is great. But it is only been 1 day so...