I need a TV. Electronics experts needed!

[OverdrivePrime]

Yes, yes, TV rots the brain. I'm well aware, and if you help me, promise to only watch enriching shows like Nova and reruns of Battlestar Galactica. :smallsmile:

The heart of the matter:
My wife and I just got a rowing machine for our basement. This is great for hour-long workouts, but unlike an elliptical or exercise bike, it's super hard to read while using an ergometer. So, to make those meters fly by, I wanted to get a small TV for my basement.

I was just looking for a regular TV. You know, big tube, obnoxiously large shape. I nearly got laughed out of Best Buy. Apparently they only make HD TVs these days. Now, I really don't have any complaints about my 6 year old 27" Sony WEGA. It's got great sound, a clear picture, never had any issues. But... it seems silly to spend $250 to get a small HD TV for my basement that is only going to be used when my wife and I are exercising.

So, now I'm thinking of just moving my current TV down to the basement, and replacing it with a 32" HD model. I absolutely do not need anything larger than that.

My constraints:

Cost must be under $600 (preferably waaaay under):smallwink:
Must have a reasonable projected life of at least 5 years.


My preferences:

I'd like it to have a built-in DVD player so I don't have cables snaking all over the place.
I'd like it to be wall-mountable.
I'd like it to be energy efficient (high energy star rating).
I'd like it to be from a reputable brand.
I'd like to have it by the weekend.


What do you experts recommend?

[reorith]

i recommend wal-mart!

and i found this (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Viore-19-LCD19VH65/11959464).

[ForzaFiori]

i recommend wal-mart!

and i found this (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Viore-19-LCD19VH65/11959464).

That's good, but its 19", which is even smaller then the one he already has.

I'm not entirely positive on prices, but I can tell you from installing them that almost any flat-screen TV (which is pretty much all you can find) will be wall mountable and pretty energy efficient, and if you buy it from any store that isn't "Joe's TV" or something, its bound to be a good brand (and all but maybe on in "Joe's" will be too). Not sure about DVD players though. Honestly, It sounds to me like it would break pretty easily, especially if your gonna wall mount it, not to mention possibly be hard to get to, but I don't know your home and its your decision.

A quick google and I found this (http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=7756621). Magnavox is a fine brand of TV, its just under 600 (about average price for a 32", has a DVD player, and is wall mountable, but you'd have to buy the mount and either install it yourself (which really isn't that hard if you have any DIY skills) or pay someone too. No TV I've ever seen comes with a wall mount. But if you go to any electronics or TV store and tell them the brand and size they can probably find you a mount and tell you how to install it.

[CDR_Doom]

I would second rethinking a tv/dvd combo. Combining multiple components into one is good from an aesthetical standpoint, but by making it all in one piece you either lose everything for a sometimes not very short period of time if you have to send it off for a repair or warranty issue, or you deal with a broken dvd player. Also, you exclude a significant number of higher quality tvs (like this (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Vizio-32-1080p-LCD-Java/10778775)) by looking only at combos.

[thubby]

buy an hd for upstairs, move upstairs tv downstairs.
or hit up a yard-sale.

for the record, you're thinking of a CRT(Cathode Ray Tube) TV

[Lupy]

I'm more of a computer guy, but I'll make some suggestions.

Avoid 720p, it's weird to watch.

Sony Bravia. (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16889252067) Good reviews, $544, 32", great brand, 1080p.

Toshiba. (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16889253222) $430, 32", good brand, good reviews, 1080p.

No DVD player on either, that tends to drastically lower the quality of the TV.

[ForzaFiori]

No DVD player on either, that tends to drastically lower the quality of the TV.

Not to mention brings the price way up. Sony and Toshiba are usually more expensive than a magnavox, but the 32" w/ DVD I found is more expensive than both.

[OverdrivePrime]

Mmmm... that Sony Bravia from NewEgg looks hot like suns. Just wish it had the refresh rate listed on there.

So yeah, I know that combining a DVD player with the TV is playing with fire, I just was curious if someone had created a reliable version yet. I've got a couple extra DVD players sitting around... I just hate all the cords and don't have the time or patience right now to run all the wires through my walls.

Hmm... here we go. (http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665746294)Sony's actually got a good price on their base Bravia online... but it's only 60Hz. Lame.

...
I don't know - is that really a noticeable difference? I watch a lot of action and sci-fi movies, so I'm told that if I don't have a high refresh rate I'll see an annoying blur during action sequences.
And... how much of a difference is there between 720 and 1080p? At what point can the human eye really discern a difference?

[Don Julio Anejo]

And... how much of a difference is there between 720 and 1080p? At what point can the human eye really discern a difference?
3-6 feet, depending on your eyesight. The difference is especially noticeable if you watch lots of sports or if there's a lot going on on the screen at the same time (such as action/sci-fi movies you mentioned).

[Felixaar]

I'll sell you my old one for twenty bucks. It doesn't work, but it has that "50's charm" I understand you kids today like.