Buying a TV from Best Buy?? Help?

[Jordahn]

Originally Posted by T-Town Oil

its true...that and most of them are hooked up to the same video feed so the signal is probably degraded.

VERY true. An HDTV will only look its best in your own home to your specific settings. You have to put a little "faith" in the television if you are judging the television you want to buy by what you see at the store.

[Jordahn]

I bought mine from Crutchfield.com. No tax, no shipping cost.

[hardcore_canadian]

Buying a TV from Best Buy is like Buying a TV from Walmart

[KenThompson]

For LCD tv you just can't go wrong with Sharp. I believe this so much that last week when my 21 year old daughter went to Best Buy to buy a flat screen we came out with a Sharp. However she just got a 720 p , she doesn't feel any need to spend extra when she has no desire to get hd anything.

[pbparham]

I would suggest getting the remotes for the tvs and trying to set them to neutral or normal settings as a good starting point. The only thing a salesperson might do to make one tv look better is adjust the menu settings, and you can easily remove these by returning the tv to "normal" settings.Most retailers actually do a good job of putting different type images on screen, so you can begin to get a feel for black levels and color vibrancy. Also, look at the tv from angles. Some lcd screens are lower quality panels and from an angle these differences are obvious. If you see a blue or green tint to the picture as you look at it from an angle, RUN!

As for the loop feeds on those tvs at major retailers, they are mostly on the same feed. This can assist you, however, because it places all the tvs on an equal footing and easier to compare. If a tv is on a special feed, such as a blu-ray/ps3 loop, try to get the salesperson to put that tv on the store loop so you see it at a below optimal setting.

MOST IMPORTANT: If you buy from a retailer, don't buy the accessory cables!

[davidPS3]

Circuit City, they can always "swing" a deal for you. The payment options plan is nice as well. Everything can be dealt on with these guys when it comes to buying a large tv.

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by KenThompson

For LCD tv you just can't go wrong with Sharp. I believe this so much that last week when my 21 year old daughter went to Best Buy to buy a flat screen we came out with a Sharp. However she just got a 720 p , she doesn't feel any need to spend extra when she has no desire to get hd anything.

I have an Aquos that I hate, but I guess everyone has bad luck with a brand at one point...... but as my first "sharp" purchase, it left a bad taste in my mouth.

[JoeKryten]

Definitely do some eye-candy shopping in-store(s). Get an idea of what TV appeals to you, check for features and reviews online and then pull the trigger with a reputable online dealer that is out of state for you (ie - avoid sales tax).

Another poster mentioned Crutchfield, but there are many others all over the country. I bought my 61" DLP from onecall.com (I think their B&M retail name is Huppins in Washington state). They were selling the exact same model that I looked at in Best Buy for $300-$400 less and I did not pay sales tax and they offered free Fedex Freight shipping.

If delivery and setup is a big deal for you, they do offer "white glove" delivery and setup at most good online dealers.

[steve1971]

I bought my 32inch Samsung from Best Buy and it was a great experience. The sales associate Josh was a big help. Couldnt ask for better customer service and product selection.