Help a non-techie out...What is most important in a TV?

[BACsader]

Originally Posted by mustang-gt-2002

if they will play Blu-rays it should be 1080p. if only upconverted dvds then 720p will be fin.

if they like real life looking movies 50,000:1 is great. if they want it to look like a normal movie in the theater then 900:1 is fin.

on Blu-rays 120Hz is a must. for me upconverted dvd players dont need it is much.

bottom line is if your parents are like mine they dont care about technology and will be happy with the lowest one you can find. if not then may I suggest the LN40A650 or LN46A650 for a higher end HDTV.

I love my LN46A650 for the price it

This isn't all necessarily true. If you get a TV with a 900:1 contrast ratio, nothing will ever look good. The picture will always be washed out and you will feel like you got ripped off. Ultimately, you want the highest contrast ratio you can afford. Be sure to make sure it is Native contrast ratio. Dynamic contrast ratio is a gimmick. That is the setting on the TV where they take all the settings and jack them really high to get the most vibrant picture, but in the mean time losing all clarity. If you are looking at LCD, to get a better one is going to cost you more, because in general, LCDs are more expensive. 120hz is not absolutely necessary. If you really want the best bang for your buck, look at the 42" Panasonic Plasmas. They are really the best bang for your buck. They have unbelievable picture and right now they can be had for pretty cheap. Look at the models TH-42PX80U, which is a 720p TV, and look at the TH-42PZ80U which is a 1080p TV. Other than that, the TH-42PZ80U has a 20,000:1 contrast ratio while the TH-42PX80U only has a 15,000:1 contrast ratio. Look around and feel free to ask questions.