Looking to buy a 42" plasma under 2K

That sounds like a good deal, why not buy that one?

 

resolution is only 852x480

 

What about getting a Panasonic Viera, Philips or Sony for a little bit more? The plasma on ebay looks like it could be a "no-name" rebadged one from somewhere like China.

Also remember when buying over the internet the owner may not have the original shipping box, so if the TV is unpacked improperly or tilted during shipping, it could end up ruining the display of the plasma.

Also watch out for screen burn on secondhand TVs.

By the way, I install plasmas and custom home theatre but only in New Zealand.

 

That's not a bad idea. There are a number of manufacturers putting out inexpensive plasma units today.

You should know that while the title says HDTV, that unit is not. It is what is called an EDTV (enhanced definition). While they don't have the same sharpness of the true HDTV's they offer a very good picture and one that would most likely be adequate for most viewers.

 

be careful of 'cheap' plasmas...you don't fix plasmas...your only choice is to replace it...I bought mine for $1800 but it doesn't have speakers....Akai...which is made on the same assembly line as Samsung...I have a 3 year ESP (extended service protection) from Circuit City on it so if it goes...I get a new one...paid $600 for the warranty. Mine is the EDTV though...but I can't tell the difference...

 

I would not buying something like that on ebay. Go out to Best Buy, look at the tvs, pick one out you like in your price range, have it delivered to you in a week or what ever.

 

In that price range I really like this LCD by Samsung. not sure if it is what you are looking for though....

Samsung 32" LCD HDTV Monitor (LN-R328W)

NET Product Brief (beta)
Description: The Samsung LN-R328W is a 32-inch, flat television. Compared to other flat TVs on the market, it is relatively inexpensive at around $1,860. This flat-TV has an LCD display, which is generally the best kind of flat-panel screen for viewing in brightly-lit rooms.

Pros: Has a 3000:1 contrast ratio, which is somewhat higher than some similarly priced TVs. In fact, the typical cost of a product with this favorable a contrast ratio is $3,705. In addition, this TV has Picture-In-Picture, when connected to a VCR. With built-in HDTV compatibility, this TV set can display images that are significantly sharper and more realistic than regular television, as long as the source is high definition. (It can easily render standard-resolution digital TV broadcasts and also depict the full resolution of widescreen DVD video.) The 3:2 pulldown feature of this TV reduces artifacts that can occur when motion pictures are transferred to a digital format such as DVD.

Cons: None noted, given available product data.

Suitability: Suited for those who prefer a TV that is stylish and compact. In general, a wide aspect TV such as this one is well suited for DVD movies recorded in the popular 16:9 format, as well as high definition programming.

Value: In view of its relatively inexpensive price, this TV has good features for the money. In fact, you would typically pay around 35% more to get a flat TV having similar viewable size.

Suggestions: (1) Be sure to shop for an HDTV receiver if you want to watch digital programming. (2) Since this TV supports progressive scan video, you probably will want to have a progressive scan DVD player connected to it. This will produce a relatively more "flicker-free" picture, compared to what is produced with conventional DVD players and TVs. (3) For help in understanding the various types of TVs and their features, see David Katzmaier's TV buying guide at CNET Reviews.

 

Do you have a Sam's Wholesale or a Costco where you live? I was just at Sam's today and they had several in the $2000 range.

 

A friend of mine is a dealer for Panasonic plasmas, and can get the 42" SD units for $1800 and the HD units for $2800. These are the professional models, and can have extra cards added in for additional inputs, touchscreen and PC CPU. PM me if interested.

 

Sams would be my choice for what you're looking for, several great models up to $2300. I have a 50" Fujitsu and a 42" Fujitsu in my living room and bedroom, true HDTV and you can only tell a difference if side by side to an EDTV model. There are also some very nice DLP models out there, have you looked into that? I am not a big fan of LCD since my buddies brand new TV was "blocky".

 

When I bought two plasma TVs a while back, a 42($4k) and 50($5k) , I did a lot of research and went with the Pioneer Elite series with 'deep-cell' technology. They are both HD without speakers because I wanted to use the Bose Lifestyle systems. I am well pleased and don't know why I waited so long to buy. I mounted the 42 inch on the wall over the fireplace in the master bedroom and the 50 inch in a disappearing cabinet I bought from www.greatpricedfurniture.com/products/51235725.html