Alright, Television Q

[SupraOfDoom]

OK but I'm not talking about joe six pack. I'm talking about me. I know TV specs as I'm a tech junkie. I always do plenty of research online before I ever purchase anything. In my experience Best Buy is almost never the Best Buy. Again, I'm Amazon nut ( and Newegg / Tigerdirect ), so this is generally where I plan on making my purchases. Still, generally Walmart has better deals then Best Buy on the exact same model. Do they offer the best models? No. But how many people buying an HD-TV that buy one at Wal-mart with out doing research care about these specs that only a tech junkie or HD nut would truly care about. So for Justin, I'm the one preaching on getting a good speced TV.

Best Buy offers some good products. Some of these products are like 4x more then they are online or almost anywhere for that matter. Next time you go to best buy, look at the cost of HDMI to DVI cables, CAT5 cable, or anything related to stuff like that. Even our local shit computer store here ( Milwaukee PC ), offers way way way better prices.

Not only that, did I even mention 99% of Best Buy employee's don't know a damn thing about what they are doing? Almost all my conversations with BB employee's end up with me holding in my laughs. The worst part is, they would hire someone with retail experience over me who actually knows electronics. How do I know? Because those bastards wouldn't hire me lol. Did I mention I've caught a few just lying to get a sale. They say they are not commission but it sure seems like they are.

Also, again, Geek Squad .... 95% of what they do is just ripping people off. One of my best friends used to work for them and he would tell me tons of great stories.

PS: People with a low spending cap don't want a good HD-TV anyway. At least, that's how I see it.

 

[Justin727]

BB kids are on commision! I usually shop newegg/tigerdirect as well. I also put alot of research in myself as to what tv i'm going to buy. Prices will be dropping this springs and thats when I'll pounce

 

[SupraOfDoom]

I'm going to have to take a look at the 3D Sony TV's coming out this summer.

 

[Justin727]

I cant wait

 

[NoKittenMKIII]

Lee- We've got a 32" Insignia right now. No real issues aside from the two av jacks located on opposite sides of the TV. I'm not an HD nut, but I do play the music games, so I'm probably going to have to calibrate the PS3 to the tv once I get it. I really don't feel a need for a 50" or larger, but a 40-45 should be fine. As far as I can see from the thread progression, Samsung is the best (arguably) but will be out of my range. Sony may be pretty good.

As to the walmart/BB debate: WAL-MART is OUT!!!! I hate the local one, and don't really care for them in general. We only go there is we absolutely have to. It's about the only place that carries the diaper brand we use. Aside from that, we avoid walmart. Thing is, as we are a military family, we have about $300 in giftcards to sears. I'm thinking that plus my budget will do alright and get us a decent TV.

So, as walmart is out, and I still need to have my tax refund arrive, Any other brand recomendations, or pros/cons?

edit: 2nd q: LED v. LCD v. Plasma?

 

[Poodles]

-Plasma looks great but don't last and the power consumption is very high.
-LED SHOULD be the lowest power consumption, looks great, very bright, and very thin.
-LCD is in between and also a very mature design meaning they're cheapest.

 

[IBoughtASupra]

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_05240R525R/Toshiba-40RV525R.html?tp=161

Get that one, Crutchfield is a good company. Free three day shipping and no tax. Try and beat that. PM me with questions, I know all about these things.

 

[NoKittenMKIII]

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_05240R525R/Toshiba-40RV525R.html?tp=161

Get that one, Crutchfield is a good company. Free three day shipping and no tax. Try and beat that. PM me with questions, I know all about these things.

I can work with that.

edit: did a search of the site you posted, but not wall mount kits, just cord covers. Really want to wall mount the tv to keep it away from my 21mo son and the one due in March.

 

[IwantMKIII]

OK but I'm not talking about joe six pack. I'm talking about me. I know TV specs as I'm a tech junkie. I always do plenty of research online before I ever purchase anything. In my experience Best Buy is almost never the Best Buy. Again, I'm Amazon nut ( and Newegg / Tigerdirect ), so this is generally where I plan on making my purchases. Still, generally Walmart has better deals then Best Buy on the exact same model. Do they offer the best models? No. But how many people buying an HD-TV that buy one at Wal-mart with out doing research care about these specs that only a tech junkie or HD nut would truly care about. So for Justin, I'm the one preaching on getting a good speced TV.

Best Buy offers some good products. Some of these products are like 4x more then they are online or almost anywhere for that matter. Next time you go to best buy, look at the cost of HDMI to DVI cables, CAT5 cable, or anything related to stuff like that. Even our local shit computer store here ( Milwaukee PC ), offers way way way better prices.

Not only that, did I even mention 99% of Best Buy employee's don't know a damn thing about what they are doing? Almost all my conversations with BB employee's end up with me holding in my laughs. The worst part is, they would hire someone with retail experience over me who actually knows electronics. How do I know? Because those bastards wouldn't hire me lol. Did I mention I've caught a few just lying to get a sale. They say they are not commission but it sure seems like they are.

Also, again, Geek Squad .... 95% of what they do is just ripping people off. One of my best friends used to work for them and he would tell me tons of great stories.

PS: People with a low spending cap don't want a good HD-TV anyway. At least, that's how I see it.

Funny, in the same boat. I applied awhile back and my GF was taken over me :biglaugh:. All b/c I didn't pass the initial test even though i put all the same answers...I know more than anybody in that store and also laugh at what most try to 'sell' me. All they know is what is on the little piece of paper in front of the item. How do I know this? Again, the GF worked there.

As for expensive cables, yes. Very. Those things are where they make money. Example:

Rocketfish (BB brand) HDMI cable: 75.00 (IIRC)
Same cable with BB discount: 6.50

No, that's not a typo. 6.50. Most of the other items they don't make much money on unless its there own brand, ie rocketfish among numerous others.

As for commission. No they don't get true commission. BUT, if they meet there quota AS A STORE, they do get a nice bonus with the amount depending if they are part time/full time. I think they do this quarterly.

 

[Boost Lee]

Funny, in the same boat. I applied awhile back and my GF was taken over me :biglaugh:. All b/c I didn't pass the initial test even though i put all the same answers...I know more than anybody in that store and also laugh at what most try to 'sell' me. All they know is what is on the little piece of paper in front of the item. How do I know this? Again, the GF worked there.

As for expensive cables, yes. Very. Those things are where they make money. Example:

Rocketfish (BB brand) HDMI cable: 75.00 (IIRC)
Same cable with BB discount: 6.50

No, that's not a typo. 6.50. Most of the other items they don't make much money on unless its there own brand, ie rocketfish among numerous others.

As for commission. No they don't get true commission. BUT, if they meet there quota AS A STORE, they do get a nice bonus with the amount depending if they are part time/full time. I think they do this quarterly.

Please. Humor me.
I've been with the company for over half a decade now...
I have worked the front lines as a salesman, trained within leadership,
and now get to branch apart from the rest and focus Best Buy's growth
to market share strategies and what lies in the future.

Best Buy associates do NOT get paid any kind of commission - To ANY stretch.
I don't give two shits if you were surgically joined at the head to your girlfriend
as she watched "All of the employees" read off of the sticker tags....
Please do not claim what's to be true if you didn't have first-hand experience.
This "Bonus" you are referring to is based around one simple fact:
Best Buy Corp. gives each Retail store $xxxxxx amount of dollars they are allowed to
"lose" in shrink. (You know, thieves, lost items, wrongful inventory counts, etc).
At the end of each quarter, whatever difference is left, is given to the employees.

Bonus from a commission-based sale? I think not. :3d_frown:

Matt - I beg to differ. If you've been in a Best Buy anytime in the last 6 months,
you'll have noticed an extreme competitive edge to their pricing.
All the while, as a retailer, money has to be made somewhere
when we walk a 55" Samsung 120Hz TV's out the door for $1,300.
We do in fact sell Monster THX Certified Premier HDMI cables for big bills,
But we also offer low-end HDMI cables to be very affordable now.

I cannot knock online-shoppers (Amazon, Newegg, etc). - I'm one of them.
But I've also taken advantage of (even as an employee to Best Buy), that we
rightfully match any price you'll find off of Amazon (New, of course).

Again, I won't knock any online shoppers (although there are extreme advantages to purchasing from a retail store like BBY) -
But I do frown upon those who claim to be "enthusiasts" that roam the sales floors of Walmart.

 

[RiyadYar]

i would much perfer my motion blur on a 60hz tvs over any 120/240 hz tv set ..everything on a 120/240 hz i watch looks like your watching a documentry

 

[NoKittenMKIII]

Update: I got a Toshiba 40 inch at Sears for 650. LCD, so it was not too expensive. With the wall mount it came to 750, so I did good. Now I'm waiting on the rest of the furniture I bought today.

 

[Boost Lee]

Boooo.

Was this a 60Hz or 120Hz TV?

 

[Mr.Forks]

I have a toshiba regza- I've had it for a few years, and its a great tv, it does blur a bit when watching blue ray but honestly not enough for me to want to replace it
I'm sure you will be happy with yours, as theres a few years of advancements between your tv and mine
Its actually setup as the monitor for my pc, along with it being my tv for cable and games/movies
the only thing i dont like is my model does not have picture/picture

 

[NoKittenMKIII]

Boooo.

Was this a 60Hz or 120Hz TV?

Looks like it's a 60 hz, but it's ok, because I didn't want to spend an ungodly amount of money for a TV. We dropped 3400 for living room/bedroom furniture at the same time, so I didn't have a huge budget for it. It satisfies my two main requirements: Wall mounted and larger than previous television. I have no complaints. We don't have HD outside of PS3 games, so it's HD performance is not an issue. Besides, Life is not lived in HD.

 

[Boost Lee]

Looks like it's a 60 hz, but it's ok, because I didn't want to spend an ungodly amount of money for a TV. I have no complaints.

I would have a complaint if I knew I could've went to Best Buy and got the TV for $570, the mount for $60 - and saved $120+....

Toshiba makes a great TV, though. I'm sure you'll be happy with it.

 

[NoKittenMKIII]

I would have a complaint if I knew I could've went to Best Buy and got the TV for $570, the mount for $60 - and saved $120+....

Toshiba makes a great TV, though. I'm sure you'll be happy with it.

AH, but being a soldier, I have $350 in Sears/Kmart gift certs.

 

[Boost Lee]

I'm only teasing ya, brotha.

But if Sears is anything like a particularly large company I work for, I'm sure they'll price match it (Might as well save any money that you can get back - Especially $100+).

Congratulations on your purchase,

Jeff