uberpooch

A Panasonic VIERA 50G10 is your best bang for your buck choice. But keep your eyes out for the larger 54G10.

Check Newegg tomorrow starting at 3PM PST for their BF sale. Regardless you shouldn't have a problem getting a 50" and possibly a 54" for $1500. You looking for plasma or LCD?

$1500 for a TV or home theater? In other words do you want external speakers, subwoofer, a stand, etc?

It's an incredible TV. I spent a solid 2 months researching HDTVs. First started out with comparing pros/cons of LCD vs. plasma vs. LED. Once I decided on a plasma then I had to decide on the manufacturer. Wanted something in the middle to upper range for quality and craftsmanship and that quickly narrows down the field to Panasonic and Samsung. I went with Panasonic because I consistently found very positive reviews from owners and experts. What turned me away from Samsung was that many of their models are being discontinued and replaced. I was also wary of the buzzing defect that many owners experience. At first I started with the S10 but after a little research it was clear that for just a little more money and a lot more in features/quality the G10 was a better choice. Had my heart set on the 50" but then last Sunday Sears had the 54" for $1260 which was the same price Amazon was selling the 50" (although that one came with a free Blu-Ray DVD player). I didn't need another DVD player so I grabbed the 54" from Sears and there you have it. If you follow the BF ads you'll see that the box stores aren't giving deals on the quality HDTVs (and by quality this means you can ignore Walmart and Sams Club altogether). If you want the G10 then currently your best bets are online at Amazon, Electronics Expo, and most likely Newegg (however their BF ad isn't out yet). And check your local dealers to see what offers they have (but places like Best Buy, Sears, etc are focusing on the lower quality TVs to clear inventory).

Yes, I just bought the 54G10 last Sunday. http://www.snay.org/smileys/yahoo.gif The TiVo offer started today and replaces the free Panasonic Blu-Ray player that was being offered before that. The sale prices on the G10 models at Amazon have stayed the same. If you're in the market for a TiVo HD then it's a great deal but if not then consider the prices at Electronics Expo and do a google for their coupon codes to help offset the shipping.

Newegg is having a sale on the Panasonic VIERA 32" 720p LCD HDTV TC-L32X1 for $369.99 and that includes free shipping.

What's your son's budget? If he's primarily playing a Wii then he doesn't need a 1080p resolution TV since the Wii is only 480p (compared to 1080p on the Xbox 360). This is good for your son since all the low end, off-brand TVs you're mentioning are 720p.

Anyone in the market for the Panasonic 50G10 can find a great deal at Electronics Expo. The 50G10 is on sale for $1109.88. Unless you're in NJ where they have stores you'll still pay shipping (around $110) but the coupon code LSVXMY50 takes $50 off the price. So for $1169 including shipping you get a hell of a 50" plasma. There's not a better price on this TV anywhere.

As others have commented, you get what you pay for. The Panasonic S10 or preferably the G10 would be a better choice.

The list is fine for size/resolution but it doesn't speak to the quality/type. If you want a HDTV you need to decide if you want LCD, plasma, or LED and also why. LEDs are new on the market so they're going to be priced MUCH higher than their LCD/plasma counterparts. And let's face it, if you're going to invest in a plasma then you really only go with Panasonic or Samsung (now that Pioneer is out of the market). Other manufacturers can't compete in terms of build quality and features. All of the Samsungs listed above are their low-end models or the 720 resolution which reinforces the belief that the BF push this year is for the stores to dump these models to make room for the newer ones. Also keep in mind that Samsung is discontinuing many of their models, partly due to marketing reasons and others for fixing defects. The Panasonic 54G10 at Sears for $1500 isn't a good deal. I bought mine a week ago for $1260 (but the G10 is a great model). If you're in the market for a HDTV and are new to buying them then definitely check out the AVS Plasma and LCD forums. There's no better place IMO to get great advice/information on these TVs.

If you do the research you'll be happier with the G10/15 over the S1. But you won't find these at Walmart since they only carry the cheap models. I spent 2 months researching HDTVs and ended up going with the Panasonic 54G10. Originally was looking at the 50" but last Sunday Sears had their Friends & Family sale and the 54" was priced at $1260 so I grabbed it. The retail stores aren't focusing on the medium-high quality TVs for BF so don't expect a good deal on a G10 by then. But pay attention to the online sites such as Amazon and Newegg. At Amazon you can get the 50G10 for $1250 and neither of these sites have released their BF deals yet. And if you're in the market for a HDTV this year, the best place to get information/advice is the AVS Forum. The folks there REALLY know their stuff.

The article reinforces why I don't shop BF. I always get better deals online and before BF. This year was no different. Take the HDTVs for example, the BF ads all focus on the cheap, low end models that offer poor features/functionality that the retailers need to get rid of anyway. And if you're in the market for a decent HDTV there's no way you go to a Walmart, Target, or Sam's Club. I got my TV at Sears a week ago during their Friends and Family sale because the quality/reliable models were on sale and you won't see this on BF. Everything else I've bought has been online with huge discounts, free shipping, and no sales tax. It's not even Thanksgiving yet and I've got most of my Xmas shopping done, all at prices better than what are being advertised in the BF ads.

Getting my first HDTV, leaning towards a Panasonic Viera 1080p Plasma in the 46"-50" range. The whole HDTV buying experience is new to me so I'm learning a lot. Getting an Xbox for my 7-yr old son (and me as well). Personally, I hate shopping. If I could find a pre-BF deal at a great price then I'd save myself the hassle of dealing with the rest of the planet on BF. I doubt that will happen so I'm spending my time doing the research and keep my eyes out for the ads.

46"-50" HDTV Xbox 360 Elite Garmin GPS (geocaching for wife) 15" laptop - Lenovo or ASUS Peace on earth (but I'd opt for the TV first)