len_mullen

It's not the signal, it's the technology. The motion blur is due to how the pixels are lit, their shape, and their speed. If it doesn't bother you, don't worry about it. Anyone who watches sports should be aware of the problem. Watch a little hockey on the LCD and see if you can live with the blur. Another problem with LCDs is that their colors change with age. The prism works the same, but the backlight changes colors. You can easily see this on any older computer monitor. Good reading here: http://www.plasmatvbuyingguide.com/ Still best to look at TVs in a showroom. A lot of showrooms. Plenty power their sets with an HDTV signal. Stand back as far as you sit from your TV at home. At the same size and price, the only time I would choose LCD over plasma is for a windowed room. The glass screens tend to reflect. This can be mitigated by mounting the TV so the screen leans a couple degrees forward, but it's an issue.

Yes vertical as well as horizontal, but it's not bad as some say... http://www.lcdtvbuyingguide.com/lcdtv/lcdtv-misconceptions.shtml Best to visit a store and try for yourself.

I think they are. The motion blur on all but the fastest, most expensive LCDs is a deal killer for me. Most people see this if you point it out, but some don't mind it. You should really go watch a hockey game on a big LCD and see for yourself.

Good info here... http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=8_nuC&m=1jNCsR6HuXQTuH&b=Q4ubsboseIKf_eWFTnsFmw http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-6449_7-6792632-1.html?tag=rb_content;rb_mtx http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-6449_7-6844370-1.html?tag=rb_content;rb_mtx http://reviews.cnet.com/720p-vs-1080p-hdtv/?tag=rb_content;rb_mtx http://www.daniele.ch/school/30vs60/30vs60_1.html http://www.consumersearch.com/plasma-tv http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/ Your eyes matter more than other people's opinions. Best thing to do is spend some time in front of sets. Start by measuring the distance from your viewing area to where the set will be. That matters because if you are sitting six feet back from a 42" tv, you will be hard pressed to distinguish 720p from 1080p (http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg212/hondar_2008/resolution_chart.jpg). Visit a few stores. My Walmart feeds s-video to their HDTVs, so the picture is not so good to begin with. Try to see a lot of programming. A blu-ray disc of dolphins frolicking is going to look good on all sets. High motion (sports) will challenge a lot of expensive TVs. Most of the differences (price, image retention, picture quality) between lcd and plasma right now are slim. - LCD will look better in a bright room (plasma is glass/reflective) - LCD uses less electricity - Plasma is better for motion - Plasma looks better in a dark room (deeper blacks, richer colors) - Plasma looks better from wide angles (when you are off to the side of the set or looking down on one) There is more variation between brands than technologies. Most rate Pioneer and Sony plasmas at the top, but Samsung and Panasonic are right there for a fraction of the cost. I have a 50 inch Samsung 720p plasma and I like it a lot.

The reviews on the Newegg TV are good and you really don't want to carry a HDTV home on a cold winter day.

It went from $150 to $100 to $150 in September. Now it's $100 -- I'm guessing that $150 will be back.

Just a pat on the back for me. Newegg has a $499.99 42" 720p lcd. I can't vouch for the quality, but I definitely nailed this and DESERVE a t-shirt

Case by case, of course, but the walmart laptop was very capable. It only lacked in video capability, so I think it would be fine except for games.

You'd be seriously wrong. The walmart laptop would happily run photoshop. Requirements are here.

Oh yes they drop the price! Nintendo Wii Bundle w/ 2 Games, 3 Remotes, 3 Nunchuks $224.00 That's what I call a door buster -- if you are looking for a WII

No, it was a pretty decent inexpensive machine... Main Features include: * SuperMulti 8X DVD±R/RW drive with double-layer support * Genuine Windows Vista Home Basic * 160GB (5400RPM) Hard Drive (SATA) * Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD (shared) * 15.4-inch High-Definition HP BrightView Widescreen (1280 x 800) * 2048MB DDR2 System Memory * 2.00 GHz Intel Celeron Processor 575 with 667MHz FSB * 1 microphone-in and 1 Headphone out * 3 USB 2.0 ports * Wireless Option - 802.11b/g WLAN * HP Imprint finish and Integrated Microphone * Integrated 10/100BASE-T Ethernet LAN * 6-Cell Lithium-Ion battery Not sure about office, but HP (owns Compaq) ships with trial version of Office plus Microsoft Works. As a student, you should be able to get Office on the cheap anyway. Not rubbing it in -- just trying to understand what you are looking for. Right now, there are no good deals out there. Keep checking in in case there is another pre-BF deal.

You need to provide some information if you want useful help. The best BF laptop deal may have been yesterday at Wal-Mart. Why did you pass on that one? If I were shopping for a laptop, I would have definitely grabbed that one -- you can always return it if something better comes along.

Have you already purchased the PS2? $30 GC with PS2 at Walmart Saturday.

i sent them a note via their contact link. just a thank you for making our shopping easier.

I think an obvious opportunity would be a photo of the first person in line at any store...or at a specific store. Let's see some people in line!

I don't believe in karma, but I do believe in paying for what you take, so I would (and actually have on several occasions) return the item and make amends.

No more integrated video for me. I just added an 8600gts plus 2g of ram to my 6112a for $20 AR. They also have a Thermaltake 500w PS for $35 AR. If you missed out on the hp PC, check out the SR5610F for $350. Not amazing deals just great prices on very good desktop computers. PS EVGA has a 'step up' program that allows you to upgrade your card to a more powerful card down the road.

One of our BF traditions (though it's not an annual event by any means) is to blast off to Jefferson New Hampshire when I get home. There is a theme park called Santa's Village and it opens for Christmas Time. The first weekend of Christmas Time happens to be the long Thanksgiving weekend. We drive up Friday when I return from shopping, arriving in time to check in. Then we take a dip in the pool and eat supper right at the Cabot Motor Inn and Restaurant. After supper, we head to Santa's Village. If you go in late in the afternoon, they give you a ticket for the next day -- which means no waiting when the crowds show up. We spend a couple hours in the park then head back to the Cabot (less than a mile away). Next day, we spend as much time as we like at the park before crashing for a second night. The following morning, we have breakfast, take one last swim, then head for home. It's a great way to start the Christmas season.

Aren't we already seeing better deals? Plenty of people have bought and rave about lesser brand and bare bones TVs, but they don't look as good to me (I picked a 720p plasma over a 1080p lcd). If you're hoping to snag a cheap set on BF, visit the stores now to make sure you will be happy sitting in front of it. So far (I know, one flier), I think pre-BF deals are better.

I have the PN50A450. It has the same specs as the PN50A400, so maybe Sears gets a special part number? Anyway my Samsung 50" 720p plasma looks great. No motion problems on sports (watched the Pats this Sunday). Blu-ray is breathtaking. I had hoped to see better BF prices on TVs (I paid $977 for this set plus a 1200w 5.1 HTIB inc upconverting 5 disk dvd player and will be getting $50 cash back from Best Buy -- shipped free). So, I don't think you will need to wait in line for a deal like this, I do like/recommend the set. Looks like it is going on sale at CC for $930 after code 3LAF35ZAA5 (can't confirm, site is updating). Can't stand in line for $30. For people concerned about 720p vs 1080p, I urge you to use your eyes, but here is some professional analysis of the value of 1080p... http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-6449_7-6810011-1.html 120hz lcd... http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-6449_7-6810011-1.html and the obligatory lcd vs plasma... http://www.cnet.com/1990-7874_1-5108443-2.html?tag=rb_content;rb_mtx There's lots more out there, but plasma looks better at the same price point, lcd is better in a brightly lit room, and 1080p only matters when you are *very* close.

Not under $30, but here is a $50 AIO shipped free.

Or you can get the PSU and 8600gt from newegg. You have to stomach a little rebate risk/hassle, but the AR price is $55

Here, in fact, is a good deal on an 8600gt from newegg.

I have 8600gt cards in my gaming PCs right now. I paid $85 ea for these a year ago and that's still a pretty good deal. Video cards change very quickly and their prices plummet whenever something new comes out. Games lag video cards because game makers want to sell to the masses not just the thousand people with the latest, greatest card. When my kids want a game that does not do well on the 8600, I'll upgrade their cards and trickle these cards down to my other systems. The 9400gt is not quite as good at the 8600gt, but it's very good compared to the cards people looking to buy a new PC on this thread are currently running. I was looking for something that was good but cheap and this fits the bill. I was also looking at something that could be added to the Fry's cart. The 9400gt keeps the system price under $400 while providing a great gaming experience. We can shop for better video cards if you are willing to leave frys and maybe suffer additional shipping. I do like Thermaltake PSUs and 500w or 600w is plenty.

After crapping all over my hp refurbs, I suppose I should not be posting this, but I like the HPs just the same and it looks like they solved the heat problem the same way I plan to -- by adding an exhaust fan at the bottom of the case. - Price $299.99 - Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium - CPU: Athlon 64 X2 (W) 5600+ 2.8 GHz (89W) - Memory: 3 GB PC2-6400 MB/sec - Hard Drive: 500 GB SATA 3G (3.0 Gb/sec), 7200 rpm - Optical Drive: 16X DVD(+/-)R/RW 12X RAM (+/-)R DL LightScribe - Network: 56K modem, 10/100 ethernet - Warranty: 90 Days - Expansion slots * PCI One (None available) * PCI Express x16 One (One available) * PCI Express x1 Two (Two available) Link to manual for the curious I'd still get the 9400gt video card and the thermaltake PSU. This is a terrific gaming PC for $400.