Looking for HDTV on a budget?
I took the plunge and bought an HDTV monitor, so I thought I would share with you guys.
Yesterday I bought a 27" Zenith 27v36. My friend got one a week ago and I was so impressed I realized I could finally stop dragging my feet. This television has the ability to display 480i, 480p, and 1080i (it converts 720p to a displayable format). There are more inputs than I can use, including DVI - which is the new display transmission format. There are already a few DVD and set top boxes that send DVI signals, with more on the way. I wanted to make sure that I got a TV that could recieve those DVI signals so 3 years from now I will hopefully be able to take advantage of the latest and greatest formats.
The picture is fantastic - video games, analog TV, and DVDs look really great. The settings out of the box aren't so great, so my friend and I adjusted them based on a calibration disc. I haven't gotten an HDTV tuner yet. I'm still looking around, think to get one before the end of summer.
The best part of this whole deal? The price. I paid $459 on an open box (opened that day because it was the last one and they needed to have it on display). This TV is a deal even at full price though. Circuit City has them on for $519, but they'll beat anything you can find advertised by 10%. (Best Buy will match prices but not beat them). Using this technique my friend payed only $430 for his. I didn't move fast enough to get that deal, as the store offering the low price that CC matched ran out of stock.
I just wanted to let you know that there is an HDTV out there that works well and looks great for a sane price. There is a small catch though - this model is being replaced by one that will have almost the same features (new styling) for more money. That's why the c27v36 is being listed at lower prices these days - dealers are trying to clear out their stock.
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Cogito ergo spud -- I think, therefore I yam
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