This Week’s Hot HDTV Deals

May 19th, 2013 · 3D HDTV, Connected TVs, LED LCD Flat Panels, Plasma, Sound Bars

This Weeks Hot Deals

In the TV retailing, the end of May means Memorial Day sales.  To capture a bigger  share of the holiday sales HDTV makers are now offering dealer incentives for lower prices on select  new 2013 models.

This week we feature HDTVs with screen sizes from 39 to 75-inches from Samsung, Panasonic and LG. Savings are up to 33% off retail. In addition, Samsung is offering a bundle deal on select models with the choice of a Samsung soundbar, 29-inch 720p LED LCD or an Audio Dock. These bundle items retail for $300 to $400.

See the 15 best HDTV deals after the break.

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Panasonic TC-P65ZT60 HDTV-First Review

May 16th, 2013 · 3D HDTV, Plasma, Review

Panasonic TC-P65VT60 front 580

 

When we first viewed the Panasonic TC-P65ZT60 at the 2013 CES, we were so impressed with the image we chose it as our Top Pick for Best HDTV. Panasonic calls it “ The Reference TV” and offers two plasma panel features unique to this model. The front protective glass is bonded to the front panel glass, and the anti-reflective filter is an upgrade from the one on its VT60 series models. The result: a fantastic looking image! Read on for all the details.

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Why you should ignore Best Buy’s HDTV Buying Guide

May 14th, 2013 · 3D HDTV, 4K LED LCD, LED LCD Flat Panels, News, Plasma

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Best Buy has an HDTV Buying Guide called HDTV Basics. It covers some of the questions that customers have about differences in HDTV technologies, what HDMI is, and other common concerns. However, it also provides and perpetuates a good deal of misinformation that can easily lead consumers to buy the wrong TV if they follow Best Buy’s advice!

To make sure our readers don’t fall into this trap, and so they can educate themselves, their friends and families, let’s look at the claims that should be put to rest.

 

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Review: Seiki SE50UY04 4K Ultra HDTV (it’s $1,400!)

May 6th, 2013 · 4K Flat Panel, 4K LED LCD, LCD Flat Panel, LED LCD Flat Panels, Product Reviews, Review

Seiki Opener with Logo

Yep, the Seiki SE50UY04 is an Ultra HD TV for $1,400. Don’t believe it? Here it is for sale on Amazon. It’s a 50-inch, 3,840 x 2,160, LED LCD, for the same price as a mid-range plasma or LCD.

Since the only other Ultra HDTVs we’ve seen have been of the $20,000 variety, to call the Seiki “disruptive” would be putting it mildly.

So the question on everyone’s mind… is it any good?

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Spears & Munsil 2nd Edition HDTV Set Up Blu-ray Disc Review

May 3rd, 2013 · 3D HDTV, Audio, Blu-ray Discs, Blu-ray Players, News, Product Reviews, Sound Systems, Surround Sound Systems

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No HDTV will look its best using the out of the box picture settings and that’s why a Blu-ray calibration disc like the Spears & Munsil 2nd Edition is worthwhile investment. With it , the user picture controls can be set properly to optimize the picture under your particular viewing conditions.  The details are after the break.
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Accessories You Need When Wall Mounting an HDTV

April 30th, 2013 · 3D HDTV, LED LCD Flat Panels, News

Peerless

We don’t really miss the old picture tube or rear projection TV (RPTV) in our living room anymore. Those giant, 100+ pound beasts that dominated the room, with their own custom giant bookcases and other furniture meant to hold them. We tried to hide them away, but when you bought yourself that 70” RPTV that was the only thing people saw when you walked into a room.

Now we just go out with our ultra-slim flat panels and place them anywhere we want, or go ahead and mount them up on the wall to get them out of the way, and let them be in a room without taking it over. Getting that TV up and off its stand and on the wall, hanging free like a nice picture or mirror is easy enough that I can do it, and I am certainly not a handyman. However, before you go ahead and put it up on the wall, you’re going to need to do more than pick up a mount for $40 the next time you drop by Costco, so let’s look at everything you need to make that TV disappear onto the wall.

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2013 HDTV Prices Drop

April 27th, 2013 · 3D HDTV, LED LCD Flat Panels, News, Plasma

hottest deals 580

Since the winter introductions of 2013 HDTVs high prices have held, until now. This week we see the first price drops on select Samsung, Panasonic and LG models, aided by instant rebates and bundle offers.

2013 is a very good year for HDTV performance, as seen by the new benchmark set by the ST60 Panasonic plasma. It is the first HDTV to earn the top HD Guru rating. There are a number of other models currently undergoing testing in our lab and some look very promising.  Another HDTV review will appear this coming week.

Our sale list includes a free tablet bundle on a top Samsung LED 2013 model and a mail-in offer for a free touch pen from Panasonic on the ST60.

We also include three hot closeout deals on left-over 2012 Samsungs. The list appears after the break.

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How To Properly Configure A Blu-ray Player

April 26th, 2013 · Blu-ray Discs, Blu-ray Players, Blu-ray Titles, News

Blu-ray Player Settings-2

 

Configuring a Blu-ray player is a much harder task than you would think it should be. The menus are filled with different video and audio options, with very little mentioned in the owner’s manual about them. Most players now have guided setups when you first install them, but they either don’t explain most of these features, or don’t even cover them.

Making things worse, many manuals explain the options in ways that don’t help, like “Option X: Turns Option X on and off”. To go over how to correctly set these up, I’m going to reference a Sony BDP-S570 Blu-ray player and its menu options and how they should be configured. Most players will have the same options, though possibly slightly different names. Learn all the settings after the break.

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