Anotherpower.com Forum
Product Information => Product Reviews => Topic started by: tomw on April 20, 2012, 10:35:24 pm
-
Ok, we have finally decided to bite the bullet and get a big HD tv.
We want a decent unit with low power consumption, long life and for $5 :o
Any reviews appreciated.
Tom
-
We want a decent unit with low power consumption, long life and for $5 :o
Low power, long life, $5. Pick two :)
Seriously however: how big is "big" to you?
Kathy and I went through this recently when they turned off all the analog TV in our area. Sure, we could go the STB option, but thats more power, more messing about, more remotes and we'd still have the old 4:3 aspect ratio of our old LCD TVs.
Looked at a bunch of them, ended up with a Teac - not because it was better, but because it was the only one they had in that particular size, that also would record to a USB device, and play back from it, and had a built-in DVD player.
After looking at about 6 different brands, I'm 99% sure they all have the same (probably 3rd-party) firmware that runs the "digital" part, because their menus, typeface and clunkyness was identical across the brands!
Most of them now seem to include PVR functionality, although it's more "tacked on" than "built in". None of them are what I would call "wife friendly".
If budget is a criteria, then dual-tuners will probably not be an option - so you can't record one channel and watch another. EPG is basic and clunky. None of them are "instant on" like the old analog TVs. As long as you have good to excellent signal strength, you should get outstanding audio and video quality. But other than that, I've very little good to say about any of these units from any manufacturer at any of the prices I'm prepared to pay.
-
My friend Jane has an LG 3D lcd and loves it..
LG seems to have the market cornered to economy/life vs features, but as with all LCD.. each one is a lottery for how well they stand up to time.
The picture to me is almost to good.
Even in 2d the movement and the ultra crispness and just the presence of people seems almost unnatural.
But economy is relative.. prepare to put a switchable power strip on anything you buy today, even their standby power can suck the juice.. No LCD I have can top my rear projection 52 inch when it comes to conserving power, any of the 3 32 inch or the 42 inch LCD we have take more power.
Yeah and don't even THINK about plasma,
unless you have a starship class matter/antimatter warp engine to power it.
One LCD we have is a Westinghouse that is 5 or so years old now..
It's held up well but its not that great of an HD tv.. On the other hand I know of a couple people that had the same model set, and it was trash in just over the warranty, but they are chain smokers and anything you touch in their house you stick to.
I don't know any particular brand or model that holds up long term, seems CRT had that all figured out, and just as everyone expected a tv to last decades, it gets changed.
I can say from all experiences.. steer clear of Polaroid LCD tvs..I have seen MANY people with them and all sets are now gone. I also see more of these things in the dump every time we go to drop off trash.
I have repaired a Polaroid I got from one guy dropping it off as trash, and can tell you they cut every corner they possibly can, though it is a decent ( better than the Westinghouse) picture.
-
I'm not sure what power you are looking for but, we have a 52" Samsung LED/LCD HDTV 3d which uses right around 275 watts per hour. The kids have 32" Samsung models which use just over 200 watts per hour. Just curious what power range and size you prefer.
-
which uses right around 275 watts per hour.
which use just over 200 watts per hour.
Please, watt.... consider your terms!
They use 275 watts and 200 watts.
Or, they use 275 watt/hours per hour and 200 watt/hours per hour.
"Watts per hour" is a nonsense term. Watts are instantaneous.
-
Tom,
I have a Sony Bravia 46 inch LCD, The picture quality is great but it's a bit of a power hog at 275 watts. 4 HDMI inputs plus 2 composite and 3 component and 1 S-video inputs. Also 1 digital audio (optical) output and 1 analog stereo out. I've had it 3 years and it's been working great. It was a little spendy at the time at ~$2000 USD. The prices have come done a bit since then.
If you want to go a bit smaller I picked up a Samsung 20 inch LCD last year that's pretty basic, don't remember the price. Power is 45 watts. Picture is OK but not fast, it'll pixelate at times.
If you want to shop around and compare features try newegg.com (http://"http://www.newegg.com/Store/Category.aspx?Category=264&name=Televisions&cm_sp=Televisions-_-Electronics-_-na"), they list features and power consumption in the descriptions and have buyer review.
Kevin
-
We got one of these back a couple years ago. 40" Sony rated at 140W maximum. It does some weird things occasionally, like the screen gets very dark if there are white credits on a black background. Also, until it warms up, something about it interferes with the dish network IR remote. Generally, it's been a good TV though.
http://store.sony.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&partNumber=KDL40VE5#specifications
-
If the AC amps on my meter is accurate, which is debatable, my Haier 32 inch draws just a bit over 200 Kg*m^2/s^3, or 200 Watts if you prefer. It is slower than current models in response to menu requests and channel changes and such, but it is an early model. I have a Vizio brand 22 inch LCD TV which will run off of 12V I will have to put the meter on, it is relatively new. It's response time to menu requests is much better.
On an irrelevant side note, currently in Chicago I have determined it is partly cloudy as my solar amps just went from 46 to 13.
-
32" Sony BRAVIA L Series LCD TV (31.5" Diagonal)
720p Resolution Panel (1366 x 768)
August 2008 Manufactured.
On paper spec: 165W active & 1W stand-by.
Real spec: 63 watts & 62 volt-ampres reactive apparent power.
We bought this on price alone, did not 'watch' it first.
The tinny sound made us ANGRY from day one.
Last month we spent money equal to the purchase prince on a home theater 5.1 system.
Now watching a movie often feels like being a kid :o again with BIG sound.
Spend time in front of prospective sets - listen to local talk broadcasting if possible, play an OLD music CD (2-channel audio) etc... the DVD movie demos sound tracts are so manicured most can make anything sound acceptable.
We were looking into the Quatro four color (RGBY) sets but they've been tweaking the media to handle RGB for so long the extra yellow color has little application since they try not to use it in the source signals.
After watching 32" for so long a 42" would seem huge.
Let us know what the final candidates you're considering!
Maybe one of the $4,000 72" edge-lit 1080p teevees would heat the first floor in the winter?
-
which uses right around 275 watts per hour.
which use just over 200 watts per hour.
Please, watt.... consider your terms!
They use 275 watts and 200 watts.
Or, they use 275 watt/hours per hour and 200 watt/hours per hour.
"Watts per hour" is a nonsense term. Watts are instantaneous.
You are right again Ross. Thanks
-
Tom--have a Samsung 40 inch LED. About three years old, bullet proof so far. Good pic,
and I am fussy.
I should have waited, as they have come down in price, but not to $5.
Haven`t put the Watt Miser on it yet, will try tonight. I never believe the name plate. ;)
-
Tom, This is my story.
I have a 61 inch SP61L2HXX Samsung rear projector. Beautiful picture etc etc and sound to boot.
I have had it 8 years or so now, and in that time has had three lamps... pick em up cheap now days.
Here is a TV I bought a few days ago (same model as mine)..... it was $20.00 :
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/261002167771?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2648
I have thrown out the ballast board from mine 2 years ago, and replaced it with 2 x 40w ballasts from an old fluorescent light fixture (the iron choke type) Used the neon from the starter and a capacitor, and that provides the start voltage for the hid lamp (6000v or so), so that bought the power down from 120W TO 80W just for the lighting part.
The logic and LCD driver uses very small power, about 15w, and the audio down low is about 5w.
So now the TV runs all night every night (and I mean all night no exceptions from the boss) for the last 8 years and will do for the next 8 years.
I bought the one shown above for parts for the main board (computer logic) and lcd generator..... so that if anything goes wrong with the color generator or main board then we'll be ok for a long time to come.
Total power seems to come in around the 100w mark, so it uses 1.2kwh per night. I have to live with that.... no question.
So, the next step is looking at a 50w HID car globe and ballast, and setting that in an old globe body (for the focal length), and see if I can get almost the same pictures with half of the original power. I think so, but don't know so as yet.
Rear projectors seem to have the most problems in the power board, and the ballast board.
As of now the power board does not provide any power to the globe (now it is direct mains relay ......switchable from the mother board), it is doing it easy, and the ballast board is in the rubbish bin. .... it should last almost indefinitely now as the computer part stays cool, and it has less mysterious parts to blow up..... and spares are very cheap and plentiful for now. I see another one (tv) on ebay for 99c, so may buy that as well for parts, and that should be it.
It cost near $9000 in it's day, but if I keep it going for another decade or so, it will amortise out ok.
At least I have some control of how it works and how hard it works..... try that on an LCD or Plasma etc.
Have fun with it anyway.
.................oztules
Edit There is a down side to the modifications with the flouro ballast. On a cold start the 6000v start pulses are enough to start instantly, but if the thing is turned off and straight back on, it will not light the screen for 5 mins as the gas cools. The original ballast provided 28000v for start function...... but this one does not get turned off and on anyway.
-
I have had a 32 inch 1080p Westinghouse VR-3225 for the last 6 months
Manual says it pulls 77 watts but I never measured it
The built in tuner sucks but the HDMI and Video inputs work wonderfully
I use it as a computer monitor and its great at 3 feet away
It's a little more than $5.oo, closer to $260
Or you could get a 9 inch Philips PT902 portable 12v TV for about a hundred dollars
And even a GPX brand TD730B, a 7 inch TV/DVD combo that runs on 12v too, also about $100
-
Our Westinghouse claims 120 watts, but Killawatt says 160-170.
It does NOT do well with the computer.
The VGA nor HDMI are ever well centered, there is overscan that cannot be fixed via tv controls or ATI's/Nvidia control panels. Color is either bleached or to much depending on whats on the screen ( without changing settings). Though with netflix everything looks good enough. if you don't mind losing the controls in the overscan when in full screen, or using M$ Media center which CAN compesate for the extreme overscan.
We don't use this TV much anymore its actually sitting behind out rear projection on the floor
(safest place in the house right now) and what it takes to get to it is enough deterrent that I don't wish to lookup the model unless I am there for other reasons.
Likely as many other products, every model is different
-
which uses right around 275 watts per hour.
which use just over 200 watts per hour.
Please, watt.... consider your terms!
They use 275 watts and 200 watts. In what time frame? Second? Minute? Hour?
Or, they use 275 watt/hours per hour and 200 watt/hours per hour.
"Watts per hour" is a nonsense term. Watts are instantaneous.
What does the slash mean Ross?
I put the kil-o-watt meter on the bigger set today and in one hour, since every scene changed the " watt/hour " usage, that set averaged 286 watts for that hour but I would bet the next hour to be a different watt hour usage.
Personally, I'm looking for a tv that would use that 286 watt month. :P
-
What does the slash mean Ross?
I put the kil-o-watt meter on the bigger set today and in one hour, since every scene changed the " watt/hour " usage, that set averaged 286 watts for that hour but I would bet the next hour to be a different watt hour usage.
Personally, I'm looking for a tv that would use that 286 watt month. :P
Let me try to explain it this way.
Watts is like volume of water.
If I told you that a pump can move 100 gallons, you'll look at me like I'm an idiot.
Even a tiny little oilpump from a chainsaw will move 100 gallons. Eventually.
To get an idea of how much water a pump is actually MOVING, you say x many gallons per hour, or per minute.
If I told you this pump can move 1000 gallons a SECOND, you can imagine it's a pretty serious pump.
If I told you that pump would take 3 days to move a gallon, you know it's pretty tiny!
If I told I mixed 1000 gallons of epoxy you'd think that was a LOT.
If I told you I had 10 gallons of toothpaste, you'd think that was a LOT.
If I told you I have a dam that holds 10 gallons, you'd think I was nuts - decent bucket will hold that!
So it is with watts.
If I told you I have a solar array that'll make 10 watts, you just know it's small.
If I told you I have a light globe that takes 25 watts, you know it's a modest lamp.
If I told you my TV takes 1000 watts you're going to wonder how huge it is, because that's a LOT for a TV!
Watt-hours is simply the product (multiplication) of the units of instantaneous watts, times the time expressed in hours. Something taking 1000 watts for 6 minutes (6 minutes = 0.1 hours) is 1000 * 0.1 = 100 watt-hours.
That same load (floodlight? toaster?) running for half an hour will take 1000 * 0.5 = 500 watt-hours.
My use of a slash wasn't meant as a division sign, merely to separate the "watts" part from the "hours" part.
Some people write it as watthours, some as "watt/hours", some as "watt-hours" and others as "watt hours".
Which you use is probably less important than the fact that you indicate some time-unit where it's relevant.
-
Thanks Ross, one more point. You do realize I am from, live in and work in the ' state ' of Texas don't you? We have our own language here and most of our words aren't in no darn dictionary on the this planet. :o
-
Thanks Ross, one more point. You do realize I am from, live in and work in the ' state ' of Texas don't you? We have our own language here and most of our words aren't in no darn dictionary on the this planet. :o
Yeah, I asked a Texan once how far his creek was from his house. He said "1 acre" and I never got any other answer. How far away is "1 acre"? And it is the REPUBLIC of Texas! At least that's what most of y'all tell me. Now gwan home and write that Texican-American Dictionary.
Just my opinion, of course.
Ran afoul of some unexpected truck repairs this morning so the TV purchase is pushed back (again).
Tom
-
tom-
what's wrong with the dodge? i think we have almost the same rig. mine's a 2000 dakota with a 4.7l and now has 150,000 on it, and has been great with little more than standard maintenance.
adam
-
tom-
what's wrong with the dodge? i think we have almost the same rig. mine's a 2000 dakota with a 4.7l and now has 150,000 on it, and has been great with little more than standard maintenance.
adam
Adam;
Yes, a Dakota 4X4 club cab.
Not sure what's wrong. Fuel delivery issue starts and runs a few seconds or maybe a minute and dies if you fiddle with the throttle it "kind of" runs. It is an '01 V6 auto 4X4 and has been stellar so far with 73K on the clock. Just oil changes and an early issue with the computer replaced under warranty, repaired the tailgate latch which is not an uncommon type failure door latches, window regulators, etc get stiff from the dust (live a couple miles down a dusty rock road) and have replaced the serpentine belt. I am, confident the battery is hosed, too after 11 years. It is at the dealer now and they treat us well being repeat customers for new vehicles. Even fudged the mileage to replace the tranny in the Dodge Spirit we had a few years back under warranty. We had actually complained about it prior to the warranty expiring by a couple thousand miles but it did not outright fail til after it expired.
This could be as simple as a fuel filter or maybe a fuel pump but likely nothing worse but you never know. :(
I think there is a recall on throttle body wear on this model?
Tom
-
Check the fuel pressure regulator.
I am a chevy guy mostly, and this is a common problem.
I am not sure if dodges work the same but its worth a shot given how easy the test is.
Pull the vacuum line off the regulator and see if it has fuel in it. or shoots out when the ignition it turned on
I had a few dodges, but the ones I had gave me way to much grief.
So I am back to chevy, but have a ford truck too.
-
tom-
you've got a totally different engine than me so i can't help ya there.
i do know for a fact that there was a recall on the upper ball joints on the 2000's. worht looking into, as they aren't cheap to have replaced!
i think i've got the gas tank from a v-6 as i can only go about 240 miles between fill ups with my 4.7l v-8. :o
adam
-
i think i've got the gas tank from a v-6 as i can only go about 240 miles between fill ups with my 4.7l v-8. :o
Ouch, that'd hurt.
My poor old Jeep (straight 6, 4.0 litre) which is 15 years old now will make just over 400 miles, sitting at 70mph.
-
Well, I had the Dakota taken to the dealer and, of course it started right up. No engine codes at all. They kept it overnight and the next morning determined that the 11 year old battery was the culprit. Apparently trying to start it made the voltage so low the computer resets so can't fire the ignition and of course clears all engine codes.
A fresh battery and it has been 100% all day Saturday, Sunday and today.
11 years on an automotive battery seems a good run. I had been using it a lot on the farm for about 3 weeks which means start it drive a few hundred yards or maybe a half mile shut it off then listen to the radio while I did whatever I was doing. It had not had a road trip for weeks so I guess that brought out the failure sooner than "normal" use. The dealer says they have just started seeing these model years coming in with failed original batteries and the '01 original equipment batteries have lasted much longer lasting than many other original units.
Just an update.
Tom