How good are cheap hdtvs these days?

[StranglingManiac]

Why are hdtvs like this so cheap now:
http://m.bestbuy.com/m/e/product/detail.jsp?skuId=7525041&pid=1218849840875

Is it worth getting it and saving a few hundred over a led or oled tv? I mean whats the difference in gaming and blue rays? it should be fine right? Also any odyou still use passive matrix lcd tvs for gaming?
January 05, 2013, 04:01:37 PM - (Auto Merged - Double Posts are not allowed before 7 days.)
Also, what is a good type of hdtv to play the wii on and ps2 on? One that doesnt look like crap on anything below hdmi?

[Jorpho]

Let's avoid the mobile site, shall we?
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Coby+-+Refurbished+40%26%2334%3B+Class+%2838-7/8%26%2334%3B+Diag.%29+-+LCD+-+1080p+-+60Hz+-+HDTV/7525041.p?skuId=7525041&id=1218849840875

Why are hdtvs like this so cheap now:
http://m.bestbuy.com/m/e/product/detail.jsp?skuId=7525041&pid=1218849840875

Because the technology is mature, and it's right after the holidays now?

Also, what is a good type of hdtv to play the wii on and ps2 on? One that doesnt look like crap on anything below hdmi?

I understand there is no such thing as an HDTV that is particularly good for standard definition.  Some people even prefer playing Wii in 480i with composite instead of 480p with component, since it smooths out some of the rougher edges.

[DankPanties]

With a decidedly cheap Emerson HDTV... in my own experience running a Wii over 480i with composite lead to horrid scaling artifacts, blurry colors, and input delay.  Also the Wii wouldn't allow me to change its output to 16:9, but stuck me at 4:3.  However, when I swapped over to 480p, and changed the Wii to that output setting, I was allowed to also change the Wii's output to 16:9.  After that the picture was substantially clearer, colors were clean with no scaling artifacts, and the input delay was gone.  Now, that's just my own personal experience, I can't say everyone's experience would be the same.  It might be a different story with a different HDTV.

A few articles:

http://www.gamespot.com/features/6162297/p-2.html

http://www.ehow.com/list_7263460_differences-wii-480i-480p.html

http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/13/todays-most-progressive-game-video-wii-component-cables-480i-v/

[KaioShin]

You get what you pay for, there aren't any "good" cheap HDTVs. But the ones you can get might still be adequate for your needs. Go to a shop and take a good look at them for yourself. Don't buy this kind of thing blindly online.

[StranglingManiac]

Ok, I ended up getting the Toshiba 120hz 1080p clearframe hdtv for $500 (40 inch) and it is awesome, but I noticed something strange when playing blue rays. I used to have a couple year old Samsung plasma (60 inch) that was 720p and for some reason movies seem longer now with more scenes (like eztended editions even though I am playing the same. Movie). Anyone k ow how is this possible because it isnt just that the motion is faster or thetv reads motion easierbecause of more hzbit there are newer scenes present. Another thing i noticed was that there is no blur in the background in most scenes unlike with my previous samsung plasma.

[DankPanties]

StranglingManiac, have you tried playing PS2 or Wii on it yet?  How does the upscaling look?

[StranglingManiac]

I tried the Wii and it is fine with component but onviously jaggies everywhere. No different than my previous plasma really, which was fine for the wii (not so for gamedube). But, here is the big test. I havent tried putting gamedube games in my wii yet to this tv or running my dreamcast on it from the vga port. Those sucked big time on my last tv. Maio sunshine was all washed out even on the wii on an hdtv but i hope it will be better pn this tv. I heardthe 120hz makes a sifference with the hd consoles from reviews about the tv but i dontown an hd console right now (handheld and retro gamer here). I also dont have a ps2 but may get one soon.
January 07, 2013, 03:22:28 PM - (Auto Merged - Double Posts are not allowed before 7 days.)
Oh and the upscaling is really good for standard tv channels so it should be at least better than my previous plasma for retro systems running off component. I really want to play the gamecube paper mario game which i never got around to.

[DankPanties]

I can't help but think if the Dreamcast looked wrong over VGA, then the aspect ratio must have been set incorrectly?  I don't know.  I've tried the Dreamcast over VGA with that same Emerson HDTV and it looked amazingly crystal clear and perfect.

[SargeSmash]

Oh, yeah, Dreamcast over VGA looks great.  I've got a Sony and a small Samsung, and it looks quite nice on both, despite not matching the native resolution properly.