TV & Home Theater

[SlimJim77]

Doctors often describe medicine this way. I find the same to be true of display technology. Why do people obsess over specs and crap? Why do people not trust their eyes?

Since I obviously work at Best Buy, I get to see customers in action on a daily basis. It amazes me how many people over complicate something as simply as buying a TV.

"What's the difference between plasma and LCD?"---  Sure it's a valid question, but the answer brings you no closer to a resolution. "What brand is best?"--- Opinions are like A holes....

It's all very strange, if you ask me.

[rwillen]

---

SlimJim77 wrote:

Doctors often describe medicine this way. I find the same to be true of display technology. Why do people obsess over specs and crap? Why do people not trust their eyes?

Since I obviously work at Best Buy, I get to see customers in action on a daily basis. It amazes me how many people over complicate something as simply as buying a TV.

"What's the difference between plasma and LCD?"---  Sure it's a valid question, but the answer brings you no closer to a resolution. "What brand is best?"--- Opinions are like A holes....

It's all very strange, if you ask me.

---

Eyes vary from person to person, try this out and see how well you do:

http://www.xrite.com/custom_page.aspx?pageid=77&lang=en

[Dval]

I simply tell them to take a step back and pick out what they like the look of best.  If they aren't happy with how it looks in the store, they're probably not going to be happy with it in the home.

[DarkWingDUCK]

You cannot do that method because you cannot give a fair representation of TVs in a stores lighting environment.  If you use your logic each time you are buying a TV, you will always pick out an LCD based display, when in reality the plasmas usually have the better image, but look darker on a showroom floor.

[Jimmienomam]

Yeh I always tell buyers what is the best tech wise. What's the best spec wise. And what I think is the best bang for their buck.

Of course I always prescreen them. Guy came in asking about the "best" tv and the associate who worked in another department said he would get someone. While waiting I struck up a convo. Apparently he was at HH Gregg and they said the best was VT30. I agreed then asked him where he was putting it. He replied "the sunroom".

A BBY tv rep came over and asked if he was the guy looking for the best TV. So he dragged them over to the VT30 display giving him the specs and how amazing it was. The rep went over and asked a magnolia rep for the VT remote so I politely said something about that the TV was going in a sunroom. Needless to say the magnolia rep took over and started steering him to the UN series.

Best is always subjective. Some may like the RBF on samsungs some thinks it gives a purplish hue. Some like the samsung bezel some don't. Some rank asthetics high, some only care about PQ. Some prefer the brighter colors that "pop", some prefer the deep blacks.

This is why I love magnolia. Because it gives plasmas a fighting chance in showrooms.

[SlimJim77]

Great feedback all around.

I'm just saying...I understand how some tech junkie is gonna wanna know every detail of the specifications, but sometimes it gets out of hand. Like contrast ratio. There isn't a more bogus spec out there than contrast ratio, yet non-tech people will ask about it, because their tech neighbor said it's important.

Then there's the countless rumors about plasma TVs. Everyone's cousin insist that plasma TVs are a spawn of Satan himself. Everytime I hear someone talk about plasmas, I feel like playing that song "Rumors" from Timex Social Club.

Back in the day, picking a TV didn't involve all this drama. This is progress, I suppose.

[Dval]

True.  We often try to keep the track lighting turned off back in our home theater department to make the plasmas a bit more viable.  Unfortunately, we're not a Magnolia store, so models like the VT30 and Elites aren't at our disposal.  55GT31 is probably our most high-end plasma. 

Like Slim stated, we always get those who are "We don't want plasma" even though they've never had one.  They've just heard all the "horror stories".  I inform them of the truth and try to remove their doubts, but I won't be pushy about it.  It would be awesome if we could get a low-light room like Magnolia stores to demonstrate plasma TVs better.

I don't believe I've ever mentioned the contrast ration to someone unless they asked first.  If they really want to know it, I'll see if I can find a number, but I let them know that manufacturers can put any number they want down for it.

[DarkWingDUCK]

Agreed, what is important is not selling out of your own pocket, but what functionally makes sense in the home.  I had a customer return a VT30 in perfect condition, only to exchange it with a UN series D8000.  He acknowledged the VT30 was the superior picture quality, but when he couldnt appreciate it in his "sunroom" what was even the point of purchasing it.  I didn't mind, I put the VT30 on display at a reasonable open box price and it sold the same day.

[Michael266]

Cool test. Won't call anything set in stone but fun to take anyways. Scored an 8. Not bad for being tired lol.

[AgentM]

Bottom line, regardless of hear say, reviews, specs, hype or anyone's 'expert' opinion...whatever you buy, your the one who has to watch it every day, make sure it looks good to YOU. Happy watching.
-Agent M
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