|   HELP! Did I make a big mistake? (Newbie HT buying question) | SexualChocolate
Aug 1, 2002 12:42 PM | | Ever heard the saying Ready, Aim, Fire? Well Im more of a Fire, Ready, Aim kind of guy. Over the weekend my old faithful (rest in peace old buddy) Sharp 27" TV died and it was time to get a new TV and I was going to make the leap for a new HT system. I didnt do much reading but I did a hell of a lot of listening. I went to every local store around here, Best Buy, Tweeters, Circuit City, Sears , etc etc.. I only had $500 to spend on a HT system and $500 to spend on a TV. This is what I got and after reading a lot of things in this forum Im debating taking it all back and eating the restocking fee if there is one.
For the HT system I ended up with this one from circuitcity.com <a href="http://www.onkyousa.com/model.cfm?class=minisys&m=HT-S650&p=i"> Onkyo </a>
It "sounded" ok to me, better than the comparable Sony systems and according to the 66 reviews done by previous circuitcity and amazon.com buyers, it had an overall rating of 4.7 out of 5.0. The lowest rating was a 4.5. The price from CC was $549 but I talked them down to $449. So question #1 is could I have gotten a better receiver / 5.1 speaker setup for the same money or for $500 or is the setup I have "ok".
The other question is in regards to the TV I purchased. I got it for $549 and its this one here (link wont work but its the RCA F36450 36" TV. I couldnt afford HDTV and this seemed to have everything else I wanted (3-line comb filter, component inputs, etc etc). Does anyone know of a better TV for the money thats no smaller than say 32"?
The TV isnt so much my worry as I figure Ill upgrade to HDTV in a few years anyway, my concern is on the HT system , the receiver and speakers. if I could have gotten a significantly better receiver and speakers for under $500, then please let me know how/where/what and if its worth returning the Onkyo system. Im new here so take it easy on me ; ) |
| re: HELP! Did I make a big mistake? (Newbie HT buying question) | SexualChocolate
Aug 1, 2002 1:06 PM | | Just found out that the receiver is the Onkyo TX-SR500 that is sold seperately for about $300, maybe this will help in determining if this is a decent receiver. |
| Can you take RCA TV back? | KiD SmokE
Aug 1, 2002 2:58 PM | | RCA reliability has been getting bad rap lately due to their quality. For example, according to ConsumerReport TV's reliability chart (according to customer survey), 15% of RCA TVs that have been bought during last 5 year needed some type of repair, vs less than 5% rating for Toshiba, JVC and Sharp. Also most RCA TVs carrying only three months warranty which doesn't help much either.
I would stick with 36 inch and consider Sharp 36U-S50 ($599...no component input), JVC AV36320 ($699) and Toshiba 36A42 ($750). All have received good picture ratings, carry one year warranty and are quality made :)
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![](http://www.bestbuy.com/images/esku/angle/11100638anA.jpg")  |
| Can you take RCA TV back? | SexualChocolate
Aug 1, 2002 7:17 PM | | I can take the TV back, I got it at Circuit City and I guess I have 30 days (although the box is long gone so they may try to hassle me). I got the RCA over the Sharp model you posted (even though I loved my old Sharp 27") because the RCA had a 3-line Comb Filter and the Sharp only a Single Line, plus the RCA was a wider 36" vs the others you listed as "taller" 36" sets and all of my DVD's are wide screen. I do appreciate your honesty in this and perhaps I will do a little more research before my 30 days is up. As for the stereo system, Im starting to get a lil more comfortable with the decision, no one here has replied yet to it being "sub par" and Im having trouble finding a better solution for under $450 although I did see the nice lower end Panasonic and Pioneer units going for under $200 and then I could have picked up some very nice HT speakers for about $300. I guess for a first time buyer and an inexperienced buyer to home audio, I could have done a lot worse. I dont know how much the people who left comments on circuitcity.com know, but the 68 replies there all seem to praise it even over some more expensive $750-$1000 setups. |
| Can you take RCA TV back? | Keith from Canada
Aug 2, 2002 5:02 AM | | First off, if you're going to spend $500 on a complete HT system, the one that you've chosen doesn't seem all that bad. In fact, it's probably about as good as you're going to get for such little coin...if you're happy with it, keep it and enjoy!
As for the TV, I'm not sure what you mean by RCA making a 'wider' set? As long as it has a 4:3 aspect ratio (which it does), it will display the widescreen image in the exact same way as the others mentioned. Just because the box is wider as opposed to taller doesn't make it a widescreen TV.
I concur with the others on this one...RCA is prone to problems and spending the few extra $'s on a JVC or Toshiba makes sense for 2 reasons: 1) better build quality and 2) and this one is the biggest kicker...better picture quality. The main difference you'll see between RCA and Tosh and JVC is that in 3-5 years, the picture will begin to get washed-out on the RCA whereas the JVC and Tosh will continue to have a quality image.
Return the set and go with a more reliable and better quality one (I would highly recommend the Toshiba) and you're off to the races! |
| Toshiba is awesome | Denon_man
Aug 2, 2002 5:58 AM | | I have a 12 yr. old 27" Toshiba set in the basement which I use for all my gaming systems. The FMVs in Munches Oddesey (XBOX) look as vibrant and colorful as my friends newer Sony TV. The screen has a few scratches and the thing guarding all the buttons came off 10 yrs. ago. I don't think this thing will ever "die."
~DeNoN_MaN |
| Toshiba is awesome | SexualChocolate
Aug 2, 2002 8:27 AM | | Caled CircuitCity and they said it wouldnt be a problem returning the set w/o the box, especially since I would be "upgrading" to a more expensive TV set, on the other hand, I noticed in next weeks flyer they are offering 12 months same as cash and I just may splurge for that HDTV sooner than I thought. Either way, thanks a lot for the info and Im sure Ill be around here a lot asking questions and reading. |
| re: Toshiba is awesome ... RCA most definitely ISN'T! | woodman
Aug 2, 2002 2:45 PM | | If CC said it would be no problem taking back the TV set - by all means do it and do it before they change their minds. Ol' SmokE and Keith (and whoever else chimed in with the same advice) are absolutely 200% correct in telling you to bail out of that RCA and bail out ASAP. FYI, the comb filter is totally IRRELEVANT, meaningless, of no consequence whatever. It only comes into play when feeding signals from an antenna or cableTV system thru the set's tuner. For all signals from a DVD player, VCR, game console - or anything else that supplies VIDEO signals rather than RF signals, the comb filter doers NOT come into play at all.
At one time, I was a staunch RCA supporter, but today you couldn't get one past my front door lest I sic my Great Danes on you! I wouldn't have an RCA set in my house as an outright gift! I hope that impresses you ... it SHOULD.
woodman |
| Good point on the Comb Filter. | KiD SmokE
Aug 2, 2002 3:15 PM | | I forgot to mention that :) |
| Comb filter? | sak
Aug 4, 2002 8:27 AM | | Hi Woodman.
That's a really interesting point. I know that I shouldn't trust what salesmen say, but the one thing that they've always pointed out when trying to sell more and more expensive televisions is-- yes, the comb filter!
And, the more sophisticated the comb filter the better!
Could you give some more details about comb filter's functions / lack of functions?
Thanks,
--sak |
| here's a link | Dick Hertz
Aug 4, 2002 12:11 PM | | |
| Here is summary of your link. | KiD SmokE
Aug 4, 2002 12:53 PM | | By the way Dick, excellnet link. I have to read it myself :)
A comb filter in a TV set is there to separate the chrominance (color) information from the luminance (black&white) information. Therefore it's only in play when the chroma and the luminance are combined together such as composite video (RCA input) and the RF signals coming in thru the set's tuner (coax). The comb filter is bypassed when signal is fed thru S-video input or component inputs.
Better comb filters tend to do better job of separating chrominance and Luminance (that is coming thru Coax or RCA composite input) resulting in less hanging dots and better color rending. The quality of composite video such as from VCR, Cable box (RCA output, not S-video) or OverTheAir signal are mediocre to begin with, so having better comb filter will not matter one way or another.
What Woodman was saying that if you watch your TV using its S-video input(satellite, Digital cable, DVD player) or Component-video inputs (DVD player), then Comb filter is bypassed altogether and it doesn't matter what type of Comb filter you have. |
| re: Comb filter? The more sophisticated, the better? | woodman
Aug 4, 2002 10:05 PM | | sak:
Ol' SmokE already covered all the bases on this subject in his reply below.
The so-called bottom line? Many people utilize video signals and connections for same in which the color and the luminance are already separate, so there is no need to pass them through a comb filter when they arrive at the TV set. As to the performance differences between different comb filters - they are teensy, weensy, small, subtle, minuscule differences that are not nearly as important (when they are used at all) as some people try to make them out to be.
TV manufacturer marketing departments use them to try to glorify their product. This marketing hype is passed on to retail sales personnel in reverent tones, which they gobble up as gospel truth and make a big pitch about to the unsuspecting public. If anyone thinks that a "better" comb filter is reason enough to choose one TV set over another, they've been seriously misinformed and misled. The differences are nearly impossible to see unless the set is one with a LARGE screen.
Hope that answers your question
woodman |
| Thanks, guys! I've been taken in by salespeople on this one. | sak
Aug 5, 2002 9:04 AM | | I'm not about to buy a new television yet, but this comb filter business has always been one of the BIG selling points at stores. I hope that anybody who's about to buy a television reads these posts.
--sak |
| Thanks, guys! I've been taken in by salespeople on this one. | SexualChocolate
Aug 5, 2002 9:42 AM | | Thanks fom me as well, I have 30 days from time of purchase to return my RCA set I bought, its been about 2 weeks now so Im holding out till this weeks sales to see what comes along, this time around though, comb filters wont even be discussed ; ) |
| Comb Filter | VW Golfer
Aug 9, 2002 10:48 AM | | I bought my Toshiba over a comparable JVC for the extra comb filter and the ability to change the warmth settings. Thankfully the Toshiba is a great TV (save a green hue that's cropping up, could be due to my speakers) but I have yet to use either feature.
I will remember to disregard the comb filter stat next time |
| Toshiba is awesome | Dick Hertz
Aug 2, 2002 4:04 PM | | I did the 12mo. same as cash deal for my JVC. Take whatever the set costs, divide by 12, and pay that much each month. Look at the fine print. If you don't pay off the TV in 12 mo., you pay interest starting from the FIRST month of the contract. Just a word of warning. (By the way, ditch the RCA). |
| I can't really help you on the system....... | _Luke_
Aug 2, 2002 4:19 AM | | but consider this before you decide your HT is sub-par. The people on this board spend considerable amounts of money on their systems. They visit specialty stores listening to and comparing some of the finest equipment that can be had. Music and HT is more than a passing interest.
You did the right thing. You went, you listened, you bought what sounded best to your ear. Whether you spend $500, $5,000, or $50,000 it's the same process. You'll get your butt kissed a bit more buying the $50K set-up, but it's still the same.
Be comfortable that you got the best for what you were willing to spend. Now go rent a movie! |
| I can't really help you on the system....... | SexualChocolate
Aug 2, 2002 8:30 AM | | Thanks Luke, that makes me feel a bit better. i dont mind spending the money, its just making sure I got the most out of my money that worries. the system does "sound" great to me and to my girlfriend (and anyone else who has come over and watched a movie), I bought Blackhawk Down last night and I must some I think it sounded great. Thanks for the reassurance and Ill see you around. |
| test the system....... | recoveryone
Aug 2, 2002 10:31 AM | | The only real test I can give you is when you or your friends come over to watch a movie, do you see them looking to the left or right or even over their shouders because of the surround sounds. The best yet is seeing someone ducking in their seat from the gun fire. Now that doesn't cost 50K or 50.00 dollars that is priceless. That comes from speaker placement and using good matching system, and good dosen't mean expensive. believe me the UPGRADE bug will bite and its poison can last for decades.......LOL |
| re: HELP! Did I make a big mistake? (Newbie HT buying question) | Night Wolf
Aug 3, 2002 9:51 PM | | how did you get them to go from $549 to $459? |
| re: HELP! Did I make a big mistake? (Newbie HT buying question) | SexualChocolate
Aug 5, 2002 9:45 AM | | I had them price match locally to $519 and then they took 10% off (the entire purchase) to match the offer Sears had going (10% off purchase if put on a Sears credit card and 12 months same as cash) , I ended up getting about $1600 worth of stuff for $1138 after tax (after pricematch and 10% off and $200 msn discount (gave that to my gf's mother who was using AOL). |
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