Sabres on what flat screen TV?

Gary Majchrzak

Gary Majchrzak

Team RC
two part question here:
1) I currently have very basic cable from Time Warner. No Sabres games. What's the least expensive way for me to get Sabres games? Of late I've been seeing a lot of ads saying TW is going to drop Sabres games. What's going on?

2) I really want to upgrade my ancient TV set. The deals on flatscreens are abundant but I want to make the right choice. I have the perfect wall to mount a big flat screen TV and I no longer need anybody's else's approval. I want to watch Sabres games on a big flatscreen! And one of those Blu-ray disc players would be nice. And the audio has to be right... no half azz drop out in the center voice channel. I guess what I'm saying is that I want to do this right the first time. (I'm not interested in 3D.) I know we have several A/V electronics experts on this board. Help!
 
MSG wants a price increase, TW won't give it, deadline is Jan. 1st and dish dropped MSG last year. We won't even get into the fact that the sabres are currently unwatchable anyways.
 
Just buy a brand name flat panel TV and you should be ok. Most people can't tell the difference between 60Hz and 120Hz or 720P and 1080P and the TV providers aren't transmitting full bandwidth video anyway.

It would be a big win for consumers if the big 3 (Dish TWC, and DTV) would just say f-u to these networks that think they can hold them hostage by playing them against their subscribers. TWC will likely cave though to keep the few hundred people willing to watch the Sabres choke.

GO Sabres!!! -and take the Bills with you.. :lolspin:
 
We like our LG plasma flatscreen. We also have a Samsung LCD in the bedroom and the picture is wonderful. Plasma is more visible from an angle while the picture virtually disappears if you're sitting off to one side with the LCD. I think Samsung still has the better reviews.
 
I am very happy with our VIZIO 47" TruLED LCD flatscreen (model #XVT472SV). The picture got a little weird after about 6 months and the customer service department was awesome. Repaired it with no issues.

Surprisingly, I ended up getting the best deal from dell.com. They beat everyone (even Amazon) by quite a bit.

I mentioned this on another thread, but I would definitely consider purchasing a squaretrade.com warranty (in addition to the 1 year manufacturer's warranty) for inexpensive piece of mind.
 
You'll get as many answers as there are people when you ask what tv to buy :) I'm partial to Panasonic plasmas, but the only downside is the front panel of a plasma is glass so there will be glare if a window is pointing toward the tv.

For audio, speakers will depend on your taste but I absolutely love my Pioneer Elite receiver.
 
Aren't certain level Hz better for faster moving sports, like hockey? Its all Greek to me, but that's what a guy at work was saying. He went with a Vizio. Loves it.

We have a Samsung and couldn't be happier. Like they said above, just get one! After a Sierra or two, it'll all look good.
 
+1 on the Pioneer receiver. I've got one with 7.1 surround sound. It is awesome! The sub is about half power, and it will shake the entire house in an action sequence. I will never wall mount a flat-screen TV without external speakers. The speakers on most flat-screens are pointed backwards, and it muffles the sound. It was driving me nuts until I got a receiver for surround sound.

As for the TV, stick with a name brand. I prefer Samsung, but as long as you stick with a good brand, you'll be fine. You can get good deal on Vizio's at Wal-Mart. A lot of the LCD screens are actually made by the same manufacturer.

How large of a TV are you looking at getting?
How far away from the TV are you going to be?
Are there any windows or lights that could cause a glare?
When watching, are people going to be viewing the TV from straight on, or are they going to be viewing from an angle?

Even basic cable should get the Sabres. MSG is channel 51 here, and I think it is where you are too.

Do you have a hard budget? You can get good deals on receivers and speakers on Craigslist, but I would buy a TV new, unless you get a smoking deal.
 
I'm a plasma fan. They are generally regarded as offering more natural colors and are able to be viewed from any angle. The downside is the heat they generate and the high power consumption. There is also a danger of image retention (burn in) if you aren't careful. I had a Samsung 58 and the panel failed way too soon. I now have a Panasonic 55 and LOVE it.

You'll also find fans of LCD (LED backlit or not). They also have pros and cons but I'll have to let someone else elaborate on that.

I had the best luck at Sears in Greece ridge. There is a young salesman named Ben Cooper that is very knowledgeable and patient.

Good luck!
 
IronMan72 said:
Just buy a brand name flat panel TV and you should be ok. Most people can't tell the difference between 60Hz and 120Hz or 720P and 1080P and the TV providers aren't transmitting full bandwidth video anyway.

It would be a big win for consumers if the big 3 (Dish TWC, and DTV) would just say f-u to these networks that think they can hold them hostage by playing them against their subscribers. TWC will likely cave though to keep the few hundred people willing to watch the Sabres choke.

GO Sabres!!! -and take the Bills with you.. :lolspin:
Click to expand...

This effects more than the Sabres. It effects all the Rangers fans with Time Warner also (where MSG plays their games). It still annoys me that a network called Madison Square Garden doesn't play games from the team that plays in Madison Square Garden. They make me spend a few hundred bucks on Center Ice!
 
Gary-

Samsung. They make the best "fair" priced TV (What normal humans would spend on a TV), and make the majority of LCD displays for everything from laptops, cell phones, and other brand TVs out there.

If you go LCD and are a hockey nut you might see "puck crawl" from the black puck to the white ice, if you have a clear eye, without 120Hz. Just ask at a good store and they should let you bring a DVD, or some test material. I can make some suggestions if it's a path you want to go down.

Once you get a good TV, for analog signals spend some money on cables; not an excessive amount, but don't go to Target either. Digital (HDMI, Toslink, etc.) don't waste your duckets. A 1 or a 0 is either going to get there, or not. Good, mid-priced cables can be found at www.bluejeanscable.com; the guy offers a few tiers of everything, and was a cable engineer at Belden forever. You can go cheaper (Monoprice), but I've had mixed results with quality control.

For Sammy's, I like their 6200 series LED-LCDs. Good, crisp, blacks. Nice motion. Tiny frame to not distract from viewing. I have one in my basement. It's quite nice.

Plasmas are slightly better in picture quality, but the above-mentioned issues with heat and power mitigate it for all but the most exceptional viewing environments. Plasmas are also all encased in glass; which is optically great, but in rooms with high light can cause glare issues as well. The best screens (at least the ones you get a lot of agreement on being "best", it's like asking which skimmer is "best") were the Pioneer Kuro series Plasmas. They're nice, I've viewed 'em, but are they worth the *huge* cost? Meh.

I'm an audio guy first; it's my real love. But what are your budgetary and speaker size limits? I've got some solid experience with Home Theater electronics and Audio, but your prices can vary from sub-$1000 for decent sounding stuff to the McIntosh amps I have in my two-channel rig. Also tell me how big the room is... It makes a huge difference.

The primary thing I recommend you do is spend time setting up whatever you get; make sure the pre-amp has Audessey for a baseline audio tuning setup, you can tweak the sound for your preferences from there. The TV, especially if it switches through equipment, should get setup, too. Buy the (Or borrow my) AVIA setup discs to tune the display. It's not quite ISF, but it's a heckuva lot cheaper. If you provide beer, I might even be persuaded to make the drive to Rochester. :)

An afternoon here will pay huge dividends in the future.

As far as signal input; TW is the pits. Lots of compression. Any satellite provider will be much crisper for SD and HD signals. You'll realize what I'm saying when you get that shiny new TV; it doesn't show up with the old CRT. :) I don't know who carries MSG-HD. I think DirecTV does, but I'm not positive.


If you want to PM me, I'll be happy to discuss it further. There are lots of studies, websites, links, and math I can share with you to back it all up. Most of it's boring, and doesn't add to the "if you like it" factor, which is by far the most important thing. :)

You've offered me a helping hand in the fish world, I'd be happy to return the favor here....

-Andy

PS: Again, audio and video are really subjective. So, your results may differ than mine. :) Just trust me on the setup stuff, it's critical.
 
Last edited:
oldimpala said:
I don't know who carries MSG-HD. I think DirecTV does, but I'm not positive.
Click to expand...

Excellent post. I agree with you about the high end pioneers. They are really nice, but definitely expensive.

Time Warner cable carries MSG on channel 1043.
 
just a litle tv info i found out while shopping, the differecnce between type of tv your looking for in plasma lcd and led is brightness and they go in that order led backlighting is the brightest giving a better pic. everyone knows the diff between 720 and 1080. then the hz and resolution have to do with the screen refresh rate, the larger the number the better. you will have to find a tv that best suits you in your price range. for things like gaming and sports where there is alot of fast movment going on on the screen you will def want a high hz rating or you will be disapointed. also you can try googleing these tv criteria and it will give you explanations for each.
 
great time to buy tv's. all the companies are stuck w/too much inventory. i went samsung led. the sound sucks on all of them. budget for aftermarket speakers. (trust me, i'm a cheapskate) the settings on new tv's are overwhelming. they have a bunch of guru sites that should be able to get you very close. sabers... you should just call me instead. i'll drive over ,and kick you in the crank.
 
Gary,

Definitely go with a brand name. If there is going to be a window directly behind the TV (or one that you'll be able to see the reflection of from your seating position), you'll most likely want to go with an LCD over a plasma. Plasmas will give you better blacks, but as others mentioned they typically have a very reflective screen that can cause annoying reflections. If you go with an LCD, make sure it has AT LEAST a 120 Hz refresh rate, otherwise you will see ghosting on the screen, particularly watching hockey games.

All that said, flat screen TVs are starting to become a commodity. My recommendation is that once you decide which technology you are going to go with, get the BIGGEST BRAND-NAME TV YOU CAN AFFORD. Size trumps all, and unless you're only going to be seated a few feet from the TV, you'll probably appreciate the bigger screen more than anything (plus, it will theoretically be a set that you can move to a bigger room sometime in the future). Sharp's 60" and 70" sets are pretty darn cheap for their size (their price is being driven down by the fact that they've just released an 80" LCD).

As for watching the Sabres, your only GUARANTEE is to order the NHL Center Ice package. DirecTV (what I have) currently has MSG and to my knowledge does not have any plan on dropping them. That said, I'm sure they could do so at the drop of a hat and with no prior warning if they so choose. DirecTV offers the NHL Center Ice. I don't know if Time Warner or DISH do.

Another option, especially since you are looking to get a Blu-Ray player, is to get a PS3. NHL Center Ice is also available over the PS3, as is Netflix, VUDU, Hulu, and a few other video / audio services, plus it plays Blu-Rays (and games, if you're into that). That said, my sister just got a new Sony Blu-Ray player that did a lot of this stuff too, though I don't know if you could get the NHL Center Ice package through it (you would need to connect either to your home network).

If you have any TV questions, don't hesitate to PM me as I'll be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.

Hope you are doing well, and Happy Holidays!
 
Oh, and I'd probably do one thing at a time. Get the TV first, then we'll work on the sound system. Personally, I have a Pioneer Elite SC-05 that I love. But, there are plenty of good surround sound receivers out on the market. That said, coupling a good surround sound receiver to a crappy set of speakers isn't going to do you any good. So, you MAY want to simply start out with a quality receiver and a soundbar to get you some decent TV sound, and then start putting together your surround speakers. A decent set of surround speakers (left, center, right, 2 surrounds, and a powered subwoofer) is easily going to set you back as much as your TV, but if you're patient, you can scour Craigslist and find local guys that are upgrading their systems and buy their good used stuff. I'm a fan of B&W and Paradigm, but again there are plenty of good systems out there.
 
Ive been told to avoid LG since the embargo against N.Korea has had an effect on replacement parts "if" something was to go wrong with it.

For those of you obviously having much more knowledge on this topic than me I think this question would be helpful to anyone considering a flatscreen.
-Would you agree 120hz would really only be noticable on larger flat screens in fast motion scenes,say 40" and up?Vs say a 32" 720p 60hz? I ask because it seems like it's only obvious to me with large screens in action.....,

Recievers ,some great info from some knowledgable folks posting.I would just add you should try to narrow it down to what you really want from it.But ,I would make sure it has atleast hdmi.Other stuff would be more optional if you wanted to use like iphone docking which you can easily get countless free stations,youtube video's ect...

Speakers,imo dont really wear out,imo.Unless they are straight out blown,got wet or have cosmetic damage,I think the best pricegrabber to be had is used.You should be able to tell by listening to them and popping the front covers.Personally Id go craigslist or ebay and get a nice mid priced setup for less than half the price.

FWIW- I like B&W and Id stay away from Bose cinema series stuff unless your using it for surround sound only.They were good in the day but times change and they are'nt even in the same league as b&w or paradigm as far as sound quality,imo.
 
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