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Which HDTV to buy?

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dmouse

Squeeker

Joined: June 16, 2008
Posts: 10

Status: Offline

Posted: Aug 15, 2008 - 04:45 PM
Post subject: Which HDTV to buy?

Hey,

I will move back to Europe in a couple of weeks. I thought about buying one of these nice HDTVs here for a good price. Would like to have a 37" (90 cm) with full HD resolution and nice picture quality.
No worry about transportation costs Wink

Can you recommend a specific machine or a good place to compare?
I tried the internet but it seems the big vendors sell the stuff under different naming than in europe.

Thanks!

SnappySammy

Board Buddha

Joined: Nov 01, 2007
Posts: 13084

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Posted: Aug 16, 2008 - 01:45 AM

Best Buy

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Meistr_Chef

Seeker

Joined: May 05, 2008
Posts: 40

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Posted: Aug 16, 2008 - 02:14 AM

Is this really a good idea?

I haven't price-shopped for TVs here, but I find that in general, good electronics are no cheaper in Shanghai than the US. In fact, more expensive sometimes. Is it really super expensive in Europe (which country?).

As for HDTV models...I'm partial to the premium plasma HDTVs (Pioneer's Pro series is awesome) and Sony's high end LCD HDTVs. For smaller HDTVs (like the 37" you mention), Sharp Aquous is very popular for its generally good image quality for the price.

I'm a bit out of the loop, but I like CNET.com's HDTV buyer's guide. Their advice is often supported by what seems to be consistent and quantitative image quality measurements.

CoffeeHawk_0
Board Deity

Joined: July 14, 2005
Posts: 17952

Posted: Aug 16, 2008 - 08:23 AM

Suning stores have a big selection and they are much more open to negotiating prices than WorstBuy. I found both Suning stores I visited to be more honest and ethical than Gome and WorstBuy. WorstBuy offers easier handling of warranty issues, but if you're going to Europe it does not matter. 3 Gome and WorstBuy stores flat-out lied about competitive prices, specs, and model availability. Suning was very open about everything AND gave me thousands of RMB discount more than the other 2. Gome and WorstBuy just marked up the price first then tried to discount the price to only ~1000RMB below list price.

SnappySammy

Board Buddha

Joined: Nov 01, 2007
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Posted: Aug 16, 2008 - 10:41 AM

ok ok ok ok Yo Coffee what breand would you recommend...

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john44

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Joined: Apr 11, 2004
Posts: 31

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Posted: Aug 16, 2008 - 11:33 AM
Post subject: tv

I'm going to buy a T.V in the next few days. A big screen. So is it going to be sharp or sony, thats the question. And does anyone know where the Suning stores are . Thanks.

CoffeeHawk_0
Board Deity

Joined: July 14, 2005
Posts: 17952

Posted: Aug 16, 2008 - 12:29 PM

Include Samsung as a possibility - a good value
Sony's have a 'special' picture quality, the newer LCD's, they really push the colors, not realisitic, but some people like the look
The high-end Sharp's are nice, but to my eyes they did not do as well with the blacks.
If you really want to see what an LCD TV can and can not do, bring a DVD with you that has a lot of dark scenes like Hellboy, The original Matrix, etc., then watch them on a good plasma and a few LCD's.
On the other hand don't do this if you have good eyesight, it will push you into a more expensive TV.

kpmautner

Raver

Joined: Aug 01, 2005
Posts: 388
Location: Shanghai
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Posted: Aug 16, 2008 - 12:57 PM

If you really want to shop on price, you have to shop around and be ready to buy on the spot when you see a good deal. You never know what you'll find or when.

The stores cut special deals with manufacturers on a random basis. On any given month or week, any brand or model might be at a special discount in any given store.

TheDudeAbides

Rocker

Joined: June 21, 2006
Posts: 744

Status: Offline

Posted: Aug 16, 2008 - 03:51 PM

Dmouse, how do you plan to ship the TV back to Europe? Am considering taking mine over if the freight costs aren't too outrageous. Also are you sure they're much cheaper in Shanghai? If it's not that huge a difference surely freight and warranty factors wouldn't make it worthwhile.

dmouse

Squeeker

Joined: June 16, 2008
Posts: 10

Status: Offline

Posted: Aug 18, 2008 - 05:38 PM

I gonna move with sea fright container - some space to fill there Wink

But since it seems that I have to shop any good offer and wont have warranty, maybe I save the money and do it in germany where I will get the TV which seems to fit all my needs..

Netswimmer

Talker

Joined: Jan 12, 2006
Posts: 96

Status: Offline

Posted: Aug 18, 2008 - 05:49 PM
Post subject: Re: tv

john44 wrote:

I'm going to buy a T.V in the next few days. A big screen. So is it going to be sharp or sony, thats the question. And does anyone know where the Suning stores are . Thanks.

there's one across ikea near caoxi lu station (line 4)

luoteman

Lurker

Joined: Feb 20, 2008
Posts: 35

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Posted: Aug 18, 2008 - 07:25 PM

There's one right next to the Longyang Road metro station (line 2), in Pudong. And yes, they're sale price is quite lower that the sticker price.

Wasabichez

PopStar

Joined: Dec 05, 2002
Posts: 1291
Location: Shanghai, China
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Posted: Aug 19, 2008 - 11:46 PM

Eh....I highly suggest you do your HiFi shopping back home. Here they are ripoff opening prices. You can probably find better deals back home. Like package deals (free DVD player, Freesat box, etc), rebates, the afterservice of the local reseller, etc.

Wasabichez

PopStar

Joined: Dec 05, 2002
Posts: 1291
Location: Shanghai, China
Status: Offline

Posted: Aug 19, 2008 - 11:53 PM

Best Buy is good for visual window shopping for product comparisons.

Gome plain sucks. They local attitude for selling their products: not helpful/avoid having to interact unless they think you will buy, intimidate you to buy usually chasing off customers like me due to getting annoyed by their stupidy, frequently quite unknowledgeable about the product they are responsible for (I tend to know more about their products than they do), fear of responsiblity like most service people in Shanghai, just too much to list.

Suning gets overall best score. They are helpful and knowledgable. Prices are lower than BestBuy. Prices and haggling are actually same as Gome, just that Gome is so uncooperative that you just don't get to the point of negotiating price, you just leave. Service and afterservice are acceptable. In the end though, most of the time already quite jacked up compared the country of an expat's origin. Even after the supposed discount of maybe 30-35% which is after the store manager, not stall manager signs off on the sale.

Dorado

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Joined: May 08, 2008
Posts: 13

Status: Offline

Posted: Sep 18, 2008 - 12:13 PM

There is maybe somethings to consider in that a welknown "WestBrand" (Japanese, Korean etc) most often has a different spec here than in Europe. I recently looked upon buying the europe-test-winner HDTV from Pioneer and finally found a shop that could sell me one. After a closer look, it was the Chinese version of it. Only a small letter at the very end of a xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx long model-code revealed it. But after some reading in the specifications and with the help of google, the truth was that the Chinese version was down-graded. With some parts to the TV imported, and final assy in China, the price was favourable to the Euro price, but with the down-graded spec maybe not worth it anyway.
I'm still in the loop of deciding between "the best" local brand (10k) cheaper or a down-graded Pioneer. Bang for the bucks or 80% to Europe?
The "winner" in my buy 3 years ago was a Hisense 42''. This time I don't know.
Just m.p.w and hopefully to some help.

CoffeeHawk_0
Board Deity

Joined: July 14, 2005
Posts: 17952

Posted: Sep 18, 2008 - 04:44 PM

^wait until the October holiday and then ask them for big, big discounts (~7k on a 22k set). You might need a local friend to help, without you there.

Surf the net, wholesalers in Beijing love to set the prices via chat rooms, they discuss wholesale prices, etc., this will give you an idea how much a store will bargain IF they need to move their inventory. IF the store is doing OK and TV sales are up they will not give the deep discounts, but during a holiday week, there will be 'big' discounts.