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Are you thinking of buying a NEW HDTV?

Buy now, or wait till the new 2009 models are out?

Often, once the Consumer Electronic Show is over, many find themselves engulfed in a dilemma of whether they should wait for their new TV till the new models are out later in the year, or simply proceed with their purchase to enjoy a great barging on one of the previous year models.

It is true that new models always seem to wash out even what has been hailed as the very best among 2008 HDTVs within their respective class. But to what extent should the propaganda surrounding the new 2009 models by both TV makers and CES organizers be taken into account? If you buy now, will you be enjoying a great bargain, or you will be getting an obsolete HDTV?

We discuss this hotly debated issue to hopefully help you make a better choice.

A Quick Guide to Home Theater Design

How to research, design, and build your Home Theater.

by Duncan McClelland
More information HERE.

Article Date:
4^th February 2009

New HDTVs at CES 2009:
Are these worth waiting for?

CES2009 is over but its implications will surely remain with us for the rest of the year.

And if you are in the market for a new HDTV, CES 2009 has brought about dozens upon dozens of new HDTVs from major brands like Vizio, Toshiba, Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, LG, JVC, etc. Most of these models will start shipping between early spring and late summer.

Innovations are many and range from 240Hz refresh technology, LED backlighting, wireless capabilities, slim 1-inch thick plasmas and LCDs, ultra energy-efficient plasmas, THX certified displays, to easy iPod integration; these are just but a few.

It is therefore more than understandable that many would be ready to wait for this tempting new HDTV hardware while skipping on their chance to enjoy a great premium line 2008 product at a bargain price. The issue however remains:

Is it really worth waiting for these glamorous TVs when there is no better time to buy than now?

I have to admit that the propaganda machine surrounding the new HDTVs at CES 2009 seems to impart the message that these are the latest and greatest.

Even lowest entry-level models from the new lineups are made to appear shinier and more desirable than top-performers from the previous year.

The result is that premium HDTVs from 2008 that up to a few days ago were considered among the best and that were among the top in consumer buying lists, would all of a sudden start to appear obsolete in the eyes of many would-be buyers.

And despite the present price cuts and great bargain offers associated with 2008 models, many of these top models end up stranded on store shelves in the wait to be replaced by the latest and greatest 2009 HDTVs.

Coming up with new features and improvements is essential but...

Coming up with new exciting features is important for the manufacturing industry to get people buying TVs. Over the last couple of years, flat panel TV makers were experiencing a sales boom as consumers upgrade to digital TVs in anticipation of the government's mandated DTV transition. Enthusiastic shoppers were also upgrading to high-definition TVs as more and more programming became available in HD.

But there is more... new products always attracts more

Let's face it, as already highlighted earlier on, we have seen quite a number of interesting products at CES2009.

A case in point are the Samsung PN-B550 plasmas which cut energy consumption by half. In addition, these new plasma HDTVs have been slimed down to nearly an inch thick. But you will have to wait till early spring for the first products to start appearing on stores shelves.

Equally appealing is the new range of Panasonic plasma HDTVs with their new NEO PDP panels and their 'infinite black level'. Again, these new HDTVs are said to deliver significantly better picture quality at almost 50% of the power requirements associated with previous models.

Interesting within the Panasonic lineup for 2009 is the Z1 series of wireless inch-thick plasmas pictured here. This wireless option is mainly there to solve a design hurdle which the new thin profile brings with it - that of available space for connectivity. The new Z1 HDTVs will be available in Summer 2009.

Similarly appealing is Sony Z-series of new LCD HDTVs with their internet widgets and 240Hz refresh rate. Again, these new HDTVs from Sony are expected to start shipping this spring. Admittedly, 240Hz and LED backlighting have turned out to be big buzzwords at CES2009 when it comes to LCD HDTVs.

Last year, LED LCD TVs meant expensive technology, but with Vizio entering the market of LED TVs, one would expect that the new Sony, Samsung, and LG LED LCD TVs will be significantly more affordable during 2009.

Are these improvements worth it?

You see, before CES2009, the best HDTVs of 2008 were all pretty good - and the reduced seasonal prices make them even better. And lets face it, the best plasmas and LCDs from top brands like Sony, Samsung, and Panasonic we have featured on our site during 2008 are still solid capable performers worth every dollar even in the face of the new HDTVs we saw at CES 2009.

I am not saying that the new Panasonic plasmas with their NEO PDP would not deliver better black level performance than current PZ800U HDTVs. But the Panasonic PZ800U is still a superb HDTV to have in your home theater setup; and the present reduced price of around $1,700 for the 50-inch and $2,500 for the massive 58-inch version, renders these and similar top 2008 models even more worth considering. Surely, one cannot expect the new NEO PDP at the respective category to sell at these low price levels.

Similarly, the same applies to top-of-the-range 2008 LCD HDTV models from Samsung and Sony. The Samsung LCD A650 series has proved to be a good overall performer delivering the right balance between feature set, performance, and price. Presently, you can get Samsung's best selling TV, the LN52A650 52-inch 1080p LCD HDTV at amazon for under $1,850; surely a tempting price tag for a premium line HDTV at this screen size.

240Hz: As stated earlier on, one of the big buzzwords with LCDs during this year CES was 240Hz. You may say that this should be twice as good as 120Hz. (ref. to our article on LCD TV Response Time for an explanation of the concept of 120Hz operation).

From a specs sheet perspective, this bigger number looks better. But is it really so? The reality is that big numbers sell better, but they do not necessarily deliver better. In fact, the only 240Hz presently available on the market, the Sony KDL-52XBR7 did not perform twice as well when reviewed on Cnet. Nevertheless, Samsung and LG will also follow suite with 240Hz LCDs.

Are these waiting for? I do not think so.

Greener HDTVs: The 2009 is the year of more environmentally friendly HDTVs - from the new Samsung and Panasonic energy efficient inch-thick plasmas and more efficient LED LCD TVs, to Sony's latest LCDs that senses your presence to switch off your new HDTV when you leave the room!

This increase in efficiency among new HDTVs will make 2009 the greenest year for flat panel TVs - with the majority of TV makers claiming Energy Star version 3.0 compliance for their HDTVs. This new energy standard tightens the requirements for TV power. While up to previous versions, the Energy Star testing was carried out only on the TV in standby mode (in which case, the TV had to draw less than a watt during standby - not much but it is surely significant when considering that TVs spend some 80% of their time in standby mode), the new energy standard addresses the issue of power-on testing in which case, the TV must be in the default picture mode. In some of the latest HDTVs, this translated into selecting a HOME/STORE mode which presented itself to the user on first start-up. Selecting the store mode will select one of the brightest modes.

Difference in power consumption can be significant. The Panasonic TH-50PZ800U already referred to above would measure around 200W in the standard mode when set to HOME. Instead, power consumption will rise to over 500W when choosing STORE, which represents significant energy difference.

In other words, Energy star 3.0 complaint HDTVs consume considerable less power than their predecessors. Mind you, we have already seen a number of models during 2008 that were Energy Star ver. 3.0 compliant. The resultant savings at the present energy price levels may eventually erase any difference in price between old and new HDTVs within two to three year as a result of lower electricity bills.

There is a flipside though. In standard mode, most of these new HDTVs tend to be too dim to be watchable under normal room lighting. Many may find that they will have to increase the brightness level, and which in turn increase the power requirements. In other words, while the new HDTVs will surely save you more in the long run in energy consumption, yet one still has to wait and test to see what will be the actual savings with new 2009 HDTVs.

Are you ready to wait? ...and how much are you willing to pay?

You see, within a few weeks and months, we will start to see the first 2009 HDTVs on stores shelves. These would come with some enhanced features, the much touted improvements mentioned during CES 2009, and yes... a higher price tag than you would pay now for corresponding 2008 HDTVs.

To what extent the new features and improvements will translate to a better picture though is still something one has to wait till the first sets will get reviewed to determine. Having a new HDTV with an improved feature set is in itself no guarantee that it will perform better.

If you are ready to wait a few weeks or so till the first reviews will start to appear, and willing to accept the present price uncertainty, then probably it is worth having one of the latest HDTVs. But until these new HDTVs will be available for review and all price information known, one will never know for sure if this waiting has been worth it.

For bargain hunters, the situation is somewhat different. Buying a premium 2008 HDTV at a deeply discounted price in 2009 - before the new models start to fill stores shelves is the best way to enjoy a great deal! And at these bad economic times, a good bargain is always worth doing.

Would you like to let us know what you think?

What do you think? Will you wait for the new 2009 HDTVs, or will simply proceed to take advantage of the present lower prices on 2008 models? Is there any particular HDTV from CES 2009 that you are particularly interested in?

We would like to know your opinion, and many others are interested too!

All you have to do is to fill in the form below and submit your comments to be include on this page.

Click below to read what others have said on this hotly debated issue.

LCD TV reviews & product guides appearing under this section 

Samsung B8500 LED TV Series Detailed Product Evaluation

Samsung Series 6 LCD HDTVs:  Full product guide covering B610, B630, B640, and B650 LCD HDTVs

Sony Bravia KDL-V5100 120Hz 1080p HDTVs - full product review 

Sony Bravia KDL-XBR9 240Hz 1080p HDTVs with internet-enabled content and DLNA support - full product review 

LG LCD Reviews covering LG LH50, LH55, and LG LED TV series LH90

Samsung LED TVs vs. Samsung LCDs: Which is Better?
Now that we have reviewed both Samsung latest LED HDTVs and Samsung Series 7 LCDs, it is only natural that we discuss this LED vs. LCD TV issue.

Samsung 2009 LCD HDTVs:  The B750 Series:
Series 7 Samsung LCDs have all it takes to become the best selling HDTVs for 2009. More in this LCD TV review.

2009 Samsung LED TVs - the Complete Lineup: Product Evaluation

LED LCD TVs - Sony vs. Samsung Part 1: Samsung A950 Series

LED LCD TVs - Sony vs. Samsung Part 2: Sony XBR8 series

LED LCD TVs - Sony vs. Samsung Part 3: Which is Better?

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Would You like to get the best out of your new LCD TV Set?

There is no better way to make the most out of your new HDTV then to invest in a set-up DVD.

A great calibration disc is the Avia II Home Theater Set-up DVD, which is suitable for both the novice and the expert.

Another interesting calibration disc is the Digital Video Essentials HD, suitable mainly for advanced users.

For more information, check our Guide to HT Set-Up DVDs.

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