Advice on buying a cheap HDTV so I can play xbox 360 in HD

[LarryDavid]

Background
I always wanted to get an HDTV, but decided that I would wait until I move out of my current apartment and into a new apartment (one reason for this is that I can't get HD channels at the current apartment). I was fine with this plan until recently, when I got an xbox 360. It looks good on my old, SD 23 inch TV (bought on craigslist for $20, by the way), but everyone says it looks soooo much better in HD. I really enjoy playing the xbox, so it sounds worth it for me to upgrade to HD.

What I Want
Now I am thinking that I want to get a cheap, medium-small HDTV to play xbox (and replace my old TV for general televison watching and movies as well) until I move to a new apartment, which will probably be in a year or maybe more. I don't want to go all out and buy a nice HDTV yet because I am waiting to spend the big money on a nice unit that I really love for when I move to a new apartment and can tailor the purchase for that space.

Any advice on what to get in the mean time? Is it possible to spend $300 or less for something HD around 25 inches? I do not need it to be fancy or even super reliable... I am just looking at this as a short-term solution: cheap and dirty. As long as it is HD, decent size and doesn't explode, I think I will be happy. As a cost-saving measure, I would be happy to buy a discounted display item from a retail store, for example.


Thanks for any advice!

 

[adwilk]

Craigslist? Ebay?

Those are options...

This Looks like a good deal.

This is pretty cheap.

 

[GlocksRock]

If your 360 has an HDMI output, look into this monitor.

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Monitors/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&cs=19&sku=320-7345

I have the 23" version of the same monitor, although mine doesn't have HDMI, and it's fantastic, the screen is bright and very clear, plus it's 16:9 aspect ratio and 1920x1080 native resolution will work very will with your xbox 360. It goes on sale quite often, and I've seen it around $200, so keep an eye out. Then when you move into a new place, you will have a very nice PC monitor instead of a cheap HDTV laying around. Not to mention it has a 3 year warranty as well.

 

[LarryDavid]

If your 360 has an HDMI output, look into this monitor.

Both that and the SCEPTRE look really good-- and a good value.

Can that Dell be used to watch TV?

thanks again

 

[GlocksRock]

Both that and the SCEPTRE look really good-- and a good value.

Can that Dell be used to watch TV?

thanks again

Yes, it can be used to watch tv, but it has no built in tuner, so you would need some sort of set top box.

 

[lsiberian]

I think this isn't a good idea atm. there isn't a huge step up here. You might try waiting until this Christmas season. I imagine the deals will get more slick.

Another option is picking up a used mulitmedia PJ. That's what I did for my TV upgrade. It won't look like a million bucks, but it's a big screen and works really well for XBox 360. I've played a lot of games on it and it's terrific.

I use an Optoma Ep719

http://cgi.ebay.com/OPTOMA-EP719-DLP-PROJECTOR-CASE-EXCELLENT-CONDITION-NR_W0QQitemZ310158375293QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item4836e1397d&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

http://cgi.ebay.com/Optoma-EP719-DLP-Projector_W0QQitemZ130322942104QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item1e57da4898&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

I use and love it. I shelf mount it behind me and keystone it with books. Makes a really nice 80" tv atm. If your worried about warranties www.squaretrade.com has good prices to cover your bacon.

If you ever need to take it apart. I can help there too.

many folks cringe at the above suggestion, but some folks it works out well for.

 

[GlocksRock]

I think it's a great idea to get something like what he is looking for, that way if he ever decides to go somewhere and wants to take his xbox with him, he has a quality display that is portable. I take my dell 20" monitor with me to lan parties and it works great. Plus playing games in HD is better than SD, and besides, who wants to wait for the holiday season to get something, it seems like he wants something now.

 

[markw]

You say you ant to watch TV. OTA, cable, or only from the computer.

Unless it's #3 only, you should be a bit more careful before going for a computer monitor.

 

[LarryDavid]

Unless it's #3 only, you should be a bit more careful before going for a computer monitor.

I have DishNetwork- so it is a dish and I have a box receiver attached to my current TV.

What is the significance of that for using a monitor like the Dell?

 

[markw]

Watch your inputs and outputs.

Computer monitors have different I/O than consumer televisions. Can you plug your cable box into your current monitor?

Or, do current monitors come with HDMI inputs, and does your cable box offer that as well?

I'm not a computer geek and don't know all the answers, but I know what questions to ask.

 

[lsiberian]

I think it's a great idea to get something like what he is looking for, that way if he ever decides to go somewhere and wants to take his xbox with him, he has a quality display that is portable. I take my dell 20" monitor with me to lan parties and it works great. Plus playing games in HD is better than SD, and besides, who wants to wait for the holiday season to get something, it seems like he wants something now.

True. My TV is very portable too though.

It even has a speaker on it I believe.

I'm the last person to wait for stuff lol.

 

[GlocksRock]

I think if your dish receiver isn't HD, then you won't be able to use that with the dell monitor since the monitor doesn't have a composite or s-video input. But if it does happen to have either vga, dvi, or hdmi output on your receiver then you would be good to go. But that is unlikely since it's not an HD box, so therefore no need for a digital output.

 

[LarryDavid]

I think if your dish receiver isn't HD, then you won't be able to use that with the dell monitor since the monitor doesn't have a composite or s-video input. But if it does happen to have either vga, dvi, or hdmi output on your receiver then you would be good to go. But that is unlikely since it's not an HD box, so therefore no need for a digital output.

OK, that makes sense to me. I will check when I get home.

No converters for this type of thing?

If that is the case, I will be looking for a product like that Dell monitor (it looks so pretty...) that also accepts standard def input.

 

[GlocksRock]

The best solution I can think of for you to use your dish network reciever with that dell monitor is to use an a/v receiver that does upconverting of analog inputs to digital outputs. That way you don't have to switch inputs on the monitor, just use the receiver to switch your audio and video sources.

 

[adwilk]

The best solution I can think of for you to use your dish network reciever with that dell monitor is to use an a/v receiver that does upconverting of analog inputs to digital outputs. That way you don't have to switch inputs on the monitor, just use the receiver to switch your audio and video sources.

OOOORRRRRR, he could just buy a TV! The dell is nice, yes, but its probably not the BEST solution here.

The projector idea could be fun if the space allowed...

 

[GlocksRock]

If he got the monitor, he could use it with his PC later on after he moves and gets a real tv, plus having a nice receiver would be a great thing to have when building a nice system around his fancy new bigscreen HDTV. It's just an option, but yes I agree that in his current situation a real tv may be the best option, although it isn't the least expensive option, at least as far as a display only solution.

 

[markw]

It may be easier to find a TV with a fairly generic computer input than a monitor with a generic "TV" input.

 

[adwilk]

If he got the monitor, he could use it with his PC later on after he moves and gets a real tv, plus having a nice receiver would be a great thing to have when building a nice system around his fancy new bigscreen HDTV. It's just an option, but yes I agree that in his current situation a real tv may be the best option, although it isn't the least expensive option, at least as far as a display only solution.

If the budget is 300 bucks, I dont see getting both a monitor and an upconverting receiver. At that point, he might as well be looking at bigger tv's....

 

[GlocksRock]

If the budget is 300 bucks, I dont see getting both a monitor and an upconverting receiver. At that point, he might as well be looking at bigger tv's....

That budget was just for the tv since he didn't want to spend a lot now on something that wasn't going to get much use when he moved and upgraded to a larger tv. He made it sound like he has plans to drop some cash on a nice tv when he moves, but in the meantime wanted to keep the cost for a temporary display as low as possible. But if he gets a nice receiver now, he can use that later as well, and it's always nice to have an upconverting receiver.

 

[bandphan]

At compusa..... 32" Panasonic TCL32C12 449
26" Toshiba 26AV502R 349