Get a 32-inch HDTV for $359 shipped
It lists for $500, but the 32-inch Vizio VO320E is on sale from Dell for just $359.
(Credit: Vizio)Looking for an HDTV for the bedroom, den, game room, or wherever? A 32-incher might be just the right size. Dell has a Vizio VO320E 32-inch LCD HDTV for $359 shipped. It's new--not a refurb.
That's right: new! Take that, all you folks who were griping about refurbs! (Just kidding. I welcome the griping: It lets me know what you like and don't like. Well, mostly what you don't like.)
Anyway, the VO320E is not the typical bottom-end closeout junker you normally find in this price range. Rather, it's a 2009 model that's part of Vizio's new ECO line, which promises to "consume less energy than traditional HDTVs."
Specs include a 15,000:1 contrast ratio, an 8ms response time, two HDMI inputs, and a native resolution of 1,366x768--meaning this is a 720p TV. Don't fret over the lack of 1080p--it's overkill for a set this size (which is why you never see 1080p in 32-inch LCDs).
I haven't found many professional reviews of the VO320E, but the user reviews are stellar across the board: 4.9 stars out of 5 on Dell's product page, 5 stars on Amazon, 4.5 at Walmart, and so on.
The VO320E lists for $499.99, and sells in the $425-450 range at most stores (including the aforementioned). Thus, $359 is an outright steal--and Dell deals tend to sell out pretty quickly, so if you're eyeballing a new HDTV, hop on this one quick.
Update: Let's hear it for reader Jake, who notified me of a 32-inch Toshiba LCD for $291 shipped from Overstock.com. (Use coupon code 142933 to get that price.) It's new, too, not a refurb. Nice!
Rick Broida, a technology writer for nearly 20 years, is the author of more than a dozen books. In addition to writing CNET's The Cheapskate blog, he oversees BNET's Business Hacks. Rick is a member of the CNET Blog Network and is not an employee of CBS Interactive. Disclosure. Deals found on The Cheapskate are subject to availability, expiration, and other terms determined by sellers. Follow Rick on Twitter at cheapskateblog. 
However, now that we're in our new house, it looks a little small since our couch is so far away. Guess I'll have to save my money and keep an eye out for dropping prices on 50"-55" inchers. :-)
I'm not all that impressed with this TV's specs though. The contrast ratio isn't too bad for this price, but 8ms is extremely slow. Even the store brands carried at Best Buy and Walmart do better than that.
But I could never bring myself to buy a Vizio. While I know their quality has improved, I've still heard way to many horror stories, such as repeated sets DOA, or sets dying less than 2 months after being bought. I have a close friend who is a manager at Walmart, and he says the return rates on Vizio are double the other brands due to defects.
Here is the link to the proscan. The response is 5ms, but the contrast is 1200:1 (sounds low). on this 500 cd/m2 sounds very low too. It doesn't look like its a great deal. What is your opinion? I think I'll pass
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11478013&search=TV0731&Sp=S&Mo=1&cm_re=1_en-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&lang=en-US&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&N=5000043&whse=BC&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=Text_Search&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ne=4000000&D=TV0731&Ntt=TV0731&cm_mmc=BCEmail_434-_-BANNER-_-8-_-TVOffers&No=1&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1
If you guy buy something from costco by the way, they extend the manufacturer's warranty by a year.
http://slickdeals.net/permadeal/23145
it is a 32" Toshiba (looks like all the same specs) for $291. most places are selling it for over $400, similar to the vizio
I have been thinking of updating my 27" standard definition (2000 model year) CRT for a while, but after converting the 4:3 aspect ratio into H x W, my 27" is the equivalent of a 33" 16:9 wide-screen:
27" 4:3, L = 21.6, W = 16.2
33" 16:9, L = 28.8, W = 16.2
My Sony Trinitron is almost 10-years old... purchased it at $400 through either BestBuy or Circuit City. Now, 10-years later, I would gain a few inches of real estate for the same money. Not sure if that is real progress, but then again, the picture is all together a lot better on the HDTV's.
21.6 / cos(arctan(9 / 16)) = 24.7827057
of course the opposite is true and if you watch old movies or tv, then a 16:9 tv will have black bars on the sides and this 32" would actually give you a smaller picture han your original 27" :-P personally i think size should always be expressed in square inches instead of diagonal measurements since it is not a linear relationship.
Maybe its because you save me lots of money on name-brand electronics but I'm starting to find myself more and more attracted to you. I want you to father my children.
Actually, I'm a dude and I don't have children but we can still work out something. Maybe i can buy you a beer sometime.
from
http://www.dealshunt.com
- by idostats August 7, 2009 12:21 PM PDT
- Unfortunately, a limited-time offer. As of this date, the price is up to $399.
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