Holiday sales: How low will HDTV prices go?

(Credit: TVPredictions.com)

Is it too early to look forward to holiday price drops while you wait to buy a new HDTV? Not if you're in the market for a no-name model, according to DealNews.com. The site predicts that plasma TV prices on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving that kicks off the holiday buying spree, will fall to as low as $499 for a 42-inch model and $699 for a 50-incher. Meanwhile a $149 Blu-ray player may be in the offing, again from a no-name brand, along with $10 Blu-ray discs.

The upcoming DTV transition will help contribute to the price drops, according to the article, and as usual, plasma is less-expensive than LCD on an inch-for-inch basis. "LCD prices will remain higher than plasma, but they'll still dip considerably, with generic 42-inch 720p LCD HDTVs going for $599. Additionally, look for name-brand 46-inch or 47-inch 1080p LCD HDTVs to hit $799, and larger 52-inch 1080p HDTVs to drop to $1,199."

Those predictions sound solid to us, and the accent here is on no-name brands. In previous years, we've seen TVs from from Westinghouse, Maxent and Vizio advertised as loss-leaders designed to draw bargain hunters in on Black Friday. This year even lesser-known brands are likely to hit those price points, while the $149 Blu-ray player might come from Insignia or Magnavox.

Those brands don't float your boat? Wait, says dealnews. "Last year, the best time to buy a good TV wasn't on Black Friday. It was three weeks before Christmas. At that time, Fry's and Amazon went to war on high-end LCD HDTVs (most notably Samsung 1080p 120Hz LCD TVs from 40 inches and up), slashing prices again and again. The general rule is, Black Friday is the best time of the year to buy no-name TVs. December is the best time to buy high-end TVs."

Source: dealnews via TVPredictions.

What do you think? Is it worth waiting now that the Holidays are in sight, or would you rather enjoy that HDTV now? Are you holding out for a killer bargain on a no-name TV, or do you have your eye set on a brand-name model that may drop in price between now and the end of the year?

[Alfred Poor]

Who needs to wait? And why settle for "no name" brands which often have sub-par performance? Costco recently sold a Westinghouse 42" 1080p LCD HDTV for $699, which is just a bit above the price you project for a "generic" 720p model in two months. The fact is that the accumulated inventories and the slow economy are driving the price reductions. LCD and plasma panel shipments were down 7 to 20 percent from May to July, so the manufacturers have too much production capacity and too much product. Retailers are going to be looking to find ways to recover cash from inventories when consumers aren't interested in big-ticket purchases. (About half of US households already have one or more HDTVs, so the market penetration is already high.) The DTV transition should work to increase demand and keep prices up, rather than lower prices, but with less than 25% of the population relying on over-the-air broadcasts (and many of them are low-income or elderly), I just don't see the transition as creating much additional demand. The bottom line: I agree that bargains will be available in December, but expect to see bigger price cuts and sooner -- on all brands -- than we've seen in recent years.

Alfred Poor
HDTV Almanac

[stuntman_mike]

To the previous poster. Westinghouse is basically a no name as well.

[jakebala]

i agree w/ stuntman mike (nice grindhouse shout out).

when they said no-name will drop to 700 bucks they were basically talking about westinghouse (at least if u buy from bestbuy cause that's the only no name they offer).

hdtv almanac, obviously not.

like the article tho, i just bought a tv so i'm good for at least a few yrs, but i'm sure i'll want something new and amazing so i'll sell it on craigslist or ebay or something

[Jlove16]

I'm ready to pull the trigger on a Samsung LN46A650 but I guess I can wait two more months if it'll save me $200-400. Besides, I need to get a Blu-Ray player and receiver so I might pick up a Sony BDP-S350 and Pioneer VSX-1018AH-K in the mean time- I already have a set 5.1 of JBL Venue speakers and TV stand. Amazon has the TV for $1649 which is a hell of a good price considering Best Buy is selling at full retail $2199 but why not be greedy?!?! As long as I have the TV to watch the NFL playoffs, I'll be fine.

[Galenn20K]

I have the Samsung LN46A750 and I can tell you that you will NOT be Disappointed!!!

THose TVs are some of the BEST!!!!

Sports will look AMAZING and you will not believe the Difference.
I ALso BOught mine from Amazon.com and got a Terrific Price on that, I cannot believe just how much less it was than Best Buy.
- D

[c_bosie]

NFL Football in Hi-Def on a properly callibrated tv is absolutely AMAZING! I have the Samsung LNT-4661 calibrated close to the specs that CNET recomends and have been very impressed.

[bgfan1]

As far as no name HDTV's go Westinghouse is right up there at the top!! I wouldn't put a Westing- house in my garage.

[ez1dog2]

EXACTLY!!!!

[dlmccollum]

I always heard the best deals on qualaity big screens was the week before the Superbowl. I am looking at a Panasonic 50 PZ 800u and wondering when the best prices will be available. I'd like to get it before Christmas, but if I can save 100 bucks or so, I will wait until January.

[Dragon_Myr]

I'd like to get an HDTV for myself to replace my old tube TV, but I'm waiting for LED backlighting to become reasonably priced. Prices on HDTV's have been nice, but I think they can do better so I agree with seeing bigger cuts in December. No-name models typically have poor picture quality so I'd definitely go with a decent brand. I don't see the need to rush into one of these purchases though. It's not like there's anything good on TV anymore! =P

[ClarkWells]

jakebala -

You are an idiot. Although i do agree that westinghouse is pretty much a no-name brand, you are completely wrong about it being the only no-name brand that best buy sells... Olevia, Insignia ... these are much more of a no-name brand than westinghouse. Westinghouse is in my opinion one of the best brands for the money. I purchased a 32" 720p LCD last year on clearance for $450 on newegg and it has been great. My roomate has it's equal in a samsung and you can tell that his has a better picture but he payed $900 for his.... thats twice as much as i payed.... and i like the way my screen looks more than i like his. So before you go making factual statements... "when they said no-name will drop to 700 bucks they were basically talking about westinghouse (at least if u buy from bestbuy cause that's the only no name they offer)." get your facts straight.

[cmdr-awesome]

Whether or not it's worth the wait depends on who you are and what kind of TV you're sitting with right now. If you're using a 19 inch tube TV from 1987, you're in better need of a huge HD unit than someone with, say, a Sony 32 inch from three years ago. HD is nice, but it's not always necessary. If you have a PS3, you NEED HD capabilities. Wii? Not so much. If you do decide to get a large HDTV, though, don't go with no-name. There's so much margin for error/bad quality on LCDs or Plasmas that it's too much of a risk. Read reviews, do your homework, and you may end up with a good quality and decently sized TV for a fair price.
Having said that, I personally would be MORE excited if the prices of PVRs/DVRs went down. That is an experience that, regardless of TV type, age, or model, is essential to good TV watching. PVR installation in my household has changed the way I watch TV; recording processes have streamlined, I can pause the TV if I'm interrupted, and, if you paused, you can FAST FORWARD THROUGH COMMERCIALS.

[AJones4]

The door busters are always the lowest quality products. I guess if your biggest motivator is the cheapest thing you can possibly put in your home then this is great news. Also, Westinghouse isn't necessarily a "no-name" brand, but neither is Zenith or the Apex. Whether or not a majority of the population knows the name of the brand has no determination on its quality.

[quality4me]

jakebala,
If your are going to correct someone atleast have the right info. Give me a break, insignia, or maxent ? This site is for nerds not ballers or what ever you think you are.

[sobishop]

Black Friday is a commercial joke. People can't wait to get stuff cheap when in reality they are just getting cheap stuff. The real deals are after Christmas when they are overstocked on inventory anticipating people to buy more high end products after they were baited into the store with a cheap deal on a cheap item.

[Scopip]

After Christmas sales, are as much a gimmick as black Friday.

The bottom line is you need to know what you want and have cash ready when you know its a good deal.

[dbinda]

I believe the best strategy is to wait for LED-backlit units to evolve and become more price-competitive.

[dbinda]

I believe the best strategy is to wait for LED-backlit units to evolve and become more price-competitive.

[radrider82]

I've owned 4 HDTV brands: a Sharp, a Vizio and Westinghouse and an Insignia. I'd say the top brands were Vizio and Westinghouse while the Sharp was subpar and the Insignia was a nightmare. Somebody above mentioned that they wouldn't even put a Westinhouse in their garage. That's extremely unfair. If you're judging them by the store setup displays, don't. They purposely make them look below average on purpose so you can buy the higher end models. I have a 42" Westinghouse that was supposed to be temporary until I buy my higher end Sony, but honestly, I have no need. The picture is great and althought it's far from perfect, it gets the job done.

Of the worse brands, the Insignia takes the dishonerable mention. Half the screen blanked out and Best Buy (Insignia is their exclusive brand) didn't want to accept responsibility. After talking to a manager, I got store credit and bought a Westinghouse 32" instead. I really loved the picture and that's what convinced me to buy a 42" 1080p tv from them.

My dream tv is still a Sony, maybe a the newest Samsung with a 120hz processor, but for the most part, I've enjoyed my "no-name" television. If it came down to it and Westinghouse or Vizio came out with a large, nicely priced 120hz tv, No-name is the brand for me.

[Riggs3001]

I love my CATHODE RAY - HDTV! I can't stand the pixelation caused by LCD and plasma screens.... i think the best one I've ever seen is at best not-completely-hideous, but still significantly noticeable. They seem like a visual downgrade from good 'ol electron on a phosphor screen tech to me.

[dano_48]

I agree my five year old Sony CRT HDTV is only 1080i...but it looks a lot better than any LCD or plasma. However, it doesn't take HDMI and so I'll probably be shopping in January. My son will get my old system when he graduates from college. I'll probably be replacing everything this year. For now, I'm leaning toward Panasonic and plasma for the next box. What I need most from CNET are reviews of the newer AV receivers with high-end video support. Receiver reviews run many months behind the HDTV reviews. Come on folks!

[BLUEMANRULE]

It makes me smile knowing how underrated Westinghouse and Vizio are on here. I've seen both in person and, for your everyday user, I think either would suffice. I want a 32" tv for gaming in the bedroom and eventually a 52-60 big 1080p tv to replace my 1080i in the living room. That's a couple of Black Fridays away though.