Walmart has some great deals on these...

For example,

47" LED 120hz 1080p for $849....

Is it THAT much worse than the top brands? Considering you're not a TV snob who will break down the blacks and all that crap... this seems like it'd be a legitimate price for an LED right?

I'd like to see an "offbrand" TV like this side by side at optimal settings against a Sony or Samsung.

I guess what I'm asking is... what's the knock on TV brands like this?

1) That is not a great deal
2) Yes it is that important to buy one of the better brand televisions.
This 720p Panasonic plasma
http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-TC-P46C2-46-Inch-720p-Plasma/dp/B0036VNQ0Q/ref=sr_1_23?ie=UTF8&s=tv&qid=1274487514&sr=1-23

would look 10 times better than that proscan

Something to consider for the "knock off" brand TVs is that they buy their LCD panels from the major brands most of the time.

So a Proscan TV may include a samsung plasma panel, but it's not going to be nearly of the same quality as Samsung would sell itself. Most of the time they (Samsung, Sony, Panisonic) will sell their rejects to other companies to use in their TVs.

Use at your own risk I guess. I'd rather spend a few hundred more and get the best picture.

by now you should be an expert on TVs andyacecandy

Isn't Proscan owned by THOMSON Consumer Electronics in Indiana?

They are the same ones that build and sell RCA, GE and some other brands...

I think if you dig deep enough you will find out it is part of GE...

Proscan is basically an RCA line which is owned by Thomson. Don't buy it. It isn't much of a deal and that TV is crap. There are only two non name brand TVs that I would have any confidence in buying: Vizio and Insignia. Both are reliable but neither will have the picture of a name brand set.

Proscan WAS RCA's upscale line now it is crap.

So, what exactly makes these TVs crap? Besides the non brand name.

You gonna get into the deeper blacks and brighter brights?


Edit: this isn't for me... just someone I know wanting to get one, and I really don't have any specific reasons to advise him not to besides the name of the brand

[This message has been edited by andyacecandy (edited 5/24/2010 9:31a).]

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by now you should be an expert on TVs andyacecandy

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plus you could have sold your friend that brand new 42" samsung for $900!

He wants a bigger one

I'd be concerned about the longevity of the set and the customer service backing it up if something goes wrong.

Just buy a refurb Sony/Samsung/LG.

Yeah, linked him to some of those...

he's set on LED and no Sony or Samsung or any major brand LED 46-50" will be anywhere under $1,000 even if it's used or refurbed.

My whole thing is once you get the TV in your home, you won't be comparing it on a wall with 50 other TVs like you can at Best Buy... so it will look good regardless considering you're not a TV snob, rather just an everyday casual TV viewer.

If he's never owned an HD set before and this is his only one then he'll probably be happy with it. I wouldn't stand by it for reliability and he should probably get a warranty or something since it is an off brand. Which might make it as much as a Vizio or LG by that time.

I would rate Insignia well below Vizio and LG as the non-name brands.

I would almost consider Vizio a name brand at this point.

Still, for LCDs I would stick with Samsung (Vizio on a budget) or Sony.

Panasonic for Plasma.

From what I've seen Samsung is priced a bit more reasonably than Sony.

It's been said multiple times it's not that great of a deal to start with. It's going to be crappy in the same way that other cheap items can be crappy. They're generally going to break easier/quicker. They don't have a good build quality.

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I would rate Insignia well below Vizio and LG as the non-name brands.

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Since when is LG not a name brand. They are probably the 3rd or 4th highest selling HDTV. And the new model insignias are very highly rated. My main problem with Vizio is that if it breaks no repair shops will fix them because parts are almost impossible to get.

Vizio and LG are name brands, didn't mean to slight them. LG's are very good, but don't sell as well as Vizio's (probably a price thing). But the LG's I've seen are right up there with Sony and Samsung in quality. I just meant as a flat panel they aren't one of the main brands like Sony and Samsung and Panasonic.

Actually just saw a LG 46" LED 120hz 1080p for $999 at walmart... I'd say the $150 price difference is worth the upgrade in brands.

I would agree!

Actually it was a Sharp Aquous LED... nice