What's the biggest flat screen television that could fit in a Prius?

I agree, although not for the reasons the poster of this comment posted it.

Nothing wrong with enjoying your life and planning and buying something special that you like. I work hard for my living, and when I want something and I can afford it, I'm going to buy it. Has nothing to do with "keeping up" with someone else. Watching movies on a laptop might be fine for him, but I get a lot of enjoyment and recreation from watching my TV.

Anyways do be sure not to buy too big a TV for your room. To get maximum picuture quality and enjoyment out of an HDTV you don't want one too close.

Here's a handy guide to what size TVs are best for what viewing distances:

Shopping: Buy the Right Size TV to Fit Your Space

Save the money from buying too big a TV and get a BlueRay player too

 

I was also told that you should not lay a plasma flat. I actually transported my 50" Samsung on the back of my Expedition at a 30 degree angle for about 15 minutes. Although the TV without its box would certainly fit in the Prius, I don't see how it could possibly fit inside the box...

If someone has pictures, I would love to see them.

On a side note, my brother transported a big drill press from Home Depot in the Prius and it fit just fine in its packaging.

 

Just a note: Consumer Reports recommends buying the biggest TV you can afford, of course within the limits of room size. I believe this is good advice, since it means you'll be far less tempted to "upgrade" to a bigger TV in the future, thereby wasting money

 

Bigger is better with TV's. A few years a go I thought a 42 would be OK but now there is no way I would get smaller than 50 more likely 60. The new screen ratio IMHO makes the screen size seem less big. For example I have a 32 in CRT now and it seems bigger than a new 42.

Here is why I am really jumping in; what is up with plasma and lcd tv's saying that they lose half brightness after 60,000 hours. I don't want to lose any brightness. What is up with this? Will they fix this automatic degradation?

 

I think that's just a characteristic of the light sources used to build the TVs. I don't think it can be "fixed", but it's something that's been improving as the technology matures.

 

This is why I bought a 50" instead of a 42". My viewing distance is right between a 42 and a 50, I could have gotten away with a 42 but I knew I'd always want the 50.

The point of my suggestion was, it would have been stupid for me to get a 60". 60" would have been way too big for my space and I have a better viewing experience with the 50" in *my* room.

So if your room is designed for a 42 (or a 46 if its LCD, mines a Plasma but I would probably buy LCD today) don't get a 50 just because its bigger.

 

You do realize that 60,000 hours is 13.6 years of TV watching if you watch TV 12 hours per day.
How many TVs last even half that many years?

 

On the "transporting flat" debate:

One major concern with transporting flat-panel TV's (both plasmas and LCDs) flat is that the screens will experience stresses and crack. Apparently, you're much better off transporting it upright (i.e. in the orientation you view it in). Now, that said, I've transported my LCD TV on its back a couple of times (before I knew about the "lay flat" recommendation) and had no problems. I suspect that it would only be a serious concern if you were on a really bumpy road; most people probably have no problems.

That said, if it were me, I'd transport it upright. If that's not an option, I would transport it with the screen facing "up," although I have no idea if that's actually better.

 

A projector would fit in the trunk even with the seats up. Now the screen is a different story. But the picture quality and viewing quality of a projector with a retractable screen is by far better than a Plasma TV hands down for the same price. Of course you kinda need the room size. 14 feet or more is nice.

Thomas

 

Is costco cheaper than pricegrabber.com ?

 

60,000 TV hours is forever. You're TV wont even last that long, thats like 25 years of normal TV watching.
Lets see...
I watch, well, the TV is on (lets say that) an average of 2-3 hours a day.
Lets say 360 days a year on that average (leaving for holidays and such dont count)
360x3=1080
60000/1080=55.555r
haha, so ya, 55 years for my household.

I actually did a quick test recently, I watched my tv for like 30 minutes, then ran over to HHGreg real quick and looked at the same compairable tv (50" samsung plasma). After having my TV for almost a year, I see 0 brightness difference from the brand new TV's.

 

I expect 20 plus years from a TV based on family history. I don't want to lose any brightness, CRT's don't; why should I downgrade. Also these TVs are cheaper to make than CRTs so everybody is still getting ripped off. Plus you should wait for the elimination of the set top box. You'll start seeing that available in the next year or two.

 

I don't think I believe that a 20 year old CRT performs exactly the same way that it did when it was new. Stone tablets last longer than paper, but I'm not going to rush out and buy a chisel.

 

so, guys....

after 4 pages.... do we have an answer?

 

You are wrong. If they are still working fine then the perfomance is the same. They don't all make it to 20 but many do. Flat TV's are a better quailty image, the picture quality of plasma and LCD is not better than an HD CRT. It just that flat screens are physically easier to make and handle.

 

The intensity of a CRT will decrease with time in a similar way to plasma displays as they both use phosphors to create the image. The lifetime of a CRT is not normally quoted but that doesn't mean that it doesn't degrade.

One of the prime reasons why screensavers were created was to minimize burn-in of CRT screens.

CRTs also degrade because electron emission from the cathode will eventually reduce intensity to an unsatisfactory level.

With LCD displays there is usually a fluorescent tube to illuminate the display from behind - that will degrade with time, although it could be replaced to restore brightness.

I don't know where you get the idea that flat screens are easier to make. It is only recently that the prices have dropped significantly and they are still more expensive to make than CRTs which have a 100 year history of manufacturing expertise. LCD displays require equipment similar to that for manufacturing semiconductors (and a similar investment).

If you chose to use CRTs that is your prerogative but you are wrong to think you are being cheated.

kevin

 

YES! . . . edit your options! :nerd:

Click on User CP (User Control Panel) in the blue bar above

then under Settings & Options

click on Edit Options

then under Thread Display Options and Number of Posts to Show Per Page

arrow down to and click on Show 40 Posts Per Page

then scroll down to the bottom and click on Save Changes . . .

There! Your problem of having to click through four pages and not finding a consensus answer has been resolved to now only having to see one page without a consensus.

-Glad to be of help in your search of knowledge.

 

I have a Samsung HD CRT, the full screen allows many viewing options.
Are CRT's still available, I haven't seen any lately at BestBuy.

 

I think the only possible consensus answer is that you need to measure the dimensions of the TV you're buying and compare them to the dimensions of the cargo area.

-It's unlikely that you'll fit any large TV while still in its box.

-BestBuy.com, Amazon.com, etc offer free delivery. If you walk into a Best Buy store though, you'll have to pay for delivery (go figure). I think this is the best option. It means your choices are unlimited AND you don't have to break your back unpacking and setting up the TV (some of which are quite heavy or at least unwieldy unless you've got help)

 

I don't know guys...I think everyone is giving pretty bad advice. If you ask me, I would stick with the 9" screen for the Prius - similar to the one that's in the Highlander. It's easy to see from the third row too. The 46" screen might block the rearward view...:eyebrows::twitch: