TV, Projectors, Screens - Next Level Audio and Video

Plasma vs. LCD, which one? We'll save that for another discussion but for a moment, let's focus on plasma TVs. They are bigger and better than ever with rich features and stunning performance galore. Best yet, prices are tumbling by the day. So, which is the best plasma available? Great question. A lot hinges on what features you want or need, cost, space, and aesthetics. That is why Next Level offers so many different manufacturers for our customers. Doing custom installations is just that --- you fit the project based on the customer's needs. In addition, we now offer art frames and/or mirror covers to make your wall-hanging plasma (or LCD) look like a picture or mirror when the signal is turned off. Neat! But the bottom-line is we offer our customers solutions to fit their wants and needs and not the other way around. What do we mean by this?
Well, I get a kick every time I look at a local competitor's website (Milwaukee area) and review what they have to say about the plasma TVs they sell. They boast Marantz and tout it's greatness and ranking and then provide a backhanded compliment to the other plasma they offer, Panasonic. They focus on the fact Marantz has the best picture and has no fan noise because they don't need a fan. They talk about all the other plasmas needing fans. This my friends is called F.U.D. (fear, uncertainty and doubt) in the world of sales. We have a Panasonic hanging on the wall in one of our showrooms and guess what? No noise and great picture --- and it has a fan.

Okay, let's set the record straight. Check it out for yourself. In four recent publications (CNET, PC World, Sound & Vision, and The Perfect Vision) they rank a number of plasma TVs. They compare picture quality, features, price, value, etc. Amazing what you don't see in any of these --- Marantz! What do you see? Pioneer, Panasonic, Fujitsu, Hitachi, and a few others but Marantz isn't mentioned. So, why would they make these statements? Good question…and I am sure a lot has to do with how much profit they get from the sales. I will say that I have seen the Marantz and it does have a very nice picture. But I wonder why a host of publications, having unbiased writers, didn't rate it in the same breath as the others they did.

Back on task. We offer plasma TVs from Samsung, Toshiba, Viewsonic, Panasonic, Pioneer, Philips, Fujitsu, and Hitachi. Quite an impressive list for certain. Each provides a perfect fit for our customers and we'll install it too --- at a very reasonable price. And of course we provide all the necessary hardware to hang the TV on your wall and will hide any wires (providing there isn't any building code issues with it) to give you a clean look. We also make certain you have the correct cables in order to take full advantage of the stunning picture plasma TVs offer. Are there differences between plasmas? You bet there is. What you need to be careful of with the 'big store' specials with cheap prices is whether they are HDTV compatible. That is key. As more and more formats and broadcasting goes the way of 'high def', you need a TV to accept this type of signal. Some of these 'bargain' plasmas are 2 to 3 years old models the stores are trying to unload. Or, they are EDTV (Enhanced Definition TV) compatible, not HDTV. Heck, you wouldn't want to spend this money, thinking you are getting a high def TV then find out after your purchase it isn't. Remember, just because it is a plasma does NOT mean it is automatically a high definition TV.

Oh, and this is cute…"Set up. Set up of your system with Cable TV boxes or HD DSS receivers is NOT a slam dunk. There are a number of steps necessary to get the picture and sound RIGHT in your system. When we install a plasma system and the cable company visits later to connect HDTV, we get called almost 100% of the time because things aren't right! We find a myriad of mistakes they make. It's a shame that many people are buying reasonably expensive equipment from the superstores and not even getting it connected properly! How good a deal was it if you got a "good deal" on a cheap plasma TV and it's not even hooked up properly?" More F.U.D.! We work with you and your provider (cable or satellite) to coordinate the efforts so we don't have to come back. We set it up right the first time and won't charge you for a return visit!

Give us a call or send us an e-mail with any questions you may have.