Shopping for Monitor/TV

[REDJOHNNYMIKE]

So my trusty 5yr old monitor is starting to show it's age, and with my next paycheck I am looking to buy a new one.

 

I really haven't payed too much attention to monitors since...well...I got this one, so what I'd like to know is if anyone has detailed knowledge of the current "state of the union" of the whole monitor scene.

Are there any particular monitors that are legendary in their capabilities and reliability?

 

I'm looking for something in the $300-800 range (could go higher, but it'd have to reaaaaally be worth it).

Flatpanel.

I definitely prefer widescreen.

~27in. give or take a couple.

PC and TV functionality (my old one has some nice picture-in-picture features I wouldn't mind keeping)

At least 1080i for my console gaming (maybe 1080p if it isn't too much extra), High resolution PC picture (this old battlehorse only supports 1024X768, so I'm not entirely familiar with the highest current resolutions), but I need it to be able to handle fast paced deathmatch gaming.

I want to have the full load for connections Composite--->HDMI (still need composite for my vcr/tv)

I've heard that a lot of monitor manufacturers skimp on the audio to cut the price of high quality picture. That really isn't a big deal for me as I always use headphones, but I'd like it to be halfway decent if I didn't want to use headphones.

 

The old monitor I'm currently using is a Samsung, it's held up pretty well over the years (rather have buttons than it's freaky touch sensors, but it's not a big deal), and a friend of mine recently got a Samsung that's about the size I'm looking for and says he really digs it, but I've also heard the Dell monitors are pretty good too. Any advice on which manufacturers are worth checking out and which should be avoided?

 

Any help or advice on important information I might be missing would be appreciated, thanks!

 

Help me view LF in high resolution!

[Jae Onasi]

Consumer Reports has some good info--it's worth the couple bucks or whatever for a month's subscription to get the reliability data on electronics and to get their recommendations.

[Q]

I read a lot of good things about the Westinghouse monitors. They have probably the best price/performance ratio of anything out there. They're 1080p, have just about every connection you can think of. These can easily do double duty as a both a TV and a computer monitor, plus they're great for an XBox360 or PS3.

 

I've seen the 37" models for <$1000.00 from reputable dealers. You just have to know where to look. I know that it's more than you want to spend, but these are the smallest 1080p monitors that Westinghouse makes, and it's a lot bigger than any computer monitor in the same price range. These are really the best deal out there right now.