Posted Wed Nov 21, 2012 at 12:15 PM PST by Dick Ward
Black Friday is a very cool time to pick up cheap gear, but there's a lot to wade through to find the stuff that's actually worth buying. For the average shopper, a $300 TV from a no-name brand may be fine, but it becomes more difficult when you're looking for quality. We've looked through the ads, parsed out the goods, and come up with a list of some of the best retail deals available this Black Friday.
Keep in mind, this list doesn't include Amazon, which is constantly shifting its deals. Before getting in a 4am line outside your local big box store, make sure you check the net first. You just might find the same deal there, but without the hassle of waiting in the freezing cold.
Best Buy
Roku 2 XS - $79, XD - $59
Roku makes some of the best set-top streamers on the market, and Best Buy is knocking $20 off of the already low price for Black Friday. For $79, the Roku 2 XS gives you motion control, 1080p video, a free copy of Angry Birds and all of the streaming options you'd expect from Roku.
Logitech Harmony 650 - $39
The Harmony 650 goes for around $60 during the rest of the year, so you're getting a good chunk off here. The remote handles up to five different devices and gives you a color screen to assist with control and setup.
Denon AVR1613 5.1 Channel Receiver - $274
The AVR1613 is a fairly baseline home theater receiver, including more common features like AirPlay, USB connectivity and Ethernet networking, but for those simply looking for 5.1 channels of quality audio will find Denon's receiver more than adequate – especially at $120 off of its usual price.
The Lord of the Rings Blu-ray Trilogy Extended Edition - $39
The whole purpose of the sentences written after each item is to give the reader context, and explain the benefits of something. If you need to know the benefits of picking up 'The Lord of the Rings' on Blu-ray for a surprisingly low price, nothing I write can help you.
Panasonic TC-L55ET5 55” TV and SC-HTB350 Soundbar with Wireless Sub - $1,049
This is a pretty slick setup for the price, netting you not only a 55" Panasonic LED backlit set, but a soundbar with a wireless sub as well. The soundbar in question is one of Panasonic's, and it offers you the ability to split the bar apart to create left and right speakers or to recombine it for a simpler setup.
Toshiba 40” 40E220U - $179
This is the one that's going to get attention. This is also the one that will almost certainly be available for a very small number of customers. $180 for a 40" set is a ridiculously inexpensive proposition, and one that we'd recommend checking out.
HH Gregg
Mitsubishi 73" WD73C12 - $799
You'll be hard pressed to find a TV of this size at a lower price. DLPs may have their flaws, but economy isn't one of them.
Pioneer VSX822 5.1 Channel Receiver - $199
Normally priced at $379, Pioneer's receiver offers six HDMI inputs, 3D passthrough and the ability to stream from Pandora or straight from your iPhone thanks to AirPlay. It's also a cheaper introduction to entry level receivers than the Denon that Best Buy is selling.
Sears
Panasonic 50” TC-P50X5 - $299
Sears takes the cake when it comes to a big TV at a low price, helped on by the fact that the $300 Panasonic TC-P50X5 comes from a respectable name, especially in plasmas. The P50X5 isn't perfect though, and is said to cast a bit of green over everything.
Sam’s Club
LG BP325W 3D Blu-Ray Player $68
LG BP125 Blu-ray Player $38
Sam's Club has the cheapest Blu-ray players from a respectable manufacturer this year, with a pair from LG. The BP125 is the same one that Walmart will be selling for $38 and is about as simple a player as you're going to find in 2012. The BP325W has Wi-Fi built right in to let you access streaming services, plays back 3D Blu-rays and can be controlled by your Android or iOS device with a free app.
Walmart
Sharp 70” LC70LE640U Aquos LED - $1,798
You might not expect Walmart to top the list in terms of high-end sets but they do. The LC70LE640U is a 70 inch Aquos LED that usually retails at around $2,300. Some stores list it at $1,999 but Walmart beats them out by around $200.
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