Super Bowl: Getting a big screen for the big game

There's still time to get a new high-definition TV delivered and set up before Super Bowl Sunday, but the countdown clock is ticking.

Best Buy and Circuit City, two of the biggest players in the TV business, promise they'll have your new set up and running by kickoff as long as you seal the deal by Jan. 26 or Jan. 30, respectively. Online giant Amazon.com has a cut-off date of Jan. 26. P.C. Richard & Sons, a regional chain in the Northeast, takes the prize for last-minute specials, giving procrastinators up to noon on game day to buy a set in a New York or New Jersey store. That's the big picture—with all these deals, there are restrictions and caveats, as spelled out below.

Sears doesn't specifically guarantee delivery by Feb. 3, but a random check of various models on the company's web site showed that we could have some TVs delivered before game day, depending on zip code. That doesn't include setup; you'd have to call Sears to see when you could get an appointment in your area.

Of course, if you're willing and able to haul your big-screen set home from the store and set it up yourself, you have more time and more options. You can order a set online and pick it up at a local store with Best Buy, Circuit City, Sears, and Wal-mart, or you can head over to a nearby Target or a Costco warehouse for a cash-and-carry transaction.

Don't forget that you'll need high-def TV service in place to enjoy the game in all its big-screen splendor. For cable, satellite, or phone-company fiber-optic service, that means a high-def receiver and service package. If you don't already have such a setup, call your provider ASAP to get the ball rolling. Depending on the company, you can pick up the equipment at a local outlet or have it shipped or delivered. For free off-air broadcasts, all you need is a UHF/VHF antenna hooked up to your new TV (all new sets have the required digital tuner). That's assuming you're in a location where you can pull in signals, without tall buildings, trees, or mountains obstructing transmission.

Then there's the actual setup—putting all the plugs in all the right places. If you've paid for installation, which might run you $100 to $150 for a basic setup, the retailer's crew will hook everything up and make sure you have a high-def picture coming in. Doing it yourself isn't that hard, though. You plug the incoming cable into the HD receiver, then use an HDMI cable, or component-video and audio cables, to connect the receiver to the TV. Tune in an HD channel, and you should be good to go. You should also check the TV's settings to make sure you're getting a full-screen picture with optimal image quality.

One final tip: Hang onto your receipts and check prices for a month or two after your purchase. Many retailers offer a 30-day or 60-day price guarantee, and you can collect the difference if your set is sold at a lower price either at the store itself or at a competitor during that period.

Check out Consumer Reports' Guide to Super Bowl Sunday for more HDTV shopping advice, including access to our Ratings of HDTVs and for tips on throwing a great Super Bowl party.

Now, it's on to the players.

Amazon: According to Amazon's website, getting an HDTV 26-inches or larger in time for the Big Game—complete with White Glove Delivery—is as simple as ordering by Jan. 25. At least, that is, if you want a set from Samsung, Sony, Panasonic, or Toshiba, which are specifically mentioned as part of the offer. It's unclear whether sets by other manufacturers can be delivered as expeditiously, and we couldn't find any details on whether Amazon might compensate you should the set arrive Feb. 4. Visit Amazon's Home Theater section to see the details for yourself.

Best Buy: Based on this week's circular, Best Buy is guaranteeing delivery before the SuperBowl for all currently stocked HDTVs (either in the local store or at a Best Buy warehouse) priced at $999 or more purchased by end-of-day Jan. 26. The offer is available only for in-store purchases, and it's limited to delivery, Geek Squad set-up, and home theater set-up—i.e., it doesn't cover additional installation services or programming. The TVs, delivery, and set-up must be purchased on the same receipt, and you have to accept the first available delivery and set-up time. If so, Best Buy guarantees delivery and set-up by 6 p.m. EST Sunday, Feb. 3. If Best Buy doesn't deliver and set up the TV on time, you're eligible for a $50 Best Buy Gift Card, according to the fine print. You become ineligible if you're not present when the installer arrives, and/or if delivery cannot be completed "due to inclement weather." It also says that "additional delivery and installation charges may apply," and "Limited delivery and/or setup area by location," whatever that means. For more information, click on Best Buy's offer details online.

Circuit City: As it did last year, Circuit City is again offering a Super Bowl TV delivery and FireDog installation guarantee for customers purchasing a TV 32 inches or larger by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 30. If the retailer fails to deliver and set up the TV in time for the big game on Feb. 3, you'll receive a $50 Circuit City gift card. See store or visit www.circuitcity.com for details. The fine print says the offer is valid on in-store and web purchases of in-stock items, and excludes special orders. As with Best Buy's guarantee, you have to accept the first delivery and installation time available, and you have to be present at the scheduled time. The offer is limited to homes within a 30-mile delivery area, and is "subject to inclement weather." Circuit levies a "standard delivery fee" of $69.99, plus installation. The gift card is good toward future purchases, and "terms and conditions are applied to gift cards," although those terms aren't spelled out. Get out your magnifying glass and see Circuit City's offer details online.

Crutchfield: At online retailer Crutchfield, which also has two brick-and-mortar stores in Virginia, there's not a lot of fine print: if you want to get a TV for delivery by Feb. 1, you have two options, depending on the size of the set. HDTVs 40 inches or larger, classified as large-item in-home/threshold delivery items, need to be ordered by 4 p.m. EST on Thursday January 24—yes, that's today. Sets 37 inches and smaller, sent via standard shipping also have to be purchased by 4 p.m. EST. Both come with free delivery. However, if you're willing to pay for either two-day or next-day air, you can order a 37-inch or smaller set as late as Wednesday, Jan. 30, or Thursday, Jan. 31. Crutchfield's caveats are minimal: it has to be an approved order, and the merchandise has to be in stock. Standard shipping is free. Check out the details at Crutchfield's online shipping information page.

PC Richard: This New York-area regional A/V retailer, P.C. Richard & Sons, is the best bet for the real procrastinators out there. New York and New Jersey shoppers can buy a set in a store up until noon on the day of the game and still get the TV by kickoff, or they can place a web order up until 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, Feb. 1 and get truck delivery by game time. Out-of-state web orders have to be placed by 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, Jan. 27. In-store purchases must be from warehouse stock, and the company's website circular specifies the counties eligible for the 6 p.m. game-day deadline. Some deliveries are eligible for free shipping. If you want the retailer to install the set, you might have to buy it a day or two earlier. For details, visit PC Richard's "Big game television shipping schedule" online.

And don't forget to check out Consumer Reports' Super Sunday Guide for more HDTV shopping advice and for tips on throwing a great Super Bowl party.

Comments

[Chip Aldrich]

Since the introduction at CES in Las Vegas of the OLED, which awed consumer reports, I've decided NOT to buy a High Def TV this year. I understand that Sony will introduce the OLED this spring. So I've decided to wait until Super Bowl of 2009...because I expect prices for the OLED to drop just prior to the Super Bowl game.