rain426

Hi all,

Just wondered if anyone has any links to the Canadian version of Currys / Comet etc?

Just looking to get a bit of a feel for prices and whats available there.

Cheers

Ian

Ben W Bell

The big ones I believe are Sears, Future Shop, Best Buy.

www.futureshop.ca
www.bestbuy.ca
www.sears.ca

When I'm over I always pop into the stores and have a good look around. Amazing what you can poke at and the salesmen can't sell you a thing as you're not living there so no way will you be buying.

rain426

Perfect, thanks! I understand LCD and Rear-Projection TV's are the big screens of choice over there, and plasma aren't really popular?

MCrocker

Plasma screens are popular here - the big rear projector things need a lot of space. Horror stories of plasma TV's dying after a couple of years seem to have gone and warranties seem to be longer.

We have an LCD upstairs and 42" plasma in basement. Both are good TV's and don't take up a lot of space - they are relatively flat.

bazzz

And the staff are under exactly the same pressure to get you to buy an extended warranty / protection plan as they are in the UK...

AFAIK, Best Buy and Future Shop are part of the same company, although they do hold slightly different inventories.

rain426

I noticed the Best Buy and Future Shop sites were very similar in wording.

Good to know about Plasmas, I have a Panasonic 42" at the moment (only about 6 months old) and really like the technology for big screens. Superb picture quality.

By the time we finally land in Canada it will be time to upgrade though, so will be on the lookout for something new. Was considering a rear-projection one, as they can be HUGE for a comparatively small sum of money compared to the Plasma.

Generally prices seem to be a fair bit cheaper in Canada than the UK though, so that's good.

We are going to try and ship as little with us as possible when we go, basically just books and DVD's. Everything else in the flat will likely be sold to add to the moving fund

Steve_P

Plasma appears to be more popular in the 50" and up sizes and LCD for 42" and smaller.

Panasonic is marketing them this way.

Costco seems to be a really good place to look if you are just looking at big screen TV's, good prices and great warranty.

Cheers
Steve

bazzz

Don't forget to add on another 13% or so (depending on where you're going) as these prices exclude tax.

Biiiiink

And fifty dollars delivery. I've *never* managed to get that knocked off by a chain store. I must be rubbish.

Souvenir

Yes, they are owned by the same company. Best Buy is a US company that bought the Canadian Future Shop outfit a few years ago and has since also opened Best Buy branches here. In Gatineau there are big branches of both less than half a mile apart.

Atlantic Xpat

Firstly can I recommend again this forum: http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/ for all things electronic in Canada. Useful also for product views/reviews and deals.

Plasma certainly seems to be taking off here. LCD and DLP rear projection are essentially the other technologies for 'big' (>50") screens. LCD can have problems with 'screen door' effect close up and also uses a bulb with a more finite lifespan than say a CRT tube.

After extensive research I ended up buying a Hitachi 51" CRT rear projection for the basement. I did this on the basis that CRT RP is a very well known technologly and has dropped in price considerably with the rise of plasma. The additional room required was not a problem given that my basement rec room is 30ft long! I did notice the 57" version of my TV being advertised last week at 'The Brick' (furniture retailler) for $1100odd. That's a stunning deal.

Future Shop and Best Buy are the same. I believe I read somewhere that Best Buy salespersons are salaried whereas Future Shop work on commission. Both will try and sell you massive extended warranties as per Currys/Dixons in the UK. Also watch out for them trying to push 'monster' brand cables and interconnects. These are hugely overpriced for what they are and should be avoided.

Not sure where you are moving to, but on the East Coast I can recommend the 'Wacky Wheatleys' chain. I bought my TV from our local branch and when asked about delivery they said 'How about we follow you home now with it in our van!' And it was delivered free!

AX

bazzz

For cables, etc, go to www.monoprice.com - they are located in the US, but ship to Canada and their prices are sufficiently sensible that you won't have to pay any import duties.

Atlantic Xpat

Eh? If they are US made then no import duties under NAFTA but still HST/GSt to be paid on entry to Canada.

rain426

We are hoping to move somewhere in BC. We are taking a trip over there in about a years time, to explore and have a holiday (my first in many years).

Some very useful info here though, thanks everyone!

Ian

bazzz

You seem escape all that stuff if you spend below a certain amount. Might be $20. Or $50. I believe there's a lot more discussion of this somewhere on http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/