New TV time

[scoobykev]

My current tv is on its way out, Sony wega(the ones that were the size of a tattie box!)

I know little about the newer range of tvs, so was looking for a little advice on which to go for. I was sure i'd heard somewhere to stay away from plasma as they're not so reliable but that was a while back and after seeing a demo of the two types side by side, i prefered the plasma picture.

Any brands to stay away from? I was gonna go for another sony, but it seems i'd get more for my money with panasonic or samsung. Not keen on going for an LG, i've got a little one in the bedroom and it's crap.

My criteria are, 40 or 42" with full hd, don't really know what else to look for?? price range up to £850ish (don't tell the wife)

Recommendations please.

Kev

[Richie Cross]

Hi mate,

A good place to look is on www.avforums.com

Guys on there are to TVs etc what guys on here are to scoobies!!

After reading on there, I went for a plasma over an LCD.

Plasma tv's have come on a lot and as long as you get something like a Panasonic, you

really don't have to worry about image burn/retention etc.

Was given advice to turn your settings down a bit for the first few hours etc.

Good place for info.

I got a Panasonic Viera X10 which is discontinued but has been replaced by

http://www.johnlewis.com/230878194/Product.aspx

When you say you want full HD, do you need it? I ask because I thought I'd get it but wasn't 100% sure if I'd get SKY HD etc.

As my viewing distance is about 7 or 8 feet, I was told that the 720p resolution would be just fine and that's turned out to be true.

My xbox 360 looks amazing on it!!!

And if you get an idea of tv's, have a look at the prices between Richer Sounds and John Lewis. John Lewis do price matching.

Both stores offer a 5yr guarantee but you have to pay for Richer Sounds and apparently their insurance is through themselves whereas John Lewis have a separate insurance company so you 'should' be safer if the company folds....maybe more likely it would be Richer Sounds??

And forget about John Lewis's blurb about the shop having to be in a certain radius from your house etc. By 'the book' the Glasgow branch didn't have my TV in stock so JL 'couldn't' price match.

Questioned it (after reading AV forums) and they went off and found one in stock in the London branch of Richer Sounds and price matched.

Richer Sounds is a good place go to look if you have one near you?

Cheers

[scoobykev]

Think i looked at that one yesterday Matty, very nice

Richie, just assumed i'd need full hd, will prob get sky hd in the future and already have a ps3, so wanted to watch blu ray discs.

My viewing distance is about 10ft, is that an issue? surely you can't be to far away from a tv.

cheers guys

[Richie Cross]

I think it's a case of being too close. I'm sure plenty of people watch full HD from 6th away but that was just a guide from the AV 'purists'!.

You'll find everything you could possibly want on the AV site.

[scoobykev]

You'll find everything you could possibly want on the AV site.

searching right now

Thanks

[st3ph3n]

If you go out to look at them make sure you ask the shops to show you a standard definition freeview picture on said telly. If you're watching Sky or Freeview or Virgin then most of the programs are still not HD, so the TV will need to scale the image. In my opinion that's what makes the best tellys - making bad pictures look pallatable.

That's why I went with a Sony - yet to see one that can't scale an image well. Got lucky with a discontinued higher end model 40" for only £499 a couple of months ago - including 5 year warranty too, but Amazon have some good ones kicking about just now with decent prices.

In fact the place I got mine from has a few well in your price range - http://www.robertwhyteltd.co.uk/clearance-c-43 - The 40Z5500 got good very reviews I believe.

[jebus82]

just bought a new lcd (samsung) its 3d as well got it for £718 from tribal .co.uk

its 40 inch as well cracking picture.

i also have a 50inch plasma, i think that the picture on the lcd is sharper but i prefer the plasma for my main use which is gaming.

just noticed u have a ps3 as well thats why i got the 3d tv as the ps3 is now 3d compatible, lots of games coming out in 3d soon and obviously some 3d films.

jebus

Edited October 18, 2010 by jebus82

[C_WRX]

There's so much info, and what's better than the next etc, not too sure there's a right answer as it really ends up as personal opinion and personal preference.

Just bought a new TV from JL, a Samsung 32" LCD for the wee ones playroom, but wanted to get something decent and up to date.

Don't have sky as don't watch enough TV to justify, not to mention then paying £10 extra for HD, so got one with freeview HD as that should grow (and is free!! ). Nearly bought a Sony, but the look of the TV wasn't up to the Samsung, and the sales guy said although a very good TV Sony sound is a tiny bit less compared to other well known names.

For £800 you should get a very good LCD, maybe even LED.

3D will be more popular in future but as expected everything to do with it is expensive so early on in release.

I just heard unappealing things about plasma, life of etc, that put me off, but I am sure many who have one find them fine.

Set a little aside for the cables such as your aerial to TV to DVD etc. No point having a great TV but bog standard cabling and not taking advantage of the great picture/sound.

Plenty good deals around, and likely more coming along soon. Search the model price when you find it.

[marko72]

Make sure its full HD you get, as in 1080p. Your blurays and ps3 games with HDMI cables will look amazing. Its what I have and its great.

[Richie Cross]

Then you get into the argument about which cables!!!

You might have seen it already on AV.

Spend loads on a Monster gold plated number or a £5 one from Tesco?!!?

Edited October 19, 2010 by Richie Cross

[marko72]

HDMI cables from Play.com £7.99 or £9.99. Totally fine

[st3ph3n]

If you spend more than £10 on HDMI cables you're an unadultarated mug. It's digital. It either works or it doesn't. Amazon Basics 2m HDMI cable for £3.99 does the job. Any of the digital cables - HDMI, DVI or Optical etc. are the same.

Wouldn't listen to what a salesman says about sound on a flat screen anyway - they're all crap. Spend £500 on a telly and £300 on an AV Receiver and some speakers for your budget.

Wouldn't touch 3D with yours either. Gimmicky until they go glasses less and produce more content for it. Unless you're going to watch Avatar once a day it's not worth it, and in 3-5 years time when they work out how to make Parallax Barrier work better, and can produce in larger sizes.

Edited October 19, 2010 by st3ph3n

[bmwhere?]

If you spend more than £10 on HDMI cables you're an unadultarated mug. It's digital. It either works or it doesn't. Amazon Basics 2m HDMI cable for £3.99 does the job. Any of the digital cables - HDMI, DVI or Optical etc. are the same.

Have to agree with that in general, although not all cables are equal. Some cheap HDMI cables are just not capable of achieving the data rates required for full 1080p HD. Although as long as the cable can maintain the required data rates then sure, go for the cheapest cable you can find. The packaging will usually label the data rates, so as long as you get a 1080p rated cable, you should be good to go

[scoobykev]

Decision now made,

http://www.johnlewis.com/230878195/Product.aspx

decided on plasma as i was finding the picture much softer and less garish than any lcd i looked at.

Just need to find the best deal, which seems to be john lewis atm. The nearest panasonic specialist to me want £200 more for it

Need a stand now, the searching starts again.

[Richie Cross]

Looks good

I think that is a good price because Richer Sounds have it for much the same and they can be cheaper a lot of the time.

[bobbyc]

I bought a 46 inch Samsung LCD from Costco in Glasgow 18 months ago with 5year warranty same TV from Curry's or Comet with 5 yr warranty cost £600 more, TV only lasted 18 months & went duff found the LCD would pixalate quite a bit, took it back to Costco they handed me the readies no problemo & bought a Panasonic 50 inch plasma with new warranty, superior picture quality & £160 in my hip Result, if it goes duff again got the warranty so who cares

I'm positive Cosco have a deal on this month offering a further £100 off some 42 & 37 inch TV's

Edited October 31, 2010 by bobbyc

[scoobykev]

I'm positive Cosco have a deal on this month offering a further £100 off some 42 & 37 inch TV's

They do but it's the model below the one i want. With their discount on it i'm sure it's about £20 cheaper than i could find it online. Might give them a phone and see if they're doing the one i want.

[scoobykev]

Looks good

I think that is a good price because Richer Sounds have it for much the same and they can be cheaper a lot of the time.

No Richer Sound near me or john Lewis, in fact there is sod all here except currys or comet.

[craigdmcd]

I don't know loads about TV's except what most folk say - go and look at what looks good. My Dad does have a very nice 50" Pioneer Plasma with a Onkya or Oyna or something sound system with the speakers set in to the ceiling.But as you can guess, that wasn't cheap.

I also went in to get some spares for my headphones at Bang & Olufsen, and ending up looking at their beautiful 55" TV. Stunning is an understatement - but at 16K, slightly over your budget.

And lastly, was in Selfridges in Manchester, and saw a new Sony, with really fabulous colour and depth in the screen, but again about 2K.

So realistically what I'm saying is that I really like very expensive TV's that I can't afford.

Sorry for not contributing anything worthwhle to this thread