HD t.v. recommendations???

DiddyDave

DiddyDave

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Hi all

I'm looking for a telly, ideally HD to show photo presentations on and probably around 42", as all my Wedding clients visit me at home rather than the studio. Though I will be using it for normal family tv too

Those 'surround sound' or 'cinema' things look nice, lots of Diddy speakers :thumbs:

Obviously I don't want to spend a penny more than necessary! So do you techie people out there have anything to recommend as what to look out for?

I thought Photography had it's techie side - but tellies !!!:eek:

Oh - and yes I am a techie numpty - so I don't want it to act as a phone, address book, etc. :lol: just to be a high quality and presumably that means HD telly, will do fine - thanks

DD

(Mods... is this okay in this forum section?)
 
do you want True HD? or just HD-Ready?
as in are you going to be watching HD-DVD *dead format* or blu-ray on it?
 
itsjosh said:
do you want True HD? or just HD-Ready?
as in are you going to be watching HD-DVD *dead format* or blu-ray on it?
Click to expand...

:eek:

There you go already, 1st reply and I don't understand the question!

I think I'd better pop into Sony/Currys or some such to get my head around some of the basics

Thanks anyway

DD
 
Okay,
how much are you willing to spend and ill pick out a few good ones for you.
 
SAMSUNG LE40A686M1FXXU (40" 1080p "super" high definition) - I have the 37" verision of this TV it has a superb picture and sound and is 1080p so you get an even better picture than normal hi-def if the player supports it (which most do). Also with 1080p you can get a 1920x1080 resolution computer input so monster 40" display !!

Also if you buy it from Comet at the moment you get a FREE BLU-RAY player.

Price is £799
 
At 42" you will see a difference between 720 and 1080. Anything over 37" is a general rule for really noticing the extra lines of detail. Are you using it for SD and HD tv watching also, or just as a stills platform? This will dictate the necessity for a faster refresh rate to remove/reduce motion blur.
Talk to the chaps on AVForums for a very reasoned recommendation :thumbs:
 
Take a look at my post in this thread....

http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=23560

I've had my Sony 40X2000 TV for two years and still think it is superb. When I was looking for 32" sets for the bedroom earlier this year I once again chose Sony. This time it was a 32D3000 model with 1366x768 resolution. I don't show pictures on that TV but I thought it had the most natural looking and least fake/overprocessed picture. Maybe the tables have turned since I bought mine but whenever I research TVs I do find Sony LCD sets to offer superb IQ.
 
My advice would be to go with the big names Sony, Panasonic or Toshiba. These companies make very good tv's. I have a Panasonic 37" plasma and the picture is better than any of my friends Samsung, LG or Hitachi LCD's and plasmas.

Go to the big stores Curry's and Dixons etc. as you would Jessops to look at the choices and get advice, then buy online if you can get a better deal. Also set yourself a price limit then get the best within your price range.

Choccy...
 
Sony all the way. My X series 32inch is amazing. I think they may have updated the X series recently so you may be able to find a bargin.
 
many brands of tv are the same in a different shell (i worked in richer sounds)
also richer sounds are good to buy from

1) price match
2) pay your parking
3) if you ask them what deals you can get if you buy today sometimes they give you free stuff (cables etc) due to their company being comission based.
 
I have these 2 in combination and they are awesome - well i would say that I guess :lol: The picture quality is top drawer and the cinema sound is mind-blowingly good with the advantage if wireless rear speakers (i.e. there is no wire from the central DVD sound system to them - they have a separate powered receiver which they are wired to).

http://www.panasonic.co.uk/html/en_...Ka38Sax4TbO0LaNaTa3ySb34Ne6fznA5Pp7ftolbGmkTy

The P81B model with HD freesat is also good.

http://www.empiredirect.co.uk/content/products/details/?modelcode=PAN-SCPT467
 
Had Panasonic Plasma screens last 6 years and been very happy , sold son last one 2 years ago and its still going strong , I have the 42 PHD8 .
 
40 inch 1080p Sony Bravia here, colours are 'like no other'
 
i have a small 24" bush hd ready tv, and for the size and price (£199 with freeview)
BARGIN lol.
 
Most staff in somewhere like Curry's won't know what they're talking about either, they'll just tell any old crap to convince you the model they currently have the biggest margin on is the best deal for you.

Go to a proper AV shop.
 
V8burble said:
Remember John Lewis price match with 5 year warranty when you've found a good deal online :thumbs:
Click to expand...

John Lewis will only price match another high street retailer (Comet,Currys etc) not an online retailer like Play or Ebuyer.
 
divine` said:
Most staff in somewhere like Curry's won't know what they're talking about either, they'll just tell any old crap to convince you the model they currently have the biggest margin on is the best deal for you.

Go to a proper AV shop.
Click to expand...

Thanks... but what the Chuff does a 'proper AV shop' look like? :shrug:

Any names?

Ta

DD
 
Somewhere like Richer Sounds or sevenoaks would be ok, far better advice than Currys, they'll properly demo you some screens rather than just having a selection of poorly set up display models in most cases.
 
i have an 18 month old 42" panasonic plasma and its got a much better picture than the 46" top spec sony bravia that my father in law has just got.
 
Plasma, in general will always have a better picture quality than LCD. It does however, cost more, especially to get a 1080p model, which really for the suggested usage you'd have to get.
 
Hi Dave,

I specialise in Audio Visual installations as part of an overall home automation package and design and install residential systems that have an average value of £200,000. (not meaning to brag or show off) My advice would be either the Pioneer Kuro 42" or one of the Panasonics which are also excellent choices.

You can read a review of these screens here:

http://www.avreview.co.uk/news/article/mps/UAN/1500/v/3/?source=weeklyemail&attr=editorial1

The Pioneer in particular is a stunning set, the black levels in the picture it produces are incredible and are not matched by any other manufacturer's set, it really does set the benchmark.

Peter Tyson or Soundandvision are two good web based retailers that seem to be competetive pricewise. (I have no link to either)

If anyone has any questions about this sort of stuff feel free to PM me.

I personally would stay away from Brands such as Samsung or LG, if your budget would stretch to one of the two brands above.
 
divine` said:
Plasma, in general will always have a better picture quality than LCD. It does however, cost more, especially to get a 1080p model, which really for the suggested usage you'd have to get.
Click to expand...

Not in my opinion ! They are brighter though, if plasma gave a better picture then you would think that many of the top monitor manufacturers would do plasma monitors!
 
I have a 50 inch HD 1080p Sony Bravia LCD, viewing photographs is excellent, not that you need this size, but if i was you i would concider a LCD screen...I placed mine beside a Plasma and there was no contest.
Plasmas are very pretty, but they show lots of mirror type reflections..
 
I have a 14" portable that is still doing everything it use to....... Its great when you put the old TV viewer magnifying screen in front of it, its just like going to the cinema wearing bi-focals.

You can have it for £50.00 and a packet of kippers DD
 
Would you take your photographic advice from the staff in Comet and Currys? In my experience the quality of the TV knowledge is similar. It does not close even close to the knowledge that an enthusiast has. There are, of course, exceptions to every rule, and I don't mean to cause offence to those who work in these stores and do know what they are talking about, but I have yet to learn anything from the sales staff I encounter in these stores. Some of them are able to read the specs from the display literature, if you would find that sort of service helpful.

Another point about the chains - often the TVs are set up with high contrast and garish colours to try to make them stand out from the competition. This does no favours for anyone but it seems common that the TVs default to these settings so they are ready to show a nuclear glow as soon as they are unwrapped and put out on display. Blame the manufacturers for starting the TVs out this way and then blame the stores for not fixing it. From memory, I think Sony TVs start out life in "Vivid" mode. That gives PQ that nobody should have to suffer. If you can get your hands on a remote control and experiment you may be able to get a natural looking picture, if you have time. It's probably best to go midweek, when it is quieter, and you can be left to play without too much disturbance.

Maybe pay a visit to AVForums and have a shufty round there....

http://www.avforums.com/

or some of the reviews here....

http://www.hdtvorg.co.uk/
 
Shutterman said:
I have a 14" portable that is still doing everything it use to....... Its great when you put the old TV viewer magnifying screen in front of it, its just like going to the cinema wearing bi-focals.

You can have it for £50.00 and a packet of kippers DD
Click to expand...



Tempting - but I thought it'd be Jellied-Eels down your way :gag::gag::gag:

Thanks for continuing input guys, guess I'd better read up on this stuff - cheers for the hints & links :thumbs:

DD
 
Don't forget to check out the Philips Aurea ;) Awesome piece of kit.
 
Dunno if you clicked onto it dave, but there two types of HD, the first is 'HD ready' which is in between the standard and 'True HD'. the 720p and 1080p is how many pixels vertically. you havent mentioned what else you need to plug into it, as you need to watch how many connections you get in the back/side. scarts were the norm a little while ago, but have since moved onto hdmi. also, for standard tv(and digital) you will only get the old signal so wont be vastly different than your current tv. if you opt for the HD channels on sky(a new box and an extra tenner a month) then you will get a few HD channels(increasing in quantity now on a regular basis) your old dvd collection will also be low definition.

you did say you were a bit of a numpty so i thought id explain some of the real basics.
 
don't forget that the size of the set will have an optimum viewing distance, so take this into acount when buying. (no point buying a 42" if your room isn't big enough for you to view it properly)

37" is ideal for most living rooms. (this was from avforums.)

Like the earlier poster says, go for one where the blacks are blackest.
 
Thanks fletch

I've always had a total lack of interest in technological 'advances' (except for cameras), so when I need a new piece of kit I tend to read loads, become a 10min expert, buy something then forget it all immediately - and I certainly never read reviews again just in case what I bought turns out to be crap! :lol:

A mate of mine spend £7,000 a few years ago on a telly/stereo from Bose, and now tells me something similar can be had for £2,000 - as with any gadget, the problem of obsolescence is ever present, but in entertainment systems it seems to rage on apace

I'm not gonna spend more than a grand at present as we're not that big into telly, just wanted something as an upgrade on our 8yr old one - and specifically to show ProShowGold presentations at high quality to clients

DD
 
tiler65 said:
don't forget that the size of the set will have an optimum viewing distance, so take this into acount when buying. (no point buying a 42" if your room isn't big enough for you to view it properly)

37" is ideal for most living rooms. (this was from avforums.)

Like the earlier poster says, go for one where the blacks are blackest.
Click to expand...


Although the room's 26ft long, we view from about 10-12ft at present - so are you saying 37" is big enough for that?

DD
 
I don't know much about each make Dave but my rule of thumb is; LCD needs to have a really fast refresh rate to keep up with Plasma, like in fast moving scenes the lcd will smear slightly, or at worse judder. However plasma don't have this problem but screens burn out pixles if left on for long periods, and you end up with a shifting simmering highlights appearing in patches eventually.
 
DiddyDave said:
Although the room's 26ft long, we view from about 10-12ft at present - so are you saying 37" is big enough for that?

DD
Click to expand...

On a serious note Dave I have a panasonic plasma 42" and I live in a little cottage mate.. I view the screen from about the same distance and its ace mate.....

Mine was a discontinued model when I bought it I was not worried about keeping up,only cost 899 or I could of got a 32" LCD for 899 I went for the inches mate and have not regretted it.

Plasma or LCD????? go for what ever you can get a deal on mate, as you say you are not big TV watchers so just get good quality one that will do you for another 10 years.

Nigel

Cheers
 
when we were buying ours i reconned we would be sat 10ft from the screen as we were with our old CRT toshiba tv, internet research found that you want to be sat 3 times the screen size away from a screen for optimum vision, for example a 40inch tv you would need to be around 120inches (10ft) away from the screen, we found an extra foot because the screen is obviously much shallower compared to a tube and the tv looks excellent.


and when combined with 5.1 surround sound i for one jumped out of my seat when the lion attacks the gazelle in 'I am Legend'
 
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