[JohnG]

I have to buy a new television as my old CRT blew up the other week. But looking through the forums and trying to decide on what to buy is a nightmare for me as they all seem to have their problems. I suspect I'm like a lot of people in that I still watch standard definition DVDs and programs and this is were the problems start with the modern sets in my opinion. It's almost as if the new technology is taking us backwards rather than forwards, unless you are going fully High Def, in which case you'll either have to watch the same few HD programs over and over again or subscribe to Sky Sports or replace all your DVDs.
I was looking at one of the new Panasonic plasmas but have read various posts that they aren't great with SD. then I looked at a Samsung LCD and thought I was onto a winner as people say the SD quality is much better.... but it has a glossy screen and I'm not sure that I can live with that.
Is it just me being down on the whole new tech tellies and being too picky or does anyone else have the same problem?

[Ed Selley]

Originally Posted by JohnG

I have to buy a new television as my old CRT blew up the other week. But looking through the forums and trying to decide on what to buy is a nightmare for me as they all seem to have their problems. I suspect I'm like a lot of people in that I still watch standard definition DVDs and programs and this is were the problems start with the modern sets in my opinion. It's almost as if the new technology is taking us backwards rather than forwards, unless you are going fully High Def, in which case you'll either have to watch the same few HD programs over and over again or subscribe to Sky Sports or replace all your DVDs.
I was looking at one of the new Panasonic plasmas but have read various posts that they aren't great with SD. then I looked at a Samsung LCD and thought I was onto a winner as people say the SD quality is much better.... but it has a glossy screen and I'm not sure that I can live with that.
Is it just me being down on the whole new tech tellies and being too picky or does anyone else have the same problem?

So many to choose from, so many different opinions and quite a few bits of competing technology. Essentially, the forum is a great resource for information but it is in its unprocessed form which makes life a bit tricky.

I went through this last year- if it is any help;

I didn't spend too much time in the screen section as the threads are epic and contain every different opinion going.
I did go and see as many TV's in the flesh as I could.
I did end up going to a real shop (John Lewis) to buy it.
I didn't buy the most expensive and sophisticated TV that I technically could have done. Bravias got so much right on paper and 1080 resolution seemed a no brainer but when it was time to try the full range of broadcast material (as you say the SD stuff), I went for a 768 resolution plasma.

Its a funny business but good hunting.

[JohnG]

Which shops do you recommend for looking at these sets running SD stuff? When I last looked in Comet a couple of years ago the pictures were all awful. John Lewis is definitely on my list as I've bought my last couple of tellies from them.

[Jay]

To be totally honest, any set you look at will have people who have faults, or find problems.

Even the pioneers have faults and you can't get much better than them.

There is no perfect technology.

Often people think lcds suffer from problems and fondly remember how "perfect" crt was.

Have a look back at the crt threads and you'll find people with geometry problems etc.

I think a lot of the problems posted would not even be noticeable to the "normal" person.

This site by it's nature attracts enthusiasts who strive for perfection and accuracy.

The normal person isn't going to care whether the set is not calibrated to the D65 standard for example.

It's the same with settings, some will ask for settings as they assume the more knowledgeable will give them the "correct" settings, again it's all to do with what YOU think looks good, not BOB even if your settings aren't the way the DIRECTOR intended. And obviously your lighting conditions etc play a big part too, as what may look good in my dimly lit room, might not look to hot in your conservatory.

I've found anyway that reading on sites like this when making a purchase can often end up doing more "harm" than "good" as often it puts you off any set that you show interest in.

Not only that but you have to contend with people who recommend a set purely because it's the one they own (fair enough). but often they answer a question when asked which set out of a handful and they recommend their own with no first hand experience of the others.

You then have the copy and paste brigade, the technology fanboys, and the brand fanboys who will recommend a certain brand over anything regardless.

I think the best way is to not do too much reading and go with your own eyes.

[JohnG]

I think you're both right. I've not been out to the shops yet, I thought I'd do some investigation on here first and then go to the shops - probably that's the wrong way round!

[Ed Selley]

Originally Posted by JohnG

Which shops do you recommend for looking at these sets running SD stuff? When I last looked in Comet a couple of years ago the pictures were all awful. John Lewis is definitely on my list as I've bought my last couple of tellies from them.

It seems to vary- the Milton Keynes John Lewis seems able to cycle through SD and HD feeds and when I wandered in on a weekday, they were happy to connect a DVD player for a quick check there. I think many stores- even chains- can do more than we think but 2pm on a saturday probably isn't the best time to ask.

I'll confess, that thanks to being in the industry at the time, I had also seen many of the sets in "as good as it gets" settings which helped as well.

[Jay]

Originally Posted by JohnG

Which shops do you recommend for looking at these sets running SD stuff? When I last looked in Comet a couple of years ago the pictures were all awful. John Lewis is definitely on my list as I've bought my last couple of tellies from them.

Most stores unfortunately will always have a big majority of sets with bad feeds.

I know some stores tend to have the better sets with better feeds, but that's not always the case, as even John lewis in bluewater had a flagship Pioneer running with composite cables

The best thing to do is ask the store to show you a dvd running, sky hd etc, or bring your console in to test it out.

Most stores will be accomodating when making a purchase, so don't be afraid to ask to see the sort of feeds you'll be planning on using your tv for to get an idea of how the set handles different sources.

[Jay]

Originally Posted by JohnG

I think you're both right. I've not been out to the shops yet, I thought I'd do some investigation on here first and then go to the shops - probably that's the wrong way round!

To be honest that's fine to do, as it gives you an idea of what sets to look out for.

Infact that's probably better doing it that way round, as you can get a set in your mind and then view it, rather than view a set, be impressed, then read a thread on here that puts you off it completely.

You mentioned that you watch a lot of sd, and as you say generally no lcd or plasma will give you a comparable sd image that a decent crt could provide.

But you never know, maybe you might fancy buying your new set some gifts, sky hd, or a nice blu-ray player

Either way you want to get the best set you can for your money, so rather than saying lcd is better than, or plasma is better than, once you give your budget and preferred screen size then it'll be easier to give some opinion or advice.

For example you might want a 32" and in that case you'd pretty much be limited to lcd (or an lg plasma).

Or size might not be an issue and you might have a budget of £499 and in that case I'd recommend a panasonic plasma as it would generally wipe the floor with any lcd in that price range.

[JohnG]

I'm prepared to spend £1500 or £1600 as that's what I paid for my old CRT telly 7 years ago I'm looking at either 37" or 42" and looking with the future in mind so that when I do go HD it will cope with it.

[Bill Hicks]

Exactly as a couple of previous posters have noted, don't look at the PQ of a screen that's on display at Tesco/Comets etc and believe that that is the image you will get at home!

I've seen full 1080 screens running the BBC's HD preview channel that looked awful! The fact that the TV's had been taken out of their boxes and plugged straight in, and had not been correctly set-up is hardly a way of demonstrating the TV's full potential and gaining maximum sales.
Read the magazines before you make a decision to outlay you're hundreds of pounds! A good review is a good good review and should be used as a pointer for a demonstration.

Are you just going to use this TV for watching TV and DVD's, or for gaming as well?
If you are going to use it for gaming then I would suggest LCD over plasma.
As much as I've read about plasma screen burn not being an issue any more I 've seen my mates brand new plasma do just that recently when leaving a game on pause for a few minutes!

As already noted I would look first at John Lewis as they have great deals on quality LCD's & Plasmas with 3-5 years warranty thrown in free!

Avoid taking out credit on a set at Currys/Comet etc, as they can charge around 25% interest!

I saw a 42" LED TV on Sunday at a shop on Tottenham Court Road. It was going for £1700, but the PQ was astonishing!

But I know that in a years time their will be better LED TV's around at better prices.

Damn that's my next big purchase next year!

[Jay]

Originally Posted by JohnG

I'm prepared to spend £1500 or £1600 as that's what I paid for my old CRT telly 7 years ago I'm looking at either 37" or 42" and looking with the future in mind so that when I do go HD it will cope with it.

With that budget you're going to get something really special and future proof.

All you need to do now is decide whether you want lcd, led or plasma.

[JohnG]

Originally Posted by Indecisive Jay

With that budget you're going to get something really special and future proof.

All you need to do now is decide whether you want lcd, led or plasma.

Yes and I've been changing my mind 5 times a day for the last couple of weeks

[Jay]

Originally Posted by JohnG

Yes and I've been changing my mind 5 times a day for the last couple of weeks

I can make it a bit simpler, in my opinion I'd scratch led away from your shortlist. You'll be paying more for the fact it's newer technology as opposed to benefits it'll bring.

Oh and with the size in mind, you'll be able to buy a top end set and still have change left from your budget.

If you're going for 37" I'd avoid lcd as generally the panels used in the 37" versions are slightly inferior when compared to the larger sizes of the same models.

[oj0]

Personally I am a bit of a plasma fan considering that when looking at TVs a few months back (I only bought my new TV in February) the pictures that I saw on LCDs looked a lot worse than the plasmas that were on display. Then again when I saw the Panasonic that I originally had been recommended on display in PC World I was shocked at just how poor the picture quality. Rightly or wrongly I carried on looking in other shops and when I found it on sale at the right price elsewhere I just took the plunge.

Have to say that I am very happy I listened to the recommendations on here although as you say, you decide you like a TV and then find 25 reasons why product X is worse than the competition. I would suggest that the key seems to be looking at the potential pro's and con's as decided by a lot of the experts on here and deciding which ones will affect you most of all. As Jay says, having a TV that is fully calibrated might be the big I AM to some, but not to me and the picture my set gives me looks just right to my eyes.

Plus for your budget that is a whole lot of TV you could afford

Good luck!

[Jay]

Originally Posted by oj0

Plus for your budget that is a whole lot of TV you could afford

I think that's the key thing here.

Any set that falls within that budget will be good and he won't be dissappointed either way.

[JohnG]

I feel a bit more upbeat about looking for a new one now It was beginning to feel like a chore! I keep having to carry my 26" LCD from the bedroom into the lounge during the day and then back to the bedroom during the night. It's only a matter of time before I've had too much to drink and drop the thing

[Sonic67]

Originally Posted by JohnG

I'm prepared to spend £1500 or £1600 as that's what I paid for my old CRT telly 7 years ago I'm looking at either 37" or 42" and looking with the future in mind so that when I do go HD it will cope with it.

Also bear in mind that a screen of that size will look worse with SD material because you are taking the resolution of SD and blowing it up larger. If you currently have a 26" CRT you should be comparing directly to 26" LCD as for which is better technology (Even then the image isn't quite the same size).

I don't think CRT ever got to above 36".

[JohnG]

The CRT that went "bang" that I'm replacing was 32". I know that I'll have to sacrifice the number of scart inputs (the CRT had 4) and the sound quality (the CRT had inbuilt DD5.1 and DTS) but I do have an external AV Amp to use for sound when I want to.

[Jay]

As you're aware, a decent crt will "generally" display an sd image that lcds and plasmas strive to come close to.

And as you're probably aware a 1080p panel will have more upscaling when compared to a 1360x768 set.

However scalers are improving and there are tvs out there that provide a stunning sd image.

A lot of the whole crt is better than lcd plasma with sd is blown out of proportion, the difference isn't as huge as some think it is, especially with tvs in your budget.

I honestly think especially if you watch a lot of dvds, it may be worth buying an upscaler as a decent dedicated upscaler can really bring sd dvds to life on a nice 1080p panel.

Infact if you're into gaming in any way, or even multimedia, the ps3 may prove a good purchase, as it is a very good upscaler, it is a blu-ray player, it has an internet browser (which while not good for everything) is good for quick browsing, you can also get play tv (freeview which allows you to record programs on the ps3 hard drive)

Again with sound, a lot of people are quick to slate the on board speakers on current sets, but the reality is they are generally more than enough, and most who do slate them are those that are really into sound and would opt for a dedicated sound system anyway so it's often a moot point.

Although what this does is put Joe Public off, as they think the sound will be absolute crap.

By the way you mentioned 37 to 42" any idea what you're leaning towards?

As once you decide on a size it can help narrow down a selection

[Simba]

where ever you go to 'demo' a tele in the likes of say comet or currys etc grab the remote if its lying around, or ask someone for it and play about with the picture settings. usually you tend to find they are over cooked.

try to find one with a decent source e.g john lewis tend to have some good tv's hooked up to a good blu ray player so bring your own disc even and pop it in and test out some of your favourite scenes. thats what i used to do, even with a few bollywood numbers and would get a bit of attention but hey it has to be done.

After reading the review of the Panasonic TX-P50V10, i wish i was back to buying a new tele. Come across as a stunning tv, when there out - if you can wait id go and demo one for sure if i were you.

[JohnG]

I've been looking at the following:-
Panasonic Viera TX-P42G10B
Panasonic Viera TX-P42V10B
Samsung LE37B650T2W
Samsung LE40B650T2W

But would probably have a few more to add to that list after visiting a shop.

[Mark Hodgkinson]

Hi John

I've noticed you about the Plasma/LCD Forums and just wanted to say I'm in exactly the same boat although I've actually been out and demoed a few at decent independent dealers. To be honest, I think it's the only way you can make your mind up. Spend as much time as you can with the sets and preferably take whatever your viewing sources are with you. Who cares if you look a plum, it's your money

Btw, I still haven't quite made my mind up

[Jay]

Originally Posted by JohnG

I've been looking at the following:-
Panasonic Viera TX-P42G10B
Panasonic Viera TX-P42V10B
Samsung LE37B650T2W
Samsung LE40B650T2W

But would probably have a few more to add to that list after visiting a shop.

It might be worth going to Sony centre to check out their tvs, even if you don't want to buy from there.

As to their credit, generally they use decent feeds, and are likely to let you see different sources etc.

I am a little bias as I recently bought a W5710 but I thought I'd throw that model out there as it's the equivalent to the B650.

To be honest if I had had the room I would have gone for a plasma but as it was for a bedroom 32" was as big as I could go.

Anyway I would be leaning towards the Panasonic plasma, or better yet a Pioneer if I was you.

[Mark Hodgkinson]

Originally Posted by JohnG

I've been looking at the following:-
Panasonic Viera TX-P42G10B
Panasonic Viera TX-P42V10B
Samsung LE37B650T2W
Samsung LE40B650T2W

But would probably have a few more to add to that list after visiting a shop.

Yep, those are all on my list too

[Jay]

Originally Posted by hodg100

Hi John

I've noticed you about the Plasma/LCD Forums and just wanted to say I'm in exactly the same boat although I've actually been out and demoed a few at decent independent dealers. To be honest, I think it's the only way you can make your mind up. Spend as much time as you can with the sets and preferably take whatever your viewing sources are with you. Who cares if you look a plum, it's your money

Btw, I still haven't quite made my mind up

Mark get the Sony, it'll look lovely with your ps3

[Mark Hodgkinson]

Originally Posted by Indecisive Jay

Anyway I would be leaning towards the Panasonic plasma, .

You wouldn't if most of your viewing was mostly SD @ 576i, believe me

[JohnG]

Originally Posted by hodg100

Yep, those are all on my list too

What did they look like in the flesh running in the shops? I know it's different for every person as we all see things differently, but it would be good to hear what you thought.

[Mark Hodgkinson]

Originally Posted by Indecisive Jay

Mark get the Sony, it'll look lovely with your ps3

Give me time, I've only been looking 3 months

[Decadence]

Originally Posted by JohnG

I'm prepared to spend £1500 or £1600 as that's what I paid for my old CRT telly 7 years ago I'm looking at either 37" or 42" and looking with the future in mind so that when I do go HD it will cope with it.

For that price you'll be able to afford all the actors and newsreaders etc. to come round your house and perform live in your front room! My advice, spend £600 on a good TV and hire a hitman to kill your noisy neighbours with the remaining balance!

[Iccz]

I got my Bravia from John Lewis last year, they price matched it with a store in Bolton (I live in Milton Keynes) and it saved me about £200 and got me a 5 year warranty, Richer Sounds sometimes have some good TVs and price match with shops on the internet too, you can get their 5 year warranty - at a cost - but if you don't use it then at the end of the 5 years you get the money back for the extended warranty.

I always try get mine from JL where possible as long as I can get it at a reasonable price, and they usually match local shops, sometimes if you catch the right person you can get some not so local ones

Remember when viewing TVs in a shop they're never set up right - unless it's somewhere like a Sony shop etc, then it's usually set up to suit the shop, looking at the picture on the TVs in JL or such is only useful for aesthetic purposes as they never bother to sort the picture out, when I went to look at the Bravia I got I was messing with the settings to get a better look