[Rosconet]

Hi everyone I really need advice from people that know what they are talking about and unfortunately for me I am not one of these people, that’s why I have turned to you good people.

I am wanting to buy my first HDTV and because I am an avid gamer (I’m housebound due to a damaged back so films and gaming have become a large part of my life these days) and with 3d gaming on the horizon I want to get a TV that will be compatible with the equipment (don't want to go with the one that cuts the resolution cos I don't see point in basically going from HDTV to sd for 3d). From what I have read you need to get a 120hz HDTV to allow you to use the 3d equipment and I am looking for a 32" or 37" but my budget is only £350-450(max). I would like 1080p if possible and don't mind if it is a reconditioned HDTV, I have spent days looking and so far have found one that was marked as a 120hz and turned out to be a 50hz and nothing apart from that.

I really need help cos this is driving me insane.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Rosco

[mike7]

120Hz TV screens would be for the American market, not the UK. I doubt if you would find a 120Hz TV screen here. Google '120Hz' and 'Tv' and you will get a lot of American dealers.

Some sets in the UK have 100Kz or 200Hz which means the picture is, basically, displayed more times a second that the conventional 50Hz. The idea of this is display movement without appearing too 'blurry'. This is quite important to gamers and sports fans. Opinions are varied as to whether it is very effective.

The reason for the difference between the UK and USA market is because scanning rates on early TVs, back in the mists of time, were linked to the mains frequency. Uk is 240V 50Hz and the USA 110V 60Hz. In spite of modern developments this ratio, (2x50) and (2x60), has stuck.

Not sure where the 3D effect comes in. Perhaps some gaming expert will be able to help you. It seems there are some 3D ready tvs on sale in the USA. These appear to be very large screen DLP sets. Where they get their programme material from I don't know.

What you may find available are 120Hz monitors which, together with a special video card in the computer and 'shuttering' glasses will provide pictures from 3D games. How readily available this stuff is I don't know.

[AndyCob]

If you specifically want a TV that will definitely work with the variety of upcoming 3d technologies you will have to wait I'm afraid.

There is AIUI absolutely no way to guarantee any current TV will work. The only way to be sure will be to wait and buy one of the no doubt brand new and highly expensive branded 3D TVs.

There are several different approaches being used, some manufacturers have gone for a polarised setup with unpowered polarised lens glasses, others a shutter system, the battery powered LCD lens glasses (Sony if you are a PS3 gamer have gone for a shutter system approach, which is the system that is going to be the basis for 3D PS3 gaming AIUI). There is quite a difference in how the systems work as the polarised setup I believe means both eyes see an image simultaeously but each in effect sees only one field (one eye sees the odd lines, the other the even lines at the same time) while with the shutter system each eye alternately sees a full HD frame then a black frame. Then there are the prismatic screens which don't need glasses at all but require your head to be in the right place so one eye sees the image on one side of the prisms and the other eye the image on the other side.

Just to really confuse things there are multiple 3D technologies already around that do work on existing displays. The colour shift (red blue glasses) system works on current displays, and on many provided they have a suitable refresh rate and any potentially interfering processing can be disabled, it is possible to use shutter glasses already but it currently requires a computer based setup to provide the source material and sync the glasses with the display. 3D enthusiasts have apparently been doing this with a range of software and hardware for years, though I don't think there was ever a legal means of getting the 3D transfers of actual shot in 3D films (they were popular for awhile in the 80s).

Essentially even if a current TV by some fluke has both the compatible refresh rate and no picture processing that will interfere with actually displaying the 3D picture you may well still be stuffed unless the manufacturer also makes a set-top box type system to provide a sync with the shutter glasses with all the problems of manually trying to sync it to allow for any video delay in the screen, as with the upcoming 3d TVs it's a one box solution AIUI.

In short for 3D wait and see, or accept that for 3D you are very probably going to have to buy yet another TV in a year or 3.

[Rosconet]

Its nice to see that they don't over complicate it................ yeah right. I think i am going to have to go for one just now and forget the 3d technoligy intill such time as i am back in work and able to save up for one that will definatly work with the 3d technoligy.

Thanks for all your help anyway.

[Rosconet]

I phoned a shop yesterday regarding this and they phoned me back today (the sony guy was off yesterday) and he said after a lot of stuff about how the 100hz is the equivilent of the american 120hz and will definatly work with the 3d technoligy he went on to say that the V or W series 32" Sony Bravia tv's will be perfect for my need and definatly support everything i need it to support. I have decided to wait till christmas to see if i can get either tv on offer and knock some £££'s of the price as its quite a bit over budget. If possible can someone confirm or deny (for certain) if what i have been told about these tv's in the meantime as i really don't want to get it to find out the guy didn't know what he was talking about (he did sound like he did but you never can tell if its genuine or just a sales pitch).

Also i have a condition that means background and foreground noise is difficult to seperate so would appreciate some advice on the sound of these tv and would really like it if anyone with hearing issues that has one could tell me their take on the Bravia's sound (esspecially the W and V series).

Its worth saying that this guy i spoke to told me that the bravia W and V series HDTV's would work specifically with the playstation 3's 3d technology, he never metioned anything about any other brand like sky and freesat but personally all i want it for is the playstation 3 anyway.

I will be checking back to this post periodically between now and christmas, thanks

Thanks again for all your advice everyone it really means a lot to me.
Rosco

[mike7]

I phoned a shop yesterday regarding this and they phoned me back today (the sony guy was off yesterday) and he said after a lot of stuff about how the 100hz is the equivilent of the american 120hz and will definatly work with the 3d technoligy he went on to say that the V or W series 32" Sony Bravia tv's will be perfect for my need and definatly support everything i need it to support. I have decided to wait till christmas to see if i can get either tv on offer and knock some £££'s of the price as its quite a bit over budget. If possible can someone confirm or deny (for certain) if what i have been told about these tv's in the meantime as i really don't want to get it to find out the guy didn't know what he was talking about (he did sound like he did but you never can tell if its genuine or just a sales pitch).

What you are being told here is absolute rubbish. Apart from the red/green glasses option there are no Sony (or any other make) TVs specifically designed in any way for 3D TV that are one sale in the UK. You are definitely being led up the garden path. There are a few games being released as polarized 3D on the Playstation. This is in early development and I would question the comfort-factor watching them on a smallish screen over a long period. As AndyCob says there are no established single methods of producing a 3D images on TV. I would wait until the technology is more tried and tested. I think that even at Christmas the situation will not have changed. Also prices tend to creep up over the Christmas period.

[Rosconet]

Well i decided to forget about it 3d gaming for a while until things get a lot clearer so instead i have gone for a Panasonic TX-32LXD700 32" LCD TV (i actually got a great deal on a reconditioned one, £350 including delivery) which will keep me going while i save up (and hopefully i will be able to get back into work sooner rather than later and that should make it a lot easier to save up and get the perfect 3d tv in the next few years).

Thanks for all your help everyone (don't be suprised if i check back again before i choose the 3dtv in the future).

Cheers
Rosco