As you may have seen in other threads, I am now actively looking for a replacement for my Panasonic TX-33A1 bought in 1990, which has served me well, but the tube is now so low-emission that it can only be seen in low light conditions. If the sun's out, forget it!!!
I HATE over processing, with lip-synch needing to be spot-on.
I am not impressed by plasmas mainly for that reason, so am looking at 36" widescreen 16:9 CRT TVs, which incidentally have the same AREA of screen as my 33" 4:3 TV.
Other features needed:
3 or 4 scart sockets
100hz frame switchable to 50hz ?? (Am I asking too much?) + other frame gismos?
Picture in picture
Decent sound
Decent off-air performance is priority, whether analogue or digital terrestrial or $ky. DVDs and games machines are much less important to me.
With stand

OPTIONS TO CONSIDER:
Panasonic TX-36PL32C as sold by EmpireDirect @ £649.95 + carriage
Toshiba 36ZP48P as sold by EmpireDirect for £789.96 + carriage
Panasonic TX-36PD30, second hand, I may be able to get one locally if he's still got it. Price unknown. What would be a fair price?
Sony 36" models unknown
Phillips 36" models unknown
Any others I've missed?

Can I call on all the experienced opinion from all on here for some guidance please?, together with your experiences of any of these models.

[bert2]

I found, and bought, the Toshiba after much thought, watching all the alternatives and reading all these threads. It seemed to me to have less processing artifacts, all the connections I might use, including componant with PAL progreesive scan, and the best off air picture. It was also the cheapest and looked good.

After three months I am entirely happy with it.

[chedmaster]

another vote for the tosh

Thanks, bert2 and chedmaster for your comments

Anyone else care to add to this?

Opinions please on the Panasonic TX-36PL2. This has picture-in-picture, whilst the otherwise excellent Toshiba does not. As a fan of PiP, I favour a set with that feature, but the Tosh looks very attractive, and John Lewis selling them at £929 including a 5 year guarantee may yet sway me to go that way.

I would however like opinions on that Panasonic!

Thanks.

[Astaroth]

I am not keen on buying second hand but you should be able to get the PD30 VERY cheap - but then again no one will really want to sell it at a reasonable price. The 32" PD50 dropped to £600 inc free DVD player and so given (1) the PD30 is the model below and (2) it is second hand I would have thought it should be significantly below that price. BUT if someone bought a 36" PD30 at full price they would have paid £1600 so are unlikely to want to sell for £400 or so.

If you do go for the Tosh at John Lewis then do a search on the forum about John Lewis as they will price match and still give you the warrenty

Thanks Astaroth. Your £1600 / £400 scenario was exactly what I was thinking, but thanks also for the info on John Lewis undersales policy.
Anyone anything else to add?

[clayton]

How about this one @ JL http://www.johnlewis.com/Shopping/Pr...U&Id=230202612

I have the Toshiba TV and it can't beaten for connectivity - I've changed the Panasonic 36PL32 for the Tosh because the Panny's component inputs cut out one of the RGB scarts ie you can have one or the other on EXT4 but not both, whereas the Tosh has component, 2 RGBs and one s-video, which was exactly what I neded. Picture on both is very good, with the Tosh looking very slightly softer but more "natural". For a tv the surround sound can only be described as awesome.

Thanks clayton and unguru.
Anyone else like to add their opinions?

[Vnb]

I had my tosh replaced by JL and this second one is excellent. With decent cables sky+ and freeview pictures are very vey good, especially for a screen size this big. DVD via ps component is exceptional.

[johnny70]

i've been looking at the toshiba, does anyone know if the back of he set tapers off, i have a tight space and i'm worried that it won't fit, and i can't find anyone local enough to me to go and see one, if anyone has a photo or know's where there is one i would be very greatful.

Regards

JOHNNY

Update... I've just seen a JVC 36HD37P (from memory... - I think I've got the numbers and figures in the right order) and I did a search on here for it, but it's not listed, and I can't find it on JVC's website.
Pricewise, it's in a different league, £1,399, although that's haggleable, but not by too much.
It has the features I'm looking for, 36", PiP, Excellent sound including separate subwoofer, speakers are at the sides of the screen, not underneath like the Panasonic PD50 or Toshiba 36ZP48P, but is only 3/4 inch wider than the Pictureframe Toshiba! That's quite an achievment! 3 Scarts + component inputs, and it looks "prettier" than the Panasonic TX-36PL32C which looks slightly monolithical.
Has anyone any experience of this set? Is it a current model? What I looked at is effectively an ex-demo set around 3 months old. (mint condition)

Oh well, That second hand Panasonic TX36PD30 has gone, for what price I don't know.
I also considered the latest Sony 36, but was told it was a THREE man lift as it weighs well over 100KG! So that was out of the question as I don't want to have to reinforce the house foundations!
My inclination is now for a TX36PL32C, as it has PiP, (but so has that JVC at twice the price!) Do I hear anyone screaming "don't do it!" ? Did someone say "go for it"?
Opinions please!
Thanks.

Originally Posted by ScootermanRoger

Update... I've just seen a JVC 36HD37P (from memory... - I think I've got the numbers and figures in the right order)

.....Well, I hadn't! It actually is: HV-36P38, and in JVC's brochure it is listed as "EISA Awards - European Television of the Year 2004-2005."
The above accolade itself speaks volumes, but has anyone here any experience of it?
Opinions please!!!

[Tight Git]

Originally Posted by ScootermanRoger

I also considered the latest Sony 36, but was told it was a THREE man lift as it weighs well over 100KG! So that was out of the question as I don't want to have to reinforce the house foundations!

You'll find all 36" CRT TV's are getting on for that weight, due to the thickness of glass in the flat faceplate.

I actually managed to lift mine on to its stand with the help of just one person.

But he is an amateur weight-lifter.

[Welwynnick]

I got a Sony 36 after a great deal of research and reviewing. Unless you want a progressive input, I still think it's got the best picture ever. It may be a FEW kg more than the others, but my wife and I managed to lift it onto the stand.

[bert2]

Got my Tosh 36ZP48P from JL for £850, incl del outside their area and 5 yr warranty. It took a bit of searching on the web to find that price from a web retailer with a shop you could visit, have a demo and take away and then six phone calls to JL to agree a price match.

It tapers a lot to the back, unlike the Pany.

[RMCF]

Considering buying a 36" set soon. At minute, looks like the 36" Panasonic from Currys/Dixons is leading, but I would love to get hold of the 36" Sony that they used to stock - think it was called KV36HQ100. Does anyone know if this set can still be bought anywhere?

[Welwynnick]

I saw one or two in HiSpek St Albans recently. There are still a few around.

"Panasonic or Toshiba or what???" - Well, the "what" turned out to be a JVC HV-36P38SJE. I bought it on-line through eBay from ASM Direct, paying just over half the price I saw one locally in a shop. It was advertised as a customer return, tested and reboxed with a 6 month JVC guarantee. On the box was a green sticker "A2 Stock" with written engineer/ASC code 826. Anyone know exactly what these mean?
I unboxed the set after getting it (boxed) through the front door all by myself (gross weight 81Kg) and connected things up, turned on, and wow! Way too much contrast, and a bit out of focus. Got into the service menu via the mute + i buttons, and reduced the contrast setting from the high 90s to around 40, had the back off, adjusted the focus and had a very watchable TV. The definition was nothing short of spectacular, the colours vivid and extremely well defined, no bleeding, the whites extraordinarily white, the blacks deep yet not lost. What a TV! Plasmas look bland and lifeless in comparison. The sound, although reasonably good, was not as good as my old Panasonic TX-33A1 with its Dome speakers and enclosed cabinets, but I reckon no TV could match that.
BUT... My one big gripe about this JVC set is due to the 100Hz processing which although gives a spectacularly good picture, this picture is delayed giving noticeable lip-sync problems, so when I can afford it, I will invest in a Felston Digital Audio Delay box and Cinema sound kit. See:
http://www.felston.com/
Another thing that impresses me about this TV is the stability of the EHT regulation, meaning that the picture does not "breathe" with changing images. The picture can go from light to dark and back again with satellite IDs (dogs) staying in exactly the same place. Many sets would have these dancing around with varying picture content. I was impressed!
Now to the tricky bit...... I have been "playing a bit" with the basics of the picture geometry, horizontal and vertical shifts, height and widths (was overscanning), but haven't yet got things in the right order setting up the different zoom settings. What ever setting I start with, it always reverts to "FULL" mode.
What I need is a workshop manual, and probably that DVD for setting up a TV, (What is it called? The one now available in PAL, but originally I believe only in NTSC?) so where can I get either or both, and does the DVD give general settings advice, or specific advice for a nominated TV?

[Raze]

Just noticed this thread...

If anyones after a 36" then you cant go wrong with the Toshiba 36ZP models

I've 'tested' the Toshiba 36ZP the Panny 32LP and my sister has a Sony 36"

The Toshiba wins hands down on pic quality Esp via componant, it doesnt matter that its also the betst looking as well, but nice that it is!

The sony has a slight bigger screen tho - but the Tosh still wins for me.

My panny went back today, I would rather get a Tosh 32" than the heap of junk panny!

Originally Posted by ScootermanRoger

What I need is a workshop manual, and probably that DVD for setting up a TV, (What is it called? The one now available in PAL, but originally I believe only in NTSC?) so where can I get either or both, and does the DVD give general settings advice, or specific advice for a nominated TV?

Aha! That DVD I'm after is a "calibration DVD" I've seen mention of this in other threads, but where can I get one? And a workshop manual for my new toy? Anyone please?

[per-Sony-fied]

I'm not sure I should be recommending the Panny TX-36PD50 if you can find one purely because they appear badly set-up and oddly suffers from some faint line flickering from some sources but is perfectly fine from others but if PIP is something your looking for the Panny in addition does P&P and multi window preview of channels.

That said component i/p with progressive scan for DVD looks very very good and the analogue tuner provides a very natural and clear picture.

[per-Sony-fied]

Originally Posted by ScootermanRoger

Aha! That DVD I'm after is a "calibration DVD" I've seen mention of this in other threads, but where can I get one? And a workshop manual for my new toy? Anyone please?

Sign up with www.blahdvd.co.uk get a £2 voucher for your efforts and get it here for £9.99

The DVD you are after is Digital video essentials. It is more usefull as a reference rather than a calibration tool. Although it is useful for adjusting some settings. I found adjusting my TV without it gave more accurate results for an hrs or so work than many hrs with it, after which it still was not right!

Hi Folks! I've been that pleased with my new toy that it's been a while since I've posted here.
I'm still after a workshop manual for my TV, or at least some explanation of some of the strange descriptions in the sub-menus accessed via the mute and i buttons.
I am wondering if the different zoom modes can be adjusted individually, or whether one adjustment affects all zoom modes. Whatever mode is selected before an adjustment, it always comes out of adjustment mode on "full" which isn't very helpful in trying to understand what is going on without a crib-sheet to work to.
BTW, the lip-synch problems really need sorting, and hopefully it won't be long before I get that Felston Digital Audio Delay Box. See:
http://www.felston.com/

[Hudson]

I have the Panny 36PL32, I bought it for £499 incl of cabinet and delivery.... can not really say anymore other than the picture is excellent and although you can often see differences with all other sets, i think it is really down to personal opinion on if one or the other is better. Given the price differences i would say the panny (only if you can get it for the above price).

[Shadow_Zero]

Originally Posted by ScootermanRoger

.....Well, I hadn't! It actually is: HV-36P38, and in JVC's brochure it is listed as "EISA Awards - European Television of the Year 2004-2005."
The above accolade itself speaks volumes, but has anyone here any experience of it?
Opinions please!!!

Wasn't that a 2003 model?
Wouldn't it be strange then to get an award in 2005?? O_o

I'm after the 32" model of this tv, do you have any clue if (old) light guns for game consoles work? (since it's not a 100Hz tv)

And I've read the tv doesn't do NTSC and PAL60 over RGB scart (properly), is that correct?

[houdini_7]

Originally Posted by Raze

Just noticed this thread...

If anyones after a 36" then you cant go wrong with the Toshiba 36ZP models

I've 'tested' the Toshiba 36ZP the Panny 32LP and my sister has a Sony 36"

The Toshiba wins hands down on pic quality Esp via componant, it doesnt matter that its also the betst looking as well, but nice that it is!

The sony has a slight bigger screen tho - but the Tosh still wins for me.

My panny went back today, I would rather get a Tosh 32" than the heap of junk panny!

Agree with you there!

[neenaw]

Originally Posted by Hudson

I have the Panny 36PL32, I bought it for £499 incl of cabinet and delivery.... can not really say anymore other than the picture is excellent and although you can often see differences with all other sets, i think it is really down to personal opinion on if one or the other is better. Given the price differences i would say the panny (only if you can get it for the above price).

Did you really get it for that price?? Where!? It's selling for £948 online...

[n83a]

Originally Posted by neenaw

Did you really get it for that price?? Where!? It's selling for £948 online...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/36-PANASONIC-1...QQcmdZViewItem

£439. amazing price