Hello - Happy New Year to you all!

I'm STILL trying to decide on a good 32" TV. I would welcome any advice as the more I read the magazines and browse this site and the stores, the more I seem to change my mind about what to look for and where to buy!! Apologies if this question has been asked millions of times before..

Has anyone else had as much bother trying to decide as me - or am I Captain Indecision?

My requirements are - 32" flat screen with excellent picture costing in the region of £800-£1000. I'm not TOO bothered about sound quality at this stage as I plan to build up the system later with an AV receiver and surround speakers (Denon/Mission combination perhaps?). Good picture a must!

I'd prefer more than one RGB scart and I'd like the TV to be as compact as possible, as I don't have a huge living room.

I'm also having a big problem with ignorant sales staff at various High Street electrical stores - the sets seem to be really badly set up (the pictures are awful) and some sales assistants are very reluctant to go to the bother of getting a DVD player and connecting it up to each TV in turn using an RGB scart to see the best picture.

I'd really welcome any advice and recommendations from those more knowledgeable than me!!

Cheers,
Adele.

[M.Joshi]

Go for a SONY WEGA t.v. You will only be able to get a 50Hz model within your price budget or an old 100Hz model. The picture of these are far better than other makes even when the reception in stores is poor.

[Ian J]

JVC 32AV WFT1 was the Home Entertainment Nicam set of the year. I am very pleased with mine and there have been few (if any) negative posts about it.

It comes as no suprise that you have had no joy from Currys / Dixons / Comet type places as their salesmen have to be jack of all trades discussing televisions one minute, electric razors the next followed by a customer that wants to know about vacuum cleaners.

[Kevo]

They do know the ins and outs of extended warranties though

[Mitch2000]

I'm having the same problem. But I have just found the New Hitachi C32WF535N has got a five star review in What Hi-Fi and is selling at about £800 on the net (superfi.co.uk). If not this one then the JVC 32AV WFT1 sounds good or the Toshiba 32Z13B has got a good report as well but read the current Forum on Tosh's

[Joe Pineapples]

Same problems here Adele. I've been trying to decide on a 32" for probably about 6 months now :-]

I totally agree with you about how they have them setup in the majority of chain shops. I think you can really only use those places as a yard stick for the case look, and checking out the features. I have found one exception to this, a branch of Debenhams in sheffield. Most of their sets have DVD's connected to them, and they are quite willing to allow you to play a disc of your own.

One set i would recommend you look at, given your budget is the Panasonic PL4. I looked at this in the afore mentioned shop, with a copy of 'the corrs - unplugged', and the picture was excellent - best i have seen in a shop for any 32" (inc sony) - even though its only 50hz. The casing looks very compact compared to others, and the depth looks shorter than a lot of others too. Deb's have this in their sale at £1099 inc a 5 year warranty.

hope this helps

dean (not a sales person for debenhams or panasonic :-)

Many thanks for all your replies - all your advice is very welcome - I've looked at a few of the TVs mentioned (but in rubbish stores so far with poor setups) - I'll drag hubby to the shops for some more TV comparisons (it's amazing how many assistants approach him and ignore me when we're in electrical stores!!)

I've not tried John Lewis yet but a friend mentioned that they might be a bit better on the old sales technique and a bit more helpful. Has anyone had a positive (or negative) experience of buying from them?

I don't mind paying a bit more for good face to face service and reliable delivery to Edinburgh (both my husband and I work full time - so it's GOT to be delivered when they say it is - hopefully at a specified time!)

I'm currently trying to persuade my husband that we really DO need a 32" w/screen telly to replace our old (but still pretty good) faithful 4:3 Sony (hence that fact that I'm desperate to get a good one!) but I'll be buying one whether he likes it or not!! It's my hard earned cash after all - and we've no kids yet to spend it on!

The roles seem to be reversed in our house - he's totally NOT into home cinema (though I think he'll change his mind once I buy a fanstastic system and he's watched a few DVDs) and I'm the one buying all the Hi Fi mags and comparing the reviews!! I believe he thinks I'm being a bit sad....

Glad to see it's not just me who's having a nightmare trying to decide on a good tv.

Cheers,
Adele.

I'm like you Adele. I have a totally wonderful 7 year old black Sony 4:3 set, so I have automatically been looking at Sony widescreen TV's. I don't think I can bear having a black TV with silver DVD, silver video and silver Sky box any more!

However my first effort has been a bit of a disaster - a Sony 28FQ75U - which had red and green blotches all over skin tone. See my separate posts on this. John Lewis have been very good about this and are coming to remove it on Wednesday. They have offered a replacement but I think I'll go for a different model, as so many of these type of Sony TV's seem to have problems.

I am now rather wary of going down the Sony route any more, having read the posts on this forum. I was debating the Sony 28FX65 - the one with the glass lift up front on the stand - but again that's another 100 Mhz set and I'm wary in case I end up with the same problems as the Sony mentioned above.

Other than that, I may give up on the 100 Mhz altogether - I'm not convinced I like the effect it gives anyway - and go back to 50 Mhz model like the Philips 28W6515 or a Panasonic 50 Mhz model of some description. The Philips looked a nice set in the shop - anyone know anything about it? It's nice and cheap too at £629! [Well, cheap compared with £1175 for the Sony.]

All suggestions welcome. But it has to be a 28 inch. I can go up to £1200.

Carol

[Kevo]

I've heard a lot about the problems with 100Hz TVs, but I have never had any problems with mine (Tosh 40WH08B).
It even looks good with fast moving subject matter like football.

No artefacts, trailing etc, just an excellent solid, clear picture everytime.

hi adele, let me recommend the hitachi C32wf535n - superb tellys with two rgb scarts!! Sound is brilliant and there is a review on the tv in this months what hif. It says it is an excellent choice of tv as it has one of the best pics on it. The only gripe I have with mine is that I shoud have bought the 326 inch version. As you realise that 32 inch is really no bigger than your old 4:3 set! I am trying to upgrade it for a 36 inch. Hope that helps.

...unfortunately, I am more or less restricted to a 32" set due to the size of the space I'll have to put it in (it'll be in a smallish corner - not ideal I know - but there are sofas along two of the room's walls, a fireplace in another and two doors!)

actually - I think placing surround speakers successfully is going to be a bit of a challenge!


Oh well.....trial and error and all that

Adele.

[Tel boy]

Originally posted by Deansimm
Same problems here Adele. I've been trying to decide on a 32" for probably about 6 months now :-]
One set i would recommend you look at, given your budget is the Panasonic PL4. I looked at this in the afore mentioned shop, with a copy of 'the corrs - unplugged', and the picture was excellent - best i have seen in a shop for any 32" (inc sony) - even though its only 50hz. The casing looks very compact compared to others, and the depth looks shorter than a lot of others too. Deb's have this in their sale at £1099 inc a 5 year warranty.
hope this helps
dean (not a sales person for debenhams or panasonic :-)

Hi, just to let you know (if you don't already) you can get the 32PL4 from EMPIRE DIRECT for £838.18.

Regards, Tel.

[MartinImber]

Have a look at the 50Hz Sony IDTVs, they generally have an excellent picture

Hi

Whatever you choose, give Sony FQ and FS models a miss for the time being !!!

I brought the kv32FQ75 in November not knowing of a known and common problem. SOny has not come clean and not helpful either to owners or service engineer. Please see forum on details of this problem. For some strange reasons, you won't see problem on display in the shops. Many members having same problem and don't know what to do. Mine looks like going back for a refund. Other than that it is a great set.

I am also looking for a replacement set (another make).

Good luck in yr decision. It's quite a stressfull decision !!

Fwan

I like the look of the Sony IDTV's as Martin mentions, but I am now so wary of Sony following my disasters with the FQ and FX models. John Lewis probably groan when they see me entering the TV department now - "what's she bringing back today?!" Also, I don't feel there is much point in paying for a digital television when I already subscribe to Sky - unless anyone can tell me otherwise? I am not a fan of ITV digital - which is all the IDTV will receive?

Are the Sony IDTV's 100 hz? I am also rapidly going off the 100 hz models as well having read so many problems concerning them.

Does anyone know of any problems with the Philips 28PW6515 or the 6526? They seem good sets. I've also been looking at the Philips digital sets.

[Kevo]

Originally posted by c.hartford
I don't feel there is much point in paying for a digital television when I already subscribe to Sky - unless anyone can tell me otherwise? I am not a fan of ITV digital - which is all the IDTV will receive?

Well you will receive the basic channels, BBC, Channel 4, ITV etc in glorious widescreen and in excellent digital pic quality (apart from ITV!).
It will be future proof when(if?) analog gets switched off. You won't be left with just a 'glorified monitor' and redundant tuner like us analog TV users.

If there's one thing that annoys me with my current set up is that I can't watch & record in WS at the same time.

Hi Kevo

Well, I get those channels on Sky, including ITV Granada. And I don't want to give up the Sky subscription because some of the channels I like are not on ITV digital. Still . . . I guess if it's a good TV . . . then it wouldn't really matter putting a Sky box to the digital Sony TV for the time being. And as you say - it's ready for the analogue switchoff.

Carrie

[Kevo]

You miss my point.

Have you never had a situation when you are watching something on Sky and would like to record something (maybe to keep) in WS on the other side?

I have, several times but as i only have the one STB i ahave to make a sacrifice.

It all depends on your attitude towards WS and 4:3 programmes.
Me, i am so used to WS now that wathcing anything in 4:3 is a real downer.

Kevo - hi

Yes hadn't thought of that! Good point.

If only I felt I could trust Sony again at the moment after my recent experiences I would be very tempted by the digital versions, I admit. Still, nobody has mentioned a problem with the digital DX models as yet.

Carol

Hi there,...I've also got Sky Digital, so I kinda feel like it's a waste of money to buy a IDTV (unless anyone else can set me straight about other benefits?)

FYI - if you DID want ITV2, you can now get that & ITV on Sky Digital.

I'm also fairly put off buying a Sony having read the posts here. I think IanJ mentioned the JVC AV32WFT1? I'm seriously considering that one as I've not heard any bad press about it - does it have two RGB scarts? I'll be checking it out at the weekend!

Are John Lewis quite good to deal with generally?

I bought one of these about two months ago and am really pleased with it. The picture quality is fantastic and you're not paying for surround sound etc.

The only downside is the size - it's deep for virtually the whole length of the screen, so putting it in a corner is very tricky and it ends up jutting a long way out of the corner. Other than that, though, highly recommended. And I saved about £100 off the high street prices with Unbeatable.co.uk. I'd recommend them too.

[sparrow-07]

I have read all of your comments with great interest.
I am looking for a new TV also. I am toying with the idea of a 32" screen, but I think my room is too small for it. I sit approx. 3m from the screen. Would a 28" be better?
Also, if you see a review for a particular 32" model, can you automatically assume that the 28" is identical apart from the screen size. E.g. JVC AV-28WFT1 & AV-32WFT1?
I am looking at the JVC or Panasonic TX32PL1/PK3.

[MartinImber]

3m is too far for 28" you NEED 32"

As to IDTV, what about better quality BBC1 and 2 than via Sky Digital.

I find the picture quality of Sony IDTVs is better than TV & box

I have seen PAL Sony TVs with both Ondigital and Sky and I stillthink go for integrated.

My taping is done on the box Ondigital lent me prior to getting my CAM - they have forgotten!

Personally I'm looking at some of the Philips' TV's now. I've had a look at the JVC mentioned here and also the Hitachi C28WF535N but I find them rather big and 'boxy'. I guess I've been spoilt by the designer lines of the Sony sitting in my living room over the last couple of weeks! Unlike the JVC the Philips' seem to be smaller at the back, hence easier to fit into a very small corner of my cottage living room.

Nothing against them picture wise or sound wise I hasten to add - it's just a personal taste issue and I'm sure others here would disagree with me.

As for John Lewis - they have been excellent. I'm sure they must groan when they see me approaching the customer service desk now, but all credit to them, they have been helpful, accommodating and generally a pleasure to deal with - if sending back 3 TV's can be called a pleasure. For my part I've just carried on smiling at them, thanked them - there's been no need to get annoyed as they have been doing everything they can. Not their fault that Sony have issued a bad lot of TV's. Although when I suggested that perhaps they shouldn't sell any more of them until the fault was rectified, it was met with a corporate brick wall. But I'm sure things are being said behind the scenes.

pl1/pk3
i picked up a 32" pk3 yesterday, set up no problem dvd picture blinding, the only thing i was surprised at is the contrast is preset to max and i have pulled it back to about 65% does anybody know the correct rule of thumb for setting a tv ie: colour - brightness- contrast and sharpness there are a couple of other settings too p-nr and al
the set cost £749-00 inc free 5 year guarantee (house of fraser)
cheers

[Kevo]

After my recent conversation with a BBC engineer, I am now in no hurry to upgrad to a IDTV or even consider ITVDigital.

[Grubert]

Kevo,

Meaning...?
Superseded by high definition? Cable? None of the above?

Come on Kevo - don't keep us in suspense!

Or have you posted your conversation with the engineer somewhere else on this forum?

[Kevo]

Meaning....

I quote...

"It is unlikely that analog will be switched off in our lifetime and therefore current analog TVs will remain 'futureproof'."

"Digital pic quality is likely to get worse (esp. on terrestrial) as more and more channels come on-line. It will NEVER be as good as analog or DVD"

"Dolby Digital 5.1 sound is very likely and very doable in the near future if the demand grows. However it is technically impossible for terrestrial digital to carry this, only Cable & Sat will be able to do so"

For more, read the following thread.....

Digital Broadcasts, A Conversation With A Chief Engineer at the BBC

My main concern was the analog switch off and yes, it would be nice to have a second digital source (as I mentioned in a previous reply on this thread), but I am becoming increasingly more and more unhappy with the pic quality of digital TV even if it is in WS.
I have no interest in the 'interactive' side of it or the extra channels.

[M.Joshi]

I am also looking for a good 32" widescreen t.v. I think I will probably go for the one of the new Philips 100Hz real flat range, but I am unsure which one.

Can anyone answer my question posted on this forum:

Philips 100Hz / 100Hz Digital Scan.