run of the mill £500-£600 widescreen TV.

Suggestions

[topmba]

BECAUSE IT IS CHEAPER!!!

You are more likely to have the tv running for 365 days a year as opposed to 299 with 66 spent in the workshop.

Life expectancy of 7-8 years plus versus 3-4 years max.

Residual value, i.e. second hand higher. Waht car do you drive?

If you make this sums the daily cost of ownership is cheaper.

Plus the modules make it upgradeable.

On the aesthetic front...you know...

cheers for that topmba - the Vitros appeals to the eyes and to the wallet.

Having said that I'd hope a piece of technology in this price bracket and quality lasts at least as long as 7-8 years. (although hopefully I'll be able to afford an LCD by then). My current TV a Phillips 4:3 21 incher is still going strong and is 9 years old - bloody brilliant RGB picture too.

[Mark Spanner]

Why not spend a hour or so trawling through the forum and get some of the best examples of problems (or lack of with Loewe.)

If you do a search on Loewe you will see that most posts are saying 'Q:what are they like? A: Excellant!!'
not 'my XXXX 32" widescreen is sh**e, this is my 3rd replacement etc'

That should be good enough to value an investment.

More importantly physically compare - I've not seen one but if the picture is as good as everyone says it should help you.

Tell her it comes with a free handbag!!

Tell her it costs the same, if she's like my missus all her shoes seem to cost only £15.00 in a sale.

If she thinks I beleive that!

Seriously it's down to total cost of ownership over approx five years. Try to buy from John Lewis as it will come with a 5 year warranty as well.

Cheers

[WSH]

Whos money is it?

Whos money is it?

That's the rub - mainly hers, although no doubt I'll contribute

[Brian Hazeland]

Had my Vitros for just over a week now and am still amazed at the picture every time I turn it on, even the wife agrees that it was worth every penny and that is some achievement.

Also very impressed with customer service for queries via 0800 number answered one of my problems straight away and then passed me through to tech support for my other query, not received this level of support for any product for many years.

All in an excellent product which I am sure you will not regret buying.

Nice one Brian!

What nature were the problems you had on the Vitros - nothing too serious if it was sorted out by a quick call but I'm just kind of curious.

[Brian Hazeland]

Sorry to worry you but the probs were not with the tv just the lump holding the remote!. Every time I turned on the TV my new bass setting reverted to default. You have to save your personal settings and then restore them to take effect. Also I thought the scart to scart copy function was not working but it was the sky box it only passes video signals through in one direction.

Just to convince her indoors have a look at the following link should impress a little.

http://www.homecinemachoice.com/news...hp?id=3330</a>

[Brian Hazeland]

Sorry about the link I will paste it below.

Loewe TVs pick up top reliability award
Loewe has been named the UK's most reliable TV brand by RETRA, the Retailer Electrical Trade Association.

The information was collated by RETRA's extended warranty subsidiary company over a five-year period, from 1998 - 2003 and focused on two specific elements: The frequency of failure, and the cost of each repair.

Loewe televisions were measured against all other major TV manufacturers, mass-market and specialist, and Loewe came top overall in both categories.

Kevin Kelly Head of Loewe Sales and Marketing, is delighted with the findings: "The results of the survey reflect Loewe's formula for success, which combines advanced technology, high quality and superior design. Innovation, precision engineering and unique European design make Loewe products a very strong proposition and to receive recognition from an independent organisation, such as RETRA, underlines the quality and reliability of Loewe’s technology."

Posted by John Archer
To link to this news item, bookmark this address : http://www.homecinemachoice.com/news...ws.php?id=3330

[LV426]

Here's a thought.....

IF - you eventually want to buy a fairly large LCD TV in due course.

Suppose that such a TV is currently a ludicrous £4000 or so.
Suppose that, in 2 years it will be a bit better and a LOT cheaper (say £2000) - a guess, but nevertheless quite likely.
Suppose that in 4 years it will be a bit better still and £1250.

IF you bought the LCD in 2005, it would cost you £750 more than if you bought it in 2007.

HOWEVER,

If, instread of paying £1700 for a TV today, you actually went to Asda or Safeway and spent £250 on a 28 in widescreen job

You would have £1450 to save towards your LCD screen.

If you then bought the hypothetical LCD in 2005, you be £700 in pocket. Or, you could buy it in 2004, a year sooner, when is is (hypothetically) £2700 and be no worse off

....except for having to live with a cheapo TV for 1 or 2 years......

I was in a Loewe dealership last week and after looking at a number of models - including plasma - came to the conclusion that projection was a more impressive viewing experience, no matter how nice the TVs looked.

Not everyone's solution I know, but pound for pound and for wow factor watching movies, I'm staying with projection.

Nigel - Interesting arithmetic but I'm going for (?) a Loewe Vitros 28" which retails for about £900.00. I'll still bear what you said in mind - but I don't think I can live with an el cheapo 28" - the only other set I'm currently considering is the 28ls60 which seems one of the only TV's without huge threads detailing massive problems

jim - while I'm sure projection is fantastic it's just not a go-er in my current living room - maybe in the future depending on how technologies evolve and any new living space.

Has anyone had any experience with -

http://www.tvandvideodirect.com/tvandvideodirect_home/

They seem to have very good prices. Also what is the price of the 28" Vitros from John Lewis or House of Fraser?

I have just ordered from them (my Vitros 6381 arrives on the 25th) so will let you know. They definitely seem to know their stuff though on the phone and they offer buy now, pay 6 months later interest free (10% deposit). They also fully support the manufacturer's 2 year guarantee by paying all call-out fees. The following is from a thread about mail-order sompanies and convinced me to go with Tv and Video Direct:

I promised to let you know how I got on.

Yesterday morning "TV & Video Direct" rang to inform me that they only had stocks of the Toshiba WH29B and not the Toshiba WH18B and would I be happy to accept this later model (at no additional cost)!! I agreed to accept the new model and was advised that it would be delivered early in the afternoon

At 1.30 p.m the set was duly delivered by two pleasant young men who unboxed it and asked if I would like them set it up for me. Just as well I said yes because the set was defective.(Well,it was the 13th I suppose)!!. They were extremely apologetic - rang base for advice and were instructed to bring it back and promised to deliver another the following day.

They left the instructions,rear speakers and handset with me and surely enough another set was delivered at 10.00 a.m.this morning. This time everything went to plan and the family are watching it now as i write this.The installers advised me to retain the box just in case!!! This I have done and it is now practically filling my shed space! Both sets were brand new as I noticed the box in which the second set was delivered contained unopened bags containing all the accessories.

I would therefore advise that,up to now my dealings with TV & Video Direct have been very positive.

Please don't think I'm knocking Loewe TVs...

It's just a value for money thing with me.

The same showroom was demonstrating Linn audio products.

Sounded wonderful - but I'm staying with my Sony/Marantz/KEF set up.

A personal choice I know - but suits me...