Have I picked a reasonable TV and Freesat combo ?

bilbosattic

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More advice from the experts please !

I think I've finally sorted out a completely new TV set-up by "researching" here, & there, and just wondered if I'm making any huge blunders. We would like to have decent HD on any broadcasts available, good viewing, and easy recording with archiving possibilities by PC , stick, or direct to old DVDR.

Constraints were cost (around £500ish, plus installing Freesat), and a smallish set due to the place we want to have the TV ( A 19" old Sony at present ), and our dislike of a huge monster lurking in the corner.

From Richer Sounds, I've come up with:-

1) Samsung P2470hd with what looks like all the bells/whistles we're likely to need. ( Supposedly better than the T240hd , and the spec looks it)
Price - £270

2) Humax Foxsat HDR - looks a very good piece of kit, recommended here as well as by "Which" - although they made a few boobs in their review of it. Price - £240

The Freesat dish etc.. is around £120, here in Somerset - that's for a twin cable, to allow two prog's to be recorded etc... , info I am again grateful to the Forum for providing.

Any comments gratefully recieved.
 
More advice from the experts please !

I think I've finally sorted out a completely new TV set-up by "researching" here, & there, and just wondered if I'm making any huge blunders. We would like to have decent HD on any broadcasts available, good viewing, and easy recording with archiving possibilities by PC , stick, or direct to old DVDR.

Constraints were cost (around £500ish, plus installing Freesat), and a smallish set due to the place we want to have the TV ( A 19" old Sony at present ), and our dislike of a huge monster lurking in the corner.

From Richer Sounds, I've come up with:-

1) Samsung P2470hd with what looks like all the bells/whistles we're likely to need. ( Supposedly better than the T240hd , and the spec looks it)
Price - £270

2) Humax Foxsat HDR - looks a very good piece of kit, recommended here as well as by "Which" - although they made a few boobs in their review of it. Price - £240

The Freesat dish etc.. is around £120, here in Somerset - that's for a twin cable, to allow two prog's to be recorded etc... , info I am again grateful to the Forum for providing.

Any comments gratefully recieved.

Only one comment, check the hdr works with the Samsung set over hdmi. There are a few TV's around that seem to have problems
 
The P2470hd TFT is more a monitor that happens to have a tuner, than a TV in the usual sense of the word.:)
 
Thank you gentlemen - I shall check with Samsung re: the hdr.

Incidentally, is it possible to get thru by phone to Humax !
I've tried a number of times without luck.
 
Thank you gentlemen - I shall check with Samsung re: the hdr.

Incidentally, is it possible to get thru by phone to Humax !
I've tried a number of times without luck.
Product Information & Customer Technical Support

  • Tel: 0844 669 8800 (UK Customer Helpline)

  • Open: Lines open Monday to Friday 9:00am to 5:30pm (Excludes Bank Holidays)
Normally get through pretty quickly, listen to a recorded message about Freeview/DSO problems, and then get put through.

Rgds.


Les.
 
Thank you Savvy, I shall try again.

And mild excitement - I have expanded the budget a bit for the TV - now up to around £400 .

Checking the spec's of, for example, the Samsung - would the advice re: it being a monitor mean a great deal ? Ignorance on my part, sorry - and the Panasonic TXL26X10 show the Panasonic with much higher contrast ratio -30,000:1 to 10,000:1 (A Good Thing I believe ? ) -, and a smaller pixel resolution - 1366x768 to 1920x1200 (Good or Bad Thing? ).

But, the Panasonic is not full HD ready, whereas the Samsung is.

Now I've confused myself again. :lease:

And I am not happy about throwing myself on the mercy of a store salesman, or colleague as they seem to prefer, as they usually seem to know how to answer the questions they want you to ask them, as against unbiased knowledgeable advice !
So I am now open to any tips about a decent performing 26" or under full HD-ready TV within my price-range that'll go with the Humax Foxsat. I can then go and see a demo in some of the myriad showrooms around.
Or a good comparison site ? ( Is there such a tjhing ? )

Sorry to be a pain, but I would be very grateful - I've had more help from the Forum than any other source - , and will of course hold no-one accountable for any suggestions given ! :confused:
 
Thank you Savvy, I shall try again.

And mild excitement - I have expanded the budget a bit for the TV - now up to around £400 .

Checking the spec's of, for example, the Samsung - would the advice re: it being a monitor mean a great deal ? Ignorance on my part, sorry - and the Panasonic TXL26X10 show the Panasonic with much higher contrast ratio -30,000:1 to 10,000:1 (A Good Thing I believe ? ) -, and a smaller pixel resolution - 1366x768 to 1920x1200 (Good or Bad Thing? ).

But, the Panasonic is not full HD ready, whereas the Samsung is.

Now I've confused myself again. :lease:

And I am not happy about throwing myself on the mercy of a store salesman, or colleague as they seem to prefer, as they usually seem to know how to answer the questions they want you to ask them, as against unbiased knowledgeable advice !
So I am now open to any tips about a decent performing 26" or under full HD-ready TV within my price-range that'll go with the Humax Foxsat. I can then go and see a demo in some of the myriad showrooms around.
Or a good comparison site ? ( Is there such a tjhing ? )

Sorry to be a pain, but I would be very grateful - I've had more help from the Forum than any other source - , and will of course hold no-one accountable for any suggestions given ! :confused:

On a TV as small as 26" Full HD (1920 x 1080) would be a total waste. You need to get up to around 40" sets to even see a slight improvement between HD ready (768 vertical res) and Full HD (1080 vertical res). On a 26" TV you wont notice much difference between HD and SD.

In my humble opinion get the Panny it will have the better picture
 
:) Thanks Graham - accordingly I set off around the Comets/Currys/etc.. of this world today, and you're right, the Panasonic takes the cigar, definitely. Miles better picture than our present old Sony , naturally, and beats all the others - save for , strangely enough, the Sony Bravia, which I spent a lot of time comparing, literally side by side. I thought the Sony edged it, until the (Currys) guy came and adjusted the colour , and yes, I thought the Pan was the best. The Sony seemed to have more "fuzz" on fast motion figures too. Sound was a bit better on the Sony, but I have speakers if need be.
I then read a lot of reviews which consistently scored the Sony below the Pan, particularly due to a "freezing" problem that Sony know about but aren't bothered to fix.
I now realise that on a 26" the diff 'twixt 720 & 1080 would be minimal - but would always be better than I have.
I found the colour contrast figures given to different makes interesting, having learnt there is no set standard measuring procedure.

So, thanks again, you've put me on the right track, I shall go for the Panasonic with a Humax, and get someone shinning up the wall to bang a dish on.

( After all my doubts about sales staff, the Currys chap I was lucky enough to get was a revelation - recommended the Pan without question, knew what he was talking about, and told me the Humax was much cheaper online than there ! Not difficult, admittedly. Also said he thought it would be even cheaper to take out Sky for 12 mths, then cancel the sub and keep the box ! Hmmm... ) :smashin:
 
12 months minimum Sky sub is £20 less than your price for the Humax.
 
12 months minimum Sky sub is £20 less than your price for the Humax.


But then after 12 months the sky box becomes useless for recording, unless you pay £10 a month or continue to subscribe, and has an epg full of encrypted channels.

I get the feeling the OP isn't interested in pay tv.

My advice to the OP regarding the HDR would be to wait til the sales, I am sure he could get one much cheaper. Same with the TV really. We bought one before christmas last year and as soon as the boxing day sales came it was miles cheaper.
 
Quite right - my reply was meant to be discouraging, not the opposite!
And I fully agree about the prices - those mentioned so far have been too high.
 
Quite right - my reply was meant to be discouraging, not the opposite!
And I fully agree about the prices - those mentioned so far have been too high.


I get you now. My apologies.

I assumed you were one of the people who keep telling freesat customers to get sky.:D
 
But then after 12 months the sky box becomes useless for recording, unless you pay £10 a month or continue to subscribe, and has an epg full of encrypted channels.

I get the feeling the OP isn't interested in pay tv.

My advice to the OP regarding the HDR would be to wait til the sales, I am sure he could get one much cheaper. Same with the TV really. We bought one before christmas last year and as soon as the boxing day sales came it was miles cheaper.

An miss out on recording all the HD christmas offerings :eek:
 
Yes, all 7 ( if it's a good year ! ).

The Sky thing was a non-starter, I hasten to add, The advice re. sales is, of course, totally practical and The Thing To Do - only problem is, having done al the work & come to a decision, I want to get the thing up and at it !

( Also due to spouse's comments that it should be in place befor Christmas, to get all the angst and hassle out of the way - and to make sure I get batteries for the remote if needed. )
They know us too well.

And I think Richer Sounds seem reasonable, even compared to Amazon.
(AND may help me nOt have to consult the Forum with Setting Up queries!)

Again, many thanks to all respondents. ( & Merry Christmas in advance. ) :)
 
I've never had a problem with my local Richer Sounds, well bar the fact that the car park next to it is now an office block but you can't blame them for that. Good service and back up and I like the fact if your a VIP on line member, you still get that price in store if you tell them.
 
Yes, all 7 ( if it's a good year ! ).

There are 6 in HD on Saturday the 19th alone

SCD
SCD Results
Defying Gravity Ep 11
Defying Gravity Ep 12
Take That The Circus
Love Actually

20th

Countryfile
Antiques Roadshow
Cranford Pt 1
Top Gear
Johhny English


ITV HD alone lists 19 programmes in HD between 19th December and New Years Eve

BBC Hd has many more
 
Like we did with you,and guess what,you got Sky,lol :clap::smashin::thumbsup:

No, I am afraid you cannot take the credit for that. I got sky as it was the only option for pay TV when I moved house. If I could have got virgin I would have.

Anyway, thanks for admitting that you do tell freesat users to get sky and gloat if it works. Why exactly would you do that?
 
Thank you Graham - but when will time be found to cook the goose ! (Good job "The Great Escape " isn't on HD !)
Oh, and do you do a ratings system ?!

Heving boldly ordered the kit from Richer Sounds, I made a few enquiries about getting the dish installed. I asked for prices for a twin lead installation, all around the £100 mark - and was told by one that I'll ideally need 3 feeds, so a 3rd live programme can be watched while 2 are recorded (2 to HDR, 1 TO Panasonic.) Price probably the same as for 2 - but, naturally, "we'll need to have a look when we get there".

I've asked for a firm quote!

To me this 3rd cable makes sense, but ... correct ? :rolleyes:
 
Thank you Graham - but when will time be found to cook the goose ! (Good job "The Great Escape " isn't on HD !)
Oh, and do you do a ratings system ?!

Heving boldly ordered the kit from Richer Sounds, I made a few enquiries about getting the dish installed. I asked for prices for a twin lead installation, all around the £100 mark - and was told by one that I'll ideally need 3 feeds, so a 3rd live programme can be watched while 2 are recorded (2 to HDR, 1 TO Panasonic.) Price probably the same as for 2 - but, naturally, "we'll need to have a look when we get there".

I've asked for a firm quote!

To me this 3rd cable makes sense, but ... correct ? :rolleyes:

Only two cables are required from a quad lnb (Twin lnbs are very rare). Indeed there's nowhere to stick a 3rd (on the hdr that is :D). The other connection is an output.

Third channel viewing comes from the fact that 1 tuner can handle two programmes at the same time from the same transponder. For example BBC 2 and Channel 5 are on the same transponder (107773 H). If you record these at the same time you only need to use 1 tuner. The second is free to watch any other and it also will be recorded to the time shift buffer so you can time shift it as well.

When the recordings are from different transponders you can view any channel on the same transponder as either recording (No time shifting on the 3rd)

But yes if you want to use a TV freesat Tuner as well (if you have one) you need a 3rd just for the TV which of course will give you 100% 3rd freesat channel viewing
 
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I've never had a problem with my local Richer Sounds, well bar the fact that the car park next to it is now an office block but you can't blame them for that. Good service and back up and I like the fact if your a VIP on line member, you still get that price in store if you tell them.

Its the only hifi and a/v shop I've ever been to where :
a. They knew what they were talking about
and
b. They gave honest advice to the point that they told you some of the products were rubbish. Sometime tack is what you're looking for and I bought it anyway, at least theyu were honest !
 
No, I am afraid you cannot take the credit for that. I got sky as it was the only option for pay TV when I moved house. If I could have got virgin I would have.

Anyway, thanks for admitting that you do tell freesat users to get sky and gloat if it works. Why exactly would you do that?


Bump.
 

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