Which 26" LCD TV?

Smeeble

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Hello, my parents have finally decided to get rid of their 22" CRT TV after seeing my 32LG5020. They don't have much distance between the couch and TV plus they don't want a big TV so 26" is what they have decided but entrusted the choice to me.
I'm thinking about getting the TV from Richer Sounds to get the 5 year cover but which TV should they get...I know LCD is better at that size.

They have around £300 to spend... about £400 at the most if it's a huge amount better but that should include the 10% for the 5 year cover.

Thanks.
 
Correction to your statement (just for the sake of it!). LCD isn't the better option at 26", it's the only option! :rotfl:

I would say that the best 26" TV is the Panasonic L26X10 - PANASONIC TXL26X10 at Richer Sounds - HI-FI Separates, Home Cinema, Speakers, MP3 DVD Portables, Plasma LCD, etc. it is pushing the budget but I have seen one and it is very good for a 26" TV, my grandparents have just bought one and are very happy.

The cheaper option which may well be worth looking at is the LG 26LH2000 - LG 26LH20STARSTAR at Richer Sounds - HI-FI Separates, Home Cinema, Speakers, MP3 DVD Portables, Plasma LCD, etc. or maybe the Samsung L26B450 - SAMSUNG LE26B450 at Richer Sounds - HI-FI Separates, Home Cinema, Speakers, MP3 DVD Portables, Plasma LCD, etc. Honestly I would go for the LG over the Samsung but it's down to preference really.

One that is deffinitely worth a look though is the Sharp LC26D44 - SHARP LC26D44EBK at Richer Sounds - HI-FI Separates, Home Cinema, Speakers, MP3 DVD Portables, Plasma LCD, etc. it's last years model and is very good for the money, it has been highly praised for it's freeview picture (if that's what it's being used for) and is an absolute steal for that money, although I haven't compared it to the new models from Panasonic etc...there is a new one but I'm not sure what it's called

I'd take the Panasonic if they want to spend the money though

Hope that helped :thumbsup:
 
Hi Smeeble, if you are interested you can also get the Sharp D44 32 inch for a bit over £300 in some places (honestly) - I saw a brand new one in a shop called the Ex-Catalogue Store for about that much. I don't know if you have one near where you live but they do offer a 1 year warranty, no idea if Sharp do some kind of extended deal.

Sharp are a good bet though since they have been making TVs for donkeys years and selling them in the UK for nearly as long I think. They also develop a great deal of technology themselves and seem to stick to the basics rather than have a long list of features or processing. It's a shame you can't find them in the shops as much or many reviews in the press. IMO they aren't bad but some of their LCDs were a little bright and over-saturated to my eyes at times. On the other hand, that might be because the brightness or colour settings are way over cooked by shop staff. I have to say I have only seen the 26 inch D44 in Richer Sounds and mentioned it to my friend for his bedroom, it is really quite good value.

Here is the 32 at £355 - http://www.saverstore.com/product/20022141/7725665/Sharp-32-LCD-Television
 
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Just to add to the above comment (which is a good point), the 32" equivalents are also often better than the 26" versions, and still don't cost much more, if any more at all. The Sharps are generally good, the D44 deffinitely is, but they do seem to be a bit of a 'hit n miss' brand over the last couple of years to an extent
 
Monarch,
When I first started looking at LCDs and Plasmas at the start of this year I actually thought the Sharp TVs were some of the better LCDs. I have seen the D65 in a few shops recently and although I have issues with the picture,(compared to a Plasma it looks like someone has set it on fire) I couldn't fault the clarity and detail, plus general smoothness of the picture. To me Sharp also look quite well put together and if it wasn't for the lack of 100hz option on the D65 I might have gone for one, but then again I have thought the same about a number of sets that lack this feature. Really, I shouldn't get hung up about 100hz but I'm not a fan of juddering and would really like to see the 24p mode played out well.
 
Most of the Sharp sets are very good, not perfect, but what is?! But I've seen one or two different models (admittedly at least one was from 2007) and it was a complete flop, I can't remember the model now but I read about it afterwards. Sharp used to be a top dog, they're currenty in the phase of regaining their reputation and they're succeeding up to now, I'm sure they'll carry on. They also have some very exciting new things coming. Problem is that they reserve their best stuff for the Japanese market :(
 
Thank you for the information, (and I have since realised that there is not plasmas at that size). I have been looking about and also spoke to someone from RS.
The sharp D44 seems to be ok but not as good quality as others at that price. I am now thinking of the LG 26LH2000 or the Samsung LE26B450. They don't really have the money for that £400 one and they don't want a 32" TV.

I was told that the LG has similar picture quality but much better sound, does anyone have any experience of either of these two? The LG one seems to be similar to my 32LG5020 which I am more than pleased with.

Thanks again.
 
The LG does have better sound and personally I would say a better freeview picture, the sound on the Samsung isn't very good though, saying that, you shouldn't expect much from either in the sound department. The LG is one of the new 2009 models, it's similar to your 5010 as you say, the 5010 was obviously higher up in the range but the advancement in technology means that the lower end ones are similar, the LH2000 still applies some of the new tech as well though.
 

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