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Need a new TV







Bozza

You can change this
Helpful Moderator
Jul 4, 2003
57,284
Back in Sussex


Bold Seagull

strong and stable with me, or...
Mar 18, 2010
30,458
Hove


Tom Hark Preston Park

Will Post For Cash
Jul 6, 2003
72,321
Recommend LG. Got a 42" HD Ready from Currys in time for the World Cup last year, plus they gave me a £100 trade-in for me old TV plus I found a 10% voucher online, so it ended up cheap as chips. A compatible LG blu-ray player cost £80 out of Argos. Both splendid!

Worth hunting around for trade-in deals.
 


Mar 13, 2008
1,101
Going to be my main TV in quite a big lounge so looking at 32" min really. Sony, Samsung, LG and Panasonic seem to be the best.
 






pigbite

Active member
Sep 9, 2007
559
As someone who installs TVs, home cinema etc. I would say that for £500 you can get a pretty decent screen now. If I was spending that money I would think of the following:

1 - If you can go to a proper TV shop and look at a Panasonic Plasma compared to LED/LCD then do so. If you are near Worthing go to Bowers and Wilkins for example.
2 - Choose Full HD - broadcast TV is not full HD but Blu-Ray is.
3 - Don't get hung up about 3D. Get it if you really want to but it's a changing technology and a gimmick on most TVs. Pay for a decent screen instead
4 - Don't get ripped off on expensive cables and especially don't buy from Curries and the like. PM me and I will point you in the direction of good value cables online.
5 - If you want it wall mounted then don't buy brackets from Curries and the like. PM me and I will point you in the right direction online
6 - Choose a decent brand. The supermarket screens are OK but always use lower grade/older panels. Panasonic, Samsung, LG are my current faves.
7 - Go to Curries if you must but the screens are not set up properly and are pointless for comparing image quality. About the only use is to see what different screens look like physically.
8 - If you use Freeview and not Sky then make sure you see the picture using the Freeview tuner in the screen. The tuner and scaler in the screen can be the weak link.
9 - Don't listen to anyone who says plasma is bad/old/blah blah - go and check out a Panasonic plasma next to an Pana or Samsung LCD/LED in a proper shop and then make your own decision.

Should have mentioned Sony as well - but if you are buying Sony then you might as well do it properly and buy Panasonic ;-)
 
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Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
32,468
Brighton
Another vote for Samsung. Beautiful looking TVs as well, very stylish.
 




pigbite

Active member
Sep 9, 2007
559
I should also have added that if you are not used to larger screens then you can be tempted to think a screen will look too big. In my experience it looks alot smaller than you think very quickly. A good idea is to cut some card the same size as the screen and try it out in the room and try them bigger as well. If you get a decent quality screen then you can sit reasonably close with no issues on image quality.

The only thing that counter balances this is the feeling of a TV dominating the room but, again I find that thinner more stylish screens do not have the same impact as a large old school 32" CRT, even if they are 42-50"
 




Bold Seagull

strong and stable with me, or...
Mar 18, 2010
30,458
Hove
I should also have added that if you are not used to larger screens then you can be tempted to think a screen will look too big. In my experience it looks alot smaller than you think very quickly. A good idea is to cut some card the same size as the screen and try it out in the room and try them bigger as well. If you get a decent quality screen then you can sit reasonably close with no issues on image quality.

The only thing that counter balances this is the feeling of a TV dominating the room but, again I find that thinner more stylish screens do not have the same impact as a large old school 32" CRT, even if they are 42-50"

I'd agree with this. I thought a 42" in my living room was going to be overkill and massive but so glad I went for the bigger size. Really appreciate the bigger size I have to say. We sit about 3m away from it and it's great. 40" min I reckon if you're 3m away from your tv or more...
 




ArcticBlue

New member
Sep 4, 2011
951
Sussex Inlander
Going to be my main TV in quite a big lounge so looking at 32" min really. Sony, Samsung, LG and Panasonic seem to be the best.


Was in this situation last year and went with the latest model available as opposed to a "has been". Got a 32"and would prefer a little larger. So i would say go large if possible, particularlly for gaming.
 
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Easy 10

Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Jul 5, 2003
62,403
Location Location
Another vote for Panasonic here. My 42" Viera LED 'smart' is a beauty.

And for you burglars out there - I'm usually home by half six.
 


Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
32,468
Brighton
Another vote for Panasonic here. My 42" Viera LED 'smart' is a beauty.

And for you burglars out there - I'm usually home by half six.

Ah the joy of Google Maps. I'll be in and out before you're back don't worry. Don't fancy adding me on Find Your Friends as well do you? Useful and saves you giving me an ETA if you're going to be early or late.
 




Easy 10

Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Jul 5, 2003
62,403
Location Location
Ah the joy of Google Maps. I'll be in and out before you're back don't worry. Don't fancy adding me on Find Your Friends as well do you? Useful and saves you giving me an ETA if you're going to be early or late.

If I get time.

Watch the mat by the back door, it sticks up a bit.
 


seagullsovergrimsby

#cpfctinpotclub
Aug 21, 2005
43,943
Crap Town
The people we are buying a house from want to sell us their TV/DVD system for £600 and I'm not sure whether it is a good price or not... they are nice people and from the prices they are asking for other stuff I'm guessing it is a fair price but I'm not sure...

Need more details I know but it is a Panasonic 50" telly mounted on a wall bracket with a separate, rather flashy (Bang & Olufsen type sliding doors affair) DVD player underneath... speakers included too... does £600 sound about right?

You need to find out how many hours the TV has clocked up because they have a lifespan based on usage , older plasma sets only have an estimated 20k hours life as the phosphors gradually decay. If its been on 10 hours a day , its half f***ed before 3 years are up. To find out how much the dvd player and speakers are actually worth its worth checking out fleabay and other sites which sell unwanted goods.
 


pigbite

Active member
Sep 9, 2007
559
The people we are buying a house from want to sell us their TV/DVD system for £600 and I'm not sure whether it is a good price or not... they are nice people and from the prices they are asking for other stuff I'm guessing it is a fair price but I'm not sure...

Need more details I know but it is a Panasonic 50" telly mounted on a wall bracket with a separate, rather flashy (Bang & Olufsen type sliding doors affair) DVD player underneath... speakers included too... does £600 sound about right?

If you can post or PM the model numbers for each bit of kit I can tell you if it's any good and worth the money.
 


One Teddy Maybank

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Aug 4, 2006
22,982
Worthing
Panasonic every time. Excellent quality.

Panasonic shop near Churchill Square or R Barker (Tarring) main Panasonic stockist in Worthing.
 




southstandandy

WEST STAND ANDY
Jul 9, 2003
6,047
If you like films and buy them regularly I would definitely make sure you go for full HD. I've got a 40" Samsung LED TV which is fantastic but did set me back £800.
 


Drumstick

NORTHSTANDER
Jul 19, 2003
6,958
Peacehaven
Mines a 32 inch and the missus loves it. Cheap too ;)


:p
 


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