40 inch LCD dilemma - Sony 40EX503 or ...

[admin_exported]

I am new to this and hoping somebody can help. I am currently living in Canada, but moving back to the UK very soon.

I will be buying a new LCD and can't choose between the 40 inch Sony EX503 or the 42 inch Phillips 7404. Network capabilities are not important, I just want a stonking picture, and sufficient extras to be able to play DivX via USB. Prices are fairly similar, the sound is not too important as this will be rigged up to a seperate sound system. Not sure if I have missed any potential contenders?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Iain Farr , Vancouver (soon to be UK)!

 

[Anonymous]

Iain Farr:I am new to this and hoping somebody can help. I am currently living in Canada, but moving back to the UK very soon.

I will be buying a new LCD and can't choose between the 40 inch Sony EX503 or the 42 inch Phillips 7404. Network capabilities are not important, I just want a stonking picture, and sufficient extras to be able to play DivX via USB. Prices are fairly similar, the sound is not too important as this will be rigged up to a seperate sound system. Not sure if I have missed any potential contenders?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Iain Farr , Vancouver (soon to be UK)!

Hi Iain

Hope this helps. I have just taken delivery of the Sony EX503 and have to say having spent a couple of hours setting it up, the picture is as good as anything I have seen anywhere, including the 9000 series Phillips.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for that, my issues is that the Phillips is a liitle cheaper and a little bigger, I don't know if I will be paying too much more when all that really matters is the picture quality and Divx playback.

Do you find any backlight inconsistency? Also, how have you found the motion blur on sporting action?

Sorry to ask too many questions, but do you know of any others I should be considering?

Thanks,

Iain Farr

 

[Anonymous]

Iain Farr:

Thanks for that, my issues is that the Phillips is a liitle cheaper and a little bigger, I don't know if I will be paying too much more when all that really matters is the picture quality and Divx playback.

Do you find any backlight inconsistency? Also, how have you found the motion blur on sporting action?

Sorry to ask too many questions, but do you know of any others I should be considering?

Thanks,

Iain Farr

The back light levels are fine and certainly Sony seem to have got over the problems that last years sets had. I too was thinking about the Philips but opted for the Sony in the end, mainly off the back of the review of it in What Hifi, but also because of the network capabilities. If all you want is a decent picture and DivX then it should warrant serious consderation. FYI, I also considered the Panasonic G20.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your help, I think I will probably end up settling on the Philips. I might just leave it a day or two and see if there are any other comments that come in on here that persuade me otherwise!

Thanks again,

Iain Farr

 

[Anonymous]

Iain Farr:

Thanks for your help, I think I will probably end up settling on the Philips. I might just leave it a day or two and see if there are any other comments that come in on here that persuade me otherwise!

Thanks again,

Iain Farr

To be honest, I would be tempted to go for the Amstrad 300GB version, don't pay the earth, you can get them through EBAY for under £100 more or less brand new.

As for the card problem, somebody else might be able to answer it better than I can, but I believe your best option would be to bring your card to the UK and activate the box here. As far as I know, you need a UK phone number and have to have it properly rigged up to attach the card to the box. I believe there are some people who can use a dialler to do it from places like Spain, but they will no doubt charge the earth. Hope that helps.