Build your own TV

[Rock639]

Here's an idea....

How many people use their television to it's full potential?

I have a satellite box, so the built in tuner is redundant.

I have an amp and speaker system, so I don't need amazing sound.

Apple TV fulfills all of my internet needs.

I'm not interested in 3D.

However, if I try to buy a TV without all of the above, I won't get a picture anywhere near as good as the manufacturer's best product.

Why not sell a TV as a pure monitor, with optional extras? Then, if people want 3D, they can add it for say, €100. Car manufacturers have been doing it for years.

 

[chebby]

Why not sell a TV as a pure monitor, with optional extras?

Because too few people would buy one.

Most people (I mean normal folk) are not into specialist AV and don't want seperate boxes for tuning and more boxes for smart functions and yet more for speakers.

 

[The_Lhc]

Why not sell a TV as a pure monitor, with optional extras?

Pioneer used to, with the KRP-500M (basically the 500A with everything stripped out), one hdmi connection, typically for an AV receiver to act as the video switching hub. I don't think they sold too many...

Personally speaking I'd rather see a return to the offboard tuner box, I've got that with my 500A and it's a godsend, the tuner box sits on the rack with all the sources (and AV amp) and everything is connected with short cables, with just the one long system cable running to the screen, makes hiding the cable so much easier. Trouble is no-one seems to do that anymore, if I have to replace the TV it's going to make life very difficult, I'd have to completely reorganise the room as I can't run 3/4 5m HDMI cables halfway round the room (not easily or tidily at least).

 

[chebby]

Personally speaking I'd rather see a return to the offboard tuner box, I've got that with my 500A and it's a godsend, the tuner box sits on the rack with all the sources (and AV amp) and everything is connected with short cables, with just the one long system cable running to the screen, makes hiding the cable so much easier. Trouble is no-one seems to do that anymore...

PVR or YouView box?

 

[chebby]

I just like the 'redundancy' of a TV that does it's own sound and tuning.

PVR breaks? Got tuner in telly and iPlayer on Blu-ray player.

Hi-fi breaks? Telly has speakers. (And not too bad ones either.)

Local transmitter is blown up by Isle Of Wight Independence extremists or destroyed by freak tornado? Got Freesat tuner in telly just in case

 

[The_Lhc]

Personally speaking I'd rather see a return to the offboard tuner box, I've got that with my 500A and it's a godsend, the tuner box sits on the rack with all the sources (and AV amp) and everything is connected with short cables, with just the one long system cable running to the screen, makes hiding the cable so much easier. Trouble is no-one seems to do that anymore...

PVR or YouView box?

Eh? No, I mean the TV itself has all its tuner and connection gubbins housed in a separate box which connects to the screen with a system cable (based on HDMI but with a different connector). That used to be relatively common, particularly when screens first started to get thinner and SCART was still popular but you don't see it at all now, as far as I can see.

 

[Rock639]

My TV appears to be on the blink. I have a Samsung PS42Q7H, which I bought after reading a review of the 50" model. I've now started to notice horizontal banding when the background is light, ie when an advertisment has a logo displayed on a white background. Also, I was watching Cast Away the other night and I noticed that the colours in dark scenes appeared cartoon like. A little research tells me the buffers are on the way out. I'd like to use this as an excuse to get a new screen, but as I wrote above, I don't want all the extras that come with the set, just a fantastic picture. I know that there are TVs on the market in the 500 - 750 region that don't have all the smart TV extras, but the picture seems to suffer and isn't as good as the high-end models with all the extras.

 

[The_Lhc]

My TV appears to be on the blink. I have a Samsung PS42Q7H, which I bought after reading a review of the 50" model. I've now started to notice horizontal banding when the background is light, ie when an advertisment has a logo displayed on a white background. Also, I was watching Cast Away the other night and I noticed that the colours in dark scenes appeared cartoon like. A little research tells me the buffers are on the way out. I'd like to use this as an excuse to get a new screen, but as I wrote above, I don't want all the extras that come with the set, just a fantastic picture. I know that there are TVs on the market in the 500 - 750 region that don't have all the smart TV extras, but the picture seems to suffer and isn't as good as the high-end models with all the extras.

It's not that surprising though is it? Clearly the best picture processing and panels are going to go into the most expensive sets and those are the ones that people spending that sort of money are going to expect to get all the extra bells and whistles on. Where's the profit in providing caviar performance for fish and chips money?

 

[Rock639]

You're right. But I'm prepared to pay for a set that has the best picture quality a firm can provide. I'm sure without 3D and internet connectivity, it would be possible to build a less power hungry and lighter set. Just let me have the quality I want! Reading through the letters pages of the magazine, it seems there is a market for what I want...

 

[Andrew Everard]

Some manufacturers, such as Panasonic, have professional display divisions making just the kind of product you're after.

But they tend to be more expensive than the domestic models, simply because they're designed to be used 24/7, often in less-than-cossetting environments

 

[Rock639]

§#*%!!!

Right. I'm going to attempt repairing mine then. It can't be too difficult... :help:

 

[Rock639]

edited for repeating...

 

[Deleted member 2457]

This Panasonic has a high end picture at a fraction of the cost:

http://www.rgbdirect.co.uk/Products/Television/3D-Plasma-TV/Panasonic/TXP50ST50B

 

[Andrew Everard]

§#*%!!!

Around £5000 or so for a Panasonic Full HD 65in pro display, though I am sure there are deals to be had.

Not bad I guess considering the Fujitsu 50in pro plasma we still use at home listed at about £4K at the time we got it a few years back (not that we paid anything like that as it was ex-demo/ex-shows)