Can somebody please help me chose a TV

[admin_exported]

I need some advice from anybody in the know.

I want to buy a 32" LCD TV. I will need to do it on interest free credit because we can't afford the outlay in one go. We have a standard Virgin cable pack, a decent sony DVD player which I bought second hand and a nintendo Wii on which the kids play daily.

The budget was initially set at around £550, and something like the Samsung LE32A456 was looking a good bet. But after reading forums and looking in the shops, the Sony KDL-32D3000 and Panasonic TX-32LXD70 are enticing and make me question whether a greater outlay would be worth it in the long run.

We are not the most demanding of viewers. We don't have great AV / home cinema set ups. We simply love watching movies and a bit of sport. Would £550 cover my needs and if so can somebody recommend a set? Or would £700 be worth the extra spend and leave me better off in 5 years time?

I need advice because I don't want to get it wrong and waste the money. Any comments welcome.

 

[Anonymous]

Get the Panny 37PX80 which is a 37in plasma. It will be alot better than the LCD for viewing SD, especially sports. Loads of people really rate it, including myself, but I went for the 42in version. The 37 can be picked up for £550.

 

[Anonymous]

The 42in is available for less than £700 now as well... but don't forget that you are getting it on interest free credit, so don't get something you aren't going to be able to save up for in time, or you'll be hit with some hefty repayments!!

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for this but we have a small living room, currently with a 28" TV, anything bigger than 32" will over-power the space. The one thing I have decided is that 32" is the limit.

 

[Anonymous]

I really know very little about this area, what is the difference between plasma and LCD.

The one thing I am decided about is that the TV needs to be 32" and it will sit on a stand rather than be wall-mounted.

 

[Clare Newsome]

The plasma/LCD issue is irrelevant for you, as the smallest plasmas are 37in - below that it's all LCD. So that's one less decision to make!

We've just tested a ton of new sets for our Ultimate Guide to Televisions - on sale later this week - and there are plenty of great TVs to be had in your budget range.

For example, Panasonic's TX-32LZD80 (online review here) can be had for £600, and there's a buy now, pay March 2009 deal with here (sure there are more around if you look).

 

[Anonymous]

I'm so glad you posted this! I was going to post almost exactly the same question! We currently have a Panasonic Quintrix 28" CRT TV, Virgin cable, Toshiba DVD and a Wii and I want to get a new 32" LCD TV.

I'd like to get something that's future-proof for about 5 years and am also new to the whole HD/1080p issues. I also fancy the Panasonic TX-32LXD70. Our nearest seat is about 8' away from the TV and the furthest one is 12'.

I don't want to hijack your thread so I'll be watching with interest! Perhaps I should start another thread?

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the various responses.

Refined search using classifieds from latest edition and associated websites, to leave me with a shortlist of 6, four panasonic and 2 sony. I am assuming that the reduced prices mean the TV's are probably older models, again excuse my ignorance if I am off the mark.

Pana - TX-32LMD70 at £520, LXD85 at £560, LZD80 at £598 and LXD700 at £660

Sony - KDL-S3000 at £390 and S3020 at £409

Common sense suggests going for a sony, but the panasonics are over £500 and can come with interest free credit.

Does anybody reading this have an opinion on the choice outlined here, are there significant differences between these sets or are they likely to all be a significant improvement on my ten year old bog standard JVC?

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="allybee13"]

I'm so glad you posted this! I was going to post almost exactly the same question! We currently have a Panasonic Quintrix 28" CRT TV, Virgin cable, Toshiba DVD and a Wii and I want to get a new 32" LCD TV.

I'd like to get something that's future-proof for about 5 years and am also new to the whole HD/1080p issues. I also fancy the Panasonic TX-32LXD70. Our nearest seat is about 8' away from the TV and the furthest one is 12'.

I don't want to hijack your thread so I'll be watching with interest! Perhaps I should start another thread?
[/quote]Sitting 8ft away from a 32" set, you only need HD Ready. Your eyes will not be able to make out the extra detail of the 1080 panel.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for this allybee13.

It sounds like we are in much the same situation, I am following your other thread also. We cannot accommodate anything bigger than 32" in our small terraced house, so LCD it is then. I just hope the comments on your thread re sport on LCD are not too problematic. I am coming round to the idea that whatever we get will better than what we currently have, 10 year old JVC.

I hadn't looked at the digital direct postage costs and will do that tonight, they are certainly the cheapest.

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="sgt.wilco"]
Does anybody reading this have an opinion on the choice outlined here, are there significant differences between these sets or are they likely to all be a significant improvement on my ten year old bog standard JVC?

[/quote]If all you watch is standard SD TV then there wont be an improvement, except in size. Have you viewed the sets in the shops?

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="sgt.wilco"]
Thanks for the various responses.

Refined search using classifieds from latest edition and associated websites, to leave me with a shortlist of 6, four panasonic and 2 sony. I am assuming that the reduced prices mean the TV's are probably older models, again excuse my ignorance if I am off the mark.

Pana - TX-32LMD70 at £520, LXD85 at £560, LZD80 at £598 and LXD700 at £660

Sony - KDL-S3000 at £390 and S3020 at £409

Common sense suggests going for a sony, but the panasonics are over £500 and can come with interest free credit.

Does anybody reading this have an opinion on the choice outlined here, are there significant differences between these sets or are they likely to all be a significant improvement on my ten year old bog standard JVC?

[/quote]

Looking at your list, I can vouch for the 32LXD700. However, I also have the 26LXD70 which is also excellent. You should be able to get a 32LXD70 cheaper than the LXD700 and will benefit from the same picture but not quite so good sound.

The main reason that I would go for the 32LXD70 is picture quality. It is very good with SD and DVD and more importantly, the Alpha panel used by Panasonic gives better off axis viewing than most other manufacturers (it still looks good at an angle!).

I have another thought for you though. The 37PX80 plasma may be your best bet. You currently have a 28" quintrix set which is quite deep and must protrude into your room. A 32" flatscreen would take up less room and a 37" could be pushed further back to the wall (or within your cabinet), making it easier to accommodate. I too have small rooms in the house and wish that I had bought a 37" rather than the 32. In another slightly smaller room I have actually just got a 42" and this seems to be the perfect size. We sit approx. 6-7ft away.