I need help

[admin_exported]

Never owned a flat screen tv before and now that the prices have dropped im finally in a position to buy one.

Ive a £400 budget and will need it to run a dvd recorder a pvr recorder a Wii and possibly sky in the future.

Ill also need 2 phono sockets for speakers.

I wont be wall mounting it, it will go on a tv stand.

Ive looked at 2 so far and these are a sony bravia 32 inch 32v400 for £349.99 or a Lg3000 37inch at £399.

Is the sony a better tv but i only get a 32inch or is the Lg as good and i get a 37inch.

Or can anyone reccomend another tv that is as good.

 

[Anonymous]

Ok which tv would any of you buy with a £400 budget?

 

[Anonymous]

Check the archive reviews to start with but depends which screen size you want surely??

 

[Anonymous]

Looks like im going to have to do some digging on various sites and forums to find the info im looking for.

Ill start with buying this months What hi-fi .

My size limit is 32 inch but a 37 inch would be ideal.

 

[Messiah]

Tangerine dream:
My size limit is 32 inch but a 37 inch would be ideal.

Anyway, I have been looking up the LG set and it seems that it is getting some very good reviews so if you can fit this size TV (which is not clear but I guess you can as you suggested it) then I would go with this one. The Sony TV is very good too but you don't want to buy it and then once you are watching it decide you could have fit the larger TV in.

 

[Anonymous]

Well i bought this months what hi-fi and read the 32inch supertest and im still no wiser.

The Sony 32w4000 came out on top but its quite expensive for a 32 inch.

Ive now decided it as to be a 37 inch and the panny px80 seems to be the biz for the price.

But i thought Lcd was better than plasma these days?

http://www.which.co.uk/advice/lcd-vs-plasma-tvs/index.jsp

So now im looking for a 37inch with 1920x1080 , main viewing will be freeview and freesat and blueray in the future.

Price must be between £500 and £600

So many tvs to choose from so its back to browsing the net for more reviews.

 

[Anonymous]

Mr. Dream who do you think knows more on this issue - a specialist hifi / home cinema mag or a mag that reviews everything from washing machines to spades to savings accounts? Answer is the specialist hifi / home cinema mag. Which? are stupid to say that LCDs are better than plasma, because in many ways they are not. The big reality is that both technologies have their up-points and down-points - what you need to do is look at each tv set on it's own individual merits - not whether it's LCD or plasma.

 

[Alec]

im confused as to what you want tbh but you seem to be saying something like you want the biggest you can get for the money. If im right, there will be some good deals on the pana px80b if you look around - it can be had for within your budget and its a very good tv imo, and yes, i have one.

EDIT if you search the forums a bit you will find much discussion of plasmas Vs LCDs.

 

[Anonymous]

Good point Gansta 187.

al478, im starting to seriously look at the Panasonic px80b as ive heard nothing but praise for it.

I understand they reccomend you have a plasma professionally installed to get the best out of it, how much extra would this cost?

Does a plasma need servicing to keep the screen in top working order or do they last as long as a Lcd?

The only thing putting me off is the 1024x720 Res, ive been told that 1920x1080 is what i should be getting to get the best hi def.

Im new to all this so any tips and info is most welcome.

 

[Alec]

"I understand they reccomend you have a plasma professionally installed to get the best out of it, how much extra would this cost?"

This i sunnecasary as far as i know.

"Does a plasma need servicing to keep the screen in top working order...?"

Again, not as far as i know.

"The only thing putting me off is the 1024x720 Res, ive been told that 1920x1080 is what i should be getting to get the best hi def."

The consensus here seems to be that you would struggle to tell the difference between an HD ready and a full HD set smaller than at least 42", but i havent put this to the test myself. I figured HD material is going, by and large, to look pretty good anyway.

again, if you search this section of the forum for peoples recent experiences of plasmas, you shouldnt be able to go far wrong.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your reply al7478, ill be ringing Richer sounds on wednesday to see if they have any in stock.

 

[Alec]

YVW

 

[professorhat]

Tangerine dream:Does a plasma need servicing to keep the screen in top working order or do they last as long as a Lcd?

This one of those plasma myths that were spread about by people early on in plasma's life - a plasma doesn't require any extra servicing over an LCD i.e. it would only need servicing if it went wrong, that's about it. I believe the life span of a plasma with average use is supposed to be about 50 years or something!

 

[Anonymous]

Well i missed the Richer sounds boat as all of there Panasonic 37px80bs have sold out and no more coming in stock.

I dithered on a Sony 40v4000 but those were out of stock at play.com too.

In the end i ignored my mates advice about its got to be a 1080 res and tracked down a panny a comet .

Its cost me £60 more and no free stand or speakers but im just glad to have secured one.

Its being delivered on tue and after watching our sharp 28 inch crt for 9 years the panny will be a big improvement.

Thanks for the advice given, it did help.

 

[TKratz]

al7478: The consensus here seems to be that you would struggle to tell the difference between an HD ready and a full HD set smaller than at least 42", but i havent put this to the test myself. I figured HD material is going, by and large, to look pretty good anyway.

This is very true. 42 inches is the absolutely smallest screen size where FullHD makes any sense. I would like to promote my favorite Danish forum which explains why, now finally available in English

(which saves me a lot of time translating

)

http://www.flatpanelshd.com/focus.php?subaction=showfull&id=1229341535

 

[Anonymous]

Tangerine dream:

Well i missed the Richer sounds boat as all of there Panasonic 37px80bs have sold out and no more coming in stock.

I dithered on a Sony 40v4000 but those were out of stock at play.com too.

In the end i ignored my mates advice about its got to be a 1080 res and tracked down a panny a comet .

Its cost me £60 more and no free stand or speakers but im just glad to have secured one.

Its being delivered on tue and after watching our sharp 28 inch crt for 9 years the panny will be a big improvement.

Thanks for the advice given, it did help.

Pansonics come with a free pedestal stand and in-built speakers?

 

[Anonymous]

I thought it meant a big tv stand and seperate speakers dohhhhhhhhh!

I dont feel so bad now.

 

[Anonymous]

Got my Panasonic p37px80 yesterday and im well chuffed with it.

The delivery guy from comet told me they had sold shedloads and put the price back up from £499 to £599.

He also told me Sony dont make there own tvs anymore!
He also said Lg and samsung were the worst for breaking down .

 

[visionary]

TKratz:
al7478: The consensus here seems to be that you would struggle to tell the difference between an HD ready and a full HD set smaller than at least 42", but i havent put this to the test myself. I figured HD material is going, by and large, to look pretty good anyway.

This is very true. 42 inches is the absolutely smallest screen size where FullHD makes any sense. I would like to promote my favorite Danish forum which explains why, now finally available in English

(which saves me a lot of time translating

)

http://www.flatpanelshd.com/focus.php?subaction=showfull&id=1229341535

Which is part of the point I was making back in September here about making sure your eyes can resolve the detail by having them checked!