I really do want a new TV!

[admin_exported]

The only reason I feel I cannot buy a new TV is because I feel any ‘advice’ I can obtain conflicts and tends to be unsupported – at least to my mind. For example I might read one ‘analysis’ that says A is better than B and then a different analysis saying B is better than A BUT I cannot ask – eh!, how!

Please try to clarify things for me. I want a screen between 37 to 42. The only reason for this range is who makes which in what sizes IE 37 would be fine but I am okay with 42 if it means I get a good match for what we plan to do with it.

We do not have Sky and are unlikely to go for it. We store our photos (+ some home ‘vids’) on a laptop and therefore we want to be able to connect this to the TV periodically.

Because I have a Sony DVD/HDD recorder already with a Sony CRT TV I know I like the benefits of same make so this could be a factor but not one that would overcome a big gap in picture or sound performance. I was thinking I should choose between a KDL40D3000 and a KDL40W(I forget now the number at the end!). But then, in a shop I was told for what we watch*, I should look only at a plasma.

*’Normal’ TV. We rent film DVD’s occasionally and buy some but most that we buy are music related. IE concerts (‘pop’) / musicals. Our viewing includes sport but none of the family is a sport addict!

Many outlets (internet and High Street) sell TV/home cinema packages and these appear attractive. If not at this point then we think we want one of these home cinema systems. We may not be sport mad but we all like our music and like the idea of fully enjoying our 5.1 music DVD’s. Our present (brilliant) TV is connected to a (brilliant) Technics stereo (with surround sound). The sound quality is thus to our liking but we cannot get the full 5.1 benefit. I have been told that we would be disappointed with one of the 5.1 systems and should go for a system of ‘separates’ but we just cannot stretch to that. The comparision seems to be £1000+ as against £300’ish.

In summary, I have bought too many magazines and spoken to too many people, so what TV should I buy (the ones above that I have mentioned should give you an idea of what I am looking to spend – though I would go a little higher) and what should we do about sound. IE stick with the Technics system (not the more recent version including a DVD player) or buy one of the off-the-shelf packages.

In anticipation – thanks.

 

[Anonymous]

Just to bring my questions back up the list.......

 

[Anonymous]

You need to ask yourself one thing: Do I need to get a new system, or Do I just want to get a new System.

You refer to your current system as 'brilliant'-Why therefore do you feel the need to change? Is it just to say and show people you have a brand new spanking up to date TV and Sound system?

To be quite honest I think you are completely 'reviewed out' and that's the danger when you start to look through too many magazines and listen to so many conflicts of opinion about what is good and what may not be good.

Unfortunately when buying such equipment there's no land of Uptopia. Ultimately, the best judge of what you buy and/or need is............YOU!

HDTV's are in essence just that! They are not built to brilliantly transform or reproduce fantastic, brilliant or superdoo standard definition TV Pictures and unfortunately the choice of Flat Panels today only seems to consist of HDTV's. Ironic really, given there's only a handful of HDTV channels from which to choose currently, and if you go over to SKY you further end up lining the pocket of Mr Murdoch with a minimum SKHD subscription, based on SKY Sports, of £47 a month in addition to another £299 for the privilidge of buying a new HD Box.

I honestly believe that there are more people in the UK who would rather stick with Standard Digital whether it be SKY, FREEVIEW, CABLE/DISH but all the manufacturers want you to buy HDTVS..........What for?

We also have DVD Players that can remarkably UPSCALE standard definition DVD Pictures EG: Panasonic S53 and Pioneer's DV600, yet the manufacturers seem incapable of building into their TV's the same kind of UPSCALING technology found in these players, into their new HDTVS to reproduce normal SD Digital with the same startling clarity . Why is that?

I fo one have no intrerest in watching High Definition TV. All I want to be able to continue to do is to watch normal SD Digital TV, with the option of either usuing an UPSCALING DVD Player or a BLU RAY player should I wish to invest in BLU RAY DVD's later on. Ideally I would like to be able to buy a new BLU RAY Player (when the new agreed BD JAVA formats hit the High Streets later in the year) that will not only play BLU RAY DVD's but also have the capacity of UPSCALING Normal DVD's.

Personally I believe that most of the Technology is still quite young, and the manufacturers and those wonderful high street shop assistants-God Bless them-who appear to know very little about what they're selling when they confront you with their half-baked, inane sales pitches, have flooded the market with good looking Flat Panel screens that for many of us just don't do what we want them to do.That's the main problem.

Nearly everything I've read too, says 'This TV is great for SKY HD'.........Well....we know that-After all it IS an HDTV................but I have yet to read ( better still) actuallu see for myself an HDTV that reproduces startling ( not just good, or near CRT SD quality) SD TV in terms of SKYDIGITAL and FREEVIEW............Why, because, quite frankly.................they're 'aint none.

 

[Anonymous]

Part of the decision is, yes, I really really do want a natty new style screen.

However we took the decision to go digital for our photo graphic needs and I want a TV that connects to a PC as part of its design. Also, having bought the single tuner 860 DVD/HDD device (which I am delighted with - I know its already been superceeded, thats the way of things isn't it?) I want to get away from the problem of only one digtal tuner.