Looking to buy my first flatscreen TV - advice please!

[admin_exported]

Hi All

This is my first post, so please be gentle...

My current TV is a 32" CRT Toshiba (cost £1800 back in 2001!) which is still serving me well, but the wife is nagging me to get a new TV, a larger flatscreen, so the CRT is being lugged (somehow) to the loft.

I'm looking for a LCD TV in the 40-50 inch range, used mainly for watching Freeview (HD if possible) and recorded sources.

The TV will mainly be connected to a TiVo, a Humax PVR, and a Blue Ray player, but ideally I would like a network-equipped TV (Ethernet preferable) that can play video files from a NAS. Are there any models that can do iPlayer?

I was looking at the Philips 47PFL9664, but I don't know if it's overkill for what I want? Are there any other models that I should consider? Budget is not a problem

but I don't really want to spend more than £2000.

Also, the wife would like a smaller TV (20 inch) in the kitchen, preferably network-capable. Any ideas?

Thanks in advance

Paul

POST MODERATED to remove broken link

 

[Andy Clough]

Hi Paul

Welcome to the Forums, and don't worry, we're all very friendly on here! Re your question about BBC iPlayer, the only TV sets I know that currently offer built-in iPlayer functionality are those from Cello, as we reported here.

Some of the new 2010 Blu-ray players from Sony will include BBC iPlayer too, so you could always add one of those to your system if iPlayer isn't built in to the TV. More details in our Sony blog.

As for a Freeview HD-equipped TV, we're only now getting the first samples to test. You might want to look at the May 2010 issue of the magazine (on sale now) which has a Supertest of the latest 40-42in TVs, plus a very handy 36-page guide on how to choose your next TV. Clicky.

 

[TKratz]

A couple of questions up front, to better answer your question:

1) How far away will you sit from the TV?

2) Any particular reason the TV must be a LCD TV?

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Andy

Thanks very much for your reply.

I certainly didn't know about the Sony Blu-ray players which will have iPlayer capability - that certainly does open up other possibilities.

I will certainly pick up the May 2010 magazine to see what other information I can pick up.

Paul

 

[Anonymous]

Hi TKratz

In answer to your questions:

1 - I guess we'll be sitting 8-15ft away from the TV

2 - There's no real reason for picking a LCD TV, except that they seem to be flavour of the month.

Paul