Panasonic TX-32LXD85 - Freeview Radio

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Hi All, First post here and hoping to pick your expert brains on a couple of questions I have about the above telly. Just moved into a new house which we are refurbishing from top to bottom, later this summer we want to get an LCD TV as our living room is long and thin so we need the space (very convenient ;-) ). Anyway, after much deliberation and consultation of this here wonderful forum I have settled on the Panasonic TX-32LXD85. So, my main question is this; I listen to a lot of DAB radio and I currently use a Sony DAB tuner going into an old Meridian DAC. However, I would like to take advantage of the higher bit-rate of Freeview digital radio and so plug the telly into my Hi-Fi. I had hoped that modern tellies would have digital outputs but the Panasonic doesn't so obvioulsy I won't be able to use my DAC. So, do you think I will still gain better radio sound quality from the Freeview telly plugged straight into my amp with regular RCA cables? Or do you think I would be better off sticking with my DAB tuner/DAC combination? Secondly, if I were to listen to radio from my TV I would like to be able to turn the screen off (whilst keeping the TV on obviously). My parent's Sony has this feature but I could not find any mention of such a thing in the Panny's manual on-line. Now, this may sound trivial but I really don't want the TV's menu screen on when I'm listening to the radio as you can't halp but look at it! It's a bit like when you go to a pub with loads of TVs and you just can't help but stare at them. Anyway, does anyone know if the Panny has a "Picture Off" function? Apologies for the really long post and I hope someone can be bothered to read it lol! Look forward to any answers/suggestions 🙂

 

[Anonymous]

I am fairly sure that the set has a digital optical out.

Ordinary RCAs sound fine.

There is no picture off facility as far as I know.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi, thanks for the reply.

Just double checked the Panasonic website and it definitely doesn't have digital audio output. However the Sony 32D3000 does!

It may sound strange but the picture off facility is quite important to me.

Looks like I'll be checking out Sony in a bit more detail. Certainly not disappointed as I've always had Sony tellys as have my folks.

Thanks again!