Please tell me which I should buy - 2nd attempt

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I want to buy a 37/40/42 screen and a 5.1 cinema system.

The TV is between the Sony KDL40D3000 (I have a softspot for Sony and I have their HXD860 HDD DVD recorder) and the Panasonic TH-37or42PX70. The Panasonic is attractive because of the reviews/comments and (strange but true) because it can be bought with a stand. Like others I live where the idea of seeing and comparing is a dream. Never mind seeing a selection of stands!

The set up will also replace our Technics surround sound stereo. The complication is we like our music - CD's and music DVD's. I know therefore we should buy 'separates' but we just cannot stretch to that. However whilst we like music (our current TV - a Sony, of course, 29" CRT - is played through our stereo) our interest is not 'serious'. We mostly like pop/commercial music.

I love the idea of the Sony DAV-IS10 but, as we do not have a space problem, should we go for a 5.1 system that has bigger speakers - given our musical interest? After this I do not have a clue what I should buy. I am I think being influenced by "packages" that are clearly being pushed through many sellers.

It is the 5.1 system that will (unless you tell me different) decide the TV choice as I do like the benefits of same make. (The current DVD recorder will go with the current TV into one of the kids rooms).

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Anonymous]

What's your budget for the system?

I'd buy either Panasonic over the Sony any day of the week month or year. Wait till next month and get it with a 5 year guarantee included.

 

[Anonymous]

Regarding my budget.TV £750'ish, stand £200'ish and 5.1 system £350'ish. But I know I have said I like the DAV-IS10 that would cost at least £550. It just looks so nice but I really could do with the £1,200 limit. Flippin heck. It sounds a lot when you add it up!

Thank you for your interest.

 

[D.J.KRIME]

I'm too scared to add up what I have spent over the years!

Definatly go for one of the Plasma sets over the Sony.

 

[Andy Clough]

Hi David

If you want a smart-looking 5.1 home cinema system for around £350, give the Samsung HT-XQ100 (£330) a look. It's good looking, great to watch and fabulous to listen to.

As for the TV, would you consider a slightly smaller screen size? £750 will easily get you a fine 32in LCD such as Samsung's LE32R87BD (£700), a good match for the home cinema system. You might be a bit pushed to get a decent 42in plasma for £750, although it's worth having a hunt around. John Lewis are doing the 37in Panasonic TH-37PX70 for £799.

And to top it off, Tech+Link do a very smart stand for £200, the Ovid (Tel: 01732 779400/www.techlink.uk.com).

That do you?

 

[D.J.KRIME]

[quote user="Andy Clough"]As for the TV, would you consider a slightly smaller screen size? £750 will easily get you a fine 32in LCD such as Samsung's LE32R87BD (£700), a good match for the home cinema system. You might be a bit pushed to get a decent 42in plasma for £750[/quote]

Andy how can you recomend a inferior LCD set compared to the Panasonic plasmas and 32"" is hardly in the same ball park as a 42""? And as for not being able to get a decent 42"" Plasma for £750 well look here http://www.dixons.co.uk/martprd/store/dix_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0685127833.1190901108@@@@&BV_EngineID=cccgaddmdlkiellcflgceggdhhmdfhk.0&page=Product&fm=null&sm=null&tm=null&sku=000552&category_oid=-28723 and that was just the first place I looked.

 

[Anonymous]

What Hi-Fi you really have got to stop going by the manufacturers recommended rip your face off prices. It's getting silly. You now suggest in your mag that better prices can be had on line but you seem scared to say where and how much you can buy things for. If you're independant, you shouldn't have anything to fear, certainly not the manufacturer who gets paid the same regardless of where we buy.

 

[Anonymous]

Re the money.

I am basing my cost expectations on a collection of internet traders - empiredirect, digitaldirect, cheapelectricals and, the recently spotted, RGB. Most of these I have come across through What Hi Fi and other magazines (sorry!!!). Also I know there is another string of postings which suggest a supplier for the DAV-IS10.

Samsung!

It is basically down to this website that I have narrowed down the TV selection to those I have mentioned above. Where on earth has this Samsung come from?! This is a serious question. My mind was at peace in that I just needed advice as to what 5.1 system (from either Panasonic or Sony) I should go for and, voila, I could look forward to the setting up.

The possibility that I have in mind that I forgot to mention above is, given that we cannot stretch to separates, maybe we should just buy a new TV and continue with the connection to our Technics stereo - I know this means no 5.1 but maybe the sound effects benefits of a 5.1 system would be outweighed by the loss of sound quality. There must be people out there who know. Is it a close call or is there a big difference one way or the other?

Also. Our photos we now keep on a laptop. One of the reasons for wanting a new TV is to able to connect this to the telly on those occasions when we want to bore people with them.

Again, thank you for the responses. They are much appreciated.

 

[Anonymous]

You can get the panasonic for £750 including pedistal stand at richer sounds,,

http://www.richersounds.co.uk/showproduct.php?cda=showproduct&pid=PANA-TH42PX70PED add another 75 bucks and you get a 3 year warrenty,, im tempted to get a credit card,,,,

do people think it would be better than the sony w 2000??

 

[Anonymous]

But Will, where you getting the 5year warrenty and at what cost??

 

[Clare Newsome]

[quote user="Will Harris"]
What Hi-Fi you really have got to stop going by the manufacturers recommended rip your face off prices. It's getting silly. You now suggest in your mag that better prices can be had on line but you seem scared to say where and how much you can buy things for. If you're independant, you shouldn't have anything to fear, certainly not the manufacturer who gets paid the same regardless of where we buy.

[/quote]

As i've said elsewhere, it's not for anyone's sake other than readers that we quote the higher prices for the following reasons:

1) Not everyone is happy buying online. Some people prefer to buy from either the manufacturers store or a specialist retailer for more peace of mind. We don't want to mislead these people re pricing - believe me, every time we've tried this we've had people complain they can't easily find the product for that price.

It's different for you/us live-our-lives online people - which is why we have a Hot Deals section on the Forums and frequently quote online pricing as well as the list price.

2) Often we test products that aren't in the shops yet - so we have no idea how much retailers will be selling them for by the time the mag hits the shelves. I'm not going to start second-guessing how Dixons et al are going to apply discounts. Again, as soon as we can bring you news of great deals, we will (when we get time between testing, producing the mag, answering your queries here....)

 

[Anonymous]

My questions are being sidetracked again but I want to try again because I really do want to decide what to do. Preferably this weekend. For this reason I will repeat (good old copy and paste) my questions.
Part 1I want to buy a 37/40/42 screen and a 5.1 cinema system.The TV is between the Sony KDL40D3000 (I have a softspot for Sony and I have their HXD860 HDD DVD recorder) and the Panasonic TH-37or42PX70. The Panasonic is attractive because of the reviews/comments and (strange but true) because it can be bought with a stand. Like others I live where the idea of seeing and comparing is a dream. Never mind seeing a selection of stands!The set up will also replace our Technics surround sound stereo. The complication is we like our music - CD's and music DVD's. I know therefore we should buy 'separates' but we just cannot stretch to that. However whilst we like music (our current TV - a Sony, of course, 29" CRT - is played through our stereo) our interest is not 'serious'. We mostly like pop/commercial music.I love the idea of the Sony DAV-IS10 but, as we do not have a space problem, should we go for a 5.1 system that has bigger speakers - given our musical interest? After this I do not have a clue what I should buy. I am I think being influenced by "packages" that are clearly being pushed through many sellers.It is the 5.1 system that will (unless you tell me different) decide the TV choice as I do like the benefits of same make. (The current DVD recorder will go with the current TV into one of the kids rooms).Part 2Regarding my budget.TV £750'ish, stand £200'ish and 5.1 system £350'ish. But I know I have said I like the DAV-IS10 that would cost at least £550. It just looks so nice but I really could do with the £1,200 limit. Flippin heck. It sounds a lot when you add it up!

Part 3
Re the money.I am basing my cost expectations on a collection of internet traders - empiredirect, digitaldirect, cheapelectricals and, the recently spotted, RGB. Most of these I have come across through What Hi Fi and other magazines (sorry!!!). Also I know there is another string of postings which suggest a supplier for the DAV-IS10.Samsung!It is basically down to this website that I have narrowed down the TV selection to those I have mentioned above. Where on earth has this Samsung come from?! This is a serious question. My mind was at peace in that I just needed advice as to what 5.1 system (from either Panasonic or Sony) I should go for and, voila, I could look forward to the setting up. The possibility that I have in mind that I forgot to mention above is, given that we cannot stretch to separates, maybe we should just buy a new TV and continue with the connection to our Technics stereo - I know this means no 5.1 but maybe the sound effects benefits of a 5.1 system would be outweighed by the loss of sound quality. There must be people out there who know. Is it a close call or is there a big difference one way or the other?Also. Our photos we now keep on a laptop. One of the reasons for wanting a new TV is to able to connect this to the telly on those occasions when we want to bore people with them. Again, thank you for the responses. They are much appreciated.