Jump to content

Recommended Posts

I watch very little television but Mrs Sunday does and she now fancies a new TV set.  Now, TVs videos and the like are black magic to me so I'm looking for some expert advice.....

When we moved over here, we bought a new Sony TV (the old type with the massive bulge in the back) from our local TV shop and got them to install a Satellite dish and supply a digital set top decoder so that we could receive all the free to air UK channels.  We have the usual roof mounted aerial which gives us the French TV channels. I've also recently bought a DVD recorder with a big hard drive which I've managed to plug in and all the buttons and knobs seem to be working fine.

I'm now considering replacing the old Sony with one of the new flat screen HDTV models.

I appear to have a choice of LCD or Plasma - any recommendations as to which would be the best buy?  We've often wandered into the TV departments at Darty, etc and found TVs on display which have a very sharp picture (which I prefer) and others which have a more softer image.

The TV will have a build in TNT decoder so will this allow me to watch French TV through our roof aerial?  I think we're just outside the HD footprint, but that's not really critical.

Will my current digital Sat decoder allow me to watch high definition UK channels via the dish or will I need to upgrade the decoder to an HD model?

I'd also like to hook up my laptop to the TV to play videos directly from my hard disk, so I assume a USB port on the TV will accommodate this.

Thanks in advance.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

hi Sunday Driver,

GR8 that we can perhaps help you for a change! TV wise it may be worth looking at the LED TVs - longer life, less power etc. Having said that we are very happy with our Samsung 37" LCD .... Samsung & Sony share the same boards but not the price ;)

If you do not subscribe to Sky then you may consider Humax Foxsat HDR - brilliant HD recorder .... however not a player, without fiddling with CAMs etc, for subscription Sky.

Might be worth goggling both suggestions. Plasma screens have many issues, and with the brightness etc of modern LCDs, non of the early advantages (IMHO).

If nothing else it has started the discussion :)

Vern
Link to comment
Share on other sites

SD, If I were buying now then I would opt for an LED one due to the power consumption. They seem to use about a third of what an LCD uses. I have a Humax PVR for HD satellite and consider it one of the best things that I have bought.

With reference to watching stuff from the PC, look for DLNA (digital living network alliance), this is built into many modern TVs and means that there is a network plug on the TV. You can plug it into your internet router (livebox, neufbox, etc.) and can access video and photo from a PC onto the TV screen. I know that most of the LG TVs now have DLNA.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="Sunday Driver"]

I appear to have a choice of LCD or Plasma - any recommendations as to which would be the best buy?  We've often wandered into the TV departments at Darty, etc and found TVs on display which have a very sharp picture (which I prefer) and others which have a more softer image.

[/quote]

TV pictures are like HiFi systems, quite personal. You have already looked at some so carry on looking until you see a picture you like and buy that one providing it has all the bits you want on it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My Plasma is now 7 and shows none of the problems everybody says it should (no screen-burn etc) and the picture quality is stunning.  I've not seen anything in the shops to put it in the shade so I wouldn't pay too much attention to the moans and groans - they are far better than they were when they first appeared.  However, they are very heavy and expensive to run so I wouldn't get another if I had to replace it, I'd definately go for LED unless I saw a real Plasma bargain.

I would buy a current magazine and look at what the experts say (that's how I chose my current TV and it has not disappointed) - it's like buying a car really, very subjective unless you do proper, informed analysis, imho!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for all the tips so far....[:)]

I'd planned to visit all the shops around here and settle on a set where the picture quality suits me.

What I'm more concerned about is being able to get the free to air UK channels in high definition.  I'm not really interested in Sky subscriptions, and the Humax setup mentioned seems to be an HD satellite receiver/decoder and recorder combined.  I already have a DVD recorder that will record TV programmes so I'm not sure I'd want to pay for somthing that duplicates what I already have. 

If my existing 'cheapo' digital Sat decoder will give me HD, then I'd be happy....

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It would help  a lot if you say what make/model sat decoder you use for UK TV.

Also what make model of DVD recorder.

You say that you want to receive HD and you can buy just an HD capable 'freesat' set top box with no recording facility. But.... your DVD recorder will not record it in HD (I am pretty sure) so if you want to watch and record HD UK Tv, it will mean investing in a box like the Humax as suggested by BobT.

Recording French HD Tv is a different matter....

I have an Aston Simba HD Fransat decoder which records to an external hard drive in HD and SD from French and UK satellite. it takes a bit more set up/fiddling with to keep updated compared to freesat boxes but it works very well.

Disadvantage is that you are limited to watching/recording only from one satellite frequency at a time.

Personally, I like the Sony TVs.

The picture can be adjusted in the menus to suit your taste generally.

Danny

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We have a Sharp LED TV, one of the 1st widely available last year and I am very happy with it, picture is nice and bright etc.  Only think I will say though is I wish I had gone for the higher refresh rate model, you see the picture jumping on some moving scenes if you know what you are looking for and are a bit anal.  I have a 2.5 meter wide full 1080p hd crt projector in the loft for films so I wasn't about to spend a load on a tv to watch Corrie but getting that has opened my eyes to the sort of difference refresh rates can make to the picture.

LED TV's are only back lit with LED's at the moment, the picture is still generated with LCD pains, same as before.  OLED (organic LED) screens are well on their way and might even be out now (I haven't checked recently), these are the dogs danglies, the LED's create the colour, picture and illumination all in one go, one of the big advantages with them is blacks can be properly created by turning off the LED's instead of just masking them out.

There are some fantastic deals round for new TV's in the UK at the moment, I get a Makro catalogue through the post monthly and there are always bargains to be had there but with the January sales the high street retailers are getting in on the act too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="crossy67"]Only think I will say though is I wish I had gone for the higher refresh rate model, you see the picture jumping on some moving scenes if you know what you are looking for and are a bit anal.  I have a 2.5 meter wide full 1080p hd crt projector in the loft for films so I wasn't about to spend a load on a tv to watch Corrie but getting that has opened my eyes to the sort of difference refresh rates can make to the picture.

[/quote]

This starts to get crazily complicated to me (and I suspect despite the technical differences, a marketing bonanza)

http://hometheater.about.com/od/televisionbasics/qt/framevsrefresh.htm
(I like the last sentence)

http://www.lcdtvbuyingguide.com/lcdtv/120hz-240hz-60hz.html

just to give another view (sorry!) On the Sony 40" 100Hz LCD here, it makes no difference to my eyes if the TV is set to 50 Hz or on 100 Hz on whatever source and type of picture I have tried.

For me, the picture is simply excellent and a huge leap forward from the old CRT. I don't know if that makes me not anal or just inadequately visually gifted. [8-)][:)]

Danny

Link to comment
Share on other sites

These 200 Hz screens are a bit unneeded really if you get the frame rate set right for every source (not possible).  Bluray's are filmed in 24 frames/second, my video processor is set to display them at 72 f/s (Hz), the human eye can't distinguish much above 25f/s unless something is moving very fast.  If my refresh rate was set at say 60Hz the picture would jump every so often as the picture would move two frames every now and then, or it would not move forward a frame.  I have been drinking so am a bit foggy here but you would see a glitch of 6 frames every 5 seconds (I may be way out here, Stella has been advising me).  The 200Hz TV's refresh so fast that this glitching is so small it's unnoticeable.

One thing I forgot to mention when looking for a new TV.  Don't go off how they look in the store, they can only display what is fed to them and more often this signal is split between loads of sets making it a very poor quality.  Best thing to do is get them to play a dvd for you, that way you can compare eggs with eggs and not the picture at the beginning of the nice clean strong feed to one that's left with the rubbish signal

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Best to get an informed look at a selection of up to date products. This from 79 can be conveniently done by making a trip to the nearest FNAC in Poitiers, more informative than Darty at Bressuire.[:)] Large screen OLEDs are not available, smaller ones yes, the LCDs are now perfect for quick motion stuff and give out much less heat than plasma. Worth getting something with Internet Capability and at least 3/4 HDMIs.

Not suggesting you buy at the FNAC, a final decision to purchase can be made locally or from the net. If you play DVDs then the more recent BluRay players with analogue RCA 7.1 sound are compatible with conventional Theater/Surround Sound, Samsung,Philips and LG are also 3D compatible, also do 1080p upscaling for a better DVD image.

Whether the back lighting is LED or fluorescent tube wont make much difference othe than the LED being more expensive and less energy.

http://www.fnac.com/TV-Video-Home-cinema/shi56328/w-4

http://www.idealo.fr/cat/4012/televiseurs-lcd.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We changed to a flat screen TV in July when analogue was switched off here and hope that the following may be of use to you SD.

We bought a 32" LED backlit Samsung with 100HZ refresh rate and took it home wondering if it would look massive in our smallish lounge. We were surprised that it didn't and we could have got away with having a larger set. The most noticable change for us was the amount of detail in the picture that simply wasn't visible on our old 20" CRT screen (yes hairs on the tennis ball at Wimbledon(!), but also just stuff in the background of news shots etc). So, size IS important.

Comparing TVs in the shop is difficult as Crossie said although we first noticed the superior picture of LED backlit TVs vs fluorescent in a supermarket. The TVs are on a "shop" or vivid setting and over contrasted and over sharpened. Regarding LCD TVs however you should be able to see that on LED backlit screens the blacks are darker - because the LEDs behind the dark portions of the screen switch off, unlike the older technology fluorescent lit screens where the light stays on and and leaks through the dark pixels.

HD reception, from aerial, disc or satellite IS visible on a 32" set from the optimum viewing distance whatever people say. In French HD Grand Prix coverage you can see the spectators in the stand - flip to BBC non-HD and the spectators appear like those rendered in a ten year old GP computer game.

I don't know anything about plasma sets except that they consume more electricity and Argos charge twice as much for a three year guarantee extension on a Plasma as they do on a LCD.

DO look at www.avforums.com and take their advice, in particular when you get your new TV home, to change the picture settings to their recommended settings for that model - as a starting point. The theory is that if you leave everything (probably set as "vivid") and watch it for a few hours then that becomes your norm.

It's useful for the TV to have the ability to play a movie directly from a flash drive or ordinary (not a dedicated media player) external hard drive.

>The TV will have a build in TNT decoder so will this allow me to watch French TV through our roof aerial? I think we're just outside the HD footprint, but that's not really critical.<

Yes, TV HD receiver and reception permitting. HD will be automatic.

>Will my current digital Sat decoder allow me to watch high definition UK channels via the dish or will I need to upgrade the decoder to an HD model?<

You'll need an HD Sat receiver (/recorder if you need) to receive HD - other advantages are program guide, teletext etc. Check out Freesat HD receivers/recorders at Humax UK, look at "manager's specials".

Best of luck, choose, buy, set up, sit back and enjoy!

Steve
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Update.....

The local Telly shop has a special offer on a Sony Bravia 37" LCD.  Picture quality is excellent - as suggested, we asked them to twiddle with the set to check out the various settings. It has four HDMI sockets, one Peritel, a USB and DLNA. It also takes a WiFi dongle and has loads of super technological features to complete my wife's televisual pleasure.

The tuner specs are as follows:

Tuner TNT intégré : recevez directement les chaînes de la télévision numérique et analogique grâce au tuner DVB-T intégré (MPEG2) sans décodeur externe Vous disposerez ainsi de l'équipement nécessaire lorsque la diffusion analogique prendra fin

I assume this is for French SD terrestial digital TV via my roof aerial.

Tuner HD MPEG-4 AVC intégré : oubliez les décodeurs externes et profitez de services TV comme les chaînes Haute Définition grâce au tuner DVB-T / DVB-C avec décodeur MPEG4 AVC (suivant les pays et avec les opérateurs pris en charge uniquement)

I think this for receiving French HD terrestial digital TV via my roof aerial or cable (which I don't have).

I suspect this means I'll need a new set top decoder like a Humax in order to receive available UK HD transmissions via my Sat dish.  I see that the Foxsat HD is a simple decoder without a built in recorder.  I understand that my existing DVD recorder probably won't record in HD but that's no big deal.

If my thoughts are correct, this sounds like a good buy.  The shop will also deliver it, set everything up and take away the old set - all free of charge.

Unless, of course, someone pops up with a "hang on a bit...."  [;-)]

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As I mentioned, it would help a lot to give you clearer advice if you said what the makes/models were. Same with the TV.

Just for info, the wifi dongle must be Sony's own model and it is expensive. You can connect to your router by ethernet cable instead.

"If my thoughts are correct, this sounds like a good buy.  The shop will

also deliver it, set everything up and take away the old set - all free

of charge."

I suppose that depends on the price [;-)]

Danny

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The TV sounds ideal. The DLNA bit is the bit that i find the most interesting. There is obviously a system with that TV where you can connect with wireless, but I would use a network cable to the router myself, just a personal preference.

For the Humax box, the advantages of the more expensive PVR version are that it has twin tuners so that you can record one channel while watching another - well worth £220 in my opinion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My guess is (given what you said it can do) it's the Sony Bravia KDL37EX503U (or the KDL37EX500 in France) and you can see the reviews by real people i.e. users on Amazon HERE. They seem to be the best price too at £609.97 (thats 719 Euros), if you buy in France you would be looking at around 699 Euros direct from Sony France HERE. Using Kelgoo I found the cheapest was 551 Euros including free delivery. Don't know how these prices compare to what you were offered.

I use Amazon reviews quite a bit when buying tech stuff and have not been let down. There is a new range coming out this year (2011) according to Sony, some models have already been released for Christmas so you might want to check up on that.

It looks a good bit of kit although I am a Philips man myself although I guess many of these sets are the same these days.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This site is excellent for reviews by customers and for prices on the internet.

http://www.lcd-compare.com/

for example all the 94cm Sonys here

http://www.lcd-compare.com/marque-sony-section-6-televiseur-lcd-plasma-90-plus-cm.htm?tft_type-lcd=1&visibleplancm-93-98=1

If you click on each model, scroll down and there is a thorough technical spec followed by best prices regualarly updated and further down by many useful reviews and comments.

Danny

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have had 37" LCD 1080p for nearly two years. 37" is 97cm if I was to buy today I would go for a bigger screen; in fact a good bit bigger.

Frankly with the January sales starting on Wednesday next I wont be budging a finger but I shall help the staff open the doors at 08:45.

I have a dream that the poor movement of large screen 3D Ready units to date in the gatine may give me the opportunity to buy at - 50%.

Samsung or LG.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, it's a KDL-37EX500 and I've just ordered one from Amazon France at 583,99€ including free delivery.  A bit more than your Kelkoo result, but Amazon are solid with good SAV.  It's arriving on Friday....[:D]

Also ordered a Humax FoxSat HD (box only) through Amazon UK as I'm not particularly bothered about watching another channel whilst recording - my desires are quite simple.

Just got to work out how to connect everything upt - TV, DVD recorder and Humax.....[;-)]

Thanks to everyone for the help and advice.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="Quillan"]Just as a matter of interest how much did your local guy want?[/quote]

He was asking the Sony list price, which is actually the same as the local big sheds.  I bought a chest freezer from him a couple of years ago for the same price as in Leclerc but delivered free.  I'd have been happy to support him as a local business (plus his name is Dave -  the first Frenchman I've met with the same name as me...) but the Amazon price was too good to pass on.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...