Recommend Me A Telly - The Sequel!
Discussion
Chaps,
A year ago I posted this thread:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=104...
... and I didn't buy one. (Telly, that is.) Now the old Freeview box has packed up and thus we can't watch telly at all!
(Mrs zcacogp is devastated!)
It's a year later on, and I suspect that the TV market has moved on considerably. But the requirements remain the same:
- We need a TV. Probably around 24 inches in size. (Room dimensions below).
- We own a half-decent DVD player, with a SCART output. We could use this with the new TV, but would consider a TV with a built-in DVD player.
- We have a satellite dish on the roof (that I have never connected up), with two outputs from the LNB. We will therefore also be buying a freesat PVR box with a view to plugging this into the TV. The TV will need to be able to accommodate this.
- If the TV comes with built-in Freeview this would be a good thing, but it's not an essential necessity.
- We will play the sound through a seperate amp and speakers, so the sound quality from the built-in speakers is not a concern.
So ... what telly do you recommend? We know as much about TV's as we do about aardvark mating rituals (no sniggering please!) so please don't assume any background knowledge when making suggestions ... thanks! From what I can tell, Panasonic stuff is the bee's knees, but generally pricey. One piece of advice I have read is that if you are buying less than 30 inches, the cheapest Samsung is the way to go - is this the case?
FWIW, we found this on the John Lewis website. Is this a good buy?
Also ...
... we are looking at buying a freesat PVR. Possibly second-hand, from the likes of eBay. If anyone has some pearls of wisdom about this as well then I'd be happy to listen.
Many thanks, in advance, for your suggestions chaps!
Oli.
ETA: Budget. Forgot to mention that. Wanting to spend less than £200. I'm a director of several companies but don't have a goatee and hence need to rein in the spending a little.
A year ago I posted this thread:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=104...
... and I didn't buy one. (Telly, that is.) Now the old Freeview box has packed up and thus we can't watch telly at all!
(Mrs zcacogp is devastated!) It's a year later on, and I suspect that the TV market has moved on considerably. But the requirements remain the same:
- We need a TV. Probably around 24 inches in size. (Room dimensions below).
- We own a half-decent DVD player, with a SCART output. We could use this with the new TV, but would consider a TV with a built-in DVD player.
- We have a satellite dish on the roof (that I have never connected up), with two outputs from the LNB. We will therefore also be buying a freesat PVR box with a view to plugging this into the TV. The TV will need to be able to accommodate this.
- If the TV comes with built-in Freeview this would be a good thing, but it's not an essential necessity.
- We will play the sound through a seperate amp and speakers, so the sound quality from the built-in speakers is not a concern.
So ... what telly do you recommend? We know as much about TV's as we do about aardvark mating rituals (no sniggering please!) so please don't assume any background knowledge when making suggestions ... thanks! From what I can tell, Panasonic stuff is the bee's knees, but generally pricey. One piece of advice I have read is that if you are buying less than 30 inches, the cheapest Samsung is the way to go - is this the case?
FWIW, we found this on the John Lewis website. Is this a good buy?
Also ...
... we are looking at buying a freesat PVR. Possibly second-hand, from the likes of eBay. If anyone has some pearls of wisdom about this as well then I'd be happy to listen.
Many thanks, in advance, for your suggestions chaps!
Oli.
ETA: Budget. Forgot to mention that. Wanting to spend less than £200. I'm a director of several companies but don't have a goatee and hence need to rein in the spending a little.
Dimensions of the room (it's a Victorian terraced house in London) are 142x148 inches. The closest anyone would sit to the TV is 80inches, and they would be off-set by at least 45 degrees, and nearer 55 degrees. The most popular viewing positions will be at 120 and 130 inches from the screen respectively. The TV will be going in the corner of the room, and there are no plans to built it into a recessed alcove or anything like that - the focal point of the room is a fireplace, and that's not going to change!
Edited by zcacogp on Tuesday 21st August 22:31
I have one of these in the bedroom excellent TV though larger than what you state screen size:
http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/lg-m2780d-full-hd-27-...
http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/lg-m2780d-full-hd-27-...
I have a 32" Panasonic TV in a room of similar dimensions. It has both Freesat HD and Freeview HD built in.
Try the cardboard test for your room. Cut out a piece the same external size as the TV and see how it looks in the room.
Don't buy the TV blind. Check it out in the shop and view it from the same distance and angle that you would at home. The picture quality can drop quite dramatically as you move away from directly in front. Vertical can be many times worse than horizontal.
Try the cardboard test for your room. Cut out a piece the same external size as the TV and see how it looks in the room.
Don't buy the TV blind. Check it out in the shop and view it from the same distance and angle that you would at home. The picture quality can drop quite dramatically as you move away from directly in front. Vertical can be many times worse than horizontal.
Hate TV/DVD combinations. Problem with one, you also lose the other.
Only known brands TVs with built in freesat now seem to be Samsungs and very high end Panasonics. I've been quite happy with our Samsung, but regarding the viewing angles mentioned by OP< you will need a long hard look at this in the shops. (Gives a wry smile at the Internet = death of the High Street thread advocates, they know the cost of everything and value of nothing, onanists.)
24 inches sounds a bit small for that room size. Agree with the cardboard cutout screen size test, Sony shops do a chart on a massive A0/A1(?) piece of paper that you can cut to size. Personally I ignored all the recommendations on size reviewing distance, and the internet / man down pub wisdom of, figure out what telly you want and then buy one bigger as otherwise in 2 months you'll wished you'd bought bigger. I bought something that looked right for the available space.
Only known brands TVs with built in freesat now seem to be Samsungs and very high end Panasonics. I've been quite happy with our Samsung, but regarding the viewing angles mentioned by OP< you will need a long hard look at this in the shops. (Gives a wry smile at the Internet = death of the High Street thread advocates, they know the cost of everything and value of nothing, onanists.)
24 inches sounds a bit small for that room size. Agree with the cardboard cutout screen size test, Sony shops do a chart on a massive A0/A1(?) piece of paper that you can cut to size. Personally I ignored all the recommendations on size reviewing distance, and the internet / man down pub wisdom of, figure out what telly you want and then buy one bigger as otherwise in 2 months you'll wished you'd bought bigger. I bought something that looked right for the available space.
Just to finish this thread off; we eventually bought an LG2762D, 27inch thing from Richer Sounds. Like this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/LG-Electronics-M2762D-FLAT...
The TV is pretty good and we are happy with it (it's clearer and better to watch than our old CRT thing). Richer Sounds didn't cover themselves in glory with their price-match promise tho'. Suffice it to say, don't buy anything from Richer Sounds without checking the price elsewhere beforehand (they were over £60 more expensive on a £240 telly) as their 'Price Match Promise' is somewhat more complex (and less helpful) than they lead you to believe. Live and learn, I guess - it's not a mistake we will be making again.
Thanks for your input chaps.
Oli.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/LG-Electronics-M2762D-FLAT...
The TV is pretty good and we are happy with it (it's clearer and better to watch than our old CRT thing). Richer Sounds didn't cover themselves in glory with their price-match promise tho'. Suffice it to say, don't buy anything from Richer Sounds without checking the price elsewhere beforehand (they were over £60 more expensive on a £240 telly) as their 'Price Match Promise' is somewhat more complex (and less helpful) than they lead you to believe. Live and learn, I guess - it's not a mistake we will be making again.
Thanks for your input chaps.
Oli.
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