40/42 inch LCD - basics - not specific models

40/42 inch LCD - basics - not specific models

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wong

Original Poster:

1,291 posts

217 months

Saturday 5th September 2009
quotequote all
Right, the CRT has finally died and I've been allowed to buy a big telly by the wife.
Some background - I live in Hong Kong where the land channels are being broadcast in HD in most areas.
Model names may be different from the UK , but just as bewildering.
Plasma TV's seem much rarer now, and LCD's seem to be winning over here - even at 46 and 50 inches.
Im not a film or games buff. Just need it to watch the news and for the kids to watch cartoons, occasional DVD's. Dont even have 5.1 surround sound yet. I live in a flat and have young ( 2, 5 yrs) kids , so do not watch at high volumes.

What I want to know : -
Is a 100 Hz refresh rate noticeably different from a 50 Hz ? ( or is it tech for tech's sake !)
Reliability - Any brand more reliable? - Have a preference for Sharp - purely because they have made LCD's longer when others were pushing plasma - probably doesnt make much difference now.
Does " made in Japan" affect build quality ? I expect quality control in other brands will be just as good ?
Contrast - what do the numbers mean ? they look much the same in the shop - or is it like music equipment - trust your ears/eyes, not the numbers .

Want I know I want :-
Built in tuner - already have about 6 sockets going into a double socket and cant be bothered with another remote and mains socket.

What else should I be looking for / asking the salesman ?