How good is Sky HD with an LED TV?
Discussion
I've no idea if this will be moved to Computers, TV & Film or Home Cinema as IMO it encompasses a bit of all three so I'll leave it to the mods...
I currently have a 7 or so year old 28" Panasonic Quintrix widescreen TV. It's big, but the picture is spot on. I did once buy an LCD TV from Dell but it was like I'd smeared the screen with Vaseline when I hooked it up to my Sky Plus through the Scart.
Anyway, every time I go into any big electrical store I'm blown away by some of the HD TV's on display, however they're usually connected to Blu-Ray players or some kind of "manufactured" demo.
Let's assume I upgraded my Sky+ box to a HD one, and let's assume I went out and got a new TV - how blown away would I be if I spent £500 vs. if I spent £1000?
I don't watch much in the way of DVDs nor do I game, I do watch a lot of Sky Sports (football mainly) and Sky Movies stuff.
Thanks all.
I currently have a 7 or so year old 28" Panasonic Quintrix widescreen TV. It's big, but the picture is spot on. I did once buy an LCD TV from Dell but it was like I'd smeared the screen with Vaseline when I hooked it up to my Sky Plus through the Scart.
Anyway, every time I go into any big electrical store I'm blown away by some of the HD TV's on display, however they're usually connected to Blu-Ray players or some kind of "manufactured" demo.
Let's assume I upgraded my Sky+ box to a HD one, and let's assume I went out and got a new TV - how blown away would I be if I spent £500 vs. if I spent £1000?
I don't watch much in the way of DVDs nor do I game, I do watch a lot of Sky Sports (football mainly) and Sky Movies stuff.
Thanks all.
Well, we have Virgin Media HD and a plasma TV. So nothing like you, so you might wonder why I'm even replying 
HD through Virgin is much much better than standard SD in my opinion. My wife even notices if we're watching the SD equivalent of a HD-available channel by accident, and turns over pronto.
HD through Virgin is much much better than standard SD in my opinion. My wife even notices if we're watching the SD equivalent of a HD-available channel by accident, and turns over pronto.
Thanks, and I think I hit "Submit" a little too quickly - one of my big (possibly the biggest) question is what happens when you're watching either a non-HD channel, or older content on a channel that is HD?
As I understand it Sky have recently changed their software so that if you have an HD box 101 is BBC HD, 301 is Sky Premier HD rather than you having to "go fishing" for the HD channels?
As I understand it Sky have recently changed their software so that if you have an HD box 101 is BBC HD, 301 is Sky Premier HD rather than you having to "go fishing" for the HD channels?
Not sure if I'm missing something here, but you have neither an LED TV or an HD TV. So don'think it'll make any odds getting Sky+ HD.
I've probably missed the point. I usually do.
Edited to add, just got a Sky HD box last week and you still have to go 'fishing' for the HD channels. They aren't replacing BBC 1 with BBC 1 HD, as far as I'm aware.
I've probably missed the point. I usually do.
Edited to add, just got a Sky HD box last week and you still have to go 'fishing' for the HD channels. They aren't replacing BBC 1 with BBC 1 HD, as far as I'm aware.
Luke. said:
Not sure if I'm missing something here, but you have neither an LED TV or an HD TV. So don'think it'll make any odds getting Sky+ HD.
I've probably missed the point. I usually do.
Maybe I worded it badly. I usually do I've probably missed the point. I usually do.
I have a CRT TV (the Vaseline Dell went back the next day), my question is whether I'd be substantially better off with a Sky+ HD box and a new LED/LCD/Plasma TV and which is best - I'm totally out of date with TV tech.
paddyhasneeds said:
Maybe I worded it badly. I usually do
I have a CRT TV (the Vaseline Dell went back the next day), my question is whether I'd be substantially better off with a Sky+ HD box and a new LED/LCD/Plasma TV and which is best - I'm totally out of date with TV tech.
Ah.I have a CRT TV (the Vaseline Dell went back the next day), my question is whether I'd be substantially better off with a Sky+ HD box and a new LED/LCD/Plasma TV and which is best - I'm totally out of date with TV tech.
Panasonic plasma.
And yes, you will be better off.
Size being everything...
How big is the room, how far away do you sit to watch TV, and how grossly oversized do you want the nice flat thing on the wall to be?
HD does make a difference, as its clearer than SD. SD looks OK on a bigger screen, mind.
Short answer is yes, if you have cash burning a hole etc, you will like it.
How big is the room, how far away do you sit to watch TV, and how grossly oversized do you want the nice flat thing on the wall to be?
HD does make a difference, as its clearer than SD. SD looks OK on a bigger screen, mind.
Short answer is yes, if you have cash burning a hole etc, you will like it.
randlemarcus said:
Size being everything...
How big is the room, how far away do you sit to watch TV, and how grossly oversized do you want the nice flat thing on the wall to be?
The only place for the TV is in the corner and wall mounting isn't a possibility, so I suspect 40-42" as I'm viewing from 8 - 10 feet away, even that may be too big.How big is the room, how far away do you sit to watch TV, and how grossly oversized do you want the nice flat thing on the wall to be?
It's very difficult to get a sense of scale in the stores - 50" TV's seem small/normal sometimes because you're surrounded by them.
Go for the biggest screen that you can - cut a piece of cardboard to size to work out what will fit. I was going for a 42" but went for a 50" Pioneer plasma in the end & very glad I did (not available any more).
Picture is okay with SD but much better with HD. But SD and HD aren't fixed standards - some SD is very good and some HD programmes are higher resolution than others. Large screen shows up all the picture faults particularly things like panned sports shots where the grass gets smeared on SD - football is much better in HD if it's on a large screen.
If you get a 50" plasma with 1080p then it'll only look its best with a blueray. But HD is very good & normal DVD very good.
Picture is okay with SD but much better with HD. But SD and HD aren't fixed standards - some SD is very good and some HD programmes are higher resolution than others. Large screen shows up all the picture faults particularly things like panned sports shots where the grass gets smeared on SD - football is much better in HD if it's on a large screen.
If you get a 50" plasma with 1080p then it'll only look its best with a blueray. But HD is very good & normal DVD very good.
Another vote for Panasonic Plasma, had mine + Sky HD for 3 years or so and very happy with it (not so much the subscription but that's a different issue). Don't worry about the size of your lounge, the bigger screen the better, 50" or 60" preferably. One thing I'm not sure about is whether it's worth getting a 3D capable screen - wasn't that many years ago I remember HD was very new tech and many said it wouldn't be taken up in any great numbers, quite possible 3D will be the next big thing. Hope you have/will get a good cinema sound system for it too and a blu-ray won't go amiss if you like your films.
I have just been and measured from seat to TV. My wife sits about 10 feet and I sit 8 feet from a 32" Panasonic LED set.
Two weeks ago we were watching a gardening program on BBC HD. At the end during the credits I changed over to BBC2 which was also showing the same program. My wife made a comment that the picture in HD was better than SD. If it hadn't been shown in HD I would have been happy with the picture quality in SD.
Two weeks ago we were watching a gardening program on BBC HD. At the end during the credits I changed over to BBC2 which was also showing the same program. My wife made a comment that the picture in HD was better than SD. If it hadn't been shown in HD I would have been happy with the picture quality in SD.
paddyhasneeds said:
Good idea on the cardboard!
Any specific suggestions on models?
It's ridiculous when you look at Samsung/Panasonic just how many sets that make that look absolutely identical barring some obscure number.
As for 3D TV, I can't help but think it's a fad?
3DTV is the eventual way it will all go. In 20/15/10 years time we'll look back on things now like I do my parents wooden 22 inch Grundig.Any specific suggestions on models?
It's ridiculous when you look at Samsung/Panasonic just how many sets that make that look absolutely identical barring some obscure number.
As for 3D TV, I can't help but think it's a fad?
The glasses part is the fundamental flaw though. Fun for now though, and if you have a PS3 so you have 3D games and blu-ray capability, and you have Sky HD and 3D already the £100-£200 price differential makes it a nice alternative.
Perhaps, I guess my basic confusion right now is, for the sorts of applications I mentioned, what spending say £500 on a LG LG 42LE4900 or Sharp LC - 40LE811E or SAMSUNG UE40C5100 means you lose vs. spending say £900 on a SONY Bravia KDL-40EX713U - it's a minefield of numbers and specifications.
paddyhasneeds said:
Perhaps, I guess my basic confusion right now is, for the sorts of applications I mentioned, what spending say £500 on a LG LG 42LE4900 or Sharp LC - 40LE811E or SAMSUNG UE40C5100 means you lose vs. spending say £900 on a SONY Bravia KDL-40EX713U - it's a minefield of numbers and specifications.
Avoid Sony, Samdung, LG et al, and the choice becomes clearer 
Pana 50" FTW.
Buy the LG I have 2 and they are brilliant friends that have been round are amazed at the picture, on the sky bit I believe it is broadcast in 720p and you can notice the difference between that and blu ray, so really if they are all 1080p tvs there is nothing between them on sky, and on blu ray you would need to be a nurd with a magnifying glass to tell the difference if there is any !
After experiencing both recently at a mate's I would personally go for one of the latest Panasonic plasma screens over an LED (Samsung). Hooked up to Virgin HD I thought the plasma was superb and better in every way (to my eyes anyway) in terms of motion, contrast and clarity.
I'm no TV expert but the plasma seemed so much more fluid (best way I can describe it). I'm not sure if this is typical of plasma screen TV's but I'm definitely considering getting one...soon!
I'm no TV expert but the plasma seemed so much more fluid (best way I can describe it). I'm not sure if this is typical of plasma screen TV's but I'm definitely considering getting one...soon!
Luke. said:
Edited to add, just got a Sky HD box last week and you still have to go 'fishing' for the HD channels. They aren't replacing BBC 1 with BBC 1 HD, as far as I'm aware.
they have changed it - but it is only the Sky channels - so SKY1 HD is 106, Sky Movies Premier HD is 301 etc. All other HD channels have stayed the same.Gassing Station | Home Cinema & Hi-Fi | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff