Should I chop my CRT in for a Plasma/LED tv?
Discussion
Got a little annual bonus coming my way and thinking of finally chopping in my old CRT tv for something new.
It's a 36" flatscreen Sony (weighs as much as I do!) and I really like the picture on it but due to the size of the tube the image does curve slightly at the bottom of the screen. It's great on fast-moving stuff and the picture has a real warmth to it - the speakers seem pretty good too.
Bit more info for context:
Sky SD but may upgrade to HD
Don't play computer games
Don't have or want separate speakers
Don't really use the DVD player
Don't need SMART tv capability
I'm really liking the fact that some of the newer models have a USB port for playing stuff through - do these work with a NAS drive?
If I were to get an HD Ready plasma as opposed to a Full HD LED, would I be disappointed if I then upgraded to Sky HD?
Is screen burn still a problem with plasma? Is motion blur still a problem with LED?
Budget is a meagre £400 or so, so I appreciate I'm not going to get the best out there, but would I be disappointed with the picture compared to CRT at that price? Would like 40-42" screen preferably.
Cheers for any advice!
It's a 36" flatscreen Sony (weighs as much as I do!) and I really like the picture on it but due to the size of the tube the image does curve slightly at the bottom of the screen. It's great on fast-moving stuff and the picture has a real warmth to it - the speakers seem pretty good too.
Bit more info for context:
Sky SD but may upgrade to HD
Don't play computer games
Don't have or want separate speakers
Don't really use the DVD player
Don't need SMART tv capability
I'm really liking the fact that some of the newer models have a USB port for playing stuff through - do these work with a NAS drive?
If I were to get an HD Ready plasma as opposed to a Full HD LED, would I be disappointed if I then upgraded to Sky HD?
Is screen burn still a problem with plasma? Is motion blur still a problem with LED?
Budget is a meagre £400 or so, so I appreciate I'm not going to get the best out there, but would I be disappointed with the picture compared to CRT at that price? Would like 40-42" screen preferably.
Cheers for any advice!
You're not going to get a plasma for £400. Also, if by "chopping in" you are thinking your CRT is worth something...it isn't. I have a similar Sony CRT at home which I can't GIVE away.
Your problem will be that you are used to an EXCELLENT SD picture from that screen. For £400 you may struggle to get a screen of decent size that gives a comparable subjective picture on SD stuff. If your budget is £400 then it's unlikely you'll want to pay £120/yr to get Sky HD, so I'd begin to question why you want a new set at all...you may not like what you see.
If your budget was £1000 then you'd have a range of good LCD and plasmas to choose from in the 40" range, and that would be something worth considering, but you may not like a £400 LCD of 42" (say) compared with a really good CRT on SD material.
Your problem will be that you are used to an EXCELLENT SD picture from that screen. For £400 you may struggle to get a screen of decent size that gives a comparable subjective picture on SD stuff. If your budget is £400 then it's unlikely you'll want to pay £120/yr to get Sky HD, so I'd begin to question why you want a new set at all...you may not like what you see.
If your budget was £1000 then you'd have a range of good LCD and plasmas to choose from in the 40" range, and that would be something worth considering, but you may not like a £400 LCD of 42" (say) compared with a really good CRT on SD material.
Panasonic 42" Viera plasma @ £329 at Richer Sounds
Samsung 40" LED @ £369 at Richer sounds
Neither worth a look?
Samsung 40" LED @ £369 at Richer sounds
Neither worth a look?
Dispassionate view; sounds like you have £400 burning a hole in your pocket and are attracted by shiny, flashy things. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but £400 paid off your mortgage would be a more sensible investment, and if you don't have a mortgage then it would be the start of a deposit for a place of your own.
If your current TV hits the spot for you (and it sounds like it does) then why spend £400 on a replacement? Stick it in savings account, or a holiday fund, or spend it on your OH for Christmas.
Oli.
If your current TV hits the spot for you (and it sounds like it does) then why spend £400 on a replacement? Stick it in savings account, or a holiday fund, or spend it on your OH for Christmas.
Oli.
zcacogp said:
or spend it on your OH for Christmas
She's actually the one who suggested a new tv! Personally, I'm not bothered but she used to have a big flat-panel before we met and would like one again, so it's kind of a present for her. I've also never owned a new tv and was just wondering if flat panels have now come along sufficiently in picture quality (even at the lower end) that I won't be disappointed.Are CRT displays really that much better than flat panel in terms of picture quality? I assumed that in big chain stores they used rubbish sources on the cheaper tvs and better on the more expensive to draw people into spending more than they wanted...
gradeA said:
She's actually the one who suggested a new tv! Personally, I'm not bothered but she used to have a big flat-panel before we met and would like one again, so it's kind of a present for her. I've also never owned a new tv and was just wondering if flat panels have now come along sufficiently in picture quality (even at the lower end) that I won't be disappointed.
Are CRT displays really that much better than flat panel in terms of picture quality? I assumed that in big chain stores they used rubbish sources on the cheaper tvs and better on the more expensive to draw people into spending more than they wanted...
If you compare a really good top of the line late model CRT with a cheapo LCD flat screen on SD sources you may be surprised by your reaction to the picture. Then again, you may love the LCD look. It's all very personal and subjective. You may be very bothered by the LCD "fringing" around moving subjects, or it may be invisible to you. Only you can say.Are CRT displays really that much better than flat panel in terms of picture quality? I assumed that in big chain stores they used rubbish sources on the cheaper tvs and better on the more expensive to draw people into spending more than they wanted...
Personally, I wouldn't bother with HD Ready screens. Go with something that can handle true 1080p. The trouble with the flat screens is that they are much less forgiving of poor source material. My kids dug out an old VHS tape over the weekend and played it back through an LCD - I thought the result was unwatchable.
gradeA said:
Panasonic 42" Viera plasma @ £329 at Richer Sounds
Samsung 40" LED @ £369 at Richer sounds
Neither worth a look?
Well, I stand corrected on my "no plasma for £400" comment, good spot. OP - this TXP42X50B is only a 1024x768 screen, but if you're undemanding on HD material then this may be a decent buy. If you're also going to have just SD material then this screen would have less upscaling to do.Samsung 40" LED @ £369 at Richer sounds
Neither worth a look?
Echoing many on here you will be sorely disappointed when you view a SD picture on a 42 inch flat screen, I was shocked at how bad it was after the wonderful SD on my old Philips 28ins CRT.
I realised straight away that I would have to upgrade my Sky to HD and get a Blu-Ray player.
Having done all that I love my Panny Plasma and the pictures are gorgeous but I did pay over £600 for it over a year ago although the link above, for Richer Sounds, has a similar Panny for less than £400.
PS The Wii looks s
t3 on it as well.
I realised straight away that I would have to upgrade my Sky to HD and get a Blu-Ray player.
Having done all that I love my Panny Plasma and the pictures are gorgeous but I did pay over £600 for it over a year ago although the link above, for Richer Sounds, has a similar Panny for less than £400.
PS The Wii looks s
t3 on it as well. Take a bit of care with Richer Sounds. Their "We will match any price until it hurts" isn't as clear as it may be as they insist on matching with the price of a warranty included.
Go and look, but make sure you compare prices of whatever they have there with other suppliers (can do it in-store if you have a smartphone). RS are often not the cheapest (sometimes by some margin too.)
I was caught out when we bought our TV from them and, while I would shop there again, I certainly won't without doing some price comparison first.
Oli.
Go and look, but make sure you compare prices of whatever they have there with other suppliers (can do it in-store if you have a smartphone). RS are often not the cheapest (sometimes by some margin too.)
I was caught out when we bought our TV from them and, while I would shop there again, I certainly won't without doing some price comparison first.
Oli.
I've been looking for a replacement for my CRT for months now. Yet to find one with any type of near CRT SD picture quality. It's always amusing to hear from the sales lackeys that the answer to SD quality issues is simply updating to Sky HD. Apart from cost, not every SD channel has its HD equivalent - so unless you're prepared to accept a loss in SD quality for those channels you watch regularly then the only reason to 'upgrade' (arguably it's a downgrade) is to have a nice slimline box instead of a giant plastic monster in the room. Style over substance etc.
Talking of plastic monsters, ours is till in the sitting room being used as a laundry basket stand.
Still works but the sound is pants because one of the kids poured juice in it a few years back. Can't sell it, can't give it away and it's too big to go in the car for a journey to the dump.
Still works but the sound is pants because one of the kids poured juice in it a few years back. Can't sell it, can't give it away and it's too big to go in the car for a journey to the dump.
croyde said:
Talking of plastic monsters, ours is till in the sitting room being used as a laundry basket stand.
Still works but the sound is pants because one of the kids poured juice in it a few years back. Can't sell it, can't give it away and it's too big to go in the car for a journey to the dump.
If you live anywhere that has a 'nomadic' population then you can leave it outside your front door and it'll be gone within hours. Still works but the sound is pants because one of the kids poured juice in it a few years back. Can't sell it, can't give it away and it's too big to go in the car for a journey to the dump.
phil_cardiff said:
croyde said:
Talking of plastic monsters, ours is till in the sitting room being used as a laundry basket stand.
Still works but the sound is pants because one of the kids poured juice in it a few years back. Can't sell it, can't give it away and it's too big to go in the car for a journey to the dump.
If you live anywhere that has a 'nomadic' population then you can leave it outside your front door and it'll be gone within hours. Still works but the sound is pants because one of the kids poured juice in it a few years back. Can't sell it, can't give it away and it's too big to go in the car for a journey to the dump.
croyde said:
phil_cardiff said:
croyde said:
Talking of plastic monsters, ours is till in the sitting room being used as a laundry basket stand.
Still works but the sound is pants because one of the kids poured juice in it a few years back. Can't sell it, can't give it away and it's too big to go in the car for a journey to the dump.
If you live anywhere that has a 'nomadic' population then you can leave it outside your front door and it'll be gone within hours. Still works but the sound is pants because one of the kids poured juice in it a few years back. Can't sell it, can't give it away and it's too big to go in the car for a journey to the dump.
Had the 36" widescreen Sony until it went phut 
Replaced with a 42" Panasonic plasma full HD 3D freeview. Better picture , no issues and if I remember correctly less than £500 with 5 year warranty from John Lewis. I don't use 3D but I can tell the difference on Freeview between HD and SD
Replaced with a 42" Panasonic plasma full HD 3D freeview. Better picture , no issues and if I remember correctly less than £500 with 5 year warranty from John Lewis. I don't use 3D but I can tell the difference on Freeview between HD and SDI'm amazed at the number of people on here who seem to think Sky is the only source of HD broadcasts!
I've got a Panasonic plasma with a Freeview HD PVR recorder which gives us BBC1, ITV1, Channel 4 & BBC HD all in HD, and this typically accounts for around 80% of our viewing.
For the remainder, yes, if you're sat 15 inches from a 60" plasma screen or whatever laughable distance is generally recommended these days, then SD pictures will look st. If, on the other hand, you've got your TV at a normal distance for most people's lounges, then you'll barely notice the difference.
In terms of what represents value for money around your budget, I don't know if they're any good, but Costco currently have a Samsung 40" full HD LED TV with Bluray player for £429 including delivery & 5 year warranty which seems like a pretty low price if it's any good!
I've got a Panasonic plasma with a Freeview HD PVR recorder which gives us BBC1, ITV1, Channel 4 & BBC HD all in HD, and this typically accounts for around 80% of our viewing.
For the remainder, yes, if you're sat 15 inches from a 60" plasma screen or whatever laughable distance is generally recommended these days, then SD pictures will look s
t. If, on the other hand, you've got your TV at a normal distance for most people's lounges, then you'll barely notice the difference.In terms of what represents value for money around your budget, I don't know if they're any good, but Costco currently have a Samsung 40" full HD LED TV with Bluray player for £429 including delivery & 5 year warranty which seems like a pretty low price if it's any good!
gradeA said:
Have to admit, one of the things that's attracting me is the ability to play stuff from a USB stick. Any way of doing that with an older tv?
Am heading to Richer sounds this afternoon, armed with some stuff on USB to see how it looks.
Rather than spending £400 on a new telly, if you're happy with the picture and sound but want to play stuff off USB, why not change your DVD player to one with USB input? There are quite a lot available (not sure which ones are recommended), but a quick search on Amazon for DVD players with USB input turned up lots. This one is an example for £30.Am heading to Richer sounds this afternoon, armed with some stuff on USB to see how it looks.
I finally caved in and (literally) chucked out my British made JVC 32" CRT for one of those 40" Samsung 6000 series 3D smart tellies and bluray with discreet 2.1 speakers.
I went from free Sky SD to built in Freesat HD, and can stream films, which suits us perfectly. Once you've played around with the settings the picture and sound are great.
It cost less than that tv & video did 10 years ago. <£2 a week plus the licence fee, reasonable.
I went from free Sky SD to built in Freesat HD, and can stream films, which suits us perfectly. Once you've played around with the settings the picture and sound are great.
It cost less than that tv & video did 10 years ago. <£2 a week plus the licence fee, reasonable.
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