Buying a New TV

[MacB]

I've got a Samsung, it could even be that one. If I'd come to this thread a bit earlier, I'd have said go plasma because the blurring of LCD in action shots irritates the hell out of me, but..........

may I refer the learned gentleman to the closing line of my OP and just point out how badly he's let me down here

 

[Crackle]

may I refer the learned gentleman to the closing line of my OP and just point out how badly he's let me down here

Oh.

 

[The Jogger]

http://www.johnlewis.com/231560690/Product.aspx
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Looks a good telly Mac, would you recommend it

 

[MacB]

http://www.johnlewis.com/231560690/Product.aspx
/
Looks a good telly Mac, would you recommend it

I'll let you know after they install it, had to move the date back to 30/11...it'll certainly be different, never been bigger than about 30" before

 

[marinyork]

http://www.johnlewis.com/231560690/Product.aspx
/
Looks a good telly Mac, would you recommend it

A lot of people bought it at ours earlier this year.

Apart from the usual problems in tvs of app support it's all right (They seem to have been sorted with this specific tv). No 3D though.

As always look online for accessory compatibility e.g. keyboard, webcam.

 

[MacB]

No 3D though.
As always look online for accessory compatibility e.g. keyboard, webcam.

No 3D was something I deliberately looked for and the keyboard webcam stuff wasn't even considered...it's a tv man not some new fangled multi media portal

 

[vickster]

Samsung is as good as they come for that money - £499 at JL, but ask them to price match Crampton & Moore via the JL website

http://cramptonandmoore.co.uk/ue40es5500-copy-i624667.html

 

[marinyork]

No 3D was something I deliberately looked for and the keyboard webcam stuff wasn't even considered...it's a tv man not some new fangled multi media portal

Yes, I know. But tvs last a long time. There's nothing stopping you getting a keyboard, there are plenty available whichever model you had ordered, it's just you have to check compatibility. The two features you're most likely to use on this had problems with their apps on this tv, but they have been sorted as I said.

But if you're using the V+ through scart in standard definition mode I think you'll be in for a nice surprise . Even if you don't watch much tv, so much stuff is HD these days. Even BBC2 will be in HD at the end of next year (where available).

 

[MacB]

Yes, I know. But tvs last a long time. There's nothing stopping you getting a keyboard, there are plenty available whichever model you had ordered, it's just you have to check compatibility. The two features you're most likely to use on this had problems with their apps on this tv, but they have been sorted as I said.

But if you're using the V+ through scart in standard definition mode I think you'll be in for a nice surprise . Even if you don't watch much tv, so much stuff is HD these days. Even BBC2 will be in HD at the end of next year (where available).

Ta Hombre, they are also installing the new Virgin super V+ gizmo and their 'alleged' 100mb super hub on the same day. So our old TV, V+ box and DVD player, all via scart, are going in another room.

I think the new stuff all hooks up, or has the option to, via HDMI cables...have you got any recommends for which ones of these to buy?

 

[marinyork]

Ta Hombre, they are also installing the new Virgin super V+ gizmo and their 'alleged' 100mb super hub on the same day. So our old TV, V+ box and DVD player, all via scart, are going in another room.

I think the new stuff all hooks up, or has the option to, via HDMI cables...have you got any recommends for which ones of these to buy?

If you're getting a tivo box there's a virgin media manual knocking around somewhere but I'm not a believer in such things. It anyway has a picture similar to the following

Or if you can actually be bothered to go to the page itself here it is. The only thing that concerns you apart from the HDMI would really be the optical or scart. The ethernet doesn't work and the USB I suspect is still these days 'disabled' but you can plug a usb cable in it if you wanted to power/charge something etc.

As far as you are concerned HDMI cables are all the same (they aren't quite, but the differences rarely crop up - one occasionally comes across a device that doesn't like one and then one uses another one instead). If any of your DVD players have HDMI on I strongly recommend using that. Same XBOX 360 etc.

The superhub I would recommend tweaking settings and experimenting. Not all virgin media users find it very stable on the defaults.

 

[derrick]

We recently bought a Sony, but i wish i had bought a Samsung.

 

[gbb]

Flat screen HD tv's are for exactly that HD tv as most tv channels broadcast bandwidths of 576i or did so when broadcast on a panel of 1080p the tv has to fill in all the extra pixels thats why some HD tv's look awful on some programmes however feed it an HD source like blu-ray or Sky/Virgin or even freeview HD and you should get a cracking picture.When looking for a new tv here's my understanding of all the tv techs-

Plasma-
Pro's-Great motion handling
-Generally better contrast(blacks)
-Great viewing angles
-colour


Cons-
-Use more power
-Screen can be reflective in daylight
-Only come in big sizes 37"-65"

LCD-
Pro's-more screen size choice
-Brighter in the day
-lower power consumption

cons-Contrast(blacks)tend to look grey in the dark on lower end models
-Viewing angle can be poor
-Can be poor at fast motion handling sports/movies

LED-
Pro's-low power consumption
-really thin and light
-good colours

Cons-
Viewing angle can be poor
contrast(blacks)can look grey in the dark
can be poor when handling fast motion scenes sport/movies

This is what I understand to be the basic pro's and cons of each tv tech when looking for a new tv,however im no expert and don't judge a tv by how it looks in a show room as they pump up the brightness tend to feed it an HD source and those show room lights don't reflect general home lighting.

I know you're sorted now MacB, but i saw the Panasonic got mentioned a few times. I have a Panasonic 42 inch plasma with all the widgets (connect direct to the internet etc etc etc...which ive never used)...and as above, the picture quality is the best ive ever had, colours are rich, blacks are black, it deals brilliantly with fast motion, the picture doesnt suffer if you look at it from an angle....but it does suffer from reflections in the sunlight.
I also read (afterwards) that they have an alarming tendency to have the powerboard fail, leaving you with a dead TV, spare boards are expensive and difficult to get hold of.... i hope i dont regret buying it in the long term. I never leave mine in standby, just to hopefully prolong its life.

Awesome TV, just a shame its got a weakness apparently. That said, ive had it a few years now, maybe it didnt affect my specific model.

 

[Darren Jeffrey]

My past 4 tv's have been LG so can highly recommend. Currently have 50inch tele and love it.

My brother recently purchased a 60inch plasma. Sony I think. Beautiful

 

[MacB]

I'll get some bog standard Amazon HDMI cables then, can always send them back if all the kit comes with some...just don't want it to be here and I don't have the necessary.

Marin if I get stuck re the hub thingy I'll PM you, but I'll start with how the guy instals it. Theoretically I should get one of the kids to help, as they all know more than us parents, but apparently I've raised three end user consumer types...it's just a knack I reckon.

 

[MacB]

[QUOTE 2157806, member: 259"]Cheap ones! Amazon's own brand are fine. Expensve HDMI cables are a waste of money.[/quote]

darn, I thought that would be an easy one, went to amazon and got this list:-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=amazon+hdmi+cable

I assume you mean one of the Amazon Basics range but which one? I was thinking I'd get four of them as I'm sure they'll be handy to have around as spares. Especially as my big box of saved cables from the last 30 years doesn't include a single HDMI thingymabob.