LCD TVs - which one to buy?

[Maz]

I like this Café place – lots of helpful dudes around to answer queries (like my recent 'missing oil filler cap' saga - sorted).

Another non-bike related subject;
Our old TV went kaput a couple of months ago and we’ve been using a small portable as a temporary measure. I’ve now decided to get a flat screen LCD TV (budget £500 ish). Has anyone bought one recently and what did you buy? So many up and coming changes in this field that I feel completely lost w.r.t. which features to look out for (which line/pixel dimension to go for? Impact of Digital switchover? Built-in digi-receivers, HD-ready etc etc). It’s a minefield.

Any suggestions or recommendations?

Cheers
maz

 

[marinyork]

Well sony, panasonic and samsung are considered the best generally. Generally the sony lot are the most vocal, insulting and fanatic (probably misplaced). I've had a couple of LG monitors and so has a mate and always been very impressed by them for the money. Got a 26" Goodmans last year. If I was buying one todays I'd consider things like the dabs value dabs did a while back or other things. It's more difficult now as 1080 tvs are now very much in.

You really want a HD compatible tv that has as many resolutions and connections as possible but must have hdmi.

Most lcds will have a built in freeview receiver, don't worry about that in the least. More important is high def. After switchover it seems likely on current ofcom ramblings that there will be between 3 and 5 high def channels on freeview and that whatever equipment you buy now will not be able to pick it up but some kind of cheap box bought post 2012 will.

Ideally bigger is better and you want a 1080p (full HD) for reasons that will become illuminating over the next few years if your tv lasts half as long as you intend. Other than that, not much to say. Companies like samsung offer warranties that can be extended and need not be bought immediately.

 

[Dave5N]

I bought my last TV in John Lewis. They were extremely helpful, unpushy and patient.

And a fair bit cheaper than the (allegedly) 'discount' electrical place round the corner.

 

[Dave5N]

Well sony, panasonic and samsung are considered the best generally. Generally the sony lot are the most vocal, insulting and fanatic (probably misplaced).

I had a Sony DVD for about twice the price of the competitio, because I always had Sony everything. Damn thing was nothing but trouble and died about a day after the warranty expired.

Never again. It's just a fancy name and I wouldn't mind betting the innards are made in the same place as all the others anyway.

Like Ribbles and Condors.

 

[marinyork]

I don't own any Sony equipment. Sony CD and DVD drives were always notorious. Other people love the stuff though.

I think a lot of people needlessly worry because a lot of the scaremongering stories there have been about LCDs the last few years.

 

[simonali]

Go for Panasonic. The 15" one in my kitchen is superb, gets used for hours every day and is 4 years old. The make is always highly rated in the mags and are renowned for having the best sound quality. I wouldn't buy anything else!

 

[Maz]

That's great info. Marinyork...you seem to know to be a bit of a buff on the subject. nice one.

I will try Richer Sounds here in Leicester. Place is smallish but always jam-packed with punters carrying out big boxes. They must be doing something right.

Thanks.

 

[davidwalton]

Once you have decided on which, hunt for the best price on the Internet. You could save hundreds. See http://www.pricerunner.co.uk/cl/2/TVs?sort=5&a_13=LCD

 

[QuickDraw]

I got a Panasonic Viera 32" for £650 a few months ago. It'll probably be down around £500 in the sales. I'd recommend it.

 

[User482]

Having looked at various reviews, I came to the conclusion that any of the recognised brands are very similar on specification and performance. So just pick one that fits your budget, that you like the look of.

I settled on a 32" Toshiba.

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

I am clueless on this kind of thing. I was standing in Asda the other day looking at the TV's on display...they had four or five digital flat screen tellys all on the same channel, and a small analogue tv also on the same station. The Flat screens were expensive...in the hundreds...but the small telly was only £40 ish...the picture on all the falt screens was crap compared to the small cheap tv.

 

[domtyler]

Like any technology product, buying the latest available spec and you will be paying a premium for that. Get what was hot last month and you'll save packets on virtually identical product.

 

[domtyler]

I am clueless on this kind of thing. I was standing in Asda the other day looking at the TV's on display...they had four or five digital flat screen tellys all on the same channel, and a small analogue tv also on the same station. The Flat screens were expensive...in the hundreds...but the small telly was only £40 ish...the picture on all the falt screens was crap compared to the small cheap tv.

I think you need the high def thing to be able to match a standard picture on a CRT display.

 

[User482]

I am clueless on this kind of thing. I was standing in Asda the other day looking at the TV's on display...they had four or five digital flat screen tellys all on the same channel, and a small analogue tv also on the same station. The Flat screens were expensive...in the hundreds...but the small telly was only £40 ish...the picture on all the falt screens was crap compared to the small cheap tv.

That's probably because they were running several TVs off one aerial, which degrades the signal. That said, ASDA will be selling the cheaper unbranded stuff which may actually be complete rubbish

 

[Panter]

Another vote here for John lewis.

We actually bought ours from the Sony center in the end as they happened to have an ex-demo for a really good price with 5 Year warranty but in all the searching I did (and I did a lot) John Lewis seemed the best as they'd price match Dixons, currys etc and give you a free 5 Year warranty.

AV Forums has lots of great info but can be a bit tricky interpreting the tech talk to start with.
We plumped for the Sony purely because it had the best reviews from Which? for the screen size we wanted (36" plus)
IIRC the panasonics had the better image quality for smaller screen sizes.

Saying all that, I'm a huge fan of Richer sounds and you won't go wrong there, but when we looked they just didn't have the best deal at the time.

HTH