Buying a new TV?
Ok, finally looking at buying a new TV? I suspect this subject has been raised before in here, but did a search and couldn't find anything.
Now, if price wasn't an object, I'd probably go for a Sonny Bravia, or something of similar quality.
But I also would like something around the 50' mark.
I understand that most broadcast content is not yet 1080p, but want to future proof (as much as you can with this sought of techically volitile technology), so thing 1080P would be the way to go. There's also the 600Hz models which proport to lessen the high speed issues.
Reading some websites like http://www.cnet.com.au/plasma-vs-lcd-which-is-right-for-you-240036500.htm, it would seem the advantages/disadvantages of contrast/fast motion and longevity are becomming less distinct.
It might be my ageing eyesight, but I watched a bravia and an LG next to each other in a large department store (both around 50") and couldn't decern that much difference quality wise, but the the proce differential was substantial.
I know LG doesn't have a good name in other products.
So, you experienced lot, what's your thoughts please?
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
HuggyB
Posts: 2515
Date Joined: 03/08/08
Plasma / LCD
is much of a muchness. Dont get an LCD with a refresh rate lower than 100Hz, but if you watch a lot of sport, plasma may just marginally sneak ahead.
Dont waste your money on anything less than 1080p, technology is moving forwards, not backwards - if you are going to spend a bit of coin and get a 50" screen, then I would try and future-proof your purchase as best as possible.
I'd personally not buy anything other than Samsung, Sony, Panasonic or Pioneer/Kuro (very expensive) for a good TV. I wouldn't touch Lucky Goldstar with a 10' barge pole - they are rubbish.
The Terrorist - coming to a fishing spot near you.........
roberta
Posts: 2773
Date Joined: 08/07/08
Dreamweaver we can't justify a new HD TV as our flat screen
is only 5yrs old a wedding present, so we are buying a hd set top box, but the other thing to consider and I'm not technical but the buzz is blueray, its supposed to outshine the HD's, but I'mnot technicial, head some bloke on the tv sprouting about this blueray. I've got quite a few LG products (mobile phone for 5yrs) and haven't had any problems with them our flat screen is a NEC. Don't forget we had to put a new arial up for the TV and the bloke said you have to have digtial cabling for hd, so we have that, don't know if he was pulling our leg or not but had to trust his advise. All that technical stuff Colin I don't understand, can you decode for me please ha ha
Ginger Tablets Rock
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
LOL Roberta
Just becoming acquainted with Blue Ray myself, but thought that was more about DVD format and the respective DVD player. Not sure if there are considerations when purchasing a TV in respect of blueray.
As for digital reception, I BELIEVE (and I may be wrong), you want top quality coaxial cable and digital TV compliant airial (ie a good one). Can't shed more than that I'm afraid.
Huggy and a couple of the other gurus in here may assista there.
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
roberta
Posts: 2773
Date Joined: 08/07/08
Yes dreamweaver, that was the word I was looking for
coaxial cable & digitial tv compliant, which he put in with the new arial, as we didn't know, so thats one good thing if and when we get our new HD tv, yes blue ray I think is for dvd player
Ginger Tablets Rock
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Cheers Huggy...?
Yes, just been reading up on vertical alaising in regards to 1080p.
"I wouldn't touch Lucky Goldstar with a 10' barge pole - they are rubbish"
Certainly, that's been my experience with other LG goods Huggy, but do you have any specific info on their TVs, or is it a case of not touching them because of their general reputaton?
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
HuggyB
Posts: 2515
Date Joined: 03/08/08
My mate owns an electrical goods store
and thats from the horses mouth. So bad he won't even sell them anymore - there is always a reason why they are cheaper than pretty much everything else with a brand name. The rate of returns is quite high, much higher than any other brand.
If you wanna watch bluray, then you pretty much have to have a 1080p TV, thats what the format is based on. Otherwise the player scales it down to 720 (lower resolution) and you way as well not bother and stick with DVD's.
To really take full advantage of the HD aspect, you should run all your components (DVD, bluray etc) through HDMI cables - what I believe the guy was referring to as "digital cabling" roberta. The aerial cable doesn't need to be "digital" so to speak.
The Terrorist - coming to a fishing spot near you.........
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Thanks for the honesty Huggy...yup....returns?
Ok, clear on where you are coming from re LG.
Yup agree, 1080p for blue ray and HDMI interface (cabling) I'm across.
As for the antenae, let me make that clear - I'm talking about antenae (signal) gain to make HD (especially 1080p (yes, higher resolution) worthwhile. As for the coaxial cable - same deal - there's different qualities out there that can make a difference (and hence the benefit of HD receivers).
Huggy, what were the returns over? Any details?
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
HuggyB
Posts: 2515
Date Joined: 03/08/08
generally
faulty electronics and panels.
The Terrorist - coming to a fishing spot near you.........
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
OK
Thanks again Huggy
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
zen
Posts: 102
Date Joined: 01/03/08
warranty
best advice i can give is buy the extended warranty...on all makes
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Cheers Zen - agreed!
With you there matey for sure - worth spending a few extra bucks for the extended warranty for sure.
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
biggerfish
Posts: 669
Date Joined: 02/03/09
lg all good
I bought a 60inch lg plasma two years ago and havent had any troubles with . My brother bought a sony 40 inch for twice the price and he has had it fixed half a dozen times. From other pople I know that have them they have had no troubles either. I guess its like buying any electrical products one faulty soldering job or a dicky wire and the whole thing stops. I alwys get the extended warranty with any electrical product i buy worth the extra $1oo
Play hard fish harder
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Cheers Biggerfish
Good to hear a different perspective, as you say, all products are open to fault and models, features and good and bad points are chaning all the time. That's what makes it difficult.
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
biggerfish
Posts: 669
Date Joined: 02/03/09
always newer models
After I bought mine the price came right down technology is always changing today its plasma tomorrow its virtual reality when will it ever stop gone of my parents days when their tv lasted 20 years. My brother in laws parents still have their first tv they ever bought one of the first colour tvs. I dont watch the footy there very often
Play hard fish harder
davey
Posts: 272
Date Joined: 17/05/07
tv
I brought my tcl lcd 2 years ago simply because it was the only one in the shop !!!
very happy with it tho,it has hi def hdmi inputs etc etc
i recall watching something on tv a while ago about there only being two factorys in the world that make plasma screens to sell to the various companys to add their orher cases and components,
I guess its all in the eyes of the beholder but i recon you would need bloody good eyes to see the difference between,the different formats.
most of it is just marketing bull..
just my ten bobs worth
cheers
kaney68
Posts: 401
Date Joined: 29/07/08
I've had a Panasonic Plasma
I've had a Panasonic Plasma 50" HD for about 18 months and love it..
Couldn't justify spending the extra grand for full HD tho....
Had my cousin come over and install a new external antenna the other week and while he was at, replaced the cabling from the antenna outlet to the tv...
Huge difference using satellite coax (higer quality and shielding) instead of the el cheapo Dick Smith coax antenna cables !
The plasma's will give a more true to life colouration and will be easier on the eyes, where as the lcd's will be more heavily saturated and skin tends to look like plastesine..
The only downside I see with a plasma is the heat generated from the panel !!
lighterthief
Posts: 167
Date Joined: 10/11/06
http://www.dtvforum.info/lofi
http://www.dtvforum.info/lofiversion/index.php/f6.html <--- more information than youll ever want to know
some bream i caught..http://s620.photobucket.com/home/lightertheif/allalbums
MASA - Marine Aquarium Societies Australia http://www.masa.asn.au/masa/index.html
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Yup lighterthief - Thanks!
I've recently become a member of that forum and have read a lot of good info (amongst the argumentative waffle LOL).
Thanks for that!
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
Colin Hay
Posts: 10407
Date Joined: 23/10/07
Colin, I have had an LG plasma for a few years and I have no
complaints at all buddy.
One tip I was told was that be careful if you are making choices on a flatscreen TV at an electrical store as quite often they will fit the cheaper TV with crap cables and the more expensive one with their best cables. If you were to switch the cables there possibly wouldn't be that much difference in view quality.
Moderator. Proud member of the Fishwrecked "Old Farts". Make sure your subscribed to Fishwrecked Reeltime http://fishwrecked-reeltime.com/
kaney68
Posts: 401
Date Joined: 29/07/08
yep seen that before... 2
yep seen that before...
2 flat screens, 1 dvd player...... 1 running hdmi cables, the other had cheap rca cables..
no guessing which screen looked the best !
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Cheers Col
Yeah mate - was across that - made sure all TVs were connected the same.
:)
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Thanks Guys!....A Question
Sorry for the delay in replying - a busy week followed by 3 days of sickness - I picked up the TV (and Blu Ray DVD Player) on Thursday and I'm sure everone at work thinks I chucked a sicky on Friday. Truth is, I wasn't well enough to even look at setting it up until yesterday arvo - but see if I can convince my bosses and work mates that! :(
Anyway! I ended up purchasing a Samsung 50" Plasma (the one with a the glass all the way across) and am very happy with it, an entry level Blu Ray DVD player, a hi end smart board to protect and insure against electricity surges, a few cables and extended warranties.
It took me a little while to work out the connectivity and I wondered why there was only analogue and digital (optic) audio outputs and no video outputs. But research into HD Set Top Boxes - Digital vs Analgue and Low Definition DVD recorders (LD DVDRs) vs Digital signals vs use of Set Top Boxes for LD DVDRs answered that.
I connected with the highest possible componentry.
Digital Coax - Antenae to Smart Board to LD DVDR to TV
Optic Audio - TV to NAD AV Receiver.
HDMI - Blu Ray to TV via HDMI input 1 (it's HDMI, not HDMI/DVI)
Component - LD DVDR to TV.
Composite - AV receiver to TV - for AV menu display (NAD only facilitates composite or S Video but won't send menu info via Optic, HDMI or Component - still; it's only again for menu navigtaion.
It's all been something of a learning curve. One think I have found (and it makes sense), there is video (colour) incompatablity linking the LD DVDR (analogue) to the (digital) TV. But I did this to only display the LD DVDR's navigation screens.
I can still record content from analogue TV channels onto the LD DVDR's (160 GB) hard drive, then bounce that out onto DVD-R disks and play it though the Blu Ray - accepting it's SD, all else is fine.
Pleased to say reception of the Digital Channels, inluding the HD ones are very good! Pity they are not (yet) 1080i/p.
HUGGY and others experienced with DTV, a question - can you put a HD set top box between the coax and the LD DVD recorder to receive didgital content - or is it (as I suspect) bot worth it, because the LD DVD recorder won't record in HD?
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
UncutTriggerInWA
Posts: 2692
Date Joined: 05/09/08
Panasonic and swear by it.
I didn't see your original post Colin as I have been busy also. Congrats on your buy and I hope you get great enjoyment out of it. Blue Ray is also a winner for you.
I bought a Panasonic Viera and we have been wrapped in it. Can't afford Blue Ray yet so I use a digital TV receiver in my PC to do all the recording. That works for me albeit it's a bit arduous making DVDs to play on the TV. Gives me something to do though
Vince.
Work smart and fish often.
Member and die-hard supporter of the mighty West Coast Eagles.
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Cheers Vince
I bought the blu ray so that any DVDs we buy in future can be blu ray. I believe that Blu Ray players also upscale std definition DVDs, though I suspect not to the extent of a blu ray disks. Of course, the other option I could have opted for was an upscaler.
Sounds like you've done well also mate.
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
UncutTriggerInWA
Posts: 2692
Date Joined: 05/09/08
Blue Ray
I am no expert at these things. I have a friend who does know a fair bit and he recons the Blue Ray stuff leaves TIVO looking extermely lame and redundant. I will definately go Blue Ray when the time is right.
Do you guys in the bush get anything other than ABC and GWN??? LOL
Vince.
Work smart and fish often.
Member and die-hard supporter of the mighty West Coast Eagles.
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
LOL VINCE - Us "Bushees" ;-p
Do you guys in the bush get anything other than ABC and GWN??? LOL
Yes mate, we get all the ABC and SBS digital channels - including the HD ones.
I rarely watch GWN or WIN
:)
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
Pete D
Posts: 1681
Date Joined: 07/06/07
Dreamy - Media Centre!
Save up for a independant PC for the system next - load up Windows Media centre (like, but better then off the shelf Tivo)
You'll have;
TV guide on screen - select to record programs (in HD too), then play in HD. Record multiple shows at once.
Live TV buffered to drive, so you can rewind/pause etc.
Play DVD's/blue ray (ie install a blue ray drive in computer).
Store music, play lists, pictures, home videos.
Put DVDs onto system (yes you'll need a few TB drives).
Store downloaded movies etc
Just another toy to have, but a bloody good one to complete the home theatre package! Have fun.
I've got a Themaltake DH101 case for my system.
Cheers Pete
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Cheers Pete.... ??
Good idea mate! Will consider that down the track.
Could I upgrade my existing PC and run cabling in (would be about 8m)?
TB Drives Pete?
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
UncutTriggerInWA
Posts: 2692
Date Joined: 05/09/08
It's about networking everything together Colin
The Media Centre is a dedicated PC that communicates with everything (including the internet) via a network. It's a nice to have if you are hooked on that sort of stuff and can afford the Scream Savers support costs. Right now I have enough trouble keeping my Missus virus free after her lengthy Facebook gaming sessions.
The older I get the more simple I like to keep things.. *Sigh*
Vince.
Work smart and fish often.
Member and die-hard supporter of the mighty West Coast Eagles.
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Vince...
Well, I think it'll be a LONG time before we add any more components - otherwise I think Sandra would adopt a life threatening disposition LOL.
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
jersey
Posts: 393
Date Joined: 12/06/08
I'm Forever
Gobsmacked by the wealth of knowledge the members of this wonderful service offer,
jersey
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Nice one Jersey
I won't be conceipted enough to include my posts in there LOL
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
Pete D
Posts: 1681
Date Joined: 07/06/07
TB Drive
TB = 1000GB drive
As Vince said, dedicated computer; you can network the Media centre to your main computer. I process home videos, music etc on my main PC and then transfer to the media centre.
Your research begins;
http://www.xpmediacentre.com.au/community/vista-media-center-software/index3.html
http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/default.aspx?GroupID=17
Cheers Pete
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Thanks Pete!
Cheers for the links - they'll come in handy when I make that move mate!
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
Bodie
Posts: 3758
Date Joined: 05/11/07
dont always needs a media
dont always needs a media centre, some DVD players offer the same facilities, and Dreamweaver, i would be supprised if your blueray does not.
Shoudl have internet access, (Wireless capabilities) from your box, and should be able to browse the net, and possibly connect to your existing 160gb hdd in the blue ray.
There are also mesdia centre stand along boxes available as well (a pc not required).
This would be my suggestion to anyone who isnt reasonably skilled using computers or networking.
On another note, i run 2 panasonic Viera plasmas, 1 42" and 1 50". upgrade to a 60-65inch is on its way.
Leanring the menus on your tv is one of the most important aspects to using a tv properly, ie: changing resolution between TV, and blueray, or DVD.
for anyone who is going to buy a new TV, the most expensive part is the cables (Dreamweaver you probably found this out) always barter the crap outa the salesmen on the cabling as their market is sometimes 300 percent.
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Cheers Bodie
Yes mate you are right on BOTH counts - as you say - making sure the resultion is set compatible between the units is very important, including nowing the attributes and menu navigation (done).
As for cables - BLOODY oath - VERY expensive - just one (audio) optic, two HDMIs and a couple of components cost me an arm and a leg.
My brother apparently has a site in the USA that sells them for a fraction of the price (he told me AFTER I bought mine) and the delivery from order lead time is apparently pretty good - so I'll be looking at that if I need further cables.
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!