Wide Screen Telly Purchase

dougal

Looking to buy a widescreen telly and wondering what I should look out for.
Going to be using it for DVD viewing and Sky Digital.
Don't need surround sound.
My budget would go to approx €2000.

So any advice appreciated.
Anyone know of any good deals out there?

Calibos

Not exactly helping but.........buy a projector and a 8 ft screen for the €2000 to watch your dvd's and sky digital on!!:D Course you will defo want the surround sound then, so that blows your budget I suppose:rolleyes:

TheDuke

unless virtual surround does the trick... Musgrave has a Philips 32" 100Hrz on sale (promotion) for approx. €1200 - so if you know a retailer give em a shout and see if they can help (i.e. it's for trade only).

I just got it and am very impressed - the picture qualitiy (using my Sony DVD) is amazing (took some time to get right though -watched Blade II last night... wow) - having some config probs with the sound as both the Sony DVD and the Philips support virtual surround and together it just lacks a little (or maybe I am just spoilt by my PC's sub woofer:))

The Duke : ))

Calibos

dougal,

Seriously, you could keep your current tv for daytime viewing or when the curtains are open but when the curtains are closed you could be watching on an 8 ft screen. For that €2000 you could get a Panasonic AE100 projector and a pulldown screen and still have a few hundred to spare to buy a small sound system and speakers or a few handfulls of dvd's!! See Here

Now obviously not all people want or can accomodate a projector but it amazes me that people are paying thousands for tv's when the can have the real home-cinema experience for the same price. I don't think people realise how much the cost of Projectors has come down in the last few years. Imagine watching the premiership at home with a few beers and a few mates on an 8ft screen. Or if you're not a sports fan, watching you or the missus' fav shows or movies. It can be yours for less than €2000!!!

TheDuke

that looks very impressive.

However, how about the refresh rate though as well as the resolution only being 800x600. That would mean that the pictures should be blurry at times expecially during fast movement?

On another note, I've come to the conclsion that Dolby virtual surround is quite lame (when using the TVs speakers anyway) so my next step is going to be to purchase a home movie system to get the right tickle from DTS/Dolby 5.1.

The Duke : ))

dougal

Calibos, Sexy System you got going there.
The only problem I have with projection is that you really need a the right room shape.
IE you can't stick the screen in a corner it needs a flat wall.
It just wouldn't look right in my living room imho.
I already have a home cinema sound system so it is just the picture I am looking for.

byte

I would personally go for a Sony 32FX series TV like the one below:



They're a great TV and good sound as far as TV sound goes. The only drawback is if you've a dodgy signal, the 100Hz feature can make the picture look very pixelly.

Thumper Long

the sony kv32fx66 is finished end of line you might get a display model for a nice price €1400. its being replaced by a kv32fq70 to retail at €1899, but they have repositioned the price of the kv32fq80 to €1999 to fill the gap while waiting for the fq70. the kv32fq80 has won tv of the year, it also has the sony memory stick slot to allow you run mpeg's and jpeg's on the tv screen. it comes with virtual dolby, 100hz digital +, drc picture stabilisation etc................................

beautiful tv

for 2 grand its well woth the money

byte

Yes, indeed, Thumper Long is quite right. Here's the 32FQ80:



And indeed, here are the specs from Sony Ireland site:

76cm visible FD Trinitron WEGA screen (32" tube)
Improved Digital Reality Creation - Multi Function featuring Digital Noise Reduction Plus and Dynamic Picture Stabilizer
Virtual Dolby + BBE
Remote operates multibrand VCR and DVD
Dynamic Picture and Picture (2 tuners)
Dynamic Picture and Text (2 tuners)
Digital Comb Filter
NICAM Stereo sound
Auto tuning / Auto start up / one button tuning
Auto labelling / Auto sorting
Smart / Zoom / 4:3 / Wide / 14:9 mode
Fastext + 2000 page memory
4 x SCART (RGB on SCART 1 and 2)
1 x side AV input
1 x side S Video
Sleep Timer
Auto standby
Open stand supplied

As you can see, it has Picture In Picture (PIP), and impressive 4 Scart sockets, 2 of which are RGB. Can never have enough Scart sockets!

dougal

Forgive my ignorance but what is the difference between a regular scart and one with RGB?

TheDuke

I only learnt this last night so someone else may be able to give you a preciser asnwer.

You can set your DVD (not too sure if this applies to all but mine does) to output in VHS, S VHS and RGB.

RGB is (to my understanding) the purest signal (Red, Green, Blue are the colors of the cathode ray tube) and will give the best picture. However, you need to make sure that if the DVD output is set to RGB that the SCAT can take that signal. On my TV only two of the three support RGB.

I have a question about Virtual Dolby Surround though. My TV (only bought it Wednessday) comes with this but does not have a digital Coax at the back of it (i.e. for me to connect it to the digital out from the DVD). This would make me prosume that it is not virutal surround as explained on the Dolby site but something like stereo with echo (that's what it sounds like anyway) - when I read it I thought that it should give me Virutal Dolby Surround mimiking to Dolby Surround 5.1). Any ideas any one.

The Duke : ))

Kali

A regular scart would just take a composite signal (i.e. one wire that contains the video signal)... its probably the most common video signal.

Mid-range TVs would usually have a Scart socket that would accept both composite and S-Video (two wires for video, one for ground sometimes), big improvement over composite video, especially in the blacks, and noticeable on most TVs.

Higher-end units would have RGB capable inputs (three wires each shielded and carrying each colour), its pretty much the best video quality, but you need a large screen to notice the difference over S-video in the majority of cases.

Thumper Long

the virtual surround found on tv's is a mutation of nicam stereo. it uses different speakers set to different volumes at different angles to create a pseudo surround sound. the best you could hope for is a surround sound effect using prologic II, but for that you need a multi channel decoder. hope that sheds some light on the virtual ss mystery........................

dmeehan

virtual surround or dolby prologic carries everything it meeds in the stereo left and right channels, therefore you dont need and optical input, only a L+R input or a scart input

TheDuke

thanks for the explaination - but just to be sure, the quality I get from the my TV (Philips 32" 100Hrz vDolbySurr) is quite dissapointing, and I prosume that is ok cause it just aint that great anyway (correct?).

So if I am that fussy about the sound I'd really need a Home Cinema System to support Dolby 5.1 - true?
Any advice here - I've looked a systems ranging from €250 - €400 and I can't affort either . The telly room is big and retangular with a wooden floor (i.e. no carpet).

The Duke : ))

dmeehan

TheDuke, what are you watching on your tv?
analog tv - may not be the best reception to start off with

dvd - make sure the sound output is the correct setting for your tv. eg. make sure its not set at digital output/Dolby 5.1 and change it to either stereo or dolby pro logic/virtual surround sound etc.

TheDuke

Hi dmeehan... TV is another sore point as I now realise how crap my reception is... but I don't really want to go there for now until the "3 vids at €5 for 3 nights" Blockbuster offer stops . Although I will be looking for advise on this.

Thanks for the advice but I've tried it all - I am not saying it's bad, but it's just not hitting the spot for me.

The Duke : ))

PAPILLION

The philips 32pw6506 is quite nice at a lesser price its only 50Hz though.

the equivalent panasonics are quite nice too the TX32.. feck cant remember the code. but they imho have a softer picture.

although if you are a sport watcher, you might want to go for something with advanced 100Hz, as i expect some1 has stated already (at work. no time to read all sorry). you get a better clarity and sense of depth. god for the ol footy.

demac

I subscribe to What Hi-Fi and Home Cinema Choice magazines. In each issue they have a buyers guide and they're favourite telly is a 32" Toshiba.

It's worth checking out these publications as they know their telly's.

Greenman

Bought a Philips 28PW5407 for 499 E's, Very good picture 2 scarts. I'm very happy running it through my hifi .
I give it the thumbs up.

Guy:Incognito

Just in case anyone's interested, some of the Sony Centres are stocking refurbished 32" tv's( I saysome because they are franchised and some dont have the same offers) They have the KV32FX66 at €1199. Try the Sony Centre on O'Connell Str as they have them in stock. Also, the FQ70 is Released and is available from the Sony Centre.

Ro

Originally posted by Calibos
Now obviously not all people want or can accomodate a projector but it amazes me that people are paying thousands for tv's when the can have the real home-cinema experience for the same price.

I have to agree with that - I've got a Sony VPL-HS1 and it's much better than a TV. I recently got a nice new Pioneer DVD player with progressive scan and there's no more jerky images. As soon as I've a bit of spare cash I'll probably upgrade the projector to the new Sony VPL-HS10: http://www.shootandshow.com/sony-vpl-hs10.htm

BTW I think you'd be better off going with the Panasonic AE300 rather than the AE100 at this stage.

http://www.shootandshow.co.uk/pana-pt-ae300.htm

robbie1876

True, for the ultimate Home Cinema experience you can't beat a projected image. The main drawback of a projector though, is that you can't watch it during daylight hours, unless you can completely black out the room. Also, unless your walls are pure black or pure white, the colours on the screen will be affected by the colour of your walls / ceiling.

For day to day TV use and the odd DVD, you just can't beat a 32" CRT TV. It is a shame that there is so little choice in this country though. Most people can't see past Sony or Philips. The best TVs on the market are by Loewe . A Loewe Aventos 32" (€1500 approx) that has been properly calibrated will knock the socks off any projector system at €2000.

To do projection properly, you have to be prepared to spend money not just on the projector, but equally important is the screen, high quality video cables, a suitable scaler and a good set of blackout blinds.

DapperGent

Originally posted by greenman
Bought a Philips 28PW5407 for 499 E's, Very good picture 2 scarts. I'm very happy running it through my hifi .
I give it the thumbs up.

Snap I got the same last week.

Nice piece of kit.

Michael Collins

I recently had a chance to get a Panasonic 32PG50 Widescreen 32" Flatscreen for €499...but I turned it down! Tell me I'm not a fool!

Bought a Philips 28PW5407 for 499 E's, Very good picture 2 scarts. I'm very happy running it through my hifi .

Sounds pretty good, where did you get it from?

Cheers

patch

Originally posted by Michael Collins
I recently had a chance to get a Panasonic 32PG50 Widescreen 32" Flatscreen for €499...but I turned it down! Tell me I'm not a fool!



Sounds pretty good, where did you get it from?

Cheers

You WERE a fool when you turned it down. ww)

byte

Originally posted by Michael Collins
I recently had a chance to get a Panasonic 32PG50 Widescreen 32" Flatscreen for €499...but I turned it down! Tell me I'm not a fool!

Yes, you were a fool! That was a fantastic price for a Panny!

Michael Collins

Thanks guys, keep it comin...