Time for a new TV

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RogerP

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We've decided it's time to get a new slightly bigger TV than our current Sony Bravia 26 inch and researched around the web.
I can get a Sony 37 inch at an attractive price (cheaper than this linked example). Not interested in 3D and even though this model has the facility I don't believe we'll use it.

Any comments, suggestions or a better buy?
 
I havent bought many, but the last was a Bravia from Richer Sounds. I like the fact that

1. They will tell you if there are better products available for similar prices, not just if you spend twice as much you could have the top of the range one.
2. Extended warranty is a fair price. We got an ex demo IIRC, so I paid £50 for a 5 year warranty, just in case it had been playing solidly for weeks in the shop and shortened its life.
3. They are competitively priced, and will price match.
4. I cant remember what we paid for it. I remember it was a good price though, because we got the last one (probably why I had the shop one), and my mate struggled to get the same one for £100 more elsewhere.

I dont know enough about the different features and models. Ours does loads. Aparently. Or should I say, ours can do loads, but only gets used for the things that the most basic TV would be able to do. We get a good picture and that is what matters.
 
I am an LG fan too - also JVC but my pal, a 60 year old lifelong television engineer says that Sony can't be beaten for quality.

Richard
 
Up until a year or three ago, and for quite a few years I installed custom home cinema systems, including TV's. Personally I would never buy a TV without looking at the picture it produces with the medium you will mostly be using.

Most TV's will have a great picture with a Bluray or DVD fed into it, (as they mostly are while on display), but not be so good with a TV signal, i.e. free-view, free-sat, sky etc. which is probably what most of watch most of the time.
Lesser tv's generally fall down with motion blur (watch a footie match) , a lack of fine detail, inaccurate skin tones, and lack of contrast.

Go to your local TV superstore and, if possible, sit or stand at the distance you will be sat from your TV with your head at the approx height you will be viewing from, grab the remote and have a flick through the channels. some are better than others. you may look like a bit of a muppet but at least you'll find out if you can live with the picture before you part with your hard earned.
If you like the picture add it to your list, if you dont - move on. That and your budget will soon narrow it down to a few.

For Picture quality and reliability Panasonic and Sony would be top of my list, Samsung, Toshiba and maybe LG next.

Another thing to be wary of, don't assume that an xyz37 will be the same picture quality as an xyz42, very often they're not, one may be fab and the other only so so!
So...in short - Watch the exact model TV before you buy it.
hth
 
Very good advice from Nev.
I had to plug our Sky box HDMI cable directly into the TV recently as the amp decided to start taking audio from the HDMI rather than the optical digital cable it had been using (meaning no Dolby Digital). The result - a picture that's much worse with obvious colour banding. Obviously the amp had been doing some magic.
 
Hi Roger,

We bought a Panasonic P50GT30 last year and we are very pleased with it. It won the WhatHiFi TV of the year award in November. We had thought that we were going to go for a Sony again, but the Panny beat it hands down.

It has 3D, but we weren't looking for that. The most important thing for us was to have a quality 2D picture and the Panny has exceeded our expectations.

We ended up with a 50" TV due to the distance we sit away from the screen. I measured the distance and then we stood the same distance away in the store and immediately realised that we needed a larger TV.

Have a look at the forum and reviews on the WhatHiFi site.

Thanks,
Neil
 
I know a few people who have had problems with LG sets.
Samsung seem okay.
For me, it's Panasonic plasmas all the way.. No question.

Si
 
Yes it does seem a toss-up between Panasonic a Sony for the top spot. Looking through reviews some say one some say the other.

50" would be far to big for our room. I just want something decent that will do 1080p (the current 26" only does 1080i), is a little larger and will connect to my wifi. My Virgin service has numerous HD channels and I'd like to best use them. Not interested in 3D.
 
you will find if you ever open up the back of a TV that it will have parts from all manufacturers Sony,sanyo to name just two and others inside
regardless of what name is on the front ....most manufacturers pick the best bits from there rivals and put in there TVs so as they dont have to invent the wheel again

i have had Sony ...Panasonic and now on a 37inch LG and must say cant fault it its now 4 years old and i must not tempt fate but it has performed faultlessly

go with what you like :D
 
Roger

You could also take a look at the Which? reviews before you part with your cash. Don't forget to post WIP's of the new cabinet you will be making to sit it on!!!!!
 
I must admit I haven't read them for a while, but when I read of products I knew I disagreed with many of their comments and conclusions. I don't think this was just me trying to defend my own purchases to myself, but errors and inaccuracies on their part. I can't remember any examples now though.
 
We've just bought a similar Panasonic 50" plasma as Neils. It is 3d and have watched a couple of 3d blu-ray films which give amazing results but it seemed easier to buy 3d technology than not.
I bought from Richer sounds and collected from the Newcasle branch rather than the web but got the same price which was by far the cheapest anywhere.

We also had a Toshiba LED now 5 years old without problems and given to my daughter whilst I've nicked the old main tv for my "den" - a Samsung 40" LED again 5 years -no probs (touch wood).

The difference in picture quality when watching sport or fast moving action is significant with the plasma winning hands down.

Bob
 
cambournepete":2vicacjh said:
Charlie Woody":2vicacjh said:
You could also take a look at the Which? reviews...
personally I don't put much faith in Which reviews of techy or AV things.
I'm afraid that's my view also. Being very much into things photographic (40 years of buying and selling) and having seen a few of their camera reviews I realised they really didn't have much of a clue about the subject. Consequentially I find it difficult to trust them on other stuff of a technical nature.
 
Webby":1x7kk6al said:
you will find if you ever open up the back of a TV that it will have parts from all manufacturers Sony,sanyo to name just two and others inside
regardless of what name is on the front ....most manufacturers pick the best bits from there rivals and put in there TVs so as they dont have to invent the wheel again
i have had Sony ...Panasonic and now on a 37inch LG and must say cant fault it its now 4 years old and i must not tempt fate but it has performed faultlessly
go with what you like :D
Yes, the Japanese companies do seem to do a lot of this swapping of technology between themselves. A very prominent example is Nikon dSLR cameras using almost exclusively Sony sensors.
 
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