Televisions

[Bri w]

As with anything technical I buy I read all the reviews etc and in the end went for a Sony 40" Full 1080p HD. As Bibio says crap in crap out. After a few months of the basic Sky we got Sky HD. I watch lots of sport, and flicking between the HD channel and the 'normal' version will soon show the difference - get HD. Got the Sony Blu-ray thrown in with the deal coz I was buying two other smaller flat screens for t'other rooms - WOW! Blu-ray is fantastic, especially if you get a decent sound system to go with it.

Sister bought a big flat screen LCD after seeing mine but she bought cheap. You get what you pay for so, again as Bib says, "don't buy cheap as it will spoil your entertainment."

[maviczap]

Well I've got a Toshiba flat screen, I can't comment on if its better than the other suggestions, as this is my first flat screen.
However I've got a Toshiba HD/DVD player, and on that channel to playback from DVD's the picture isn't that great, poor I'd say

On the SKY HD channel the picture is flippin marvelous, smooth lines, great detail

I built my own PVR, and have got a HD Tv tuner card that picks up Freesat, its good, although it doesn't record reliably like my Sky+ box. I've got a 80cm sat dish with a quad LNB, with feeds for all my Sat recievers. I also installed a Blu Ray drive in this PVR, and that knocks my Upscaling DVD player into a cocked hat. The Tv tuner card has an HDMI output.

But thinking about buying a one of these, as my the hard drive on my Toshiba has given up the ghost.

Panasonic Blu Ray + Hard Drive with twin Freesat tuners

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003H9N7G...SIN=B003H9N7GU

Originally Posted by Bluepete

Panasonic Viera.

Every time.

Pete

+1
My mum has one of these honestly its like looking through a window even when you are a couple of feet away!

If you can get their Blu-Ray home cinema aswell, makes ordinary DVD's look amazing!

OK great, thanks for the replies folks.

Since I can't get freeview, and I hate multiple remote controls and clutter from separate boxes I'm going to go look at the Panasonic Viera Plasma and stuff the electricity bill. If we switch it off when not using it, we'll not use any more eleccy than we use now, and it's no worse than my wife leaving the house lit up like a xmas tree and the current media centre PC switched on for 24hours after playing a DVD or using iPlayer.

Question about the Viera...

Is is only compatible with 'FreeSat' services, or can it receive any free to air european channels assuming the dish is pointed in the right direction?

We are in a rented house, but when we buy if possible I'll get a Freeview aeriel installed on a high mast for UK TV, and use the sat reciever for French/Spanish channels.

[andrewsmith]

You can detune the box to pick up everything, I do pick up a lot of the european channels for free when I've done it

[maviczap]

Originally Posted by andrewsmith

You can detune the box to pick up everything, I do pick up a lot of the european channels for free when I've done it

Can you pick up Eurosport on on your detuned Freesat?

I can pick up the old analogue signal on my old analogue reciever, but not on my PVR's TV tuner card on digital signal?

Yep, my research on the web this morning seems to agree that Viera is the way to go. Going to Currys/PC World look at one of these today...

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/panason...60381-pdt.html

Leicester have display stock and stock ready to stick in the boot of the car there and then, so I might come home with a new TV

It's the 2010 model, but £550 cheaper than the 2011 equivalent VT30 model, and I'm not technophile enough to care about the difference, if it was the best TV last year, that's good enough for me.

[DarrenSV650S]

Don't know if you're interested but the input lag for the VT20 is 47ms. That ruled it out for me. As you say, because it's last years model it has the G13 panel rather than the G14. Don't know what difference that makes though

Just to add my bit. Back in the day Pioneer used to be a league ahead of everyone else, no one could compare to the quality and finish of their TVs. Granted you paid for it too but as they no longer make TVs I guess that was all irrelevant

These days the "Pioneers" are Samsung, their technology is by far the greatest, esp their LED tv's, if you want superior build quality with crap loads of features you'll probably never use, they're the people to go to.

Also another thing, which ever tv you find, buy from John Lewis. They're customer service is by far the best, no hassle at all if you ever need any support and also you have the added bonus of 5 years guarantee with them at no extra cost! They don't advertise it much but they price match anywhere online or in store on the condition that they have a shop/ warehouse open to the public anywhere in the UK.

Hope that has been ever so slightly enlightening