Good online shop for a TV? Also, goo reviews source - SV650.org

northwind · 18-02-06, 08:17 PM

i'm looking for a 32" or 28" traditional-styles widescreen TV- none of your overpriced LCD rubbish or HD ready for me, I'm tight... Found some good contenders in the £300-£450 range in Comet and Currys, just wondered if anyone's got any recommendations for an online source. Also, if there's a good source for reviews etc, that'd be handy...

18-02-06, 08:23 PM

I bought a Sony traditional* widescreen with digital built in about 6 months ago and couldnt beat comet on price when free delivery added in etc. About £350. Other place I ahve used us quality electrical direct.

*tv's go in room corners, right

northwind · 18-02-06, 08:35 PM

Yeah, Comet look pretty good. Plus, i wouldn't need to muck about with delivery, I can just send my dad to pick it up

18-02-06, 08:37 PM

For a bit more, £490, you could get this:

DabsValue 30" Widescreen LCD TV

Also has a DVI input so you can use a PC with it too.

18-02-06, 08:39 PM

I think it was cheaper online than in store. And make sure you dont get scrwed over for a stand (of you need one). I really dodnt want to belive comet would be cheapest

northwind · 18-02-06, 08:45 PM

Out of my range Valman... But thanks.

Comet seem to be giving away a freeview box with the website deal, but the inconvenience of home delivery puts me off a bit. Plus, I want one NOW!

18-02-06, 08:51 PM

Mines not there. But you wouldnt go wrong with one of these
http://www.comet.co.uk/comet/html/cache/453_252018.html
TBH the inbuilt digital with my Sony is crapper and less easy to use when drunk than my el cheapo argos digi box on my portable.

18-02-06, 09:12 PM

http://www.empiredirect.co.uk/ Recenlty got plenty of recommendations in the discount & bargains newsgroup when the same question was asked.

I was looking earlier - as I don't have a TV

19-02-06, 10:18 AM

what about tesco, i haven't looked but they are quite good with free delivery, amazon are usually worth a look too

19-02-06, 12:20 PM

CRT televisions are inherently techincally 'better' than LCD or Plasma but their size and appearance is what has pushed them out of the market.

However, it has also meant that fewer are being made and they're starting to be made more than ever to a cost, as they are the minority of television manufacturer's sales.

Don't get anything from a brand you've never heard of or one that's only available in one store - it'll be something cheap and nasty from the back end of Korea with a lifespan of a year or two... It may be cheap in the first instance but if it on;y lasts half as long as something a bit more expensive, is that more expensive in the long run!?

Don't bother with loads of bells & whistles - they get in the way of a good picture and it means there's more to go wrong!

Panasonic still make some of the best screens on the market, Philips needlessly over-(re)invent things, which means they'll go wrong quickly, Sony make good screens but they're over priced for what you get now... The picture isn't up with the Panasonic nowadays and the body of the television tends to be badly finished - I also can't get on with the high-pitch whistle they emit when turned on! JVC are part of the Panasonic (Matsu****a) group and also make some good sets but they tend to be lesser spec and quality than the Panny for not a lot less cash!
Toshiba tend to have overly-rich Reds and the sound is generally a bit thin. Thomson are very cheaply built (French based!) and I've never been impressed with their screens. Haven't seen the latest crop of Samsung screens but they tend to be overpriced too.

Currys have a great deal on a Panasonic 28" pure flat 100Hz TV - £319 in store and £299 online with free delivery. You even get a half price deal on a digital television tuner!

One last tip...

When you get any new screen, go straight to the setup menu and turn off all the digital picture 'enhancements' - they make the picture worse, then turn the contrast down, the colour down and adjust the brightness to suit (Panasonics tend to need it turning down!), turn the starpness control down as far as possible - off is best but the picture will probably fall apart at anything less than 10% or so. Television sets are shipped from the factory with bonkers settings so that they can be plonked out on display in a big shed (Comet/Currys) with loads of bright lighting and look OK. Your living room is nothing like a Comet showroom, so these settings need tempering! Doing so will improve definition and give images detail - you'll lose the 'lego hair' and see strands of hair and so on... It will also greatly increase the life of your television!

Diatribe over - Hope it helped!!!

18-02-06, 08:17 PM	#1
northwind Moderator Mega Poster Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: In the garage where I belong Posts: 17,083	Good online shop for a TV? Also, goo reviews source i'm looking for a 32" or 28" traditional-styles widescreen TV- none of your overpriced LCD rubbish or HD ready for me, I'm tight... Found some good contenders in the £300-£450 range in Comet and Currys, just wondered if anyone's got any recommendations for an online source. Also, if there's a good source for reviews etc, that'd be handy... __________________ "We are the angry mob, we read the papers every day We like what we like, we hate what we hate But we're oh so easily swayed"

18-02-06, 08:35 PM	#3
northwind Moderator Mega Poster Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: In the garage where I belong Posts: 17,083	Yeah, Comet look pretty good. Plus, i wouldn't need to muck about with delivery, I can just send my dad to pick it up __________________ "We are the angry mob, we read the papers every day We like what we like, we hate what we hate But we're oh so easily swayed"

18-02-06, 08:45 PM	#6
northwind Moderator Mega Poster Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: In the garage where I belong Posts: 17,083	Out of my range Valman... But thanks. Comet seem to be giving away a freeview box with the website deal, but the inconvenience of home delivery puts me off a bit. Plus, I want one NOW! __________________ "We are the angry mob, we read the papers every day We like what we like, we hate what we hate But we're oh so easily swayed"

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18-02-06, 08:23 PM	#2
Anonymous Guest Posts: n/a	I bought a Sony traditional* widescreen with digital built in about 6 months ago and couldnt beat comet on price when free delivery added in etc. About £350. Other place I ahve used us quality electrical direct. *tv's go in room corners, right

18-02-06, 08:37 PM	#4
Valman Guest Posts: n/a	For a bit more, £490, you could get this: DabsValue 30" Widescreen LCD TV Also has a DVI input so you can use a PC with it too.

18-02-06, 08:39 PM	#5
Anonymous Guest Posts: n/a	I think it was cheaper online than in store. And make sure you dont get scrwed over for a stand (of you need one). I really dodnt want to belive comet would be cheapest

18-02-06, 08:51 PM	#7
Anonymous Guest Posts: n/a	Mines not there. But you wouldnt go wrong with one of these http://www.comet.co.uk/comet/html/cache/453_252018.html TBH the inbuilt digital with my Sony is crapper and less easy to use when drunk than my el cheapo argos digi box on my portable.

18-02-06, 09:12 PM	#8
kinesin Guest Posts: n/a	http://www.empiredirect.co.uk/ Recenlty got plenty of recommendations in the discount & bargains newsgroup when the same question was asked. I was looking earlier - as I don't have a TV

19-02-06, 10:18 AM	#9
jenni Guest Posts: n/a	what about tesco, i haven't looked but they are quite good with free delivery, amazon are usually worth a look too

19-02-06, 12:20 PM	#10
coombest Guest Posts: n/a	CRT televisions are inherently techincally 'better' than LCD or Plasma but their size and appearance is what has pushed them out of the market. However, it has also meant that fewer are being made and they're starting to be made more than ever to a cost, as they are the minority of television manufacturer's sales. Don't get anything from a brand you've never heard of or one that's only available in one store - it'll be something cheap and nasty from the back end of Korea with a lifespan of a year or two... It may be cheap in the first instance but if it on;y lasts half as long as something a bit more expensive, is that more expensive in the long run!? Don't bother with loads of bells & whistles - they get in the way of a good picture and it means there's more to go wrong! Panasonic still make some of the best screens on the market, Philips needlessly over-(re)invent things, which means they'll go wrong quickly, Sony make good screens but they're over priced for what you get now... The picture isn't up with the Panasonic nowadays and the body of the television tends to be badly finished - I also can't get on with the high-pitch whistle they emit when turned on! JVC are part of the Panasonic (Matsu**a) group and also make some good sets but they tend to be lesser spec and quality than the Panny for not a lot less cash! Toshiba tend to have overly-rich Reds and the sound is generally a bit thin. Thomson are very cheaply built (French based!) and I've never been impressed with their screens. Haven't seen the latest crop of Samsung screens but they tend to be overpriced too. Currys have a great deal on a Panasonic 28" pure flat 100Hz TV - £319 in store and £299 online with free delivery. You even get a half price deal on a digital television tuner! One last tip... When you get any new screen, go straight to the setup menu and turn off** all the digital picture 'enhancements' - they make the picture worse, then turn the contrast down, the colour down and adjust the brightness to suit (Panasonics tend to need it turning down!), turn the starpness control down as far as possible - off is best but the picture will probably fall apart at anything less than 10% or so. Television sets are shipped from the factory with bonkers settings so that they can be plonked out on display in a big shed (Comet/Currys) with loads of bright lighting and look OK. Your living room is nothing like a Comet showroom, so these settings need tempering! Doing so will improve definition and give images detail - you'll lose the 'lego hair' and see strands of hair and so on... It will also greatly increase the life of your television! Diatribe over - Hope it helped!!!