LCD TV's

Growler · Post by **Growler** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 11:16 pm

Hey Guys,

I'm considering getting a 23" - 26" LCD TV. What features etc should I look out for?
I was looking at true HD not HD ready etc.
Your thoughts?

Growler.

Flyboy69 · Post by **Flyboy69** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 7:42 am

Wait for Skuzz to read this thread, he will have all the info for you, the useful and also the not so useful

Prometheus · Post by **Prometheus** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 8:18 am

haha !

Small size tv set - I personally don't think it's worth worrying about HD.

HD rocks on the big scale, with dvd's. Freeview is expected to be HD on some broadcasts (read: bugger all) and only via terrestrial - which means you need to use your aerial and not watch Freeview via the satellite. And this hasn't been released yet. But some broadcasters do not even physically have the equipment in the building yet to broadcast HD.

Waiting for Sky Digital to transmit HD ? Don't. The amount of data compression they'll need on the other channels to compensate for the extra bandwidth will make everything else look more appalling and blocky than it already does.

Big screen tv - Freeview and dvd's only. Normal sized tv (up to 32") Sky digital would be just fine.

Growler · Post by **Growler** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 8:30 am

Prometheus wrote:haha !

Small size tv set - I personally don't think it's worth worrying about HD.

HD rocks on the big scale, with dvd's. Freeview is expected to be HD on some broadcasts (read: bugger all) and only via terrestrial - which means you need to use your aerial and not watch Freeview via the satellite. And this hasn't been released yet. But some broadcasters do not even physically have the equipment in the building yet to broadcast HD.

Waiting for Sky Digital to transmit HD ? Don't. The amount of data compression they'll need on the other channels to compensate for the extra bandwidth will make everything else look more appalling and blocky than it already does.

Big screen tv - Freeview and dvd's only. Normal sized tv (up to 32") Sky digital would be just fine.

I supose I should have added that this is for the bedroom so it would only be for TV and DVD's etc. (For when I'm a lazy bastard and can't be arsed getting out of bed!)
I will be getting a bigger TV (Read: adding more to the house vibrating home theatre!) for the lounge but waiting on that one when freeview/HD/etc are more established.
I don't have sky mainly due to the fact that I'm never home much and when I am I'm usually in the garage or on the computor.
However I would like to future-proof the smaller TV once everything kicks off.

Growler.

Skuzzlebutt · Post by **Skuzzlebutt** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 9:23 am

Ahhh TV shopping...my other favourite hobby

To tell the truth you'd be hard pushed to find an LCD in the 23-26-inch range that ISN'T high def. They'll nearly all be 720P.

At that size I wouldn't bother trying to find anything with a 1080P resolution cos, if you can actually find any, they'll carry a price premium that isn't warranted ... cos you'll not be able to tell the difference between 1080 and 720 at that size.

Try and get one with an HDMI input in case you ever want to plug an HD source into it...like an Xbox360 or PS3 or even a high def tuner next year.

I've reviewed plenty of large LCD tellies over the years but very few small ones so don't have any model specific advice for you...however, I can tell you which brands I prefer. If I were buying an LCD TV, I'd get either a Samsung or a Sony. Avoid Philips like the plague.

Growler · Post by **Growler** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 10:35 am

So many questions...
Whats the difference between 720p and 720i?
What is meant by HD ready?
Why do some LCD TV's look crap when watching normal TV compared to your normal tube TV. (Things like text etc look blurry).

Growler.

BAZZIL · Post by **BAZZIL** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 10:53 am

the 'p' means 'progressive' and the 'i' means interlaced.

Interlaced means every odd horizontal line is drawn and then every even line is drawn (if you count the first line as starting from 1

) so effectively it draws half the picture one moment, and then the other half of the picture the next. TV was originally designed like this because they never used to be able to send all the data for one picture at once, so they broke it in half and made TV's draw half first, and then another half afterwards.

Progressive means it draws from start to finish in one go.

HD ready means u can play stuff in High Definition, but watch out for HD encryption stuff which you need HDCP for (I do believe) or something arather like that.

LCD's look crap in many cases because of the low quality of the incomming picture, normal TV's using kind of blur from one frame to the next (I forget how all that bit works) but it kind of fuzzys up the picture really so you can't notice how crap it really is

Bold · Post by **Bold** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 11:23 am

I believe some LCD tv's these days have built in Digital tuners, which 'may' be compatible with the Freeview terrestrial service coming next year. Ie you shouldn't need to buy a set top box to watch free view.

Skuzz, do you know if any of them will be compatible?

I think I'm going to have to buy a nice large LCD next year, once freview is all up and running.

Skuzzlebutt · Post by **Skuzzlebutt** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 11:28 am

Bold wrote:I believe some LCD tv's these days have built in Digital tuners, which 'may' be compatible with the Freeview terrestrial service coming next year. Ie you shouldn't need to buy a set top box to watch free view.

Skuzz, do you know if any of them will be compatible?

I think I'm going to have to buy a nice large LCD next year, once freview is all up and running.

I know for a fact that Loewe's Individual Compose range of LCD's have DVB-T tuners built in that will work with freeview. They also have DVB-S tuners that can be added in for $399.

I talked to the boss of Samsung about this and while their current sets don't have any form of DVB tuner, they will by next year. Same story for Sony.

pnpete · Post by **pnpete** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 12:32 pm

skuzz you said stay away from phillips like the plague

why is this??

i brought a 32" phillips LCD tv and its great i even use it as a monitor for the comp

Skuzzlebutt · Post by **Skuzzlebutt** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 1:09 pm

pnpete wrote:skuzz you said stay away from phillips like the plague

why is this??

i brought a 32" phillips LCD tv and its great i even use it as a monitor for the comp

I've done tons of side by side reviews of LCD and plasma TV's over the last 5-6 years and Philips has rated consistently bottom. They're simply poor in every regard compared to the competition.

Philips has really struggled with flat panels, they got left behind (as did Sony) when the likes of Panasonic, Pioneer, Samsung and LG started making LCD's and plasmas. Sony has pretty much caught up thanks to a partnership with Samsung but for some reason Philips hasn't...despite the fact they now work with LG to produce their panels.

Now, if you've never had the opportunity to test a bunch of LCD/plasma's side by side under identical circumstances (few will have) then you'd never know what you're missing. In which case...try and keep it that way! Buyers remorse is a terrible thing.

Growler · Post by **Growler** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 1:19 pm

Skuzzlebutt wrote:
pnpete wrote:skuzz you said stay away from phillips like the plague

why is this??

i brought a 32" phillips LCD tv and its great i even use it as a monitor for the comp
I've done tons of side by side reviews of LCD and plasma TV's over the last 5-6 years and Philips has rated consistently bottom. They're simply poor in every regard compared to the competition.

Philips has really struggled with flat panels, they got left behind (as did Sony) when the likes of Panasonic, Pioneer, Samsung and LG started making LCD's and plasmas. Sony has pretty much caught up thanks to a partnership with Samsung but for some reason Philips hasn't...despite the fact they now work with LG to produce their panels.

Now, if you've never had the opportunity to test a bunch of LCD/plasma's side by side under identical circumstances (few will have) then you'd never know what you're missing. In which case...try and keep it that way! Buyers remorse is a terrible thing.

So....in your opinion what would you recommend for a 23" - 26" LCD TV.
(I won't hold you to it...infact I might let you pass me in the next Megane round!!)

Growler.

Skuzzlebutt · Post by **Skuzzlebutt** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 1:37 pm

Growler wrote:
So....in your opinion what would you recommend for a 23" - 26" LCD TV.
(I won't hold you to it...infact I might let you pass me in the next Megane round!!)

Growler.

Ok sonny, you just earned yourself a patented Skuzzlebutt first corner punt

If was buying one today...I'd get this one.

Growler · Post by **Growler** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 2:18 pm

Skuzzlebutt wrote:Ok sonny, you just earned yourself a patented Skuzzlebutt first corner punt

Awww...not again!!!

Skuzzlebutt wrote:If was buying one today...I'd get this one.

OK...Cheers for that and thanks for all your help.
I may ask you again when I upgrade the TV in the lounge...

Growler.

Zeduck · Post by **Zeduck** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 3:43 pm

Have got that Samsung 26' LCD and would recommend that as well, very good TV

Ugmo · Post by **Ugmo** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 6:32 pm

In reply to the built in tuners: They arn't on the market in NZ as TVNZ have a contract with the set top box companys and some stupid crap that means stores that retail set top boxes cant hold the tv range with built in until 12 months after the Freeview has been on air. This is what we have been told at Noel Leeming/Bond and Bond anyway.

Prometheus · Post by **Prometheus** » Sat Sep 29, 2007 10:11 am

Yep. 12 months, then the floodgates will open and TV sets with built in Freeview will be available - mid 2008 onwards. That's also when terrestrial broadcasting begins (DVB-T) and when some HD transmissions begin.

Beijing Olympics will be in HD when available, but you won't be able to get HD via Freeview sat dish, only via a Freeview roof aerial.