What TV to Buy

Main Street · January 18, 2012, 03:58:33 PM

Keep it simple, consider the best 42" Panasonic plasma you can get for around £400 and compare it to other similarly priced plasmas, then chose the Panasonic.

Ulick · January 18, 2012, 04:12:16 PM

Have to say I'm enjoying 3D on the telly I got before Christmas. Thought it was shite originally then I got a couple of quality rips off TPB and it's pretty good. Couldn't watch it for more then an hour and a half though. Really needs to be a made for 3D movie as well to make it worthwhile watching. The effects in this one are superb http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1365048/ - Kind of Crouching Tiger meets Avatar meeting Debbie Does Dallas.

ludermor · January 19, 2012, 09:12:51 AM

Sorry for asking a stupid question but with the phasing out of analogue TV how do the new TV pick up a signal? I wont have a sky box so does that mean i have to get a freeview box ( and then do i haev a get a dish?)

Ulick · January 19, 2012, 10:29:13 AM

Nah, all tellys have digital tuners build into them now. Just plug your aerial in as and it'll pick-up the Freeview channels.

Sandino · January 19, 2012, 10:47:21 AM

ASDA have a 40 inch samsung for £345, 1080 at the moment. Seems like agood deal.

ludermor · January 19, 2012, 10:51:37 AM

Cheers Ulick, i went into Maplins and the gimp working there was trying to sell me a super receiver/tuner set ...
Getting my head mangled looking for smart TV's and the like now!

Ulick · January 19, 2012, 11:55:26 AM

Maplins in grand if you know what you are after and need it in a hurry, otherwise I wouldn't bother as their stuff is usually overpriced (compared to web) and a lot of the time doesn't do what you'd expect it to do. For example I was in last year for something and they were selling a load of media players at what seemed a very low price. The boys at the counter were giving it the hard sale until I reeled off a number of fairly standard video formats and asked if it could handle them (it couldn't), if it could play HD (it could he said) so I asked what file system it used. After looking it up he said FAT32, which basically meant it wouldn't handle files over 4Gb i.e. pretty much any HD file over an hour long.

ludermor · January 19, 2012, 12:52:20 PM

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Toshiba-Regza-32DB833B-32-Full-HD-LED-TV-Freeview-Integrated-Blu-Ray-Player-/200695979008?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_Video_Televisions&hash=item2eba699c00

Looking at this TV , anything jump out not to buy it?

Main Street · January 19, 2012, 01:01:21 PM

On the inbuilt free view tuners
The Panasonic 42" plasma has the DVB-T2 free view tuner inbuilt, as distinct from the Samsung which has the cheaper, older DVB-T tuner.
I just thought I'd mention that

BennyCake · February 07, 2012, 04:21:30 PM

I'm looking at a wee TV for the spare room. Most have Freeview built-in.

Do I need a rooftop aerial for it, or should I be able to receive a quality picture without one?

Also, do all Freeview enabled TVs now pick up RTE, TG4 etc?

AQMP · February 07, 2012, 04:29:32 PM

Quote from: BennyCake on February 07, 2012, 04:21:30 PM
I'm looking at a wee TV for the spare room. Most have Freeview built-in.

Do I need a rooftop aerial for it, or should I be able to receive a quality picture without one?

Also, do all Freeview enabled TVs now pick up RTE, TG4 etc?

That thorny question is a whole other thread...

http://gaaboard.com/board/index.php?topic=18064.0

armaghniac · February 07, 2012, 04:52:15 PM

QuoteDo I need a rooftop aerial for it, or should I be able to receive a quality picture without one?

Depends where you are. Do you get analogue TV without an aerial?

QuoteAlso, do all Freeview enabled TVs now pick up RTE, TG4 etc?

It is not really all that thorny a question. Pretty much any Saorview approved TV will pick up Freeview. Any FreeView HD TV will almost certainly be fine for Saorview.

BennyCake · February 07, 2012, 04:56:29 PM

Quote from: armaghniac on February 07, 2012, 04:52:15 PM
QuoteDo I need a rooftop aerial for it, or should I be able to receive a quality picture without one?

Depends where you are. Do you get analogue TV without an aerial?

I do. It's watchable most of the time (with a indoor aerial).

armaghniac · February 07, 2012, 05:00:32 PM

QuoteI do. It's watchable most of the time (with a indoor aerial).

Then in October the digital signal should be fine. At present the power of the digital signal is reduced, but when the analogue is turned off they will turn it up full blast. They'll be doing tests on this during the middle of the night before then, if you fancy tuning your set about 4am.

STREET FIGHTER · March 07, 2012, 05:06:34 PM

Any bargains to be had @ the minute?

What's the most important criteria to look out for and what are the best brands?

Thinking between 46-50''.