Ubiquitous Black Televisions

Totally agree.....Nothing more boring, not to mention unsightly, as the ubiquitous black framed widescreen TV these days it seems....Have never quite understood it, but to me nothing shouts more loudly than a black TV in the centre of a domestic room...Then again, sadly, it does seem a majority of people plan their living room around TVs....

Strangely, it seems to be something of a conservative European thing - I noted whilst living in Asia the complete Sony Bravia range is available in a variety of colours - one model I bought was available in 5 coloured frames locally but the same model in Europe only in black...

Fortunately, before Pioneer pulled the plug on their Kuro range earlier this year, they released a limited edition of the 500A in two special finishes...I fell over myself to get the white model A silly amount to pay for a TV, but yes, I was fully prepared to due to it's appearance...and of course due to the fact it's the best 50" out there, still ! I can't wait to get it sunk into the wall, where hopefully it should blend in and look the business.. I have a feeling this will be the last TV I ever buy - the next one will be a projector....

Steve.

It's a box to watch moving pictures, who cares?
I keep our room, low light so I don't really notice the TV (and it's only 37"), people put up with considerably more ugly speakers and TTs IMO.

Now if it were Hi-Fi some one would have ascertained that different materials for the box make a difference, CB, Olive or Reference for your TV?

quote:

Originally posted by BigH47:
It's a box to watch moving pictures, who cares?

Is that like the CD box just to whack a CD in and hear some music...?

[QUOTE]Originally posted by BigH47:
It's a box to watch moving pictures, who cares?
I keep our room, low light so I don't really notice the TV (and it's only 37"), people put up with considerably more ugly speakers and TTs IMO.

I care, and at least with speakers you have a greater choice of styles and finishes.
In answer to your question, I'll have a CB TV to match my Naim!

...I reckon you have a point ....as has been said there are models out there that break the mould of the usual black finishes (but they are far too expensive for most people)

...The main manufacturers obviously think that Mr and Mrs Joe Public won't buy something that look's too different ..so Panasonic, Sony, Samsung et al don't take the risk (in this country at least)

If you really want something different howzabout Phillip's Aurea range? they are far more expensive than the norm but aren't in B+O's price bracket. (the Aurea's entire surround glows with different coloured lights - you'll love it or hate it!)

Zimples ....... fashion. It'll all change sometime (again) maybe one day it'll be plastic wood (again)
Last season it was huge silver boxes, yuk, they all needed to screw to a matching silver stand, even yukier.
Meanwhile I like my all black Sony

I would give anything for a decent TV without speakers. Seems to be like rocking horse shit.

quote:

Originally posted by garyi:
I would give anything for a decent TV without speakers. Seems to be like rocking horse shit.

I've got a Samsung LED 8 series and the speakers are hidden away at the back somewhere so they don't add any extra size to the bezel. PS: The quality of said speakers is crap.

quote:

Originally posted by nap-ster:

quote:

Originally posted by garyi:
I would give anything for a decent TV without speakers. Seems to be like rocking horse shit.

I've got a Samsung LED 8 series and the speakers are hidden away at the back somewhere so they don't add any extra size to the bezel. PS: The quality of said speakers is crap.

Our Sharp has the speakers in the lower frame( a gray colour), therefore the TV has very small surround dimensions. They also sound pretty crap too.

I would like a Puce television - I've hunted high and low (as Aha once said)

It's always Piano black. I asked for Coal black and was sent on my way

quote:

Originally posted by Diccus62:
I asked for Coal black and was sent on my way

Ask for 'starless and bible black'. You may have to buy a new, definitive edition every decade or so, though.

Black is Black, I want my baby back

What next white, pink or glow in the dark Naim amps?

Careful what you wish for.

Is this SWMBO driven - other wise there are TV enclosures.

My neighbour has just spent over £2,000 on a 32" Loewe LCD with silver bits. This weekend we got a 37" Panasonic plasma for £495 and it's wonderful. Yes it's shiny black, but it's not worth £1500 to get the silver bits.

Nigel

quote:

Originally posted by garyi:
I would give anything for a decent TV without speakers. Seems to be like rocking horse shit.

Pioneer did a few high end "monitor" models without speakers (or a tuner) ....don't know if they've gone the way of their Kuro plasmas though ?

The main reason why these TVs are black apart from cost is that it helps the eye with seeing the contrast in the picture.

Naim users don't complain about Naim kit being black or should Naim offer other colours?

I was always lead to believe that a black TV is the best colour to have in regards to picture quality...as when the lights are low it's less obsructive, better contrast and so on...

Most of the TVs are the same just assembled by different manufacturers with a little bit of their own technology/tweak thrown in for good measure.
Naim CD players are black in particular because of something to do with laser scatter/eye pattern distortion or something or at least i'm sure thats what i read somewhere. Might of been here

I'm thinking of chopping in the family Wii for a new black one just to fall in line...shame they don't come with an optional illuminated green disc slot instead of a blue one. Naim could pull it back by using the Wii casing for their next all in one.

quote:

Originally posted by garyi:
I would give anything for a decent TV without speakers. Seems to be like rocking horse shit.

Many years ago, Sony came out with the "Profeel" range which IIRC had a separate monitor without said speakers or even tuner, which you could buy separately.

It was a really good move by Sony & I thought it would start a trend but unfortunately it was cripplingly expensive so never took off.

The best alternative to the TV surround is to have none and get a projector system!

Projectors are ok but they lack colour density in strong day light. The best screen I have ever sean is a Poineer KURO 60inch, so I bought one. That has a black surround and it's brilliant. Sound wise I use a Naim AV2 nac252 nap250 napv175 and 4 IMF TLS 80s11 with a Castle center. With picture and sound quality like that who cares what colour the surround is. For those of you that don't know the IMF speakers there an not that many speakers available today that beat them. You have to spend serious money to get close.

No display looks at its best in strong daylight, and I suggest perhaps you haven't watched a high-quality projector in action? Besides, when you've used one for a while there's no substitute - even a 60" display looks, well, titchy!

Thing is the noise for me, there would only be one place in my room directly above me head.

Would be interesting to see how this micro projectors evolve into the future.

The closet I have seen for no speakers are screens designed for advertising, and for what ever reason are 5 times more expensive than a TV.

quote:

Originally posted by Don Hooper:
With picture and sound quality like that who cares what colour the surround is..

I can see that I am in the minority, yet again, but I enjoyed reading your posts.
Now where is my nearest B&O retailer ? (I wish!)

Oh I remember the 60s with TVs in wood cabinets, you could get classical wood, or sort of a danish modern with the cloth grill for the speaker had gold thread and a logo pinned on it. Made to look like your furniture. And that fake wood plastic period.

Give me clean basic black rectangle any day.

Nap-ster I also have the Samsung, the speakers are ported down I believe and gives a vague all over sound which is quite difficult to hear but makes the frame thinner. I just listen thru my stereo, can't get better than that.

The media center has taken over where the fireplace used to be as a gathering place. I think this fascination with fireplaces archaic and not environmentally good.

quote:

The best screen I have ever sean is a Pioneer KURO 60inch, so I bought one.

Does anyone have a strong opinion on the Kuro tv's - they are no longer being made and I wondered how they now compare with the latest Panasonic plasma screens which besides being newer are nearly half the price? - I'm really talking about 50" models.

Anyone have a good link to advise on what 2010 has in store for us tv wise?

Peter

quote:

I think this fascination with fireplaces archaic and not environmentally good.

Burning wood is carbon neutral if it comes from properly managed forests. And media centres aren't the best focus for a conversation. Your post interested me as I strongly felt that there was something seriously wrong with calling fireplaces archaic even though they're clearly very old indeed. I wonder if perhaps something that people have been doing consistently for so many thousands of years isn't some way beyond the vagaries of fashion.