New TV or wait

Sony has gone out of favour on this side of the Atlantic ... I'd go for a 50+ inch Samsung Plasma.

LED isn't there yet, LCD isn't either but getting closer.

And the prices ! 5 years ago our crappy 720p 46" plasma cost me $2,500 !!

Measure up some cardboard to the required dimensions. Stick in the desired location. See whether you can live with it. Good advice my dealer gave me, as was the advice that you should always go one size above the size you think you need. I spent two years or more looking at 42" inch plasma. Settled on a 50". Thought it a tight squeeze at first. A year and a half down the line I have no regrets at all.

I'd also say that, on balance, I'd go with Somy. Samsung has a ripe spell as did LG. The quality of both is incredibly variable. Sony are remarkably consistent on TVs. If you want to do detailed research you will end up with one of the others and it will be great. On the other hand you're starting with Loewe so I'm guessing you're not into research They're okay but a bit overpriced given the quality.

WRT Sony in Canada. My former boss had a huge pile of trouble with Sony, he bought an expensive Sony plasma which stopped working one week in. He had to fight with Sony Canada for three months to get it replaced. Warranty or not !

I'm still trying to persuade SWMBO to let me buy her a new TV for the living room, and have been looking at 40" 3D capable sets in the the local Currys (on the grounds that she will insist on seeing the set before purchase). I apologise if this is a high-jacking of this thread, and will move it to a new one if others think I ought to.

I am in the same sort of position as Shoot, and wonder whether to continue with this or wait for a while.

One of the things that intrigue me is that the newer Samsung sets have their HDMI connection at the edge, and seem to need adapters for SCART, Component etc. However, the HDMI connecters (to me) seem to be deliberately placed so that the HDMI leads will be visible from the front of the set - a definite negative point. Also, do you really need special HDMI cables for the 3D? After all, I already have several redundant good quality 1m HDMI leads (>£30 each) in my "bits" box.

The other thing that intrigues/bothers me is that apparently the special glasses are (according to the shop assistant) specific to each company's players. i.e. Sony glasses only work with Sony bluray players, Samsung with Samsung etc etc. Is that true?

I've moved my query to a new thread in the Home Theatre section, so don't reply here.

quote:

Originally posted by shoot6x7:
And the prices ! 5 years ago our crappy 720p 46" plasma cost me $2,500 !!

Ha! Was reminded just yesterday what my Fujitsu Plasma cost back in 2003 - £5,500!! Probably wouldn't get £300 for it now.

But I have no plans to replace it. It still gives an excellent picture both SD and HD (720p and 1080i) and while contrast and black levels have improved, it still has slightly better blacks than most LCDs, and Fujitsu haven't yet been beaten on realistic skin tone. The real difference though is in build quality. The Japanese-built Fuj looks and feels like it's built to last for many, many years with very little plastic used anywhere at all. Compare that to the Samsung LCD I recently bought, which is basically all plastic. I wonder which will live the longest.

ah.....the endless march of technology.

I currently run a Samsung 40", my Dad a Panasonic 37" and my brother-in-law a Sony 42". Allegedly the panasonic came out best in the reviews but, in isolation each works realy well especially on HD/Blu-Ray (we all run Sky HD and Sony Players!)

One piece of advice that worked well for me when choosing screen size is to take the distance from your sofa/armchair to the screen in feet and multiply by four to give in inches the optimum size of screen. E.g I sit 10 feet from the TV so have a 40 inch screen. Contrary to popular folklore there is such a thing as too big

Finally replaced my 10 year old 720p panel. Panasonic 42" Plasma with ( ...now all stop laughing) a Philips 47" LCD HD.

The Panny as I recall cost me 4,000 quid 10 years ago and was built like a brick whatsit. Took two big blokes to lift it onto its large wall mount. I recall staying up all night the first night cause I thought it might fall down.

After various discounts including a green energy refund the Philips was 700 Euros. It works fine an the picturecolor balance is excellent No complaints however it is all plastic and so lightweight I could almost lift it onto its rather flimsy looking wall bracket all by myself.Ah well we will see if as Richard puts it it lives as long.

I was watching a Magnavox 21" up to 2.5 years ago with speakers twice the height. Lawrence of Arabia was abut 18" wide letter boxed. Bought a 48" Samsung 8000 LCD and Bluray player thanks to Ford stock going from $2 to $12. I just couldn't buy a plasma for energy ratings alone, great image tho. It's still wonderful and imagine by the time is starts going south there will be even more fabulous things available. I thought one of my pixels was out for a week then discovered it was a bit of styrofoam when I wiped it down with a cloth.

I don't listen to the TV speakers, it's all ported thru my stereo and SHL5 speakers, sounds incredible.

Bought the Sony KDL40-HX403 and set it up at the weekend. I was a bit apprehensive that the picture would not be much of an improvement on the Loewe, but we are extremely pleased, it is a substantial improvement with a larger screen. TV has nice style, wife very pleased as well, not a bad start to the year.

quote:

Originally posted by MW:
Bought the Sony KDL40-HX403 and set it up at the weekend. I was a bit apprehensive that the picture would not be much of an improvement on the Loewe, but we are extremely pleased, it is a substantial improvement with a larger screen. TV has nice style, wife very pleased as well, not a bad start to the year.

Good move IMHO. I have always bought Sony TV's and they have always been fabulous. Bought my son, the 32 inch version of your set at the weekend for his bedroom and it is absolutely superb.

Have just last weekend taken my old 18" Sony Trinitron to "The Dump". It was 20 odd years old but still worked OK but was taking up space in the spare room and never really used. It was obviously non digital and didn't have facility to add a digital box.

My (new) main telly about six years old now. Is a Sony 32" Flat screen, I paid about £800 I now see that its current replacement is available for about £350 - £400.

I too have been looking at the alternatives that are now available, Sony 40" tellys look quite inviting, I have always had Sony's (3 in 25 years) I have always found them to have stylish looks, and they have never let me down.

Maybe I will wait another couple of years given the fact that technology is improving and costs falling all the time.

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Hughes:
On the other hand you're starting with Loewe so I'm guessing you're not into research They're okay but a bit overpriced given the quality.

You can get an Aconda for about £50...

After much prevaricating, I dumped my fancy CRT last year and went for a 50" Viera Plasma, a Blu-Ray, a Sky Plus HD subscription and a Lovefilm account. Wonderful picture quality. Have never looked back. Wish I'd done it a lot sooner. You are missing a colossal amount. Not sure there's enough 3D to make it worthwhile (unless you are into footie). And I've seen Avatar 3D Imax so .. what else 3D is there?!

Happy with CRT until I see if OLED does it for me. Was HD invented in an attempt to get LCD to look as good? In 15 years the BBC/NHK Super HD - four times as good as HD - will be here, just a shame there will probably be very little quality programming.

Cheers,
OW