A potentially expensive mistake - LCD television

May I just but in here for a mo?...
My sister recently bought a samsung LCD HD TV, and yes, the image is crap without a very good quality signal, ideally HD..

On another note, if I were to ever own a "TV" again, since I havent now for a number of years, owing to me not wanting to pay for the rivers of sh*te that flow out of most production companies at the moment, I would be going for a Projector, since there is no other way of getting such a sense of occasion in the home. Granted, a darkened room is required, but when you consider the total cost of a screen and projector can be less that of a "puny" 50" plasma, it seems no contest to me.

 

The main issue I have with projectors is the wind tunnel noise behind you, in a closed environment this is beyond distracting for me (Baring in mind I don't have cinema volumes going on!)

In my opinion its not the LCD at fault. As I said DVDs through the iBook is fantastic. The trouble is SKY et all is broadcast at a crap signal/bandwidth and this has been sufficently hid by CRT, where as LCD is brutally revealing.

Also FWIW my step dad has a Pioneer 42 inch plasma and there is visible artifacts on that too, it just present the distortion of sky in a different way to LCD.

I would not go back to CRT now, just because I want some of my living space for me and not a tube. Face it guys this is old technology, and I do not see it surviving in a niche like record decks.

 

Garyi, I recently had a demonstration of a Sony hl-60(?) projector with a 7 foot screen. It was set up with a very expensive HD DVD thingy and a Mission elegante speaker system. Now, taking into account that the sony was silent (I never heard it even with the volume down) and the cost of it and the screen, I wonder why so mant more people do not even consider the option of a projector. Later, it was connected to an XBOX 360, and using it's HD output to play Project Gotham racing simply left me breathless!! the image quality was absolutly stunning, I simply cannot put into words what an immersive experience it was for the price (I am referring to the projector and screen here)....

this is the old version...

http://www.projectorpoint.co.uk/projectors/Sony_VPL-HS50.html

 

julian, the price appears to be nearer £450, with prc offering at £430
eta i think is may
prc

more hdtv crts later in the year, eg philips

 

hmmm, think i'll wait - it seems like the samsung just upsamples everything to 1080i it will accept a 720p signal but won;t display it at the correct resolution, well from what i can decipher from the av forums mud slinging match.

 

That they're unwatchable in daylight is a big disadvantage, the large lump of plastic hanging off the ceiling is another, the cost of bulbs and they're worth a fraction of the original value if you want to sell.

I changed to a Plasma and find it much better for daily use.

 

Nail on the head - and I presume you also have to have the lights off (or very low) to use a projector - fine in a dedicated cinema room but in a regular family lounge hardly practical whereas a plasma is fine in this respect.

Matt.

 

I can see what you are saying with regards to LCD - in fact quite recently I asked the infamous Uncle Eric about LCDs and his opinion (as a professional installer) was that they are fine for the bedroom or kitchen but still not yet good enough for a serious home cinema set up.

However, where I do take issue with what you say is on the plasma front. My Panny standard def W7 looks fantastic when fed a progressive signal via component input even from an £80 Toshiba DVD player. It also dishes up very decent pictures from my Humax 9200 freeview box. Okay if you sit a couple of feet from it, it doesn't look as good but you don't buy a 42" screen to sit a couple of feet from it.

Another trap you seem to have fallen into is this DVI is superior idea - again I know from Eric that he always tries out component against DVI and says it's not unusual for component to look better - obviously this depends upon the equipment involved.

Matt.

 

ok, a sweeping statement, made by someone who'd forked out £900 and is still waiting for the refund.
friend of mine has a 37" panny plasma, and dvd's via component play fine.

 

Robert - lcd is sadly going to be a big compromise until you get a decent hidef feed.

I have a acer 32 inch and it pushes my friends 42 inch phillips ambi light close. But the cost of the panel is approx 30% scaler so you do get what you pay for. the other alternative is to get a separate scaler but these are BIG money compared to your LCD Tv.

I am happy with the compromise as it cleared the space off my floor.

If flat panel is a requirement but not hi-def look to plasma (pioneer or toshiba) for the next few years. If LCD is prefered for PC connection then samsung, sharp and phillips are the best I have seen. Fujitsu aint bad either. Sony Bravias - avoid.

And SED - Well ... I am not holding my breath please dont hold yours as blue isnt a good colour for you

 

have now - 28" panny, about 9 years old?

nice to have - 32" CRT, that fits where my 28" is now (slimfit from samsung scores highly here), and gives me a larger, better picture than i have now with freeview and dvd's from my pioneer 737 (which has rgb via scart or component)

and all for low £

dont want much, do i?

 

Did you remember how much was your 28'' TV back then? If it was a flat widescreen TV I suspect that cost more then an average 32'' LCD TVs now.

 

i remember well, £700. the tosh 32wlt66 on pricerunner is just short of £900

 

Wow, that was cheaper then I expected. The Sony 28'' CRT widescreen that we had probably as old as your Panny costed £1200 then. It finally broke end of last year. The engineer said it was too old and the required parts to repair are no longer available other then trying to find then among secandhand workshops. That was the only reason we got a new TV. However, decided to get a Panasonic LCD this time. After a few months on I still think it is an improvement to our previous screen.