New telly

Hello,

I am in the market for a telly, DVD and Sky+ (HDTV version) and know nowt.

Could buy the mags, but know from prvious experience that the best advice is free (and on here).

Have two top notch stereos which will keep me going for a year or two. Surround sound and sub woofters don't impress, so I'm just interested in the visual side of HDTV.

I'd go for a £2K budget, and a 32" front-end (36"max). Anyone got some suggestions (execpt if your name ends in Hunt) please?

Cheers

John

 

I suggest that if you want the widest/best advice on AV, then go to avforums and avtalk.

audio replay from av material is intended to be 5.1, and this is what you get on dvd and much Sky material. So dont be too hasty about poo-poo'ing surrouf sound and sub woofers. the centre chabnnel in particular is important with this material. stereo, even with a phantom centre, just doesn't do it.

note that, like the stereo hobby, you can buy integrated or seperates. if you want to jump in cheaply you can, but then upgraditis might kick in.

 

I've just realised that I left my sig. on, and that this shows my av set-up. I should explain that its a big aged, and is not entry level, but some was bought s/h, so it depends on the split in your £2k budget. That said, it sounds good - and with Sky+ pq is good too.

The most expensive thing will be your TV. 32inch is big enough for all bit the largest of rooms. I've not looked at HDTV, so others can do this (or as I suggested, you ask about that specifically on a TV forum on avtalk/avforums) - but I can't see you getting away with less than £1k for that alone.

dvd players can be had very cheaply. if you get a recordable, obviously costing a bit more, then you can back-up from the sky+ box on to dvds. you will get stereo/coax/analogue out from any dvd player - which you should be able to feed into your stereo int./pre amp. There is also a digital out. this carries the signal that can be split by an av dac/processor, typically in an int. av amp, which also has onboard amps for each of the channels.

as indicated, I would suggest the following quality/priority list:

basic is stereo (using a dvd player and your existing amp)
then stereo with phantom centre (using an av amp to process digital out) until ..
.. buy a centre speaker (which should be 'similar' in tone to the stereo speakers0
.. surround speakers can be low quality - there are just there for effect
... sub-woofer does the .1 and it matters, and makes a difference. get one with onboard amp.

hth
centre channel is important

 

shack

glad to see i made an impression.

who are you?

john

 

I just purchased a Sony KV-36HQ100 TV (CRT), for £699, brand new sealed box. This was a £2k TV when it was first introduced, it was Sony's top of the line 100Hz screen, it's a 36", but they also did a 32" in this model.

Absolutely stunning!

They did not have anymore of these TV's when I last checked but check out their ebay store for other bargains.

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Entertainment-Xclusive

 

Really surprised you don't remember me;

After questioning my parentage, making insinuations regarding the size of my manhood and calling me, on this very forum, Schlack(sp?) Boy, you must be quite callous and probably make a habit of hurtful remarks.

It has taken me almost a year to get over the last tirade. Can I request that we do not have any further interaction here or anywhere else for that matter?

Cheers

John

 

Ditton (and used to have a pair of Wharfdales of the same name BTW, many thanks for the advice).

Also, thanks for the advice Literningear. Good link!!

On the visual side of AV, I really can't get that excited - not like proper HIFI when I was in to it. Really just want value for money, and the best buy at the moment.

Cheers

John

 

Hi,

Okay, if you want to get into all this HDTV Malarkey, you need an HDTV capable TV. These still cost a lot and no Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) Models seem applicable.

I shopped for a new AV setup last year in may.

I ended up buying a Sony 44" CRT based (and thus standard definition) rear projection set, current going rate for that is aroun £ 800. I used to have a 32" Sony CRT previously, I do appreciate the extra screen size even in a modest size room.

I found that affordable Plasma Sets had a brighter picture, but invariably unnatural colours and various picture artefacts from the digital processing. The affordable LCD Stuff I saw had really poor contrast, the DLP rear projection sets had problems of their own (rainbowing on movement) so I stuck to standard definition CRT.

Instead of paying Rupert Murdock I selected freeview and build a rather excellent Windows Media Center PC, based on a silverstone LC-11M Case, which operates as DVD Player, dual tuner "Tivo/Sky-Plus" recorder with well over 100 Hours recording time in highest quality and PC Audio Juke Box etc....

Ciao T

 

Cheers,

Think I'll go for a LCD player for the slimness and looks. My old dear just bought hersel a Samsung 27" LCD and the picture comes close to my exisitng 28" Tosh 100hz CRT.

However, having seen the LG demo of HDTV in Dixons (and if you haven't yet, you should) HDTV is the differnec between Tape and CD.

So, I'm thinking Samsung LCD, but have not a clue regarding the DVD or if there is an alternative to sky+HDTV box? Or has SKY got a long, long, patent on the decoding technology?

John

 

FWIW, my not so old 32" CRT went kaput and I was quoted £400 for the Tube plus labour. Anyway, while searching for a replacement I discovered that John Lewis are the only company (that I know of) that offer 5 years warranty on all TVs including LCD and Plasma. Even taking their higher price into account I think that makes them very competitive.

 

Hi,

No doubt, but not much programming exists yet. I would not worry about HDTV for at least another 3 Years, before you will see more HD broadcasts than SD.

There is a wide range of DVD Players, make sure you have a true RGB Output in a format the LCD TV Can interface with. There is no extant HD on DVD, so DVD is going to be Standard Definition only.

The BBC is going to start to broadcast HDTV soon as well, my current Media Center PC is ready for it, even if my TV is not....

Ciao T

 

Cheers Dev,

Think I didn't get the point over too well.

It's about HDTV. I currently have an adequate 28" 100hz ws Tosh telly, tosh 210 DVD and sky box. These have served me very well over the last 5 years or so, but HDTV is stunning and I need to understand more before I invest.

If you ever go in to a Currys or Dixons (god forbid) have a look at the LG display. HDTV is so diffreret and it is starting to be broadcast by SKY already. If they can do the same with broadcast audio, then wow!!

John

 

Hi,

There are no current regular HDTV broadcasts by Sky. Some programing will start in summer this year, but expect the majority of programming to remain SD (Standard Definition) for a good while to come.

More here:

http://www.hdbeat.com/2006/02/01/sky-hd-update/

http://www.unbeatable.co.uk/news/Sky-Add-Discovery-Channel-To-HD-Line-UP/281244.html

Ciao T

 

Really,

Sky is misrepresenting itself then.

Have a look at channel 593. What's that all about?

Blumming Murdoch.

Can we sue??

John

 

John,

I'm in a similar position eagerly awaiting the first broadcasts and looking at developments (at least there is progress - unlike bloody hifi!).

From my research, it seems sensible to wait if possible. Firstly, the UK display market is at least a year behind it's Japanese and US equivalents, and we are likely to see screens with proper resolutions sometime next year.

In the US, there are already 1080P displays from Sony and JVC, the DILA/SXRD technology used resulting in slim sets that are likely to drop in price considerably as pressure is put on them by decreasing costs of hidef LCD and Plasma panels.

At 32" however, to be honest, these greater resolutions are fairly irrelevent as it will be some years before we see genuine 1080p panels of this size.

If I had to buy now, I'd go for the 37" Philips LCD which does have 1920 x 1080 capability, but this would blow your budget completely. The 32" varient features a lower resolution panel, but is of a similar quality to the Panasonic sets which continue to impress.

From my experience, avoid the Sony Bravia sets if you have video gaming in the house.

As for DVD players, the denon 1920 is a cracking choice if you soley want image quality.

Enough rambling - good luck with your search.

 

Hiya matey,

Thanks for the RGB advice - do it already via an overpriced £60 SQUART interconnect.

I read somewhere that hybrid HDTV DVD's can output a sort of in between signal to HDTV ready Tellys. I think that this might be true actually.

John

 

Hey thanks!!

What about the PSIII ot XBox as a DVD/Internet/console? Does it all come together with these units?

John

 

Hi,

Not sure what is happening on Sky's broadcast side the FAQ on their HD Website states "upon launch" and lists no launch date.

http://www.sky.com/hd/navigationself

They don't exactly tell people overly explicitly that there is no current HD service, but they do not really advertise the service as availble.

Here notes on HDTV and DVD:

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=301032

Any DVD Player with a suitable progressive scan output or digital interface to the TV (HDMI etc.) will be capable of this, but you will be still looking at 480 Lines.

In my case my MCPC interfaces directly from the Video Card to my TV with all the interesting work by the player software, the picture quality is outstanding for SD.

Ciao T

 

XBox 360 is a poor DVD player sadly. I hope the PS3 will be better - it will have a Bluray drive, but I suspect Sony will want to protect the market for standalone Bluray and subtly knobble the movie playback!

 

still don't remember but yeah whatever you like whoever you are