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Help me pick an HDTV... Please.

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Ok, I've been considering this for a while now as my TV is like 7 years old now and it's starting to show signs of aging. I decided to finally move into the HD realm, but, I don't have unlimited funds.

 

I don't really want to spend more then £300-400 and was hoping some people here could point me in the direction of some good deals.

 

22-26" is the size I'm looking at as I can't really fit anything bigger. :P

 

http://hdtvorg.pricerunner.co.uk/pi/2-1087188/TVs/Samsung-LE-26A457C1D-Product-Info

 

This is something I've been looking at, but, if there is something comparable for a lower price it would be great if you could help me out.

 

I'm not really bothered about brand as long as they aren't known for sets that frequently break within a short time period. :P

 

 

Thanks for any help.

 

 

 

edit: Damn, I thought I was in the Tech forum, sorry. >.<

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I'm also looking into the LG 26LB75 as it's available for around £280. All the listed specs make it look like an awesome deal. It's graded though so wouldn't come with it's original packaging, but, is there anything else I should look out for? If it's otherwise perfect I wouldn't be bothered.

 

As for the set itself, is there anything I should look out for?

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afaik, LG makes really good highquality stuff.

 

Sumsung is generally the LCD king right now, and that original one you linked too has 1080p for a good price which I'm betting the LG doesn't.

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afaik, LG makes really good highquality stuff.

 

Sumsung is generally the LCD king right now, and that original one you linked too has 1080p for a good price which I'm betting the LG doesn't.

 

LG are fairly mediocre, this years top of the line range looks cool but really isn't a match for the big boys (Panasonic, Sony, Samsung, Philips and Pioneer).

 

Samsung? Yeah they're pretty good, not 'King', but good. Sony are probably the 'King' of LCDs right now, great sets right the way across the range! They're beaten by Philips at the top end, but then again Philips' top of the line sets cost HUNDREDS more than Sony's. Oh, and that Sammy ain't 1080p, it just accepts a 1080p feed and then downscales it to 768p.

 

I'd recommend the Sony V4000. £359.95 for the 26" version at Richer Sounds :)But the 32" version is available from the same shop for a mere £10 more. If i were you i'd take some measurements and work out if you can squeeze the 32" version in, because that is a real bargain! Ask over at http://www.avforums.com for impressions of the set, i'd expect you'll get a lot of recommendations.

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Quick question, does Sony have an LCD matching the contrast ratio(dynamic) of an extremely highquality Plasma. Samsungs new series have a DCR of 1,000,000:1 like Panasonic Plasma's

 

I must've just misread the 1080p thing, my bad. Somehow I had trouble following info in the layout of that site.

 

Unfortuantly I'm American, and don't really know many of the sites to look at to fin decent deals for you.

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In the end I got fed up with looking through shitloads of information and went with the Samsung. I read a couple of reviews on it saying it was very good quality for the price it comes at, but, at the time of writting it cost a good bit more so I assume it was a while ago.

 

Anyway, I got it for a good price £299-shipping so I don't feel too hard done by.

 

I may have looked into that Sony screen, but, the price is a bit high, it would have been near £400 with shipping. :-/ Oh and I can't really fit 32 " at all so that was out. :(

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In the end I got fed up with looking through shitloads of information and went with the Samsung. I read a couple of reviews on it saying it was very good quality for the price it comes at, but, at the time of writting it cost a good bit more so I assume it was a while ago.

 

Anyway, I got it for a good price £299-shipping so I don't feel too hard done by.

 

I may have looked into that Sony screen, but, the price is a bit high, it would have been near £400 with shipping. :-/ Oh and I can't really fit 32 " at all so that was out.

 

At £299 it's a cracking deal :) The 26" Sony probably wasn't worth the extra £60.

 

Quick question, does Sony have an LCD matching the contrast ratio(dynamic) of an extremely highquality Plasma. Samsungs new series have a DCR of 1,000,000:1 like Panasonic Plasma's

 

Samsung's new LED-backlit model (A780) is fantastic! It's let down by one problem though, input lag of up to 70ms!

 

That is Samsung's TV sets summed up in a single sentence. They produce fantastic sets on paper, score really highly in reviews and then let themselves down with silly faults that should have been corrected. They have the same issues in the manufacturing process too, backlight bleed, ghosting and clouding are more common on Samsung sets than most other majour brands.

 

Then there's bad business practice. Last year their TVs were shipped to reviewers with S-PVA panels, retail units then either had S-PVA, A-MVA, S-MVA or MVA panels, all of which produce radically different image quality. The set people were buying wasn't necessarily the same set that they were looking at on display!

 

If they sort out their quality control and stop making stupid business decisions then they could leave Sony behind and start looking at competition with the real big boys of the TV industry; Philips, Pioneer and Loewe. (and yes, i am expecting a 'Philips?' reaction. Read: http://www.techradar.com/products/audio-visual/tvs-and-accessories/tvs/philips-42pfl9803-463577/review)

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LG are fairly mediocre, this years top of the line range looks cool but really isn't a match for the big boys (Panasonic, Sony, Samsung, Philips and Pioneer).

 

Samsung? Yeah they're pretty good, not 'King', but good. Sony are probably the 'King' of LCDs right now, great sets right the way across the range! They're beaten by Philips at the top end, but then again Philips' top of the line sets cost HUNDREDS more than Sony's. Oh, and that Sammy ain't 1080p, it just accepts a 1080p feed and then downscales it to 768p.

 

I'd recommend the Sony V4000. £359.95 for the 26" version at Richer Sounds :)But the 32" version is available from the same shop for a mere £10 more. If i were you i'd take some measurements and work out if you can squeeze the 32" version in, because that is a real bargain! Ask over at http://www.avforums.com for impressions of the set, i'd expect you'll get a lot of recommendations.

 

Sony Bravia LCDs use Samsung LCD panels as far as I know

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You have got to be kidding with that Sony 32" at that price. Surely that is an insane bargain?!

 

Does 1080 p matter or not? Or is it more sought after for bigger T.Vs?

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You have got to be kidding with that Sony 32" at that price. Surely that is an insane bargain?!

 

Does 1080 p matter or not? Or is it more sought after for bigger T.Vs?

 

More sought after on bigger TVs, but it's useful on smaller TVs if you're planning on using the screen as a computer monitor.

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The V4000? I've heard good things, but i've not looked in to it a huge amount.

 

Try avforums.com :)

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Just thought I'd give an update, the Samsung TV arrived and it really is beautiful. Don't regret the purchase at all. :D

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I already posted this in the HDTV thread, but got no response, so I'm posting it here (with a few edits);

 

So my plans to get a HDTV earlier in the year got postponed, and the TV I wanted has now vanished from online stores. However, I've seen this TV (which is similar to the one I wanted), and the price doesn't look too bad: http://www.rgbdirect.co.uk/ProductDetails.asp?SKUNumber=107043&Model=32AV555DB I can probably get it in a month's time.

 

Is that a decent HDTV, or could I find better? Bearing in mind that that's perfect in terms of my price range.

 

Thanks in advance if anyone can help...

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