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40 - 42 inch TV reccomendation
[Deleted User]
Posts: 23
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Hi - trying to wade through the mass of recent model numbers to get to a sensible short list. Problem is that the better screens seem to include 3D.... and if there's a way to avoid paying for stuff I most likely won't use, that would be fab.
Budget - £500 to £1000
40 - 42 inch
Probably LED (my 7 year old plasma a noisy old beast)
Important
1) great picture SD and HD (still a lot of SD TV being watched)
2) good for sports / gaming
3) light / energy efficient etc (wall hangable)
4) slim back to front and as small a bezel as possible
5) close to plasma "blacks"
Kind of important
1) reasonable sound (although it'll be connected to an AV system when we need more volume)
2) Freeview HD
Not Important
1) 3D
Appreciate any recommendations... and sorry if this is an oft requested topic.
Budget - £500 to £1000
40 - 42 inch
Probably LED (my 7 year old plasma a noisy old beast)
Important
1) great picture SD and HD (still a lot of SD TV being watched)
2) good for sports / gaming
3) light / energy efficient etc (wall hangable)
4) slim back to front and as small a bezel as possible
5) close to plasma "blacks"
Kind of important
1) reasonable sound (although it'll be connected to an AV system when we need more volume)
2) Freeview HD
Not Important
1) 3D
Appreciate any recommendations... and sorry if this is an oft requested topic.
0
Comments
Go out and check 'em out;)
Try john Lewis if your near one
Then there's the impractical. Trying to separate 3D away from premium styled sets with very thin bezels, Freeview HD and good SD scaling is a lesson in futility. It's just not cost effective. Any saving would be swallowed up and more by the extra cost of the separate production run. The end result would be a set with less features that costs more than the full feature product.
Perhaps the best thing to do would be to have a look at the reviews over at HDTVtest
Why are Freeview HD and good SD scaling a problem?
BTW to the earlier poster... I did the John Lewis first ... but got a bit frustrated when they (a) couldn't find working remotes for any of the Samsung TV's, and (b) explained the higher series numbers meant that the TV's were "better" with more features.....:rolleyes:
I am wading through the various online sources but thanks for the pointer to HDTVTest.
http://forconsumers.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/lg-42lm3450-42-inch-full-hd-1080p-3d.html
You can find it manufacturer refurbished with 12 month warranty at eBay for around £350, including 4 pairs of 3D glasses. I think the LG 42LM3450 is a good choice and you will have some spare money for better external sound system or Blu-ray player (in case you don't have one already)
http://www.richersounds.com/product/tv---all/philips/39pfl3807t/phil-39pfl3807t
It ticks your boxes. Superb HD picture and more than acceptable in SD, no 3D, thin bezel, narrow depth, decent blacks, Freeview HD built-in. Even the speakers aren't bad - but I use a sound bar anyway. Slightly smaller than your original requirement, but only by an inch.
You can watch a football match on it without the ball turning into a long, pale sausage whenever somebody kicks it.
Caveat: the default settings are ludicrous. Take your time in setting it up. It will be worth it.
It's really hard to audition TVs in a showroom. I recommend you iinvite yourself round to friends and relatives' houses to see what their TVs are like before making a final decision.
I have the Panasonic TX-P42GT50B plasma:
http://www.johnlewis.com/panasonic-viera-tx-p42gt50b-plasma-hd-1080p-3d-smart-tv-42-inch-with-freesat-freeview-hd/p231568176
The salesman in John Lewis did his upmost to convince me to buy a cheaper Panasonic LED TV and soundbar combo, as plasmas are apparently 'old technology'. However I declined because I had seen my brother's the GT30 which had the best PQ I had seen on a TV in the home.
I don't know about older plasmas but mine is quiet. The sound is reasonable (I have heard a lot worse) but definitely worth upgrading if you want sound quality that is good or excellent.
Second.
The best TV recommended on this thread so far and the best TV of 2012.
For the price you can get the ST50 or GT50 or VT50 for now its worth it.
Proper viewing angles, reference level picture quality, and real blacks etc.
Compared to a 7 year old plasma this will be totally different. My GT50 doesn't make a sound and once calibrated its the best picture I have ever seen on a TV.
It's a pros choice and there are drawbacks like every TV and technology but Plasma is still the way to go if you want a grown up real TV picture.
Anyone know what the material differences are between that and the P42ST50 that Richer Sounds are offering for £150 less?
http://www.panasonic.co.uk/site/en_GB/compareProductsDisplayResult/287749/Len_GB/index.html?p=TX-P42GT50B&p=TX-P42ST50B