Current model, pretty decent but would like a bit more oomph when watching Now TV, HD youview, Bluray and PS3 gaming - TV is at the foot of my bed - 72" / 1m70cm away - THX / SMPTE say i need 45-60" tv but I dont want to go higher than 40".

Current: Sony KDL-32V4000 / £250 in 2008

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...tag=mysp085-21

Its a great little tv - used the THX calibration DVD / blue glasses to get a decent setting on cinema (dark room / night) and standard (brightly lit room).

Contenders for replacement are in the 37-40" size - TV will be at the foot of the bed - 72" away from my face.

Will the cheap £450 Sony one be better than above (CCFL back lit) display in terms of black, LCD blur etc.. ? Or is it worth spending an extra £350 for the Samsung ES7000. I know I can go into shops and see, but there usually pumped up to full brightness / contrast in a brightly lit shop - Also, I hear the Samsung are all glossy displays bar there el-cheapo models - is the sony gloss?

1. cheap but should be good Sony - Sony KDL40R473 40-inch / £450ish

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...tag=mysp085-21

2. Entering the world of Samsung / Apple-ung - Samsung UE40ES7000 / seen for £750-£800 (originally £900-£1k)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...tag=mysp085-21

3. I was considering the ES8000 but this is the exact same as above bar the stand and RAM

4. Samsung UE40ES6800 - £750-£780ish

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...tag=mysp085-21

Hasnt got local dimming, has 400Hz less motion engine gubbins than the ES7000 which is now the same price...

They were an EXTREMELY popular set, we sold hundreds of them and they have been very reliable as well.

In fact they were the TV we've sold the most of ever in a single model.

Only one downside - it was a pain in the b*m having to unload a hundred at a time from lorries


I've delivered a number of those sets, they seem absolutely fine - and are amazingly light (only 11kg).

40 inch sounds about right, large enough to give 'reasonable' HD performance, but small enough to make SD usable as well (as always, it's a compromise between the two).