Hi,

I have read a number of the posts on this forum and have a few questions I wondered if anyone could help with.

I'd like good connectivity, HD ready, decent sound, PC connection, PS3 use next year, and obviously as good a picture as I can get for £500-£600.

I have Sky+ in the front room and was planning to get a Digisender to get the video, audio and remote control signals to the bedroom. Is this likely to result in a decent picture, and are there higher quality DigiSenders to look for?

I am looking at Samsung R series - perhaps LER73BD - I'd like built-in Freeview to give me another option in the future. Not sure what the differences are apart from styling between R71, R72, R73 or R74. I like the slim surround on the R73 - although the Samsung site says it is exactly the same width as the others. I don't see how, since they all have the same screen size, this can be true.

I am also looking at the Sony KDL26S2030U - although that is a fair bit more expensive than the Samsungs. Is there a good reason for this?

Are there any others I should consider?

Thanks for any help.

Phil
Last edited by piquet : 30-11-2006 at 12:24

Hi. I'm in a similar predicament for what to get my girlfriend for her bedroom.

I am being swayed by the 26" R74 Samsung. Can get it online for about £490 delivered.

This is pretty much the maximum I can spend, but looks like a damn nice TV and I've always found Samsung quality first class.

Just about finding the best price available.

By the way, Samsung manufacture almost all of their own parts where as I know that Samsung produce some parts for Sony.

As Samsung manufacture their own parts, their cost price is cheap, so they should be able to under-cut Sony by some margin.

AFAIK Samsung produce the panels for the Sony Bravia but not 100% sure.

Hope this helps!

ytrebil,

That's worth knowing, thanks. Have you worked out the difference between the R series models yet? The R71 and R72 have no iDTV (Freeview?) which is on the R73 and R74. Apart from that it looks like styling is the only difference.

I'm off to the local Currys tonight to take a look. Actually, if I can get it for within a tenner or so of the best web price I will probably buy it there. I think it's worth having the support of someone like them for a LCD TV. A mate of mine took out their £4.79 a month "whateverhappens" cover on his 42in Samsung. He's had 3 replacements out of them!

Cheers, Phil

Not sure the difference, slight tweeks. The R74 is the latest one of that range, so I'd go for the R74 personally.

I'm sure you get a Samsung manufacturers warrenty anyway with all of their TV's, so if it breaks due to poor build quality (would be suprised) you are covered.

Apparenty...

R71B = Blue (bottom) + Black (casing)
R72B = Silver + Black
R73BD = Blue + Black + DVB - T tuner
R74BD = Silver + Black + DVB - T tuner
R71W = White

Hmm - didn't notice any silver or blue on the one I saw last night!

Phil

Manufacturing your own parts doen't make stuff cheaper, in fact it usually makes it more expensive. Nobody completely manufactures their own parts anymore, it doesn't make sense in the modern world.

Samsung and Sony share manufacturing for their panels, the electronics is different in each case.

"I have Sky+ in the front room and was planning to get a Digisender to get the video, audio and remote control signals to the bedroom. Is this likely to result in a decent picture, and are there higher quality DigiSenders to look for?"


My Lidl flyer for next week has a digisender for £19.99. and quite a few other audio visual things.

lol - manufacturing your own parts is more expensive? I don't think so some how!!!

If you manufacture your own parts it will work out cheaper as your not buying them from a manufacturer who puts their own profit on top - Samsung apparently manufacture panels for Sony and I read that Samsung manfacture the majority of their parts. The Sony electronics may be better than Samsungs, but I have no idea! Samsung's equivalent to Sony's are generally cheaper so that adds fuel to the fire that manufacturing your own parts = cheaper.

Put it this way, if Samsung do indeed manufacture panels for Sony which I've read from various sources, then why would Samsung sell their panels to Sony at a loss?????

Have you not heard of 'economies of scale'? Samsung and Sony are taking advantage this enabling them to reduce their costs.

If it was cheaper to do it inhouse then surely Sony would be doing the same?

Regarding the cost at which the panels are sold to Sony, Samsung only need to cover their marginal costs plus a small mark up on this for it to be beneficial to them. Therefore it is quite possible for the average cost of a panel to be lower for Sony than it is for Samsung.

Both parties are gaining out of this agreement.

What you have said doesn't make sense. If Samsung produce a panel at X and sell it to Sony at Y, where X is a lower value then Y, Samsung would only be paying X for their panels. Either way you look at it, Sony are paying MORE for their panels.

I understand what you are saying about using 2nd parties to produce certain components to reduce the cost of initial outlay of machinery & staff. For example, if Company XYZ produce a particular component that they sold to say 5 different manufacturers, they could perhaps sell them a lot cheaper than it would cost 1 manufacture to produce the same component for their own needs.

However, if Samsung are the manufacturer and they supply several companies with their panels, they benefit most because they can produce their TV's with the panels that THEY manufacture rather than buying from a 2nd party.

Like I said, I've read from several sources that a) Samsung produce panels for Sony and b) Samsung manufacture a lot of their own components which I *assume* they then sell some of their components (like their panels) to other manufacturers.

You might not think so but the manufacturing world does. Most electronic equipment is made up of components from different manufacturers who specialise (and produce in bulk) specific components. For example one company is very good at cheap power supplies another is good at making cases etc.

As slacker said it's all about economies of scale, it doesn't pay to make your own component if someone else is making the same component in bulk.

When I say component here I'm really talking sub assembly (circuit boards, power supplies etc), if we mean component (ics, resistors etc) then we are talking dozens of different manufacturers in each TV including those made by Samsung.

Sonys are generally more expensive than Samsungs because Sony is considered more of a premium brand, whether this translates into a better product varies from product to product.

bobcar, did you take time to read my reply above? If so, I don't think you'd find it necessary to reply with what you did. Of course it's all about producing in quantity to reduce price, but if Samsung produce panels used by Sony among other manufacturers then the real benefits go towards Samsung as they then have a panel which stands them in at a cheaper cost price than it does for companies like Sony who they supply.

If Samsung produce many of their own parts, they are going to be selling a lot therefore to other companies and they have parts which stand them in at less money than it does them.

Perhaps why Samsung equivalents of Sony's are slightly cheaper???? Could be one reason at least.

I have a 23" Samsung with my xbox 360 and its perfect for the bedroom. The HD is stunning on it - as is the xbox!

ytrebil,

What I was saying is that the marginal cost of producing a panel was X and they were selling at Y, not the average cost. The average cost of production can be anything above X possibly even higher than Y. If this is the case then Sony's average cost per panel is lower than Samsung's.

Samsung are making the panels as there is not a better supplier for them in terms of either quality or price. Somebody has to make the panels, it doesn't necessarily have to be Samsung though. Just because you can make your own panels doesn't mean you are gauranteed at doing this the best, Sony can make theirs if they wanted to.

I agree with bobcar regards to the selling price, I won't expand on what he has said as we're going too far into an economics/business studies lesson. I will shut up now!
Last edited by slacker17 : 01-12-2006 at 16:58

lol - it is getting a bit silly as we don't know the figures and costs involved, but what I will say is that I doubt Samsung will be producing panels for rivals Sony if they are selling them at less than what it costs to manufacture them (taking into account all costs), if so it's a serious screw up by them. Sony obviously use their panels because they're available for them to buy and of a very high quality. Also, I'm sure you've noticed Sony are generally higher priced than Samsung - branded name? Well, Samsung is a household name and known for their exceptional quality whether it's a television, mobile phone, fridge-freezer or kettle so I doubt it's Sony chucking their extra few quid on top because it is Sony. I simply think that Samsung have cheaper manufacturing costs than Sony.

Basically, what I'm saying is.... what 26" LCD should I get my gf for Xmas?
Last edited by ytrebil : 01-12-2006 at 16:57

I have a 26" panasonic in my room. Outstanding picture. Bought off richer sounds website for a bargin price.

I thought it was fairly common knowledge that the panels used by Samsung and Sony LCD TVs are manufactured (in a mainly Samsung owned factory i think) as part of a Joint Venture between Sony and Samsung. So "S&S Ltd" sells the panels to Samsung AND Sony.

Go for a 32 inch!!

Samsung and Sony are in the process of building a new $1 billion plant next to Samsung's old LCD facility in Tangjeong, Korea to manufacturer 8th generation LCDs.

I ordered the Woolies 32" and then cancelled the order. I dont have an Xbox or anything with HD. My Thomson gives me good SD pictures so after reading quite a bit decided to wait until HD tellys can also produce good SD pictures as well. I may get an HD sat receiver later once more sats have FTA HD transmissions and then an HD telly.
I'm not really interested in Sky's HD offering.

If someone can convince me why I should buy one now I'm all ears.
Last edited by AubreyStevens : 09-12-2006 at 15:57

32 inches in the bedroom is too much.

Some girls would disagree.

If it's too big, quality can be lost. If it's overbearing, the entertainment value is overshadowed.