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Help me choose, please!
Carmen Queasy
26-12-2006
I've only ever had LCD computer monitors in the past. I love CRT (because the picture just looks so much nicer!), but I need space, so I want a 19" LCD TV for my room.

Now, I've came across a few I'm debating with.

This is the first. Nice contrast ratio - 800:1, but I can't tell if this is Widescreen or not! It doesn't say so, and it says "Widescreen option: NO", but the resolution is 1440 x 800.

This has a contract ratio of 700:1, but a much better pixel count (1296000, whereas the previous only has 1152000). It's also 1440 x 900, as opposed to 1440 x 800, and can be used as a PC monitor. It's only slightly more expensive, but it's black and all the stuff in my room is silver.

Now, both TVs aren't really from the most respectable of manufacturers, but that's not putting me off (well, I've never heard of UMD, though?).

So, which would you suggest? Or... if you have a better recommendation, that'd be appreciated.
Carmen Queasy
27-12-2006
Sorry, the second link should be this, not 3 ?s
A-Friend
27-12-2006
Don't know anything about those other models ... but I can recommend this Samsung.

I have this in the kitchen and it's very good! Has been mentioned on here many times (by me and others) so have a search for it and see what has been said.
meltcity
27-12-2006
You need to be wary when shopping for a portable widescreen LCD. Nearly all the TVs in this size bracket are computer monitors which have been adapted for TV use.

Widescreen monitors have an aspect ratio of 16:10. Widescreen TV has a native aspect ratio of 16:9.

When viewing 16:9 material on a 16:10 screen you may see small black bars at the top and bottom of the screen. Alternatively, some 16:10 LCDs crop and zoom a 16:9 image to make the picture fill the screen. The worst case scenario is that the TV will vertically stretch 16:9 pictures to fill the screen, and the distortion is just enough to be disconcerting.
Last edited by meltcity : 27-12-2006 at 12:06
Carmen Queasy
28-12-2006
A-Friend, thanks for that!

I searched Argos and never found it previously.

Samsung... 700:1, full 19inch, HD Ready. Seems perfect for me!

Thanks

meltcity... yup, I've search in so many places and the text says something like "LCD monitor with TV tuner", which isn't what I want. PC monitors are better suited to PCs, not video broadcasts!
A-Friend
28-12-2006
Originally Posted by Ste...:
“A-Friend, thanks for that!

I searched Argos and never found it previously.

Samsung... 700:1, full 19inch, HD Ready. Seems perfect for me!

Thanks

meltcity... yup, I've search in so many places and the text says something like "LCD monitor with TV tuner", which isn't what I want. PC monitors are better suited to PCs, not video broadcasts!”

A couple of things to point out. I'm not quite sure how Argos can get away with putting the HDReady logo on that TV as it strictly speaking ISN'T. WHY? Because it's 16:10 not 16:9. I personally don't think it's a problem but as meltcity pointed out it means that everyone is a bit taller than they should be (you don't lose anything on the horizontal though).

Whilst I would defo recommend this TV, you could argue that it is a Montior first and TV second. It works brilliantly as both though ... it's up to you really Ste!

EDIT - on the HD Ready issue ... it meets all the other criteria, ie resolution, inputs, HDCP compatible, but it's just the screen ratio that is different.
Last edited by A-Friend : 28-12-2006 at 09:40
meltcity
28-12-2006
I don't think there are any 16:9 LCD screens smaller than 23".

To qualify as HD Ready, a screen is supposed to be within 5% of the 16:9 ratio. A 16:10 screen is 11% taller than 16:9. However, it can still qualify as HD Ready if the 16:9 portion of the screen has at least 720 lines. Therefore the Samsung is HD Ready! See this link.

No one seems to be manufacturing portable LCDs specifically for the TV market yet. I blame the PC industry for deliberately choosing a different widescreen aspect ratio from the TV industry!
Last edited by meltcity : 28-12-2006 at 12:09
Carmen Queasy
30-12-2006
Well, I received this TV today (Argos are great with delivery times - I only ordered it on Wednesday night!).

The picture quality on my Xbox is great, but with Freeview it shows the blockiness more. I seen that on my old CRT and I am using a SCART cable which cost me £1

Nice TV for the bedroom, though, and I can also connect my PC to it so I can watch certain... erm... content
meltcity
30-12-2006
You will get a better Freeview picture if you invest in a better SCART lead such as this one:

http://www.kenable.co.uk/product_inf...roducts_id=681

I take you have RGB enabled on your Freeview box as this is also essential to getting decent picture quality on an LCD.
Last edited by meltcity : 30-12-2006 at 11:00
Carmen Queasy
31-12-2006
Originally Posted by meltcity:
“You will get a better Freeview picture if you invest in a better SCART lead such as this one:

http://www.kenable.co.uk/product_inf...roducts_id=681

I take you have RGB enabled on your Freeview box as this is also essential to getting decent picture quality on an LCD.”

Strangely, RGB actually looks worse. Using RGB, text looks really "bitty", like it does on a PC screen if you don't have "clear type" turned on. With composite, it looks much better.

I might just steal the SCART cable from my mum's Sky box She'll never know!
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