Hi all,

I currently have a CRT 4:3 Sony TV, a V1 Sky+ box, a Gamecube, Panasonic DVD-Recorder and am seriously considering getting a US Wii.

Now, the Wii, being from the US has component, which my TV doesn't have (TV's best input is RGB Scart) so I was thinking of getting a new widescreen HDTV.

I've read that Panasonic make some of the best and have read the good reviews on the PANASONIC TX-32LXD70, but I'm wondering whether I will regret not getting a Full HD TV (though this once includes "full HD processing", whatever that is? ).

The TV would be for a bedroom and eventually for a living room later on. So I'm thinking that 32 would be a good size.

So, will I regret not getting full HD?

Otherwise, could I get a good quality monitor that does 1920x1200 and use that, some sort of switch input box and a Hifi for sound?

Can anyone offer any advice?

Thanks,

gaffer

If the bedroom will take a 37" (1080p model) instead of the 32" get that. Problem solved.

( a simple non technical answer)

So which 37" would you advise?

Is there no 32" Full HD?

What do you all think of a monitor/hifi setup?

How essential is Full HD?

gaffer

4'500 Post

There are a few about now, I seem to recell Sharp brought one out a little while ago?.


Depends how well the monitor works as a TV?, and how it deals with different TV standards? - a TV has a scaler, which is crucial to the performance of the TV, a computer monitor can scale in the PC, so you need to ensure the monitor has a scaler, and a decent one.


I would say hardly at all.

So are you saying the the Panasonic 32" should be enough?

For example, if I upgrade to Sky HD. Are sports, films and shows shown in 720p or 1080p?

Also, what is the "Full HD Processing" in the 32"?

gaffer

You'll be surprised how much bigger a flat panel is thanks to the lack of tube masking common on CRT's, 32" is a big screen especially for a bedroom (unless you really have a big bedroom ).

All current UK HD broadcasts are 1080i which all HD Ready displays will accept (component or HDMI) and scale to their native resolution. It really isn't much of an issue not to have 1080p on broadcast HD since 1080i given a decent bitrate (as they all are) look stunning.

I suspect the "full HD processing" is marketing speak, they can not match the FullHD resolution so they throw in a blurb (like the old HD compatible tag) to fool people.
I suspect it means that the HDMI can take 1080p and then it's processed as 1080p and scaled down to the screens native resolution but without the need to de-interlace but still require the frame rate conversion from HD DVD/Blu-ray (the only practical 1080p sources).

Probably so, 32 is the most popular size by far.


Sky HD is 1080i - as are all HD broadcasts in the UK.


An advertising term - presumably it means it accepts 1080, and scales it down to the screens resolution of 768 - but all HD Ready sets do that!.

Thanks guys!

But when you say that Sky broadcast in 1080i, a HD Ready TV (meaning not Full HD) will not be able to display this at the native resolution as it can't support 1080i or p...
Is that correct?

Basically, I don't want to make the wrong choice and end up with a TV that I'll regret buying in a few years due to it not being able to display the industry standard resolution.

Also, I've read that LCDs suffer from blurring when watching fast action (let's say football). Is this still a problem?

So basically, a computer monitor isn't a good idea as a TV then?

gaffer

Yes any HD Ready display will take a 1080i source and scale it to it's native resolution and in the case of 1080i de-interlace it as well. You can also set the SKY+HD to only output 720p, depending a number of factors this may produce a more appealing picture.

Screen refreshing on any branded LCD is not an issue anymore but of course as you may know there are lots of "cheap" unknown brands which are based on older panels, they are cheap for a reason

Many top notch panels from Panasonic are monitors meant for business but can be bought for home use, in terms of performance the difference may be marginal but of course their will be no tuners and a lack of inputs compared to a display meant for domestic TV viewing.

HD Ready at the end of the day has done what it was meant to do, you'll be hard pressed to find any HD display that doesn't meet the resolutions regarded as HD or have limited inputs.

Thanks,

Yes, I'm aware of cheap panels, that's why I'm only looking at top brands.

I'm leaning towards the Panny 32", but was wondering what you all thought of the Sharp Full HD 1080P...
Any good?
Worth the price?

gaffer

I just bought the new Toshiba 37" 3030D I think its called - it's 1080P (FullHD) and freeview, and got it for £719 and on a buy now pay a year later deal at Currys. It was to replace a 32" Tosh - the one that everyone said was brilliant at the time - now the bad news is that with standard def, the picture can be worse - never unwatchable, but annoying - however, with a 1080 broadcast, BBC HD on Freesat, or the LuxeTV channel, I get an interesting result - and this is why I would say that the 1080 is important - most HD broadcasts just look stunning, and did so even on the 768 resolution of the 32" Tosh, but some - and the Robin Hood episodes are the most obvious - just look a little bit more natural on the bigger TV - on the 32" things could look strangely artificial, whereas they just look totally right on the bigger screen.

Don't know wether anyone else has seen this, but at the end of the day, £719 isn't a great deal to pay for a 37" tele anyway, so why not get the 1080 capability while you're at it - seems to me that that's the way they all want to go anyway!

Why are you getting a US Wii? You can get a German one for £180 from amazon.de At least that won't require a transformer to use it, and it will have RGB output. Or a Hong Kong one maybe? They use the same voltage, PAL and English!

Well I can use component, get cheaper games quicker and have VC games at proper speed...

Why would I want Pal?

gaffer