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Do you think I should buy this? |
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#1 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Telford, Shropshire
Posts: 3,362
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Do you think I should buy this?
OK, I promise to stop spamming this is my last new thread for a few months at least I promise.
I've been fighting the HD-TV but yesterday I finally decided I want to embrace it. I have seen this for sale in Aldi. First of all I only want a budget LCD TV because I'm not loaded and I'm not one for big electronic branding etc. My question is. Do you think the following would be a good purchase or not? http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/58_4762.htm I don't have a Blu-Ray/HD Player yet, or HD-TV TV access either. I currently have SKY+ and a DVD-Recorder setup. I also have the following games consoles Gamecube, Super Nintendo, Sega Mega drive and PS1. Not interested in new ones I like my retro games so will these be OK on this TV? And do you think it will have a basic standard 'Arial' input on it? As I need that so I can put the snes & megadrive in. I'm sure I'm going to get some comments about how you've got to buy Sony branded stuff and why would anyone still want a to play a Snes etc but I'm just a beginner so is this a good purchase for that at least? Just throw me some advice please. Thanks |
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#2 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Pomgolia
Posts: 1,162
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Quote:
OK, I promise to stop spamming this is my last new thread for a few months at least I promise.
I've been fighting the HD-TV but yesterday I finally decided I want to embrace it. I have seen this for sale in Aldi. First of all I only want a budget LCD TV because I'm not loaded and I'm not one for big electronic branding etc. My question is. Do you think the following would be a good purchase or not? http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/58_4762.htm I don't have a Blu-Ray/HD Player yet, or HD-TV TV access either. I currently have SKY+ and a DVD-Recorder setup. I also have the following games consoles Gamecube, Super Nintendo, Sega Mega drive and PS1. Not interested in new ones I like my retro games so will these be OK on this TV? And do you think it will have a basic standard 'Arial' input on it? As I need that so I can put the snes & megadrive in. I'm sure I'm going to get some comments about how you've got to buy Sony branded stuff and why would anyone still want a to play a Snes etc but I'm just a beginner so is this a good purchase for that at least? Just throw me some advice please. Thanks The Price looks good, but most people would probably say the TV wouldn't be too good at all & would have been built with a cheap tuner & upscaler. Also meaning external Digital STB & a DVD player upscaler would probably do a better job. |
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#3 |
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Telford, Shropshire
Posts: 3,362
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I won't ever bother even setting up the built in freeview to be honest. I will just watch everything though sky.
I just want to know if LCD TV’s do have the box standard 'Arial' input on them. As I need that so I can put my Snes/Meagdrive into it. |
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#4 |
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Ilkeston
Posts: 18,075
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Quote:
I won't ever bother even setting up the built in freeview to be honest. I will just watch everything though sky.
I just want to know if LCD TV’s do have the box standard 'Arial' input on them. As I need that so I can put my Snes/Meagdrive into it. First off you are not setting your sights high so understand you are probably not going to overly impressed with how the TV channels look via SKY+HD on the HD telly. That aside the TV should have an analogue tuner (not aware of a single TV sold in the UK that is limited to just a DTT tuner at this time) so no problem connecting via RF to a games machine or other device. |
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#5 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Telford, Shropshire
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Ok thanks for the tips, for £280 I realise already I'm not going to get anything brilliant, but paying £1000+ for a TV set is something that's above me I'm afraid.
I am just getting a better TV now just because it's 'minimal' future proofing and I've had my other one for a while anyway and these takes less room up than CRT. Also I am not getting a Blu-Ray player for a while yet. Not until the war has officially been declared over and Blu-Ray totally declared victory, or they release a hybrid blu-ray/hd-dvd player for under £200. I've even written out a list of movies (A list of 15) where I would buy it yet again in High-Def, but the overwhelming majority of my collection will remain as standard DVD indefinitely. |
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#6 |
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Ilkeston
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I pretty sure Aldi have a good returns policy so it's not a huge risk to take
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#7 |
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Join Date: Nov 2007
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Quote:
I pretty sure Aldi have a good returns policy so it's not a huge risk to take
![]() Your saying "Don't buy this pile of s**t". I'm not going to then I've changed my mind |
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#8 |
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Ilkeston
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Quote:
Your saying "Don't buy this pile of s**t". I'm not going to then I've changed my mind
![]() Picture quality is subjective and Tevion are really at the bottom of the pile performance wise but some people swear blind the cheap ALDI sets are excellent value for money and it may do exactly what you require and if so it's a bargain ![]() The Aldi returns policy protects you even further and the simple truth is you could pay double for a flat panel and still be let down by it's SD performance. As always my recommendation is always to demo a HD display but if that's not practical make sure you have a no penalty return option even if it's only 7 days. |
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#9 |
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Telford, Shropshire
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In other words 'buy a branded model' like Sony or Philips, the name means better quality. Point taken
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#10 |
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Ilkeston
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In other words 'buy a branded model' like Sony or Philips, the name means better quality. Point taken
In theory yes but you'll find plenty of people not happy with the SD performance of those brands as well and they will come with a much higher price tag. What I am saying is don't expect a great picture but if it has a no penalty no questions asked returns policy what do you have to lose? |
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#11 |
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: NE England
Posts: 3,096
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Personally I would get the best I could afford or save up for the best one, which means doing a bit of research, buying a few mags and posting a few threads.
It isn't so much about branded goods it is about getting screens that give you the best picture. Personally I want to have a clear and as sharp a picture I can get and not be faced with one full of noise or motion blur. There are differences between all lcds/plasmas you can buy so it is important to buy one that you will enjoy watching. I have no experience of Tevion sets to offer any advice. I do have a Panasonic plasma and lcd, plus Samsung lcds which I can recommend. All my tvs I have bought have been selected because of the reviews I have read, I don't go on brands just on the televisions actual performance and if a branded tv has the better picture that is what I will go for.
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#12 |
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Telford, Shropshire
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It seemed fairly good for the price, but yeah I'll shop around more first. Then again I once did that (my first DVD player) and I got from reading a few magazines and people's advice. That a Sony DVD player would be the answer. I went with it and hated it. You could not change the region settings and it wouldn't play hardly any DVD-R disks! Id bought a complete white elephant. So I bought a no brand make and it did both those things and I loved it.
Back on topic. I'm going to look around, but this one will give me HD playback right? Even if your saying it will not be very good. I'll get HD playback if and when I get Sky HD or A Blu-Ray player right? |
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#13 |
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Ilkeston
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Quote:
Back on topic. I'm going to look around, but this one will give me HD playback right? Even if your saying it will not be very good. I'll get HD playback if and when I get Sky HD or A Blu-Ray player right? No problem at all connecting any of the current of future HD sources since it is HDMI equipped and HD resolution which is signified by the HD Ready tag. |
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#14 |
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 113
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Jumbo_Holden if you can afford it i would say spent a tiny bit more for something like the LG 26LC46 26" HD Ready Digital LCD TV (£399, currys.co.uk) or even better the SAMSUNG LE26R88BD 26" HD Ready digital LCD TV (£459currys.co.uk).
Me and my OH have both a top of the range Sony 32" and a bottom of the line Toshiba, there is hugh difference between quality of the picture and materials used. The biggest things we notice is the sound quality when playing outrgamecube. Before you buy anything, have a good shop around, and never go cheap, always buy the best you can afford, especially as technology will require the better functions in the future. Have a look here http://www.prcdirect.co.uk/productli...NCH&sort=price its where we bought our sony from, over £300 cheaper than the sony centres |
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#15 |
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Telford, Shropshire
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http://www.currys.co.uk/martprd/stor...rmationSection
Right, you've talked me out of the old plan. So say I save up another 2 months and get this. This one will up my SD broadcasts and DVD's? So do all HD-TV ready do that? 'Up' SD inputs? I.E Sky and DVD playback? I'm a newbie to all this |
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#16 |
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: North Derbyshire
Posts: 41,794
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Quote:
http://www.currys.co.uk/martprd/stor...rmationSection
Right, you've talked me out of the old plan. So say I save up another 2 months and get this. This one will up my SD broadcasts and DVD's? So do all HD-TV ready do that? 'Up' SD inputs? I.E Sky and DVD playback? I'm a newbie to all this However, upscaling isn't easy - and cheap sets use cheap upscalers, which really loses picture quality. The Samsung isn't a bad TV, but it has appalling sound quality - make sure you listen to one first!. |
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#17 |
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Telford, Shropshire
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Ok, I will budget for one at £500-£550 that's my set amount I will spend. Which one should I go for with that?
Oh and 26" is the biggest size that will fit in my TV 'spot' btw I don't have room for anything bigger. |
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#18 |
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Yorkshire, God's County
Posts: 5,182
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All HD Ready sets upscale SD pictures, they have to - otherwise you would only have a tiny picture in the middle of the screen.
However, upscaling isn't easy - and cheap sets use cheap upscalers, which really loses picture quality. The Samsung isn't a bad TV, but it has appalling sound quality - make sure you listen to one first!. To add to what Nigel says, don't assume that "upscale" means "improve" for Standard Definition (SD) signals on HD TVs. It is often the opposite, the upscale reduces the image quality of SD signals on HD resolution displays. The scalers built into TVs do a job for a price, primarily all they do is upscale (cheap ones badly, spend more get better) they don't necessarily add sophisticated noise reduction etc. to improve the image, as that comes at a price. If you want to pay for B&O or Loewe or any of the other high-end brands then you might get this, but not in most commercial/consumer brands. The point for most people who aren't going to be using HD sources on HD TVs is that they wont necessarily see better SD pictures than their old CRT TV. LCDMAN..............The man with no sig! |
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#19 |
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Telford, Shropshire
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I'm doing alot of research and very glad I didn't dive in head first, but a question I now need answering. I'm sure this answer will be no but can you connect a standard SKY+ box to a LCD via a HDMI lead? I'm wondering if I can try and 'up' my Sky+ box on a LCD. I'm assuming you can't though and have to run it via scart?
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#20 |
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: North Derbyshire
Posts: 41,794
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Quote:
I'm doing alot of research and very glad I didn't dive in head first, but a question I now need answering. I'm sure this answer will be no but can you connect a standard SKY+ box to a LCD via a HDMI lead? I'm wondering if I can try and 'up' my Sky+ box on a LCD. I'm assuming you can't though and have to run it via scart?
A decent TV will scale as well as an external unit, but for a cheap TV the scaler is usually pretty poor (it's one place they make the savings). |
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#21 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 6,762
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Sainsburys are doing the Sony KDL26U3000 for £349 at the moment. Thats a really good price .... have a quick look online and see the prices online stores are doing it for!
I have the 40" version of the same set and would happily recommend it. The Samsung you linked to seems to a bit overpriced compared to the Sony? |
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#22 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Telford, Shropshire
Posts: 3,362
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HERE'S MY PLAN PEOPLE
I am someone who until now has the following setup. CRT TV, Sky+, a DVD recorder, and going into that DVD player, and an old VHS (Which I use just to do VHS > DVD transfer. I am planning now to go for a new LCD (HD Ready) setup. I am going to be spending £500 on the TV (That's my budget) and for space reasons will be getting a 32". I am not getting anything yet but thanks to everything that's been said in this thread doing ALOT of research before hand. I am doing further research before I pin down and choice which TV it is I shall buy. But my plans are as followed, these are quite complicated. I will be connecting into my LCD TV. 1 Sky+ box (scart). 1 DVD recorder (scart) (connected directly into that will be a DVD player and VCR and a connection to sky+ box). But I will be purchasing ANOTHER DVD player that I will connect directly into the LCD via HDMI (one that has the ablity) to do so. This player will work as my 'Upper' player that will up my existing DVD disks into a 'better' quality. I have chosen already the player I will be getting for this and it's a samsung model (£70). Before people say anything that's not going to be that good but this player will act as the 'holding bay' for the time being and I will (in a few years time) replace this for a blu-ray player once they have come down in price some more. (Hope this is all making sense). So that's my setup plan. LCD TV Going in via scart Sky and a DVD recorder and going in via HDMI is a 'Upping' DVD player (that will eventually be replaced my a blu-ray). I have chosen the DVD (with HDMI upping) I will defiantly be buying) but I’m still deciding which LCD HD Ready TV I will go for. (But I will pay £500 for it) Sounds like a plan to me. |
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#23 |
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: North Derbyshire
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Quote:
[b]I have chosen the DVD (with HDMI upping) I will defiantly be buying) but I’m still deciding which LCD HD Ready TV I will go for. (But I will pay £500 for it)
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#24 |
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Telford, Shropshire
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So your saying if I just use my existing DVD recorder (scarted) into a good enough LCD HD Ready TV that will still 'up' the DVD playback? Leave it like that and then when I'm ready to go for it just add in the Blu- Ray player? (HDMI)
The DVD recorder I have is a no make brand by the way. I figured that wouldn't 'up' too good. I wanted a branded model done via HDMI so I'd get decent 'upping' of DVD playback. |
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#25 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 6,762
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As Nigel says, just stick with your current DVD player and buy a good TV. The TV will do the upscaling for you.
My DVD player is a few years old and not a big name brand. I can't tell the difference between a DVD played on that through SCART and a DVD played on my Xbox 360 (which supposedly upscales) and is connected to HDMI. Pretty much all new TV's (HD ready flat panels at any rate) have their own upscaler. The better TV's have better upscalers. If you were sticking with the 26" maximum you said you had until about 5 posts ago, the quality of the upscaler wouldn't be so much of an issue as the TV is smaller. The larger the TV gets, the more important the quality of the upscaler becomes. That Sony I mentioned upscales very well for the money. |
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