[Jimmy Connors]

Hello everyone.

Not sure if this is the correct forum.

I am in the process of buying a plasma as my trusty old box telly is looking a little jaded now.

I know I want a 50 inch - and a Samsung - but this is where I need help.

Does the amount of pixels make a difference? One of the tv's I am interested in has 1365 pixels and another has 1920 pixels. Apart from the hike in the price I can't see much difference.

Also these tv's have built in freeview. I have SKY. Do I have to use the freeview? For example. I have channels 1-5 on channels 1-5 (analogue) Channel 6 is SKY and channel 7 is for the VCR.

How will freeview interfere with my preferred set up. If at all?

Also (sorry for all the questions) what does 1080p mean. The one's I am looking at have this - but is it important?

They all seem to be HD ready too. I don't have a HD box - but may get one in the future. Will this effect anything?

Sorry for being thick - but I am totally clueless with these things and as it's quite a substantial payout I wanted to know what I am buying.

Many thanks for your help I appreciate any advice.

[clockworks999]

Having Freeview won't affect your using Sky, it's just another way of watching TV through your aerial, but it's a digital signal. Try using it for your normal channels (1 to 5) - it might look better than your "normal" channels. It also offers many extra channels, which may or may not be of interest. It's "free", and you'll need it when the old analogue transmitters are turned off ("Digital Switchover")

However, whatever you do, don't just connect your Sky box to the TV using an aerial cable. It'll look horrible on a 50' telly! Get a decent quality SCART cable and use that to connect the TV to the Sky box.

The amount of pixels doesn't really matter for watching standard definition sources (Freeview, Sky, VCR, DVD, etc.). Even the lowest resolution TV currently available has enough pixels to display these sources. Anything badged as "HD Ready" will be fine.

TVs that are advertised as "Full HD" or "1080p" only come into their own with an HD source, mainly Blu-Ray or PS3 and, to a lesser extent, Sky HD or Freesat HD.

The 1080 refers to the number of horizontal lines of pixels, the "p" refers to the way the picture is built up progressively, one full frame at a time, rather than interlaced, alternating half-frames.

If you want the most future-proof TV, go for a 1080p model. Chances are you'll have an HD source of some kind in the next 10 years. On the other hand, if you can't see yourself going HD in the near future, consider an "HD ready" TV (AKA 1366x768 or 720p) if the price is right.

You might want to consider ditching the VCR as well - it'll look awful on a 50" screen unless you sit a very long way from the screen. Consider buying a DVD player for watching films, or a PVR (hard disk personal video recorder) for "time shifting". PVRs have Freeview tuners built-in. The best ones (like the Humax 9200) can record 2 programmes at once, while you watch something that's already recorded. The picture quality is much better than VCR.

If you only have basic Sky, getting Sky+ is a good upgrade.

[bobcar]

I would second most of what Clockworks said except I would elaborate on the resolution.

What resolution you need depends on how close you sit to the TV - unless you sit closer than about 10' (for a 50") you will be just as well off with an HD ready rather than a full HD TV. This will still apply if you upgrade to an HD source in the future. If you do sit closer than that then 50" may well be too big for you but it is a personal choice.

[Jimmy Connors]

Quote:

Originally Posted by clockworks999

Having Freeview won't affect your using Sky, it's just another way of watching TV through your aerial, but it's a digital signal. Try using it for your normal channels (1 to 5) - it might look better than your "normal" channels. It also offers many extra channels, which may or may not be of interest. It's "free", and you'll need it when the old analogue transmitters are turned off ("Digital Switchover")

However, whatever you do, don't just connect your Sky box to the TV using an aerial cable. It'll look horrible on a 50' telly! Get a decent quality SCART cable and use that to connect the TV to the Sky box.

The amount of pixels doesn't really matter for watching standard definition sources (Freeview, Sky, VCR, DVD, etc.). Even the lowest resolution TV currently available has enough pixels to display these sources. Anything badged as "HD Ready" will be fine.

TVs that are advertised as "Full HD" or "1080p" only come into their own with an HD source, mainly Blu-Ray or PS3 and, to a lesser extent, Sky HD or Freesat HD.

The 1080 refers to the number of horizontal lines of pixels, the "p" refers to the way the picture is built up progressively, one full frame at a time, rather than interlaced, alternating half-frames.

If you want the most future-proof TV, go for a 1080p model. Chances are you'll have an HD source of some kind in the next 10 years. On the other hand, if you can't see yourself going HD in the near future, consider an "HD ready" TV (AKA 1366x768 or 720p) if the price is right.

You might want to consider ditching the VCR as well - it'll look awful on a 50" screen unless you sit a very long way from the screen. Consider buying a DVD player for watching films, or a PVR (hard disk personal video recorder) for "time shifting". PVRs have Freeview tuners built-in. The best ones (like the Humax 9200) can record 2 programmes at once, while you watch something that's already recorded. The picture quality is much better than VCR.

If you only have basic Sky, getting Sky+ is a good upgrade.

Thank you so much for your very informative reply clockwork. I may well have to ditch the VCR. Only reason I keep it is to record from analogue. Don't you have to watch the channel you are taping to record from freeview?

Thanks again. Also for explaining things in laymans terms. Anything else and I would not have understood.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobcar

I would second most of what Clockworks said except I would elaborate on the resolution.

What resolution you need depends on how close you sit to the TV - unless you sit closer than about 10' (for a 50") you will be just as well off with an HD ready rather than a full HD TV. This will still apply if you upgrade to an HD source in the future. If you do sit closer than that then 50" may well be too big for you but it is a personal choice.

Thank you as well bobcar Having read your reply I may well have to get a smaller screen as I will be closer than 10'.


I can't wait. I thought my CRT was good - but after visiting a friend with a big screen plasma there is no comparison.

John Lewis here I come.

[clockworks999]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimmy Connors

Thank you so much for your very informative reply clockwork. I may well have to ditch the VCR. Only reason I keep it is to record from analogue. Don't you have to watch the channel you are taping to record from freeview?

Thanks again. Also for explaining things in laymans terms. Anything else and I would not have understood.



Thank you as well bobcar Having read your reply I may well have to get a smaller screen as I will be closer than 10'.


I can't wait. I thought my CRT was good - but after visiting a friend with a big screen plasma there is no comparison.

John Lewis here I come.

If you are trying to record, using a VCR, something from the Freeview built into a TV, then you need to be watching it.
If you get a Freeview PVR, it has one or two Freeview tuners built in, so you don't have to watch what you are recording.
Like I said, the better Freeview PVRs have two tuners. You can record 2 programmes at the same time.

I sit about 9 feet from my TV. When I first got a 40" Samsung LCD, it seemed really big, but the picture quality was fine.
I've just upgraded to a 46" 1080p Panasonic plasma. PQ is even better. SD sources such as Sky look much more natural than they did on the old LCD.

What's too big depends on the source, the TV, viewing distance and eyesight! 50' might be pushing it in a small room.

[ColinGodfree]

Please don't use channels 1-5 (analogue) on your new TV they won't be widescreen and you will have either distorted pics or black lines top and bottom (or both at the same time)

[LozPR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimmy Connors

Thank you so much for your very informative reply clockwork. I may well have to ditch the VCR. Only reason I keep it is to record from analogue. Don't you have to watch the channel you are taping to record from freeview?

Thanks again. Also for explaining things in laymans terms. Anything else and I would not have understood.



Thank you as well bobcar Having read your reply I may well have to get a smaller screen as I will be closer than 10'.


I can't wait. I thought my CRT was good - but after visiting a friend with a big screen plasma there is no comparison.

John Lewis here I come.

Have you managed to narrow down the options with this info... do you know what Samsung model you may be looking to buy/ what size of screen?

[Jimmy Connors]

Quote:

Originally Posted by clockworks999

If you are trying to record, using a VCR, something from the Freeview built into a TV, then you need to be watching it.
If you get a Freeview PVR, it has one or two Freeview tuners built in, so you don't have to watch what you are recording.
Like I said, the better Freeview PVRs have two tuners. You can record 2 programmes at the same time.

I sit about 9 feet from my TV. When I first got a 40" Samsung LCD, it seemed really big, but the picture quality was fine.
I've just upgraded to a 46" 1080p Panasonic plasma. PQ is even better. SD sources such as Sky look much more natural than they did on the old LCD.

What's too big depends on the source, the TV, viewing distance and eyesight! 50' might be pushing it in a small room.

Thank you clockwork. I measured the distance and I am about 10 feet away from the screen so maybe a 50' will do. I will have to ditch the VCR I think. By the sounds of things they're a thing of the past anyway.

[Jimmy Connors]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ColinGodfree

Please don't use channels 1-5 (analogue) on your new TV they won't be widescreen and you will have either distorted pics or black lines top and bottom (or both at the same time)

Thanks Colin. I never knew any of this. I hear what you're saying. I am so old fashioned though and much prefer the analogue teletext.

Methinks I shall have to buy a PVR. Many thanks for your advice Colin.

[Jimmy Connors]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LozPR

Have you managed to narrow down the options with this info... do you know what Samsung model you may be looking to buy/ what size of screen?

Hello Loz.

I have my eye on the Samsung PS5OA556S. It all depends what John Lewis have in stock as I want to take it with me in the car. I can't take a day off to wait in for anything to be delivered.

John Lewis tell me they have a loading bay and will load the TV into my car. I am not even sure a 50' (boxed )will fit in my car (and my car is pretty big with the back seats down) If not then I shall have to buy a screen size that when boxed does fit as there's no way I can get the time off atm to wait in for delivery.

I am only going to J Lewis for their 5 year warranty.

[Jimmy Connors]

Update...

Ok, so in the end I did not get the Samsung. I ended with a SHARP Aquos 42' LCD. I quite like it as it came with a free £200 stand and a free £299 DVD Cinema Syatem.

They even threw in two HDMI cables.

Really pleased with it. I'm not up on the best makes etc, but SHARP seem like a good respectable company. The TV is made in Japan. Doesn't mean anything to me - but the guy in John Lewis must have thought it a selling point to mention it.

Many thanks for all your advice on this thread.

I'm sure I'll be back to ask about the TV and Cinema System as they seem very complicated to me.

Thanks again.

[LozPR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimmy Connors

Update...

Ok, so in the end I did not get the Samsung. I ended with a SHARP Aquos 42' LCD. I quite like it as it came with a free £200 stand and a free £299 DVD Cinema Syatem.

They even threw in two HDMI cables.

Really pleased with it. I'm not up on the best makes etc, but SHARP seem like a good respectable company. The TV is made in Japan. Doesn't mean anything to me - but the guy in John Lewis must have thought it a selling point to mention it.

Many thanks for all your advice on this thread.

I'm sure I'll be back to ask about the TV and Cinema System as they seem very complicated to me.

Thanks again.

I'm glad your happy with what you got, all those additions sound good too...although I'm suprised he came out with 'It's made in Japan' as a USP!

[Jimmy Connors]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LozPR

I'm glad your happy with what you got, all those additions sound good too...although I'm suprised he came out with 'It's made in Japan' as a USP!

Yes I have no idea what the significance of 'Made In Japan' had either.

The only regret I have is that I did not buy one ages ago. It's so so much better than the old 28 inch box telly that has served me for the past 10 years.

I have not set the cinema syatem up yet as I have to go back and collect the stand on sarturday as it was out of stock. When I have errected the stand I shall hook the cinema system up.

Do these cinema systems make much of a difference? The sound from the TV is pretty impressive as it is.

[Nigel Goodwin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimmy Connors

Yes I have no idea what the significance of 'Made In Japan' had either.

Simply that Japan has a reputation for high quality manufacturing, China has a really poor reputation, and Korea a middling one

[Jimmy Connors]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nigel Goodwin

Simply that Japan has a reputation for high quality manufacturing, China has a really poor reputation, and Korea a middling one

Is that it? It never crossed my mind that where it was made would make a difference.

Strangely though the remote, box and stand are made in Malaysia. But right enough the TV itself is 'Made In Japan'