Integrated Freesat or not?

Trickle · 19-10-2008, 19:43

Hi, I am going to replace our TV with an HDTV. I am very loyal to the Panasonic brand and I do not have a digital top box. I have been gravitating to the new TX-37LZD81 which has built in Freesat. This is coming onto the market for around £900 - £1000. The problem is that, as far as I can see, this model is exactly the same as the TX-37LZD80 except that this model does not include the Freesat receiver. I can buy the TX-37LZD80 on Amazon for £650 and with the cost of a HD Freesat top box at around £140 I can get the equivalent of the TX-37LZD81 for £790.
Is there anything wrong with this logic?
OK I can see some advantages of having an integrated Freesat i.e. less clutter, fewer cables and not using up one of the three HDMI sockets. But I am not sure that it is really worth the additional cost.
I am interested in your opinion.

Willie Wontie · 20-10-2008, 09:31

No different to when idTV's first hit the market. Ones with a built-in Freeview tuner were costing £50 to £100 more than the equivalent TV (same manufacturer, almost same model no, same screen size etc) without a Freeview tuner built into it. i.e. Toshiba 32 WLT66 vs Toshiba 32 WL66.

Everyone knows that a Freeview STB doesn't cost between £50 and £100 - but the majority of people bought the one with an integrated Freeview tuner in it.

If you are happy having a separate box plugged in, and one of the HDMI sockets on the Panasonic TV being taken up by a separate Freesat box, then there is no need to buy the one with the integrated tuner. It also means that if in the future you want to upgrade your Freesat HD box (swap it for a Sky HD box, or a Freesat HD PVR when they eventually hit the market) you are in a stronger position i.e. you can sell your current Freesat HD STB on ebay to recover some of the cost. You can't do that with a tuner that's built into a telly.

Trickle · 20-10-2008, 12:59

Thanks for the reply Willie.
That was a good point about the advent of a Freesat PVR. I see that Panasonic have hinted at a PVR with 500GB hard drive and Integrated Blu-ray Recorder for the UK Freesat platform. It is supposed to feature an integrated twin HD Digital Tuner for FTA broadcasting, making it possible to record two digital programmes simultaneously. Expected Q2 2009. Looks like a nice piece of kit.

niall campbell · 20-10-2008, 13:12

I would have seperate pieces of equipment in case one breaks down

Trickle · 20-10-2008, 13:41

I may have just spotted a problem with this combo. The Panny TX-LZD81 is 1080p whereas the Humax HD Freesat box is only 1080i. There's not much point having prog scan if I cannot use it.

Willie Wontie · 20-10-2008, 14:00

No broadcast high definition (via Freesat, Sky, cable and ultimately aerial) TV is (or will be) in 1080p.

So, just because your TV is capable of displaying a 1080p picture doesn't mean that any HD broadcasts you watch on it via Freesat will be in 1080p. Only Blu Ray DVDs and some console games achive that resolution.

Trickle · 20-10-2008, 14:03

Thanks for that info Willie. Just shows how ignorant I am

Cheers.

Trickle · 23-10-2008, 13:04

Well I think my dilema is well and truely solved by the announcement of the Humax FOXSAT-HDR Freesat PVR.
http://www.joinfreesat.co.uk/index.p...max-foxsat-hdr

No need to buy an integrated Freesat receiver with this beauty around the corner.

MAW · 23-10-2008, 13:20

And there was I scrolling to the end of the thread to point this out to you. Perfect solution, wish everyone was so logical.

19-10-2008, 19:43	#1
Trickle Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Cambridge Posts: 42	Integrated Freesat or not? Hi, I am going to replace our TV with an HDTV. I am very loyal to the Panasonic brand and I do not have a digital top box. I have been gravitating to the new TX-37LZD81 which has built in Freesat. This is coming onto the market for around £900 - £1000. The problem is that, as far as I can see, this model is exactly the same as the TX-37LZD80 except that this model does not include the Freesat receiver. I can buy the TX-37LZD80 on Amazon for £650 and with the cost of a HD Freesat top box at around £140 I can get the equivalent of the TX-37LZD81 for £790. Is there anything wrong with this logic? OK I can see some advantages of having an integrated Freesat i.e. less clutter, fewer cables and not using up one of the three HDMI sockets. But I am not sure that it is really worth the additional cost. I am interested in your opinion.

20-10-2008, 09:31	#2
Willie Wontie Inactive Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 2,847	No different to when idTV's first hit the market. Ones with a built-in Freeview tuner were costing £50 to £100 more than the equivalent TV (same manufacturer, almost same model no, same screen size etc) without a Freeview tuner built into it. i.e. Toshiba 32 WLT66 vs Toshiba 32 WL66. Everyone knows that a Freeview STB doesn't cost between £50 and £100 - but the majority of people bought the one with an integrated Freeview tuner in it. If you are happy having a separate box plugged in, and one of the HDMI sockets on the Panasonic TV being taken up by a separate Freesat box, then there is no need to buy the one with the integrated tuner. It also means that if in the future you want to upgrade your Freesat HD box (swap it for a Sky HD box, or a Freesat HD PVR when they eventually hit the market) you are in a stronger position i.e. you can sell your current Freesat HD STB on ebay to recover some of the cost. You can't do that with a tuner that's built into a telly.

20-10-2008, 12:59	#3
Trickle Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Cambridge Posts: 42	Thanks for the reply Willie. That was a good point about the advent of a Freesat PVR. I see that Panasonic have hinted at a PVR with 500GB hard drive and Integrated Blu-ray Recorder for the UK Freesat platform. It is supposed to feature an integrated twin HD Digital Tuner for FTA broadcasting, making it possible to record two digital programmes simultaneously. Expected Q2 2009. Looks like a nice piece of kit.

20-10-2008, 13:12	#4
niall campbell Forum Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Aberfeldy Posts: 7,035	I would have seperate pieces of equipment in case one breaks down

20-10-2008, 13:41	#5
Trickle Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Cambridge Posts: 42	I may have just spotted a problem with this combo. The Panny TX-LZD81 is 1080p whereas the Humax HD Freesat box is only 1080i. There's not much point having prog scan if I cannot use it.

20-10-2008, 14:00	#6
Willie Wontie Inactive Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 2,847	No broadcast high definition (via Freesat, Sky, cable and ultimately aerial) TV is (or will be) in 1080p. So, just because your TV is capable of displaying a 1080p picture doesn't mean that any HD broadcasts you watch on it via Freesat will be in 1080p. Only Blu Ray DVDs and some console games achive that resolution.

20-10-2008, 14:03	#7
Trickle Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Cambridge Posts: 42	Thanks for that info Willie. Just shows how ignorant I am Cheers.

23-10-2008, 13:04	#8
Trickle Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Cambridge Posts: 42	Well I think my dilema is well and truely solved by the announcement of the Humax FOXSAT-HDR Freesat PVR. http://www.joinfreesat.co.uk/index.p...max-foxsat-hdr No need to buy an integrated Freesat receiver with this beauty around the corner.

23-10-2008, 13:20	#9
MAW Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 28,577	And there was I scrolling to the end of the thread to point this out to you. Perfect solution, wish everyone was so logical.

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Integrated Freesat or not?