alistair

I think 850 is a bit optimistic ! You might manage somewhere in that region (if you are lucky) for the base model, but if you want a digital tuner and dolby then more like 1400.

The Zohan

Sorry!

£ 850.00 + VAT £ 999.00 (ish)

HBL - Electrical Wholesalers (well, sort of) where knocking them out at that price. I cannot find the flier for it.

AWD

Sony Wega is outstanding and worth the cash IMO.

You'll wonder how you survived without it...

kelvin

IMHO the Panasonics this year are probably top for picture quality, and would prob be your best bet - mainly personal choice though! You'd do better to get to a showroom and have a look yourself to see what sort of picture you prefer, everybodys different, as are all TV's!

If you dont mind me asking, is there a particular budget you're stuck to? Let me know if there is and I'll let you know what the better models for your price range are.

Good Luck - its a minefield out there

Kelvin

AWD

Leave your wallet at home if you go window shopping ... otherwise you'll be on here tomorrow saying that you've taken out a second mortgage to pay for your new Plasma screen TV

The Zohan

Plasma Screens - A word of warning.

Screen life anywhere between 2000-4000 hours.
2000 hours - 4-hours a day = 500 days. Not exactly a long life compared to a tube. The replacement cost of the Plasma screen part is - yes youv'e guessed it BIG BUCKS.

Mr.Cookie

Got to agree with peeps about the Wega my boss recently bought one and i had to go round and set it up as the instalation muppet did'nt have a clue. Picture is outstanding, just a shame it would not fit through the attic hole .

Si

XRS

Thanks for the quick response guys.

To answer some of your questions, I guess the budget is around £1,500 to £1,800. I have seen a few different TVs in the showrooms, but few seem to be set up particularly well. On Saturday I was intending to get the Sony KV32DS60(S)for around £1,600, but the salesman showed me the FQ75. Well, the picture was the best I have ever seen, so he delayed my decision and created confusion. You see, the FQ is not digital and only has Nicam. It does have PIP though, and I could spend hours anoying the family while I watch 5 channels at a time!
As for plasma, a prerequisite is picture quality, and they just don't do it for me. Plus I have permission for 32" and no more.

Keep up the debate though. ANy good internet-based review sites? I've looked at a couple but they do not cover a great range.

XRS

I am currently in the market for a widescreen TV. I have promised myself a Sony ever since I couldn’t afford one 19 years ago, when I bought a Panasonic that refuses to go wrong! (It's taken me that long to persuade my wife that it is essential to have a new television). The thing is, I don't know if Sony are as all-conquering as they used to be.
I have been thinking that now is the time to go digital (although I can't yet receive it here on the south coast) and I would like to have Dolby of some sort. Picture quality must be top notch.
So, any information/experiences anyone can offer? Review sites on the web? Good deals?
All contributions gratefully accepted.

The Zohan

Buy a copy of What TV/DVD.

Loads of companies offering TV's a good prices.

IMHO - Sony Wega 32" is the business - expect to pay around £ 850.00 inc. Should last you 10+ years of fault free watching.

IMHO - do not go for the extended warranty - Chances are it will go wrong within the first year if it is going go wrong - Sony are as reliable as it gets.

I have had my Sony 32" TV for 5 years without a single fault.

AWD

Paul

Is the lifespan of ALL Plasma screens 2000-4000 hours?

4 hours a day is not abnormal and that means that the lifespan is approx 1.5-2.5 years which is frankly pretty cr@p.

There's no way I'd even consider buying one if it only lasted that long.

gregh

XRS,

I went Panasonic for my 32" WS, thought picture was as good/if not better than Sony, but the Panny had PiP!

Also I found TV picture quality had more to do with the dealers setup than the TV, ie alot of 100hz TVs have a sharpness setting, mucking around with that can affect the picture greatly.

so some questions for you to answer before you decide what you want:

1. 50hz or 100hz TV?
2. Nicam or dolby or dolby digital (IMHO you are best getting seperates for this sounds 100% better than TV, then just get a NiCAM TV)
3. Do you want integrated Sky or On-Digital? (IMHO you don't, just get the seperate box then you can upgrade it/fix it as and when necessary)

I think that's all!

cheers,

Greg

BarryK

Times they are a changing.

Don't waste your capital.

Go rent one until things settle down. Then a telly that lasts just over 2 years don't bother you, if that's what you want.

XRS

Greg,

It has to be 100Hz. The Dolby digital question is one that I've been thinking hard about. The trouble is we already have so many wires around the back of the TV. I just can't decide. I certainly take the point about going for Nicam and having separates though. (Sounds like another thread on separates units!).
I already have a Sky decoder (as I mentioned I can't get terrestrial digital yet - apparently it knocks out all the signals in NW France )

BarryK

Two years? It's taken 19 to get permission for this one - you're just being overoptimistic I'm afraid. Apart from that, I have a real problem about paying out for something I don't own.

kelvin

XRS,

If you're spending that amount of money and you're after picture quality then to be honest you'll probably be looking at a Nicam 100hz set with a seperate Dolby Digital/Pro-logic amp. The reason I say that is because quite honestly - there isn't that many sets around that offer Surround Sound coupled with 100hz. The Sony KV32FQ75 is without doubt the dogs danglies if it's picture quality you're after , but the only problem comes with delivery - unless you can find a place with it in stock you're very unlikely to be getting it this side of xmas

The other one which is probably worth a look at is the Panasonic TX32 PK20 - similar to the Sony, but without the DRC technology so theoretically the picture isn't as good.

HOWEVER, if you definitely want a set with an integrated Surround Sound amp, then take a look at the Philips 32PW9616 - 100hz flat screen, integrated Dolby Digital amp (cordless rear speakers) - sounds and looks fantastic - price isn't bad either - list price is £1599.99 so within your budget - take a look if you get a chance.

Hope this helps,

Kelvin

The Zohan

AWD

I have this info on good authority. I work in the 'live event' and video production industry. I was at an event last Thursday and talking to a tech setting up two 50" plasma screens. Got onto the subject of longevity and by all accounts 2000-4000 hours is what they recon on irrespective of the manufacturer. I have known this tech for five years or so, he specialises in projection and video systems and knows his stuff.

Plasmas are great hire event work 'cause they look good and are the 'in thing'.The hire companies only keep 'em for a year before the sell them on. They easliy make their money back, a 50" Plasma goes out the door for £ 300.00 per day on hire - 30 days and you've covered your costs the rest is all profit.

Personally i would not buy one for the following reasons

Screen life - Pi$$ poor
Picture quality - good, not great

[This message has been edited by Paul Habgood (edited 20 November 2000).]

[This message has been edited by Paul Habgood (edited 20 November 2000).]

RichB

AWD

Paul

I saw a plasma screen displaying HDTV in the US and it looked fantastic.

Not fantastic enough to justify a 2 year lifespan though (well not if it is my money).

The Zohan

AWD

HDTV looks great no matter what it is displayed on. Plasma screens give one of the best graphics pictures i have seen. IMHO i do not think the video picture on a plasma is a good as the best tube pictures.

Horses for courses

AWD

I know what you mean Paul.

I wouldn't buy a plasma. Up until a few hours ago this was due to just the price, but after hearing what you've said - there's just no way I'd even consider spending TV money (i.e. less than £1500) on a plasma screen if it only lasted a couple of years.

The place I went to in the US had 3 setups side by side - normal TV, digital TV and HD TV. Each was fed by the same source box, from which you selected one of 12 scenes (nature, motor racing, etc.) and then you got to see the same scene played on all three systems side by side.

I was impressed - and all this in a shop that would be comparable to Dixons. Some things the US definitely do well...


Edited 'cos I can't spell

[This message has been edited by AWD (edited 20 November 2000).]

XRS

Kelvin,

Does the FQ75 have digital tuners then? I got the impression they were analogue. The picture was superb though.

camk

Recently I went through the same thing and my two mates both had sony 32" WEGA, I almost bought it but ended up getting a Panasonic 36" Flat 100Hz job for about 300 quid more. Only one of them has been up to see it and he says that given the choice now he's seen them both then he'd go with the Panasonic as its a much bigger screen. I bought it on letsbuyit.com for 4400DM which is roughly 1400 quid.
I'd also avoid build in decoders and the rest, if you need anything then get it seperately, at least if any part goes then your not stuck. I got a Sony AV Amp at the same time and this makes a HUGE difference to DVD's etc.

Bajie

I was going to get a Fujitsu 42" Plasma.
Don't think I'll bother now .

Keep your eyes out for the Sony Grand Wega.

Size is definitely not important but you can certainly get a lot more entertainment from the extra eight inches the Sony give you

Initial words would approximate the price at £5000 GBP.
A Bugs Life will never look the same again ...

Dark

iTrader: (1)

I bought a Sony KP41DS1, 41" rear projection, digital, nicam.

Almost similar picture quality to the 32" WEGA but bigger!!

£2k in the highstreet but I bought it for £1.5k via the internet and a company in Glasgow.

Dark

[This message has been edited by Dark (edited 20 November 2000).]

phill chinn

I've had a sony wega 32" for about 18 months now, after having problems with the first 2 sets,
1: bad buzzing on light/white screens,
2: the text generator for the on screen menus failed.
The picture is good, but thats only because the picture I get from cable is good ! But with a pioneer dvd/surround sound amp i've just purchased the picture is outstanding.
I would agree with some of the others, get a separate Dolby processor and speakers.
I can recommend the pioneer dvd/surround sound system NS-DV55 £640- 720 just voted top "life style system" by what HI-FI ( cheesy title) but good system, oh yer defiantly 100hz TV

kelvin

XRS,

The FQ75 <I>is</I> just an analogue set. DRC stands for "Digital Reality Creation" and is basically new technology released by Sony. From what I've gathered from the Sony rep. it's just a little box of tricks inside the set itself which acts like a filter ie. it takes the basic elements of the picture then electronically sharpens them up giving you a much better picture at the end of the day - better definition, sharper, more depth etc.

I've watched Sony's DRC demo DVD on both the FX60 (standard 100hz Flat) and the FQ75 (DRC 100hz Flat) and there is definitely a difference - whether or not it's worth the extra £150 or so is obviously down to you but I think once you've seen a direct comparison you'll get a better idea of what I mean .

Any more questions just let me know.

Kelvin

Mick

iTrader: (1)

Just bought a Philips 32PW9616 fantastic. Mail order guys will give you a reasonable discount. I think we paid £1270 including stand. Loads of stuff to fiddle with. Fun Fun Fun

Looking for a DVD now to use it to full advantage!