40"-46" Recommendations

[DOD]Asprilla · 19 Jun 2008 at 15:01

It's not true that he needs a 50", it's just that we would need to it to make use to the HD aspects of the screen. Since he's mainly going to be watching SD material that's neither here nor there, at least for the moment.

The budget is a bit of a no-mans-land; if he's looking to spend a grand on a 42" then I'd seriously suggest that he push his budget and get a Pioneer 4280XD which can be had for £1199 (or less if he buys -Ad-'s!). It's the second best 42" panel currently available and will make the best use of SD at the distance he's going to be viewing it. It's also a screen he'll be more than happy with when he does get some more HD on it.

Everything else I'd suggest would be around the £700 mark.

I'd certainly tell him to go down the plasma route if nothing else.

Kalpsn2000 · 19 Jun 2008 at 16:36

£1000 is the max budget.

The ones he was looking at were:

Sony KDL-40W4000
&
Samsung LE40A656

These any good?

Beansprout · 19 Jun 2008 at 16:38

[DOD]Asprilla;11922427 said:
It's not true that he needs a 50", it's just that we would need to it to make use to the HD aspects of the screen. Since he's mainly going to be watching SD material that's neither here nor there, at least for the moment.

The budget is a bit of a no-mans-land; if he's looking to spend a grand on a 42" then I'd seriously suggest that he push his budget and get a Pioneer 4280XD which can be had for £1199 (or less if he buys -Ad-'s!). It's the second best 42" panel currently available and will make the best use of SD at the distance he's going to be viewing it. It's also a screen he'll be more than happy with when he does get some more HD on it.

Everything else I'd suggest would be around the £700 mark.

I'd certainly tell him to go down the plasma route if nothing else.

What do you mean second best

*runs*

[DOD]Asprilla · 19 Jun 2008 at 16:47

Beansprout said:
What do you mean second best

*runs*

I've got a 428xd, so I can't very well say the 4280Xd is better now can I?

I may or may not have added that line to see if anyone would bite

Beansprout · 19 Jun 2008 at 17:03

[DOD]Asprilla;11923186 said:
I've got a 428xd, so I can't very well say the 4280Xd is better now can I?

I may or may not have added that line to see if anyone would bite

Exception granted, thought you might be referring to a Panasonic

[DOD]Asprilla · 19 Jun 2008 at 17:07

Beansprout said:
Exception granted, thought you might be referring to a Panasonic

God no! The Panny is very good the the cash, but it doesn't hold a candle to the Pio Kuros.

-Ad- · 19 Jun 2008 at 17:08

[DOD]Asprilla;11922427 said:
get a Pioneer 4280XD which can be had for £1199 (or less if he buys -Ad-'s!). It's the second best 42" panel currently available
.

Ne pa possibleu

428 > LG video combi 21 inch

I say take a look at the w4000, ain't seen it but it gets good reports, although they are probably from long term sony fanbois. Definately check out the panasonic PX80 then put *** rest on blu-rays and dvds, or try and stretch to the 4280XD before it goes for good.

TheDean · 20 Jun 2008 at 08:59

Are you getting the new 9G Kuro -Ad-?!

-Ad- · 20 Jun 2008 at 09:21

TheDean said:
Are you getting the new 9G Kuro -Ad-?!

I would if I had an evergreen money tree farm in the garden

Keep an eye out in the next week or so to see the new one, only 50inch as a clue

Kalpsn2000: Definately have a look in the avforums.com classified ads, a number of 4280 and other pioneer tvs up for sale

TheDean · 20 Jun 2008 at 09:32

-Ad- said:
Keep an eye out in the next week or so to see the new one, only 50inch as a clue

Hmmmmm. I have no flipping idea

Demon · 20 Jun 2008 at 11:56

Kalpsn2000 said:
£1000 is the max budget.

The ones he was looking at were:

Sony KDL-40W4000
&
Samsung LE40A656

These any good?

If he wants to go down the LCD route, then you want to add the Toshiba 40ZF355 to that list..

pop over to www.hdtvtest.co.uk for reviews, basically, all those are excellent LCD's, the Toshiba also has the 'picture frame' styling which may sway a decision, since all other factors are so close..

[DOD]Asprilla · 20 Jun 2008 at 12:05

Kalpsn2000 said:
Sony KDL-40W4000 & Samsung LE40A656

Good sets, and so is the Tosh that was mentioned.

My reservations about Samsung are documented elsewhere, but they wouldn't be my first, second or third choice of manufacturer.

Sony is my preference for LCD, but I'd still recommend Plasma over LCD for what it's going to be used for.

Demon · 20 Jun 2008 at 12:16

[DOD]Asprilla;11928521 said:
Good sets, and so is the Tosh that was mentioned.

My reservations about Samsung are documented elsewhere, but they wouldn't be my first, second or third choice of manufacturer.

Sony is my preference for LCD, but I'd still recommend Plasma over LCD for what it's going to be used for.

I always default to recommending a 'good' plasma, notably the Pio Kuro's over LCD, which I am sure is no surprise, as I am an avid Home Cinema fan, but having seen the Tosh 40ZF355, at least most of my LCD criticisms seem to be reasonably addressed, but personally, if I could only have 1 TV that I would be watching movies on, then it would be a Kuro all the way..

Hen_Dawg · 20 Jun 2008 at 13:26

Demon said:
but personally, if I could only have 1 TV that I would be watching movies on, then it would be a Kuro all the way..

Yes, but it's a few hundred over his max budget. Everyone bangs on about how it's the best and i'm sure it is. But it's near pointless to discuss when it's priced out of reach of 95% of "spec me" threads

Demon · 20 Jun 2008 at 13:53

Hen_Dawg said:
Yes, but it's a few hundred over his max budget. Everyone bangs on about how it's the best and i'm sure it is. But it's near pointless to discuss when it's priced out of reach of 95% of "spec me" threads

the thing with budgets is people need to look at what's above/below their budget as well, to ensure that their budget is getting them what they want. If their budget isn't flexible then fine, I added the Toshiba 40ZF355 in for that reason, but since I personally would spend the extra few hundred and get the Kuro, if I was an avid movie watcher and that was the device I'd be using to watch the movies, to me, it's worth mentioning. all IMO, and in this case, which is the only one I've replied to, I don't feel it's misplaced.

Hen_Dawg · 20 Jun 2008 at 18:05

You're right Demon, I think I'm just bitter I can't afford one. I'm not picking on you. In all my research to find the right TV I read nothing but "this one is ok but it's poor compared to the Kuro" forgetting to mention it can cost double.

lovedaddy · 20 Jun 2008 at 19:15

Whats the electicity usage between LCD and plasma like? Might be worth considering

[DOD]Asprilla · 20 Jun 2008 at 19:31

lovedaddy said:
Whats the electicity usage between LCD and plasma like? Might be worth considering

Plasma is definately higher, but like contrast ratios it's difficult to tell how manufacturers measure it.

Hen_Dawg · 20 Jun 2008 at 20:44

Although a bit biased. Panasonic's own website claim there is minimal difference between the 2 for power.
Whatever it is, it's nothing that you'd see on your power bill.

-Ad- · 21 Jun 2008 at 00:41

[DOD]Asprilla;11931900 said:
Plasma is definately higher, but like contrast ratios it's difficult to tell how manufacturers measure it.

Not really, plasmas electricity usage depends on the image being displayed. For example a dark film will use less power as the usage increases with brightness.