new HDTV reccomendations please!

aoaaron

aoaaron

aoaaron

Soldato
Joined
19 May 2012
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Hey guys, okay I have an unraid server but XBMC streaming all my media through the house. its pretty amazing with PVR via internet for 720p rips for tv shows + anime and an automated movie downloader.
now my main problem is...



I need a TV please to take advantage of this. the TV will be hooked up via HDMI to my nettop/HTPC and probably an XBOX 360/PS3, one more computer (maybe gaming, maybe just a server)...

now I've went down the monitor route a couple of times but never crossed the line because i keep realising im presuming i will pick up gaming again but its already been 3 years now without me having turned on my gaming PC (apart from a brief stint of dragon age origins where i came).

soooo (rei since ur probably the only one reading this to be quite honest)... im looking for a HDTV which can be used as a gaming monitor when really needed. the main use of it will be as a TV. the budget is probably £500 but can be stretched. and also:

1) i hate glossiness - if i can see my face in a black scene, i will cry. it drives me crazy on my ipad and my sisters imac. literally ****ing crazy.
2) the bigger the better,
3) adjustable viewing angles would be sick
4) hate the black bars on movies hate them... dont mind them too much but when they take up 1/3 the screen its ****ing annoying.

i don't know if this is an issue with my htpc or my monitor ATM but it does keep losing HDMi connection, would love a monitor/tv which combats that.
 
aoaaron said:
4) hate the black bars on movies hate them... dont mind them too much but when they take up 1/3 the screen its ****ing annoying.
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This depends on the source; if you're watching a 2.35:1 or whatever film, there are going to be bars, otherwise you're distorting the image. Video should be watched in it's original aspect ration; if this means letter/pillarboxing, so be it IMO.

As for a recommendation, if you're using it as a monitor, you probably want LCD; I'm not sure how current models compare, but I'm sure someone will be along to advise.
 
If you've got a £500 budet you're looking at something from last years range of TVs. If you're worried about glossy TVs and viewing angles its got to be a plasma i reckon. If you don't want 3D, i'd look at the Panasonic G30. The top end of their non 3D plasma range, and can be had for about £500 in 42" size. They did a GT30, which was the same TV but with 3D, and that was the second highest model in the entire line up.

Review below:

http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/panasonic-tx-p42g30b-p42g30-201104091079.htm

Can be had for under £500 with ease from one of the DSG group's "electrical retailers that we probably can't mention" websites.

As for black bars on movies. Well you're a bit stuck there as most movies are filmed in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, far wider than even 16:9 widescreen TVs can show. In order to view all the width of the shot that the director filmed, you need to shrink it with black bars to get everything in. You could buy a 2.35:1 TV (philips made one) but then of course you will get black bars at the side or a stretched picture for your normal broadcast TV which is filmed in ... 16:9 So you can't avoid black bars I'm afraid, no matter which TV you buy.
 
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Sorry to jump in, but how are the G30 sets for gaming? I want a screen purely for xbox (gaming and Netflix, and streaming movies from pc).
 
They are full HD panels, so can show 1920 x 1080 pictures no problems.

No PC input however (most modern TVs don't) so you will need to make sure your PC can output to HDMI.

The G30 has a specific [Game] mode which reduces input lag. HDTVtest measured this at 24ms which is more than comparable with LCDs.

I've got a GT50 (this years 3D model) coming tomorrow. Can hardly wait !! it replaces a 4 1/2 year old Samsung LCD set so hoping for a decent jump in PQ :D
 
thanks for the responses so far! very helpful. is plasma glare free?

Panasonic Smart VIERA TX-P42GT30B 42-inch Full HD retails at amazon for £740... thats a bit out of my price range. anything cheaper but still the same or good deals which i've missed?

oh found it for £480 somewhere else... is it still 3D? hard to do this w/o linking.

is 3D worth the investment for the future?
 
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GT30 is 3D, it's the T in Panasonic model number that designates 3D. It doesn't come with glasses though by default, they are around £55 ish for the official Panasonic ones or £35 ish for eBay jobs.

VT30 was the top model last year, closely followed by the GT30 / G30.

Glare isn't an issue for me, if you have a bright lit room I believe LCD are supposed to be better as they can go brighter. That said you would need to spend a lot of money on an LCD to get picture quality approaching a good Panasonic plasma, or that's how it was when I was shopping for TVs last year, better to just control the lighting a bit :)
 
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uchuff said:
I've got the lesser ST30 and it's great for gaming IMHO, enjoy.
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Tbh the st30 and g30 were very much comparible, side by side i would have picked the st30 every time.

Im going to try and get a 50st50 this year, as much as i would like the gt50, there not enough in it to make me spend the extra, even with me being able to buy at cost+vat.
 
aoaaron said:
thanks for the responses so far! very helpful. is plasma glare free?

Panasonic Smart VIERA TX-P42GT30B 42-inch Full HD retails at amazon for £740... thats a bit out of my price range. anything cheaper but still the same or good deals which i've missed?

oh found it for £480 somewhere else... is it still 3D? hard to do this w/o linking.

is 3D worth the investment for the future?
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Thats the GT30 with 3D, the one i recommended is the G30 which isn't 3D and can be had for under £470. Look at the model number of the one that i've posted the review for, and copy and paste that into google ;)

3D isn't exactly an investment. You either intend to buy and watch 3D blu rays or you don't. There is a wave of cinicism towards 3D from some major hollywood studios and directors. There will never come a time when you "need" 3D i reckon, just a case of wanting it. There are plenty of people for whom the stereoscopic 3D just doesnt work for their eyes, so hollywood will always offer films in both formats. Its up to you if you want to spend the extra for the 3D.

As somebody already said, you could go down a model and get the ST30 if you wanted 3D and that would still keep it near your budget.

http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/panasonic-tx-p42st30b-p42st30-201105161138.htm

That too, can be had for about £500.
 
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thank you so much. you guys have been really really helpful and informative. well ive decided no to 3D because u have to wear glasses and all that. sooo: i guess im going to grab the PANASONIC VIERA TX-P42G30B Full HD 42" Plasma TV which i found 480 from a retailer close by... ?

Should i be getting the S30 instead of the G30 or is the G30 better? for 480 is there anything better I could get for a smaller ammount of money or is this probably the best value I could get considering my needs?

TBH my room is RIDICULOUSLY well lit (I have 2 windows in the celing which let a lot of natural light in. my current monitor samsung AG is fantastic for dealing with it. therefore are there any better monitors which will handle glare better? i do pretty much hate it ATM (well seeing it on the apple glossy displays and my old plasma at home).
 
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You may struggle with a plasma during the day then, but for the money its a fantastic telly, LED's will be better in a well lite room, but cost more for something which will give the same PQ as the panny.
 
aoaaron said:
thank you so much. you guys have been really really helpful and informative. well ive decided no to 3D because u have to wear glasses and all that. sooo: i guess im going to grab the PANASONIC VIERA TX-P42G30B Full HD 42" Plasma TV which i found 480 from a retailer close by... ?

Should i be getting the S30 instead of the G30 or is the G30 better? for 480 is there anything better I could get for a smaller ammount of money or is this probably the best value I could get considering my needs?

TBH my room is RIDICULOUSLY well lit (I have 2 windows in the celing which let a lot of natural light in. my current monitor samsung AG is fantastic for dealing with it. therefore are there any better monitors which will handle glare better? i do pretty much hate it ATM (well seeing it on the apple glossy displays and my old plasma at home).
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The S30 is below the G30. Get the G30 :)

As for the room lighting. The only thing i can suggest is to buy it from a retailer you know you can take it back to. The G30 can be had from those people at DSG retail group we can't mention that are in every retail park in the country. Because they are so big, it should be very easy to take it back and get a refund if it simply doesnt work in your front room. Especially if your then willing to ask for credit to use towards an LCD instead.

I personally think the plasma will offer better image quality, but have no idea of knowing if the plasma will be bright enough to see in the amount of daylight your front room gets. The ability to still be watchable in bright sunlight is one of LCD TVs strong points.

Thats not to say the plasma "won't work". Nothing in electricals is black and white. Hence why i suggest you try it and see :)
 
Whilst I love plasmas, daytime viewing in bright rooms is their downfall.

The G30 has a decent IR filter (meaning blacks don't looked as washed-out and grey in daylight as my S20), but it is still glossy so reflects light sources.

How often will you use it in daylight, and can you control the light with blinds or something?
 
the problem is i'm not too sure. i am moving apartment.

back home, light is pouring through our house with bay windows etc. we dont have blinds/don't like using them because it makes the room too stuffy etc.

i do love VERSATILITY in my devices. i am the guy who buys his macbook pro and smacks on antiglare for the extra 150. therefore if i need to pay a bit more for a similar sized screen without glare but still with the good color/versatility/contrast etc, i'm prepared to.

then again with the 500-600 budget, and my want for a big screen, im guessing plasma is the only option. i will be using XBMC which will a lot of the time display a static menu screen if thats a worry.
 
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There arent many LCD / plasmas that have an anti glare screen.

They nearly all have glossy screens to help with the contrast ratio.
 
Hmm, both the St30 and GT30 can be bought for around £470. I don't see the point of buying a S30/G30 if they are around the same price.

You may not watch 3D, but for the same price as non-3D, its gotta be a bonus for the future?
 
djkav said:
Hmm, both the St30 and GT30 can be bought for around £470. I don't see the point of buying a S30/G30 if they are around the same price.

You may not watch 3D, but for the same price as non-3D, its gotta be a bonus for the future?
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Pretty sure the ST30 has a better IR filter than the S30 too.

EDIT - yep, ST30 has the Infinite Black 2 panel, the S30 does not.
 
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