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HighFidelityGuy
11-07-2011, 18:36
My current TV (purchased from Richer Sounds) has died and they can't fix it. So I need to choose a new one under my 5 year warranty. I'm looking for something around £500-600 but there's lots of choice, so I'm hoping someone can recommend me something. I definitely want 1080P and 100Hz. 3D is not essential and sound quality is irrelevant as I won't use the built in speakers. I'm really not sure whether to go for LCD or Plasma. The guy I spoke to in the store strongly recommended LCD but I'm not convinced. The Pany Plasma he showed me looked a bit dull but most of the LCD's looked too bright and unrealistic. However I'm sure they could all be improved with proper calibration. My old TV was a Hitachi 37" ultra flat LCD that had unusually good picture quality for the price I paid as it had an extremely good quality panel. I need the new screen to be a good all-rounder as I watch TV in SD and HD and movies in SD and HD from my Pany Blu-Ray player.

So what do you recommend? Obviously it must be something that Richer stock.

Cheers. :cool:

The Vinyl Adventure
11-07-2011, 19:04
In 5 years of working for a shop selling tvs my advice is always go for a Sony if you want it not to break down ... Less than I can count on my hands have gone wrong in that time selling maybe 5-10 a week

Ali Tait
11-07-2011, 19:16
I like the Panny Viera if they are selling any.

Yoga
11-07-2011, 19:16
Pioneer plasmas are fantastic. Do they even still do them? :¬)

HighFidelityGuy
11-07-2011, 19:37
They do have Panny Viera's but no Pioneer's unfortunately. They also have some Sony's but not many and the price range in Sony jumps from £500 to £700 for some reason.

The only Viera plasma around £600 is the TXP42G30 (http://www.richersounds.com/product/plasma-tv/panasonic/viera-txp42g30/pana-txp42g30). In Sony's they have the KDL40CX523 (http://www.richersounds.com/product/lcd-tv/sony/bravia-kdl40cx523/sony-kdl40cx523) and the KDL40EX503 (http://www.richersounds.com/product/lcd-tv/sony/bravia-kdl40ex503/sony-kdl40ex503). The guy in the store was very passionate about LG LCD's and highly recommended them. The main two LG's I looked at were the 42LK530T (http://www.richersounds.com/product/lcd-tv/lg/42lk530t/lg-42lk530) and the 42LE5900 (http://www.richersounds.com/product/lcd-tv/lg/42le5900/lg-42le5900).

Does anyone have any thoughts or opinions on these models?

Thanks. :)

Yoga
11-07-2011, 19:41
They do have Panny Viera's but no Pioneer's unfortunately. They also have some Sony's but not many and the price range in Sony jumps from £500 to £700 for some reason.

The only Viera plasma around £600 is the TXP42G30 (http://www.richersounds.com/product/plasma-tv/panasonic/viera-txp42g30/pana-txp42g30). In Sony's they have the KDL40CX523 (http://www.richersounds.com/product/lcd-tv/sony/bravia-kdl40cx523/sony-kdl40cx523) and the KDL40EX503 (http://www.richersounds.com/product/lcd-tv/sony/bravia-kdl40ex503/sony-kdl40ex503). The guy in the store was very passionate about LG LCD's and highly recommended them. The main two LG's I looked at were the 42LK530T (http://www.richersounds.com/product/lcd-tv/lg/42lk530t/lg-42lk530) and the 42LE5900 (http://www.richersounds.com/product/lcd-tv/lg/42le5900/lg-42le5900).

Does anyone have any thoughts or opinions on these models?

Thanks. :)

I had a Panny before going to Pio, they are great panels too.

Seems to get a very good review here:

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

For the price, it looks like a fantastic choice.

Tim
11-07-2011, 19:58
Pioneer no longer make Plasma TV's unfortunately.

I can thoroughly recommend the Panasonic TX-42G20B, best TV I have ever had. It has a Satellite and Freeview receiver, as well as an Ethernet connection for iPlayer, YouTube and the like. 42" gorgeous Plasma screen and if you really like your movies, then IMO there is nothing to touch a Plasma. They will look dull in the shops, as the are designed to be used in a home environment. The colours will look natural at home, with deep, deep blacks. Panny's now do this as well as Pioneer used to.

The best thing for me about this TV though, is plug in a USB hard drive and you have recorder that will also rewind live TV. Brilliant and if your disc fills up, just plug in another hard drive. Excellent TV and hard to beat IMO. I think it got 5 stars in that unmentionable Hi-Fi magazine ;)

It also has 4 x HDMI connections and a PC connection.

HighFidelityGuy
11-07-2011, 20:23
I had a Panny before going to Pio, they are great panels too.

Seems to get a very good review here:

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

For the price, it looks like a fantastic choice.


Pioneer no longer make Plasma TV's unfortunately.

I can thoroughly recommend the Panasonic TX-42G20B, best TV I have ever had. It has a Satellite and Freeview receiver, as well as an Ethernet connection for iPlayer, YouTube and the like. 42" gorgeous Plasma screen and if you really like your movies, then IMO there is nothing to touch a Plasma. They will look dull in the shops, as the are designed to be used in a home environment. The colours will look natural at home, with deep, deep blacks. Panny's now do this as well as Pioneer used to.

The best thing for me about this TV though, is plug in a USB hard drive and you have recorder that will also rewind live TV. Brilliant and if your disc fills up, just plug in another hard drive. Excellent TV and hard to beat IMO. I think it got 5 stars in that unmentionable Hi-Fi magazine ;)

It also has 4 x HDMI connections and a PC connection.

Thanks for the info chaps, the Panny is looking better all the time so I'll have to look into that further. The guy in the shop mentioned that they don't last very long and suffer from picture degradation and static image burning etc. Is there much truth in that?

Alex_UK
11-07-2011, 20:29
Thanks for the info chaps, the Panny is looking better all the time so I'll have to look into that further. The guy in the shop mentioned that they don't last very long and suffer from picture degradation and static image burning etc. Is there much truth in that?

Absolute rubbish - I've got a 7 year old Viera which is based on even older technology and none of those problems - I was paranoid about burn-in when I first got it, but as long as you're careful when you first use it they are fine (you may not even need to be so careful these days.) If this one ever gives up the ghost, without doubt I would buy another Panasonic Plasma without hesitation. (I've also got a 32" LG LCD set in the bedroom - it is good, but nowhere near as good as the Panny.) One thing to bear in mind though is that LCDs have lower glare/reflections on their screens which may be important depending on where it is sited in relation to windows/lamps.

Yoga
11-07-2011, 20:32
Thanks for the info chaps, the Panny is looking better all the time so I'll have to look into that further. The guy in the shop mentioned that they don't last very long and suffer from picture degradation and static image burning etc. Is there much truth in that?

I don't often swear, but that's bullshit :¬)

s70rmp
11-07-2011, 20:44
Samsung's for me, love them !
we've got a 46" and it's great
got a great deal at Costco - about £450 off and a free 5 year warranty !

Tim
11-07-2011, 20:50
The guy in the shop mentioned that they don't last very long and suffer from picture degradation and static image burning etc. Is there much truth in that?
WTF, he doesn't know what he's talking about I'm afraid . . . total BS :rolleyes:

Yoga
11-07-2011, 21:01
On the subject of plasmas, my best mate recently sold his 60" Pioneer Kuro, touted as one of the best plasmas in the world. He bought it to downscale to 50" and get another screen in the bedroom, but ended up getting an equivalent value LG 3D screen.

No comparison.

You would not believe how good it was. Dark Knight at 1024p24 dot-by-dot was jaw dropping. As were things such as Planet Earth and Earth :¬)

Gazjam
11-07-2011, 21:02
2nd on the LG...
Fantastic sets and THIS is a billy bargain and a half:

http://www.froogle.richersounds.com/product/tv---all/lg/50pk590/lg-50pk590

Popular set; its got a 7000odd post appreciation thread over on AV forums with lots of user tips to maximise the settings, tweaks n stuff.
Its picture is THX certified picture (very VERY good) and has more calibration options that you can shake a stick at.

Frequent firmware updates and active user support forums.
Can stream audio and video files from your PC thru your telly which is fab.
Can connect the telly to the internet via wireless or ethernet and can run "apps".
You can view BBCI player, YouTube, Facebook, Google Maps, Picasa and more on it.

Speakers not up top much on it but sound through its optical out into a Dac or amp is awesome. Very clear dialogue and deep solid bass.

Screen is a wee bit reflective during the day, but as long as you dont use it in a bright conservatry with a window opposite its not a problem.

£660 for all that with a 5 year guarantee.
Highly recommended. :)

webby
11-07-2011, 21:20
I heard a salesman in John Lewis telling a customer, whilst demoing tv's, that the Samsungs were very good, and that they became very good shortly after Pioneer stopped making plasmas. Make of that what you will.....

Yoga
11-07-2011, 21:24
I heard a salesman in John Lewis telling a customer, whilst demoing tv's, that the Samsungs were very good, and that they became very good shortly after Pioneer stopped making plasmas. Make of that what you will.....

Panasonic bought Pioneers plasma technology.

webby
11-07-2011, 21:27
Panasonic bought Pioneers plasma technology.

Hmmm, maybe it was a panny then. I thought panny's were great anyway. If they've gotten even better then wow!

HighFidelityGuy
11-07-2011, 21:30
Thanks chaps. :cool:So the sales guy doesn't know much about Plasma's it seems. I guess that makes sense as he's an LCD fan boy. So Plasma looks like a good option after all and I'll definitely look into it further. Richer actually do two Panny plasma's at £650, the TXP42G30 and the TXP42ST30. Acording to some reviews I read the former has a brightness fluctuation issue but has calibration options and the latter lacks the brightness issue but also lacks calibration. :doh: However, the LG 50PK590 seems to only have a slight edge sharpness issue but has excellent calibration options. It's also £50 less and approximately the size of Wales. :eyebrows:

Does anyone know if the edge sharpness issue on the LG mentioned in THIS (http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/index.php?s=50PK590) review got fixed in a later firmware update? If so I'm quite tempted by this one. It's way bigger than I was looking for and will only just fit between my speakers but that review was really quite good and it's bang on budget. :hmm:

Gazjam
11-07-2011, 22:02
Dave,
the edge sharpness bug was fixed a few firmwares back...
The most recent firmware has improved the black levels too..a "baw hair" between them and the Pannys now they say...
its all good. :)

I'd say its well worth getting a 50 over a 42, as you say, size matters.
Richers had a 60" version of the 590 on display, this thing was HUGE...but was £1200, twice the price!

HighFidelityGuy
11-07-2011, 22:09
Dave,
the edge sharpness bug was fixed a few firmwares back...
its all good. :)

Awesome, thanks. :) I'll definitely try and check out this one if they have one on show. :cool:

Alex_UK
11-07-2011, 22:17
42" looked huge when I first got it, but after a while I wished I'd got a 50" - mind you, 7 years ago these things were much more expensive than they are now - I think I paid about £2k! :eek: Still, not as much as my mate who bought one a couple of years before - 5 grand and wasn't even HD!

HighFidelityGuy
11-07-2011, 23:23
On a slightly different subject; I'm a bit pissed off with Richer Sounds extended warranty. It's taken me over a month to get to this point and despite me spending £450 on my last TV, they're telling me that I can only claim £350 back against a new TV because they only replace based on spec, not price. I'm sure most retailers replace based on the price you actually spent but I might be wrong. :scratch: One of the main reasons I purchased the extended warranty was to protect my investment. :rolleyes:

Gazjam
11-07-2011, 23:29
seems like bullshit to me Dave.. :scratch:

Its whats on the printed page that counts, not what they say after the fact.

RICHERS SUPERCARE (http://www.richersounds.com/information/warranties)
If you use the policy in the 5 years, you’ll have saved yourself tens and perhaps hundreds of pounds. If you don’t… IT WON'T COST YOU A THING!

Its usually "like for like" on these warranties according to SOGA.

Yoga
11-07-2011, 23:34
On a slightly different subject; I'm a bit pissed off with Richer Sounds extended warranty. It's taken me over a month to get to this point and despite me spending £450 on my last TV, they're telling me that I can only claim £350 back against a new TV because they only replace based on spec, not price. I'm sure most retailers replace based on the price you actually spent but I might be wrong. :scratch: One of the main reasons I purchased the extended warranty was to protect my investment. :rolleyes:

Again, BS.

You insure for the equivalent value, as specs change over months/years.

Tell them you'll go to small trade court to rectify this, as you were told it's based on value (which is why you purchased it) and you'll be getting the full £450 before you know it :¬)

HighFidelityGuy
11-07-2011, 23:54
Well I've just double checked the policy and it says that if they can't repair the TV then they'll replace it with one with a similar spec. It doesn't mention price. So I guess what they told me is right but I don't like it. When I worked at Curry's it was always based on price not spec. So Richer's extended warranty isn't as good as others. It is quite cheap though compared to some.

Their website says that it's not a guarantee or insurance etc, it's an extended warranty. So I'm going to check what Hitachi's warranty terms are....

The Grand Wazoo
12-07-2011, 06:22
You shouldn't have needed an extended warranty - the Sale of Goods Act is your best mate. The item was not fit for purpose.

HighFidelityGuy
12-07-2011, 09:52
You shouldn't have needed an extended warranty - the Sale of Goods Act is your best mate. The item was not fit for purpose.

So how does that work then? The TV broke after the 1 year warranty had run out. I guess it should have lasted longer than 2 years so I can argue that but does the Sale of Goods Act entitle me to a replacement of the same value outside of the manufacturer's warranty period or free repairs? :scratch:

Gazjam
12-07-2011, 11:29
Dave,

From the Richer Sounds website:
On buying a product, you are protected by legislation such as the Sale of Goods Act 1979 (as amended). If the product is not, when sold, of satisfactory quality or fit for purpose, you have a right to claim for repair or replacement for up to 6 years (5 in Scotland). Within the first 6 months, the retailer must prove that the goods you bought met the necessary standards. After the first 6 months, it is up to you to prove that the product was faulty when supplied: this may involve you taking legal proceedings.

This link gives all the info you need mate.
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/consumer-rights-refunds-exchange

another useful one: http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/business_leaflets/cpregs/oft1008.pdf

HighFidelityGuy
12-07-2011, 11:52
Dave,

From the Richer Sounds website:
On buying a product, you are protected by legislation such as the Sale of Goods Act 1979 (as amended). If the product is not, when sold, of satisfactory quality or fit for purpose, you have a right to claim for repair or replacement for up to 6 years (5 in Scotland). Within the first 6 months, the retailer must prove that the goods you bought met the necessary standards. After the first 6 months, it is up to you to prove that the product was faulty when supplied: this may involve you taking legal proceedings.

This link gives all the info you need mate.
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/consumer-rights-refunds-exchange

another useful one: http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/business_leaflets/cpregs/oft1008.pdf


Thanks, I've been on the phone to Consumer Rights and according to them I'm only entitled to a replacement of equivalent spec, not necessarily of equivalent price. It's up to the buyer to negotiate with the seller over what is equivalent spec and what is a fair price for that spec.

The stores argument is that because my screen doesn't have a TV tuner it's worth less than those that do. My argument is that because it has a higher quality LCD panel than most TV's it's worth more than £350.

I feel that if they want to apply a depreciation value to it then in my opinion 10% per year outside of the manufacturer's warranty is fair. That would mean taking 10% off the price, making it £405. They're offering me £350 which is more than 20% off the price I paid.

So what do you guys think is a fair price for me to ask for?

Gazjam
12-07-2011, 15:10
wot YOU said...

sounds reasonable to me Dave.

Thing Fish
12-07-2011, 15:41
I have always bought Sony. The skin tones and general colors always looked better than other telly's to me.

HighFidelityGuy
12-07-2011, 16:14
I called into the store again today and all the TV's on my list were out of stock and only a couple were on display. :rolleyes:

I decided to concentrate on comparing a couple of LG LCD's against a Panasonic Plasma, although there was a Sony I looked at too. The Sony looked nice with natural colour tones etc but was a bit over budget. The LG LCD's (one of which was LED) looked very un-natural with their default settings but improved a lot in cinema mode. With that done both LG's had nice detailed pictures without being too bright or over saturated. However they did have a slightly false cartoonish quality on some scenes and some motion blur. However I think that could be improved with proper setup and a better source.

The Panny Plasma looked quite dull in comparison, especially when in Cinema or THX mode. I even got them to turn the shop lights off and this didn't help much. There was also a slight lack of sharpness. It also seemed to have a slighty blue/gree hue to it but it might be possible to tweak this out in the settings. On the positive side it handled motion better and had a more lifelike quality to the picture despite the hue, dullness and slightly soft picture.

So in the end I couldn't decide which I liked the best but I think the LG LCD (non-LED) was my favourite by a slight margin. As non of the other TV's I was interested in were on display I have no idea how they compare. The store manager said that he couldn't connect a Blu-Ray player up for me to try a different source and it wasn't possible for me to demo any other TV's in their demo room as it was too much bother. So that was a great help. :rolleyes: However after some coercion he agreed that if I didn't like what I bought I could take it back. His initial response was that I'd done my research so it was tough shit if I didn't like the TV once I'd got it home. :rolleyes: I seem to think that's against the the Sale of Goods Act though. :scratch:

Anyway, I decided that I couldn't ignore all the good things I'd read about the LG 50" plasma recommended earlier which sounds like it should offer slightly better picture quality and better value for money than the Panny plasmas and LG LCD's at this price point. So I've put my name down for one of them as some are hopefully coming into stock this Thursday. In the mean time I might try to find one of the 50" plasmas in another store to look at. The saga continues....:(

Tim
12-07-2011, 16:39
I think you hit the nail on the head regarding Plasmas, in that they are a more natural picture. They also improve with running too. Having tried LCD and Plasma, I would never have an LCD, as I don't watch much TV and mainly use my Panny for watching movies, which is something they excel at. However, if you watched mostly soaps and stuff in a brightly lit room, then an LCD would make more sense.

I think you will be more satisfied in the long run with a Plasma, so good choice IMO ;)

HighFidelityGuy
12-07-2011, 17:06
I think you hit the nail on the head regarding Plasmas, in that they are a more natural picture. They also improve with running too. Having tried LCD and Plasma, I would never have an LCD, as I don't watch much TV and mainly use my Panny for watching movies, which is something they excel at. However, if you watched mostly soaps and stuff in a brightly lit room, then an LCD would make more sense.

I think you will be more satisfied in the long run with a Plasma, so good choice IMO ;)

They mainly had the BBC HD preview channel on which to be honest didn't look very HD to me. It was quite blocky and fuzzy compared to what I was used to with my old TV.

The TV won't be used for soaps or any kids TV, we mainly watch dramas, comedy and F1 from broadcasts. Other than that the TV will be used for Blu-Rays and occasional Xbox usage. So Plasma seems like a good option. I can imagine that a good plasma TV properly setup will look great, I've just not been able to actually see that anywhere yet. :)

Gazjam
12-07-2011, 18:26
The LG plasma is a stonker,
buy with confidence.

Great thing is that theres a couple of the built in picture presets are "THX certified", which have been tweaked to give the best picture possible out of the box.

One for daytime viewing, one for dimmer lighting.

Thats the only disadvantage to plasma's, unlike LCD's they have a reflective glass screen just like a CRT.
The LG screen is a wee bit reflective, but not a problem is you dont have a window directly opposite it.

Close the curtains, pull up a beverage and enjoy your favorite film..the picture is fantastic.

The Grand Wazoo
12-07-2011, 23:09
So how does that work then? The TV broke after the 1 year warranty had run out. I guess it should have lasted longer than 2 years so I can argue that but does the Sale of Goods Act entitle me to a replacement of the same value outside of the manufacturer's warranty period or free repairs? :scratch:

There is a durability clause within the sale of goods act which can take your rights beyond 6 months and a warranty:


If the retailer or manufacturer’s warranty has run out, the shop is often quick to say there is nothing they can do before attempting to sell you an extended warranty. This is misleading. If you buy something which should last 7 years but breaks down after a year and a day, you can still claim it was of poor quality in reference to the durability aspect.

(from http://whatconsumer.co.uk/the-sale-of-goods-act/ )

Yoga
12-07-2011, 23:14
There is a durability clause within the sale of goods act which can take your rights beyond 6 months and a warranty

You certainly know your stuff :¬)

The Grand Wazoo
12-07-2011, 23:20
I hate the industry of mis-selling extended warranties.

Yoga
12-07-2011, 23:23
I hate the industry of mis-selling extended warranties.

Indeed, always avoided them.

John Lewis price match is rather handy when they have a free 5 year warranty, however.

Tim
12-07-2011, 23:29
John Lewis price match is rather handy when they have a free 5 year warranty, however.
Top shop John Lewis, buy most of my stuff there and got my 42" Panny there too - they price matched Richer Sounds and I got a 5 year warranty as well ..... top shop John Lewis :scratch: (is there is glitch in the Matrix?)

HighFidelityGuy
13-07-2011, 00:14
I really like John Lewis as well. I wish I'd bought my TV from them but they didn't have a TV with the spec I wanted at the price I wanted to pay at the time. I think in the future I'll be better off buying from John Lewis even if it means spending a bit more. I normally don't worry too much as most electronic equipment seems quite reliable now but from what I've heard TV's are more prone to failure than other equipment. So I guess that makes the quality of the retailer and the warranty they offer more important as you're more likely to need to deal with them to resolve an issue. I'll remember that in future. :doh:

Yoga
13-07-2011, 09:19
Top shop John Lewis, buy most of my stuff there and got my 42" Panny there too - they price matched Richer Sounds and I got a 5 year warranty as well ..... top shop John Lewis :scratch: (is there is glitch in the Matrix?)

Yeah did the same with my Pio plasma, matched against some obscure shop with a price 20% lower than everyone else! Bargain :¬)

HighFidelityGuy
13-07-2011, 11:12
I think the store you're asking them to price match against has to be within a certain radius of the JL store and they must have it in stock. That's pretty standard with most stores that offer price matching. They also won't match online prices but that's to be expected.

Tim
13-07-2011, 11:25
My JL will price match to any store, no matter where it's located, however, it has to be and in their words, "A bricks and mortar store, not an on-line retailer and the product must be in stock" That should be the case for all JL's I think?

Yoga
13-07-2011, 11:35
My JL will price match to any store, no matter where it's located, however, it has to be and in their words, "A bricks and mortar store, not an on-line retailer and the product must be in stock" That should be the case for all JL's I think?

Yup, spot on.

dave2010
14-07-2011, 15:02
There was a time when plasma TV's clearly had a quality advantage, but LCDs and LED based flat screen technology have just about caught up. Plasma units were probably also more expensive. I think the plasma units use considerably more power. Personally I would take that into consideration, but others may not worry or care about this. Our 42 inch LCD Sharp model - years old - runs at 150 W.

The LED models with the active illumination are the best of the LCD variety - with much better blacks than LCD screens from a few years back. There are a few different flavours of LED models - some which only give average light levels, or only a few regions of the display, and others which give much finer control.

In the end you have to make a decision based on what you see, and how you think it'll work for you in your home. Most sets now are much more tolerant of viewing angle than older flat screens, but it's still worth checking that out. See what the colours are like from side views.

HighFidelityGuy
14-07-2011, 17:10
Thanks Dave. One of the problems I have is that several of the TV's I'm interested in aren't on display for me to look at. So I'm choosing blindfolded. :(

Viewing angle isn't something that matters much in my living room as we sit "on axis" to the screen. The guest sofa is to the side of the screen but we don't have friends round to watch TV.

Based on the reviews I've read of the TV's that Richer Sounds stock in my price range I think I've narrowed my search down to the following two models:

LG 42LE5900 (http://www.richersounds.com/product/lcd-tv/lg/42le5900/lg-42le5900) LCD Review Link (http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/lg-42le5900-37le5900-32le5900-20101219960.htm)
LG 50PK590 (http://www.richersounds.com/product/tv---all/lg/50pk590/lg-50pk590) Plasma Review Link (http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/lg-50pk590-60pk590-20100824823.htm)

I've seen the LCD and it looks quite good but I couldn't get far enough from the screen to evaluate it properly. I've not seen the plasma at all but it seems to get a lot of praise. I think the decision may come down to the physical size as my wife doesn't like the idea of a 50" TV and I semi agree that it will probably look a bit daft. I might try and mock up some cardboard TV's to compare the size difference. :lol:

Mark Grant
14-07-2011, 18:14
So I'm choosing blindfolded. :(



That's a bit risky and I have made mistakes in the past buying LCD's based on reviews and forum hype. :)

Have you looked in Meadow Hall in House of Fraser, usually a good selection to look at.

If your going for 42" I would have a look at the Panasonic 42" G30 plasma mentioned earlier in the thread.
I have installed a few of the earlier model panasonic 42" G20 models for customers and they are always excellent.

power consumption is very reasonable on the modern plasmas.

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

HighFidelityGuy
14-07-2011, 19:06
That's a bit risky and I have made mistakes in the past buying LCD's based on reviews and forum hype. :)

Have you looked in Meadow Hall in House of Fraser, usually a good selection to look at.

If your going for 42" I would have a look at the Panasonic 42" G30 plasma mentioned earlier in the thread.
I have installed a few of the earlier model panasonic 42" G20 models for customers and they are always excellent.

power consumption is very reasonable on the modern plasmas.

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

Hi Mark, thanks for the House of Fraser tip, I'm just up the road from them so I'll have a look. I've considered the P42G30 and I think it was the plasma that I looked at in Richer Sounds which looked a bit dull. I think that was just due to the shop lighting and the fact it was next to LCD's though. I'll add the Panny back to my short list again but the other problem is it's a bit over budget. I'll give it some thought. :)

HighFidelityGuy
14-07-2011, 20:32
I've just got back from House of Fraser after spending a good 40 minutes comparing TV's. They had a really good range of Plasma's on show (mostly Panasonic) but unfortunately no LG TV's at all. Comparing plasma against LCD/LED it became apparent that the plasma's somehow seemed more real/natural looking and also seemed to draw you in more. It was as if some LCD's gave a normal boring TV picture and some gave a cartoonish, false TV picture, while the plasma's just made it seem like the action was there in front of you looking how it was intended to. However, that was while the plasma's were set to "normal" picture mode. When I set any of them to THX, or cinema or anything like that, all of a sudden there was a grey haze over the picture. I was expecting the brightness to decrease and the blacks to look blacker but everything just looked greyer. Shadows, colours, everything grey. :scratch: This was a consistent trait between all the plasma's I tweaked. Boosting up the colour setting improved things a bit but not much. I don't really understand it as my (now broken) LCD TV was roughly calibrated with a THX disc and I know that looked good, so I should be used to seeing TV's in proper cinema mode but my TV didn't look grey. :scratch:

Is this just due to the bright shop lights and will it look better at home, or do all plasma's have a grey haze in cinema mode? :confused:

If the grey haze is something that can be removed then I definitely prefer plasma's. If not then I don't know what to do. :brickwall:

AmpCity
15-07-2011, 17:28
While physically comparing at the shop is a good way to go, it really does not mean much in terms of a respective TV's picture quality. Most ship from the factory with appalling specs and almost every single TV needs to have it's various settings adjusted to get the best picture (D65 etc), especially with your particular lighting conditions at home (shop lights make a huge difference, can cause the picture to look slightly washed out, could be the "greyness" you mention). Not only that, but I have it on good authority - from a close friend who was worked in a major high-street retailer for the past 10 years - that some sets are deliberately adjusted so as to give a much brighter, dynamic and punchy picture that grabs one attention at the store, but is not accurate at all.

Also, it is very difficult to try and compare with your old TV it is not alongside the rest. Apart from the lighting conditions being vastly different, the memory is hardly a solid basis of comparison and is often wildly inaccurate, unfortunately.

I would actually go for a TV that has been reviewed well by a publication that has a rigorous testing process - hdtvtest is very good indeed. Of course most don't have the professional equipment which they are fortunate to have at their disposal, but you at least know what a particular TV is capable of with a bit of fiddling.

The presets are not always that accurate and will need a bit of adjustment when you get it home, so there's no need to worry there. In fact, barring any spectacular problems, most TVs will give you a good picture after various amounts of adjustments.

If you are going with LED the fully backlit, as opposed to edge-lit, models are the ones to go for, much better blacks with fully localised dimming. That being said, I would go for the Panny every time, I'm using the 42" G20, the newer versions should be just as good.

Zain





I've just got back from House of Fraser after spending a good 40 minutes comparing TV's. They had a really good range of Plasma's on show (mostly Panasonic) but unfortunately no LG TV's at all. Comparing plasma against LCD/LED it became apparent that the plasma's somehow seemed more real/natural looking and also seemed to draw you in more. It was as if some LCD's gave a normal boring TV picture and some gave a cartoonish, false TV picture, while the plasma's just made it seem like the action was there in front of you looking how it was intended to. However, that was while the plasma's were set to "normal" picture mode. When I set any of them to THX, or cinema or anything like that, all of a sudden there was a grey haze over the picture. I was expecting the brightness to decrease and the blacks to look blacker but everything just looked greyer. Shadows, colours, everything grey. :scratch: This was a consistent trait between all the plasma's I tweaked. Boosting up the colour setting improved things a bit but not much. I don't really understand it as my (now broken) LCD TV was roughly calibrated with a THX disc and I know that looked good, so I should be used to seeing TV's in proper cinema mode but my TV didn't look grey. :scratch:

Is this just due to the bright shop lights and will it look better at home, or do all plasma's have a grey haze in cinema mode? :confused:

If the grey haze is something that can be removed then I definitely prefer plasma's. If not then I don't know what to do. :brickwall:

Ali Tait
15-07-2011, 18:06
Which Panny?

Tim
15-07-2011, 18:34
Panasonic TX-42G20B, brilliant TV :)

HighFidelityGuy
15-07-2011, 18:40
While physically comparing at the shop is a good way to go, it really does not mean much in terms of a respective TV's picture quality. Most ship from the factory with appalling specs and almost every single TV needs to have it's various settings adjusted to get the best picture (D65 etc), especially with your particular lighting conditions at home (shop lights make a huge difference, can cause the picture to look slightly washed out, could be the "greyness" you mention). Not only that, but I have it on good authority - from a close friend who was worked in a major high-street retailer for the past 10 years - that some sets are deliberately adjusted so as to give a much brighter, dynamic and punchy picture that grabs one attention at the store, but is not accurate at all.

Also, it is very difficult to try and compare with your old TV it is not alongside the rest. Apart from the lighting conditions being vastly different, the memory is hardly a solid basis of comparison and is often wildly inaccurate, unfortunately.

I would actually go for a TV that has been reviewed well by a publication that has a rigorous testing process - hdtvtest is very good indeed. Of course most don't have the professional equipment which they are fortunate to have at their disposal, but you at least know what a particular TV is capable of with a bit of fiddling.

The presets are not always that accurate and will need a bit of adjustment when you get it home, so there's no need to worry there. In fact, barring any spectacular problems, most TVs will give you a good picture after various amounts of adjustments.

If you are going with LED the fully backlit, as opposed to edge-lit, models are the ones to go for, much better blacks with fully localised dimming. That being said, I would go for the Panny every time, I'm using the 42" G20, the newer versions should be just as good.

Zain

Thanks Zain. I've pretty much come to the same conclusion as while comparing in the shop gives you a rough idea I've found that the results vary from shop to shop and are generally inaccurate. I'm also aware that all the TV's will benefit from proper calibration which will move the goal posts again from the point of view of comparisons.

I can't afford the full LED backlit models, so they're out of the picture. :)


Which Panny?

The TXP42G30 at £650. :)

Ali Tait
15-07-2011, 18:44
Zain, what's the best way to set up a telly?

AmpCity
15-07-2011, 19:27
The TXP42G30 at £650. :)

^^ Would definitely be my choice if I were in the same situation :)

You've got three options when it comes to calibrating a TV:

1) Get an ISF certified professional to come round and do the fiddling. He'll bring thousands of pounds worth of kit and spend as much time as needed to get it perfect, or close to. Expensive (expect £250), but if you've got a good TV and want the best out of it....

2) Use an calibration disc. There are a few about, from the likes of Monster, THX, Spears & Munsil. I would recommend the one put together by AVSForum: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=948496 . Quite easy, just follow the on-screen instructions. It's an excellent basic calibration, should be fine for the majority of people and TV's.

3) Fiddle around with the various settings until you find a combination you like - it is a subjective viewing experience after all. Will take you many hours and is unlikely to be very accurate. Sometimes people will post up settings that work well with a particular model, it can be a good reference if you're doing it this way.


Zain

Ali Tait
15-07-2011, 19:51
Thanks Zain, useful to know.

Canetoad
16-07-2011, 10:21
Excellent information Zain. Thanks for the link! :)

HighFidelityGuy
16-07-2011, 10:44
Thanks Zain, I'll definitely check out your calibration info further.

After weighing up all the info I've collected and factoring in the fact that I think a 50" screen will be a bit too big and the fact that I haven't seen the LG 50" in person, I've decided to go for the Panny G30 42".

Many thanks to everyone that contributed, I'm very grateful for your help. :cheers:

I'll let you know what I think when I get the TV. That could take a while though based on my experience with Richer Sounds stock levels. :)

Ali Tait
16-07-2011, 11:03
If my mate's Panny is anything to go by, you should be happy with it Dave.

Tim
16-07-2011, 11:10
I'll let you know what I think when I get the TV. That could take a while though based on my experience with Richer Sounds stock levels. :)
Good choice, it will need a few days to settle in, but after that you won't look back. I love mine and with the USB facility it's a winner. I have Satellite and Freeview, so get the best of both worlds with my twin tuners. I think the G30 only has Freeview, but I'm sure you know that?

:)

Mark Grant
16-07-2011, 11:26
I've decided to go for the Panny G30 42".


Good choice Dave :)

Remember to pay for the long warranty :)

HighFidelityGuy
16-07-2011, 11:50
Good choice, it will need a few days to settle in, but after that you won't look back. I love mine and with the USB facility it's a winner. I have Satellite and Freeview, so get the best of both worlds with my twin tuners. I think the G30 only has Freeview, but I'm sure you know that?

:)

Thanks, I had noticed that. :) It doesn't matter much to me as I use my PC for TV recording duties from Sat/Terrestrial, so the built in recording feature is just a nice bonus. I'll probably hardly use the TV's built in tuner.


Good choice Dave :)

Remember to pay for the long warranty :)

Thanks. I've already got a 5 year warranty. This TV is a replacement. I just need to pay the difference which I wanted to keep to a minimum. I've had a run of bad luck recently which has cost me quite a bit. My TV broke, then my PC power supply broke, then my car got broken into and had the stereo stolen. That all happened at the same time as me needing to pay for a holiday I'd booked. So money is a wee bit tight right now. :doh: So you can understand why I needed to make sure I got the best possible value for money on the TV. Fortunately everything is mostly sorted out now. So I'm looking forward to returning to normality. :)

Reid Malenfant
01-08-2011, 18:59
There is a durability clause within the sale of goods act which can take your rights beyond 6 months and a warranty:



(from http://whatconsumer.co.uk/the-sale-of-goods-act/ )


You certainly know your stuff :¬)
Try this then ;) Click me to find out about EU warranty that guarantees you for two years against defects etc. (http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=9049&highlight=warranty) The first year is covered by the manufacturer, the second must be covered by the retailer :)

HighFidelityGuy
01-08-2011, 20:34
Try this then ;) Click me to find out about EU warranty that guarantees you for two years against defects etc. (http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=9049&highlight=warranty) The first year is covered by the manufacturer, the second must be covered by the retailer :)

Thanks Mark. I have a couple of questions on that subject which I'll put in your other thread. :cool:

MartinT
01-08-2011, 20:38
I can thoroughly recommend the Panasonic TX-42G20B, best TV I have ever had

Ditto here, just a fantastic set with superb picture quality.

Mark Grant
01-08-2011, 20:39
Did you buy the Panasonic G30 and is it as good as you thought ?

MartinT
01-08-2011, 20:43
I've decided to go for the Panny G30 42".

Great choice! Give it about two weeks for the colours to fully develop, then you can tweak it with a setup disc.

HighFidelityGuy
01-08-2011, 20:51
Did you buy the Panasonic G30 and is it as good as you thought ?

I'm trying my hardest but Richer Sounds don't have them in stock. I've had one on order for almost three weeks now. :steam:


Great choice! Give it about two weeks for the colours to fully develop, then you can tweak it with a setup disc.

Thanks Martin, I'll remember that if I ever actually manage to get one out of Richer Sounds. :doh:

MartinT
01-08-2011, 21:06
Have you tried Amazon? I kept looking every day and the price varied between three, changing frequently (it looks stock driven and automated). I finally nabbed it at the lowest price I could find anywhere, and got Nectar points into the bargain. Their delivery and service is also second to none.

HighFidelityGuy
01-08-2011, 22:14
I have to get the TV from Richer Sounds as it's a warranty replacement. I've mentioned that quite a few times. ;)

MartinT
01-08-2011, 22:29
Sorry - comes of scanning a thread after returning from holiday.

WAD62
02-08-2011, 10:33
Another vote for the panasonic :)

HighFidelityGuy
10-08-2011, 07:53
Good news! I finally have a new TV!

I happened to be driving near my local Richer Sounds store yesterday and called in to double check that they still had my name down on my Panny Plasma. They didn't. They'd lost a page out of their order book. :rolleyes: Luckily though they had one in stock. So after a bit of messing around going home home to pick up the loan replacement TV and my receipts I was back in the store sorting out the swap.

My luck continued as I got a different sales assistant to the ones I'd spoken to before, so he started from scratch with the whole process of trying to figure out how much my old TV was worth. This chap took far more specs into consideration and decided that I could have the £450 I'd paid for my last TV off the price of the new one. So that's quite a bit better than the ridiculous £300 I'd been offered before. On top of that I got my £100 deposit back for the loan TV and he decided to refund me 3 years of extended warranty back as he couldn't transfer it to the new TV. So taking all that into account I only had to pay about £75 to get the £650 TX-P42G30! :carrot:So in the end I didn't have to do any arguing or complaining as I got a sales assistant who was actually good. So that made a nice change.

The Panny is all setup now with nice Mark Grant cabling and is looking very good. I think I'll leave it in THX mode for about a month to run in and then I'll get a calibration disc to set it up properly.

Many thanks to everyone that contributed! :cool:

I'll try to post an update with a little review once the TV's run-in etc.

MartinT
10-08-2011, 08:14
I think I'll leave it in THX mode for about a month to run in and then I'll get a calibration disc to set it up properly.

Good plan. THX mode is close to optimum but my settings changed a little from centre once I used the Video Essentials Blu-ray disc and filters to set it up properly.

HighFidelityGuy
10-08-2011, 12:24
Thanks Mark. I think I'm going to pick up a copy of the Spears & Munsil (http://www.audiovisualonline.co.uk/product/3744/spears-amp;-munsil-high-definition-benchmark-blu-ray-disc/?utm_source=Froogle&utm_medium=Froogle&utm_content=BLURAY&utm_campaign=Froogle) calibration disc as it sounds quite comprehensive. :eyebrows:

MartinT
10-08-2011, 16:50
Who's Mark?

Reid Malenfant
10-08-2011, 17:51
Who's Mark?
:confused: I have no idea :eyebrows:

MartinT
10-08-2011, 17:59
:lolsign:

StanleyB
10-08-2011, 18:12
I heard from a well informed source that a major Japanese manufacturer has asked why the looters in the UK were seen carrying away So many Samsung televisions The Japanese wanted to know if it was a picture quality or reliability issue that makes Samsung so highly sought after.

HighFidelityGuy
10-08-2011, 20:23
Who's Mark?

:doh: Sorry Martin. You and Mark will have to change your name to Dave to simplify things. :lolsign:

WAD62
11-08-2011, 10:12
I heard from a well informed source that a major Japanese manufacturer has asked why the looters in the UK were seen carrying away So many Samsung televisions The Japanese wanted to know if it was a picture quality or reliability issue that makes Samsung so highly sought after.

Hi Stan, perhaps we need a new category for graduating AV equipment...

Samsung - 8/10 for 'lootability' ;)

Reid Malenfant
11-08-2011, 17:42
Sony to exit TV business? (http://www.hometheaterspot.com/showtopic.php?tid/146438/) Get em while they still make them if you are after one :eyebrows:

Folkboy
11-08-2011, 18:24
Sony to exit TV business? (http://www.hometheaterspot.com/showtopic.php?tid/146438/) Get em while they still make them if you are after one :eyebrows:
Bloody hell, Sony TVs used to be the pinnacle.

Gazjam
12-08-2011, 08:00
Got an LG 50590PK a couple of Months back from Richers.

Top notch telly, though had to get a replacement panel as the first one buzzed quite loudly.
No problems with the second one..fantastic picture on 1080p movies...great even on virgin media SD.
Took it easy at the start to help run the plasma in..low contrast settings, break in slides runing overnight etc, now the sets bedded in I've no image retention and the image quality is liquid..totally takes you into the film.

DNLA streaming works a treat too, sometimes glitchy on 1080p but thats more down to my network speed I think.

Best Tech. investment I've made since I got the squeezebox.
Would loved to have got the 60" version but that was double the price at £1200! :stalks: