The big "How do I choose an HDTV?" thread.

Hey, my checks from Westinghouse never seem to make it to my mailbox either, brotha.

No problems with HDMI from Panasonic DVDs to either my Sony LCD-RP or my Olevia LCD.

The H20's from DirecTV don't work with my Westinghouse. The HR20 works just fine.

Actually, as far as I know, that's not true. I don't own one and haven't tested, but I have definitely read that all HDTV and Blu-Ray players will play back at full resolution on component. That may change eventually, but they backed off on enforcing that particular rule for at least another five years because there are so many component-only HDTV sets.

Malor wrote:

I don't own one and haven't tested, but I have definitely read that all HDTV and Blu-Ray players will play back at full resolution on component.

I'm sorry but you're just plain incorrect here. 1080i is possible on Component (MAX, lower if more strict protection is enabled), 1080p is flat out not supported over Component from Blu-Ray

No 1080p over Component on Blu-Ray.

Toshiba and Samsung BR player review (note 1080p NOT listed under anything other than HDMI)

Find me a BR player that does 1080p over Component and I'll... give you a virtual pat on the back and change my sig to say "Malor rocks"

Actually, as far as I know, that's not true.

You haven't gone far enough then. Keep going and then make a left.

Also, the start of this conversation was about upscaling not existing over component, not simply playing things back - it would be crazy if a HD DVD player of any kind didn't support HD resolutions over component. What they do not do is upscale normal DVDs over component.

Ah, ok.... they have modified the rules somewhat. With the Image Constraint Token enabled, 540i is all you can get over component. This pissed a lot of people off, so the studios all swore they wouldn't use ICT for a long time.. five or seven years. (I'm thinking 2013, but that could be wrong.) "No constraints on the image!" meant 1080i at the time; 1080p didn't really exist yet.

There's no physical reason they can't do 1080p over component, they're just being sleazy. Why am I not surprised?

So I decided to upgrade to a TV/monitor combo too. I have a usb tv tuner, but I can't plug my PS2 in because of some delay through the cable. And the quality just isn't the same.

I'm looking at the 500 euro price range, and it seems like I can get a decent 26"/27" screenie with a res of 1336*768 - which seems fine by me. I do have a couple of questions though, I'm a total HDTV noob.

What about brands, for example? Are there any low profile but high quality brands I should look for? I know of Westinghouse thanks to you guys, but they're US only. And what about Samsung? They're really popular here, does this affect price (like paying for the brand like with Ipods)? Does anyone know anything about Mirai tv's?

Like I said, I want this tv to be the screen for my pc as well as a normal tv. I wonder how this affects what I should look for? Low response time for gaming, high enough res for pc, ... ? What about the connection? VGA input and setting desktop (and games) to 1366*768 will work fine or not? What about lower resolutions in 4:3 format?

So many questions! I'm sorry my questions are this unfocussed, I'm really in Wonderland right now! HELP!

For those of you who bought a plasma or LCD TV and mounted it on the wall, where did you buy your mount from, and how much did you pay (if you want to reveal that info)?

I'm looking for a mount for a 46" Sharp LCD. I've seen them at Best Buy and Circuit City, but I'd rather not pay close to 200 bones on the mount.

dejanzie wrote:

What about brands, for example? Are there any low profile but high quality brands I should look for?

*breathes in*

VIZIO

*exhales*

I don't know if you can get them outside the US, but you can check.

Like I said, I want this tv to be the screen for my pc as well as a normal tv. I wonder how this affects what I should look for? Low response time for gaming, high enough res for pc, ... ? What about the connection? VGA input and setting desktop (and games) to 1366*768 will work fine or not? What about lower resolutions in 4:3 format?

Low response time is important, but poor video processing can introduce ghosting too, like the Westinghouse I returned. VGA is fine, it's how I have my PC hooked up to my LCD TV. Basically every LCD TV you look at at the size you're talking about will be 1366x768 so there won't be any differences there.

dejanzie wrote:
What about brands, for example? Are there any low profile but high quality brands I should look for?

*breathes in*
VIZIO
*exhales*

I don't know if you can get them outside the US, but you can check.

Damn, US Walmart only. Damn the US and their oily tech-savvy hides!

Currently, I'm looking at these models:

Hitachi Platara 26LD6600 (low low price)

LG 26LC3R (few connections, but low response time)

I don't understand the pricetag difference between these two Samsungs: €508 versus €545, where the cheaper one is one inch bigger and has practically the same specs. Only the design of the expensive one is slicker. Is the latter from a newer generation, with newer and better tech? Or am I just paying for design?

Seems like the Samsung can't be beaten on contrast ratio, and a response time of 8ms seems low enough for gaming. I can check the video ghosting on some friends' Samsung by connecting a laptop and playing some fast-paced game.

But how about those LG's, Hitachi and others? Is Samsung really head and shoulders above the competition?

Dejanzie - If the Samsungs are like their US counterparts, the more expensive one is the newer model, but honestly they have so many different lines of TVs that it's hard to know without getting into the model number, and I don't speak Europeaen models.

Neither of those look like the latest Samsungs, btw.

Fedaykin98 wrote:

Dejanzie - If the Samsungs are like their US counterparts, the more expensive one is the newer model, but honestly they have so many different lines of TVs that it's hard to know without getting into the model number, and I don't speak Europeaen models.

Neither of those look like the latest Samsungs, btw.

American to European translation enabled - I have no clue, but it won't stop me from rambling.

Look like the LE27S71B has a couple of more inputs and it's viewing angle is slightly smaller. I would hazard a guess and say that one is the older model.

Dej,

Check out www.avforums.com (or maybe .co.uk). It's a site I use regularly and I believe the people there are English; you'll get a better idea of prices and suggestions than on the Yank sites.

1Dgaf wrote:

It's a site I use regularly and I believe the people there are English; you'll get a better idea of prices and suggestions than on the Yank sites.

Why would porn help you buy an HDTV?

I think porn on HD could be interesting, but no close ups. I don't particulary want to see whatever you're thinking of right now

Anyway, I was reading some reviews of the Enpson HomeCinema 1080p projector today; generally favourable, esp. since it's US$3000. Bloody cheap.

1Dgaf wrote:

I think porn on HD could be interesting, but no close ups. I don't particulary want to see whatever you're thinking of right now

Yank isn't just slang for Yankee, my friend.

Which is why your "better idea of prices and suggestions than on the Yank sites." Made me laugh and post something completely off topic.

Ahh, yes. Yes. But I done capitalised it and made it a proper noun.

I'm not sure how I'd feel about watching porn on projector. The size would be impressive (trumpet sound), but I think I'd feel a bit dirty.

And I couldn't have the sound up, incase I wake the neighbours. It'd be like eating a huge cake with a teaspoon.

Anyway, I think for gaming and films a projector is the way to go. That's what I'd do, anyway.

Okay, so I bought a new plasma TV today that will be delivered on Friday. Any thoughts on the break-in period, etc.? According to Panasonic's website, they want you me to not play games for the first 100 hours, and only display full-screen images during that time frame.

The no gaming thing is a bit of a bummer. Actually, 100 hours is a heck of a long time.

I'm planning on hooking up my 360 via VGA, my HTPC through DVI->HDMI, my old DVD player through component, and my HD cable through HDMI.

Also, I skipped the extended warranty, which would have been something like $400.

One more question (speak up, Plasma owners - Guru?) - what is this "power conditioner" thing that the peeps at BB tried to sell me? It looks like a power strip, which I've got tons of.

Thats just a fancy word for an expensive Power Strip that may or may not have some line conditioning on it (attempts to level out any power fluctuations your home may or may not have)

You should vary your feeds into a new Plasma.. but I wouldn't really say you CANT play video games on it for 100 hours.. but usually in the first 50 hours you should watch everything in full screen and with varied content. I've certainly gamed on my new Plasma's and never had an issue.. but I do try and vary my content the first month or so.

I figure that Gears of War multiplayer doesn't have many static images, and thanks to death cams and lobbies between maps it changes images altogether every few minutes. I'm going to get an HD cable box this week so I suppose that will be a big part of the breaking in process.

You people who run VGA on your Xboxes - does it do 1080p? The back of the official VGA cable box only mentions 480p and 720p.

Yes, VGA supports 1080P. It's the only way to get 1080P over the HD-DVD (if you decide to get the add-on). On shipping, the 360 didn't support 1080P, so it didn't list that resolution.

Fedaykin98 wrote:

I figure that Gears of War multiplayer doesn't have many static images, and thanks to death cams and lobbies between maps it changes images altogether every few minutes. I'm going to get an HD cable box this week so I suppose that will be a big part of the breaking in process.

You people who run VGA on your Xboxes - does it do 1080p? The back of the official VGA cable box only mentions 480p and 720p.

Also.. if your Panny is new I believe it has a built in feature to simply dim the screen if left idle.. I know my Pioneer does... handy when I want to pause a DVD and go walk the dog and then the dog decides to camp out on the grass for 20 minutes. Anymore you have to REALLY try hard to burn in a Plasma.. I mean out of your way hard to get it done. While Plasma in the end is probably a dead end technology someone it seems forgot to tell certain Manufactures that as they keep improving and IMO offer the best picture today.. Look at the latest Pioneers coming out.. early indications are that the PQ is simply unbelievable.

Yeah, the best TV I've seen in someone's home was a plasma - watching football completely blew me away. Hopefully I'll get similar results!

Speaking of judging the PQ, the floor model of the TV I bought at Best Buy was apparently playing a non-HD movie; King Kong was playing in a Blu-Ray player, and there's apparently no Blu-Ray King Kong. How crazy is that?

Fedaykin98 wrote:

Yeah, the best TV I've seen in someone's home was a plasma - watching football completely blew me away. Hopefully I'll get similar results!

Speaking of judging the PQ, the floor model of the TV I bought at Best Buy was apparently playing a non-HD movie; King Kong was playing in a Blu-Ray player, and there's apparently no Blu-Ray King Kong. How crazy is that?

My Pioneer does amazing work with SD.. I've had people come over to watch SD and are convinced that its the HD feed.. (except Sports.. sports SD on a HD set always looks like shit)

In this case King Kong looked good, but it didn't "pop" like all the Blu-Ray movies that were showing on various smaller TVs throughout the store. I mean, "Click" in Blu-Ray almost makes me want to buy a PS3, it looks so good.

Will to stay out of the Hi Def DVD fray beginning to fail...how much fun I could have watching Serenity or Fearless this weekend!

Ack, stop the presses...the TV I was getting (Panasonic 50pz700u) doesn't do 1080p over VGA. In fact, it doesn't seem to do very much that's exciting over VGA...so today I'll have to cancel my order from Best Buy.

The search continues...