LCD telvisions/HD

[Little Monkey]

Right will try to keep it brief...DS (15) is frantically saving for a p/station 3, we were going to give him money for xmas but he has now mentioned that he would like a new telly (to play his p/station on) Initially we were going to give him £100 towards his p/s but now have decided to get the telly. Have seen some nice LCD 15-19inch screen tellys but he is saying that it would need to be HD as the graphics will be much better. Here is the question......the price! I cannot find anything under £160 (which is more than I would want to pay) so is it possible to get anything under this price? Also are LCD tellys digital (sorry not a techy on this sort of thing - as the write ups dont mention digital). Have seen a telly/pc monitor in PC world for £118.99 but its not HD ready would that be totally useless if he wants to play games on it? I am not sure if I have set myself up for an expensive xmas!! thanks for any help you can give.

[Andre]

Hmm, tricky, could you let us know the model details of the PC world unit? To be honest, £160 for any HD-ready TV sounds too cheap to even think aobut (sorry).

LCD PC monitors are different, they're 'kinda' HD-ready in themselves in that they're much higher resolutions than old-style TVs in the first place, but I don't know what resolution the PS3 outputs.

The term 'HD Ready' on a TV means specificially that it must be 16x9, must have an HDMI input with copy protection available, and be able to process incoming signals at up to 1920x1080 (but the cheaper panels mostly don't actually display at that level). Very few PC monitors do all of those, but they often meet most of the needs.

Andre

[John]

to benefit from the advanced graphics of the ps3 you really do need a hd ready tv that can produce at 1080p and this can only be done via hdmi. Sadly you wont get that for £160.

[nursie]

Hi Little Monkey,
If you have a look at the link below (pcworld) there is a Samsung 19" LCD Monitor/TV for £199 which has HDMI input so you should be able to connect a PS3 with no problems.
Its slightly over your budget but for £160 I think you'll be struggling to find anything.
Nursie.
http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/product/seo/038387

[DangerMouse74]

Here is a bargain LCD TV. Don't go for less than 19". Don't worry about 1080p, 720 will look fantastic (can't really tell the difference, unless you have a 40+ inch TV).
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/(19130)19-Teco-HD-Ready-LCD-TV-TL1901RR-Widescreen.aspx

also comes with a 2 year warranty

[wazzimama]

have you tried going to the shops and taking note of the model numbers, then checking them out online. we did this with our telly and saved £600 on the shop price.
we got ours from empiredirect

[Andre]

That Samsung set looks very nice, but it has no digital (Freeview) tuner. Given that some areas are already turning off the old analogue transmissions, it would not be a good idea to buy any non-digital TV at this point. UK companies really should have stopped selling analogue-only sets years ago, to be honest.

Andre

[Little Monkey]

Hmm, tricky, could you let us know the model details of the PC world unit? To be honest, £160 for any HD-ready TV sounds too cheap to even think aobut (sorry).

LCD PC monitors are different, they're 'kinda' HD-ready in themselves in that they're much higher resolutions than old-style TVs in the first place, but I don't know what resolution the PS3 outputs.

The term 'HD Ready' on a TV means specificially that it must be 16x9, must have an HDMI input with copy protection available, and be able to process incoming signals at up to 1920x1080 (but the cheaper panels mostly don't actually display at that level). Very few PC monitors do all of those, but they often meet most of the needs.

Andre

The model number of the PC world unit is Samsung 741MP (740215) it really doesnt mean a thing to me - hence the reason i dont understand if this would be suitable?

[Little Monkey]

The model number of the PC world unit is Samsung 741MP (740215) it really doesnt mean a thing to me - hence the reason i dont understand if this would be suitable?

Actually as far as freeview goes - as its only for DS in his bedroom I am not overly bothered (unless it necessary ) as we have free view on our main telly.

I would value your opinions on this one which DS has been looking at....in Argos Mikomi LCD 19inch HD model number 529 1900

[Andre]

Actually as far as freeview goes - as its only for DS in his bedroom I am not overly bothered (unless it necessary ) as we have free view on our main telly.

In a couple of years time, Freeview will be the only terrestrial TV available, the old ordinary 1,2,3,4 & 5 channels will be turned off and you'll only be able to watch them in digital versions. Hence my comment that it would be madness to buy a non-digital TV just now as it won't work at all as a TV in a couple of years time, just as a monitor for external sources.

Sadly, none of the Mikomi LCD TVs in Argos have digital tuners.

Andre

[Northerndave]

In a couple of years time, Freeview will be the only terrestrial TV available, the old ordinary 1,2,3,4 & 5 channels will be turned off and you'll only be able to watch them in digital versions. Hence my comment that it would be madness to buy a non-digital TV just now as it won't work at all as a TV in a couple of years time, just as a monitor for external sources.

Sadly, none of the Mikomi LCD TVs in Argos have digital tuners.

Andre


Not really madness, a £20 freeview box will allow viewing, but I can see what you mean. In another 12 months all TV;s should come with a digital tuner built-in, but at the moment, and especially on the 19" - 21" ranges there is a premium to pay for a digital tuner, so bargains to be had on the old analogue tuners.

[Andre]

Not really madness, a £20 freeview box will allow viewing.

True, but not ideal - and then you're using your nice new TV set as nothing more than a monitor for the external box. And also using up the probably single Scart socket too, which then makes connecting anything else (e.g. non-HDMI DVD player, etc) more awkward.

I just think the government should have limited the mainstream sale of non-digital tuner TV sets some time ago to avoid people buying something which they know is guaranteed not to work in a few years time.

Andre

[Griff_389]

Here is a bargain LCD TV. Don't go for less than 19". Don't worry about 1080p, 720 will look fantastic (can't really tell the difference, unless you have a 40+ inch TV).
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/(19130)19-Teco-HD-Ready-LCD-TV-TL1901RR-Widescreen.aspx

also comes with a 2 year warranty

You don't NEED an HDTV to play games.

I'd second what DangerMouse has added.

My 360 is on my LCD 27" TV at 720. It's not HD, but the resolution it outputs is the same, and looks fine.
If it's for his bedroom, just get an LCD that outputs the correct resolution and it should be ok.

I remember at christmas I usually got what I was given and happy with it too. I don't think I ever got expensive games consoles AND tv's. I must be showing my age now I guess.

[Little Monkey]

[

I remember at christmas I usually got what I was given and happy with it too. I don't think I ever got expensive games consoles AND tv's. I must be showing my age now I guess.[/QUOTE]

LOL know what you mean...DS wont be getting both either!! Its just that after saying firstly we would give money (£100 towards Playstation 3 and then a few odds and ends to put under the tree) its gone to we will buy the telly!! :omg: (thinking stupidly that it would be only a tad dearer :( ) I can only afford to go to a certain price and DS is happy that his present from us will ONLY be a telly...now I am not sure that I can even afford that!!! :cry: I just want to get the best i can for my money and hope that it will be compatiable with PS3 until such times he can earn bigger bucks and pay for a better telly himself!!!!! I appreciate your helpful comments one and all.....I think I better go off and try and get a better paid job :pgig: