[UK] HDTV Question

[Devoto.]

Hi all,

Well, I am looking to buy a HDTV pretty soon (this week if possible) and I just have one real question to ask all of you people out there.

Basically, I watch a fair bit of TV and I want to get a HDTV for my room mainly because of this, but I will also be looking to get an Xbox 360 when they are released over here in the UK. I also record live TV onto my iMac and burn it onto DVD's, so once I get a HDTV my home theatre setup will pretty much be complete.

Right, well I haven't really looked into HDTV's that much, and there are so many out there that I am kind of intimated any time I really look around. Lately though, a couple of HDTV's have been catching my eye and they fall within the ?700 budget I have set myself (the HDTV's I am on about are 26").

Now, I keep on seeing people refer to1080i> and720p>. Now I have no idea what these are, but I am guessing that if the TV is HD ready then it will be able to display in those two formats, and that it doesn't really matter what the resolution of the TV is?

That's basically my question, as I say it may sound stupid but I take it that the1080i> and720p> are HDTV formats so any TV that is HDTV ready should be able to display them whatever the size of screen/resolution?

Am I right in thinking this?

Oh, and any UK people out there that have HDTV's and would recommend them, or could recommend any HDTV's at all then please do let me know. Whatever the price, I would be interested to hear about any recommendations any of you may have.

Thank you all for reading this, and I hope it didn't sound too stupid!

Any replies with advise/recommendations would be most appreciated.

Thanks a lot,

Lee

[generalnewbie]

buying a HDTV is more time consuming then you think.

First and formost set your budget.

2nd find what you can get with your budget.

DLP sets are cheaper then say a LCD or plasma but cost less

They also have less viewing angles.

Like i tell anyone and everyone when they are buying a TV you have to Go to more then 1 store and view the HDTV because some stores are splitting the feed a million times..

Other stores may have horrible signal. Personally i would start out at a highend equipment store and check out what they have to offer.. And price search around at different stores

for the same models. A tv is all in the beholder... whats ART to one person may be Crap to another. Think of buying a HDTV as you would a CAR. Do your research

[Kerm]

As far as i know the 1080 and 720 are the resolutions of the HDTV, there is 480 aswell, so by that i'm assuming a better quality with the higher resolutions. But im sure it's not very noticable.

Anyone with experience care to tell me what they really mean?

:p

[Devoto.]

Thanks, dude.

I am definately going to take my time over it, I know I said I wanted to buy one this week however there is no rush, as long as I have one for Christmas then it's all good.

As I said, my main question is this:-

Now, I keep on seeing people refer to 1080i and 720p. Now I have no idea what these are, but I am guessing that if the TV is HD ready then it will be able to display in those two formats, and that it doesn't really matter what the resolution of the TV is?

That's basically my question, as I say it may sound stupid but I take it that the 1080i and 720p are HDTV formats so any TV that is HDTV ready should be able to display them whatever the size of screen/resolution?

[fu5i0n]

If you want more info on how HD works check out

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/hdtv.htm

The Toshiba 32WL56 Is suppose to be a good HDTV. It recentley got 5 stars in What video Magazine. It`s lightly over your ?700 budget At ?850, But im sure its worth investing a little more.

Check out the review

http://www.homecinemachoice.com/cgi-bin/di...p?reviewid=6275

And the price

http://www.rgbdirect.co.uk/ProductDetails....KUNumber=103267

[Devoto.]

Thanks Kerm, and you fu5i0n.

I am moveable on the price, I figure that this will be a long-term investment, and I don't spend much at all anyway so why not splash out?!

I have just had a look around it seems that I might be able to get a Toshiba 32WL56 for cheaper than the ?850 link that was posted.

Thanks a lot, you guys. Any more advice/recommendations would be appreciated.

Also, could someone clear up the following, for me and Kerm?!

As far as i know the 1080 and 720 are the resolutions of the HDTV, there is 480 aswell, so by that i'm assuming a better quality with the higher resolutions. But im sure it's not very noticable.

Anyone with experience care to tell me what they really mean?

:pp

586844366[/snapback]

[S.MULLA]

i've ordered a HDTV last week - the Acer at3201w LCD TV 32" for ?760. from all the reviews i've read its fantastic.. i was going to go for the philips 32" @ ?1800 - but after seeing it at a store it wasnt worth the 1k+ price tag difference.

take a look at www.avforums.com uk based forums that has loads of help.. i done research for about 3-4weeks now and finally made my decision.

[crazzyyfool]

i've ordered a HDTV last week - the Acer at3201w LCD TV 32" for ?760. from all the reviews i've read its fantastic.. i was going to go for the philips 32" @ ?1800 - but after seeing it at a store it wasnt worth the 1k+ price tag difference.

take a look at www.avforums.com uk based forums that has loads of help.. i done research for about 3-4weeks now and finally made my decision.

I have the same TV:D:D

[johndoh]

Just out of interest, (since I may have been asleep for the pasy year) :) Do the Beeb, Sky, etc. Actually transmit in HDTV? I didn't think there were plans for that untill sometime 2007, with 2008 being the time when most content would be HDTV, (at least from Sky) But again, this is from memory so could be shaky.

I'm also slightly dubious about the tech, all the stores I go into habitually, are only ever showing, slow sweeping visuals, movies designed to show off HDTV as a panoramic dream box, plus the odd leaf and flower in very hi-res. Which is cute, but how does the same panel handle a fast changing pulsed explosion on-screen? I've yet to see anything like that anywhere, I'm beginning to suspect this is at least collusion if not a concerted conspiracy :p

Gamespot, http://www.gamespot.com/features/6140621/index.html says there's almost no difference quality wise between the old and the new xbox. At least at 480, while 1up has commentary on the launch titles: http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3145953&did=1

I'm holding off on both the 360 and HDTV until there is actually content worthy of the upgrade, I bought a DTS Amp two years ago, and still hardly anyone uses it.

[crazzyyfool]

Sky are broadcasting HDTV next year but you will need a new SkyHD box. The BBC are only due to start broadcasting HDTV once the majority of people have gone digital.

[johndoh]

OK, so what does a full whiteout explosion do to the panel? What's Doom3, etc like on it? What's the max res of the panel, what's the refresh rate like, etc. Got a 32inch Philips widescreen tube myself btw.