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The time has come to buy a huuuge TV. Bit of advice needed!


Ari
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Ok so a motoring forum seems an odd place to come back to and ask for TV advice, but had some good input from here before and besides, I'm not a member of any AV type forums and they're all a bit nerdy for me. I know there's a few of you who are into your AV and have some nice kit so hopefully you'll be able to answer a couple of concerns I have.

So here's the thing. I'm going to order a new TV next month for my lounge. I'm not into buying AV equipment too often, prefer to get decent stuff and keep it for ever so I really want to try and get this right.

All input gratefully received.

Ok so firstly the size. Had a good look in the shops, read the brochure about what size TV for what viewing distance, all that sort of stuff. Now my lounge is not huge and it's rectangular, and the way it's laid out the TV will go on one of the longer walls which limits distance a bit. It can't go on either end because one end is a bay window and the other an archway into the dining room so no choice here. The distance from the wall to the middle of the sofa (so not including however far the bracket and TV thickness brings it out from the wall) is 9ft. And I really really want a 50 inch screen. According to the leaflet on sizes it's within recommended range of size for distance (at the top end admittedly) and when I look at it in the shop standing roughly the right distance away it seems fine. But a mate of mine has a 42" screen in a similar sized room and it does seem rather big. His is on a stand in the corner though, not on a wall as mine will be. Worth adding also that I don't watch a lot of TV (a bit, but not a lot), it's going to be mainly for watching movies on DVD's (so looking for the big screen cinema sort of effect) and possibly adding a games console at some point.

So am I mad wanting a 50" screen? Is it going to be too big? Has anyone got a 50" screen and is it comfortably viewable from about 9ft away? Or is it just going to be hopelessly over the top and I'll be moving my head every time I watch something cross the screen. :D

Ok, next thing, spec. I'm thinking I need 100hz double scan (do I?), and I believe I need 1920x1080 pixels for proper HD viewing (intending to get a Blueray player at some stage). Does that sound right, is there any other spec I need to be making sure I get, and will it play my current DVD's (of which I have many so has to be able to cope with these) through a standard surround sound DVD player ok in the meantime?

Wiring. I'm intending to get all the wires for all the plugs and sink them all into the wall and down to the corner where the AV kit will be. So basically I end up with all the inputs in the TV down in the corner of the room so I can plug into any of them any time. My thinking is that if I'm having to get the wall chiseled out, wires sunk in and then re-plastered and re decorated it makes sense to do it all so I don't find myself wishing I could use a TV input plug but can't without having to embed another wire. Good plan or waste of money?

Finally the unit. I'm always being told that Panasonic make the best TV's. Happy to spend a decent amount as a one off purchase, but it's not a money no object exercise. The one I've been pointed at is the TH-50PZ80B (link to spec below) which I'm told will give me all I require but at sensible money (I think it's £1,500 but hoping to haggle a bit off of that, or get the leads and bracket thrown in or something). It doesn't have Freesat but will probably get a Sky box anyway which presumably will give me access to Freesat stuff? As I say, it's not about TV input much anyway, so not too bothered about Sky as long as I can get the digital channels. Here's the spec.

Panasonic - ideas for life - Overview

I think that's about it. Greatly appreciate any thoughts, experience or advice on this chaps. Thanks in advance. :beer:

Edited by Ari
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get a projector. 50" tv is not home cinema. a 720p projector will give you a stunning picture at 8-9ft distance. 1080p not visible from 9ft on a 50" screen.

try and get a demo - you'll not look at lcd/plasma tvs again

(especially as i know you're a bond fan!! )

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TH-50PZ80B Is available from about £1050 via the net, Richer Sounds are selling it for £1200 with a 5 year warranty.

Gizze is the orical for TV advice, I'm sure h will be along soon.

I would add that if you drop down to 42", it's only £700 odd :eek:

One thing that always concerns me with wall mounts is the height of the mount and if you consider that a normal TV on stand plus table is position about 24" off the ground, even with a tilt wall mount you will have an upward viewing position.

Try placing a large picture on the wall in the position you want the TV and confirm that you and the other viewers will be Ok with the potential new viewing position +++

I do like Nat Pan's, and if you do go 50" Plasma is still the better of the LCD v Plasma technology bun fight, when going 'large'.

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I don't think you can go much wrong with a panny, these were much recommended when I was looking about a year ago. I've got a 43" and that seems a little small sometimes from about 9ft. 50" might seem alot larger though.

With regard to the DVD - upscaled/Blu-Ray/Games machine - get a PS3 does all 3 very well indeed plus it's a media centre.

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get a projector. 50" tv is not home cinema. a 720p projector will give you a stunning picture at 8-9ft distance. 1080p not visible from 9ft on a 50" screen.

try and get a demo - you'll not look at lcd/plasma tvs again

(especially as i know you're a bond fan!! )

Won't that take up more room though? The beauty of a plasma is it's flat(ish) to the wall.

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TH-50PZ80B Is available from about £1050 via the net, Richer Sounds are selling it for £1200 with a 5 year warranty.

Gizze is the orical for TV advice, I'm sure h will be along soon.

I would add that if you drop down to 42", it's only £700 odd :eek:

One thing that always concerns me with wall mounts is the height of the mount and if you consider that a normal TV on stand plus table is position about 24" off the ground, even with a tilt wall mount you will have an upward viewing position.

Try placing a large picture on the wall in the position you want the TV and confirm that you and the other viewers will be Ok with the potential new viewing position +++

I do like Nat Pan's, and if you do go 50" Plasma is still the better of the LCD v Plasma technology bun fight, when going 'large'.

Agree about the price difference and had thought about that, but my view is that as a "one off" purchase I'd rather spend the extra £500 and have exactly what I want, than save it and always wish I'd got what I wanted.

Agree about the height thing too. My plan would be to position it fairly low on the wall (it's a plain wall with nothing in front of it) so no problem to doing this. I agree I don't want to end up having to look up to the TV pointing downwards. Current TV is just on a normal stand in the corner, I don't see why the flatscreen should have to be higher than this.

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I don't think you can go much wrong with a panny, these were much recommended when I was looking about a year ago. I've got a 43" and that seems a little small sometimes from about 9ft. 50" might seem alot larger though.

With regard to the DVD - upscaled/Blu-Ray/Games machine - get a PS3 does all 3 very well indeed plus it's a media centre.

This is the thing. Mate of mine got a 43" and thought it was huge, but say's you soon get used to it and now it feels normal.

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We always buy Panny and have a couple over 40",

50" is really big and I reckon you would need a big room to put it in otherwise it's going to look hopelessly out of place. It's like being at the front row at the cinema !

That's my biggest concern. I do want a big screen for the full movie experience, but don't want to feel like I'm in the front row struggling to take it all in.

It looks fine in the shop, but of course you're surrounded by stuff like 65" screens so it's hard to get a proper perspective.

I was fairly set on a 50 till I saw my mates 42 yesterday and thought "I don't know, that's pretty blimmin big!"

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No I don't, but if it's on the wall it should be ok, I think.

Co incidently there's a picture there now that's almost exactly the size of a 50" TV (measured it), albeit portrait not landscape shape.

I keep looking at it and thinking "if that were a ascreen, would it be too big?" I don't think it would but I'm not convinced about it and I'm worried about making a mistake.

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I'm looking for a new TV also. I knew a 50" was going to be way too big for our room. Was unsure about a 42" also so I made a mock up from cardboard, put it on the stand and stood back....Still too big. Don't get me wrong, our room is quite large but the viewing distance is only about 8ft. For me, this requires nothing bigger than a 37" which is what I'll be getting.

I think there's a massive danger nowadays with the advent of reasonably priced large screen TVs. There's a council housing estate I walk through fairly often here in Leeds and as you pass the front windows, there is the obligatory 42" panel hanging crooked above the fireplace in a room that's probably 12x12 at best. I really think there's a taste aspect to it.

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I work ing hte home entertainment industry, so know lots of AV retailers and installers. All of them say if you can afford one, get a Pioneer. So that's what I did.

I had free choice of all the plasma/LCD panels, but opted for the Pioneer PDP428XD, I'm not sure how much they retail for (as I pull a few favors in!) but the picture quality is stunning on both SD and HD sources. The panel is actually a 702p res one, but at 42" and below I can't tell the difference. We have a 1080p projector on a 8ft screen at the office and you can tell the difference between 720 & 1080 sources, but not on small panels.

Pioneer have dropped plasma for anything below 50" now and are using LCD. I had a demo of them a couple of weeks ago and wasn't that impressed, I still think Plasma is the most forgiving format.

I could have got away with a 50" in the living room, but it would have been very imposing. Mate has the 50" Panny and it's very nice on HD but only ok on SD... he's basically lost one of the walls in his living room now though!

Where are you based? Could let you know of some "friendly" dealers if it would help?

+++

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This is the thing. Mate of mine got a 43" and thought it was huge, but say's you soon get used to it and now it feels normal.

The same happened to me. I went from a 32" CRT to a 42" Plasma and when it was delivered I thought, 'Oh my God. What have I done?' The box was huge. The TV inside it was huge. It still looked huge when I installed it.

However, after several months I no longer feel the same way. You do get used to it. Sometimes I even catch myself coveting something larger! :Slap:

I think what I'm saying is be aware that whilst choosing a TV and looking at various sizes, you may find yourself thinking, 'That's huge!', but it's simply because you're not used to it.

Of course, you can go too far and end up with something inappropriately large. I guess that's what all the recommended screen size:viewing distance tables will help with.

Enjoy buying, and watching, your new TV. I still love my 42"er. +++

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That's my biggest concern. I do want a big screen for the full movie experience, but don't want to feel like I'm in the front row struggling to take it all in.

It looks fine in the shop, but of course you're surrounded by stuff like 65" screens so it's hard to get a proper perspective.

I was fairly set on a 50 till I saw my mates 42 yesterday and thought "I don't know, that's pretty blimmin big!"

A 50" tv isnt movie experience unless you're about 4 ft away.

THX uses simple viewing angle recommendations. A big tv isnt the same as home theatre. you'd "appear" to have more room in the house if you bought a projector/electric screen for movies and a smaller tv for general day viewing.

For large screens, 50"+ you'll also need sky hd. sd material just looks pathetic in comparison, regardless of any scalers/kit you may have.

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We got a package of 42" Samsung with a DVD player that upgrades the DVDs to HD or something like that and a matching dark glass stand for about £700 from Comet. The Samsung has an excellent quality picture and from past experience they are reliable. We looked at a 50" but even in a relatively big lounge with it well at one end of the room it was way too dominating. The 42" isn't exactly petite but its just right now for the room balance, and with decent speakers added in the viewing experience is great.

Wall mounting must be at the right level too because if you're looking up, in my view it wrecks the whole experience and you may as well get a 17" telly and a membership to a chiropractor. ;). I'd say that if the room is longer than it is wide and you shove 50"s on a wall then you'll be to close to view it properly unless you're in the garden, cricking your neck. We used to have a swivel out stand that worked with on a 37", you could push it flat against the wall when not watching it, and it was the right height. +++

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Lottie was that DVD/Hi-Fi all built in type effort, or just the DVD player? I'm moving soon and would like to replace my 32" panel with a 42" and a surround system.

Shark, it was just a DVD player with the TV and we had the speakers already so No, not the whole lot. BUt Comet did have some excellent deals on TVs and surround sound stuff, plus we were able to haggle the price they had displayed. They need to sell at the moment, so get them to drop the stupid extended warranty sales pitch and knock some cash off the price. +++:grin:

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I sit 10ft from my screen, big room but it is 30ft wide and only 15ft deep and it is on the shallow end, so similar layout.

I bought my first Panasonic plasma 5 years ago, loved it. 480p resolution but looked amazing.

Upgraded to the Pioneer 435XDE, 720p resolution and getting rave reviews, regretted it straight away, bought another panny but the 720p version and loved it.

NEC 50" got rave reviews, bought, hated it, sold it and lost £1000 in 5 days!

Stuck the panny back on the wall.

Bought the Pioneer 506XDE after the rave reviews.

Noisy, poor blacks and framerate judder, it looked digital. Luckily I knew the shop owner and he let me return it.

Bought the 50" version of the Panny, again 720p res. but bigger. Much better, but on poorer broadcasts it looked....well.....not as good as the 42".

Sold it and hung the 42" back on the wall, enjoyed everything on it.

The Pioneer 8 series came out, Kuro, best blacks ever!!

Bought the 428XDE, didn't like it, noisy pixels and blacks crushed details.

Swapped for another one, and the same.

Swapped for the 50" and it was better, but still not as good as myu Panny, which was now worth about £300!

Hung the panny back up and sold the Pioneer!

So now back with my 3 year old panny and loving it. This was last year.

Then heard Pioneer sorted out a problem with the 8 series Kuro plasmas that were being over driven. So bought one used off someone I know on avforums. It was better and is stunning with HD, but still not as sharp as the Panny for SD and always wanted to tweak the pciture, with the Panny I just leave it as it is.

So after 2 months of living with it I decided the Panny is the better screen, the Pioneer looks nicer on teh wall in its piano gloss finish, and it does have a very slight edge with decent HD material, but 90% of my viewing is regular Sky, some HD yeah, but 90% is not critical vieiwing and the gap is not that great. So the now 4 year old Panny got moved back to the front room, and the Pioneer to the bedroom. Was ridiculously big though and got sold.

So all in all, the Panny is arguably better than the Pioneer forgetting price. And I think for a non dedicated AV room the 40-46" screens are fine.

If it is an AV room where only games and films are watched then go 50", but for now I would get a 42" screen and put the rest towards Sky HD.

I wouldn't even worry about it being 1080p, you are paying a huge premium for it at the mo, pay £700 for a panny 42", use it 2 years and then sell it for £400 and buy one of the latest and greatest 1080p 46" screens that are £3000+ now in 2 years time for under a grand.

I think we are going to see some big improvements in the next 2 years, LCD has now caught up with Plasma from 4 years ago, and plasma has hardly moved on, if at all.

I would seriously consider a Samsung LCD now for the first time, have been buying them for the bedroom and love the new Samsungs. Series 8 is now here and very impressive it is too.

I would look at a 46" Panny plasma and the series 6 and 8 46" samsung LCDs.

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