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Thread ID: 92149 2008-07-31 00:45:00 High Definition TV's! So show me what all the fuss is about... silu (9854) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
693690 2008-07-31 02:02:00 Also only the new Sonys have integrated digital tuners, the rest of the tvs require a separate freeview tuner.

But you still need a separate freeview tuner if you wish to record anything? :illogical
Miami Steve (2128)
693691 2008-07-31 02:19:00 the other thing to remember is 95% of people will not be able to tell the difference betwen HD and not. i would just look at them side by side and pick one you like reguardless of HD etc

Anyone who cannot tell the difference must have poor eyesight.
I have only seen HD once, in Queensgate Lower Hutt, and found the difference incredible.
Strommer (42)
693692 2008-07-31 02:40:00 HDTVs have one or two native resolutions. When the TV receives a signal, it will scale the signal to match its native resolution and de-interlace the signal if necessary. A good rule of thumb is to choose a set that has a native resolution matching the signals you plan to use most often. Film fans will generally want displays with the highest possible resolution. Sports fans will generally want displays with the highest possible progressive frame rate.

When you hear someone mention a "1080i" HDTV set, they're talking about one that has a native resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and can display 60 frames per second, interlaced.

If you receive a signal that has a significantly lower resolution than your screen can display, all the extra pixels won't help it look better. This is why some people who have bought HDTVs have been dismayed at the quality of the picture - the existing analog signal just doesn't have enough detail to look good on a high-definition set. As broadcasters change to a digital signal, this problem will improve substantially.


So.........get an HD movie on DVD and take it with you for them to show off the TVs with.
pctek (84)
693693 2008-07-31 03:28:00 Anyone who cannot tell the difference must have poor eyesight.
I have only seen HD once, in Queensgate Lower Hutt, and found the difference incredible.
Second that :thumbs: Went into hardly normals a while back, and was browsing around the TV's etc, they had two HD's and the usual array of standard LCD TV's all playing the same DVD - the HD was obvious - made the others look so " plain and :yuck:" Almost out of focus ( but they weren't)
wainuitech (129)
693694 2008-07-31 03:32:00 I used to say to people to get a 1080p panel but now I have changed my mind a bit.
Unless you are going to be getting a 50" or bigger screen then paying extra for a 1080p panel is really not worth it.
Unless you sit right in front of the screen you won't see the difference on a smaller screen.
720p looks great on the smaller screens.
CYaBro (73)
693695 2008-07-31 03:46:00 Go into a shop and if they can't display HD ask to see a blueray video played on a blueray player and failing that ask to see a DVD through a player hooked up to a TV by component connectors that is a cable with 3 leads a red, green and blue one.
:)
Trev (427)
693696 2008-07-31 04:18:00 Yeah but Sony always look better, so it isn't a problem! :D

Seriously though, the only LCD TV that comes close to Sony is Samsung.

Sony and Samsung use the same Samsung panels. But I think Sony's firmware is better.


But you still need a separate freeview tuner if you wish to record anything? :illogical

Either that, or you could use the tv's output into the recorder. Or you could just wait until you can get recorders with integrated freeview tuners. Its only now that freeview is integrated into tv's, so it will be a while...
utopian201 (6245)
693697 2008-07-31 04:24:00 So people are telling me but I still haven't seen it yet. Any good store in Auckland who stocks Sony, Samsung & Panasonic and can show me DVD's and sport TV in High Definition?

Try the Appliance Shed - Porana Road store has a good selection of plasma and LCD from the better manufacturers (and their prices are sharp too!). I also find their staff more helpful and knowledgeable than their equivalents at "Hardly Normal" and "Nole Lemmings"... Not sure whether they can demo HD, but I agree with tweak'e: "i would just look at them side by side and pick one you like regardless of HD etc"
johcar (6283)
693698 2008-07-31 05:44:00 I have just been through this very same scenario myself, and here is what I did .

50" Panasonic Plasma 1080i

Picked purely because of the exceptional picture quality when compared with all those around it, in both SD and HD . Ask the Salesperson to put the Freeview HD test channel on and compare . We also asked to see some SD upscaled and some TV that we watch regularly . In the end it didn't come down to me, it was the wife who picked the best picture .

Freeview External Tuner

From Dick Smith as you get the same box from the Freeview shop with the addition of an HDMI cable for $50- $100 less .

All I can say is that after watch Freeview HD I struggle watch normal TV, the SKY TV picture is now considered awful .

The only downsides at the moment are;

No Prime on Freeview
Can't record HD (without building a HTPC), but can record with a PVR, just SD
Too many remotes, solved by a Logitech 550 Universal Remote
theflyingsurfer (12111)
693699 2008-07-31 07:46:00 Last year when I was looking around I found the same problems as the original poster. Crap PQ and stores that only wanted to sell sets not show them off. In the finish I went to Sony Style at Silviapark and the were quite happy to show me everything from analog TV to BD HD. Pity they had not DTT tuners in them at that point so I bought a Sony 46V300 which I happy with. Now you can buy the new 46V4000 with DTT tuner and 1080P panel for $1200 less that I paid for my 720P set.. Oh well that's technology for you.. paulw (1826)
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