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If my memory serves me correctly, Wookiee Monster, you have a widescreen TV. I am thinking of upgrading my 14 inch screen (hardly the TV equivalent of the Grand Canyon) to something a little bigger, and a lot wider. I have looked through several catalogues, and the result is: I`m confused... again.
Here are a few questions I was hoping you could answer :-)
What kind of advantage does flat screen give?
If you choose to watch normal TV does it stretch the picture or leave black bars either side?
If it stretches the picture, do you need one that says 16:9 or 4:3 format?
I am looking at about 66cm from corner to corner, which varies in price immensely. Is Thomson a respectable brand? They have a 66 cm for £320, which seems reasonable. However, it doesn`t say 4:3 format or flatscreen etc... There is a Sony one, (and everybody here knows thats a reliable name) but it is twice the price. I can save this money eventually if I do some extra shifts this summer, but is it actually worth it?
Thats about it for now. I really appreciate any help here, as I am clueless. Thanks.
Here are a few questions I was hoping you could answer :-)
What kind of advantage does flat screen give?
If you choose to watch normal TV does it stretch the picture or leave black bars either side?
If it stretches the picture, do you need one that says 16:9 or 4:3 format?
I am looking at about 66cm from corner to corner, which varies in price immensely. Is Thomson a respectable brand? They have a 66 cm for £320, which seems reasonable. However, it doesn`t say 4:3 format or flatscreen etc... There is a Sony one, (and everybody here knows thats a reliable name) but it is twice the price. I can save this money eventually if I do some extra shifts this summer, but is it actually worth it?
Thats about it for now. I really appreciate any help here, as I am clueless. Thanks.
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If my memory serves me correctly, Wookiee Monster, you have a widescreen TV. I am thinking of upgrading my 14 inch screen (hardly the TV equivalent of the Grand Canyon) to something a little bigger, and a lot wider. I have looked through several catalogues, and the result is: I`m confused... again.
Here are a few questions I was hoping you could answer :-)
What kind of advantage does flat screen give?
If you choose to watch normal TV does it stretch the picture or leave black bars either side?
If it stretches the picture, do you need one that says 16:9 or 4:3 format?
I am looking at about 66cm from corner to corner, which varies in price immensely. Is Thomson a respectable brand? They have a 66 cm for £320, which seems reasonable. However, it doesn`t say 4:3 format or flatscreen etc... There is a Sony one, (and everybody here knows thats a reliable name) but it is twice the price. I can save this money eventually if I do some extra shifts this summer, but is it actually worth it?
Thats about it for now. I really appreciate any help here, as I am clueless. Thanks.
Here are a few questions I was hoping you could answer :-)
What kind of advantage does flat screen give?
If you choose to watch normal TV does it stretch the picture or leave black bars either side?
If it stretches the picture, do you need one that says 16:9 or 4:3 format?
I am looking at about 66cm from corner to corner, which varies in price immensely. Is Thomson a respectable brand? They have a 66 cm for £320, which seems reasonable. However, it doesn`t say 4:3 format or flatscreen etc... There is a Sony one, (and everybody here knows thats a reliable name) but it is twice the price. I can save this money eventually if I do some extra shifts this summer, but is it actually worth it?
Thats about it for now. I really appreciate any help here, as I am clueless. Thanks.
ssxpro wrote:
> What kind of advantage does flat screen give?
The main advantages are less reflected light, and a less distorted picture. Okay, you don't really notice the distortion on a normal screen, but you will notice the difference on a flat screen.
> If you choose to watch normal TV does it stretch the
> picture or leave black bars either side?
I can't speak for all widescreen TV's, but with Sony's the choice is up to you. You can set it to 4:3 mode for normal TV (which gives you black borders on the left and right of the picture), or you can set it to Wide mode, which stretches the picture significantly horizontally.
You also have a 14:9 option, which is a compromise between 4:3 and Wide; the side borders are reduced, but the picture is not stretched, and you lose a fraction of the picture from the top and bottom.
Then there's the Smart option, which gives you a slightly horizontally stretched picture, but does fill the screen.
And finally there's the Zoom option, which - funnily enough - zooms the picture to fill the whole screen. There's no stretching, but you lose some of the picture from the top and bottom. However, you can use the arrow buttons on the remote to 'nudge' the picture up and down in order to read any text, captions or subtitles etc.
All of these modes can be cycled through easily using one button on the remote.
> Is Thomson a respectable brand?
I don't really know too much about them, but I see them in a lot of shops, so I assume they can't be that bad - so many shops wouldn't sell them otherwise!
> However, it doesn`t say 4:3 format or flatscreen etc...
Definitely ask before you buy one if it doesn't state it clearly. Normal TV in Wide mode is bloody awful!
One tip: if you can help it, do not buy in Dixons, Comet, Currys etc. Also, check out http://www.empire-direct.co.uk - they sometimes have massive savings - I saved over £80 on a portable TV/VCR combo I bought for my mum.
> There is a Sony one, (and everybody here knows thats a
> reliable name) but it is twice the price. I can save
> this money eventually if I do some extra shifts this summer, but is
> it actually worth it?
I did have some problems with mine a few months after I bought it (from the Northampton Sony Centre), but Sony were extremely quick to act. They couldn't sort the problem (dodgy tube), so they brought me a new set. A Sony Wega - if you can afford it - is an EXTREMELY good TV; and they all have built-in digital decoders now, giving you access to the free channels like ITV2.
At the end of the day, you'll get what you pay for. You could also consider renting; my local Boxclever (formerly Radio Rentals) has a range of the latest Wega's - yours should have a similar selection.
Hope this helps - let me know if you need anything else!
> What kind of advantage does flat screen give?
The main advantages are less reflected light, and a less distorted picture. Okay, you don't really notice the distortion on a normal screen, but you will notice the difference on a flat screen.
> If you choose to watch normal TV does it stretch the
> picture or leave black bars either side?
I can't speak for all widescreen TV's, but with Sony's the choice is up to you. You can set it to 4:3 mode for normal TV (which gives you black borders on the left and right of the picture), or you can set it to Wide mode, which stretches the picture significantly horizontally.
You also have a 14:9 option, which is a compromise between 4:3 and Wide; the side borders are reduced, but the picture is not stretched, and you lose a fraction of the picture from the top and bottom.
Then there's the Smart option, which gives you a slightly horizontally stretched picture, but does fill the screen.
And finally there's the Zoom option, which - funnily enough - zooms the picture to fill the whole screen. There's no stretching, but you lose some of the picture from the top and bottom. However, you can use the arrow buttons on the remote to 'nudge' the picture up and down in order to read any text, captions or subtitles etc.
All of these modes can be cycled through easily using one button on the remote.
> Is Thomson a respectable brand?
I don't really know too much about them, but I see them in a lot of shops, so I assume they can't be that bad - so many shops wouldn't sell them otherwise!
> However, it doesn`t say 4:3 format or flatscreen etc...
Definitely ask before you buy one if it doesn't state it clearly. Normal TV in Wide mode is bloody awful!
One tip: if you can help it, do not buy in Dixons, Comet, Currys etc. Also, check out http://www.empire-direct.co.uk - they sometimes have massive savings - I saved over £80 on a portable TV/VCR combo I bought for my mum.
> There is a Sony one, (and everybody here knows thats a
> reliable name) but it is twice the price. I can save
> this money eventually if I do some extra shifts this summer, but is
> it actually worth it?
I did have some problems with mine a few months after I bought it (from the Northampton Sony Centre), but Sony were extremely quick to act. They couldn't sort the problem (dodgy tube), so they brought me a new set. A Sony Wega - if you can afford it - is an EXTREMELY good TV; and they all have built-in digital decoders now, giving you access to the free channels like ITV2.
At the end of the day, you'll get what you pay for. You could also consider renting; my local Boxclever (formerly Radio Rentals) has a range of the latest Wega's - yours should have a similar selection.
Hope this helps - let me know if you need anything else!
Thanks Wookiee, that was great. I`ll check out that URl later tonight. As for Dixons, Currys etc... I`ll check `em out anyway, just to see what they know and offer, but I`ll certainly look for better offers as you say.
Sorry, there's no hyphen in that URL - it's:
http://www.empiredirect.co.uk
http://www.empiredirect.co.uk
That`s lucky! I just went there and it didn`t work! Good timing WM. Within 43 seconds I have a correction. Impressive.
I'm psychic!
Or was it psychotic?
Or was it psychotic?
:-) From what I`ve learned about you, I wouldn`t have said psychotic. (Though the internet hides a lot :-) )
Anyway, I just went to Empiredirect, and they have a er.., big list. I`ll study it for a while, as I`m not taking stuff in very well now that its past midnight, but most stunning of all was an item at the bottom of the widescreen list. Over £6000 for a TV! Wow! I think I`ll be looking for something around a tenth of that price :-) However, most of the list was at a reasonable price, so it may be the place to go. I`ll compare it to local retailers such as those you mentioned, and see where things stand.
Thanks again for your help.
Anyway, I just went to Empiredirect, and they have a er.., big list. I`ll study it for a while, as I`m not taking stuff in very well now that its past midnight, but most stunning of all was an item at the bottom of the widescreen list. Over £6000 for a TV! Wow! I think I`ll be looking for something around a tenth of that price :-) However, most of the list was at a reasonable price, so it may be the place to go. I`ll compare it to local retailers such as those you mentioned, and see where things stand.
Thanks again for your help.
£6000? Was that a 40-inch-plus plasma screen? Saw one of those in Boxclever... luvly jubbly! I have no room for one, though. :-(
SnoopDoggyDan wrote:
> i'd recommend Sony.
Strangely enough, so would I...
All of my equipment is Sony.
> i'd recommend Sony.
Strangely enough, so would I...
All of my equipment is Sony.
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