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Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Buying a TV
In my living room there is a big TV set, a CRT so heavy I can barely lift it. To it are connected the video recorder, the HD/DVD recorder, the PS2, the Gamecube, and of course the TV cable. The TV has 2 SCART connectors, so I put the HD/DVD recorder in one, and a switchbox connecting the other 3 machines on the other. Works well, I can use any of these input devices, and thus watch VHS cassettes, or DVDs, or films stored on the HD, or use the TV to play on the PS2 or Gamecube.
The keyword here is "or". Obviously with only one screen, there can be only one form of entertainment at any given time. Since we bought the HD/DVD recorder we use the TV a lot for watching either time-shifted TV programs, or for watching DVDs. I barely get to use my game consoles any more.
So I decided I need a second TV. Obviously a smaller one. But with technology having advanced since we bought our CRT TV, I prefer a flat screen TV now. That should be small enough to install in the guest room, and hook up my Playstation to it. There is no TV cable there, but with the PS2 I can both play and watch DVDs.
Having come to that decision, I looked around for what exactly to buy, and got completely overwhelmed. Man, buying a TV has become complicated, you need a degree in electronics for it now. Do I want plasma or LCD? I guess LCD, because as far as I know it is cheaper and lives longer, even if the contrast isn't quite as good. What size? Now that question is more difficult than I would have thought. I want a small TV set, after all it is only a secondary TV set, and I don't want to spend a fortune. But when I see the smallest LCD TVs having 640 x 480 pixels, and reading about the PS3 supporting "high definition TV" with standards like 720p, I obviously need at least 1280 x 720 pixels if I want to use the same TV set for the PS3 in half a year. And after that specifications get hazy. How much contrast, viewing angle, luminance, and response time do I really need, and what would be a waste of money?
I guess I'll just brave the dangers of a entertainment electronics shop and pray for a competent and honest salesperson. I armed myself with at least a basic knowledge of what I want and don't want, plus a spending limit. I'll keep you posted about the outcome. If this is a success, I'll be playing Dragon Quest on the PS2 for a while, and write a review. There *are* other good games than WoW out there. :)
- posted by Tobold @ 3:23 PM Permanent Link
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I know it is bad but I have never picked a TV unless I liked the way it looked.
My sister-in-law bought a new TV a few weeks back and it made me laugh that the thing I found most facinating was the £3 blue LCD that came on at the bottom of the tv when you turned it on.
My sister-in-law bought a new TV a few weeks back and it made me laugh that the thing I found most facinating was the £3 blue LCD that came on at the bottom of the tv when you turned it on.
# posted by 
: 16/5/06 17:56
: 16/5/06 17:56
Check out reviews online and go to a store to find out which of the well-reviewed sets looks good to you.
Then leave the store and find the best deal on the internet; which may be to go to a store.
Never buy anything that expensive without shopping around. You can pay hundreds of dollars over the actual value of an item if the salesperson gets you properly "Pumped" about it.
Then leave the store and find the best deal on the internet; which may be to go to a store.
Never buy anything that expensive without shopping around. You can pay hundreds of dollars over the actual value of an item if the salesperson gets you properly "Pumped" about it.
# posted by : 16/5/06 18:49
: 16/5/06 18:49
I got a new TV for my apt. for my birthday last year. Nothing fancy - a $300 21-inch-or-so flat screen. I rather like it. It's our 3rd TV at home, but it's the one I have my PS2 hooked up to and I'm very happy with it.
As for Dragon's Quest VIII... I gave it a shot during my non-WoW month (before I returned to WoW earlier this year). A very nice RPG but not quite my cup of tea. I think I'm hug up/spoiled by the Final Fantasies. :(
As for Dragon's Quest VIII... I gave it a shot during my non-WoW month (before I returned to WoW earlier this year). A very nice RPG but not quite my cup of tea. I think I'm hug up/spoiled by the Final Fantasies. :(
# posted by : 16/5/06 18:55
: 16/5/06 18:55
You want a 1080p (future proof) DLP (close enough to flat, no burn in0. Plasa cost too much, LCD have a burn in type issue.
See...
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb
R
See...
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb
R
# posted by : 16/5/06 19:10
: 16/5/06 19:10
If this is a success, I'll be playing Dragon Quest on the PS2 for a while, and write a review. There *are* other good games than WoW out there. :)
Say it aint so, My mid day sanctum of WoW-filtered sites will be no more... :*(
Like you said before, there is no gaurantee of content on your blog.
/sigh
Say it aint so, My mid day sanctum of WoW-filtered sites will be no more... :*(
Like you said before, there is no gaurantee of content on your blog.
/sigh
# posted by : 16/5/06 19:58
: 16/5/06 19:58
If you want it for just playing console games, I'd say buy a computer monitor. You get better resolution for less money, and you can use it for your computer too!
Sound may be an issue, but if you really want to get the full experience from next gen consoles, you really need a separate set of speakers anyway and you could probably pick up monitor + cheap 5.1 system for less than the cost of a TV.
Sound may be an issue, but if you really want to get the full experience from next gen consoles, you really need a separate set of speakers anyway and you could probably pick up monitor + cheap 5.1 system for less than the cost of a TV.
# posted by : 17/5/06 00:02
: 17/5/06 00:02
TV buying is horrible these days. I wanted to upgrade out of my 32" flat screen (not flat panel) and said to hell with it. There is too much in the market and it's not worth buying unless you absolutely need a new TV.
Let the HDTV bubble settled down a bit and lets see where gaming and TV go with it before going for anything.
Let the HDTV bubble settled down a bit and lets see where gaming and TV go with it before going for anything.
Woot lots of Non WoW reviews in perspective again, I'd nearly given up on you Kai :)
I tried Galactic Civ II recently and I'll give Heroes of MM V a look very soon (I played the demo and it was fun), have you tried them ?
Yours friendly
John
I tried Galactic Civ II recently and I'll give Heroes of MM V a look very soon (I played the demo and it was fun), have you tried them ?
Yours friendly
John
# posted by : 17/5/06 11:10
: 17/5/06 11:10
Not sure on Galactic Civ II, but I'll certainly buy HOMM5. I've seen the demo, and I find it graphically a bit overloaded, there is so much going on on the screen that it is hard to focus on the important things. Will need to play for a bit to see how that works out.
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