Which TV best for picture quality?
Discussion
Evening Folks,
I am contemplating getting and LCD or Plasma now that there's actually starting to be a reasonable amount of HD content to watch, but I have no real idea of which one to go for?
Ideally, I'd go for a monitor with no tuner or speakers, as we'll only ever watch it through a Freeview HD box which is connected directly to my AV amp, so why waste money paying for a feature that I don't need?
On the assumption, however, that economies of scale probably mean that most TVs are actually likely to be cheaper than monitors, which ones should I be looking at to get the best picture quality for the price without worrying about sound quality?
Price no more than a grand tops, and size probably around 40" or maybe a little larger if it doesn't stupidly up the cost.
I am contemplating getting and LCD or Plasma now that there's actually starting to be a reasonable amount of HD content to watch, but I have no real idea of which one to go for?
Ideally, I'd go for a monitor with no tuner or speakers, as we'll only ever watch it through a Freeview HD box which is connected directly to my AV amp, so why waste money paying for a feature that I don't need?
On the assumption, however, that economies of scale probably mean that most TVs are actually likely to be cheaper than monitors, which ones should I be looking at to get the best picture quality for the price without worrying about sound quality?
Price no more than a grand tops, and size probably around 40" or maybe a little larger if it doesn't stupidly up the cost.
I might as well beat the rush and say Panasonic 42G20 as you won't get one that's just a monitor. Sure you'll have the freeview HD tuner built in, but then you won't need two remotes to watch TV either. There are other options such a Sony 40HX713 which has built in HD freeview too and internet TV features, but I'll probably be forced to drive a Trabant for the rest of my life for even mentioning it here. 
S20 is great value - worth bearing in mind the G20 has some technical features like infinite black, that improve the picture quality, that are not included on the S20.
I quite like the V20 as the blacks on that are even more impressive than on the G20 but it costs more. - With discount you might get a V20 at close to a grand..
I quite like the V20 as the blacks on that are even more impressive than on the G20 but it costs more. - With discount you might get a V20 at close to a grand..
Edited by dom180 on Wednesday 29th September 09:30
I agree the V20 is better than the G20, which in turn is better than the S20.......but you are talking very small differences for hundreds more pounds.
Yes, money no object, buy the V20. However, I think the picture on my S20 is very, very good and perfect for normal day-to-day viewing (in a sitting room, with windows and lights and not in a dedicated home cinema room).
The V20 is almost twice the price of the S20.
Yes, money no object, buy the V20. However, I think the picture on my S20 is very, very good and perfect for normal day-to-day viewing (in a sitting room, with windows and lights and not in a dedicated home cinema room).
The V20 is almost twice the price of the S20.
Edited by JumboBeef on Wednesday 29th September 10:05
JumboBeef said:
The OP wanted just a monitor, so why buy a G20 with lots of features he will not use?
Buy a S20 (I have just got one, fed from a Sky+ HD box and audio out via an amp, and it is excellent) for £550.
Can you see the contradiction? Buy a S20 (I have just got one, fed from a Sky+ HD box and audio out via an amp, and it is excellent) for £550.
I agree the S20 is good, however seeing an S20 and a G20 side by side you really can tell where your extra money is going.
JumboBeef said:
Of course the G20 is better: it costs twice as much.
Day-to-day viewing, I feel the S20 is very good, and good enough for me.
Ah but the OP asked for which "TV BEST for picture quality" so if the G20 is better than the S20 then it's closer to his requirement. Whether he needs to go to the V model instead is another matter as it might be more moeny than he really wants to spend...Day-to-day viewing, I feel the S20 is very good, and good enough for me.
Kermit power said:
Silver993tt said:
Believe it or not, Panasonic isn't the only TV manufacturer. Go and see other TVs and their pictures for yourself and decide that way.
Quite willing to do so, but they universally look crap in every shop I've ever been in. 
You need to see the TVs in operation yourself. Don't listen to anyone on a forum recommending any brand of TV.
Silver993tt said:
Kermit power said:
Silver993tt said:
Believe it or not, Panasonic isn't the only TV manufacturer. Go and see other TVs and their pictures for yourself and decide that way.
Quite willing to do so, but they universally look crap in every shop I've ever been in. You need to see the TVs in operation yourself. Don't listen to anyone on a forum recommending any brand of TV.
I've read various magazine reviews which rave about the picture quality of various flat panel TVs. Then I've been to see those various flat panel TVs in shops, and they've looked - especially on SD pictures, which are, after all, still 95%+ of what we've got to choose from - utterly crap.
It makes no difference what TV I've looked at, nor in which shop. I'm left with the conclusion that the magazine should've been raving about how good the picture quality was for a plasma/LCD, whilst at the same time recognising that they're all a bit s
t, really.Then, however, I see lots of people on places like here and AV Forums expressing their delight in their TVs, and others expressing their contempt for the way in which shops set their display models up.
So, you tell me... If I can't trust magazine reviews, I can't listen to the recommendations of anyone on an internet forum, and the evidence of my own eyes when I go into shops is that - contrary to what many people seem to believe - this is still a technology best left alone until something with real picture quality comes along to take over from CRT, how exactly do you think I should make a choice?
Silver993tt said:
However, why would you listen to the recommendations of ANYONE on an internate forum? It's a classic mistake of the naive and vulnerable.
this has to rank as one of the best things I've ever read on PH. Just to be clear, if I shouldn't listen to recommendations on a forum, then should I ignore your recommendation to ignore other recommendations? But then if I ignore your recommendation I then don't have to ignore other recommendations... My brain is going to melt.My Panasonic G20 is truly terrible but I'm so embarrassed that I took the advice of people more knowledgeable than myself in my naive vulnerable state that I can't really admit it.
Oops just did!
_dobbo_ said:
Silver993tt said:
However, why would you listen to the recommendations of ANYONE on an internate forum? It's a classic mistake of the naive and vulnerable.
this has to rank as one of the best things I've ever read on PH. Just to be clear, if I shouldn't listen to recommendations on a forum, then should I ignore your recommendation to ignore other recommendations? But then if I ignore your recommendation I then don't have to ignore other recommendations... My brain is going to melt.My Panasonic G20 is truly terrible but I'm so embarrassed that I took the advice of people more knowledgeable than myself in my naive vulnerable state that I can't really admit it.
Oops just did!
Edited by Silver993tt on Friday 1st October 15:57
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