replacing TV

[Lizard]

Advice please. I have a Sanyo flat screen TV - no LCD, HD or XYZ. I think it's about 75 cm wide. Our lounge is fairly small. My husband is very ill and the major part of his day is spent in front of the TV. It's been suggested that I should get him a better TV to watch. I have looked around and think the best I have seen for us is a 32" (82cm) HD LCD LG @ R5499. What seems to me to be the same thing at Game, Makro, H & H is R6999 or even R7799. When I query the price with the sales people they say, "You must look at the model number." But it would appear to be the same TV. I have 3 options -
1. Stay with the TV we have.
2. Get one that is not HD (I am told that's just a gimmick)
3. Go for the one for R5499.
4. Go for something else someone here recommends.

 

[matt loves telkom]

Option 3 - where is at such a lovely price? im getting impatient now and need to just buy my 32 and stop worrying and obsessing about Sinotech 42 thread for R7999.eish

 

[greg_SA]

What does he watch mostly on the TV? Normal DSTV (standard definition)? Or does he watch DVDs?

Also, how far does he sit from the TV?

What about the current TV do you dislike?

 

[Ry4n]

I would get an LED TV for the long run!

 

[Lizard]

I don't know where you live but I will tell you and please promise you won't go and buy the last one. LOL It's a Lucky's Lifestyle on the South Coast of KZN. They have an in-store promotion.

 

[Lizard]

What does he watch mostly on the TV? Normal DSTV (standard definition)? Or does he watch DVDs?

Also, how far does he sit from the TV?

What about the current TV do you dislike?

We don't have DSTV so it's the odd programme on the free channels and mainly DVDs. I have a DVD recorder and record late night movies for him and buy lots of movies on ebay. I'd say his leather couch is 2 to 3 metres from the TV. I don't dislike anything about the current TV but then I don't watch much - prefer to read a book. It's mainly his son who has said I should get him a better TV. Son says, "Get LED and you will see the difference." Neighbours have 32" LG HD LED bought at Game and they love it.

 

[matt loves telkom]

lol im not gonna drive 600 kms

 

[greg_SA]

We don't have DSTV so it's the odd programme on the free channels and mainly DVDs. I have a DVD recorder and record late night movies for him and buy lots of movies on ebay. I'd say his leather couch is 2 to 3 metres from the TV. I don't dislike anything about the current TV but then I don't watch much - prefer to read a book. It's mainly his son who has said I should get him a better TV. Son says, "Get LED and you will see the difference." Neighbours have 32" LG HD LED bought at Game and they love it.

Hi,

For normal TV and DVDs, I'd get an HD Ready Plasma screen - it is best suited for standard definition viewing.The smallest size is normally 42" (+/-107cm), and the cheapest ones are about R8000.

Don't be fooled by "LED TVs" - they are just LCD TVs with LED backlighting - not the upcoming OLED TVs that will only be affordable in a few years time.

Regards,
Greg

 

[Lizard]

Sorry, I typed LED when I went LCD. that is what the neighbours have and are happy with.

 

[sdd]

hi

Do what greg said.

We were in the same boat with a friend of mine. if you are watching only sabc and etv via an aerial - go for a plasma. the lcd is not so great.

get the cheapest brand name plasma that you can afford.

 

[Hemps]

Depending on how much you need to spend, wait for game's special on sinotec 32 lcd for R3999, not bad at all for that price, standard tv sucks on all lcd's regardless of what most people tell you.
Plasma's look much better for our standard TV content in South Africa.

If you are still on aerials and not satelite, you really start to notice the bad quality in signal on a bigger screen, so unless you want hubby to go blind as well, stick with a smaller screen for now, 32 is more than ample for a small lounge setup.

I have just switched to dstv easyview, get sabc1,2,3,etv,extreme sports,botswana tv (have some nice documentaries on some time, same as nat geo.) and loads of other christian channels and of course weather channel and tv guide.
Difference for me switching from aerial to sat made a big difference.
Have m-net on analogue decoder, dstv switched on all channels on saturday till sunday morning, was cool.

 

[Lizard]

hi

Do what greg said.

We were in the same boat with a friend of mine. if you are watching only sabc and etv via an aerial - go for a plasma. the lcd is not so great.

get the cheapest brand name plasma that you can afford.

I have been put off plasma by someone who told me they can't be fixed - if there is a problem they have to send them back to Japan or wherever.

 

[matt loves telkom]

Depending on how much you need to spend, wait for game's special on sinotec 32 lcd for R3999, not bad at all for that price, standard tv sucks on all lcd's regardless of what most people tell you.
Plasma's look much better for our standard TV content in South Africa.

.

WHEN WHEN! im so peeved at myself for being lazy to get this
Now its back to R5999

 

[Lizard]

But what about when we get digital TV? Will the free channels still look c****y? I really don't want to go the DSTV route. We had it a few years ago and were fed up with all the repetition. My husband is not into watching sport and there are no kids in the house to watch cartoons. We cancelled the DSTV and I used the money to buy decent DVDs - movies and music.

 

[Hemps]

Was on special 2-3 weeks back at Game, can always pick same thing up in Namibia for R3499
When i bought mine, makro had it on special for R4499, went to game and they gave it me for R3999 with free hdmi cable.

 

[Lizard]

WHEN WHEN! im so peeved at myself for being lazy to get this
Now its back to R5999

It will be back. Game always revert to normal price on a Tuesday because on Wednesday the pensioners can get 10% off. They won't give the discount on the special price.

 

[greg_SA]

But what about when we get digital TV? Will the free channels still look c****y? I really don't want to go the DSTV route. We had it a few years ago and were fed up with all the repetition. My husband is not into watching sport and there are no kids in the house to watch cartoons. We cancelled the DSTV and I used the money to buy decent DVDs - movies and music.

The digital TV that SABC will broadcast will basically be the same as normal DSTV - same quality, and standard definition. The free channels won't look that much better than the are now (provided you have very good reception at the moment).

I'd still stick to plasma for any standard definition broadcast and DVDs (which are also standard definition).

 

[Hemps]

You will most likely need to buy a R700 digital box to recieve and translate the signal, can still use same aerial though, they have had problems in UK and America receiving digital signal on aerial, quality problems.
If you still have dstv decoder, then subscribe to dstv easyview, get sabc 1,2,3 etv etc in digital.
Don't have to worry about aerial being aligned etc etc.
Cost's R20 a month, or R17 if you pay yearly.
Once a month they open all channels, sometimes as they did for me on Saturday.

 

[BLIXEMPIE]

Actually Liz. If you're only going to watch the normal SABC or e.tv channels, you should rather keep your current 74cm tube TV. It will show the standard TV signals better than a Plasma or LCD, and it's bigger than a wide 32" LCD. Also, remember that Plasma and LCD TVs are widescreen, and that SABC and e.tv is broadcast for a square screen, which means if you watch SABC or e.tv on a Plasma or LCD the square picture will be stretched to fit in the wide screen, and that annoys me personally.

 

[greg_SA]

Actually Liz. If you're only going to watch the normal SABC or e.tv channels, you should rather keep your current 74cm tube TV. It will show the standard TV signals better than a Plasma or LCD, and it's bigger than a wide 32" LCD. Also, remember that Plasma and LCD TVs are widescreen, and that SABC and e.tv is broadcast for a square screen, which means if you watch SABC or e.tv on a Plasma or LCD the square picture will be stretched to fit in the wide screen, and that annoys me personally.

I largely agree with this...

However, a plasma is great for watching DVDs