Info and forum posts by 'SuperGrover'

RE: 50

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bowfer says...
BTW, not aimed at you, but differentiating between LED and LCD is a little picky.
They`re still LCD, just the form of making them light up is different.I don`t whether it is picky actually - LED is generally seen as a "third" choice of flatscreen TV, rather than being another LCD TV.  Only LED TVs are "super-thin"...all other/standard LCDs are thicker (some moreso than Plasmas).  Plus, LED has other advantages over LCD such as brighter pictures, superior contrast-ratio and lower power consumption.

I do think all this flatscreen business is six of one, half a dozen of the other... all have their pros and cons.  There are fantastic TVs available in either Plasma, LCD or LED - it`s up the buyer to work out which they prefer.

RE: 50

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Paull says...
As for the size of the TVs just go into Currys & PC World as I did today & 95% of the LCDs were as thick as the Plasmas. Can`t be fairer than that. Very true - as I said earlier, I had a really good look at current TVs just before Christmas and the thickness of Plasmas and LCDs is pretty much the same - you only have to go into your local Currys/Comet to see that.  The only really thin TVs are the LED type - which seem ideal if you want to wall-mount it.  I like my TV in the corner though, so don`t really mind what weight or thickness it is - the picture`s the most important thing.

RE: POLL: Regardless of the package, is a Sky subscription value for money?

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bowfer says...
I don`t think anyone gets money off permanently.
Unless you can show otherwise?Well, my neighbour has been getting HD free for well over 2 years (nearly 3) now... it`s what made me think about phoning Sky in the first place - not to mention, I was hearing on forums that Sky were "making deals" with customers not to leave. My deal is free HD for a year: I told the guy I spoke to (also, a nice Scottish chap) that that`s no good really as in a year I`ll probably just phone to cancel again - he said to phone him (he gave me his name/details) in a year and he`d offer free HD again... that it`s just "routine".

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bowfer says...
But I`ve proven you don`t have to lie.
And I completely disagree I would have got more if I`d lied.
Unless you have proof otherwise?You`ve proven that you can get money off by just telling them that you`re unhappy - not that you`d have done better if you`d said you wanted to cancel/leave them.  There`s a bit of a difference.  Obviously, there`s no proof you`d have got a better deal - but reading about a lot of other cases who threatened to cancel, I do think you`d have got a better offer than just 6 months... a year at least. Still - if you felt better by not lying , that`s up to you... I`m sure Sky appreciate it.

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Jimbo Þ says...
Oh, and the contract is for 12 months, so once the initial 12 month period is over then you aren`t trying to blag your way from a contract knowing the costs, you`re negotiating a new one just like buying a new carYep - I`ve been with Sky 20 years this year... I didn`t "agree" to all of their price increases and programme changes etc. since then, but they happen. This is the only time I`ve complained as such - and even then, if I didn`t think it was a massive cheek of them charging extra for HD (especially when it`s free with Virgin), I wouldn`t have bothered. If people aren`t happy and can haggle or get better deals from large companies, good on them I say.

This item was edited on Friday, 14th January 2011, 00:07

RE: POLL: Regardless of the package, is a Sky subscription value for money?

Quote:
bowfer says...
Well, I did.
Spoke to a very nice Scottish chap, explained I`m fed up hearing of people chancing their arm and getting discounts.
Much chatting ensued, all very pleasant.
Reduced from £71 a month to £45 a month for 6 months.
Et voila, you don`t have to `lie` about wanting to leave.Congrats on the deal - but I do think you might have done better with the "thinking of cancelling" option... (what happens when the 6 months are up?). I`d have rather got something like HD or/and multi-room free on a permanent basis. Still, it is good deal for 6 months.

And surely it`s just common sense to "chance your arm", so to speak - to try and get the best deal/price you can for something. If some people are happy paying full-price, then fine - but would you not try and get the best deal you can when buying a new car or TV etc.? 

This item was edited on Wednesday, 12th January 2011, 22:47

RE: 50

Quote:
bowfer says...
Plasmas are still bulky buggers of things, aren`t they?
Even the latest Panasonic 46" plasma is 25 kgs and a whopping 85mm thick.
The comparitive 46" LCD is 19 kgs and 24mm thick.I don`t know about the actual weights, but looking around at Plasmas and LCDs (just before Xmas), most of the LCDs actually seemed to be thicker/bulkier than the Plasmas... LCDs may be lighter but a lot had a thicker casing on the back.  I`m not really bothered about the weight/bulk though... all modern flat-screens look pretty good (compared to the old CRT) and I have mine in the corner (where it belongs, lol!), not wall-mounted.

RE: 50

Quote:
Jimbo Þ says...

The old Plassy versus LCD chestnut again.
Everyone has their preference, I`ve said 100 times before that I prefer DLP first, then Plasma, then LCD.
Using a hi def source into an HD TV will undoubtedly give great results on both but if you see a comparable set side by side I`d say 99% of the time the Plasma will look better.Totally agree... and if you`re a movie or sports lover, Plasma is definitely superior to LCD, imho... the movement seems much more natural and "flowing". I recently bought a new 46" Panasonic Plasma and am thrilled to bits... I can`t fault it - the difference (especially when watching things like football) is amazing, compared to my previous high-end LCD (LG).

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From personal experience I`d say the trend has gone LCD for a few reasons and some of them are educational. The amount of people before I left Currys who "Didn`t want Plasma because I don`t want to get it regassed when it goes" was unbelievable. Was also unbelievable the amount who changed their minds and went for Plassy after the explanation that no such thing exists, it would need a gas valve for every pixel and a damaged screen would generally write the TV off.Yeah, lol - some of things I`ve read from people thinking about buying Plasmas is hilarious. A lot seem to be worried about screen-burn, but to be honest - unless you`re a total idiot, it`s a pretty non-issue these days. If you`re after a TV 40"+, I`d always recommend Plasma over LCD.

This item was edited on Tuesday, 11th January 2011, 21:48

RE: POLL: Regardless of the package, is a Sky subscription value for money?

Quote:
bowfer says...

Now, if you`ll excuse me, I`m away to phone and haggle money off.
On the grounds that I`m sick to the back teeth of hearing other people get discounts.
Genuinely, that`s the angle I`m going for.Well I wouldn`t say that to them, lol.  I saw in the other Sky thread what package you`re on - and you probably will be able to get a discount.  I`d tell them you`re thinking of cancelling and ask how you go about it and see what they say... if you can get Virgin/cable in your area, it will help so definitely mention them (I`ve read they do NOT want to lose customers to Virgin).  If you`ve been with them a while - or because you have the "full package" - they might give you HD  or multi-room for free.  It`s definitely worth a go!


Whether you think Sky is value for money of not I think depends largely on what you watch and have it for... I don`t really see it as "good" value, but I don`t see it as a rip-off either. It`s just one of those things that I`ve become so used to and would find it very hard to be without.

As others have said though - I do think the HD service should be free, especially if you subscribe to at least 2 premium channels. That`s how they started with Sky Plus and I`m surprised they haven`t done it with HD...

This item was edited on Tuesday, 11th January 2011, 21:11

RE: SKY HD cost??? Question for subscribers

I phoned Sky late last year, asking about how I cancel my subscription (I didn`t intend to cancel it).  I told them I was thinking about changing to Virgin as they have ESPN included and a lot of channels in HD for no extra cost... they immediately came back and said, as I`d been with them for a long time (early `90`s) they could offer me either ESPN free or HD for free.  As ESPN is £3 cheaper (£9 instead of £12) as I have Sky Sports and HD is £10, I went with free HD.

So now I pay for the TV package, Sky Sports 1+2, and ESPN - and get HD for free.

This item was edited on Tuesday, 11th January 2011, 20:41

RE: Another

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And is "HD Ready 1080p" the same as "Full HD"?

Yes... any TV advertised as 1080p should be Full-HD.

I don`t know why they say "HD Ready 1080p"... it must be incredibly confusing to the casual buyer/browser! (...why not just stick to "Full HD"?)

This item was edited on Thursday, 7th October 2010, 15:08

RE: Yea, it`s another one of those recommend me a telly threads...

miikey... if you go for a 42" model, I`d definitely look into plasma - especially if it`s mainly for watching movies and sport. I have a 42" plasma (Panasonic) and the picture is amazing... two of my friends have top-of-the-range LCDs (a 42" LG and 40" Sony) and I was quite surprised by the difference when watching things like tennis and football on LCD (lack of ball clarity and motion-handling) - even with all the bells and whistles turned on, it just isn`t the same/as smooth as plasma.

Not to mention, inch-for-inch, plasmas usually offer better value for money - you can get a really decent 42" Panasonic/LG/Samsung these days for under £500 - and even a 50" for not much more... :)

This item was edited on Thursday, 7th October 2010, 12:24

RE: Best Blu Ray Player

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1.1 (BonusView) is the one you really need, as that allows you to play back PiP commentaries etc.

I recently got a player with 1.0 profile - I just wanted a player for the HD picture basically.... (..not really bothered about the extra PiP stuff). Having said that, is there anything else I won`t be able to access?

Oh - and can you play (standard) Region 1 DVDs in a PS3?? At the moment I kept my "old" player to play multi-region discs.

Cheers guys.

This item was edited on Sunday, 20th July 2008, 17:33

RE: I Got The Blu-ray Blues...

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I`m also surprised there`s at least one high-profile family title (Spiderwick) which is out next week on SD DVD, but will be the first of September for its Blu-ray debut.

Mark - the US Blu-Ray of "Spiderwick..." has been out since late June (and a great little movie it is too!). It`s region free, so you`ll have no problems with it... a lot of my BR discs are from the US. :)

RE: You are a bunch of theiving scumbags!!!!

Not wanting to start an argument (honest!), this is why I was so surprised at the reaction my "Blu-Ray case" idea got from a lot of people... it seems it`s perfectly acceptable (even encouraged) to illegally download (STEAL) films, tv shows, music etc. - but when it comes to taking a couple of empty cases from a large store that has hundreds, then you suddenly become a "thieving scrote" and spawn of the devil, lol.

Is it that much of a difference that the items are "physical" and don`t just magically appear on your PC? At the end of the day, it`s all classed as "stealing". I`d seen various threads about downloading and copying stuff on here, so just presumed people wouldn`t mind.

This item was edited on Wednesday, 16th July 2008, 14:08

RE: Blu ray multi region question

The quick answer is no - there isn`t any player that will play ANY disc.

At the moment, I don`t think any Blu-Ray player is - or can be made - multi regional for your standard DVDS. Plus, like standard DVDs, Blu-Rays have different codes for different countries (US is Region A, UK Region B etc.).

But the good news is that a LOT of Region A discs are playable on UK/Region B machines... check somewhere like: http://bluray.liesinc.net/ for specific details.

RE: IMPORTANT: ALL PLEASE READ - Piracy in threads

...can we still talk about nicking empty Blu-Ray cases though...? ;) :D

RE: Plasma broken - Pick any 42

It depends a lot on your budget... if you can afford it, then obviously go for the Pioneer - it gets rave reviews in all the mags and sites.

If you`re on a budget of under £1000 though, one of the Panasoinc models would do nicely. I think the new Panny PZ800 is coming out any minute too, which looks the bee knees (it`ll probably be closer the £1300 mark though).

This item was edited on Wednesday, 16th July 2008, 13:28

RE: Best Blu Ray Player

From what I`ve read, the Panasonic DMP-BD30 seems to be the best stand-alone player at the moment... it`s the only player to have Profile 1.1 (which is needed for some bonus features... mainly the Picture-in-Picture thing).

If you`re not too bothered about that though and want a player mainly for the picture quality, then there are quite a few to choose from... the Sony ones usually have a special offer where you can send away for free 3-4 Blu-Ray films - and Play.com have the offer of the Sony player plus 5 Blu-Rays for £30 extra which seems pretty good - ie. £279.99 for the player and 5 movies, or £249.99 for just the player.

Bare in mind - I don`t think you can make any Blu-Ray player multi-regional (yet), so while you`ll be able to play Region B Blu-Rays (and a lot of Region A), you`ll still need your old player if you have a lot of US/R1 DVDs...

Have fun! :)

This item was edited on Wednesday, 16th July 2008, 13:18

RE: Plasma broken - Pick any 42

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Looking at Panasonic Viera TH42PZ85B Vs Pioneer Kuro PDP-4280XDHi - I purchased the Panasonic TH42PZ85B about 1 month ago (after about 3 months of research/deciding!) and am really pleased with it... couldn`t recommend it highly enough. The SD and HD pictures are incredible... I`ve also noticed it is very resistant to "screen burn" - I`ve watched the same thing for 3-4 hours with a large/bold channel logo, and there was no sign of any ghosting or image retention.

You might want to go to somewhere like www.hdtvtest.co.uk and read the specs/review of the models you`re interested in - I found it very helpful. :)

RE: Spare Blu-Ray cases...

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Surprised this recommendation got past the mods really....perhaps they just put things in perspective and didn`t mind...? :/ :)

This item was edited on Monday, 23rd June 2008, 01:25

RE: Sky HD Price Drop

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I have sky+ at the moment & am thinking about getting sky HD.
Do I need new cables installed or is it just a HD cable into my TV from the sky box.
Cheers
David

If you already have Sky Plus, then it`s just a straight box swap (plus an HDMI cable) - as bowfer said, it`s a piece of p***. Are Sky still charging the £60(!) for this "installation"? (...another thing that put me off getting the HD box from them...).

RE: Spare Blu-Ray cases...

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Is this the real world where stealing is ok?No - this is the real world where everything isn`t as black and white as you`re painting it... Have you never "illegally" downloaded anything?? ...never copied CDs or DVDs?? ...gone over 70mph on the motorway?? etc.

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And that is a wager you would lose with me.Obviously - but I bet a lot of people that are less-saintly might do something similar (hell, it`s probably easier to just nick them!)

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But the do have a value. You say yourself that you would have to "fork out £10-£12" for the cases. So the value of a case is £10-£12. Is that very little value in your world?No - but that is a for minimum order of 10 cases and £6 of that is in postage/delivery. However, 21p for a single case, when there are hundreds, is very little value.

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Would you have a problem if I took something that belonged to you by deception?Yes - but, again, you`re blowing things out of proportion... eg. if I was manager of a store like Toys`r`us, and we had hundreds of these spare cases and I found out you had taken 2 or 3 (in the way I had), I wouldn`t be bothered. (and if I did mind, I`d just make sure to have a word with check-out staff).

Quote:
For the record if you tried to take from my place I would get them back and I would prosecute.Well, I don`t know why you`re taking this so personally - but unless you own Toys`r`us or Woolies, you have nothing to worry about, lol. (...and you`d stop me or say no at the counter - it`s not like I`m just slipping them under my coat and walking out with them!).


Can`t we just disagree and leave it? (there are worse things happening in the world, I believe... ;) )

This item was edited on Saturday, 21st June 2008, 17:57

RE: Spare Blu-Ray cases...

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The thread does raise the interesting moral dilemma - should this online community have a zero tolerance to lawbreaking or potential lawbreaking? Would you want to ban Grover for having the temerity to suggest such a scheme, and if the answer`s yes then how does the forum handle other morally questionable activities?

Like copying DVDs or downloading torrents, which are both intellectual property theft?

I think a little perspective, or maybe a change of medication?
Thanks for that post... it`s nice to know some people are still living in the real world, lol.

With respect, you can hardly compare taking 2 or 3 empty cases (from very large chains/stores) to taking a PC or Playstation from an office (...or anywhere). Yes, in theory, it is all "theft" - but in reality, it IS different... The cases have very little value (...you see a lot end up on the floor or the bin) - if it was anything of real value (or even very small value), the person on the checkout would undoubtedly check with someone first. (and I would never do this with an actual dvd or cd or in smaller/independent shops).

Obviously some people think my idea is terribly wrong, but I`d also wager (if they`re being honest) a lot would probably try it rather than fork out £10-£12 if they needed some spare cases. I know it is (very, very minor) theft or "theft by deception" - and am sorry if it offends some, but I really don`t have a problem with it.

This item was edited on Saturday, 21st June 2008, 11:36

RE: Spare Blu-Ray cases...

Wow, I had no idea everyone on here was such saints...

Look - twice I was in Woolies and asked outright for some cases (which I got) whilst I was buying some things... no problem.

Twice I was in (a busy) Toy`r`us and took 2/3 empty cases, then when I was paying for my stuff, just said "the lady said I could have a couple of these". Granted, it wasn`t totally on the up and up - but it`s hardly the crime of the century either.

I didn`t come here for an argument - I was genuinley trying to give people a little tip. Still, if you think I`m a "thieving scrote" or have a problem with it, then I`m sorry. :/ :(

RE: Sky HD Price Drop

hmmm - interesting. So in the long run the new price is £270 as you still need to subscribe for a minimum of 12 months, I believe. I think they`d be better of keeping the price of the box around the same (or say maybe £200) and waver the £10 extra a month subscribtion if you have at least 2 premium channels (like they did with Sky Plus).

I got my Sky HD box brand new off eBay just before Christmas (£165). I already have the full Sky package and another £10 on top of that for a few HD channels just isn`t worth it (yet, anyway...). Still, I do find myself watching programmes I normally wouldn`t because they`re on Ch4HD or BBCHD, lol.

RE: Are there any Blu-Ray players that can play R1 dvds??

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If you go to an American Toys`r`us (or Woolworths), pick one up and just say something like "the lady said I could have one and walk out with 1
Good idea, lol :p

RE: Spare Blu-Ray cases...

Geez - I just thought I`d share with people a way of getting a few free cases from large stores/chains that have plenty. If you think it`s stealing or your conscience couldn`t stand it (or you`d rather pay £12), that`s fine. :/

RE: Spare Blu-Ray cases...

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21p a pop for Blu-ray cases at DVD-and-Media.com if your conscience pricks you (or you can`t be arsed going into Woolies).

That`s only if you want 1000(!) though... the minimum you can order is 10 (at 41p each) which comes to £4.10 plus £5.99 delivery(!) and £1.77 VAT. Total: £11.86

I think I`ll stick with my way, thanks anyway... ;)

RE: Enough is enough!

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lol at more wrong ` it`s ` though - as well as wrongly pointing out somebody else`s correct use of `its` - and then Rass went and changed it to the wrong version too.. lolA lot of people make this mistake... an easy way to remember is:

` it`s ` means ` it is `
(ie. only use ` it`s ` when you want to say ` it is `)

So you can see that sentences like: "One of it`s uses is to show one had no comic intent..." and "Now, it`s use in that context is actually quite correct..." are incorrect.

This item was edited on Thursday, 19th June 2008, 16:25

RE: Looking to replace my 42

To the original poster (if it`s not too late) - I recently bought a new Panasonic Plasma screen and was looking at the TH42PX80, TH42PZ80, and TH42PZ85. I found the reviews etc. at www.hdtvtest.co.uk very helpful... All 3 models look excellent and are highly recommended (there`s detailed pictures/specifications etc).

If you want a Full-HD screen, then go for the PZ80 or PZ85. They are pretty much the same, except on the PZ85:

- the stand swivvels (the PZ80 one didn`t - but obviously if you`re wall mounting it, that`s not important!)

- the third HDMI socket is on the side, not the front

- it has "Intelligent Frame Control" (makes pictures look more "real")

- it looks slightly nicer/more classy (in my opinion, anyway)

There`s only about £150 difference in the price, so I went for the PZ85 and am really happy with it.... the picture is just superb - on HD and SD.

(I think they are both wall-mountable, but you have to buy a seperate thing that fits/screws on the back).

Spare Blu-Ray cases...

Just something I`ve been doing lately...

If you go to Toys`r`us (and Woolworths), you`ll notice where they sell Blu-Rays that they usually have LOADS of spare/empty cases behind and by the side of the ones they`re selling... Well, if you take 3 or 4 of them - then when you`re at the counter, just say something like "the lady said I could have a few empty cases" (or just ask outright if you can have a few empty cases) and 9 times out of 10, they let you have them (....obviously it`s better if you`re buying something at the same time).

So far, I`ve got about 10 spare cases... I`m leaving it at that for now! :)