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32" widescreen nicam TV - any recommendations!

Jont (Harmless) posted this on Thursday, 30th May 2002, 22:51

Hello all!

I`ve just bought my first house and the first thing I want to get for it is a decent 32" widescreen nicam TV and eventually build up a home cinema. However, my girlfriend isn`t quite so enthusiastic and so my budget limit for the TV is around £600! Does anyone have any recommendations for this price range? I notice that Curry`s are selling the Panasonic TX32DK1 for £599.99 delivered. Does anyone have any experience of this set? Or know where it can be bought even cheaper? Or would anyone recommend any other sets? I notice that you can get Sanyo, Samsung and Thomson 32" sets for around £100 less, but presumably the Panasonic would be worth the extra? I am a newbie to the world of home cinema and would greatly appreciate any advice!

Thanks

Jon

RE: 32" widescreen nicam TV - any recommendations!

Big Man (Harmless) posted this on Friday, 31st May 2002, 00:32

Shop around and try to get any of the Philips models. They offer the best picture and sound around. Avoid Sony! Terrible sound-very tinny

RE: 32" widescreen nicam TV - any recommendations!

RichardH (Elite) posted this on Friday, 31st May 2002, 07:53

I have that Panasonic, and have been really pleased with it. I have a feeling it is kind of discontinued now, so doubt you`ll be able to shop around much on it. Obviously not a full flat screen, it has a great picture. The only think I don`t like about it is when you mute it, the "mute" icon remains on screen at all times, so when watching a DVD through the amp etc, you have to turn the sound down, rather than mute it. A very insignificant niggle.
Alternatively, as Big Man suggests, have a look at a Philips. You can get the 32PW6006 without cabinet (and choose you own from Ikea!) for £500 inc delivery from http://www.unbeatable.co.uk (search for "6006" for the full range).

RE: 32" widescreen nicam TV - any recommendations!

Hulk Smash! (Elite) posted this on Friday, 31st May 2002, 11:42

I was in your position recently - I bought the Philips 32PW6515 at £799.99. I`m really pleased with it (it`s basically the same as the 32PW6006, but with a totally flat-screen). One of the main things I like about the Philips models is that they have a "continuous" Zoom function - ie. you can make the picture gradually get bigger - and just get rid of the black bars on terrestrial tv broadcasts, without chopping off a lot of the picture! I think philips is the only make that does this!!?

I also looked at that Panasonic model, but was told it was out of stock and now discontinued. So, if you don`t mind not having a flat-screen, I`d definately go for the Philips 6006.

CHEERS!

RE: 32" widescreen nicam TV - any recommendations!

Jont (Harmless) posted this on Friday, 31st May 2002, 18:05

Thanks to evryone who has replied to my posting so far - you all speak highly of Phillips, so I`ll think seriously in that direction I think! Thanks again

Jon

RE: 32" widescreen nicam TV - any recommendations!

HD462 (Elite) posted this on Friday, 31st May 2002, 18:34

We got a 32" widescreen from Comet a couple of weeks ago, as a warranty replacement for the Bush 32" we got last year. The Bush had a minor picture adjustment fault, but apparently they don`t repair them, you just get a swap. But they no longer do that model so we had to pick another one, and this one seems better specced too.

The Bush had a good picture, (Phillips tube), but this one we have now is really good. It`s a Goodmans 32" widescreen (Thomson tube) and I can`t fault it, really good pic, lots of settings to play around with, and £399 to buy, the same as the Bush was.

It`s not pure flat (not much of a curve though), but to be honest, you don`t notice the difference when you`re sat at a normal distance from it. I can`t fault the picture quality at all, and you can have your own colour/brightness presets set up on it too for different ambient lighting conditions.

Details here:
http://www.comet.co.uk/comet/html/cache/297_806587.html

Two scart sockets, one is RGB enabled. PAL/NTSC compatible, NICAM, Spacial effect, graphic equaliser for sound, if you are just going to use the TV speakers, plus more...

Mark.

RE: 32" widescreen nicam TV - any recommendations!

RichardH (Elite) posted this on Saturday, 1st June 2002, 07:53

If you can get in to Makro, they often have Goodmans or similar 32" ws for £299 plus VAT. One this I`d recommend you make sure of is that the set you choose offers auto format switching, so you don`t have to fiddle with the aspect ratio every time a 4:3 broadcast appears.

RE: 32" widescreen nicam TV - any recommendations!

HD462 (Elite) posted this on Saturday, 1st June 2002, 16:13

Both the sets I mentioned above do that, but I prefer to leave it set to 16:9 all the time. I`d rather watch the few things that are in 4:3 in widescreen, with a bit of a stretched picture, than have the large black bars down the sides.

It`s surprising how little is still in 4:3 now though, most programs are in widescreen, even Corrie and Brookie :-)

Mark.

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