The Great Cheapest & Best Plasma Hunt

scattycat_3

In addition, many of the current cheap screens are missing the digital inputs which I believe will be essential to get the best out of the High Definition broadcasts which will begin in 2006 (or the high definition DVDs/Blu Ray discs which will arive around the same time).

Rich :¬)

The reason for this (lower price) is simple.

The EU in its wisdom declared that displays with a digital input are to be classed as Domestic and thus attract a higher import duty than those with only a 15 pin vga(computer) socket .

Just like they did with digital camcorders that had an input socket. Those had to be classified as Video recorders ::) which guess, had a higher tax and hence the cheaper camcorders do not have ability to record from another source via a cable, such as  another camcorder or Vhs  :-X


"New Technology comes at a price"
The first line of the old Japanese manufacturers Bible

This worked fine as the Yanks, (god bless them) binned anything that was "old". So every 6 months a new button was added to the $1000 VHS recorder and the Nipponese made a fortune!
But then along came the Koreans, who would sell their Granny for 1p, (shades of Selnecese , wonder if thats where they came from? ) followed by a Born Again China. So this time the Japs (PC? mods please advise ) are Keepin It to Themselves, watch this space

Dejavu
Scat

abomb1969

Slightly off topic but this seems a good price for 44inches and 100hz:

Sony KP44PX3 44" Rear Projection Television

Model: KP44PX3
Category: Widescreen Rear Projection Televisions
Warranty: 1 year

111cm Rear Projection Television
Advance 100Hz Digital Motion
Virtual Dolby + BBE sound
PAP/PAT (Picture and Picture/Picture and Text)
Auto tuning/start up/sorting
2000 text page memory

Was £1,082.99
now only
£773.99

https://www.unbeatable.co.uk....... I am tempted at this price.

Rave

Not bad- it's an LCD projector though, not sure what the quality will be like.

The reason for this (lower price) is simple.

The EU in its wisdom declared that displays with a digital input are to be classed as Domestic and thus attract a higher import duty than those with only a 15 pin vga(computer) socket .

Oh yeah, I remember reading about that. Why is it that the EU seems to be run entirely by retards? >:(

are Keepin It to Themselves, watch this space

Eh? ???

Rich :¬)

scattycat_3

Eh? ???

Rich :¬)

The Japanese are now keeping new high-technology to themselves, and letting bits out on a Need to Know basis.

Re pojectors, LCD ones are best for displaying output from computers, eg Powerpoint presentations.

DLP are best for entertainment, tv, dvd etc

PhilRiley

There's another reason why these plasma TVs are so cheap - HiDef.

HiDef is currently either one of two formats - 720p or 1020i.

The number is basically the number of scan lines, and the i means Interlaced (like current TVs - draws even lines in one pass, then odd lines), the p means Progressive Scan (some DVD players and TVs support this - all lines drawn every pass).

I don't know if Sky or the BBC have decided which format they're going to be using, but if your shiny new plasma tv is only 640x480 resolution, it won't be able to show HiDef in all it's glory. Not to mention the lack of HDMI input needed for HiDef.

So my advice - wait a year or so unless you want a "throwaway TV".

scattycat_3

IMO HDTV will be too expensive, especially for the Beeb. (and the public)

The European culture has polarised to quantity, not quality. Cram as many VHS quality channels into a digital multiplex as possible. viz. Astra, the expansion of Freeview.

HDTV was developed in the 80's in this country, and attempts to get it in the public domain are littered with failures ( PAL+, BSB etc.) The Beeb's arm was twisted by gov. to go along the Hi def route, and as a result cheapo Sky flourished even to the point of buying BSB for its better film library then selling the satellites for £10m each.

At mo  only the NTSC block version is succesful.

loafer_2

I'd rather have a 71" one
http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000780026141/


....I'm waiting for the 42" LCD's later in the year.

tanky

I'd rather have a 71" one
http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000780026141/

Why stop at 71", why not go the whole hog and go for the 84"!!!
http://www.avshopper.co.uk/DetailsList.cfm?ID=342

Rave

Nah, 102" plasma will do me:

http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/200412/kt2004121616225410440.htm

IMO HDTV will be too expensive, especially for the Beeb. (and the public)

The beeb already films most of its big budget productions (period dramas etc.) in Hi-Def so it has plenty of material ready for bradcast already. I agree that it will probably be hard selling it to the general public, although I personally can't wait for it to become available- if I'm too poor to buy a high res plasma or projector, I'll watch it on my 21" computer monitor in the meantime . Not sure that I agree with your comments about the Japanese keeping the lid on their technology either- the real movers in the Plasma and LCD field are the Koreans and Taiwanese- is it any coincidence that the previously likned 71" is an LG and the 102" is a Samsung?

PhilRiley, you can convert HDMI video into DVI and vice-versa, so if you buy a display now with high res and DVI it should be pretty futureproof. Displays of that calibre are nowhere near falling into the sub-£1000 bracket though:(.

Regarding the lack of DVI on these panels- I reckon that they must be shipped with DVI elsewhere in the world. Someone enterprising must be able to figure out how to add in a DVI connector relatively cheaply, just as it frequently just took a firmware flash or hack to enable DV-in in Euro spec camcorders. I'd look into it myself if I was in a position to ::)

Rich :¬)

Donger20

Has anyone come across any good deals on widescreen LCDs say sub £400.

I have seen a few 17" widescreen LCDs at £350- £399, but would really prefer something slightly bigger 20-23"

Also what do we need to look out for in LCDs - contrast ratio etc......

Thanks

Donger