TV's 2 questions ?

xmaslolly76

Hiya i am looking to buy a new tv And i wondered .....

1. What is the difference between hd ready and full Hd and does it matter

2. Lcd or plasma does it make a difference?

Sorry im not very up on all the new technology and it seems a bit of a minefield to me :-)

mongoose2009

HD ready means it will display at least a 720 lines picture thats the minimum to be called HD
full HD means it will display a 1080lines picture
there is a big debate which is better between LCD and plasma

I always say up to 37" go for a LCD 42" and above 42 go for a plasma

but ive been fixing TVs for 20 years and in my opinion LCDs have improved a lot in the last 5 years but plasma is better period.

i'm sure a lot will disagree

aliEnRIK

1 ~ it doesnt matter but 1080P is better for viewing high definition material
2 ~ Highly debatable

Personally speaking ~ dont look at specs as most are made up (especially contrast ratios)

Look for reviews instead
I go on HDTEST to compare tvs ~
http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/

and What hifi ~
http://www.whathifi.com/Reviews/TVs-Reviews/TVs-Reviews/

Ideally you need a tv with ~
a decent scaler ('scales' a normal SD (Standard Definition) such as dvds and freeview)
Has no defects (many tvs have graphical glitches such as 'smearing')
Deep blacks
As many inputs as youll need
Sound is a big issue. Most flatscreens have cr*p sound quality

Main models id look at are Sony, Samsung and Panasonic

almillar

Can I also add for the OP that whether they buy an 'HD Ready' or 'Full HD' TV, they may not actually be displaying any HD material. To have HD built in (the 'ready' part means plug something HD in and TV can display it - full HD should really be full HD READY) you will be looking for a TV with a FreeviewHD or FreesatHD tuner built in. Also be aware that FreeviewHD isn't broadcasting everywhere yet...
I choose plasma over LCD, but it's a matter of opinion. There's a lot of rubbish talked about both technologies, so be careful who you listen to. Keep the questions coming.

JasX

aliEnRIK wrote: »

1 ~ it doesnt matter but 1080P is better for viewing high definition material

some vendors I've seen interchanging the terms, I'd definitely recommend looking for 1080p on any set you buy

aliEnRIK wrote: »

2 ~ Highly debatable

very much so, I'd add this site to rik's review sites:

http://www.testfreaks.co.uk/tvs/

Also my opinions on the main features already mentioned:

a decent scaler ('scales' a normal SD (Standard Definition) such as dvds and freeview)
yes but will be less of a concern if you have an 'external' source as these can/will have their own upscaler and HDMI output (eg bluray player, DVD drive with HDMI output, external freesat or freeview box) having a decent one built in will be 'handy' tho, esp for freeview

Has no defects (many tvs have graphical glitches such as 'smearing')
IMO - LCDs tend to be more prone to having a fault 'out of the box' such as backlight bleed/clouding or dead pixels, if you get a good one however it'll probably outlast a plasma and will be less susceptable to screen burn or fading over time

Deep blacks - Plasma will likely win here but you can get good LCds that come close, rely on reviews rather than numbers quoted tho as vendors can use varying measurement techniques

As many inputs as youll need - yes, the more the better

Sound is a big issue. Most flatscreens have cr*p sound quality
less of an issue if you plan to use an external sound system/speakers

Main models id look at are Sony, Samsung and Panasonic

There is also opinion that LCDs tend to work better for daytime viewing in a light room but a plasma will be better for evening viewing when its dark, esp if reflections in the screen are likely to be an issue