Please Help! Which TV for my husbands 40th?

penrhyn

I was looking recently, until I fixed the Tv I have, anyhoo, the pair I rather fancied were the Samsung LE40C650, and the Sony 40EX503, both are full HD, Freeview HD tuners and Internet enabled.
Never got as far as viewing or listening though.
BTW OP have you got an HD source for these? Virgin V+ Sky+HD, Bluray or PS3?

taliwillow

penrhyn - If I am understanding your question re HD source correctly (cos as you can tell I am not very knowledgable about this kind of thing) we have sky + but no HD. My husband said something about wanted full HD so then he could get a blu ray player. Does that make sense.

I did wonder about whether it would be better to let him choose (and to be honest it would be easier as I am now feeling more stressed than when I started looking as I have found so many options and I feel lost) but as everything else I have tried to plan for his birthday has gone wrong so we have absolutely nothing special plannes, I really wanted to make it memorable by a wonderful tv just arriving that morning. I don't think the memory of it would be so special if it was just of us going into a shop and me saying, 'ok then, buy yourself a tv'.

penrhyn

Sky have an offer on at the moment for existing customers.
The upgrade from Sky+ to Sky + HD is free if you install the new box yourself ( I did its easy ). You are commited to take the Sky HD pack for 12months which will cost you an additional £10/month.

Have a look at the Sky website for details.

Aside from HD the free box has a 500Gb harddrive with 250Gb of personal storage meaning you can record up to 120 hours of standard definition programes, somewhat less for HD.

Yes a blu ray player provides a full HD (1080p) signal.

downhillfast

I understand why you want to have it all organised for him as a surprise but I echo what has been said before... I love my tech and have been disappointed so many times when someone has taken the choice out of my hands - part of the fun for techies is convincing themselves which model they want and why so they can harp on about it to their mates! Especially when it is such a staple piece of equipment for a home.

How about buying him a totally new piece of kit (that none of his mates will necessary have... :rotfl:) that he'll have no pre-conceptions about... AND then taking him out to pick his new telly? Couple of ideas off the top of my head... Logitech Harmony One remote - approx £120 and VERY cool tech... a Popcorn Hour Networked Media Tank - allows you to stream video from your PC to the telly and browse through fancy menus with synopsis and cover art...

Hammyman

I recently bought my first plasma. They're way better than LCD, especially on standard def content.

downhillfast

Hammyman wrote: »

I recently bought my first plasma. They're way better than LCD, especially on standard def content.

Agreed - a 720p plasma (good brand obviously!) knock spots off 1080p LCD for most things! Only thing that would sway me towards LCD would be if I did a LOT of gaming - which I don't! I just can't understand how people can see the pictures on LCD and say they are better than plasma - everything looks like a cartoon... all flat with no depth to colours or blacks. It's al subjective though... and people are still so hung up about the plasma "screen burn" issue and re-gassing!!! The former having been reduced to almost insignificance years ago and the latter a pure myth!

taliwillow

Thanks so much everyone. Have been to the local shop and after everyones feedback have decided probably to go with the Sony Bravia 40EX503. The best price I have found for it including the 5 year warranty that the local shop offer is £715 at Richer Sounds but you have to colect it from a local store which to be honest isn't very local to me. I got the price wrong when I called my local shop and said it was around £745 at Richer Sounds. They have agreed to match that but say they can't match the £715 but they will deliver it on the morning I want (the day of my husbands birthday) and will check it is all working fine before they leave plus I figure that if there are any problems it is easier to go into the shop and whinge in person than it would be with an online company. I haven't ordered it yet as I am just double checking prices on line and now need to see what the best blu ray player I can get for a decent price.

Thanks for all of your help.

aliEnRIK

Sony S370 ~
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-BDPS370B-CEK-BDPS370-Blu-ray-Player/dp/B0038M1UTW/ref=br_lf_m_1000409223_1_1_ttl?ie=UTF8&m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&s=electronics&pf_rd_p=202073887&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_t=1401&pf_rd_i=1000409223&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=0Z0ACAQTPY4MWC0CBB2Z

amcluesent

>Sony S370<

£99.99 is silly cheap when peeps are selling the older 360 for £130+! I've just ordered one...

taliwillow

I've just ordered the S370 which was particularly cheap as I had £40 of vouchers for Amazon!

Thanks.

Still don't feel quite confident enough to order the tv yet though. Am wondering if there is anything else out there which is just as good but for less money.