Bargain alert! 32" HD Ready LCD TV for £399...can you get one?

mirandamayhem

MSE_Martin wrote:

1. This site is talking about this because its a 'money saving site' not a 'lets find the best technology site'. These are as far as Im aware the cheapest 32" LCD TVs on the market. That's the info I'm providing and many people are glad. The service reports are good - not great - but this is about getting a good deal and these TVs are (my friend bought the woolies one last time it was available and is very much enjoying it!)

As for the digital tuner, these are available separately cheaply. There is no need for an in-built tuner. Many people have sky, freeview and other boxes. A tuner is now priced at less than £20 - it is cheaper to get this TV and a tuner than to buy an all in one. Of course when HD freeview is available we'll see the prices rise; though some have HD Sky already (not that impressive though yet, I have it - very little is broadast. Hence why I say its future proofing).



Martin

I was going to mention about the digital tuner, and the fact that a huge number of people have some sort of free view box or sky, but I then I thought maybe i was missing some tremendous piece of fact! I take it I'm not?

p.dw

Hi all

Well this is my first post on this site and I would just like to say that I have saved LOADS of money over the last few months so thanks martain!!!

anyway the reason I feel compelled to post is simple I have been looking at large screen lcd and plasma TVs for quite a while now and to be honest it’s a minefield every store I went into either had the TV sets connected to a rubbish Ariel i.e. 1 Ariel for 20+ TVs or they had a hd DVD playing showing a fantastic picture that quite frankly isn’t available in the uk unless you have cable or sky who then only transmit limited programs for an extra fee.

so my dilemma was do I invest £1,000 plus on something I cant see before I buy i.e. one of these HD TVs showing NORMAL TV broadcasts now having received the email from martin about the Argos lcd for under £400 I bit the bullet and went for it knowing that if the set was no good then back it goes for a full refund

Well what a surprise I took the set home yesterday plugged it in it did its bit (auto install and all that) and wow what a picture ok it doesn’t have the free view tuner so what!! I have sky+ and don’t need free view however it does have a pc input 2 scarts oh and 1 of them HDMI connections which I may get around to using if sky ever start to broadcast enough programs to warrant me investing in a hd box

To sum up if you want a good picture (standard sky digital) decent sound for a bargain price then this is the set for you but be qwick not many left

Phil

ps the sky remote code is 0665

IClaudius

codger - have pm'd you

JoshThomas

This looks like an absolute steal for a 'brand name' 32" LCD...

http://www.richersounds.co.uk/showproduct.php?cda=showproduct&pid=HITA-32LD8A10

Although I always hear nothing but good reviews about the price and quality of Samsung LCD's...

codger

As an aside to the pretty bonkers post about MSE links, and Martin feeling understandably teed off as a result, is it maybe time now to have some kind of donation facility to help keep the site the way it is?

At the moment it's pretty much one-way traffic, with folks like me benefitting not only from Martin's work but the experience of posters in a thread like this who actually come on with stories about specific models etc etc

Don't know how such a 'donation support' facility could be organised but lots of other sites have 'em -- software developers who appreciate even the smallest of sums, or sites like the eBay-related Fair Trader / Auctionhelp site, where members chuck in what they can afford as and when.

A donation facility here would be anonymous and voluntary, so no-one need ever feel they were being compelled to do something.

I'm not made of money, but looking at what we've just saved on the Fuji S5600 camera -- thanks to the Argos board -- a few quid donated to help, if only in a small way, MSE to defray its running costs as a truly independent and informative consumer resource wouldn't be out of order.

IClaudius

JoshThomas wrote:

This looks like an absolute steal for a 'brand name' 32" LCD...

http://www.richersounds.co.uk/showproduct.php?cda=showproduct&pid=HITA-32LD8A10

Although I always hear nothing but good reviews about the price and quality of Samsung LCD's...

Great price but it doesn't have a digital tuner

cheapskate58

emmalife24 wrote:

Hi Martin,
I need a HD ready TV with PC input because my old Tv has got sound problems, I would like to ask you about:
1)the Samsung 32" what do you think about it? Because I am not ready in TV things
2) I don't have to buy it now but when do you think shall I buy it after charismas? But when is best bargain
I need your help the choices and prices are driving mad...
Many Thanks
Emma

I still haven't figured out if you posted just to take the pi*s

I'd go down to Currys if I were you

kopicbloodaxe

codger wrote:

As an aside to the pretty bonkers post about MSE links, and Martin feeling understandably teed off as a result, is it maybe time now to have some kind of donation facility to help keep the site the way it is?

At the moment it's pretty much one-way traffic, with folks like me benefitting not only from Martin's work but the experience of posters in a thread like this who actually come on with stories about specific models etc etc

Don't know how such a 'donation support' facility could be organised but lots of other sites have 'em -- software developers who appreciate even the smallest of sums, or sites like the eBay-related Fair Trader / Auctionhelp site, where members chuck in what they can afford as and when.

A donation facility here would be anonymous and voluntary, so no-one need ever feel they were being compelled to do something.

I'm not made of money, but looking at what we've just saved on the Fuji S5600 camera -- thanks to the Argos board -- a few quid donated to help, if only in a small way, MSE to defray its running costs as a truly independent and informative consumer resource wouldn't be out of order.

I'd be willing to donate a few pounds. PayPal is obviously, to me, the easiest way to organise this. Martin could organise it in such a way that half of the donation goes towards running the site and the other half goes to the charitable fund.

By the way... 32" Teco TL3281RT LCD TV, HD ready with good reviews for £433.99 on http://svp.co.uk - I'm placing my order now before they sell out!

darkteckno

kopicbloodaxe wrote:

I'd be willing to donate a few pounds. PayPal is obviously, to me, the easiest way to organise this. Martin could organise it in such a way that half of the donation goes towards running the site and the other half goes to the charitable fund.

By the way... 32" Teco TL3281RT LCD TV, HD ready with good reviews for £433.99 on http://svp.co.uk - I'm placing my order now before they sell out!

Its £422.51 here http://www.techfever.co.uk/products.asp?partno=195546

jonnydoe

anttreas wrote:

Ok
Just some advice to people thinking of buying LCD's.
I am an electrical engineer, and my job is to install LCD and Plasma televisions in peoples homes, so over the years I have got used to the pro's and cons.
First things first, if you are changing from a tube CRT set to and LCD to get better picture quality then dont. Even HD Plasmas have difficulty matching the picture quality of a tubed CRT. (big backed old TV)
However, we would all love to gain the extra space and LCD/Plasma will allow us.

In my experience, cheap is really REALLY not a good idea with LCD technology. All these brand names people are reeling off will most probably be correct. All of these cheap sets are normally made by one firm, then shipped out to distributers, such as Bush, Thompson, Furguson, Crown, Pacific, etc...
At the end of the day you get what you pay for. (in most cases). The cheapest I would ever recommend would be Samsung. Who, believe it or not, make most of the panels for the cheaper brands, the picture quality is nothing to write home about but isnt too bad, and it is a major named company so you will get better after sales care.

However, this is my personal opinion, I would seriously AVOID SONY and JVC.
Sony's picture quality is seriously poor once you go over 23", and JVC spend more time in our workshop than the customers house.

I honestly wish I could afford it, but for those of you able to wait a while and save up, it is worth it. My personal preference for quality build, ease of use and picture quality would be Panasonic. They beat the others hands down. They have won numerous awards for their LCD's and Plasmas. If you are looking for a litte one though, maybe up to 23", i was supprisingly impressed by Humax & Toshiba. Both had great picture quality.

My last bit of advice, do NOT BUY ANYTHING THAT DOES NOT HAVE A DIGITAL TUNER IN IT. I am amazed at how many people are still buying VCR's and DVDR's without digital tuners. They will be obsolete in a couple of years. Its not value for money, even though its cheaper now.
Merry XMas all and lets make it a cheap one :beer:

Excellent post from someone who knows what he's talking about. Large LCD on normal (non HD) sky digital at low price = pixelation.. Go out and buy one now if you want a large screen with a bad picture (compared to a CRT). Why do you think HD was invented? to get rid of this problem.. Sit tight until HD is more commonplace.. Complete waste of money in my opinion..