Currys Panasonic TH42PX60B 42" High Definition TV £899

gromituk

Timmy wrote:

Feel free to take other peoples word that a decent cable is a waste of money but keep in mind most decent hifi/av dealers as well as places like Richer Sounds will give you a free trial so make up your own mind.

Yes, because they know how powerful self-delusion is. If drug companies gave people free trials with a placebo they wouldn't find their sales harmed. Now, if these companies offered you a free double-blind test then it would be rather different - but then the emperor's new clothes would evaporate and they wouldn't sell any.

I don't think anyone with an open mind will feel it's not money well spent.

It's nothing to do with being open minded - it's not being aware of how the mind works. You haven't done a double-blind test with these cables so thinking they are better could simply be your mind playing tricks on you. But then you could argue that the end result would be the same - you enjoy the equipment more. So overpriced cables could be money well spent - for the wrong reasons.

FloFlo

fwhorn wrote:

Sorry gromituk, but I do disagree. My friend is well up the food chain in the tec department and your average £1.00 leads won't help. He has just come back from Antigua where he as just supervised the refit of a yachts hi-tec wiring.

I am lucky when it comes to installation and periphials that I dont have to pay, and have been shown the difference with the leads. Thats why I am not technical, I dont have to be.

I take delivery of my Panny on Friday £879 with pedestal and 5 year gaurentee from JL.

I still dont understand why people are going elsewhere to get the tv cheaper with a bog standard warrenty. If currys was doing this TV for £779.00 and a 5 year warranty for £100 you would take it.

Thanks to Timmy as well for your back up, and nicely backed up as well.

Hi, which JL store are you buying from and which store did they price match for you.

gromituk

fwhorn wrote:

Sorry gromituk, but I do disagree. My friend is well up the food chain in the tec department and your average £1.00 leads won't help

Get him to tell us, in engineering terms, exactly how these expensive cables are better in the context of the signals that they are carrying, if he really does have a sound scientific background.

He has just come back from Antigua where he as just supervised the refit of a yachts hi-tec wiring.

1) What relevance has that got to the case in point?
2) Since when have owners of "yachts with hi-tec wiring" been the least bit concerned about how much money their wiring costs?

I am lucky when it comes to installation and periphials that I dont have to pay, and have been shown the difference with the leads. Thats why I am not technical, I dont have to be.

But if you were, you'd understand you are being duped: did you do a double-blind test?

kevo4

I am looking to buy the cabinet version TH42PX60CAB but John Lewis dont seem to do them only without the cabinet.

Am I wrong and if so which is the best John Lewis store to go to for the best price match

Any help grtaefull received

FloFlo

kevo4 wrote:

I am looking to buy the cabinet version TH42PX60CAB but John Lewis dont seem to do them only without the cabinet.

Am I wrong and if so which is the best John Lewis store to go to for the best price match

Any help grtaefull received

They did have them online but not at the moment, I'm after the 37" with the cabinet.

I'm also interested in John Lewis price matching, anyone help?

FloFlo

Just phoned John Lewis in Bristol who said they don't do the 37" in the PX60 only the PX600, so it looks like I'll have to get a 42" or go elsewhere.

Searcher2

FloFlo wrote:

Just phoned John Lewis in Bristol who said they don't do the 37" in the PX60 only the PX600, so it looks like I'll have to get a 42" or go elsewhere.

If you can fit a 42" in your room then go for that - you won't regret it!! :-)

On the subject of cheap cables... they definitely can be c**p. I got severe shadowing and scrolling line across my picture.... until I replaced the SCART lead with a better one. HDMI leads shouldn't make a difference if you are using cheap or expensive ones as they are just passing digital information.

FloFlo

Searcher2 wrote:

If you can fit a 42" in your room then go for that - you won't regret it!! :-)

On the subject of cheap cables... they definitely can be c**p. I got severe shadowing and scrolling line across my picture.... until I replaced the SCART lead with a better one. HDMI leads shouldn't make a difference if you are using cheap or expensive ones as they are just passing digital information.

Hubby reckons the 42" is too big, personally I can't see the point of buying a 37" for a more expensive price than the 42" with a longer warranty. Men!!

As I'm paying for it, I might have to overule him.;)

gromituk

Mr_Kennedy wrote:

It's the same with most things, people buy a £1000 summer house but wont pay the £30 a tin proper treatment but the £3 a tin from B&Q. (note B&Q sell the proper stuff too)

False analogy, and playing right into the hands of these unscrupulous accessory merchants. This is because you are making the assumption that the £3 tin is not "the proper stuff" - which it might be possible to ascertain from the contents of a paint tin, but is rather harder from the price of a cable. It's a shame that because people aren't offered a scientific way of comparing these things (i.e. a double-blind test - there is no other way), and don't understand the engineering issues behind them (it's complicated after all), the only thing they have to go on is price and bling. They assume that price (and the bling used to justify it) has something to do with cable quality (quality in the sense of fit for purpose rather than thick, heavy, and able to moor the QE2), and the mind will play tricks on them and convince them that there is a difference. Lo and behold, one happy cable company and one duped customer. Wouldn't you be laughing all the way to the bank if you could overturn the theory of the market by selling more the more you charge for it?

As for SCART leads: oh yes, you can get crap ones. But you cannot extrapolate from that that one costing £50 will give you a better picture than one costing £5. Don't be fooled.

deanos

Depends on the viewing distance, if you are close then a 42" wont look very good