Non-HD TV

libertino

I'm looking for a new TV, either LCD or Plasma (don't really know which is better!), up to around 30 inches. However, I'm not interested in HD; I'm not going to pay the subscription for it, and when I've seen other people's HD TV's I haven't been overly impressed with it anyway. With everyone wanting HD TV's at the moment, will I be able to pick up a non-HD telly cheap somewhere? I would happily consider second hand. Any advice greatly appreciated - I don't know where to start, what with the adverts for SALES SALES SALES everywhere. Thanks

Red_Rose_Exile

The reason that you may not have been impressed is simply that unless the user has sky+, v+, Xbox or PS3 they won't have been watching in HD.

Most people are buying HD ready TVs for the event that they can receive it.

The other thing is that very many people do not set up their TVs properly or haphazardly.

Saying that, obviously you are going to need to get one with Freeview built in, otherwise you will need to get a freeview box as well.

Having looked around, you may find it difficult to find one without HDMI under £250 for a 28" one

Santa_Claus_2008

ok
what size were you thinking of...
do you actually want a TFT LCD or just a normal every day CRT type...
have you tried your local freecycle...my local freecycle is giving loads away as everyone seems to be going for the HD type...
what price range were you thinking of...your local salesrooms as our's in whitby north yorkshire can't even give them away...
HAPPY NEW YEAR

ABH_3

libertino wrote: »

I'm looking for a new TV, either LCD or Plasma (don't really know which is better!),

LCD frequently asked questions:
http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=222029

Plasma frequently asked questions:
http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=289947

With everyone wanting HD TV's at the moment, will I be able to pick up a non-HD telly cheap somewhere? I would happily consider second hand. Any advice greatly appreciated - I don't know where to start, what with the adverts for SALES SALES SALES everywhere. Thanks

There's still people that prefer crt tv's, here's a forum full of them:
http://www.avforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=42

As per the other sugestions, I would sugest your local yahoo freecycle mailing list: http://www.freecycle.org/ where everyone is giving away crt tv's as they upgrade to HDTV.

Or there is of course https://www.ebay.co.uk

HTH

BexTech

You don't have to pay a subscription for HD if you choose satellite.

Some channels are subscription free:

BBC HD
4HD
Luxe.TV HD

4HD does currently require a Sky HD box. The other two can be picked up on a standard MPEG4 AVC HD satellite receiver such as the Pace DS810XE (I picked one up brand new off eBay for £62).

However in 2008 it will switch from Free To View to Free To Air, so the Pace DS810XE box etc will pick it up no problem.

Also ITV HD starts in 2008, this will be Free To Air, so again the Pace DS810XE or other MPEG4 HD satellite receiver will pick it up.

Some in 2008 there will be at least 4 HD channels available, none that require a subscription.

libertino

Thanks for the replies so far. You seem quite in favour of HD - is it something I should pay a bit more interest to? I've heard people say wait until the technology and understanding of HD improves before getting it too early.

Red Rose Exile: I have watched HD channels and not thought it something I'd pay extra subscription for. Some types of programmes you hardly see any difference in, some it actually looks worse, and some it does look good but not a must-have. I've got Sky+, so I don't require Freeview built in.

Santa: I've got space in my room for around 30 inches, so up to that size if I can afford it. Don't really know what I'm willing to spend until I find out what the going rate is! I'll try Freecycle, hadn't thought of that.

BexTech

I have satellite and cable, but have my TV with Freeview built-in, if buying a new TV would seem rather silly not getting Freeview built-in.

As for HD, on satellite I don't pay a subscription, I just get the free HD channels on cable I get BBC HD and some HD VOD and you can definitely see a large difference from SD to HD, I was very surprised and impressed.

Red_Rose_Exile

You seem quite in favour of HD - is it something I should pay a bit more interest to? I've heard people say wait until the technology and understanding of HD improves before getting it too early

Like anything techie, nothing stands still long enough to even mature, but you could do that ad infinitum waiting for the technology to mature.

The last time a format or method of distribution was given a chance to mature was VHS over betamax, before that it was compact cassettes over 8 track. Since then, the competing technologies have been forced to live together, dvd- and dvd+, and more recently blu-ray and HDD. No one can afford to lose... too much money has been involved in development.

The one thing that they all have agreed on though is that HDMI is the next generation transmission medium.

Whether you like it or not, HDMI is here, and you can't really ignore it. Yes, you could say it's in it's infancy, in that there are not many adopters, but as the vast majority aren't prepared to pay to the profiteers, Sky 7.7m and Virgin 3.3m.m subscribers, the rest have to wait until the whole country has gone digital, ie 2012, when bandwidth is released to be able to transmit.

Both BBC, C4 and ITV have committed themselves to the HD format,and as many US programmes bought for transmission in the UK is already made in HDTV, it only makes sense to make the most of what is available

libertino

I wasn't suggesting that HD wouldn't last. I meant a HD TV released on sale in a year or two's time would be of a much better standard than the HD TV sets available at the moment. Or, at least, that's what some people have suggested. Would you go along with that, or do you think HD TV sets are worth buying now?

Red_Rose_Exile

Well, as I said you could say that they will get better in 5 years time and and buy one then, and then have someone say well a new thing will have come along. For instance, Samsung and Sony have produced a TV screen that is only 3mm thick

Only you can answer the question as to when it is time to buy into a new technology, but at some stage, you either jump or get pushed as in the case of digital tv.

You may simply find that all that happens is that prices tumble as they have done in the case of blu-ray players are doing now or vhs did in the past, as there is no more innovation.

The question to ask, and to paraphrase Martin in his moneysaving tips... "Will I still want in a weeks time or a months time?" If the answer is yes, then it's time to buy

spaceman5

BexTech wrote: »

You don't have to pay a subscription for HD if you choose satellite.

Some channels are subscription free:

BBC HD
4HD
Luxe.TV HD

4HD does currently require a Sky HD box. The other two can be picked up on a standard MPEG4 AVC HD satellite receiver such as the Pace DS810XE (I picked one up brand new off eBay for £62).

However in 2008 it will switch from Free To View to Free To Air, so the Pace DS810XE box etc will pick it up no problem.

Also ITV HD starts in 2008, this will be Free To Air, so again the Pace DS810XE or other MPEG4 HD satellite receiver will pick it up.

Some in 2008 there will be at least 4 HD channels available, none that require a subscription.

sorry to jump in on this thread, but how do you pick up the free hd channels on sky/satelite, as i have a sky + box, and when i click on bbc hd for instance, it tells me to ring a number to recieve the channel, thanks Dave.