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Goldfinger · Apr 30, 2005, 03:06 PM

My faithfull Trinitron is starting to die on me. (it's about 16-17 years old) Now I'm looking at a new TV. My budget a around �1000 euros and I'm looking at an LCD tv. Now, my current TV is a 50 or 55 cm Trinitron (don't know exactly) so I'll need something that looks as big or is bigger (50cm in widescreen is a bit small).
I really used to like a certain Sony which was completely black, but I think they discontinued it now. I saw one at a store but they couldn't tell me the type and price...
Are LGs any good ? They are cheap and the picture looks quite decent. I thought they were essentialy Philips. I tend to like Sony though since we always had Sony. Downstairs we have an 82 cm widescreen Wega.
Any recomendations ? I'm not interested in rear projection or projection. And I want to avoid CRT since there is nothing with 100 Hz that's smaller than 71cm. And if I get a CRT I really need 100 Hz.

angelmb · Apr 30, 2005, 03:57 PM

I really like this Philips LCD

cube-dude · Apr 30, 2005, 05:21 PM

One of the most useful (non-Mac/iPod) threads I've ever come across in these forums was this one for buying a new television. It's home theatre focused but perhaps you will find it useful too.

macanon · May 2, 2005, 02:18 AM

cube-dude -- that is a great thread!
FWIW, I've had great luck with Philips TVs, not so hot with Sony's. I think their abilities are tapering off compared to Samsung, Philips, etc.

Goldfinger · May 2, 2005, 08:10 AM

I've been looking at the LG RZ-23LZ50 and RZ-26LZ50 LCD TVs, anyone has any experience with these. The LCD is made by Philips so I have faith in the quality of the LCD itself. angelmb, I want to buy a widescreen tv since I've been watching widescreen television for yeeeeaaars on a 4:3 TV and I'm sick of the black bars. Downstairs we've had a 16:9 TV for years and it's soo much better.

Cube-dude, thanks I already read that thread but it mainly talks about really expensive TV sets, a TV is not worth more than �1000 to me (and even that is stretching it).

PS: My mother told me that my Sony CRT is older than me :o it's +20 years old, she bought that TV and gave it to me when my parents bought a newer widescreen tv. The image quality on this machine is really incredible and it even has audio output and 2 SCARTs

. A real workhorse. But I'm sick of having such a big beast around.

angelmb · May 2, 2005, 09:36 AM

angelmb, I want to buy a widescreen tv since I've been watching widescreen television for yeeeeaaars on a 4:3 TV and I'm sick of the black bars. Downstairs we've had a 16:9 TV for years and it's soo much better.

Yes, I understand, I have a Philips 16:9 100Hz 32 inches (81 cm.) from 1994, it was European TV of the year, lots of inputs and outputs and even 3 SCARTS, it is just awesome, I also have a newer Sony and well, you can not compare them, the Philips is much nicer, everytime I watch a DVD on it I feel so right about having bought it. Being honest I have no found much LCDs that you can say 'yes, that is better that my ten years old Philips CRT TV', until you are in front of a Philips featuring PixelPlus 2 and AmbiLight. A friend bought an expensive Sony LCD, yesterday it saw the LDC has developed a huge line from 'coast to coast' on the screen, it looks like to be a common failure in Sony displays these days.

Goldfinger · May 2, 2005, 02:50 PM

Well, I would personally not have that PixelPlus feature. It makes the images look really unnatural. Everything moves a bit in slow motion and everything is too sharp. What does AmbiLight do ?

It's true that CRTs are still the best, unless you spend obscene amounts of money. The Widescreen WEGA downstairs looks just beautiful with DVDs, better than any LCD I've ever seen but I want an LCD tv just to avoid the hugeness of a CRT. The tv downstairs has a 82cm screen and the thing is about 50 cm deep.

ASIMO · May 2, 2005, 03:08 PM

Do you get color broadcast in Belgium? Color TV sets are gaining popularity here. Check out those Zeniths and RCAs if you can.

Goldfinger · May 2, 2005, 03:22 PM

Originally Posted by ASIMO

Do you get color broadcast in Belgium? Color TV sets are gaining popularity here. Check out those Zeniths and RCAs if you can.

angelmb · 03:41 PM

Ambilight is a back-lighting system built into the back of the Philips TV, improves perceived picture quality and delivers a more immersive viewing experience, all with less eye strain for the viewer.

The technology analyzes in real time the incoming television signals and produces background lighting to match images displayed on the screen.

Cool, huh?

angelmb · May 2, 2005, 03:39 PM

Weird I had posted three pictures, now one is gone :-/

Goldfinger · May 2, 2005, 04:15 PM

Pretty nifty. But I'm afraid that the small LCDs don't offer it.

I'm also looking at this one:

Available in 23" and 26". HDTV ready with DVI, 2 SCARTs and audio out. And lot's of other goodies.

Severed Hand of Skywalker · May 2, 2005, 04:20 PM

Originally Posted by angelmb

Ambilight is a back-lighting system built into the back of the Philips TV, improves perceived picture quality and delivers a more immersive viewing experience, all with less eye strain for the viewer.
Cool, huh?

That is pretty cool.

Goldfinger · May 2, 2005, 04:41 PM

I wonder how that works on a wall that isn't white.