LCD/Plasma/CRT/DLP - questions

[Lyris]

Spend enough to make sure you get something that's fairly well built - don't bother with the really expensive cables.

[sj33]

I went QED with the Component cable and am satisified, but the QED 3m HDMI is ?55, a tad above others (I'm using www.audiovisualonline.co.uk here). Is that the kind of range I should be aiming really?

[Lyris]

Well, I use a (short-ish) cable in the 10-15 pounds range. It works perfectly.
With HDMI, so long as you get a cable that shows a picture that's free of drop-outs or blips, I'm sure you're already getting the best picture you can.

Spend more if you want, you'll probably get a cable with better build quality that will withstand years of plugging and unplugging, but personally I'd rather buy less expensive ones and replace them if and when necessary.

[gIzzE]

I use the Molex cables, these are good at 1080p when other brands are falling on there arse with nasty sparklies in the picture etc.

http://www.crtprojectors.co.uk/cables.htm

[Daragon]

Wondering whether or not anyone can recommend this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-LE32R74BDX-Widescreen-Ready-Freeview/dp/B000F4TC3C/ref=cm_lm_fullview_prod_1/203-4616470-0195101

Its about the right size for my room and the price is decent - anyone had any experience with this particular Samsung range? One or two amazon reviews go on about how the TV picture quality is better through CRT, which is a bit of a concern as I'd be using it for TV viewing as well as my 360.

[Concept]

Wondering whether or not anyone can recommend this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-LE32R74BDX-Widescreen-Ready-Freeview/dp/B000F4TC3C/ref=cm_lm_fullview_prod_1/203-4616470-0195101

Its about the right size for my room and the price is decent - anyone had any experience with this particular Samsung range? One or two amazon reviews go on about how the TV picture quality is better through CRT, which is a bit of a concern as I'd be using it for TV viewing as well as my 360.

Standard definition content will usually be better through a decent CRT simply due to the fact that the native resolution on the Samsung is higher. Look back a few pages for comments on the R7 range. There are positives and negatives.

[Lyris]

If I may ask, any particular reason for wanting a Samsung? It should be possible to find a 32" HDTV from a manufacturer with a better track record for the same price...

[Concept]

The W is probably a bit different from the 32v2000 I had, but I'd say you're best to have contrast maxed, power saving on low with backlight set to suit your room lighting, colour around 45, brightness around 54, temperature warm, clear white on low, gamma low, colour space wide, everything else off, sharpness around 7. (I found 0 to be too soft)

At the very least, it should be a good starting point.

EDIT: That was for the 360.

Cheers. I've toned down the colour Component - the reason I had it so high was that strangely Gears of War looked washed out compared to VGA on the LG (sounds madness I know). I noticed it on the greenhouse on the fourth act where the trees simply lost a lot of their colour which gives the scene much of its awe.

Anyway... I've got it on:

Backlight: 6
Contrast: 90
Brightness: 56
Colour: 48
Sharpness: 10
Colour Temperature: Warm1

Putting the backlight on low settings works great over VGA for PC use, but I find dimming it for gaming really takes the vibrancy from the colours when I play (note I didn't say oversaturation).

[gIzzE]

I seriously don't get why people don't go and look at these sets for themselves, everyone who has bought one will tell you they are the best thing since sliced bread.

The only flat panel I could live with for everything is the Panasonic commercial plasmas and the Fujitsu range using the panny glass. They do everything well.

I have yet to see an LCD that I like, I just spent half an hour with a new Bravia W series screen, and with PS3, 360 it looked great, with Sky and Freeview it was shocking!!
Then we put on Gladiator, and the start of that in the Forest was terrible, really washed out, get it looking black and you crush all detail.
Made me think about the games we were playing, Ridge Racer, went back and put Gears on and the same problem, you can't see sod all properly without upping the black level to silly levels. Both decided it was useless and no better than his Panasonic PW6 screen, he is now taking it back and ordreing a 42" Pansonic PHD9 for ?1300.

[Concept]

The black levels on the Bravia are outstandingly good compared to the LG I used to rave about when I put them on next to each other (the description of black is being kind to the latter - it's all grey).

Gears does look washed out though, which is odd because every single other game on the 360 is dripping with colour otherwise.

[Lyris]

Gizze, forgive me for asking, but you did tweak the settings, right?
I only ask because the problems you describe sound very much like Black Crush ("Black Corrector") is on...

[bash]

Wondering whether or not anyone can recommend this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-LE32R74BDX-Widescreen-Ready-Freeview/dp/B000F4TC3C/ref=cm_lm_fullview_prod_1/203-4616470-0195101

Its about the right size for my room and the price is decent - anyone had any experience with this particular Samsung range? One or two amazon reviews go on about how the TV picture quality is better through CRT, which is a bit of a concern as I'd be using it for TV viewing as well as my 360.

Its cheaper here mate PLAY.com




Can anyone recommend anything around 47"-55" that does 1080p for less than ?1800? I had my eye on one of those sagem DLP's as the 56" looked very impressive on Tottenham Court Road.

[Daragon]

Hmm, the general impression here seems to be that Samsung TVs are no good - can anyone recommend me another 32" HD set for no more than ?700 for both TV viewing and 360 usage?

Cheers.

edit:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Toshiba-32WLT66-Widescreen-Pictureframe-Ready/dp/B000EW98IE/sr=1-1/qid=1164807744/ref=sr_1_1/203-4616470-0195101?ie=UTF8&s=electronics

Toshiba WLT66

or

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-KDL-32U2000U-Widescreen-Bravia-Freeview/dp/B000HBNI6K/sr=1-11/qid=1164806864/ref=sr_1_11/203-4616470-0195101?ie=UTF8&s=electronics

Sony Bravia KDL-32U2000U

Seems that either of these sets would be perferable to a Samsung model - although the aesthetics of both of these two do look somewhat cheaper than the Samsung V7's how would they fare performance wise?

[Roost]

Sorry for the lack of pics, didn't get home till 11 and i'm working till 8pm today

[sj33]

I use the Molex cables, these are good at 1080p when other brands are falling on there arse with nasty sparklies in the picture etc.

http://www.crtprojectors.co.uk/cables.htm

They are a lovely price indeed!