Simple: Stop, Look, Listen.
Mar 11 '01
The Bottom Line Just your ears and eyes. Be the judge.
So your out to buy a new TV, but you find yourself stuck for choice you could go for a normal (4:3) TV or widescreen, a portable, a TV VCR combo, oh dear what do you need?
Well It all boils down to what your after, if its for TV broadcasts and to be put in the bedroom, a simple portable. But what if you want to watch a video too, simple then look for a TV VCR combo. Hang on not everyone wants a TV VCR combo, what about a TV DVD player combo? Oh now we're pickled. Lets have a look at each, and what you should check before buying.
Just before you start off here's little glossary for you amateurs.
____________________________________
____________________________________
TV Size Ratios
4:3 - a normal TV which has been around for ages, a square looking screen. Will be able to play some DVD Videos and all VHS. The 4 is width and 3 height. Some TVs, especially Sony TVs can add two thick black borders to give a small widescreen effect.
16:9 - a widescreen TV, these will have a button to add two thick black borders to the right and left of the screen make it go to normal 4:3 size when watching TV broadcasts. Some offer the letterbox screen size used on some DVD-Vs.
DVD sound
DVD – simply a disc that stores data digitally, up to 4.7Gb of storage space. Uses two layers on one side, or four layers both sides. Size of a CD, stands for ‘Digital Versatile Disc’.
DVD- V - a DVD which play video and audio in a film way, offers unlimited possibilities for surround sound modes.
DVD- A - a DVD which plays audio in surround sound which is decoded through a decoder.
Dolby Digital – a surround sound encoded onto a DVD, has six channels known as 5.1, 5 channels for font and rear plus a centre speaker, and a ‘.1’ channel for low frequency known as bass.
Dolby Digital EX – the same as above yet holds 6.1-surround sound adding a centre rear channel.
DTS – the same as DD above yet some say is better. Holds the data encoded onto the disc in 5.1.
SDDS – Sony Dynamic Digital Sound, uses eight channels for cinemas. Still encoded onto some DVDs but not published onto case.
Audio and Video
SCART - the European connection standard. This is a 21-pin connector which carries audio, video and television control information. All European DVD players will have this output option. Generally the best quality available, particularly if the SCART lead, player, and socket are RGB compatible (see below)
Video only
RGB - Red, Green, Blue. Not so much a connection type but an output type that can be carried by a variety of video connection methods. RGB drives the red, green, and blue electron guns of your display device directly, cutting out the conversion process used by other connection methods such as composite (see below). The best quality available, producing vibrant colours and stable pictures. The video equivalent of swapping from stereo sound to Dolby Digital 5.1. In Europe, RGB signals are normally carried by a SCART socket, in the United States this will via component outputs.
Component - see RGB and SCART. Identified by three red, green, and blue phono jacks on the back of the player.
S-Video - next best quality after RGB. Carries the video signal via a six-pin DIN plug (similar to a PS-2 connector on a PC). Many modern TVs and videos have a socket for this on the front panel for easy connection to a camcorder, as this is the standard output method used by most camcorders. Not to be confused with S-VHS, a high quality videotape format invented by JVC.
Composite - a common connection type on budget players. Identified by a yellow phono jack on the back of the player, although also output via SCART in Europe. The lowest quality output offered by most players - providing a satisfactory performance but requires good quality cable and connectors for best results as it is susceptible to RF interference from videos, TV, etc.
____________________________________
____________________________________
Few, glad that over, now back to the TV thing again.
So here’s a look at the main types of TV, and what you should look out for.
Portable A TV using a small tube, usually around 14”, these are often cheap and offer a SCART socket and include a handle for use around the house. You should check what your using it for, for the usual TV broadcasts or cable connection, a SCART socket is useful but not necessary, unless you intend to add a VCR or DVD player to the TV at a later date. Font AV inputs are useful for games console players, and camcorder owners, are easy to connect being on the front. Some sets such as a Sony model have a flat screen offering improved picture quality, and some offer Nicam stereo sound, but with the small size the sound will be anything but true stereo pan effects. Headphone sockets are useful too.
TV + VCR combo Highly useful combos, these offer ability to play and record VHS cassettes. Some have ‘twin tuners’ to watch while recording another channel, also look for outputs like a separate SCART output to connect to another VCR, and check for inputs on the front and headphone jacks. Some offer a larger screen size, some come in 4:3 versions of 21” sizes, no widesceen sizes though. For the large screens you’ll have to look for RGB SCART connections or S-Video connections on front for DVD playback.
TV + DVD player combos The latest technology, although picture performance is not brilliant, come in widescreen 28” models. You need a digital out to connect to a AV receiver for surround sound. If TV is surround available, check it’s a 5.1 channel. Also check for plenty of SCARTS (2) and RGB SCART/S-Video SCART connection and inputs on the front too.
Nicam Widescreen A widescreen TV including stereo sound, often are available with a surround speaker set too, check for loads of inputs and also outputs to an external amplifier. There are now flat screen models ranging from 28” to 40”. Check for RGB/S-Video SCART connections plus S-Video DIN connection at the front, and composite video and phono ins too.
Nicam 4:3 TVs A good cheap choice, some are available at half the price of a widescreen. Check it is capable for widescreen viewing, and allows loads of inputs and also outputs for external amps. A 28” widescreen is the same as a 24” 4:3 TV. Check for the usual ins and outputs.
Surround PackagesReally depends on what type your after, a TV with two additional surround speakers will be good for beginners, but sound quality isn’t brilliant. A separate DVD player all in one will five satellites is a good choice, but needs a subwoofer for bass power (see all in one). A fully separate system is hard to find, you’ll have to research the piece to fit together. See below. (Separate system)
Separate System
AV Receiver - TV
AV receiver – Speakers
DVD player - AV receiver
All in one system
AV unit - speakers
AV unit - TV
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
MichaelHatton
|
 - Top 200 |
|
Location: Darlington, England
Reviews written: 192
Trusted by: 59 members
About Me:
Retired
|
|
|
© 1999-2010 Shopping.com, Inc.