Liquid Crystals anybody

[threemonkeys]

Damn, my TV just died. Second time in a year or so and it is the same symptoms as last time - i.e. the main controller chip has fried. I was warned last time that the model I have is prone to this. Given how hard it is to find anybody who will service CRT TVs these days and how much it cost last time to fix and how much prices for LCD TVs have come down, I believe the time has come to look for a new device. I guess a mid-size HD 1080p spec machine should fit in the space available and be as future proof as it is possible to be these days (and match the media hub I'm looking at).

Has anybody out there been through this recently? Or anybody been doing the research? I'm casting the net out for suggestions as to brands, features, other technology tips - you know the sort of thing. Suggestions most welcome.

In the meantime, I'll be glad that my computer has a tuner card in it.

Comments

[mundens.livejournal.com]

I've been looking into it. First thing to be aware of is that the vast majority of the cheaper ones (i.e.: anything under $2000) do not actually do true HD, they are only "HD Ready" or "HD compatible" which means they can take an HD signal but down-sample it to display at non-HD resolutions.

Surprisingly, even some of the ones that actually have enough screen resolution to display HD properly, still down-sample for display.

I have a limited space to put one so I'm limiting myself to a 32" screen, and I have seen some suggestions that if you watch a lot of non-HD stuff (which is likely if you watch a lot old TV) then anything bigger than 32" results in significant video artefacts in the up-sampling required to display the lower definition signals on an HD screen.

However, I'm no expert, so would also be keen to see if anyone here says anything.

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

Thanks, 32" is the size I'm thinking of too and the video artifacts consideration you mention should stop me getting tempted by anything bigger.