Mine has started to show lots of funny colours around the edges and it's getting worse. Should I buy or rent? Should I get widescreen or standard? Should I have an integrated digital receiver thingy or stick to me separate one? In other words - can anyone out there update me on the current state of telly technology please?

-- Anonymous, December 05, 2000

Answers

emmm im no expert but i think i can give u a few tips!

Widescreen looks nice especially if u have a DVD player- certainly becoming more and more popular. More expensive though and unless your a real movie buff or have shitloads of money then dont bother.

Sony seems to have the best picture but are much moe expensive than usual. I strongly believe Panasonic have a great picture and arent too hard on the pocket. Ill always go for a Panasonic. Dont worry about the sound of a TV as you can always link the TV up to a hi-fi anyway. Theres a great Panasonic for about £800- widescreen, 32 inches or so. They have more expensve types with flatter screens or something but arnet really worth it.

DONT buy a TV with digital built in!!!!!! I dont know the full details but I think they mainly have On-Digital and u cant tell wat cud happen to digital in the next several years so it may turn out to be a turkey. Much better just to get ur free SkyDigital with £40 installment charge.

-- Anonymous, December 05, 2000

I'll second spud. DO NOT buy an integrated digital TV. Cheaper and more flexible to get external box (sky/cable/On ... etc.).

I bought a flat sceen JVC. Only went for 28" as 'er indoors wouldn't have a bigger one. It's superb.

You'll see arguments over 50Hz sets and 100Hz sets. In theory 100Hz should give a better, more stable picture. In practice every one I've seen gets jitters on moving objects (eg. a ball when watching Sky footy).

So... decide which size.. definitely go widescreen. A 28" widescreen has the same height of picture as a 22" standard 4:3 ratio tally. Save money by not having an integrated digital tuner. Save money by not buying a 100Hz model. Buy a flat screen if you like the look of them. I think they're great.

Finally you have to look at the sound options. All will have at least Nicam stereo. You can get them with built in surround sound options 9like my JVC). This is pretty damn good but is nowhere near as good as buying an add-on cinema sound kit with extra speakers. Personally we use our lounge for other things than watching the TV so we didn't want the extra clarts of speakers all over the shop.

MOST IMPORTANT: DO NOT BUY FROM COMET/DIXONS. If anything goes wrong you are probably on your own!! Go to an independent dealer. You'll be able to haggle on price (I got mine for less than DIXONS/COMET). Once you've decided what you want do an internet search for the best price. Places like unbeatable.com have nice cheap prices (usually). THEN.... either go and talk to your local independent dealer OR go to a John Lewis store.... they will price match an internet price AND you usually get 2yr instead of 1yr guarantee.

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

John Lewis seems to be the place for Price Gurantee. My girlfriend's parents went to CostCo and saw a telly at the usual knockdown CostCo price, took the price to John Lewis and they matched it!

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

Try these guys they seem very cheap. http://www.shop.co.uk/afflink/empiredirect.htm

Ken

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

Why not try the Wharfedale 28" widescreen available at Tesco's. Great telly, great price!

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

Yep.. Wharfedale at Tesco and Schneider at ASDA are good price for what you get.

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

10" Sony Trinitron. You'll never need another telly!

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

Thanks for all your help here men. I've been round the shops this morning, had 47 demonstrations, read 106 company catalogues and bought a dozen magazines. The result of all this is that I STILL don't know what to buy! Am deffo going for widescreen, flatscreen but can't decide what to do about the sound option and it seems that the 100 Hz prob is sorted on the new Panasonics and Sonys so can't make me mind up there either. Bloody waste of space aren't I? think I'll wait for the sales if mine lasts that long!

-- Anonymous, December 09, 2000

Jacko - you may not be able to make your mind up, but at least now you can `talk the talk`! (;o)

I`m very impressed, and full of sympathy, as I have spent the last two weeks deciding which stereo to by my husband for Christmas!(:o)

-- Anonymous, December 11, 2000

I think I need a new telly too. Mine keeps coming up with nonsense like "Sunderland win again", "Newcastle get sodomised at Arsenal"...something that television manufacturers should look into, I reckon.

-- Anonymous, December 11, 2000

Bliddy good system this! My daughter is after a micro cd hi-fi system and the one she's set her heart on was £180 in John Lewis. Check out unbeatable.co.uk and it's £146 +£7 P+P. JL match the price so I save £27 AND get a 2yr guarantee instead of 1yr. Even btter is that half the money is coming from her selling some toys :-))

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2000

"Even btter is that half the money is coming from her selling some toys :-)) "

I don't think you've quite got the hang of this Christmas mallarkey, have you Geordie?

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2000

Gallaxy:

>>>I`m very impressed, and full of sympathy, as I have spent the last two weeks deciding which stereo to by my husband for Christmas!

What are you getting for Yelli?

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2000

Screacher, Yelli got some money for clothes (which are wrapped up for Christmas), but I expect there will still be a pile of stuff from Santa Claus too!(;o)

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2000