Buying an LCD (primarily for playing PS3 and watching HD content)

Since GTA 4 is coming out soon I'm pretty keen to get back into gaming. I've put together a list of what I think my options are as far as a new screen goes, which I will use primarily to play PS3 and also to watch HD content on (x264 rips and Blu-Ray movies). TV is a pretty low priority (not much worth watching). I intend to use the PS3 as a media centre of sorts - but may build a dedicated media centre PC with a HD tuner down the track sometime if I can be bothered or if the quality of FTA TV content dramatically improves (doubt it).

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Any recommendations or other things I should consider?

This is for use in a room where I'll be sitting 3 metres or so from the screen to play so the size is not the most important thing.

You'll wnat your TV to be future-proof, so you can fuck off the Viewsonic. It doesn't have the inputs necessary to be worthy of a purchase imo. Is the resolution in p or i?

Yeah at the moment I am leaning towards the others over the Viewsonic - that's for sure. I just had it up there cause it's so cheap.

I don't know for sure but I'd say since the Viewsonic and the Dell are designed as computer monitors they're both P.

The inbuilt sound in the Samsung isn't that great but they are definitely a nice TV hence why they are the top selling in Australia I think. 

I've never used a computer monitor as primary media display and I am not really sure but I think there might be some fundamental differences - viewing angle, motion compensation and color for one and TV panels don't have any where near as sharp text.

The HDMI connection is the way to go for sure.

id go the samsung out of those 3. I think the sony D series are in the same price range as well as some kind of panasonic (although that one is a plasma i believe). The sony and samsung share the same panels but different engines.. id prefer the sony over the two as i hate the gloss finish on the samsung. However, the samsung has a 3 yr warranty as standard and the sony only 1 yr.

el_patto, yeah the top selling thing and generally positive reviews is what has steered me towards the Samsung brand. The viewing angle and those other details are not a huge issue for me because it's just me watching it from straight on and I'm in an internal room. I have a 30" Dell which I use for my primary computing (and more importantly, photo processing) and that's where colour really matters to me.

HDMI is a must as you say. Not considering anything without that.

bezz, I generally try and steer clear of Sony products - mainly cause I think they are usually overpriced for what they are. The PS3 is already enough of an exception for me (not getting the Xbox360 cause I want a Blu-Ray player as well). I did have a bit of a look around but the Sony equivalent to that Samsung seems to be at least $150 to $250 more everywhere.

I don't mind the gloss finish on the Samsung. It's far less bad than the Viewsonic!

Leaning towards the Samsung at the moment...

The problem with the Sammy is that the native res of 1366x768 isn't full 1080 HD...all your true HD content will be getting downscaled and losing quality. Big, big problem. Why worry about HDMI, etc. if your display isn't even giving you the full uncompressed picture?

Speakers are a moot point also. Getting a crazy display and having a PS3 etc. is nothing without good sound to go with it, 5.1 minimum. Quality home theatres are cheap as these days so no reason why you should skimp on the sound. Trust me, once you go to gaming in 5.1 you cannot go back, hearing bullets, footsteps and other sounds coming at you from the right angles improves the experience dramatically!

I realise that, but on the other hand when you consider how little "true" HD content there actually is (ie most is not 1080P) it's not a "big big" problem in my opinion. Besides, every review I've read says that with screens under 40" unless you are sitting in a certain position then most people can't tell the difference between the 1080P panels and the 1366x768 ones.

If anything the higher resolution Dell panel looks more attractive for when I connect it to a computer but not for the other types of content.


Moot point? I thought "moot" points were the ones that didn't matter... Anyway I can see what you're saying but I'm likely to play with headphones a lot of the time anyway.

I have a 6 year old 5.1 speaker set which has served me well but if anything I'll be going back to a higher quality 2 speaker setup since even if I get a PS3 then 95% of the time it will be music coming out of the speakers and not gaming content. I had played PC games for about 10 years up until about 9 months ago when my priorities became work and uni - and then I moved to a Mac to avoid wasting time on games. Soon I might have time to waste that is why I'm looking at getting a PS3 again (for GTA4).

I was referring to the speakers being included with the TV being of no consequence if you use an external sound setup, which is preferable. But ah well.

Fair enough on your points, I found quite a lot of digital TV outputted in full 1080, particularly your big US shows on Channel 9 like CSI and shit. Basically if you're planning on that HTPC down the track there will be a fair bit of content there, and there will only be more in the future of course as all new shows get broadcast in full HD. I think big name Aussie shows are cottoning on to it as well, pretty sure Underbelly would be pumping out in 1080. Just my thoughts though, I have no way of checking that here...

Once you get that PS3 of course you have access to Blu Ray movies which will give you the full output too. As for telling the difference, I could see a noticeable difference between 720p and 1080p on my 19" LCD computer monitor with my digital TV card...

How have you narrowed this list down? I reckon there would be a few more quality sets around that price mark you could investigate...give this board a try: http://www.dtvforum.info/index.php?showforum=6

Edit: here's one comparing latest and greatest deals: http://www.dtvforum.info/index.php?showtopic=56941

It's all about 6:2 these days mate.

Samsung make excellent panels and displays mate. You will be happy with a Samsung and your PS3.

Ah right on. I misunderstood.


Yeah I understand, but this is really the least of my worries. I literally watch about 1 hour of television per month and have no interest what so ever in TV shows in general APART from documentary series. When I said x264 and HD content I really meant Blu-Ray movies or rips of them, and documentary series from sites like MVgroup.

A relative has an older 32" Samsung LCD (I think it's the model prior to the one I'm considering) and it looks fantastic from 3 metres away. The same relative also has a 52" Sony (the highest end one you can get) and from 5 or 6 metres away I can honestly not tell that the two panels are different resolutions.

Anyway, I'm still considering the Dell as well so maybe I will end up with a 1080p capable panel.


I have looked at other LCD TVs but it basically always comes back to the Samsung based on reviews, quality of panel, price, etc...

no way man 10.2 all the way 

Oli - can get you the samsung for $995 inc.

If you are keen PM me.

Steve

Oli is completely right here.  The only current true 1080P image comes from video game systems and Blu-Ray.  Below 40" sitting a few meters away you will be fucked to tell the difference. 

For the record all the TV stations don't tell the whole truth and call anything above 576p "HD" and usually half their content is simply upscaled!

ABCHD: 720p - 10 Mbit/s
SBSHD: 576p - 8.3Mbit/s
7HD: 1080i (1920x1080i) - 14 Mbit/s
9HD: 1080i (1440x1080i anamorphic 16:9) - 13 Mbit/s
10HD: 1080i (1920x1080i) - 16.4 Mbits/s


HDMI allows for the best image and sound your setup can possibly display as it is a purely digital signal plus its a single cable and is comparatively cheap for the actual cable.


As for full 1080P over free to air - exactly when and how is that going to happen?

Everything Samsung I've ever bought has had cheap inferior capacitors in them and has shit itself after a little while, but hey - with a 3 year warranty you might get lucky. We just had to get one replaced at work that had done less than 2 years.

I'm into the Sony XBR series bravia's at the moment. They are the shit but be prepared to part with at least $3500.

There are heaps of good cheap 22" monitors out there in the sub $400 market but if you're willing to part with a little extra my pick would be the BenQ G2400W.

Screen Size: 24.0" Wide
Resolution 1920 x 1200 (WUXGA)
Input Signals D-sub / DVI-D / HDMI

Price: $491.50 (Cheapest price on Shopbot - expect to pay a little more if purchased in a store)

Don't Samsung make the panels for all Sony TVs anyway? Or is that just some models? Whether that has any relation to what capacitors is another matter I guess.

I realise there's heaps of smaller panels around but this is for a lounge area so they really aren't an option. If I get another panel for my room to connect with a PS3 (when I get that...) then the Benq one would certainly be considered highly.

the sony and samsung panels come out of the same factory yes, but thats where the similarities end. There's a lot more to a TV than just the actual panel, the two tv's have completely different engines

Yeah fair enough.

The Samsung TVs get good reviews, and their pricing is far more competitive than the Sony stuff.

Now I am not trying to say that Sony gear is all shit, but I think with all the stuff they make you pay a bit of a premium for their name only and not for something that is necessarily higher quality than what other companies are making.

yea i tend to agree.. when i was buying my tv i went into the shop to buy a samsung and came out with a sony, only coz they came with a ps3 via redemption. Flogged the PS3 off and came out on top. The only downside is sonys warranty isnt anywhere near as good.

the sony's are mostly samsung, they sometimes use sharp panels... for the money most of the new samsungs are hard to beat, although i haven't looked at that particular panel.  the sharp 32s are very nice but i dunno how it compares on price will let you know if it's competitive with frosts price on the samsung

on a TV/3-metre-away screen that size 1080 is really not necessary, let alone the lack of content

I bought the Samsung today...