OT: Flat panel TV's

[Dave Liquorice]

More of the MPEG artifacts more like...

[geoff]

In message , Clive George writes

One small advantage of a tuner in the box is that you get titles on programs which are on channels > CH5

[OG]

You would assume it to be the case wouldn't you, but ours doesn't.

[Steve Firth]

Umm I have on of those as well, but why throw out perfectly good TVs when they can receive Freeview with the addition of a cheap STB?

A point to consider is there's no need to throw out perfectly good TVs.

[Steve Firth]

I'm bemused the only device I have seen that didn't have a subtitle button was the first STB I bought, a Thomson, which was s**te. fortunately its PSU self destructed after a few months so I junked it and bought a couple of other cheapies. Their PSUs also melted but since they were wall warts I could replace them with ones that worked.

I suppose one problem with these things is finding out what's in the box before buying one.

[Andrew Gabriel]

People have more difficulty controlling multiple units, and the lack of integration between them significantly reduces the functions available. Also, STB's don't have to conform to the very stringent standby power limits which are required on TV's in order to sell into many contries nowadays, and they often consume well over 10 times the standby power of the TV. The additional clutter is an issue too (extra box, extra cables, more multi-way adaptors, yet another remote...).

When analogue is switched off, I will be carting 3 TV's to the tip. They are all between 20 and 30 years old, and do have a standby consumption measured in Watts. Only one is actually still in regular use, one in the guest bedroom, and one in the loft as a spare, but as far as I'm concerned, they all become oversized doorstops the day analogue is switched off.

What would it take to continue to use these? I would need to find a set top box with an automatically switched mains outlet for the TV and capability to take over the control of the TV by generating correct IR signalling to it based on the remote controls it receives itself (so I can chuck out the TV remote). This would have to come in at no more than £25, as it's not worth spending more than that on keeping an old TV going. I would also expect it to consume less than 1 Watt in standby. I've never seen anything close.

[John]

.

Andrew - bear in mind that the WEE Regulations may make it difficult in the very near future to take a TV to the tip. All that nasty lead in the glass will leach out over the next million years.

[Steve Firth]

I don't.

[sm_jamieson]

That's an interesting point. I remember the first wildlife program I saw on Sky, a deep sea type documentary, and the awful steps in colour between the shades of deep blue, and I thought ... that's progress ! They must have addressed the artifacts issue somewhat with HD, I mean whats the point in any increased detail being spoilt by blockiness, blobiness etc ? Have you noticed how teeth always look like glowing fangs (especially on the highly compressed shopping channels). Simon.

[Paul Matthews]

Only seems to work one way though - If I tell it three feet as the distance, it still suggests a 37" screen!

[Paul Matthews]

I am not convinced. In both cases will the limiting factor not be the source resolution?

I think the terms are being split a little in their use, and HD ready is

1280*720p, full HD is 1920*1080p and 1080i could be described as either...

[Dave Liquorice]

Our "tip", has a container specifically for TV's and monitors. Large white goods (Washing machines etc) have their own containers. Other electricals hifi, computer bits, microwaves etc, go together in another.

[Man at B&Q]

Instead of needless scaremongering, you need to get a better understanding of the regulations.

MBQ

[Man at B&Q]

We had an exploding Thomson and when I took it back to whence it was bought, they had a pile of similar returns behind the counter. The replacement was Ferguson branded (same thing IIRC)and is still going strong but is a nightmare to get subtitles.

The =A325 Bush (who owns that brand now?) from Tesco also self destructed and was duly replaced. That has a button for subtitles but the UI is deficient in other ways (mainly the amount of button presses to scroll more than a couple of hours ahead) compared to the Thomson.

MBQ

[Stuart B]

Did you mean what you said above as in

" I don't think CRT are quite "thereyet on picture quality, but they are VERY compact "

[Steve Firth]

I have a couple of those now, and they survive but not with the original PSUs. I bought replacements from Maplin which were much better quality and run cooler than the ones supplied with the Bush. I noticed while I was in Maplin that they sell an identical unit to the Bush with another name on the front.

[Kostas Kavoussanakis]

Rebranded Vestels. Same is true of the PVR clones.

There is a market for them.

Kostas

[Paul Matthews]

Right, what I meant to say was that IMO an LCD does not yet match the absolute picture quality of a CRT, but for the same size screen an LCD telly will is significantly smaller than a CRT.

[Mark]

Why spend the time taking them to the tip? Why not put them on freecycle? Somebody will want them.

M

[Stuart B]

Which is nothing like what you said "up there" ..lol

p.s. Who is will ?