CONFUSED!!!
Sweepy the Cat
Halifax, West Yorkshire, EnglaPosts: 986MI6 Agent
After hearing such praise about HD, Blu-Ray etc I've decided that in a few weeks I shall get a HD TV and Blu-Ray player.
Now I already know the facts about it, better picture/sound quality, more room on disc etc but I am hoping for a little help deciding which TV and which Blu-Ray player to choose.
Also, I am a little bit confused about what other nick-nacks I may need aswell (HDMI cables, recievers etc)
Remember guys, I only need the essentials as I am on a rather tight budget
Now I already know the facts about it, better picture/sound quality, more room on disc etc but I am hoping for a little help deciding which TV and which Blu-Ray player to choose.
Also, I am a little bit confused about what other nick-nacks I may need aswell (HDMI cables, recievers etc)
Remember guys, I only need the essentials as I am on a rather tight budget
Comments
Quick response:
Make sure the tv is 1080p - not 'just' HD-Ready ! There is a difference.
Bluray player....I'd hang on, some nice shiney new ones will soon be launched...if they are too expensive then the 'older' ones will drop in price.
Yes...you will HDMI cables...you will only need a receiver if you have a sound system that's seperate to your tv.
No doubt better qualified people than I will help you too.
BTW, do you think that this TV would work? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hannspree-HT09-1080P-Digital-Freeview/dp/B001CXYTUQ/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1236443903&sr=8-5
1. Hi-Def TV
You're going to need to choose between an LCD and Plasma TV. Since you're also probably going to connect your Xbox 360 to the TV, I'd opt for an LCD so you don't have to worry about potential screen burn-in (where static logos get permanently etched into the picture), especially during the first few hundred hours of use. LCD TVs are also lighter and generally use less electricity.
In terms of size, you really want a TV that's at least 40" large (the larger the better); anything smaller than that and the benefits of hi-def are really wasted.
As Sir Miles said, stick with a TV that's 1080P as that will have the highest resolution. Different hi-def TVs have different resolutions: 720p is 1280x720 pixels; 1080p is 1920x1080 pixels. The more pixels, the better the resolution.
As to what models, Samsung and Sony probably make the best models these days. They're a little pricey but also more reliable, with a ton of image tweaking options.
One more thing, try to get a TV which has at least 20 watt speakers; that way you don't need to invest in a surround sound system right away.
2. BluRay player
The Sony PS3 is for my money still the best BluRay player on the market. It loads up discs faster than just about any dedicated model, allows for easy firmware updates, and is also an outstanding upconverter for standard DVDs. The fact that it can also play games is a nice bonus.
Sony, Samsung and Panasonic all make fine standalone players as well but be aware that it will take longer for the discs to load and updating the firmware to take advantage of new features may be more of a hassle.
3. Accessories
You'll need an HDMI cable to connect your BluRay player to your TV. In the case of your Xbox 360, you can use the component cables that came with the console as they're hi-def as well. HDMI cables are very common now and are not as expensive as they once were. Do a quick check of some dedicated cable vendors like monoprice.com or check out Amazon.com and you'll get some good deals.
4. Receiver / Surround Sound System
You don't need a receiver or surround sound system; while it will give you better, more immersive sound your TV's speakers can also do the job if they're powerful enough. That's why I mentioned above to look at a TV with at least 20 watt speakers. Most TVs also offer simulated surround sound modes with better brands, like Sony and Samsung, being especially good. Its not a substitute for a true surround sound system but it will let you save a few bucks at the start as you won't need to get everything at once.
If you do want a surround sound system, your least expensive alternative is probably one of the HTIB's (Home Theater In A Box) that are available from larger retailers. Just look for something which supports digital audio inputs and if possible HDMI passthru as that will give you more options for connecting everything together
If the receiver you end up getting has HDMI passthru support then you would connect your BluRay player to the receiver and the receiver to the TV.
If the receiver you end up getting has only digital inputs, then you'll connect the BluRay player directly to the TV and use a separate TOSLink Digital Optical Audio cable to run the audio from the BluRay Player to the receiver. As is the case with HDMI cables, TOSLink cables are fairly inexpensive today as long as you shop around a bit.
I know that's a lot of info to digest but if you want the best possible experience for your money, it will be worth your while to read up on what's available and how all these technologies work together.
Hope that helps. Good luck.
Also, since I got a HDMI cable with my XBOX 360, does that mean that I can use it for my Blu-Ray player? (when I get one
Honestly Sweepy, with smaller sized TVs you're really hard-pressed to notice any significant difference in picture quality compared to a standard DVD. I say save your money, wait for prices to come down and when you're ready to buy, go as big as you can afford to.
I remember reading that the Microsoft HDMI cables that come with the 360 behave strangely when used with other devices so I think the answer to your question is "no".
Since you have a 360 with HDMI (I thought you had the older version) save that HDMI cable and use it only with your 360 and when you get your TV And BluRay player, buy a second HDMI cable.
Another thing to consider when selecting a television is the frequency (Hz)...the higher the frequency the faster the refresh rate on the screen, which I found noticably cuts down some of the ghosting on the screen.