Lcd Televisions, Is Hd High Res Sometimes Overkill?

[Oberkommando]

Earmarked a Sony 32" 550A model and wonder if anyone has any thoughts on it,s performance please ?

Samsung make all the Sony panels now.

IMO Samsung are way ahead of the competition when it comes to LCD and LED.

If plasma then I would consider a Panasonic or Pioneer.

I am learning about downloading movies...guess you can get HD ones on there...just need to figure out how to get them to my TV

You need a Media Tank, which is a device that will stream all of your downloads direct to your HDTV via HDMi. They are selling the XStreamer, Popcorn Hour and the WD TV models in Panthip Plaza in Bangkok now. Extortionate prices as usual though.

[OriginalPoster]

Man, this is depressing! Just moved here and had DirecTV HD satellite with an awesome Sony HD TV. It was fantastic! Now watching Sophon cable here in Pattaya...truly horrible picture. I am learning about downloading movies...guess you can get HD ones on there...just need to figure out how to get them to my TV. Watching them on the laptop is not that fun for wifey and me!

Someone in another thread recommended a Western Digital Media Player for that purpose. Hadn't heard of it before but on paper it looks like an attractive solution. Think that I'm going to buy one for my dad for Christmas and use him as a guinea pig. They go for between about $90 and $120, depending upon whether they have an ethernet connection or not. See http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...6-472-_-Product

Edited December 19, 2009 by OriginalPoster

[Oberkommando]

A Media Centre PC on for example Windows 7 will give you a really nice interface and should play anything you can download.

Cost a fortune, not to mention they are large, cumbersome and invariably ugly. Not for a techno-phobe either as they tend to be rather complicated. I have one but I rarely use it now I have the WD TV media player as I find it far too much hassle to boot up and operate.

I download or extract to USB HDD, plug it into the WD TV media player which is connected to the TV by HDMi and press play.

Haven't found a file format it wont play yet...

[Oberkommando]

Someone in another thread recommended a Western Digital Media Player for that purpose.

They are selling in Panthip Plaza in Bangkok, there's even a Western Digital outlet in there now. Around 4,500thb for the base model WD TV media player and an exorbitant 6,900thb for the WD TV Live media player, which also connects to the net or LAN.

[trogers]

I am thinking of getting the latest 'borderless' Samsung. Should give great outputs with my VHS black and white TV series of Dr.Who and Sherlock Holmes.

[Benjie]

A Media Centre PC on for example Windows 7 will give you a really nice interface and should play anything you can download.

Cost a fortune, not to mention they are large, cumbersome and invariably ugly. Not for a techno-phobe either as they tend to be rather complicated. I have one but I rarely use it now I have the WD TV media player as I find it far too much hassle to boot up and operate.

I download or extract to USB HDD, plug it into the WD TV media player which is connected to the TV by HDMi and press play.

Haven't found a file format it wont play yet...

Does it do 1080p MKV's etc...?

[astral]

I download or extract to USB HDD, plug it into the WD TV media player which is connected to the TV by HDMi and press play.

Haven't found a file format it wont play yet...

Does it do 1080p MKV's etc...?

Yes.

Definitely the way to go.

[Benjie]

If it had a built in hard drive it would be perfect for some of my customers. At the moment I stream direct to my TV using Tversity and a Samsung DLNA TV or a PS3 in the bedroom.

[astral]

The only negative about the WD TV player is that it keep the disk powered

even when the unit is in standby. OK with USB sticks, but not ideal with a HD.

[ThaiLife]

Someone in another thread recommended a Western Digital Media Player for that purpose.

They are selling in Panthip Plaza in Bangkok, there's even a Western Digital outlet in there now. Around 4,500thb for the base model WD TV media player and an exorbitant 6,900thb for the WD TV Live media player, which also connects to the net or LAN.

Thanks for the up date, Ive been waiting for the WD TV Live to arrive in Thailand , any One else seen it about , or on line

Thanks

TL

[craigt3365]

A Media Centre PC on for example Windows 7 will give you a really nice interface and should play anything you can download.

Cost a fortune, not to mention they are large, cumbersome and invariably ugly. Not for a techno-phobe either as they tend to be rather complicated. I have one but I rarely use it now I have the WD TV media player as I find it far too much hassle to boot up and operate.

I download or extract to USB HDD, plug it into the WD TV media player which is connected to the TV by HDMi and press play.

Haven't found a file format it wont play yet...

Sorry if this is a stupid question....I have been downloading movies lately. I usually get a .avi file which needs to be converted to be able to burn to a DVD. Takes a lot of time to do this on my old laptop!

Are you not having to do this? I love the idea of avoiding the DVD burning process and just using a USB drive. I will look into the WD device for sure...

Craig

[Phil Conners]

Like you I mostly watch downloaded movies (xvid etc format) and the odd DVD. I had a 1 MP LCD for about two years, then I accidentally broke the screen, and it was cheaper to buy a new 2 MP LCD than to repair the old. I don't see any difference watching either xvid or DVD movies but since the native resolution of the TV is now much higher it is virtually impossible to use the screen with my computer - the fonts are now so small it is impossible to read. I know you can increase the font size but that often corrupts the layout. I could also lower the resolution, but that messes up the aspect ratio. On balance I'd actually prefer the lower resolution TV for my requirement. FWIW.