naidraw66 Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Hello all I have read many if not all the post here on Thai Visa regarding LED, PLASMA etc TV's, Blu ray/DVD, surround sound etc. The posts are very informative and mainly helpful. However none really explain the disadvantages on spending a lot of your hard earned cash on equipment with advanced features that just don't work, or just don't have support here in Thailand. You could spend a lot less if you take note of some of the points listed below - 1. HD TV Programming: Very limited, in fact only one company provides somewhat decent Satellite TV here in Thailand and that company only provides 2 HD channels, which in HD terms are not what they should be. I'm not going into details here; a simple search will reveal what people are saying about this. There is another company from Malaysia which provides a far better service but again I won't touch on that here! The latest TV'S, Blu Ray/DVD players will upscale the original signal but due to the poor quality of this original signal up scaling seldom helps, and in some cases makes the signal worse! So basically what I'm saying here is if you just watch normal satellite TV, and maybe the occasional DVD then don't spend your money on 1080p, HD ready 720p will save you money and will do the job just fine!! 2. Surround sound: Did you know that normal Thai Satellite TV is broadcast in Mono. That means that none of your surround sound systems are going to work because they will not convert a mono signal into surround sound. That means you will only hear sound through your front left & right speakers. Of course some systems have simulated surround which can output through all speakers but this is not surround sound! So if you are thinking of buying a surround system based on watching TV, make sure you have the limited HD package or why bother . . . ! But of course if you just want to watch Blu Ray/DVD's and/ or various media players then they will work fine as the signal is at minimum stereo. 3. Internet TV: It sounds great and I'm sure it is when it works! But unfortunately here in Thailand there is very limited support for Internet TV. The service is at a very infant state of development even in countries with advanced internet capabilities. Here in Thailand the coverage is very limited and most of the good applications are just not available or not supported. So at this moment in time it is not worth investing in such gadgets!! I would appreciate any additions to this post to at least save some people wasting their hard earnt cash! I find that the shops are great in promoting these new gadgets, but stop short of telling the customer that most of them just DON'T WORK in Thailand!! IW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gotlost Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 AMAN. You hit the nail on the head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shurup Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 1080P + surround is well worth it if you got one of the modern game consoles as they output the singal in up to 1080P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyh Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Surround sound works with nearly all DVD's, but if you really want to take advantage of 1080P you need Bluray. The movie Avatar is nothing special as far as movies go but it is spectacular to watch on a top end 1080P TV. Hopefully they have set the bar for new movies coming out. The way prices are going now you don't need to spend that much more to get 1080P and a surround sound system of reasonable quality is far superior to any TV speakers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little_muppet Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 im using LED 55 inch with surround sounds + blu-ray player too. it great and worth the money spent. use them alot to watch Movies blu ray movie and PS3 . ( i dont bother watch TV that much ) anyway.. im happy about it. :jap: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryw52 Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I download (for personal use notfor sale) many of my favourite the TV shows from, UK USA Australia. I view themlatter via free PC software call media portal (www.team-mediaportal.com) which I have used to build amedia centre. I watch TV when I want to not when they on at a certaintime. Many of these TV programs areavailable in both 720 and 1080 (Full HD) format. In my option itis still well worth purchasing a Full HD 1080 TV. I was also downloadingand watching latter in Australia where we do have both free to air and pay TVHD channels and the difference is very noticeable. I would say in my experienceit increases the enjoyment of viewing these programs. But will say if yourbudget is tight the 1024 X 768 TVs this HD but not Full HD TVs do still give agood clear picture and Full HD download programs still look good on these 1024X 768 TVs If you going to watch Blue Ray Disk then you must go Full HD or youwasting your time with Blue Ray Disks. I am notin total disagreement with the ianwrd4. I think the decision you need to make is do you buy a Full HD TV now orwait until you purchase your next TV in a couple of years, as the prices are goingdown very fast as the TV market saturates in many countries, or do I buy a FullHD now and not worry about 3D or whatever new technology is coming soon enjoyit for the next few year and buy the latest and greatest TV when you next makea purchase Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UberBraun Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 As far as HD TV programming goes, there is a lot of it now... just not in Thailand. What I do is download HD TV shows (mostly 720p) from the internet, transfer them to my HD Media player (full 1080P capability) and watch at my leisure. Forget about satellite or cable, especially here in Thailand, as the selection of shows and quality of the broadcasts sucks. Plus what you save on your cable/sattelite bill will more than pay for a good fast internet connection. As for surround sound, well I think it's just like 3D, something for the marketers to push on the masses. I own a fairly good SS system and can honestly say I have only heard a very small handfull of movies that make good use of it. And even then, the effect is fleeting. I also have a 55" Samsung LED-TV and have to say those TV's produce stunning images. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naidraw66 Posted January 30, 2011 Author Share Posted January 30, 2011 As far as HD TV programming goes, there is a lot of it now... just not in Thailand. What I do is download HD TV shows (mostly 720p) from the internet, transfer them to my HD Media player (full 1080P capability) and watch at my leisure. Forget about satellite or cable, especially here in Thailand, as the selection of shows and quality of the broadcasts sucks. Plus what you save on your cable/sattelite bill will more than pay for a good fast internet connection. As for surround sound, well I think it's just like 3D, something for the marketers to push on the masses. I own a fairly good SS system and can honestly say I have only heard a very small handfull of movies that make good use of it. And even then, the effect is fleeting. I also have a 55" Samsung LED-TV and have to say those TV's produce stunning images. Most of you are missing my point here. Yes of course you can download everything in HD that is not the issue here and you will see this if you read my post correctly. The whole idea here is to let people know that buying these gadgets and expecting everything to work as advertised and as the salesman quoted is not going to happen here in Thailand, and there is no signs that things will change in the near future. I am just trying to point out that just because you buy a 1080p TV it doesnt mean you will receive a 1080p TV signal, it is a TV after all and most people buy a TV to watch aired TV programmes. I know there are a lot of experts here but this is not geared towards you it is advice aimed at the potential buyer that knows very little and can be easily persuaded by a salesman, only to be parted with his/her money only to be disappointed and out of pocket!! And for the experts you know what you want, you have the experience and you know how to make the most of what we have here in Thailand. So its a little less painful for us who know the score and know what to expect. For those that don't I am just trying to give friendly advice . . IW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astral Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I am just trying to point out that just because you buy a 1080p TV it doesnt mean you will receive a 1080p TV signal, it is a TV after all and most people buy a TV to watch aired TV programmes. I watch very little "aired TV", except the news, where quality is not really an issue. Games BluRay Internet downloads make up my viewing. 1080 is worth it, very definitely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkom Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 (edited) I am just trying to point out that just because you buy a 1080p TV it doesnt mean you will receive a 1080p TV signal, it is a TV after all and most people buy a TV to watch aired TV programmes. I watch very little "aired TV", except the news, where quality is not really an issue. Games BluRay Internet downloads make up my viewing. 1080 is worth it, very definitely. Agreed, main reason I bought a full 1080p HDTV is for PS3 games and watching BluRay movies, and I think most people who buy one use it for that purpose not to watch regular TV. Edited January 30, 2011 by arkom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little_muppet Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 ohh yeah. its so good with GT5 lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naidraw66 Posted January 30, 2011 Author Share Posted January 30, 2011 (edited) I am just trying to point out that just because you buy a 1080p TV it doesnt mean you will receive a 1080p TV signal, it is a TV after all and most people buy a TV to watch aired TV programmes. I watch very little "aired TV", except the news, where quality is not really an issue. Games BluRay Internet downloads make up my viewing. 1080 is worth it, very definitely. You are not the normal run of the mill man off the street that knows very little about these gadgets. You like me have invested a lot of money in obtaining all the equipment needed to watch and make the most out of 1080p. And yes of course 1080P is worth it. But we are among the few that want to explore this subject to such depth and in a way making it a hobby! This article is not meant for people like you and me but for the general TV, dvd player customer with limited knowledge. Who will be confused by all this technology and in most cases persuaded to buy technology that will not function here in Thailand!!! Not many people would buy a TV to just watch DVD's, HD Media Players etc etc , the general choice for that type of viewing is still the PC. My set up includes a Sony 60NX810 HD TV, Oppo BD93 multi function Blu Ray player and the DVICO TVX HD media player. These items come with numerous Internet services, which are great in theory but only 5% are functional here in Thailand, and even then the services are unreliable. So in theory why bother paying for something that doesn't work? I run My TV through the ASTRO satellite and receive ASTRO HD TV, all great if you are into all of this and willing to make the financial sacrifice. But this is not what the average customer wants. Just walk into any TV retailer and you are bombarded with the false impressions that everything works just fine and it does not!! Customers are led to believe that once they take their expensive HD TV home they can switch it on and watch HD TV. This is also the case with internet TV capable TV's Blu Ray and DVD players which don't have the support over here and dont work!! IW Edited January 30, 2011 by ianwrd4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikster Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 To make it short: If you're only going to watch TV, you don't need an HDTV. Then again, there isn't all that much difference in price between a 720p LCD TV and a 1080p one. And even if you only watch TV, you still want to get a flat screen LCD TV... If you're going to watch any kind of movies, 1080p is the way to go. Again, mainly because the difference in price between 1080p and not-1080p is very small. Last time I got TVs I got a 42" for 20 odd K that can do 1080p _and_ has a USB port to directly connect a USB stick or hard drive and play HD movies - no need for a separate box. I liked the simplicity of that idea. Less boxes, less remotes, it's a good thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raylo Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I am just trying to point out that just because you buy a 1080p TV it doesnt mean you will receive a 1080p TV signal, it is a TV after all and most people buy a TV to watch aired TV programmes. I watch very little "aired TV", except the news, where quality is not really an issue. Games BluRay Internet downloads make up my viewing. 1080 is worth it, very definitely. Agree with Astral and his/her viewing range. Check out the clarity of LED vs LCD vs Plasma and if you want a good picture notwithstanding interference etc you are hard pressed to go past LED. Makes it worth the extra expense. Sound wise for local TV, expensive sound systems do make a bit of difference to your listening pleasure but that is more personal preference rather than viewing pleasure as mentioned above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phatcharanan Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 My perspective on perspectives................they're over-rated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammycic Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Can't wait for the day when Thai soap operas are broadcast in HD 720p with 5.1 surround sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkkjames Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Truesports 1 and HBO the only offering in HD - no thanks. I don't watch regular HBO now, dont think I would pay extra to not watch an HD version of the same movies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angiud Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Some football in Truesport HD, a lot of movies and BBC documentaries in 1080 downloaded from the net and played on my 42 full HD TVs by WDTV live, thru my LAN on ground and first floors using my pc like a server. Nature on HD is wonderful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarangBuddha Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 (edited) I think most people know that they don't need expensive electronics gadgets here in Thailand as most are not supported. However, us more advanced types buy good gear not to watch anything broadcast or streamed in Thailand but to give us a great picture on our DVDs, Blu-Rays, and downloaded HD content. Because, the more expensive and premium models of TVs, even if they have some bells and whistles not supported in Thailand, still have the most advanced and best picture quality for displaying video from whatever the source. That is why they are still the best if you want the best picture quality from your non-broadcast display devices. Also, like my new WD-Live, sure the Netflix and other streaming services are not supported in Thailand but it is a great device nonetheless for displaying content downloaded from the internet on a TV. Edited February 1, 2011 by astral No need to quote the entire post. Just pick out the relevant points, please - Astral Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkom Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 (edited) Have a question about the WD-Live, right now I download my HD content to my laptop then transfer the videos to my WD external hard drive then use my PS3 to watch it. Would it better for me to get a WD-Live, would picture, sound ect be any better? Edited February 1, 2011 by astral No need to quote the entire post. Just pick out the relevant points, please - Astral Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarangBuddha Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 (edited) Not familiar with pic. and sound quality of PS3 or video and audio codex support on that device so can't compare them. However, if you DL mkv or other more obscure video and audio files, the WD will likely nativly play them without having to transcode before playback. In general, the pic and audio playback with the WD is superb, however, if u already have a PS2 that does basically the same thing, as well as plays games and blu-rays, can't see any reason for u to get the WD unit too. Edited January 31, 2011 by FarangBuddha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angiud Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 (edited) Have a question about the WD-Live, right now I download my HD content to my laptop then transfer the videos to my WD external hard drive then use my PS3 to watch it. Would it better for me to get a WD-Live, would picture, sound ect be any better? WDTV live transfers your file by Ethernet wire from your pc/hdd to the box, than via HDMI to your TV, so keep the best quality and DTS Dolby 5/1 etc. Practically you download from the net and see directly on you tv without any copy transfer, etc Edited February 1, 2011 by astral No need to quote the entire post. Just pick out the relevant points, please - Astral Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valentine Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 I have never had a salesman try to tell me the quality of the displays you can see in the stores are what you will get watching TV at home but then again I understand that already. When you plan on paying 30,000+ (Samsung series 6 have just been reduced) for a good quality LED TV then surely a few questions should be asked. I agree with others that not many will buy just to watch TV programmes (for this an old CRT TV will do just as well) but will at least on occasion want to watch & good quality DVD so then one should buy a 1080p which can run at 100hz. Some 1080ps only run on 50hz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astral Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 A friend is using the PC to PS3 route with mainly good results. However as the link is wireless the is some chopping on the hi res material. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.png.3b3332cc2256ad0edbc2fe9404feeef0.png)
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now