32" 720p philips

[Frizzo]

i didn't notice a tv/monitor section, so figured i'd ask in this "other" section. i haven't had much experience with the newer tv/monitors....but to my surprise just in the last month have had 2 bad experiences with sony based monitors. (which atleast in the past always seem to be near the best/best). one was a sony bravia top of the line, and the other now is a cheapy philips 720p both 32". there was a similarity which sort of surprised me before i even turned either of them on, neither of them were packed with any kind of film covering the actual monitor area of the tv. also, they both had this sort of gunky tape wrapped around the outside paneling of the monitor surface, the gunk actually got atleast a little bit on both monitors.

i wont go into the problems the bravia had, but this philips is extremely pixelated. i read where these tv's require a stronger tv signal and sometimes that can be the problem. although when i was going through the built in "settings" software, i noticed a little widescreen tv icon, which had the pixelation problem as well (it literally looked like it was being displayed in old school 256 colors). so basically the screen just seems to be lacking in sharpness and color bit depth really bad to say the least, i'm getting ready to return it probably tommorow....but figured i'd ask and see if there is something i need to do that i'm not doing. also if anyone has any recommendations for 32" tv's (not using it for computer, will probably hook up some consoles to it eventually though, and wouldn't mind seeing something that atleast slightly impresses me).

any recommended brands? i saw bestbuy had a sharp 32" for only 289.99 - i also saw they had a 1080p that was really cheap, but made by a company called westinghouse? anyone ever heard of them ?

 

[wintermint]

I've heard of Westinghouse. When I browse ads and they list some super cheap 1080p tvm, it usually turns out to be westinghouse. I would suggest Samsung or LG. My Sony Bravia works fine. It's main function is for my computer but I also use it to watch TV

 

[Frizzo]

thanks for the reply. i seem to have come to a late realization here. like i mentioned i haven't had much need to toy around with tv-lcds...i've been using standard sized lcd monitors for my computers, and standard old style televisions generally. i have obviously toyed a bit with friends and families various televisions and monitors...i can even remember a friend that had a large plasma screen tv that cost him 10 grand about eight years ago, picture was incredible, really something else.

but apparently this screen is normal. i went back and looked at about thirty screens all running sales-display video...and upon further review even the most expensive screens show grainy/pixelated areas at times to the trained eye.

when i talked to the tech rep for the bravia a few weeks ago, i told him all the options i had to tweak (the bravia has crazy tweaking options atleast the expensive one)...and he said oh no thats not right, something is wrong with it...which is what i figured.

right now i'm on a 23" acer lcd, which is fine. it's even a really cheap one, and picture is great. i've owned some pretty incredible old style sony tv's with component video capabilities, which were just flawless screens. but i really can't believe that even the more expensive $1,000 screens have the grainy/pixelation...you mean to tell me even if i have infinite money to spend right now, i can't buy a screen that matches the old high end sony tube televisions?

it makes sense that your cable tv reception would be god awful too. the dvd/blu-ray quality has the grainyness at times....so it stands to reason that the sorrowful picture i get from the coax is par for the course.

i guess i should of gone with the tv tuner card...but i figured i'd buy a console system to play some video games on here and there considering i havent done that in quite a few years.