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back to article Ten... Freeview HD 42-47in TVs

Looking for a top deal on a 42-47-inch Freeview HD TV? Then you’re in luck, there’s a wide choice in screens out there for less than £1K and a tight budget doesn’t necessarily mean cutting back on all the nice toys, if you shop smart. So which one will be your next TV? Finlux 46S6030-T
 RH Numbers The Finlux brand has been …

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  1. wiggers

    Panasonic TX-P42ST30B

    Around half a grand, knocks spots off any LED/LCD I've ever seen. Plasma, silky blacks, 4 HDMI, network enabled, what's not to like?

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    1. TeeCee Gold badge
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      Mushroom

      Re: Panasonic TX-P42ST30B

      Er, it's a Panasonic?

      I have owned two Panasonic televisions. The second I only aquired because, given the breathless encomia dripped over their products everywhere, I figured I must have been horribly unlucky with the first one.

      A mistake that I shall never repeat.

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  2. Joseph Lord

    At least Samsung and Sony are basically end of life

    So make sure the price is right compared with replacement models. The Sony does seem well priced.

    Plasmas may have the best blacks but I get annoyed by the more visible picture structure and the image noise (particularly evident on still pictures). They also normally use more power so I prefer LCD.

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  3. probedb
    FAIL

    Panasonic TX-P42ST50

    wiggers the ST30 is last years model.

    However it doesn't alter the fact the ST50 is probably the best TV you can buy for under a grand and Reg Hardware completely ignores it.

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  4. Charlie Clark Silver badge

    Price of energy

    When comparing prices it might be useful to compare average yearly running costs which can be significant between inefficient plasma and efficient LCD.

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    1. twaffler
      Reply Icon
      Mushroom

      Re: Price of energy

      Sorry, but that's bollocks.

      Let's say you've not bothered to shop around much and are paying a stupid rate for power like 15p per kw/h. Let's say you watch five hours of TV a day on average. Let's say you've got a 46" set like many of those on test.

      Difference in annual energy bills between an ultra-efficient LCD tv pulling circa 100W and a guzzly plasma set pulling circa 200W? £28.

      If your idea of "significant" is less than £30 a year then what are you doing spending nearly a grand on a telly?

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  5. Danny 14

    The 42 LGs are on offer at asda for £400

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  6. Dick Emery

    ST?

    Low end model. You want the GT30 or VT30.

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    1. annodomini2
      Reply Icon

      Re: ST?

      Under a grand though?

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  7. Richard Lloyd
    Meh

    I got 2 Panasonic plasmas recently :-)

    Picked up a "dumb" 42" (720p) Panasonic Viera plasma for 399 quid and a "smart" 50" version (1080p) for 599 quid - John Lewis with 5 year guarantee and free Saturday delivery. Both stay in standby until I use them because you're talking around 300W each with the screen active (though both can have audio only at much lower power usage if you're listening to digital/Net radio). Both are sweet sets, though suffer from the glossy screen effect if it's a bright day.

    I remain fairly unconvinced about "smart TVs" - you're better off getting a dumb one and sticking a 200 quid media centre PC (with a couple of Freeview HD or Freesat tuners), which will give you a lot more than whatever the manufacture thinks you deserve on the set's Net connection.

    Mind you, Panasonic are offering Eurosport Player for free for a month on their smart TVs - now I wonder if that'll hold out until late July, so I can see their Olympics coverage in addition the BBC's? :-)

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  8. Saucerhead Tharpe
    FAIL

    I've avoid the Philips

    We have a three year old Philips 37PFL.

    Last weekend the power button went inside the casing

    A phone call to Philips revealed that they had no interest in fixing it and, even if they did, they'd charge £120 for an uplift

    having nothing to lose, we took the back off. the offending bit is a flimsy, springy plastic fork that retains the switch, causes it to bend and trigger a microswitch. It is not fit for purpose and I have to assume they think you will keep it on standby when not in use. Googling proved it to be a known design flaw

    We switch the thing on, restraining the switch and put a through power switch on the power cord. That was £3

    Lesson learned, don't buy Philips

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  9. MJI Silver badge

    More details please

    TV sets one important question.

    What is the picture like?

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