Info and forum posts by 'testbloke'

RE: Connecting an Xbox to a Phillips LX3000d

Problem I have with my Phillips is the digital output on the Xbox cable side is the wee square connection (PCIM or whatever it`s called), however the digital input on the phillips is a co-ax connection. I have not yet come across a cable that goes from one to the other, I think this may be where others problems lie with Phillips amps ?

RE: Plasma or Projector ?

HAd a similair debate myself recently and after much thought and screenings I ended up going for a rear projection. IMO the low end (2k to 3k) plasmas picture quality was not too impressive and also found the amount of glare and reflections you get from the glass on these unnaceptable.
Unless you have proper black out curtains etc I would not recommend front projection - there is a website that shows how much better a rear projection is compared to a front projection in a normal environment, think it was rearprojection.co.uk or something like that. Try a google search on rear projection

RE: Philips LX8000SA - 199GBP at Currys

Nice one, when I got mine Dixons were still 360GBP and that was with 120GBP off ! AFAIK Comet are still around the 340GBP mark.
Connected it all up last night - really impressive, especially at that price

RE: Philips LX8000SA - 199GBP at Currys

Have not yet set this up ! Hope to do so tonight. As I am placing the unit next to my bed and the screen is on the far away wall I had to get some long scart, audio and speaker cables. That lot cost me nearly half what the system did - much to the wives amusement ... not !
Anyways, back to the thread, I have printed out the hack as per this site, noticed comments re losing 5.1, but think this was the earlier models only, if it does happen and you are desperately want it multiregion, techtronics will chip it but charge 90 quid :-(

RE: Getting connected

Thanks :-)

Getting connected

Anyone have a recommendation for an online place to get some nice (but not hugely expensive) speaker cable and interconnects ?

Philips LX8000SA - 199GBP at Currys

Got one of these to finish my new room system off, had been looking at Panasonic and TDK system, both around 300quid in the stores but 220 quid on line.
Saw the Philips in Currys, went home to check :
What Home Cinema editors choice reveiwed Sep `03, commented "now available for only 500gbp and hard to beat at that price" Therefore at 199gbp has to be bargain of the century ! Best price I could find on line was 350gbp.
This has SACD as well as DTS, dolby digital and prologic, be quick though as only a few left and a word of warning - try and get one boxed as the speaker cones are not protected so those on demo tend to have been poked with fingers !

RE: Small widescreen CRT for bedroom - which one

Yeah, PC input seems to be very good also. This set has excellent connections : component video in, svhs in, RGB scart, PC in, audio and video out. I think the resolution goes up to around 1300 x 1024 on the PC, but don`t quote me !
Give it a try, they will refund if you don`t like it.
Got my surround system to finish this off last night - see new post in bargain buckets.

RE: Small widescreen CRT for bedroom - which one

Bowfer,
Actual SPL level is good as it has a speaker at each side of the screen, think it outputs about 5 watts but for watching telly level is very audible at 10% volume setting.
When I say it is crap I am being a bit snobby, I just mean that the sound quality for watching DVD`s does not come anywhere near the picture quality available, more of an excuse as I was wanting a surround system for the room anyway.
The sound on this set is far better the the Grundig I was looking at that was barely audible with the volume set full. Reason I bought the Bush, Argos are doing buy now pay in twelve months time and also Argos will give full refund for up to 14 days - so you can give it a shot and if it doesn`t suit just return it.

RE: Small widescreen CRT for bedroom - which one

Spent ages everywhere looking at sets, ended up biting the bullet and bought a 17 inch widescreen LCD. Was going to get the Grundig one in Curry`s (499gbp) but heard it was being discontinued and it never had much in the way of connections, found one in Argos for the same money with very good connections (Bush I think).
Now got it mounted on the wall, picture is good but sound is crap, going to get a small home cinema system for my xmas to go with it - finish the room off nicely !
Make sure I get one with a digital input, unlike my Linn Classik Movie System >:(, then I can hear the Xbox in dolby digital.
Thanks for help

RE: Small widescreen CRT for bedroom - which one

Cheers, I used to know the model number for the little Sony set, it really was a cracker, last time I saw it it was under 200 GBP, now might be obsolete. I think 500 quid for a 17 inch screen is pretty silly money, when my 40 inch Thomson rear projeection just cost 900 quid.
Someone must remember the part number for the Sony set ?

Small widescreen CRT for bedroom - which one

Just got new bedroom furniture so no longer allowed to put my current 21 inch set on the chest of drawers :-( Tried a wall bracket but it looks terrible and more than a little bit dodgy !
Therefore, time for a new (smaller) set and a good chance to upgrade to a widescreen. I remember a few years back Sony did a nice widescreen set around 16 inches, anyone remember this and if they still does anyone know a manufacturer that does a small widescreen CRT set.
Can`t justify the cost of a 17 inch LCD as I have just bought a new 42 inch rear projection for the living room for not much more than most of the 17 inch LCD`s cost.

Thanks

RE: Sony 44

Yeah she is actually quite clued up on the Home Cinema (ex Linn employee, hence all my kit is now Linn :) ).
Ended up going for the Thomson Scenium 40 inch. Looked a tad small in the shop but being a bloke never actually measured anything in the house. Result is it grew in transit and looks HUGE in the room, considering I am sitting 3 metres maximum from it. Result. Looks excellent, just need to find someone to sell me the stand for it (as listed on their website) and I am sorted. Thanks for advice.

RE: Centre speaker stands

Anyone tried this on a rear projection set ? I am worried that the more aggressive slope on the back of the cabinet means that this will just slide off :/

RE: Sony 44

:-)))))))))))))

RE: Sony 44

Been having a look at the weekend with the missus, looks like a 40inch is the biggest she will go for :-(
Saw a Thomson 40KW611S, 999gbp in dixons, 899gbp in Powerhouse. Pitty because you can get the 44 inch version on line for 999gbp.
Anyone have any experience or reviews of this set ?

RE: Sony 44

Okay, think I will buy one ;) Just to covince the missus that 44 inches is not that big !

RE: Centre speaker stands

Christ thats a good price as well :)
Now deffo looks like a rear projection rather than plasma, now I`ve found a place for the centre speaker.

RE: Centre speaker stands

Excellent link, price for BT14 ?

RE: Sony 44

Thanks for the tip, this set looks very tempting. Trying to weigh up plasma or rear projection to replace my current 32 inch CRT. Thinking now that I cannot justify 3 grand on a low end plasma when I can get a cracking set like this for 1200 GBP.
Moviemonsteruk, can you answer the following as cannot find on Sony site :
1) Can you get a stand for this to locate amp / sky box etc.
2) How thick is the top of the screen ? I have a Linn centrik centre speaker and it is a big beast. Currently located in cabinet below TV, but not an option with this set (?) and I cannot mount it on the wall or it will be 2 feet behind the screen.
Any advice / help appreciated.
*** Okay, now found other link for centre speaker stand for top off TV, so number two is solved.
As for number one, I could locate the amp / dvd / sky box in another part of the room, but would then have to run ariel and two scart leads approx. 5 metres. Will doing so affect performance if good quality scart leads are used ? Also need to extend sky cable - is this just co-ax ?

This item was edited on Tuesday, 2nd September 2003, 16:41

Linn CMS, wasRE: Are there any decent all-in-one DVD Receivers *without* speakers?

Just to confirm - and I have just emailed them to complain, the Linn Classik Movie System does not support surround sound from any Aux source.
Therefore my Xbox and Sky can only have stereo sound through this.
In their defence, there is a hell of a lot inside this small box (one of Linn`s designers gave me a guided tour of the inside of it) and the space saving over my previous amp / dvd / cd is huge.
The sound and picture quality is truly stunning.
There will be a newer version released soon that will add RGB to its capabilities but still no digital inputs.
I was not too chuffed about this point but purely on the sound and picture quality, I would not return to my previous system, instead I just long to upgrade to their AV51 series.

Kevin

RE: samsung 42

Thanks, that helps a lot and puts to bed my worries on expected life.
Do you know the cost of the tuner box for this - As i don`t need speakers and won`t use the desk stand, I may be better getting the screen from Richar Sounds (if they still have them, once waited four months for a remote control) and buy the wall bracket and tuner box seperate.
Also RS claim to do a three year extended warranty on Plasmas for 250quid, 1000gbp for five years is a joke :-(
Anywhere do extended warranties independantly ?

Kev - about to take the plunge :-?

RE: samsung 42

I am currently thinking of a plasma but have a few q`s :-

1) I have heard earlier screens tend to lose colour etc after about four years, has this now been fixed
2)What is the tuner box for - purely to give tv function on screen, which I can get from sky digibox, or are there other features?
3)Does this screen support SVHS as my Linn Classik Movie system does not support RGB :-(
4) Do you know what extended warranty Dixons were offering
5) Can you get a wall bracket for it.

Thanx

Kevin

Linn classik movie - what speakers?

Luck enough to have got my hands on a Linn Classik movie system (employee discount!!!). Can anyone recommend speakers to compliment this, my current setup uses Sony Pascals but plan to upgrade.
I can get about 50% discount on Linn speakers but is there better for the money?

DVD`S FOR £1 EACH

My brother in law returned from a business trip to China recently, bringing back with him some twenty new release DVD`s which worked out around £1 each. I have not seen the merchandise yet so cannot comment on quality, integrity etc. but wondered if anyone else has come across these.
If this is official, perhaps it is time play moved from Jersey to China!

RE: Problems with Play247

Or you could have a word with your posty, mine pops them through the letterbox, recorded delivery or not!
ps - I have ordered some 50 discs from play now, no problems to report. I even ordered the canadian toystory 1+2, which was out of stock at the time, sent from Brussells and received within three days (for £17.99). Excellent or what?

RE: Help Needed on my setup!!!!!!!!!

Have you also tried setting the dvd-tv scart connectuion to svhs instead of rgb, personally I prefer it this way as on my system I noticed the effect you mentioned and also some colour bleed.
Rememner if possible to connect DVD directly to tv and not loop through vhs, sky, etc.
You can buy a scart splitter box if you are limited for connections

RE: SCART cables..........R gold plated jobbies any better than normal ones ?

I agree that good quality leads do make a difference, make sure your scart has all pins wired, even some of the more expensive types skimp on this.
To offer a rule of thumb : as with hi-fi, look to spend 15% of your budget on leads, therefore a dvd player at £200 deserves a £15 scart and £15 digital co-ax or toslink for the sound.
Also remember the power lead! A small "pure-ac" filter and surge protector can be obtained for around £10.
...trade price of 60p for a gold plated, oxygen free scart lead - I wouldn`t mind a piece of that action! Obviously made in a country with minimum wages then!

RE: DON`T BUY FROM DIXONS OR CURRYS

After waiting ten weeks for a Sony CX850D to be delivered from techtronics, I gave up and went to my local Currys and bought a Samsung 709. I also noticed these skips and freezes, but tried to ignore it at first, principally because the worst offenders were rental disks. I thought the usual fingerprint type defects would cause this. However, the problem became worse and so the player went back.
I also got the two minute test which showed nothing, the player was then sent to "technical lab" to be run for several hours. The only downside of this is that it left me with no player for four days. After this test, no faults were found still.
The manager was trying to palm me off as reported previously when I pointed out several other items I had purchased from his store and that he would be losing a valuable customer. Eventually the player was replaced for a new one (same player) which has been almost perfect, the ex-rental copy of notting hill which was the worst offender plays without a glitch.
Going back to the days when I used to design testers for the manufacture of cd-roms, when adjusting the focus of the lazer, it was possible to adjust towards the upper or lower limit of the customers specs and invoke this kind of problem, but if you wanted it adjusted spot on it took much more time, and money.
It looks like the same scenario here, I wonder if anyone has had this kind of problem with a top end player?

RE: Under 18???

I usually use a switch or delta card rather than a credit card. These are accepted everywhere a credit card is and are available to anyone with a current account