Recipie for finding your perfect LCD

I must have wasted 20 hours of time researching what LCD to buy

My guide to NOT waste your time:

Consider buying ONLY: Sony, Samsung or LG make LCD's

OK!! This coice is highly personal in some respects, but in others it definitely isn't

For some reason ALL other makes for some reason or another had specs that were much lower

Make sure you get a 1080p TV - also otherwise better known as Full HD - also otherwise recognisable by the pixels: look out for 1920 x 1080

...

I'll come back and finish wriitng this post later - laptop battery running out!

Houston: the Samsung 6 Series LE40A686 has landed!

Wednesday: 

- 2.30pm, got delivery of the blueray player

- 3pm, got delivery of the TV!!

(Had delivery of LCD bracket on Tuesday)

Yeeha! Unfortunately, I have to go to the office and can't unpack there and then and start playing with the new toy!

DAMN! Life is hard sometimes!

11.30pm: got home... unpacked everything

YES, YES!

Unpacked my Samsung 6 Series LE40A686 (exact model number LE40A686M1FX)

(Also known by other model number like Samsung LE40A656 - no difference here apart from cosmetic, so I understand)

Hooked it up on the normal roof aerial: picture quality amazing - but not quite right

(I've never liked the freeview - there's just something missing!)

Hooked upto Sky... wow!! Brilliant! Amazing. Lost for words to describe.

OK: so if you stick your head next to the TV, you do see pixelating in parts - but this is true for LCD and plasma TV's, so not really something to complain about

Time now: 12.30 am, just past midnight... sssshh... be quite, the neighbours are asleep

I've decided: heck, I'm just going to drill as silently as possilbe and stick up the wall bracket!!

Time does not wait for anyman and I do not wait to get my new TV ready and installed!!

I get drill ready... get all my tools together like screws and other things: ready for action!

I take out the bracket from it's box and...... erm, I see the biggest rawplug I've ever seen in my life!

I already know I don't have it... but I still go through my drill bits to see if I have a macthing size!

****! What am I supposed to do now?? Taking the damn TV out is a fiddly thing... putting it back is even more fiddly!

Damn!! The TV will have to wait for another day to dawn - but I'm away for the WHOLE day the next day!!

Message to other buyers: check EVERYTHING AND make sure you have a giant drill bit!

The instructions for the wall bracket say that you need a 3/16 drill bit

I've got a 3/8 drill bit, but this seems to be too small

About the Samsung 6 Series LE40A686, see what Dixon's have to say:

"With exquisite design and unique harmonious qualities, the LCD TV Series 6 reflects nature’s essential elements. Its inspirational design evokes the depths of emotion that have never been seen on a TV screen before. The combination of premium performance and aesthetic elegance makes for a truly stunning TV that sets new standards."

I would back up every word of this! The TV is amazing and georgeous and beautiful!

HDMI Cable: £70 cable or cheap £2 one?

Buy an LCD or plasma from Dixons and they'll happily charge you £70 for a HDMI cable

This will be cased in a well designed plastic casing that you can put on your mantle place and admire

(Unfortunately, to get to the cable inside, you have to tear the casing open)

Go to Tesco's and I've heard you can pick up a cable for £2

Hahahahaha!

Buy the Dixon's one right - much higher quality?

I have an admission to make: I'm an LCD virgin - until recently, when over Christmas I spent a few weeks trawling the internet searching for what to buy (while others spent their time rejoicing the holiday period and praising Lord Jesus)

USB cables: I've long known that its a COMPLETE con

No need to ever ever ever buy an expensive cable

Please note, there is a difference: a gold USB cable will last you 1000 years, while a silver one will only last 99 years - so why not pay £20 extra for the gold one instead of buying the silver one for £0.99!

HDMI: in complete ignorance I thought it had to be different

New technology... it just HAD to far superior!! (The more expensive cable that is)

Aparently not!

Everyone out there: please text this gospel and preach as given above to 10 people you know

And in turn ask them to text 10 people you know

If you do, God will take notice and will bring you 5 steps closer to heaven for saving people from being conned into buying expensive HDMI cables

Here endeth the lecture

Disclaimer: above, I chose to give Dixon's as an example. This is not exactly fair - there are plenty of other con merchants out there worth a mention as well.

Sticking onto a wall, best advice: have close to the wall + have extension cables

I've been scratching my head about how to stick my LCD to the wall

(Haven't received yet)

I want to be able to access the back and be able plug cables in and out loads of times

i.e. connecting and disconnecting loads of other devies like PC's and game consoles etc

You can get brackets that will come away from the wall nearly 1 meter!!

That sounds brilliant and innovative

Without having seen this in real: I can tell you that this will be an ugly solution!!

Yuk!

In the end... I have gone for a bracket that you can tilt a little and gain access from the back

Stop press: I've just been advised by another LCD/Plasma expert that the best solution is to use extension cables

This sounds brilliant - I was compeltely ignorant of the fact that such existed

Oh well...!

This sounds a much much better solution for the reasons explained above

Personally, if the TV is stuck to the wall, then I think it looks much more elgant and beautiful

I may still go for this solution - I'll see what the one I have purchased comes out like

(I'll simply resell on eBay - may lose £5... but that loss for getting what I need and want)

Depending on the bracket you get, you can get ones that are more tightly close to the wall than others - given hindsight, I think I would prefer this + extension cables

Looking into the prices of extension cables now... I'll write back if I find any useful information to report

You've either done lots of research, or are an expert already on LCD/plasma TV's
You've bought a new LCD/plasma!

How much would YOU sell your brand new LCD/plasma for 12 months later?

12 months later: how much would you be prepared to accept for it?
10% less? 20%? 50%!?
You'd be surprised - if you don't know what you're doing, then you might be looking at 50%
Yes, yes: I know most of you will want to sell for maybe 10% less; fact: you'll ONLY be able to sell at whatever the market price is (if you actually want to sell the thing and not wait a million years for your perfect buyer to come along)

Warning: an LCD/plasma TV is for life, not just for Christmas
Erm... no!! I personally don't think so! 12 months later the technology is now bigger and better than ever before: picture is better, sound is better, new TV's are lighter! And you've been left in the stone ages (OK... it's not really as bad as that!)

I've bought a 6 series Samsung 40 inch (+ free DVD recorder!)
I got a good deal for it: paid £667!

(If you want to find out where and how to get the same deal, read one of my posts below!)
The market value of the same TV right now - an average of what everyone else is paying is £750 - just weighing up what others pay at expensive places + shrewd buyers who know where to buy from (This figure is *just* an estimate that I've made up on the spot!)

I've done some research on eBay and 12 months down the road, I could realistically get £400 - £500 for the TV
(I'm a Powerseller on eBay... and sell 10,000's of items a year... so if you're not experienced... just take my word for it to be true about the price)

The price you get is dependent on a few factors:

- obviously condition
- is it boxed? does it have manuals? does it have original paperwork?
- the quality of your eBay listing: how good it looks (assuming you are selling on eBay)

I based my price guide above on some research: the prices of 4 and 5 series 40 inch Samsungs being sold right now (you need to be able to distinguish between used ones being sold + new ones still being sold)

Let's assume you buy for £700 for arguments sake and let's assume you get a lower end price of £400

Would you be happy!!? 

My take on it: if I could sell for £500, then I would - I'd go out and buy the current latest model/best offer

I'd be interested to hear what others say!

Some advice, if you want to sell:

- if you can... keep the original box
- keep EVERYTHING! the paperwork (no I'm not just referring to the warranty paper but also the manuals and enviromental notices!)
- obviously, I don't need to say: look after it with TLC 
- if selling on eBay, put some effort into creating a good looking listing
('good looking' doesn't necessarily mean top notch professional design - just lots of honest info, technical specs + loooads of pictures)

Do this and when it comes to selling, you'll get a much higher price than just an open TV: 'take as seen' sale

Disclaimer:

- keeping and storing a big box + not knowing when you might ever actually sell might not be realistic for most people!
- if having read this, you decide to keep the big giant box + other bits and bobs and as a result, the wife gives you a beating, please blame me (but don't give her my details)

Cheapest SatNav - less than £45!

WOW, wow!!

Well I never

I've purchased a FULLY working Satnav for UNDER£45!

I never ever would have believed this would be possible

Check this out: my Satnav plays videos and MP3's!!

Tomtom? Who wants you!!

Plasma vs LCD screens - which one is best?

Plasma??

LCD?

I thought I had it all figured out!

I'll come back and write a detailed report on LCD vs Plasma

Or Should it be Plasma vs LCD?

Whatever floats your boat!

I am an expert on flatscreens

I know everything there is to know

I've recently purchase a Samsung 6 Series at an astonishing LOW price (see post below to see how you can get the same deal yourself!)

But erm... erm... has someone seen my hat... I think I need to eat it or at least do something embarrassing like that!

It seems as though I only know half the story!

Plasma TV's: DO NOT write them off

They have MANY MANY advantages over LCD

(Also, LCD has some advatages over plasma)

If I could go back.... I would at least look at and consider plasma's

Scenario: faaast moving action with amazing filming and graphics

FACT: on this test, plasma's will p*** on the por perfomance given by LCD's

It's far superior!

As I said: I'll come back and write a detailed report later

What wall bracket to buy for your LCD?

What wall bracket to buy for your lcd?

Where from?

A few options... quite a few actually

I've spent too many hours researching and finding out the answer:

1. Google on 'LCD Plasma brackets'

You'll get lots of ads selling

Look and and compare several sellers from the internet

Look out for the big well known names as well as not well known (but still very good suppliers)

Aim: educate yourself on what's available

2. Buy from eBay

Yes: step 1 is needed!!!

Fact: the big boys are making WAY tooo much money on brackets for flat screen TV's!

WOW: go to PC World and you could spend £200 on something you could have bought from eBay for less than £30

3. No need for something that stretches out of the wall!

Damn uuurgerly!  This is my opinion - I am always right and have never been wrong: just take my word for it

Wha you want: something that keeps your LCD flat against the wall + give a way of accesing the back to plug cables in and out

Answer: get a tilting bracket

I'll come back and tidy this article up if I have time - ALL the information is there above - don't think, don't question, jusr do as I say!

What SD memory card do I buy?

I need to buy an SD memory card

What do I buy?

1GB? 2GB? 4GB?

What make should I buy?

Kingston SD? Sandisk SD? Toshiba SD? Panasonic SD? Transcend? PNY?

But then I have to decide what speed I should buy!?

AND: should I buy a cheap one from a foreign seller on eBay?

I've bought a Satnav and want to upgrade the memory + install newer and better software + install new maps

Where can YOU also get the Samsung 6 series 40" LCD for £667 + FREE DVD Recorder?

My mouth hasn't stopped talking: I don't think there's anyone else left that doesn't know about my fantastic purchase of the fantastic Samsung 6 Series 40" LCD TV for £667 + FREE Samsung DVD recorder

(Incidentally: the Samsung DVD recorder looks georgeous!)

Many have asked: where can I get such a deal? Show me proof! You're telling fibbs!

Scouts honour: I've purchased a Samsung 6 Series TV for £667 - the same TV (on it's own) else where is being sold for £800 - £900

(Heck go to www.samsung.com and try and buy, I don't think you'll get much change out of £1000)

Here's how you can get the same deal I got: in the search engine below, search for 'Samsung LE40A686M1FX'

Let me know if you have trouble - good luck and good TV hunting

In one of my next posts, I'll be writing about why this particular TV is amazing and better than others

SAMSUNG LE40A686M1FX: amazing price + amazing deal!!

SAMSUNG LE40A686M1FX: I've bought this finally!!

OK: I was planning on purchasing a nice 5 Series Samsung...

But then while discussing on a forum... someone told me of a website where they were selling the SAMSUNG LE40A686M1FX for a crazy price of £667 (including delivery!)

The SAMSUNG LE40A656 is being sold at prices above £800 in other places!

Guess what: I get a FREE Samsung DVD Recorder (with HDMI upscaling thrown in!!)

Plan of action: get rid of the Samsung DVD recorder - sell on eBay

And buy a Blu-ray Player - I've got my eyes on Samsung BD-1500: I've researched this... and it plays DivX, upscaled, when the latest firmware is used upgrading it to 2.0

Yee ha!

Result! LG 42LG7000: I aint crying for you no more!!

And... because I'm using my credit card: I get 2 years warranty which includes accidental damage!

Still left: order a wall mount

Not sure what to do with this... definitely need a wall mount... but nore sure where to put the Sky box and new coming DVD player!

Still ill, still have flu: need lots of rest... but happy now!

Other things to write about!

Please feel free to read

This is actually just a note to myself: just to remind me of what else to write about (that I'm an expert on)!!

• SD Memory cards
• Daily newshighlights
• How to pay £5 a month, get 500 minutes + unlimited texts
• Buying a mobile phone - where to buy from + watch out for the dodgy websites
• Website of the day!
• Battle of the browsers: who the BEST browser is
• 8cm DVDs explained
• How many channels do you want in your GPS? U don't need millions!
• Expensive jewellery - a guide to buying
• Printing: a guide to buying; amongst other things why cheap can be expensive
• Free/cheap = most EXPENSIVE option most of the time
• Expensive/quality = cheapest option most of the time!
• Mobile broadband
• Mobile broadband + con laptop giveaway
• T Mobile broadband: £1 a day!
• Happy moment for the day
• Speaking in public - make a fool of yourself when it doesn't matter
• Make money writing a blog!!
• Make money from Google Ads
• Mobile Ringtones: why I hate them + how to make your own!
• Never buy online without searching for a voucher first!
• Why I like Ikea
• Why I like Tesco's more than other supermarkets
• Latest gadget reviews
• Latest film reviews
• Potty Training
  
• How to stay safe on the internet!
• Firewalls - do I need one?
• Backing up your data
• Bring your PC to life again!
• CISS Ink - save £millions of pounds on ink
• Buying a printer: the facts
• Why I don't like the British 'con sale' culture
• Recession? Yes, lets  make it happen - the damn shop certainly are - like Next, Boots and Superdrug + what did you buy for Chrisymas?
• How to download ANYTHING you wamt
  
• Software: the morals and why it's OK to steal (sometimes)
  
• Why Sony Playstation became number 1
• How to juggle
  
• ecommerce: the way to go is Magneto!
• Advice on buying a mountain bike: what to research and where to buy from!
• My scientific approach it buying most things: does it look good? + does everyone else have it?
• DON'T ever higher a foreign freelancer + why I DO higher foreign freelancer's ALL the time!
• IT: foreign cheap option = most expensive option EVER
• Entrepreneur: being thick and stupid and stubborn and ignorant helps
• Mortages - what do do where to buy from
  
• Credit cards
  
• Politics
  
• eBay: why it's the best thing in the world!
  
• eBay: my first BMW
• eBay: hardwork! (I spend 30 minutes a day working on eBay!)
• eBay: buying on eBay - look beyond page 1 and 2! + do research before you buy!
• eBay: selling on eBay
• eBay: prepare for selling an item the moment you buy it! (Keep EVERYTHING!)
• eBay: where to get your goods from to sell!
• eBay: *MOST* profitable item to sell! 
• eBay: people waiting for the golden holy grail nugget!
• eBay: selling strategies
• eBay: copy copy copy!
• eBay: is completely transparent!
• eBay: anomaly: eBay has no competition!
• eBay: suck it and see!
• eBay: current approach of selling by most sellers: sell from the kitchen table!
• eBay: join the bandwagon - but be different
• eBay: rules of the jungle
• eBay: rules and regulations
• eBay: walk down the street with your eyes wide open
• eBay: fraudster tricks!
• eBay: never ever give anything away ever again!
• eBay: never ever give away your mobile!!
• eBay: an iPhone to use for 3 months for ONLY £30!
• eBay: what's my market price?
• eBay: advanced research - pay and make money
• eBay: why it's possible to make money trading on eBay
• eBay: why it's good for the world - helps keep prices down
• eBay: why it's still OK for big giant retailers to make money (they employ people + have invested in clever/slimy marketing etc)
• eBay: why manufacturers cost of goods is very small compared to the final market place selling price (everyone in the chain needs to be fed)
• eBay: choose to sell less popular items
• eBay: how to sell successfully in markets where there are millions of sellers! i.e. ink refills
• eBay: eBay Optimisation
• eBay: new rules
• eBay: beyond eBay
• eBay: is naked and see through! (You just need to know how to look!)
• eBay: plan to grow, plan to be bigger, be ambitious
• eBay: help Santa
• eBay: clear your garage and loft
• eBay: DIY - eBay can make your house bigger! (By selling off junk you have stored!)
• eBay: why I want to drive a brand new car for the rest of my life (not relating to anything to do with eBay as such... but describing the thought process inside my head!)
• eBay: time is ticking, your item is loweirng in value by the day! If you want to sell: take action!! (And don't be lazy like me!)
• Starting a business: spend money to make money
• Starting a business: creating your business plan
• ecommerce: where to start!
• Starting a business? 
• Learn to spend money and not save money!
• Chinese baby gender teller!
• How to have a baby boy or a baby girl
• How to bring up children
• Tame a bully and encourage a softie
• Nintendo Wii - why it's sooo damn wicked!
  
• Nintendo Wii: get it chipped + steal Nintendo games (and help Nintendo become richer as a result)
  
• Protecting your kids on the net: Netnanny
• Killer Startups
• MUST have tools for your PC
• Where to buy your PC from and how
• Where and how to buy a laptop
• Buying an LCD: dummies guide
• Web design
• Phraseexpress
• Why I never use internet cafe's!
• Keylogger
• Recruitment
• How to get 15 minutes extra in your exams!!
• Memory techniques
• Macs are evil!!
• iPods suck!
• How to fold a tshirt in 2 seconds!
• How to solve the Rubiks cube
• Public speaking
• My favourite eBay sellers
• How to fight the recession
• Buying a house: save money or have a good life?
• I hate miserable Londoners!
• UGG Boots
• Credit cards
• Loans
• The truth about Curry's, PC World and Dixons!
• GoDaddy discounts - how to get the best price for buying domains
• Where to buy your domain from - watch out for the sharks that don't want to let you out!
• Car insurance
• Parking tickets: the diary of a serial escape artist!
• Best lies I've ever told!
• Paper Bang! Buy for just a £1!
• The best and worst books I've ever read
• My favourties food
• My favourite restaurants
• My favourite websites
• Commentary on adverts: explaining the thought process behind making them + what they're trying to tell you
• Commentary on adverts: are you Harold or are you one of the coool moustache guys?
• Worlds richest people
• Worlds happiest people
• Worlds sadest people
• I want a cat, I really really really want a cat!
• Which university? Do you want a First Class or a 2:2?
• Exams: the most important one(s) in your life
• How to make friends and influence people
• Guerilla Marketing
• I'm a thinker and not a doer
• How to find an answer to almost anything: internet forums
• Some of my inventions
• Blogging: how to get started
• Feeds
• Nando's: don't forget the mayo!
• The secrets of an Indian chef: buy the book
• Chutney mad!
• Magic 9 card trick
• T Mobile, O2, Vodafone, Orange
• Best PAYG: well known furniture store!!
• iPhone or Blackberry?
• Why I *refuse* to get a Blackberry (because I have a life!)
• Why I will go into politics - I want to change the world we live in
• Tomtom and Satnav reviews
• What's the difference between expensive SatNav's and cheap ones? Which should you buy?
• When to buy from Dell and when not to buy from Dell
• say no to 0870! + ask for international dialing numbers!
• scan your receipts
• scan everything
• buy all in one printer!v(but buy one with adf)
• brother printers: the worst printers in the world!
• love canon hate canon
• lexmark - the past the current and future?
• ink prices explained
• laser or inkject: what should u buy?
• crunched cornflakes! yum yum!
• mango lassi
• roasted vegetables
• lose 2 stone in 6 weeks!
• how i lost 2 stone eating 2 chocolate eclairs a day!
• Google Business Application: ESSENTIAL for ANY business

The above is NOT listed in any specific order!

More to come!

What LCD should I buy? Samsung LE40A656A or LG 42LG7000? AND where to buy from? Dixons? Currys? PC World? Pixmania? Play.com? Amazon?

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I'm lying here thinking what LCD do I buy?

Mind made up: either a Samsung LE40A656A or LG 42LG7000?

But which do I buy?

Right now, I've become an expert on the subject!

Sometimes, I just waste my life away researching and researching and thinking and thinking and thinking and contemplating! All of this effort WON'T be a waste: hopefully my diary/experience/research report will help others who want to buy!

Dixons = Currys = PCWorld!

DSG

So no need to shop around? Heck no!

You could save yourself £100 by buying from one place and not the other!

Dixons? Currys? PC World? Pixmania? Play.com? Amazon?

I've decided on a Samsung 5 series!

Me: I don't watch TV these days!

So getting a super version and spending £150 - £200 extra is not really going to make any extra difference!

Samsung 6 series: if I was really bothered, this is the one I would have purchased Play.com do have a VERY good priced 6 series television: LE40A616

This the same as the more expensive LE40A656A

LE40A616: this is selling at £650 at Play.com

LE40A656A: this is selling for £750+ at other places!

The only difference (as far as I can see!) is that the first one has a contrast ratio of 30,000:1 while the second more expensive one has a ratio of 50,000:1

Got money to burn in your pockets? Well the later Series Samsung TV's look like an amazing spec

I think the 9 Series Samsung has a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1 (yes, that's one million to one!)

*Not* an expert as such: but I would have thought the difference between 30,000:1 contrast ratio and 1,000,000:1 is not that noticible (and ofcourse: even more less so when compared to the 50,000:1!)

How much does that contrast ratio matter? Heck you could go to eBuyer and buy a really decent spec Full HD LCD screen for less than £500

(The contrast ratio you'll get is 1,500:1)

Well... these is where I like to apply my logical illogic: the bigger the number the better... the better the toy I'm sure this makes no sense to anyone apart from me: but basically, I'll apply this logic and make a purchase unless there's a compelling reason to do so otherwise - like price!

The LG 42LG7000: 100hz, 42 inches, Full HD + Bluetooth!!

Yes: Bluetooth

But reveiws I've read say that the Bluetooth is like a cheap badge just tacked on the side!!

I missed out on the super doooper special offer from Dixons, PC World, Currys and Pixmania who for a milisecond sold this TV for prices less than £550!

Now: no one sells the TV apart from one or 2 retailers and the price is at least £750

Sony LCD: I dismissed this because I just don't like the design!!

It looks yukky and disgusting to me!

I've decided to go for the Samsung 5 Series: do a search on Google and find a special discounted voucher for Dixon's and pick this lovely babe up for £540 (or something close to that figure)

1st Jan 2009... happy and sad

1st Jan 2009! Wow!!

Happy: looking forward to the year coming

Sad: not feeling well, have flu can't think of what to do - take a day off or go back to work?