TV's with MPEG4 DTT decoder

Peirn2

Does anyone have any recommendations for Mpeg4, Mheg5, DVBT2, LCD TV with PC input for around €200 - €250 incl. delivery or pick up.



Thanks.

buragoed

I'm sure this has been answered before but this thread is huge and tricky to follow. I'm in the market for a full HD TV that will work with the Saorview service and Freesat as a replacement for my CRT TV and Sky subscription. I don't need PVR functionality just an easy way to watch Irish and UK TV channels for free. 32 inch would be the best size for my room. My (unreasonable?) budget is €400-450. Thanks:)

copacetic

buragoed wrote: »

I'm sure this has been answered before but this thread is huge and tricky to follow. I'm in the market for a full HD TV that will work with the Saorview service and Freesat as a replacement for my CRT TV and Sky subscription. I don't need PVR functionality just an easy way to watch Irish and UK TV channels for free. 32 inch would be the best size for my room. My (unreasonable?) budget is €400-450. Thanks:)

I think your budget is low for a TV with a freesat tuner built in. Sony available here for €549:

http://www.powercity.ie/?par=10-12-32V581

that will do freessat and saorview with no extra boxes.

buragoed

copacetic wrote: »

I think your budget is low for a TV with a freesat tuner built in. Sony available here for €549:

http://www.powercity.ie/?par=10-12-32V581

that will do freessat and saorview with no extra boxes.

Thanks for the quick reply, that looks like a lovely TV alright. Do you think it would make a good replacement for someone used to Sky? I'm trying to keep the set-up as simple for everyone in the house to use. Would changing channels from a terrestrial channel to a satellite one be seamless or involve loads of button presses?

Edit: Also do you know if this will do RTE in HD whenever that service is launched?

copacetic

buragoed wrote: »

Thanks for the quick reply, that looks like a lovely TV alright. Do you think it would make a good replacement for someone used to Sky? I'm trying to keep the set-up as simple for everyone in the house to use. Would changing channels from a terrestrial channel to a satellite one be seamless or involve loads of button presses?

On this one I believe you have to change inputs to move from the DTT tuner to the freesat tuner, so it would be an extra button press every time you want to go from UK channels to Irish channels or back. Possibly you can rearrange the channels but I'm not sure.

Used to sky, you will be missing sky1,2,3 all the sky sports/movies if you have them and a number of the other channels like bravo, comedy central, living, Nickelodeon, etc . You will gain all the BBC, ITV channels as part of epg and channel 5 also.
Channel list for Freesat here: http://www.freesat.co.uk/what-you-get/our-channels

It depends on whether you watch the channels you will be missing. It's definitely a drop off in choice, but no ongoing subscription costs ever again. Just TV license cost.

edit - it will do rteHD if and when it arrives and you will get BBC1HD, BBCHD and ITVHD via freesat also.

buragoed

Cheers, I was aware I'd lose all the channels you mentioned. Thanks for your help I appreciate it, this TV is starting to look perfect.

Peirn2

That Sony looks a good one, any recommended options for something in the 22" to 26" range?

marclt

I agree, this thread is becoming too long for anyone to reasonably research before posting a comment or query.

I am of a mind to unstick on that basis, and either start a second thread or ask members to PM me with make/model number of TVs known to be working with the Saorview platform.

If you have any comments on this course of action - let me know.

Marc

peking97

marclt wrote: »

... ask members to PM me with make/model number of TVs known to be working with the Saorview platform.
Marc

Good idea!

Peirn2

Sounds good to me. A list of compatible TVs and their price ranges.

championc

Absolutely.

Working Panasonic Models
UK - Combo Dual Tuner FreeviewHD & FreesatHD Model
TX-L32G20B
TX-L37G20B
TX-P42G20B
TX-P46G20B
TX-P50G20B

IE
TX-L42D25L (MHEG-5 missing)

micratoyota

I think that you must also have a good airial . I have this tv but only rabbits ears in Cork and their are not strong enough Tried it with a proper airial and it brought them in to the 800's. so I know they are there. Tuned in 1,2,3,4 in Digital tuning but analogue with rabbits ears and this helped me keep Freesat. Before I only had FTA and Analogue. Only thing is I miss Sky news on the Freesat but like the EPG

copacetic wrote: »

On this one I believe you have to change inputs to move from the DTT tuner to the freesat tuner, so it would be an extra button press every time you want to go from UK channels to Irish channels or back. Possibly you can rearrange the channels but I'm not sure.

Used to sky, you will be missing sky1,2,3 all the sky sports/movies if you have them and a number of the other channels like bravo, comedy central, living, Nickelodeon, etc . You will gain all the BBC, ITV channels as part of epg and channel 5 also.
Channel list for Freesat here: http://www.freesat.co.uk/what-you-get/our-channels

It depends on whether you watch the channels you will be missing. It's definitely a drop off in choice, but no ongoing subscription costs ever again. Just TV license cost.

edit - it will do rteHD if and when it arrives and you will get BBC1HD, BBCHD and ITVHD via freesat also.

Sponge Bob

Sky News is broadcast in the clear, there may be an 'other channels or 'other sat' menu option to add channels not in the Freesat EPG because uncle Rupert is in a sulk with the Beeb.

Mentioned here for a cheapo Bush Freesat tuner

Settings

Freq 12207 Vertical ( V or H are the options)
SR Signal Rate or Bit Rate 27500
FEC ( error correction) 2/3

and it should appear....somewhere

micratoyota

Sponge Bob wrote: »

Sky News is broadcast in the clear, there may be an 'other channels or 'other sat' menu option to add channels not in the Freesat EPG because uncle Rupert is in a sulk with the Beeb.

Mentioned here for a cheapo Bush Freesat tuner

Settings

Freq 12207 Vertical ( V or H are the options)
SR Signal Rate or Bit Rate 27500
FEC ( error correction) 2/3

and it should appear....somewhere

I have the Sony 32W 5810 which does not require a box (straight through from the Sat dish) but I don't know to bring up the frequencies. Tried all the menus

Pappacharlie

I purchased a Sony Full HD LCD Tv in Northern Ireland in Dec 2006. It cost me €1450 at the time as opposed to €2999 in the south. It has a digital tuner and I tried tuning in the stations recently. However I can only receive sound. I am told that Northern Ireland has a different mpeg system than the south. Is it possible to do a software upgrade on the tuner? any assistance appreciated.

copacetic

micratoyota wrote: »

I have the Sony 32W 5810 which does not require a box (straight through from the Sat dish) but I don't know to bring up the frequencies. Tried all the menus

from memory (assuming W5810 is the same as V5810) it's in setup> sat tuning
select scan for new services and advanced settings you can enter the setting manually.

The Cush

Pappacharlie wrote: »

Is it possible to do a software upgrade on the tuner? any assistance appreciated.

No, STB required to view the Irish channels with that TV.

copacetic wrote: »

from memory (assuming W5810 is the same as V5810) it's in setup> sat tuning
select scan for new services and advanced settings you can enter the setting manually.

I think it not posssible to add extra channels to the freesat setup on that TV, only available in FTA mode (was posted in another thread previously).

The W5810 is the 100Hz version and the V5810 the 50Hz version.

Peirn2

Has anyone got the Hannspree SJ25DMAB 25 inch LCD TV Full HD 1080p and what are your opinions on this product?

Or can anyone tell if its a decent item from description.

Thanks.

Peirn2

I'd be grateful if someone can confirm that the Hannspree SJ25DMAB 25 inch LCD TV has Mpeg4 and Mheg5 that works in Ireland (south). It says it does in literature but I might get it in UK and wondered if it made any difference.

Thanks.

STB

Peirn2 wrote: »

I'd be grateful if someone can confirm that the Hannspree SJ25DMAB 25 inch LCD TV has Mpeg4 and Mheg5 that works in Ireland (south). It says it does in literature but I might get it in UK and wondered if it made any difference.

Thanks.

It most certainly does in the specification. MHEG5 and MPEG4 H264 (AVC)

http://www.hannspree.com/EU/EN/product_detail.aspx?id=55351&c=53875

Sponge Bob

Quite a few of these Hannspree models have shown up in independent retailers . There are a few ranges.

SV Mpeg4 and MHEG5
SJ Mpeg4 and MHEG5
ST No Mpeg4 and No Mheg5

The Cush

Sponge Bob wrote: »

Quite a few of these Hannspree models have shown up in independent retailers . There are a few ranges.

SV Mpeg4 and MHEG5
SJ Mpeg4 but No MHEG5
ST No Mpeg4 and No Mheg5

According to the Hanspree website the SJ series is also both MPEG-4 and MHEG-5.

Peirn2

Thanks for your replies, puts my mind at ease.

Has anyone had any experiences with Hannspree's quality of picture and longevity?

Cheers.

watty

Some TVs from 1936 inc CRT are still working in UK (via DTT setbox and 625 -> 405 convertor). I don't think Hannspree sets have been around long enough. I had Thorn TX9 based Colour CRT from 1977 till 2004, it only went to Recycling centre as the Tuner mechanics worn out, picture still good if you held channel button!. My Vestel made Mitsubishi is still giving a "like new" picture after nearly 8 years.

Ask again in 5 to 10 years...

Seamu$

marclt wrote: »

I agree, this thread is becoming too long for anyone to reasonably research before posting a comment or query.

I am of a mind to unstick on that basis, and either start a second thread or ask members to PM me with make/model number of TVs known to be working with the Saorview platform.

If you have any comments on this course of action - let me know.

Marc

I would strongly agree with that idea Marc - a post or thread with simply a list of makes & models that have MPEG4 and/or MHEG5 would be very useful.

Personally, I'm looking at purchasing a Samsung and would like to get both features but it's very difficult to know if a certain model has them or doesn't.

Many thanks.

mcwhirter

Pappacharlie wrote: »

I purchased a Sony Full HD LCD Tv in Northern Ireland in Dec 2006. It cost me €1450 at the time as opposed to €2999 in the south. It has a digital tuner and I tried tuning in the stations recently. However I can only receive sound. I am told that Northern Ireland has a different mpeg system than the south. Is it possible to do a software upgrade on the tuner? any assistance appreciated.

DTT in the UK is Mpeg2 while Ireland and most of europe mainland if not all is MPEG4. You could always buy a mpeg receiver box seperately as I reckon you need hardware not software changes.

John Dough

Peirn2 wrote: »

Has anyone got the Hannspree SJ25DMAB 25 inch LCD TV Full HD 1080p and what are your opinions on this product?

Or can anyone tell if its a decent item from description.

Thanks.

Got the 28" version and it has all you want full hd mpeg4 mheg5 plus a full band tuner vhf.uhf so you can use it on the cable system and all the national channels are working perfectly plus the HD test channel and with a 2 year guarantee it is great value at diddy right now.Bear in my this model has a 16 x 10 screen which I wanted as the 16 x 9 looks a little skimpy to me on the other sizes.

The UK version may be different as they have DTT HD T2 transmissions ,the guy in the store told me it is of European origin (Dutch)which I believe is a Turkish built set and branded by a host of different names so should be no problem getting it repaired if anything goes wrong.

It seems quite good quality with a huge owners manual a nice screen cleaning cloth and the remote is a stand up type which is very handy picture quality is very good as is the 2 x 10 watt sound but not a patch on my Sony 40" 100hz but then I didn't pay 1/3 of the sony price for it.

As the price was right and the country is in a dire state I did not bother pricing it in the UK (I did check out other equivelent sets there) but decided to spend my cash here for a change as the difference was minimal.

I would certainly reccommend it as a second set no problem .

Peirn2

Thanks very much John, great comments.

Going by brochure they look good and have what I'd want for the money, with 2 year warranty.

Cheers.

rsmike

I finally got around to purchasing my new TV.

My local Curry's had a good limited time deal on the Samsung LE40C530 at €480 (apparently back up to €550 today), so I went with that.

Very happy with the quality and features at this price point. Truly plug and play also, the only thing I had to do was select Ireland rather than UK before it searched for channels, It picked up all the Irish DTV and analog channels. EPG for DTV works fine also.

Pangea

Pangea wrote: »

Black Briar,
My parents have this tv now ,the 32ex403 ,however one issue I have noticed ,the information epg for programmes after now and next just says event not valid or something like that.
Do you have this problem?
I have now purchased the ex401 and the epg information is working perfect up to 6 or 7 days in advance.

Mine is the 40ex403.
I don't have that problem as such.

However I notice that sometimes if I am tuned to the saorview channels and I scroll down to the uk channels in the epg,the channells are listed with no epg information.
However when I select the uk channel,the full 7 days epg info immediately repopulates.
The problem doesn't work in reverse and is only a minor nuisance,presumably caused by some wierd saorview setting or other.
It happens on my sony w4000 aswell.

Presumably clicking the i button in that scenario would pull up the error your parents are see'ing.
They shouldn't be getting that error if they only have saorview and no freeview,I'd imagine so don't know the story in that case.