Televisions

Reviewing TVs can be a bit of a soulless profession. You write the review, put it online, and that’s the last you hear of it. But eventually, friends and family come back to you – out of the blue – and say things about the site, like “It’s a treasure trove…” or “It actually makes me care what a TV remote looks like!” (Yes, they’re actual quotes.)

The Panasonic TX-P 46 G 15 B is available from around 900 GBP.

So when a family member decided he wanted to enter the world of HD home cinema with a mid-range plasma TV and a Blu-ray player, he knew where to come. But the advice I could give him isn’t all here in my head. It’s in the thousands of pages of content Televisions.com has been gushing out over the last couple of years. I’d almost forgotten how in-depth our TV buying guide is, and just how many current plasma TVs we’ve either reviewed or previewed. When the happy owner of a new TX-P 46 G 15 B then turned his attention to Blu-ray players, he immediately stumbled upon a recent blog entry at Televisions.com – Top five Blu-ray players released in 2009. Seeing our glowing praise of Panasonic’s top-spot player, the DMP-BD 80, was all the persuasion he needed. The new setup has recently been put through its paces with the Blu-ray edition of “Casino Royale” – and where did he hear about this release’s exceptional picture quality? Where else – it’s the winner of our 43 Best Blu-rays Ever.

It’s good to know that all of this work really does give useful, practical results. And, as the proud new high-def fan said: “I would have spent much more, and to no real effect.” There you have it, Televisions.com offers you sound, money-saving tips on what to buy and how to set it up – and we plan to keep on doing so.

The sales have been running for a couple of weeks now, but there are still plenty of bargains out there. Many people are unaware of just how affordable flat-panel TVs have become – entry-level Samsung LCDs now sell from as little as 350 GBP, and you can even pick up a 50-inch plasma TV, such as Samsung’s PS-50B430, for a little over 600 GBP. Televisions.com offers plenty of buying advice for novices and experts alike – and once you’ve taken the advice in our TV buying guide on board, you can even compare prices and specifications in the “Shop” section of the site. We’ve written reviews or in-depth previews for all of the TVs you’ll find here.

TVs such as Panasonic's hugely popular TX-P 42 G 15 (pictured here) have become much more affordable.

Recent highlights that you might be able to pick up at bargain prices include the Panasonic TX-P 42 G 15 B, which currently sells on PC World’s website for just 750 GBP – this is actually slightly less than the inferior G 10 model sells for. Similarly, LCD fans might like the look of Toshiba’s 37 RV 635 D B, which is available through Amazon for just 375 GBP. Check out our manufacturer overview pages for the main manufacturers – Philips, Sony, Toshiba, Samsung, Panasonic, and LG. Here you’ll find lists of all their current models along with a selection of discontinued models that you might find knocking around at very low prices. Where we’ve reviewed or previewed the TVs, you’ll find links to our in-depth analyses.

Happy bargain-hunting!

The holiday season always seems to sneak up. If you’re still tracking down the ideal Christmas present for a gamer, soap addict, or sports fan, have you considered buying them a flat-panel TV? Modern LCD and plasma TVs are becoming increasingly affordable, but choosing exactly the right model seems like a herculean task.

You’ll be pleased to hear that we’ve been cracking out TV-buying advice for years! Our LCD and Plasma TV Buying Guide, for example, helps you choose the right size, resolution, and screen type. We’ll help to base your decision on what the TV will be used for – films, sports, gaming, general TV viewing – and where it will be used – in a small, bright living room or a dark home cinema, for example.

On top of that, our manufacturer overviews describe the whole current selection from the top manufacturers – you’ll find the various links for Philips, Sony, Toshiba, Panasonic, and Samsung in the “Featured Brands” list on the Televisions.com home page.

Remember that you don’t need to buy a brand-new model – you might find the ideal TV in a stock-clearance sale or available second-hand. Deals often crop up just before the holidays, so waiting a few extra days can sometimes pay off. If you do decide to buy an older model, check out our huge back catalogue of TV reviews.

And don’t forget to recycle the old one in the new year! For practical tips on recycling your TV, check out What to do with old CRT TVs?.