Crucial Criteria for choosing equipment.
johngood_____
I saw that somebody cut through the endless, "thats a good make or that's
not a good make" by what looked like to me as going to the heart of the
matter.
That is, by considering from their relevant web sites; what the
'specification' of specific computer chips of either of the two main makers,
AMD or Intel, the laptop computer had inside it. Then after that perhaps
other criterion can be looked at like customer service, etc, etc.
When it comes to buying a new flat screen television is there an insightful
way to give priority to one or two criterion for choosing a new set from the
massive and bewildering array of new models now on the market?
I am a novice in this area, but I have heard that there a only a very few
makers of the actual flat screens, who then go on to supply most of the
famous brands. So might that be a crucial area to consider first?
Any information around this I would be grateful for. Also I've heard that
the sound of the set is relatively uninportant, since it will be drastically
improved by feeding the sound out through and audio amplifier?
Grateful for any advice on the above and the few criteria you yourself would
consider first. Thanks
super
"johngood_____" <time.d...@REMOOVEvirgin.net> wrote in message
news:RH_3j.103$jy3...@newsfe7-win.ntli.net...
Go to WHSmith and browse or buy some review mags.
David
The graphic card is not good enough so if you want games make sure you know
what you want, by the way I think most of the low end priced laptops have
this comment made.
FS CS is poor from the couple of questions I've asked them.
My PC is an HP CS is excellent last week one evening I e-mailed them with a
question within 2 hours they e-mailed back. This lead to another e-mail to
them, a reply about 10mins later, another mail back and again 10mins to
reply. So within 3 hours my problem solved.
Next morning a personal E-mail from them asking was all ok now, if not could
they help further.
I call that good old fashioned service.
On another occasion my Updater, checks daily, got a Microsoft update, the PC
did not like it. I e-mailed HP CS and within an hour they sent me a fix.
I will be buying thier product next time.
Can I add to your question, as I await what is said about monitors, if you
are requiring them.
I want a 22" w/s, most £300 or more.
Staples have a Belinea at £129.99 I would welcome comments on this, is it as
good as others in the lower price range.
I note the cheaper ones just feature the normal connectors, but more
expensive one have a DVi as alternative. Is there anything to choose
between these inputs on a monitor having both.
Regards
David
David
"super" <M...@spark.com> wrote in message
news:13l0udr...@corp.supernews.com...
>
> Go to WHSmith and browse or buy some review mags.
>
Not too sure on that.
When I bought my laptop it was £399 and all stores had that price on thier
lowest one. But the mags. seemed to only mention laptops of £600/700 +, I
think they written by people with pots of money.
Regards
David
Michael Chare
news:RH_3j.103$jy3...@newsfe7-win.ntli.net...
> >
> insightful way to give priority to one or two criterion for choosing a new
> set from the massive and bewildering array of new models now on the
> market?
>
You could look for TVs that will show 1080i or 1080p in native format. i.e.
they have that may lines on the screen. There are one or two products on the
market that will do that now. I think that the smallest size 1080 screen
that you can get is about 37" at the moment.
--
Michael Chare
Rod Speed
> Recently I saw in a newsgroup topic about 'choosing' a new laptop computer, I saw that somebody cut through the
> endless, "thats a good make or that's not a good make" by what looked like to me as going to the heart of the matter.
But it wasnt in fact doing that.
> That is, by considering from their relevant web sites; what the
> 'specification' of specific computer chips of either of the two main makers, AMD or Intel, the laptop computer had
> inside it.
Thats a mindlessly superficial way of choosing a laptop.
The practical reality is that unless you plan to use your laptop rather
unusually, the specific chip used isnt the most important criterion.
> Then after that perhaps other criterion can be looked at like customer service, etc, etc.
That shouldnt be a perhaps, particularly if you arent very technically competant.
> When it comes to buying a new flat screen television is there an insightful way to give priority to one or two
> criterion for choosing a new set from the massive and bewildering array of new models now on the market?
Nope, tho you can claim that a particular technology may be the first
way to eliminate a large chunk of what is on offer in some cases,
like deciding that it really needs to be LCD and not plasma etc.
> I am a novice in this area, but I have heard that there a only a very
> few makers of the actual flat screens, who then go on to supply most
> of the famous brands. So might that be a crucial area to consider first?
The basic technology used, whether its LCD or plasma etc.
> Any information around this I would be grateful for. Also I've heard that the sound of the set is relatively
> uninportant, since it will be drastically improved by feeding the sound out through and audio amplifier?
Yes, but many dont want to bother doing that and need good sound without that.
> Grateful for any advice on the above and the few criteria you yourself would consider first.
I choose to stick with CRTs myself currently, mainly for the better viewing angle and
better brightness because I use it in a very bright room. Thats not what most need tho.
super
"David" <david...@tesco.net> wrote in message
news:i2%3j.28$ov...@newsfe5-win.ntli.net...
I was really talking with respect to the TV monitor screens in the post.
Up until a week ago I thought Samsung equipment was good. I was about to buy
250 of their laptops for work, but a stunningly nightmarish support call to
them recently means I won't EVER purchase anything from them again. I used
to be impressed by them too.
Their Scottish helpdesk told me to get lost over a faulty monitor, even
though it was only 6 months old and displayed a vertical line with 4
different computers (2 new Vista, 2 oldish XP). Monitor had to go in bin, as
the user couldn't work with it.
Caveat Emptor.
Rod Speed
> super <M...@spark.com> wrote
>> Go to WHSmith and browse or buy some review mags.
> Not too sure on that.
> When I bought my laptop it was £399 and all stores had that price on thier lowest one. But the mags. seemed to only
> mention laptops of £600/700 +, I think they written by people with pots of money.
Or fools that have never been able to work out what is driving the market.
Peter Lynch
>
> "super" <M...@spark.com> wrote in message
> news:13l0udr...@corp.supernews.com...
>
>>
>> Go to WHSmith and browse or buy some review mags.
>>
> Not too sure on that.
> lowest one. But the mags. seemed to only mention laptops of £600/700 +, I
> think they written by people with pots of money.
It's not the the reviewers have lots of money, it's that the publishers
want the advertisers to think the readers have lots of money[1]. If they
review bottom end stuff, they won't get the high end audience and therefore
can't charge the high advertising rates that an ABC1 audience commands.
Also, high-cost stuff has a larger profit margin and marketing budget,
so it's easier to get flashy stuff to review.
[1] quote from advertisers profile at http://tinyurl.com/28kt6k
"Readers are high earners,
with a large proportion of IT
purchasers reading for
business reasons"
--
..........................................................................
. never trust a man who, when left alone ...... Pete Lynch .
. in a room with a tea cosy ...... Marlow, England .
. doesn't try it on (Billy Connolly) .....................................
tony sayer
<david...@tesco.net> scribeth thus
windoze vista pox on so a for the same price a couple of second-hand
dells were had with XPee, not quite such a pox and soon to be Linux'ed:)
Tv's?..
Dunno about that but I'm hanging onto our old B&O CRT set till they get
some decent hi def on the go!..
--
Tony Sayer
tony sayer
scribeth thus
Same here sam can go and get sung!! not again!..
--
Tony Sayer
Anthony Matonak
...
> I want a 22" w/s, most £300 or more.
> Staples have a Belinea at £129.99 I would welcome comments on this, is it as
> good as others in the lower price range.
It looks as good as the others from the specs. I found the UK Staples
webpage with the offer listed as £127.65, that's $262.48 in US Dollars.
Here on the other side of the world, Staples sells a similar monitor
for $270 and various websites sell them for as little as $220 ($232
with shipping) so it's not anything special in terms of price.
> I note the cheaper ones just feature the normal connectors, but more
> expensive one have a DVi as alternative. Is there anything to choose
> between these inputs on a monitor having both.
Digital connectors give a better picture but you need digital output
on your computer to make it work. VGA is good enough if you've got
good cables and don't use a KVM switch.
Anthony
Dave Wade
"johngood_____" <time.d...@REMOOVEvirgin.net> wrote in message
news:RH_3j.103$jy3...@newsfe7-win.ntli.net...
> computer, I saw that somebody cut through the endless, "thats a good make
> or that's not a good make" by what looked like to me as going to the
> heart of the matter.
>
> That is, by considering from their relevant web sites; what the
> 'specification' of specific computer chips of either of the two main
> makers, AMD or Intel, the laptop computer had inside it. Then after that
> perhaps other criterion can be looked at like customer service, etc, etc.
>
you can't choose a laptop from a web site. You need to get it on your lap,
and give it a good fondle....
> When it comes to buying a new flat screen television is there an
> insightful way to give priority to one or two criterion for choosing a new
> set from the massive and bewildering array of new models now on the
> market?
>
NO
> I am a novice in this area, but I have heard that there a only a very few
> makers of the actual flat screens, who then go on to supply most of the
> famous brands. So might that be a crucial area to consider first?
>
Only if some panels were better than otehrs. I don't think thats the case
> Any information around this I would be grateful for. Also I've heard that
> the sound of the set is relatively uninportant, since it will be
> drastically improved by feeding the sound out through and audio
> amplifier?
Putting sound that is contaminated with digital artifacts, hum, or noise
through an ampifier may lift the level of the contamination and make things
sound worse
> Grateful for any advice on the above and the few criteria you yourself
> would consider first. Thanks
visit a few shops, look choose
Rod Speed
> johngood_____ <time.d...@REMOOVEvirgin.net> wrote
>> Recently I saw in a newsgroup topic about 'choosing' a new laptop
>> computer, I saw that somebody cut through the endless, "thats a good
>> make or that's not a good make" by what looked like to me as going
>> to the heart of the matter.
>> That is, by considering from their relevant web sites; what the
>> 'specification' of specific computer chips of either of the two main
>> makers, AMD or Intel, the laptop computer had inside it. Then after
>> that perhaps other criterion can be looked at like customer service,
>> etc, etc.
> you can't choose a laptop from a web site.
Corse you can.
> You need to get it on your lap, and give it a good fondle....
Nope, not if almost all of them suit you fine.
>> When it comes to buying a new flat screen television is there an
>> insightful way to give priority to one or two criterion for choosing
>> a new set from the massive and bewildering array of new models now
>> on the market?
> NO
>> I am a novice in this area, but I have heard that there a only a
>> very few makers of the actual flat screens, who then go on to supply
>> most of the famous brands. So might that be a crucial area to
>> consider first?
> Only if some panels were better than otehrs. I don't think thats the case
>> Any information around this I would be grateful for. Also I've
>> heard that the sound of the set is relatively uninportant, since it
>> will be drastically improved by feeding the sound out through and
>> audio amplifier?
> Putting sound that is contaminated with digital artifacts, hum, or
> noise through an ampifier may lift the level of the contamination and
> make things sound worse
>> Grateful for any advice on the above and the few criteria you
>> yourself would consider first. Thanks
> visit a few shops, look choose
Dinosaur stuff.
Anthony Matonak
> When it comes to buying a new flat screen television is there an insightful
> way to give priority to one or two criterion for choosing a new set from the
> massive and bewildering array of new models now on the market?
> Any information around this I would be grateful for. Also I've heard that
> the sound of the set is relatively uninportant, since it will be drastically
> improved by feeding the sound out through and audio amplifier?
It's difficult to put good speakers in the small space available on a
flat panel TV. Affordable home theater sound systems are out there and
even the worst will sound better than what comes with the TV.
The criterion for choosing your TV set should be based on what you want.
First is size. How big do you want? The bigger, the more expensive.
Next is technology. You're basically looking at LCD and Plasma for a
flat panel TV. LCD tends to have slightly less color range but is
lighter and the backlighting is potentially replaceable. Plasma has
slightly better color rendition and contrast ratio but suffers from
image burn and the tube, which is too expensive to replace, has a
more limited life.
The differences between LCD and Plasma these days are probably small
enough that you wouldn't notice them and you would have to leave the
TV on 24/7 for the lifespan to be of any major importance.
Look for numbers on angle of view, brightness and contrast ratio.
High numbers are better. A typical LCD TV will have an angle of view
of some 150 degree, 300 nits (candela per square meter) brightness
and a contrast ratio more than 500:1.
Then there is the resolution. If you want to watch HDTV or the newer
HD or Blue-ray DVDs then you'll probably want 1080 native. That's
1920 x 1080 on the screen itself.
If you don't think you'll get into the whole HD thing then figure out
how much resolution you need. Go to some stores and look at their
screens to see what looks good to you.
In my opinion, 800x600 is the minimum acceptable for a TV larger than
13 inches. You may see some 20" LCD TVs with 640x480 but they look
really terrible. 1280x720 is the HDTV 720p standard which is probably
OK up to maybe 30".
From there you get into the nitty gritty like tuners, inputs, outputs
and the like. Determine what you need and ignore whatever else they
include. Extra features you don't need shouldn't count in your buying
decision because it's silly to pay extra for something you don't want.
Beware of advertiser-speak. You'll see things like "HDTV Ready" when
they mean "Does not include an HDTV tuner" or "1080p Compatible" when
they mean "It displays less than 1080p". There is a lot of this kind
of almost-false advertising going on.
Anthony
Brian
> though it was only 6 months old and displayed a vertical line with 4
> different computers (2 new Vista, 2 oldish XP). Monitor had to go in bin,
as
> the user couldn't work with it.
>
> Caveat Emptor.
>
Well you should not have given up. If the monitor was not more than 6 months
old, the sale of goods act - specifically the "provision of goods and
services regulations 2002" specifically state that any fault which manifests
itself within the first 6 months is deemd to have been there when supplied
new, and it is up to the supplier to PROVE that it was not.
Roderick Stewart
> When it comes to buying a new flat screen television is there an insightful
> way to give priority to one or two criterion for choosing a new set from the
> massive and bewildering array of new models now on the market?
There's no universal rule. Priorities depend on what's important to you.
Do you want a big screen to fix to a wall, or a small one to stand on a table?
How many people will normally be watching this TV? Will it be switched on all
the time, or just for the occasional programme? Do you want to switch between
lots of players, receivers, gameboxes etc using the controls of the TV, or will
you be switching them externally and just using the TV as a display? Do you
need to use the built-in receiver? Will it be suitably located in relation to
your hi-fi system so you don't have to use the built-in loudspeakers?
Go and look at some in a shop. Look at the pictures, from straight in front and
from an oblique angle. Look at the frame and decide whether you like it. Look
at the number of sockets on the back and decide if they're enough for all the
things you plan to plug into it. Look at the power consumption. Look at the
price and after-sales backup arrangements. Once you've picked a few that look
promising, go home and do a Google search for the opinions and experiences of
people who have already bought them, because these will be far more valuable
than the sponsored "reviews" in magazines. Then make your decision.
Rod.
Peter Lynch
> johngood_____ wrote:
>> When it comes to buying a new flat screen television is there an insightful
>> way to give priority to one or two criterion for choosing a new set from the
>> massive and bewildering array of new models now on the market?
> ...
> how much resolution you need. Go to some stores and look at their
> screens to see what looks good to you.
When you do go and actually "eyeball" some TVs, view them from the same
distance you'll watch them at home (typically 10 - 15 feet IMHO). If you
stand right up close most pictures will look crap - including the one
on the TV you currently own.
Also, a lot of TV shops (Curry, Comet etc.) have their TVs very badly
set up, so in a lot of cases the differences you see between TVs or shops
is nothing to do with the quality of the TVs, merely the ineptitude of the
installer.
> Beware of advertiser-speak. You'll see things like "HDTV Ready" when
> they mean "Does not include an HDTV tuner" or "1080p Compatible" when
> they mean "It displays less than 1080p". There is a lot of this kind
> of almost-false advertising going on.
Very true. Often when you ask about these TVs in shops you'll get a load
of gobbeldygook back from the "sales" person. Most of this is either
irrelevant, wrong or amounts to nothing you want/need. Trust your own
experiences and do your homework before you venture out.
as Tarzan said "it's a jungle out there".
tony sayer
<pe...@freyr.local> scribeth thus
>On Fri, 30 Nov 2007 17:28:49 -0800, Anthony Matonak wrote:
>> johngood_____ wrote:
>>> When it comes to buying a new flat screen television is there an insightful
>>> way to give priority to one or two criterion for choosing a new set from the
>>> massive and bewildering array of new models now on the market?
>> ...
>> If you don't think you'll get into the whole HD thing then figure out
>> how much resolution you need. Go to some stores and look at their
>> screens to see what looks good to you.
>
>When you do go and actually "eyeball" some TVs, view them from the same
>distance you'll watch them at home (typically 10 - 15 feet IMHO). If you
>stand right up close most pictures will look crap - including the one
>on the TV you currently own.
>Also, a lot of TV shops (Curry, Comet etc.) have their TVs very badly
>set up, so in a lot of cases the differences you see between TVs or shops
>is nothing to do with the quality of the TVs, merely the ineptitude of the
>installer.
>
A lot of shops don't show off air TV they use blue ray discs
instead;!...
--
Tony Sayer
Tony Bryer
> Their [Samsung] Scottish helpdesk told me to get lost over a faulty
> line with 4 different computers (2 new Vista, 2 oldish XP). Monitor
> had to go in bin, as the user couldn't work with it.
My first TFT monitor, a Panasonic, developed a blank horizontal line
fault 2 years and 11 months into the manufacturers 3 year guarantee.
Collected, fixed and returned without the slightest quibble. Subsequently
when buying monitors I have always paid a bit more for a known name.
--
TonyB
Adrian C
Subsequently when buying monitors I have always paid a
>> bit more for a known name.
>
>
This is just Skoda-nomics in action.
There still exists a lot of snobbery against LG and Samsung in the UK
consumer mindset. Some folks won't even touch a Humax or Topfield, even
though their machine are currently top in the field, because the name
strays outside their comfort zone of Panasonic and Sony.
Then, take a look at the sets with most reported user issues in this and
newsgroups - Panasonic and Sony. Nothing really wrong with the sets -
it's just that the equipment is often too complicated for the user's
application and money has been wasted...
--
Adrian C
AllEmailDeletedImmediately
"johngood_____" <time.d...@REMOOVEvirgin.net> wrote in message
news:RH_3j.103$jy3...@newsfe7-win.ntli.net...
> computer, I saw that somebody cut through the endless, "thats a good make
> or that's not a good make" by what looked like to me as going to the
> heart of the matter.
>
> That is, by considering from their relevant web sites; what the
> 'specification' of specific computer chips of either of the two main
> makers, AMD or Intel, the laptop computer had inside it. Then after that
> perhaps other criterion can be looked at like customer service, etc, etc.
>
> When it comes to buying a new flat screen television is there an
> insightful way to give priority to one or two criterion for choosing a new
> set from the massive and bewildering array of new models now on the
> market?
>
> I am a novice in this area, but I have heard that there a only a very few
> makers of the actual flat screens, who then go on to supply most of the
> famous brands. So might that be a crucial area to consider first?
do not buy a plasma. they will run up your electric bill way high.
i'll check with dh, a broadcast engineer and see what he has to say.
Roderick Stewart
> There still exists a lot of snobbery against LG and Samsung in the UK
> consumer mindset.
Really? I've got an LG washing machine and it's excellent. As far as I
know they're the only brand that have the main motor integral with the
drum instead of sticking out on a bracket with a rubber drive belt. The
whole assembly is mechanically much better balanced so it doesn't give
that "kick" whenever the drum starts, and is very quiet. I'm certainly
not snobbish about revolutionary designs that actually improve things.
Rod.
Brian Gaff
considered. There is quality of build, susceptibility to muck and rubbish
causing overheating, and of course the hardware inside attached to the
processor, ie, how much ram is pinched by other parts rather than having
dedicated ram, and does it slow down on battery to keep battery life
artificially high.
With TVs, and although I can no longer see enough to tell, I'm a great fan
of actually watching them first.
Depends on which sort of flat display you go for of course as well.
I'm told by those who have bought, that to them, Panasonic and Sony seem
the best lcd, but I have no idea who actually makes the panels.
Brian
--
Brian Gaff....Note, this account does not accept Bcc: email.
graphics are great, but the blind can't hear them
Email: bri...@blueyonder.co.uk
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"johngood_____" <time.d...@REMOOVEvirgin.net> wrote in message
news:RH_3j.103$jy3...@newsfe7-win.ntli.net...
Brian Gaff
onto whoever sold it and get a new one.
Brian
--
Brian Gaff....Note, this account does not accept Bcc: email.
graphics are great, but the blind can't hear them
Email: bri...@blueyonder.co.uk
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"tony sayer" <to...@bancom.co.uk> wrote in message
news:$HDM$$NnfKU...@bancom.co.uk...
Marky P
That's what worried me about owning a plasma, but I can't say I've
noticed much difference when the bill came through.
Marky P.
Adrian C
I'm certainly
> not snobbish about revolutionary designs that actually improve things.
>
That will be you. The shiny shiny technophone and elderly set are a
different breed ...
--
Adrian C
Dave Saville
Ah but does the SOG and Distance regs cover *company* purchases? -
which I gather this was given the OP mentioned buying 250 laptops!
--
Regards
Dave Saville
NB Remove nospam. for good email address
Michael Chare
news:5rfe65F...@mid.individual.net...
Maybe they should take heed of this:
Costly kitchen appliances 'less reliable':
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/12/03/ncosts103.xml
--
Michael Chare
super
"Brian" <blecn...@tesco.net> wrote in message
news:N2b4j.128$bC3...@newsfe1-win.ntli.net...
Its not worth it over £100+VAT. When you subtract the man-hours lost chasing
plus the lost opportunity of dealing with other important issues in the
dept, I'd be a fool to chase this up on work's time. If it were personal,
I'd chase them through small claims or whatever.
My boss agreed to bin it and just not touch Samsung again. Pity, cos I'd
been singing their praises for being cheap and cheerful before that.
You live and learn.
Roderick Stewart
> > Roderick Stewart wrote:
> > I'm certainly
> >> not snobbish about revolutionary designs that actually improve things.
> >>
> >
> > That will be you. The shiny shiny technophone and elderly set are a
> > different breed ...
> >
>
> Maybe they should take heed of this:
>
> Costly kitchen appliances 'less reliable':
> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/12/03/ncosts103.xml
No probs with my LG washer/dryer so far.
Oh well. Fingers crossed....
Rod.