Buying 37" LCD TV without intergrated freeview

Hi

I`ve seen a good deal on a 37" HD Ready 720p LCD TV but it doesn't have an
intergrated freeview tuner... will this be a problem come the DSO or will it
just be a case of buying a Digital set-top box. I assume the intergrated dvb
tuners have the same functionality as set-top boxes but wonder will you
still be able to buy set-top boxes by the time of the DSO as a lot of TVs
buy then will surely have intergrated DVB tuners. A local outlet I visited
only sells LCD TVs with intergrated DVB tuners... if I can just use a
seperate box then I see no reason not to go for this cheap 37" LCD TV.

"Nick Le Lievre" wrote in message
. com...
Hi

I`ve seen a good deal on a 37" HD Ready 720p LCD TV but it doesn't have an
intergrated freeview tuner... will this be a problem come the DSO or will
it just be a case of buying a Digital set-top box. I assume the
intergrated dvb tuners have the same functionality as set-top boxes but
wonder will you still be able to buy set-top boxes by the time of the DSO
as a lot of TVs buy then will surely have intergrated DVB tuners. A local
outlet I visited only sells LCD TVs with intergrated DVB tuners... if I
can just use a seperate box then I see no reason not to go for this cheap
37" LCD TV.

Just to add - I can't actually get Digital TV in the area I live at the
moment (Channel Isles) and apparently the DSO doesn't happen till 2012/2013
here so an intergrated tuner would not be used for 5 years but we do have a
Skybox and get the freeview channels on that as we had a subscription but
cancelled. So for the time being the proposed 37" TV will be connected to a
Skybox... but I am just hoping that if needs be we can still get a digital
tuner box in 5 years time after the DSO.

"Nick Le Lievre" wrote in message
. com...
"Nick Le Lievre" wrote in message
. com...
Hi

I`ve seen a good deal on a 37" HD Ready 720p LCD TV but it doesn't have
an
intergrated freeview tuner... will this be a problem come the DSO or
will
it just be a case of buying a Digital set-top box. I assume the
intergrated dvb tuners have the same functionality as set-top boxes but
wonder will you still be able to buy set-top boxes by the time of the
DSO
as a lot of TVs buy then will surely have intergrated DVB tuners. A
local
outlet I visited only sells LCD TVs with intergrated DVB tuners... if I
can just use a seperate box then I see no reason not to go for this
cheap
37" LCD TV.

Just to add - I can't actually get Digital TV in the area I live at the
moment (Channel Isles) and apparently the DSO doesn't happen till
2012/2013
here so an intergrated tuner would not be used for 5 years but we do have
a
Skybox and get the freeview channels on that as we had a subscription but
cancelled. So for the time being the proposed 37" TV will be connected to
a
Skybox... but I am just hoping that if needs be we can still get a digital
tuner box in 5 years time after the DSO.


Nick, it's more than likely that Freeview set-top boxes will be available
for years to come - just for all those people who want to continue using
their old TVs. In any case PVR boxes will continue to be available (similar
to Sky+ only for Freeview) - these will have the function of a set-top box
with added hard disk recording/pause playback facilities. These are likely
to be even cheaper by 2013

--
Paul Schofield

Paul Schofield wrote:
"Nick Le Lievre" wrote in
message . com...
"Nick Le Lievre" wrote in
message . com...
Hi

I`ve seen a good deal on a 37" HD Ready 720p LCD TV but it doesn't
have an intergrated freeview tuner... will this be a problem come
the DSO or will it just be a case of buying a Digital set-top box.
I assume the intergrated dvb tuners have the same functionality as
set-top boxes but wonder will you still be able to buy set-top
boxes by the time of the DSO as a lot of TVs buy then will surely
have intergrated DVB tuners. A local outlet I visited only sells
LCD TVs with intergrated DVB tuners... if I can just use a seperate
box then I see no reason not to go for this cheap 37" LCD TV.

Just to add - I can't actually get Digital TV in the area I live at
the moment (Channel Isles) and apparently the DSO doesn't happen
till 2012/2013 here so an intergrated tuner would not be used for 5
years but we do have a Skybox and get the freeview channels on that
as we had a subscription but cancelled. So for the time being the
proposed 37" TV will be connected to a Skybox... but I am just
hoping that if needs be we can still get a digital tuner box in 5
years time after the DSO.


Nick, it's more than likely that Freeview set-top boxes will be
available for years to come - just for all those people who want to
continue using their old TVs. In any case PVR boxes will continue to
be available (similar to Sky+ only for Freeview) - these will have
the function of a set-top box with added hard disk recording/pause
playback facilities. These are likely to be even cheaper by 2013

Agree with Paul here, personally I prefer to have a TV that just acts like a
monitor with a seperate STB/PVR. It means that if I wish to upgrade STB/PVR
functionality I don't have to change my TV too.

As long as people still want this advantage, there will be a market and
there will be models available, I'm sure...

R.

"Nick Le Lievre" wrote in message
. com...
Hi

I`ve seen a good deal on a 37" HD Ready 720p LCD TV but it doesn't have an
intergrated freeview tuner... will this be a problem come the DSO or will
it just be a case of buying a Digital set-top box. I assume the
intergrated dvb tuners have the same functionality as set-top boxes but
wonder will you still be able to buy set-top boxes by the time of the DSO
as a lot of TVs buy then will surely have intergrated DVB tuners. A local
outlet I visited only sells LCD TVs with intergrated DVB tuners... if I
can just use a seperate box then I see no reason not to go for this cheap
37" LCD TV.


personally i prefer a seperate freeview box - you can get them for around
£30 while built in digital tuners add more than that to the cost of the set.
plus if you plan to record digital it's a whole lot easier with a freeview
box than built in.

it does raise the question though - what are you planning to do BEFORE
digital switch off? - watch analogue?
you wont get widescreen shows for your set that way - digital straight away
makes sense.


--
Gareth.

That fly... is your magic wand.
http://www.last.fm/user/dsbmusic/

In article , Nick Le Lievre
wrote:
I`ve seen a good deal on a 37" HD Ready 720p LCD TV but it doesn't have an*
intergrated freeview tuner... will this be a problem come the DSO or will*
it just be a case of buying a Digital set-top box.

No, and yes.

I assume the*
intergrated dvb tuners have the same functionality as set-top boxes

Yes.

but*
wonder will you still be able to buy set-top boxes by the time of the DSO

Almost certainly, and even in the extremely unlikely event of there being a
shortage of new DVB boxes to buy, there'll be tons on Ebay.
*
as a lot of TVs buy then will surely have intergrated DVB tuners.

You're probably right about that.

A local*
outlet I visited only sells LCD TVs with intergrated DVB tuners... if I*
can just use a seperate box then I see no reason not to go for this cheap*
37" LCD TV.

Neither can I. It seems a good choice, as long as it has plenty of input
sockets to connect other sources as needed.

Just to add - I can't actually get Digital TV in the area I live at the*
moment (Channel Isles) and apparently the DSO doesn't happen till 2012/2013*
here so an intergrated tuner would not be used for 5 years but we do have a*
Skybox and get the freeview channels on that as we had a subscription but*
cancelled. So for the time being the proposed 37" TV will be connected to a*
Skybox... but I am just hoping that if needs be we can still get a digital*
tuner box in 5 years time after the DSO.

I don't see any problem with this scheme. If you buy a TV that *has* a digital
tuner, it won't get in the way even if you can't use it for 5 years, and if you
get one that *hasn't* got a digital tuner, you'll be able to add an external
box when you need one.

Rod.

..

it does raise the question though - what are you planning to do BEFORE
digital switch off? - watch analogue?
you wont get widescreen shows for your set that way - digital straight away
makes sense.


Nick has already said he cannot receive freeview for a few years yet
and he has digital satellite. No problem, go for it. Remember to set
the "Sky box" to 16x9 for a widescreen tv and make sure it is set to
give an RGB output and it will be fine.