Zelig96

Thanks Owen. According to HDTVtest.co.uk, the input lag is actually marginally better on the "lower" spec'd Sony W670A (@15ms) than the W800A (@17ms). (NB: Those lag figures are for the equivalent UK models W653 and W805A). Next question, then, is how important is 50Hz v 100Hz for gaming ? 50Hz is one of the "lower" specs of the 42" Sony W670A compared to the 100Hz W800A (also no 3D in the W670A, but I assume that is not relevant).

Got a Wii U at Xmas and the old 21" CRT just doesn't cut it anymore. It was fine for the original Wii and things like Mario Kart, but playing COD Black Ops 2 on the Wii U is painful on the CRT. In fact, COD is better on the Wii U Game Pad than the CRT, which is not too bad for 1 player, but when it is 2 player, the 2nd player has no option but the CRT. So looking for a new TV to replace the CRT, but as it won't be our main TV (or even our 2nd TV), was hoping not to spend too much (wife keeps saying "can't we just get a cheap TV at Aldi?"). As the TV will be primarily (almost exclusively) used for gaming, the W800A and its low input lag scores make it an attractive option. Will likely add an XBox One into the mix soon enough. Was thinking a KDL42W800A would be the right size for the purpose/room etc, but it seems the 42" has been discontinued. The best I can find is the 47" KDL47W800A for $996 at Bing Lee (before haggling). Bing Lee are massively cheaper than anywhere else (most other places are at $1250+ for the 47" W800A). The alternative is to go for a Samsung UA40F6400, which is in the current JB HI-FI catalogue for $696, which is probably a better price and size fit, but perhaps not as good for Gaming ??? Any thoughts on the Sony W800A v Samsung F6400 ? I know everyone says "go bigger", but it is an extra $300 for the 47" W800A and I really didn't want to be spending $1000 on our "3rd" TV. Ideally, I would love to find a 42" W800A for around $700, but most places only have the lower spec'd Sony W670A in 42", not the W800A.

I've got a Kuro, so not interested in that, but was wondering how much for the leg in the picture :-)

I am looking to buy a table top stand for our Pioneer LX508A 50" Kuro as we are moving into a rental for awhile and so we won't be putting it back up on the wall. Can only find one for the 60" kuro on eBay. Can someone please advise the model/part number for the stand which might help my searching. Any ideas where I might find one ? Or alternative stand options ?

Just got Foxtel to install a 2nd IQHD box in the Bedroom for Free and their SportsHD package (all channels bar movies) for $82/mth + $10/mth for 2nd IQHD box. 3 month deal, no contract. Will see what I can get in 3 months time.

Thanks for the info. If OneHD is not coming through the Optus Cable either, then I might as well stick with Foxtel Satellite. At least if I ring them and tell them I want to disconnect, I can negotiate a decent deal.

Thanks for the reply. I want ONE HD to watch the F1 live. If Optus don't have it (HD or SD) then I might as well stick with Foxtel Satellite.

Anyone got HD on Optus Cable in Sydney yet ? I am interested to know which FTA channels you get. Specifically, do you get ONE HD (or even a non-HD version of ONE) ? I don't get ONE HD on Foxtel Satellite and with the F1 season up and running again, I am interested in going back to Optus Cable, but would hate to do so and find out I still can't watch the F1.

It is difficult to post a link to the Digital TV pages on the Optus website because they work on sessions that expire. To find the Digital TV prices on their website, follow these steps. 1. Go to www.optus.com.au 2. Click on the BUNDLES tab. 3. Click on the 'yes' Fusion Bundle 4. On the left hand side in the blue box, the last item on the list is DIGITAL TV - click on that and you are at their Digital TV pricing page.

I didn't write down the name of who I was talking to. When I rang Optus and went through their IVR system they didn't even have an option of new Digital TV sales. I think I ended up going through Broadband Sales and when I got a human, told them I was ringing about Digital TV. Strange that we got totally different pricing. Also I was told there would not be any additional charge for the HD channels once they became available.

My 2 year contract with Foxtel just ended, so I was all set to go the bargain route with Foxtel until Optus came back into the picture. The key is that I am on Foxtel Satellite, but would be on Optus Cable. I spent the whole of last year watching F1 on tiny internet streams because we don't get OneHD on Foxtel Satellite and I can't get OneHD on Digital FTA either due to reception issues at my location. I guess it comes down to how much I am prepared to pay to get OneHD. Perhaps I should stick with Foxtel and use the monthly savings to pay for some work on my FTA antenna to try to get OneHD reception.

People do want a "decent" picture quality and they do get it with a good LCD TV, it's just that it may not be as good as the picture quality on a Plasma. I have a Pio LX-508 and my preference is definitely Plasma over LCD. However, we recently bought a HD TV for the bedroom and ended up going with a Samsung UA40C6900 LCD (edge lit LED). Why ? Because the wife wanted it to fit in a certain spot on the wall and therefore it could be no more than about 980mm wide (ruling out anything over 40"). She also liked the impossibly thin design of the Sammy edge lit LED. For her, thinness was more important than screen uniformity issues. Everyone has different priorities.

Picture quality is not necessarily everyone's number one (or two or three) consideration.

Just spoke to Optus about pricing. I currently have Foxtel Satellite (Sydney) on the Platinum HD package plus one multi-room outlet (standard box). I pay $130/mth for the Platinum HD and $15/mth for the 2nd outlet (standard box) = $145/mth. Same set up with Optus TV will cost the following:- Platinum $106.95/mth (bundled price - I have home phone & cable internet with Optus, otherwise add $10). iQHD Box $10.00/mth Multi Room $20.95/mth (standard box) -------------- Total $137.90/mth With Foxtel PlatinumHD you also get access to Foxtel Download, but I have never used it. No mention of Download with Optus. Foxtel also gives you the magazine - not sure about Optus, but I never read the magazine anyway so don't need it. If we make the switch, I will probably go with 3 outlets now that we have a High Def LED TV in the bedroom. Might as well make all 3 outlets iQHD too (so the kids can record every episode of SpongeBob on their own QHD box instead of cluttering up our main iQHD box). On Optus, that will cost $157.90 per month (ie another 2 x $10/mth for 2nd & 3rd outlets to be iQHD boxes). It was a little unclear if there is no monthly Multi-Room charge for the 3rd outlet or whether they were giving it to me for free, but I'm happy either way. To get 3 x iQHD with Foxtel would cost $180/mth (ie $130 for Platinum HD plus 2 x $25 for 2nd & 3rd outlets to be iQHD boxes).

I wouldn't say "never" - it can still drop out in really bad storms, but it will be a hell of a lot less frequent than Satellite drop outs. My main reason for switching will be to get all the FTA channels via Optus Cable that I can't get on Foxtel Satellite (Sydney).

Any news on the new Optus TV pricing ?

Your advice is good advice........ probably just something I didn't want to hear after I had gone ahead and done the firmware upgrade ;-) By the looks of the Software Update section, there does appear to be a facility to restore an older firmware - assuming I could locate the file if I really need to do it. I will try the noise reduction and see if that helps, thanks.

Some of us like to live dangerously, as well as sit too far from our TV. Anyway, I saw some setting suggestions in a post somewhere, but I wasn't getting a lot of those options in my menus before the firmware upgrade. The real problem I am having with this set is that we watch a lot of Law & Order (sad, I know) and in so many scenes (particularly the court room scenes) it looks like the walls in the background are moving (in & out, or side to side). Never noticed this on our Pioneer Kuro in the main room. Anyone else with the UAxxC6900 series TV noticed this ? Haven't noticed it on any other programs so far. Just Law & Order. Maybe it is the way it is filmed ? I have turned off Motion Plus and LED Motion Plus (don't ask me what is the different between these two) but it made no difference. Problem existed on the old firmware and the new firmware. Any ideas ?

I just picked up a 40" Samsung UA40C6900 for the bedroom (wife wanted something impossibly thin) and looking for some advice on recommended settings. I have upgrade to the latest 3005 firmware, but there are so many options I don't even know what they do. Any help from other owners of this TV (or C6900 series) would be appreciated.

What would be great, and would really differentiate the OPTUS offering from what Foxtel and Telstra have to offer, is if they offer different spec'd IQ units to the ones offered by Foxtel. eg they could offer more storage, more inbuilt tuners, different (improved) PVR software / functionality. I don't understand why the Live Pause buffer has to be cleared everytime you change channels. Why not just record the last two hours (which could include many channel changes) and if I want to pause and re-wind, I can see whatever was actually recorded during those 2 hours, channel changes and all. If Optus can do their own improved STU, rather than just selling the same Foxtel IQ/IQ2/IQHD units, then they could give themselves an edge other than just price (and/or phone/internet bundling) when trying to get customers to switch to them instead of sticking with Foxtel direct.

At $850, I think you are pretty close to the mark, especially given it includes delivery (unless you have a suitable vehicle, in which case delivery is really of no value to you). Harvey Norman at Chatswood (Sydney) have had the THP42U20A for $797 for the last couple of weeks so you perhaps could push a little harder. Bing Lee are advertising the 46" version of the same TV for $888 (negotiable) as part of their Stocktake Sale (see HERE). Interestingly, they still have the 42" version at $1099. Obviously the 46" is their loss leader. Do they have Bing Lee in Melbourne ? If not, you could maybe order online, although they don't deliver outside NSW if it is over 25kgs. Not sure of the weight of this TV, besides, if it is under 25kgs they send via Aust. Post so you would have to be comfortable with that. If you are ordering online, Bing Lee also give you 5% off your first Online Order if you sign up for their newsletter (see bottom left corner of their home page). Anyway, maybe you could use the Bing Lee price in your bargaining. Hope this helps.

Had another look at the Pana 65" S model in a different store and remain unimpressed. Maybe it is the S model. Both sets seemed a little blurry. Lack the sharpness/definition of other sets around them. I think I will pass for now.

Thanks for all the replies. Looks like we will be sticking to the Pio LX508 as our main TV. After years of strident opposition to a TV in the bedroom, the wife has suddenly decided it is a good idea and after a few days of a 51cm CRT sitting on a "Wiggles" table, she has now decided she would like a flat panel on the wall. I can therefore see her spending more time falling asleep in front of the TV from the comfort of her bed, rather than the main TV room couch, so there seems little point dropping more $$'s into the main TV room given it is likely to see less action going forward. PS Before anyone suggests it, she rejected the 50" Pio as too big for the bedroom.

Just registered my interest. I was a long time Optus Cable TV customer until 2 years ago when I made the switch to Foxtel to get IQ2 and the HD Channels. My Foxtel contracts ends at the end of January so the timing is good. We are on Foxtel Satellite, which means we don't get all the FTA channels (in particular, OneHD) and often lose signal whenever there is a storm, so it would be good to go back to Cable for Pay TV. I still have Optus phone and cable internet. It will be interesting to see their offerings, but even if the pricing is the same, Optus Cable is probably going to be preferable to Foxtel Satellite, just for the extra channels not available on Foxtel Satellite.

We watch some Blu-Ray, but would have to say the vast majority of our viewing is Foxtel (IQ2 Satellite). We have the HD channels, but often find ourselves watching the Non-HD version of the same channel because we hit them first when scrolling the channels. Dragged the wife into HN today to have a look at the 65" Pana. Had a 50" Pana directly above it. The wife was concerned the picture wasn't very sharp. They were showing some Masters tennis and they had some logo painted on the court. On the 65" Pana, the logo didn't appear to have smooth edges in the lettering - the letters looked like a font that had been blown up/zoomed too much. Same wasn't noticeable on the 50" above it. Couldn't stay long and compare properly because we had to keep moving.