TV Times

Reading time: < 1 minute...

Panasonic 42” Plasma TV TH42PX70	Panasonic 46” Plasma TV TX46P20B

The new TV arrived just before 1.30 today. It’s a big bugger! and the packaging made it even bigger!!! Even the Courier driver couldn’t manage it on his own – so I helped him. Luckily David was home and he helped me get it out of the box and into position.

First impressions are favourable. It’s obviously bigger, but somehow lighter (thank goodness). It has a smaller pedestal stand than its predecessor which makes the screen seem even larger.

Picture-wise, I’d say it’s bit sharper (even in SD), but I was unable to progress any tests on the HD side of things as Sky managed to confuse the hell out of me regarding its ability to received HD pictures. I must have spent nearly an hour on the phone, passed from one person to the next – 10 advisors in total. Their advice ranged from the ridiculous (‘Your TV isn’t compatible with your Sky Box, that’s why you can’t receive any HD pictures…’) to the down-right misleading (‘Just pay us 25 pounds and we’ll send you a new Sky Card…that’ll sort it out…’) and finally the plain silly (‘We just need to switch the HD capability on at our end…’).

It was only the last guy I spoke who was able to put me straight (but that’ll need a bit extra cabling from the dish to the TV).

Shame on you Sky for your complete lack of technical expertise!!!

Lots of whistles and bells to get my head round, but for now, it’s a beer and a DVD!!!