Im looking to buy an LCD TV (approx 26"/66cm) in the next 2 weeks and wouldn't mind some pro tips or suggestions/experiences. Wanting to spend around $1500 and it will be used for TV (duh) and computer.

Was out today looking at various panels but dont really know what to look for in terms of quality and reputation.

Help would be appriciated.

(calling parabol to this thread)

yer, im chasing an lcd as well, but i want a big one (106cm)

ive never owned a decent tele and now is the time

heard too many bad stories about plasmas, prefer the picture quality of lcd

when i get serious, ill be starting here:
http://www.choice.com.au/viewArticle.aspx?id=105053&catId=100170&tid=100008&p=5&title=Buying+a+television

Around 26inch and using as a monitor as well? Dell 24inch would probably be the go, although you would need speakers and a tv tuner or box.

Spook we got a massive benq lcd. think it goes for 3k at old mate harveys.

http://www.benq.com.au/products/LCDTV/?product=575 - no complaints.

Will it be primarily a TV or a monitor? Back when I was going to get myself an LCD TV I ended up with http://www.computeralliance.com.au/parts.aspx?qryPart=6229 because I'd use it as a monitor more.

primarily a TV, its going on my secondary pc so it'll only be a computer if lanning with mates or watching some videos off the PC.

mines all tv

some lcd tv came out that has an inbuilt tv tuner ... no idea what brand though ... could be LG, i guess all that subliminal advertising they did around world cup time paid off for them

I'd go the Dell 24" with a Digital tuner plugged into it for TV.

Spook, don't discount the HiDef Rear-Pro LCD TV's, we got one at work for a meeting room and it's pretty kickass. I discounted the idea initially coz I remembered the old rear-pros but the current gen of them kick ass. They do still have issues when viewing from side on, but the room we have it in is long and thin so it works well.

Xbox360 in HiDef on a 50" screen with 5.1 surround is awesome.

But then we've also got a 360 plugged into a HiDef Projector with a projection size measured in metres in the boardroom :)

gotta be thin though

whats the surface area on a rear projection lcd?

(calling parabol to this thread)

Sorry to disappoint but I know next to nothing about LCD TVs.

Computer monitors on the other hand ...

I have a panasonic 26" lcd. It's pretty awesome. Got it at the start of the year for 1800 from HN noosa. Doesn't have a built in HD Tuner, but I don't really care as I don't really watch tv.

I have it hooked up as a 2nd monitor from my pc via component input and use it for watching movies/downloaded tv and playing games on. My friend's 360 looks awesome on it hooked up in either 720p or 1080i.

As a monitor, I wouldn't use it as a main monitor cos of the lo res at such a huge size. It's just great for watching stuff like 24 on though, and dvd's (star wars 3) look awesome on it.

I know there are slightly newer models now, and probably even cheaper. Just check out what features and inputs you want, go into a few stores, and keep bargaining them down. I really liked the panasonic viera range to start with, and after reading the reviews and looking at their product catalogues, I was sold on it.

Anyway, seems my model isn't on the site anymore since they update them every couple months it seems, but it was pretty similar to the models on this page, I think the newer model has another component input or such. Which is good, since I ended up buying a component switch box so I could have the PC, gamecube and 360 plugged in through component at the one time.

Like someone else said before, check out some of the new gen rear pro TV's. I purchased a DLP LG HD screen 4 months ago, I paid around $2K for a 52" HD TV... They're a fair bit cheaper (and bigger) now. The DLP's and some of the newer LCD rear pro's get NO screen burn at all which was the main reason I bought this TV. Also, Texas Instraments have had a DLP chip running since the 80's with no stuff ups (the DLP chip is like the LCD in a LCD rear pro).

So they're reliable (Vs LCD's and Plasmas with screen burn and dieing early), cheapish and fricking huge while still being a HD screen. They're also very narrow, I think my screen is around 30cm from front to back..