My partner and myself moved into a new flat last summer. On top of our shopping list was a flatscreen smallish TV for the bedroom so we can be mega lazy on the weekends! Whilst searching for the one we wanted we stumbled upon this Whafedale model from the Argos Catalogue.
Our requirements for this TV were simple -
1) We wanted a decent Size screen 2) The ability to watch Freeview Channels 3) In built DVD player
This model fits these three basic requirements. It is a 19" LCD screen, which isn't massive, but it is a decent size. Until we bought this TV we still had a 17" TV in our bedroom so this was a welcome increase in the screen size.
So I know a few people might ask what exactly is LCD? Well to put it simply LCD stand for liquid crystal display, A digital display that uses liquid crystal cells that change reflectivity in an applied electric field. All TV and computer monitors are moving over to this form of display now.
The ability to watch freeview channels was for me a big issue. I am used to having Sky and always watch the football results come through on a Saturday (much to my girlfriends annoyance) and doing this over the internet is ok, but I prefer been focused on a TV. This TV has the ability to pick up all of the freeview channels even in a very poor signal area. I am in the middle of Oxford, but live right at the bottom of a big hill. Our normal TV (channels 1-5) signal isn't perfect anyway, but the signal on this TV is. It has become the norm for us to watch shows on the BBC on this TV by choice, as the normal signal is so poor.
This model also ticked our final check box of a DVD player. This has a DVD player built into the right hand side of the TV. If you did not know it was there you wouldn't spot it due to the way that the DVD player is positioned on the TV. We have found that the DVD player has always played films excellently. If it is a proper DVD simply slide into the side of the TV whilst it is switched on and the DVD player will automatically start playing the film. If it is a copied DVD then you will simply have to switch the mode using the source button on the remote control. A lot of my friends advised me not to get an inbuilt DVD as these are likely to easily break, however I have found this model to be robust enough (not that I've dropped it or anything)
As an added bonus this TV is also HD ready. HD is a high definition TV. I heard about HD TV's before and how the picture quality was supposedly superior, I didn't believe the hype, but this has made a noticeable difference to the picture quality.
The installation and set up of this TV was simple. The TV was packaged in an easy to carry box. It only weights 7Kg, which in comparison to the old TV's is nothing. Set it up is easy, as it simply needs placing on a stand, which is provided in the box. When you first turn it on it automatically scans for the available channels. That's it, job done.
Why Wafedale???
Well to be honest in the TV market I knew nothing about them. I have heard of the company for selling musical products and friends that I know who own Whafedale sound systems have always spoken highly of the products that they have bought.
Another key issue for me is always the price of luxuries like this. It retailed at £270, but has since been reduced to £250 on the Argos site. This may seem a lot to people who aren't looking at the market of TVs these days. In comparison with many other models in many other shops, this was at least £100 cheaper then comparable manufacturers
Any Drawbacks???
The only draw back I have found with this TV is not with the TV but with the remote. I find that it is a bit busy and has in my opinion two many buttons on it. However as a counter argument it does need buttons for the DVD playing side of things and also the TV. I just feel that the buttons are a little small. Many of the films we watch are done with the lights off and without knowing your way around this remote it can be difficult to simply increase the volume - let alone doing anything more complex
Overall
This is a very good TV at very good competitive price. This is a TV that I would recommend to anyone who has a similar need to mine. I don't think this is of a large enough size to be the main TV in a house, but is a great second machine to have in any household.
Thanks for reading
More details
Remote Control
Poor Quality
Instructions
Quite Helpful / Understandable
Durability
Satisfactory
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