68cm/27inch Aiko LCD TV for $799 from Big W
scotty on 24/08/2006 at 9:00 pm, filed under GeneralThanks to Michegianni for informing me about this deal. Apparently BigW has this 68cm/27inch LCD TV on sale on the front page of their latest catelogue. The brand is relatively unknown Aiko (I googled but can’t find anything), and I can’t seem to find the spec about this model.
Here’s is what I can read from the very fine print on the catelogue:
- HD ready
- Resolution 1368×768 at 60Hz
- 500cd/m Brightness
- 16ms Response time
- 1000:1 Contrast
- 2×8 Watt Speaker
The design itself looks not bad, and the spec on the panel is pretty generic. Moreover, it is $100 less than similar model on-sale at Deals Direct and OO.com.au. Because it is BigW, you can also visit your local branch to check out and have a look.
They are getting bloody cheap these days. What will their price be this time next year?
I bought this TV a couple of days ago. My first attempt was not successful. I found a white spot on the screen + On Screen Menu was shaking. So, I returned it next day and replaced it with another unit. The price was attractive enough to give it another try. Additional problem was that all units have been sold out already in our local BigW, but they give me a location where I can pick up the replacement. The second unit is working OK. The screen is not too big to be a main TV but is quite OK for a bedroom. I check if I can connect my PC to this screen (it has D-sub input). It works. The problem is that the resolution of screen is 1366×768 but my graphic card does not have such resolution. The next to the best is 1280×768. I tried 1280×1024 also. This TV accepted such resolution but the output did not look better. I recon to get the best quality from PC input I have to have a card with this particular resolution. However, manufactures usually give the maximum possible resolution instead of the list of supported resolutions. Thus, the correct selection would not be easy. The pictures look OK but text has uneven shading of letters. It is still readable. In fact, I am typing my response using this TV as my PC’s monitor.
The graphic card of my PC does not have the required 1366×768 resolution. The best result was achieved by using 1024×768 resolution on my PC and setting 4:3 aspect for the AICO TV.
In such case 1024/768 = 800/600 = 4/3. It means that one pixel on input corresponds to one pixel on the screen. In such case and text and pictures do not have any distortions. I tried to play PC games and they look OK. Games that produce output that is not equal to 4/3 aspect are not accepted. The widescreen does have some advantages. For example, if you can open web browser in one part of the screen and text processor in another. Unfortunately, my current graphic card transforms my good widescreen 27â€AICO TV into good 22†“square†monitor (only 1024 of 1366 available columns are used). I am pretty sure that it can use all potential of AICO TV if I had a graphic card that supports wide screens. I looked at web pages PC stores and web pages of graphic cards manufactures. Unfortunately, manufactures usually give only the maximum possible resolution instead of the list of supported resolutions. Thus, the correct selection of the suitable graphic would not be easy.
I purchased one of these from Big W, 2 days a go.. having had to buy the demo unit as all of the stock had been sold. I payed $699!!! .. BUT it does have 2 dead pixels
This is a very intersting purchase for me. I’m a Production Manager for a Television Station (27yrs exp ), so I’m extra fusy. I went against my solid advice I give to people. Never purchase a panel unless you can obtain or it comes with a 5 yr Warranty. Reason ? Well with the exception of minor issues.. if a panel dies you can consider the unit a right off. Would you pay 9/10 of the cost to repair one. Any way I brought this unit at a great price .. so maybe I’ll be lucky and it will last.
Intersting points .. when running in DVI it wont switch audio thru to speakers .. via line in ..
Any way bottom line .. a great buy .. seriously .. buy something in this price bracket and wait .. forget plasma .. its the betamax of screens .. Opti LED is not far away … it promises better brighter and more reliable screens .. but like everything .. its important (always) not to charge in and buy first generation .. resist the urge when they come out.
I also rang AWA/ HILLS telefix and yes as mentioned in other posts .. they dont know a cracker about these .. even the pixel policy is completely unkown to anyone.. the poor guys at BIG W havent got a clue .. cause no one bothers to help them and fill them in. Other tips .. buy a good quality power filter/protector .. dont go nuts $30-$40 will see the job done .. its amazing how people run out and spend thousands and and dont protect their gear.
Im running my screen on a HD humax Box at 1020, theres some down sizing happening for the screen resolution .. but i cant fault it .. like all LCD/Plasma screens they look their best from 4ft or furthur away.
Ive tested every single input .. great .. i’ll never use the internal analogue tunner .. they should be banned in these screens
(doesnt it make you laugh .. so many retailers hook lcd/plasmas up to their internal RF analogue feeds.. always look like crap … one set top box in a store would help sell em)
recommend product for cleanning screen “Laser cleanning fluid for LCDscreens” (use at your own risk) .. never apply heavy pressure when cleanning a screen .. it can damage and cause dead pixels
sells for around $A15 and comes with a great cloth .. does a great job ..no streaks and looks fresh out of the box ….dont you hate bloody finger prints and marks !!)
anyway I’m blogging time to quit .. ask me in 11 months and 29 days if i’m happy .. theres the proof in the err pudding
cheers
Michael
Hi there-looking to buy this TV through BigW….anyone tried to convert HDMI output to the DVI input on the back of this LCD TV? Michael how’s the TV going after a month now?
Any luck with running AVI into the TV with a HDMI converter?
Cheers
Jamin
G’day,
wondering if the AIKO requires a SD set top box or is there an SD tuner built in? I’m looking at the 81cm LCD TV for $998 for my Grandparents and if there’s a SD tuner built in their fine… they just can’t come to grips with another box/remote control… LOL….
Cheers & Thanks
Dave
i purchased this for my nan and it was a display model it didnt come with a remote and we have tried to universel remotes any idear where i could get one that works with this tv
Hello Folks
follow up re Aiko 66cm
working a treat .. no problems very tasty .. but like everything .. thinks are not always what they seem
THe Aiko I purchased (that model) has experienced large warranty returns . over 10%
A reliable brand ie sony .. would expect a 3% return .. ie out of every 100 units 3 require after sales service of some description
Aiko or lot of other brands in the market place .. are just that… just brands .. they have no relationship to whats in the box
Big W currently are selling a 81cm Aiko .. one simple look over and you’d run a 100 miles ..its junk frankly
so stores & importers use well know brands to help sell their products .. when in fact they are made in the same plants as other hybrids
a good example is telefunken … bloody awefull rubish now… but years ago this was a trusted brand of very well made radios and to a lesser extend electronics
out of germany..
I brought an AWA plasma this month .. from BIG W again (:-)
what a delight this turned out to be .. for $1200 its crisp and a steal… not made by AWA as they dont exist anymore .. its a branded Korean Panel
now think about .. count up all the brands in the market place and ask yourself .. are there that many plants around the world making this stuff ?
no .. its a no brainer
another interesting point i brought 2 AWA 81cm LCDs from Big W as well… there was a sticker on the panel quoting a 16ms response time
the fact is ..its 8 !! .. the company simply hadnt bothered to update it .. these are excellent btw
but the golden rule applies .. garbage in garbage out
connect a $39 STB expect crap ..
so what am i saying ?
keep an open mind .. but warranty is still the most important marker as to whats under the hood
if a company offers 12 months warranty you know your asking for trouble . .. 3 years and up tells you that you have a fighting chance
dont believe that a brand is all .. do you homework . and finally the other best advice is the pixel failure situation
there’s a very well know brand that will not do anything until you get more than 24 dead pixels .. sometimes more
if you pull a new panel out of the box .. if there’s one dead pixel… take it back ..would you buy a car with a scratch or run in the paint?
and remember CRT comes with a history of over 70 years …no one even the manufacters are totally true expects .. this comes with time
cheers
michael
Hi,
I have purchased the 81cm AIKO from BIG W about two months ago for $899.
Just last week, i lost clear picture to channel 10,9 and 7 ( the other channels where unaffected)
These three channels are disturb by flickering horizontal lines racing across the screen. I retuned the
stations to no avial . Just today, all the channels are now afflicked with a blinking type of problem.
This blinking is random and in frequent . Needless to say that i will be returning this set to BIG W .
I will keep all interested person posted as to the outcome!
Regards
Simon P
Hi guy’s, I’ve just purchased a display unit AIKO 69cm TV model A69010 for a club. It is the picture tube type. I got it cheaper because
it was the last of the model and didn’t have the instructiuon manual. There lies the problem. I can get the “menue” to say “tune” but no further and no other buttons will have it scan and tune the channels. Any thoughts or better still, the loan or a copy of the how to tune page. In the shop they had it running in AV mode. -Bruce
i’m thinking about buying the 66cm AIKO LCD tv model from BIG DOUBLE YOU but i’m not sure cause of all the people saying they don’t last or they get dead pixels easy or you get flickers in the screen. plus if it’s 1366×798 does that mean it’s hd ready cuz i wanna play my xbox 360 in HD on it. thanks
email: [email protected]
I bought AIKO 81cm LCD TV last December and have been very happy with everything until last night. ABC channel is frozen . I happened during programme. The screen has a frozen picture from the doco I was watching. I mucked around with still button and cruised through the manual to learn how to use still button to no avail. Have I unkowningly pressed something? I have retuned TV but I still get frozen picture, there is no flickering at all and the picture is fine. All other channels are working fine. This happened at 2am and it is now 9pm the next night. Help! I’m a single girl with no brother father etc to ask. I love my ABC and already miss it.
debbie
call me 0419 188510 from saturday on and i’ll help you dont worry regards michael
Hi, we have an AIKO 81cm TV but have some problems with it and need to contact them. Does anyone have an Australian contact number for them please? Thanks.
I have had this model, and I have had no problems. In fact, because of the price and features, it makes for a real good entry level set.
Well people my Aiko 66cm LCD isn’t working anymore –the TV basically stopped turning on 14 months after I bought it from BigW….BigW don’t want to hear about it..so be warned about cheap crap LCD’s.