Any one know about TVs?

[Rob_Red]

I realize I’m talking to a crowd that appreciates a simpler life. I’m not a huge TV watcher but like it or not it’s part of life. My current Samsung has chit the bed after 15 years. I’m looking for something in the 6-700$ range that will be a good bang for the buck. How do I go about finding that?

 

[PaulOinMA]

Lots of choices. Hard to go wrong. We have lots of TVs between two homes. I think 9 total. Only two here. Large TV here is a Panasonic. Several Vizio TVs in NC property.

I would look at Best Buy and Crutchfield for reviews. Check out Consumer Reports at library. I can access CR online with my town library card.

A consideration these days is what you want to do for sound. Sound bar and how many channels.

 

[ABMax24]

LG or Sony OLED (LG makes the panels for both brands) or Samsung QLED are going to give the best picture quality, but the higher end models are spendy and outside your budget.

Almost anything made today will be better than you're existing TV.

Here's an entry model QLED worth considering:

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/samsung-55-class-q60a-series-qled-4k-uhd-smart-tizen-tv/6452372.p?skuId=6452372

Where is the TV going, is it in a bright room, a dark room, or both? How big do you want it?

 

[ABMax24]

rtings.com is a really good site that does tests on TV's and publishes some of the best reviews I've seen yet.

I was dead set on a $3,000 LG OLED when I was looking for a new TV, I spent a bunch of time researching on that site and some time at my local retailer and realized for my house rarely would the deep blacks of the OLED be of benefit, a QLED from Samsung still produced deep enough blacks and was much more affordable, and also offered brighter colors in the daylight. I bought a 55" Samsung Q80T for my parents for Christmas and was thoroughly impressed, 6 months later I bought a 65" Q80T for our house.

 

[Rob_Red]

It will be in a room with lots of windows that leans bright. Seems like that Samsung QLED may be a good option

 

[rwhite]

If apps are important I would looking into what each brand allows. I have an LG. Great TV but the only apps that are available are through the LG store. You can't put ESPN2 on an LG.

 

[ABMax24]

Most newer TVs are better. My 7 year old LG is pretty limited as it is the old WebOS version, Netflix and YouTube is about all it can run.

So far my QLED runs everything I have tried.

 

[zrock]

if your looking in that price range and you want a larger screen your best bet is the big box stores such as walmart. They are not top of the line but they work and most of them have a good picture.. I know people with the big box store tv's that are quite happy with them... Not sure what the prices are over their but if you want to go to a place that has a higher end tv then you will probably have to up your budget some to get their.. But since your not a huge tv watcher you will probably be fine with the big box store and never miss the extra features and picture of a higher end tv

 

[fbelec]

when i was in the market for a new tv we had a sony 50 inch with the bulb technology great when new. that was bought in 2004 we now have 65 inch 55 inch and 50 inch samsungs the 55 inch has a curved screen very nice picture. i wanted a sony 65 inch but was on sale at $1200.00 these are all led tv's and the sony was out of my price range. i picked up the 65 for $450.00 i didn't want plasma (you can still get them) but lots of money. our 65 inch is 2 years old and works fine. just not as good as a sony. my friend bought a 55 inch sony low end so it compare with my tv. but paid $1300.00. if you go to a bar that has tv's you'll see the samsungs last longer than the LG tv's the LG tv 's tend to lose a color and it is a blue picture or red. yes the tv's are on all day and night and it's hard to compare but the tv's are on all day and night at all the bars with tv's on so you can compare how long they last. my .02 cents

 

[semipro]

I haven't found the "smart" function on our TVs that useful, especially if the TV doesn't get regular firmware upgrades.
We rely on external devices like Roku and Google Chromecast for online content.

Also, with the bezels around the screen getting smaller it's harder for TVs to house decent speakers. You may want to consider using an external soundbar or another system for audio.

 

[vinny11950]

I just bought a small 32 inch LG smart tv at Walmart for $158 (for a small guest bedroom), and boy, this thing has all types of APPs that give you a boat load of free channels with good content. You get ads but it's no different than the TV you would get in a hotel room. Better yet, no cable or TV antenna needed. I feel tempted to get one for the main room and cut cable, saving me about $60 a month.

I should add, look for a newer TV model with a strong processor, and a software system that updates automatically and that you can interact with to troubleshoot, like a small computer, which is what the smart tv is. I

 

[old greybeard]

For that amount you’ll get a great set. Wish they made more non smart tv’s. Serious privacy concerns with most smart tvs. If that doesn’t concern you that’s ok. But those of us who don’t want a camera and microphone, and all our watching activity possibly tracked should have more options.

 

[vinny11950]

Actually, the model I bought does not have a camera or a microphone. If you want to add voice command you can buy a device like Alexa and it should work with this model. But like you, I like my privacy, so I stay away from those. As for the information LG or the free APPs gather about my viewing habits, that does not concern me, and it can't be more than what the bigger internet companies do.

But if you are going to be worried about your TV spying on you, then you have to be worried about your mobile phone doing the same, as it is a listening and tracking device you carry with you everywhere. It is impossible to avoid these things.

 

[firefighterjake]

I just bought a small 32 inch LG smart tv at Walmart for $158 (for a small guest bedroom), and boy, this thing has all types of APPs that give you a boat load of free channels with good content. You get ads but it's no different than the TV you would get in a hotel room. Better yet, no cable or TV antenna needed. I feel tempted to get one for the main room and cut cable, saving me about $60 a month.

I should add, look for a newer TV model with a strong processor, and a software system that updates automatically and that you can interact with to troubleshoot, like a small computer, which is what the smart tv is. I

We cut the cable . . . well actually satellite dish . . . years ago.

These days I tend to subscribe to one of the many streaming services. When I get tired of one service or decide I want to watch a series airing on another service I drop the one and make the switch. My current favorite is HBO Max which airs a lot of the Warner Brother movies on or close to the same time they show in the movie theaters . . . and at no extra charge. I did however just splurge a bit and get Disney Plus as there were some Marvel movies I wanted to catch up on (Eternals, Shang-li and Black Widow . . . and a few series -- Boba Fett and Hawkeye) . . . after a few weeks I'll most likely drop this service and then re-sign later on this year.

My wife however tends to do most of her TV watching using our over-the-air, roof-mounted TV antenna. I'm in Maine so we're not exactly a metropolitan hot bed when it comes to communications, but we are fortunate as we are located right between the Bangor and Portland TV stations. Factor in multiple channels being broadcast by a single station (and nowadays a number of these channels actually are pretty good if you like older, syndicated shows like my wife) and the viewing options are pretty healthy. When my wife grows tired of watching the old Archie Bunker, Mash, crime shows, etc. she typically will use one of the free streaming services like Peacock (with ads), Pluto, Roku or IMDBTV.

 

[semipro]

But if you are going to be worried about your TV spying on you, then you have to be worried about your mobile phone doing the same, as it is a listening and tracking device you carry with you everywhere. It is impossible to avoid these things.

Yeah, when I start worrying that my Google nest devices or some other connected device are listening in I have to remind myself that my constant companion, my smartphone, is the worst culprit.
I've noticed where targeted online ads have popped up based on conversations I've had with my wife - a bit scary.

 

[old greybeard]

But if you are going to be worried about your TV spying on you, then you have to be worried about your mobile phone doing the same, as it is a listening and tracking device you carry with you everywhere. It is impossible to avoid these things.

I don’t carry my phone much at all, and rarely in the house if Im not using it. And Im very aware of its capabilities.

 

[vinny11950]

I don’t carry my phone much at all, and rarely in the house if Im not using it. And Im very aware of its capabilities.

I agree with your original point of not getting a TV with a built in camera and microphone. Appliance software is riddled with flaws that allow hackers points of entry. The TV manufacturer may not be looking in but a hacker sure could.

 

[vinny11950]

catch up on (Eternals, ....

Other than the plot, the writing and the characters, Eternals was a good movie.

I am also leaning towards cutting the cable altogether. I cutback last spring, got rid of all the sports channels. At first that was the hardest part, not having the Mets or Yankees games to watch every night. But now I am fine with it.