The best 42" TV for around £600

[marcgti6]

I'm after a new TV and have been looking at these two -

http://www.richersounds.com/product/tv---all/panas...

http://www.johnlewis.com/sony-bravia-kdl42w7-led-h...

Has anyone got either of them or have any experience of them? Or does anyone have any other recommendations of any other TV's that I should be looking at for the same price?

I'm not a gamer so it will be used mainly for TV, streaming from RaspberryPi and blu-ray. Not particularly bothered for 3D really.

Cheers!

[marcgti6]

Liking the look of this too - http://www.johnlewis.com/panasonic-viera-tx-l42et6...

Any thoughts?

[FlossyThePig]

marcgti6 said:

Liking the look of this too - http://www.johnlewis.com/panasonic-viera-tx-l42et6...

Any thoughts?

Drop the 3D and save a few bob
http://www.johnlewis.com/panasonic-viera-tx-l42e6b...

[marcgti6]

Thanks, I was just looking at this on John Lewis.

Have you got one?

I do like the look of this (http://www.johnlewis.com/panasonic-viera-tx-l42et61b-led-hd-1080p-3d-smart-tv-42-with-freeview-hd-and-2x-3d-glasses/p450103#tabinfo-ratings) but, from what I've read, it looks like it's an IPS panel which means that they're not anything special when it comes to black levels but have better viewing angles.

Not sure if I should let any of the above bother me though!

The TX-L42E6B @ £479 seems like a good deal...

[gizlaroc]

I had the Panny E6, it was no where near as good as my 8 year old Panny plasma so it went back.

Panny 42" ST60 if you can find one.

[bodhi]

marcgti6 said:

I'm after a new TV and have been looking at these two -

http://www.richersounds.com/product/tv---all/panas...

http://www.johnlewis.com/sony-bravia-kdl42w7-led-h...

Has anyone got either of them or have any experience of them? Or does anyone have any other recommendations of any other TV's that I should be looking at for the same price?

I'm not a gamer so it will be used mainly for TV, streaming from RaspberryPi and blu-ray. Not particularly bothered for 3D really.

Cheers!

I've got the 50 inch version of the Sony with added 3D and MotionFlow, but the basic panel itself is fantastic, fantastically detailed and superb colour accuracy. Sound is pretty good for an Ultrathin flatscreen as well.

Review of the 42 inch model here http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/kdl42w705b-20140223...

The 50 inch model is the best 800 quid I've spent in years. 3 weeks in and I'm still impressed.

[marcgti6]

gizlaroc said:

I had the Panny E6, it was no where near as good as my 8 year old Panny plasma so it went back.

Panny 42" ST60 if you can find one.

Oh, that doesn't sound good. It will be replacing a 50" Panasonic Plasma (around 4 years old) - so I think the E6 has just been checked off my list. Cheers.

[marcgti6]

bodhi said:

I've got the 50 inch version of the Sony with added 3D and MotionFlow, but the basic panel itself is fantastic, fantastically detailed and superb colour accuracy. Sound is pretty good for an Ultrathin flatscreen as well.

Review of the 42 inch model here http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/kdl42w705b-20140223...

The 50 inch model is the best 800 quid I've spent in years. 3 weeks in and I'm still impressed.

I really like the Sony. The trouble is, my other half doesn't like the stand. All the reviews I've read are positive so I'll have to try and persuade her that it's one of the best TV's available.

I've never been a massive fan of Samsung (not particularly sure why to be honest) but what do you think of these? http://www.johnlewis.com/samsung-ue40f6500-led-hd-...

[LordHaveMurci]

This thread & others similar has concerned me a little.

Keep thinking I should replace our 32" Panny CRT with a 40"< flatscreen but all this talk about replacing 3-5yr old sets has surprised me. Are they being replaced out of need or because there is something newer & shinier? Main reason for changing would be screen size & connectivity, love the picture quality of the CRT.

Don't want to shell out as much as £1200 only to find it has an average lifespan of 5yrs. Can see our 8yr old CRT going on for another 10yrs easily if that's the case!

[marcgti6]

LordHaveMurci said:

This thread & others similar has concerned me a little.

Keep thinking I should replace our 32" Panny CRT with a 40"< flatscreen but all this talk about replacing 3-5yr old sets has surprised me. Are they being replaced out of need or because there is something newer & shinier? Main reason for changing would be screen size & connectivity, love the picture quality of the CRT.

Don't want to shell out as much as £1200 only to find it has an average lifespan of 5yrs. Can see our 8yr old CRT going on for another 10yrs easily if that's the case!

I know what you are saying. I sold my Panasonic 50" plasma as it was a bit dated with its thick black bezel and lack of smart TV capability. The picture in both SD and HD was brilliant though, as were the black levels.

I'm starting to get concerned that if I move to a new LED TV that I might be left disappointed with the pictures, especially the black levels if I go for one with an IPS screen which, from what I can see, quite a few seem to have nowadays.

I would have kept my Viera plasma but I've moved house and I don't want a 50" TV to dominate the living room as it was a massive old beast - hence the search for a 42" new and shiny box of tricks.

[bodhi]

marcgti6 said:

I really like the Sony. The trouble is, my other half doesn't like the stand. All the reviews I've read are positive so I'll have to try and persuade her that it's one of the best TV's available.

I've never been a massive fan of Samsung (not particularly sure why to be honest) but what do you think of these? http://www.johnlewis.com/samsung-ue40f6500-led-hd-...

The good thing about the stand, is it actually doubles as a wall mount, and if it's anything like my 50W829, it comes with the wall mounting brackets in the box (which threw me for ages as I didn't realise that's what they were, and thought Sony had come up with the most complicated stand in history). It can also easily hidden by a soundbar / centre etc etc. Stunning panel though, absolutely stunning. We've got a few Samsung and LG models dotted round the office, and this Sony knocks them out the park to be fair. Better picture than the 32" Panny in the office too, but it was twice the price so you'd expect that.

The one you are looking at has a VA panel, and blacks look properly black. A friend came round to look at it last week, 10 minutes later he'd ordered one off Amazon

As for the Sammy you're asking the wrong person, as that's one manufacturer I won't willingly touch if I can help it, as everything I've had from them has been cheaply made averagely performing rubbish. I have a couple of friends with Samsung TV's, both are having weird issues with them at less than 2 years old.

In contrast my old set was an LG, 7 years old now and still working fine in the bedroom. Only reason we got a new one, is because we wanted one So I'd recommend an LG over a Samsung. My rule of thumb with TV's is Panasonic, Sony or LG and you can't go too far wrong, if you've done your research.

[gizlaroc]

marcgti6 said:

I know what you are saying. I sold my Panasonic 50" plasma as it was a bit dated with its thick black bezel and lack of smart TV capability. The picture in both SD and HD was brilliant though, as were the black levels.

I'm starting to get concerned that if I move to a new LED TV that I might be left disappointed with the pictures, especially the black levels if I go for one with an IPS screen which, from what I can see, quite a few seem to have nowadays.

I would have kept my Viera plasma but I've moved house and I don't want a 50" TV to dominate the living room as it was a massive old beast - hence the search for a 42" new and shiny box of tricks.

Don't buy an LCD expecting it to be better than a decent plasma, they are not,
They simply can't be due to the way they are driven.
Buy it because it looks nice (when off) and understand their limitations.

Also, only buy an LCD if you can sit directly in front of it, the viewing angles are rubbish on them.


I had a go with the local dimming HX923, it was alright, but had to move my room round so it was in the corner, but in the end I got rid of it and dragged the plasma back in.
Also bought a 705 for teh conservatory and didn't like it, backlight bleed every where, tried two and both the same, so swapped for the Panny E6, but again they just can't do ansi contrast properly, try and show a scene with 50% black and 50% bright and the black looks washed out, just the way the tech is.

The new Sony 829 (50" only, the 42" is different) is pretty good, one of the better LCDs, but after spending the evening with one tonight it has made me appreciate my plasma even more.
Don't get me wrong, if I was in the market for a new screen I would consider it, but no way am I going to sell my LX5090 Pioneer to get one.
The Pioneer is still far, far better.

I would hold on now and go OLED, they will be down to £2000 by next year, and they are a worthy replacement.

[marcgti6]

Thanks for the posts - much appreciated.

Bohdi - I'm the same when it comes to Samsung - I've really restricted my search down to either a Sony or Panasonic.

I think I might be managing to persuade my other half that the Sony is the way forward although, to put a spanner in the works, I've just been looking at the new Panasonic range, this one in particular - http://www.richersounds.com/product/tv---all/panas... - I saw one in store yesterday but it was running a really poor quality freeview source so it was difficult to properly assess the picture quality. The smart TV apps and interface were really impressive though, light years ahead of my old plasma which is to be expected I guess. It's the latest model as well which floats my boat.

I actually got offered a decent price for my plasma and I'm now watching TV on an iPad so I need to get something sorted this weekend. Looks like it's between these two now -

http://www.richersounds.com/product/tv---all/panas...

http://www.johnlewis.com/sony-bravia-kdl42w8-led-h...

Although I am still tempted with this (http://www.johnlewis.com/panasonic-viera-tx-l47et61b-led-hd-1080p-3d-smart-tv-47-with-freeview-hd-and-2x-3d-glasses/p443869) but it's an old model now, is it not?

The budget seems to have jumped up as well. Standard!

I've not seen any reviews of the new Panasonic TX42AS600B (has anyone seen a decent review?) but from what I've read and from opinion here, the Sony seems to be one of the best sets about at the moment. Argh, decisions decisions!

gizlaroc - I'm starting to get my head around the limitations of LED's I think. It's daft that in over three years after I bought my plasma, the picture quality of LED's still can't match plasmas. But they look pretty, which I suppose is what the market demands...

[marcgti6]

Another option, it's 47" but I might get away with it as it has a tiny bezel.

Sounds like a good televisual box to me!

http://www.richersounds.com/product/tv---all/sony/...

[marcgti6]

The above has an IPS panel which puts me off. Poor black levels, supposedly.

[gizlaroc]

Sony W829 is the best 50" LCD you can currently buy.

[gizlaroc]

This is even better though, but 46" ....


http://www.johnlewis.com/sony-bravia-kdl46w905-led...

Great price too!

[marcgti6]

gizlaroc said:

This is even better though, but 46" ....


http://www.johnlewis.com/sony-bravia-kdl46w905-led...

Great price too!

Out of budget with a new house move I'm afraid

Think I've got my heart set on this now -

http://www.johnlewis.com/sony-bravia-kdl42w8-led-h...

Would like a review of the new Panasonic AS600 but can't find anything online. The smart apps and things are quite appealing but if the picture quality isn't as good as the Sony then it would make my mind up for me.

[gizlaroc]

Do your self a favour and find the extra £40 and buy this....

https://www.google.co.uk/shopping/product/10402442...

[Patch1875]

Not a massive fan of samsungs but a 46" for a decent price.

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/tv-dvd-blu-ray/televi...