Discussion
Hi,
I haven't bought a new TV in nearly 20 years! I bought my first one in my twenties and then got married and my wife and I have inherited fairly recent TVs from her father, an LG.
However we want to go slightly larger (55") and more modern with internet etc
What features are the main important ones, technologies etc as I really have no f
king clue what I'm looking at here, I'm hoping if I can identify 2 or 3 models in my price range I can get a bargain on Black Friday.
Any pointers as to what to look out for would be very welcome!
Thanks
I haven't bought a new TV in nearly 20 years! I bought my first one in my twenties and then got married and my wife and I have inherited fairly recent TVs from her father, an LG.
However we want to go slightly larger (55") and more modern with internet etc
What features are the main important ones, technologies etc as I really have no f
king clue what I'm looking at here, I'm hoping if I can identify 2 or 3 models in my price range I can get a bargain on Black Friday.Any pointers as to what to look out for would be very welcome!
Thanks
There are two(ish) screen technologies: OLED & LED with OLED being significantly more expensive at the moment. Decide on your budget & that might push you in one direction.
Internet stuff: decide what services you want (Netflix/Prime/iPlayer) as not all manufacturers support all of them. As has been said support changes over time & new players arrive (Apple/Disney) so it's likley you'll end up with an external device anyway. Personally I still use an external recorder as I find the TV interface quite slow: it can take 20 seconds or so to go from off-air to iPlayer which is tedious.
I found Richer Sounds to be excellent, John Lewis are good as well.
Internet stuff: decide what services you want (Netflix/Prime/iPlayer) as not all manufacturers support all of them. As has been said support changes over time & new players arrive (Apple/Disney) so it's likley you'll end up with an external device anyway. Personally I still use an external recorder as I find the TV interface quite slow: it can take 20 seconds or so to go from off-air to iPlayer which is tedious.
I found Richer Sounds to be excellent, John Lewis are good as well.
OLED = no backlight - so self illuminating pixels = perfect (100%) blacks. Means more to movie watchers. Means little to general TV watchers.
QLED = Samsung pretending to be OLED/confuse buyers. Very nice screens mind you, but backlit.
LED/UHD/4K etc etc, if they don't mention OLED they are LCD with a backlight. Some (Sony, for example) make local dimming LCD so the backlight LEDs (this is why they call them LED TVs) are zoned, rather than just a couple of side strips - this tries to emulate OLED with varying success.
LG make very good TV software (the iPlayer, Netflix apps etc). I've found Samsung drop the ball very quickly and dump you with an interface that doesn't work after a while. I have an Nvidia shield (media player) that plays everything and I still use the TV's software for Amazon, Netflix, and iPlayer as it's faster and works perfectly.
As said, at least 3 HDMi ports, unless you are using an HDMI switching surround amp. Then you only need one!
Go one size bigger than you think you want.
Ignore pretty much all the "features" - motion+, pixel optimisation, super-that - it's all bks and you'll turn it all off :-) Modern TVs are more or less just monitors now. Same with debating over an older model with an A7 processor over a newer more expensive one with an A9 processor. You'll never notice the "difference". It's sales guff to justify a reason to release the same display panel each year with a new high price.
All HDMI cables work with 4K, regardless of what they tell you in Currys. £3 ones off Amazon will do exactly the same job as £30 ones from Currys. And Oh Boy, will they try and tell you otherwise!
QLED = Samsung pretending to be OLED/confuse buyers. Very nice screens mind you, but backlit.
LED/UHD/4K etc etc, if they don't mention OLED they are LCD with a backlight. Some (Sony, for example) make local dimming LCD so the backlight LEDs (this is why they call them LED TVs) are zoned, rather than just a couple of side strips - this tries to emulate OLED with varying success.
LG make very good TV software (the iPlayer, Netflix apps etc). I've found Samsung drop the ball very quickly and dump you with an interface that doesn't work after a while. I have an Nvidia shield (media player) that plays everything and I still use the TV's software for Amazon, Netflix, and iPlayer as it's faster and works perfectly.
As said, at least 3 HDMi ports, unless you are using an HDMI switching surround amp. Then you only need one!
Go one size bigger than you think you want.
Ignore pretty much all the "features" - motion+, pixel optimisation, super-that - it's all b
ks and you'll turn it all off :-) Modern TVs are more or less just monitors now. Same with debating over an older model with an A7 processor over a newer more expensive one with an A9 processor. You'll never notice the "difference". It's sales guff to justify a reason to release the same display panel each year with a new high price.All HDMI cables work with 4K, regardless of what they tell you in Currys. £3 ones off Amazon will do exactly the same job as £30 ones from Currys. And Oh Boy, will they try and tell you otherwise!
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 18th November 11:45
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 18th November 11:46
Depending on what sources you want to watch, Dolby Vision, HDR 10 and HLG as well. If they are not on your want list then don't worry about them.
They are technologies that came along with 4K and display the colour range more akin to what you can see. Dolby Vision and HDR 10 are mainly streaming and 4k Blu Ray disks. HLG is BBC mainly (iPlayer). There are some 1080p in HDR 10 streamed (Netflix and BT Sport, I have never used Prime etc.). Nothing broadcast over the aerial uses it. 4K without any of these live, still looks great (BT Sport for me).
Really take note of what RogerDodger says on cables. Providing you have reasonably short runs and easy to instal, not expensive. Get some in before hand if you know the length but they are for connecting 4k devices delivering 4k, meaning if you don't have a 4k capable device (disk player etc.) then not required this minute. Try your existing player and if it works, stay with it if you are happy.
They are technologies that came along with 4K and display the colour range more akin to what you can see. Dolby Vision and HDR 10 are mainly streaming and 4k Blu Ray disks. HLG is BBC mainly (iPlayer). There are some 1080p in HDR 10 streamed (Netflix and BT Sport, I have never used Prime etc.). Nothing broadcast over the aerial uses it. 4K without any of these live, still looks great (BT Sport for me).
Really take note of what RogerDodger says on cables. Providing you have reasonably short runs and easy to instal, not expensive. Get some in before hand if you know the length but they are for connecting 4k devices delivering 4k, meaning if you don't have a 4k capable device (disk player etc.) then not required this minute. Try your existing player and if it works, stay with it if you are happy.
Mr Pointy said:
There are two(ish) screen technologies: OLED & LED with OLED being significantly more expensive at the moment. Decide on your budget & that might push you in one direction.
Internet stuff: decide what services you want (Netflix/Prime/iPlayer) as not all manufacturers support all of them. As has been said support changes over time & new players arrive (Apple/Disney) so it's likley you'll end up with an external device anyway. Personally I still use an external recorder as I find the TV interface quite slow: it can take 20 seconds or so to go from off-air to iPlayer which is tedious.
(B]I found Richer Sounds to be excellent, John Lewis are good as well.(/B]
I would add Costco to that list if you can: free 5 year guarantee, lowest prices for the units they have! Internet stuff: decide what services you want (Netflix/Prime/iPlayer) as not all manufacturers support all of them. As has been said support changes over time & new players arrive (Apple/Disney) so it's likley you'll end up with an external device anyway. Personally I still use an external recorder as I find the TV interface quite slow: it can take 20 seconds or so to go from off-air to iPlayer which is tedious.
(B]I found Richer Sounds to be excellent, John Lewis are good as well.(/B]
SS2. said:
megaphone said:
What is your budget?
This.All TVs are most definitely not the same, and whilst your a particular type or model of TV may produce a more favourable picture for your eyes, it is largely a case of you get what you pay for.
For 50% movies/Netflix, go OLED. You'll be staggered at the difference. Go into currys and look along the line of TVs. The OLEDs stand out because the images will still be dark and sharp at an angle, all the LEDs will be washed out at an angle.
A very quick google came up with a 55" OLED for £499 from J lewis (so 5 year guarantee) for £499 so there will be a fair few options out there.
https://www.johnlewis.com/panasonic-tx-55gz950b-20...
I swear that one above is a mistake. It was £1800 when ti came out.
A very quick google came up with a 55" OLED for £499 from J lewis (so 5 year guarantee) for £499 so there will be a fair few options out there.
https://www.johnlewis.com/panasonic-tx-55gz950b-20...
I swear that one above is a mistake. It was £1800 when ti came out.
RogerDodger said:
For 50% movies/Netflix, go OLED. You'll be staggered at the difference. Go into currys and look along the line of TVs. The OLEDs stand out because the images will still be dark and sharp at an angle, all the LEDs will be washed out at an angle.
A very quick google came up with a 55" OLED for £499 from J lewis (so 5 year guarantee) for £499 so there will be a fair few options out there.
https://www.johnlewis.com/panasonic-tx-55gz950b-20...
I swear that one above is a mistake. It was £1800 when ti came out.
That must be an error? It's still showing as £1499 at Richer Sounds:A very quick google came up with a 55" OLED for £499 from J lewis (so 5 year guarantee) for £499 so there will be a fair few options out there.
https://www.johnlewis.com/panasonic-tx-55gz950b-20...
I swear that one above is a mistake. It was £1800 when ti came out.
https://www.richersounds.com/tv-projectors/all-tvs...
Someone's missed a 1 out before the 4!
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