43" TV recomendations?

[AJB Temple]

Yes. Stop paying the licence tax.

 

[AJB Temple]

BBC is heavily focussed on cheap stuff now: the schedule is full of darts, snooker and low intellect game shows.

 

[JSW]

Yes. Stop paying the licence tax.

Not that simple unfortunately

https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/what-can-i-watch-without-a-tv-licence

 

[whatknot]

Having a background broadcast tv and related fields, starting in the days of 405/525 lines (UK/N.America) I do have very high standards and specs. in mind when it comes to tv sets - and also computer displays. You get what you pay for - but can often be duped into paying for things you don't actually need; or over stated abilities/image quality.

First off; so many (too many one might say) buy a screen that is way to large for the room in which it's installed, and the viewing distance. The formula to go by is screen diagonal x 1.2 - which will give you viewing distance.

Many a smaller room will be quite well served with 32ins...; due to the viewing distance...

Second; Samsung and LG make the displays (the actual screens) for all makes; or they used to. Sony apply some very clever and innovative electronics to up their performance and thus look the way they do.

OLED isn't worth cash for average viewer...

JVC fail by a long shot, Sharp to some degree, likewise Panasonic to some degree, all fail to perform as well as Samsung, LG, and Sony in terms of overall quality of display.

Most sets come out the box poorly set up; contrast/brightness settings, chroma (colour), and colour temperature; all really ought to be tweaked - often by quite a lot.

There are excellent dvds around which can talk you through setting up a screen given to give much better display; and more comfortable to view - with reduced eye strain. These dvds vary in price and most are now blue ray, though there are still a few bog standard dvd format too. Check on the big river web sire to see what's around and make your choice... The bette disks emulate to some degree the tools we use in the broadcast arena; though there we have recourse to a whole slew of test signals and so on...

I recently viewed/checked out LG, Sony, Samsung and even Panasonic and Sharp; ignored Hysense as they just don't cut the mustard (IMHO). Went for a Sony as it had a couple of connections I want and which are no-longer on most sets these days. My choice will invariably be either LG, Samsung, or Sony.

Flat screen sets have poor speakers - though when you go up to say 43 (at the minimum) they do improve a little in terms of fuller frequency range. But a sound bar is inevitably well applied.

The practice of mounting screens over the fireplace is a no-no.. You have to tip the head up/back some and in time give yourself neck/shoulder issues. The ideally biewing angle is just slightly below your natural forward looking gaze; and industry set that natural eye line as being 52ins for the average sitting position.

Thanks for your input, all interesting stuff

The viewing distance you mention, is that the minimum, optimum or???? using 1.2 would give me 52", whereas hers would be just over 10 foot, not that it matters as anything larger would be to big

Yes I found out that JVC are just cheap, slow and not worth having, I just wanted a replacement quick and cheap at the time, you live and learn ;-)

I honestly don't see any need for a sound bar, the TV we have is perfectly okay sound wise and would expect any replacement to be the same, nothing fancy required

I agree with you re mounting over a fireplace, not that many homes have one these days, my daughters new place is probably about 80 years old and has a nice fireplace but TV is in an alcove to one side (with a sound bar ;-)

 

[whatknot]

One thing struck me. With a 4k TV, a netflix subscription, and services like iplayer, I hardly ever watch broadcast TV these days.
Is this the new normal ?

Likewise, when I do look at the TV guides they are virtually all repeats, its like being in the 1980s at times, Sweeney, Minder etc , you quite often find the same film shown three or four times a week

 

[whatknot]

I would certainly make the trip so as you can see the difference side by side

I have brought over 10 tv's all from the same small family owned shop. The service is fantastic

I always call before I visit and the owner saves various programs that I watch on a recorder for me ready for my visit, I feel that's important as often some of the larger stores run a network with clips and programs perhaps enhanced to show the best aspects of the TV.

The shop i use also will site tv's next to each other for a direct comparison, unlike the big stores that tend to group by manufacture. He has even sent out a couple of tv's for me to look at when I couldn't make my mind up as to which size i wanted.

Another point to note is to ensure the tv is set up correctly for your room auto this and auto that are all ok in an ideal setting, I always have mine set up by an engineer and the difference they can make to picture and sound is great

I aim to change mine around ever 5 years as most now offer 5 year warranty, I move the main tv to another room for the new one to come in.

I have no brand loyalty, I have owned Sony, Philips, Panasonic & LG, I have spent many thousands over the years I have probably owned more Sony's than anything else to be honest if i had more spare cash i would most likely change mine every 12 months.

Sometimes its not the right time to change and on a couple of occasions my supplier has said to me just stick with what you have for x more months as there is some revised stuff due out or a certain manufacturer is bringing out new model which may have the edge over an existing model.

I am just about to commence research for an upgrade I will do a lot of looking online and also buy a few magazines as well as contacting my local supplier for his thoughts, just a brief chat as i never want to waste his time.

Please make sure you compare exact models against exact models when it come down to price a letter or number missing or added on a model number can make a lot of difference and I have in the past noticed that some of the big nationwide retailers sometimes have models exclusive to them.

Sorry for the long ramble which most likely hasnt helped with you choice, I suppose I am an advocate for local retailers

I would possibly agree with you re a local retailer but we don't really have one, theres a Currys 20 miles away but wouldn't trust them for advice ;-) we also have Argos of course but the same applies
Sorry I will have to take that back I just remembered we do have a small retailer but their prices are horrendous compared to others & online, I know they have overheads and staff etc but their prices are way out of kelter, I had all but forgotten them as never use them but do take your point when you have a decent retailer near enough

Part of my problem is I rarely watch the blessed thing so have little interest in fiddling with it, bar the necessity of having to for my wife

 

[whatknot]

BBC is heavily focussed on cheap stuff now: the schedule is full of darts, snooker and low intellect game shows.

Personally one of the few times I watch the TV is when snooker or the odd football match is on, but think you are over egging it somewhat, the schedule is hardly full of darts or snooker, both have brief periods for a couple of weeks at most and half of the snooker is on the yellow button iplayer not the regular channels, darts I can't recall seeing on the BBC for a long time its on ITV or sky sports

 

[woodieallen]

When our Sony plasma died I spent ages, like you, looking at everything. Going around looking at sets etc. Finally me and the missus went to Curry's to look at a couple I'd shortlisted. She looked at them then looked at the next one up and said 'Why don't we get that one'? So we did. Great choice and so I recommend you take that route especially as she sounds as if she's the main viewer. 1) You get Brownie points for letting her decide 2) You don't get a rollocking if she doesn't like it.

And the irony ? Our TV wakes up to SD. Excruciating picture quality. She's the first one up to watch TV. Never changes it to HD

 

[Blackswanwood]

I would possibly agree with you re a local retailer but we don't really have one, theres a Currys 20 miles away but wouldn't trust them for advice ;-) we also have Argos of course but the same applies
Sorry I will have to take that back I just remembered we do have a small retailer but their prices are horrendous compared to others & online, I know they have overheads and staff etc but their prices are way out of kelter, I had all but forgotten them as never use them but do take your point when you have a decent retailer near enough

Part of my problem is I rarely watch the blessed thing so have little interest in fiddling with it, bar the necessity of having to for my wife

I’d suggest calling the Richer Sounds sales and advice line.

I went through buying a new tv just before Christmas and got bogged down in all the different types of led and sound options. The person I spoke with at Richer Sounds was far better than the tech nerds in Currys and John Lewis.

 

[whatknot]

I’d suggest calling the Richer Sounds sales and advice line.

I went through buying a new tv just before Christmas and got bogged down in all the different types of led and sound options. The person I spoke with at Richer Sounds was far better than the tech nerds in Currys and John Lewis.

Nearest one of those I found was 50 miles away

 

[Blackswanwood]

Nearest one of those I found was 50 miles away

I’m suggesting calling them by phone. They have a central sales and advice team and you can pick their brains.

 

[whatknot]

I’m suggesting calling them by phone. They have a central sales and advice team and you can pick their brains.

Call me old fashioned but I would not do that without the remotest chance I would use them

 

[Blackswanwood]

Call me old fashioned but I would not do that without the remotest chance I would use them

Well if you had a conversation with them you might be impressed and decide to use them

 

[whatknot]

Well if you had a conversation with them you might be impressed and decide to use them

Okay I give in ;-)

Actually you are not the first to mention them, I had never heard of them so was a little put off, but having looked at their web site and compared one or two for price, it appears they are competitive and offer free delivery

So will give them a call tomorrow and see what they have to say so thanks for the nudge ;-)

 

[Superduner]

2) You don't get a rollocking if she doesn't like it.

The dynamics of your home are somewhat different to those in mine! I get a rollocking no matter what.

 

[whatknot]

The dynamics of your home are somewhat different to those in mine! I get a rollocking no matter what.

You sure you are not married to mine? ;-)

 

[Spectric]

I find that you have to go and look at these TV's actually working and showing the same picture to do a fair comparison. What you see is going to be very subjective as what one person might like may not be what another likes. I also find going to the smaller showrooms and not the multinationals like Curry's can get you better results, just buying based on a specification is not ideal. Also some only deal with a limited range of brands, ie Euronics's but I am always drawn to Panasonic and Sony, for me there is something I don't like about Samsung although I did have a really great Samsung fridge / freezer.

 

[Sideways]

For what it's worth, Julian Richer who founded Richer Sounds is one of the good guys in business.
Some years ago he gave his company over to the employees. It is employee owned and celebrates the loyalty - years of service - of the staff. Their extended warranties are famously good value and it certsinly used to be that if you didn't claim on them, you could present the receipt and claim back what you paid for it at the end of the 6 years.

 

[trvlr]

The 1.2 figure is likely a sugested minimum - if not ideal... I have 32inch Sony Bravia and view at at distance of somewhere between 7 and 8ft. and it's fine. The suggested figure is around 38ins using the 1.2 calculaton... But as I say I find my arrangement is really quite comfortable. I often view from about 18ft; it's at the opposite end of my living room from where my computer kit etc. is located. But for serious viewing of course I go sit closer and thus "pay attention 007..."

 

[whatknot]

I find that you have to go and look at these TV's actually working and showing the same picture to do a fair comparison. What you see is going to be very subjective as what one person might like may not be what another likes. I also find going to the smaller showrooms and not the multinationals like Curry's can get you better results, just buying based on a specification is not ideal. Also some only deal with a limited range of brands, ie Euronics's but I am always drawn to Panasonic and Sony, for me there is something I don't like about Samsung although I did have a really great Samsung fridge / freezer.

Its not really an option I have, it would mean a 100+ mile round trip just to look at a few TVs and even then seeing TVs in a showroom is completely different to watching one at home

On Samsung, I can't recall if we have ever had a Samsung TV at home, but our eldest had a 32" which lasted about ten years, we have had LG, Panasonic, and more recently a bad mistake in buying a JVC for the bedroom, but the best printer by a long chalk was and is a Samsung, I have had Epsons, Brother, and others but the Samsungs were way better, sadly they don't do them any more, they are supplied by HP