Buying a new TV for the first time in 7 years

3,492 Views | 20 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by RVAg02
Jock 07
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AG
Looking for a new 55" TV, don't need the crazy OLED stuff. The two I'm looking at right now are a Samsung and an LG. We have amazon alexa (listening in I know) so don't know if one is better fit to tie into a smart speaker one way or the other (none of my current TVs are smart). Figured I'd buy it through Costco due to the warranty deal but wanted to check here and see if there were any other opinions.
Wildmen03
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AG
My next 55" TV will likely be this one.

https://www.amazon.com/TCL-55S425-inch-Smart-Roku/dp/B07JJZPZNS

dtkprowler
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AG
I own the $300 special Chang hongs from Black Friday but people swear by the TCLs. Also I HATE my Samsung. Ymmv
Absolute
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AG
I have an oled 4k Samsung 65 inch, couple years old. It was top of the line when I bought. I like it ok, but have had enough little issues, I doubt I will buy another Samsung.

I would probably go back to Vizio and not buy top of the line.
m.stat
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AG
Picked up the TCL 55" 6 series on sale about a month ago. CNET has it rated s the best under $500. Roku interface and excellent picture quality.
dodger02
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TCL is quite consistently rated as being best value. The Roku interface is slick.

I really like Vizio for best picture per dollar. I just bought a P Series Quantum X in 65" and it's great.
ntxVol
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Wildmen03 said:

My next 55" TV will likely be this one.

https://www.amazon.com/TCL-55S425-inch-Smart-Roku/dp/B07JJZPZNS


Just put one of those on the back porch. For the price, it's hard to beat. These days these smart TVs don't have a long lifespan. At least that's what I've been told. It's hard to justify spending big bucks on one because of that.

Anyway, for 300 bucks, I don't see how you can go wrong with that one.
Jock 07
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I personally don't want to buy anything from a PRC state owned company.
TMoney2007
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Absolute said:

I have an oled 4k Samsung 65 inch, couple years old. It was top of the line when I bought. I like it ok, but have had enough little issues, I doubt I will buy another Samsung.

I would probably go back to Vizio and not buy top of the line.
Vizio can have issues too. If you're going to disqualify entire brands for that, you're going to run out of brands.

Vizio took like 3 months to get me a working TV after my initial one died after less than a year...
Bryan98
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AG
dodger02 said:

TCL is quite consistently rated as being best value. The Roku interface is slick.
As I say in all these threads, I have a 43" TCL Roku TV as a second screen in my living room (main is a 65" Panny Z) and it is great. LOVE the built-in Roku. If you aren't a picture quality snob, etc., they're cheap and very good.
tfunk02
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AG
Basics of choosing a new TV...

Use this site to narrow down the models.
https://www.rtings.com/


Use this site to find the owners thread for the display.
https://www.avsforum.com/forum/9-display-devices/

Sometimes there are issues that don't come up on rtings reviews that will show up in the owners thread. I also like going through the comments on rtings.
TylerAg98
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If you can still find one, I'd buy a 1080p TV as live TV does not look so great on 4K TVs. 4K TVs have 4x the pixels and the TVs processor is trying to stretch the image across the entire screen to make it fit. Live broadcast television signal is in either 720p or 1080i. I have both and live TV looks better on my 1080p TV. Just food for thought.
TylerAg98
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AG
Also, I have the LG you linked in the same size and it is a great TV. I suppose it depends on your viewing habits. If you want to watch more 4K content, then the LG picture is incredible. It does a fairly decent job of upscaling live TV signals.
TMoney2007
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AG
RED III said:

If you can still find one, I'd buy a 1080p TV as live TV does not look so great on 4K TVs. 4K TVs have 4x the pixels and the TVs processor is trying to stretch the image across the entire screen to make it fit. Live broadcast television signal is in either 720p or 1080i. I have both and live TV looks better on my 1080p TV. Just food for thought.
What kind of 4K tv do you have? What kind of 1080P set do you have?

The quality of the processor in the TV is going to drastically affect how an upscaled picture looks. Your blanket statement isn't true. Many TV's can scale content to the panel resolution and have it look better than a lower resolution panel could ever look.

The problem you will run into buying a 1080P tv now is that you are going to be getting the absolute cheapest panel, backlight and processor. You're basically going to be buying 3-4 generation old technology.
WoMD
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I wish Panasonic still made plasmas. My 6 year old plasma still has a better picture than any current tv I've seen from non-4K signal, which is literally almost everything right now.
PeekingDuck
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AG
Stay away from Samsung.
Bregxit
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WoMD said:

I wish Panasonic still made plasmas. My 6 year old plasma still has a better picture than any current tv I've seen from non-4K signal, which is literally almost everything right now.


I still get very positive comments from people on the picture quality of my 42" Panasonic we bought in 2006. They never believe it is 13 years old until I show them the receipt.
CoolaidWade
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AG
WoMD said:

I wish Panasonic still made plasmas. My 6 year old plasma still has a better picture than any current tv I've seen from non-4K signal, which is literally almost everything right now.
I agree. I bought a 60 inch the year they discontinued. (I didn't know that would be the last year at the time)

Picture is amazing! I think the new OLED TVs may be a tad big brighter but I wouldn't say overall the picture quality is better then a plasma. I want a bigger TV for the living room but its really hard to justify buying a new one when this one is still on point.

Although for whatever reason the silver bezel that borders the TV is coming off and nobody really knows how to fix it. I have a clear two sided tape around it keeping it in place right now.
Bodie Broadus
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tfunk02 said:

Basics of choosing a new TV...

Use this site to narrow down the models.
https://www.rtings.com/


Use this site to find the owners thread for the display.
https://www.avsforum.com/forum/9-display-devices/

Sometimes there are issues that don't come up on rtings reviews that will show up in the owners thread. I also like going through the comments on rtings.

Bumping this. RTINGS is an incredible website and very intuitive. I used it to decide what would best fit for my home.
Furlock Bones
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AG
WoMD said:

I wish Panasonic still made plasmas. My 6 year old plasma still has a better picture than any current tv I've seen from non-4K signal, which is literally almost everything right now.
yup. i'm rocking a 65inch Panny Viera. still sad they aren't made anymore.
jsc8116
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Bump, searching now as well as my 9 year old 55" Samsung died the other night. Was set on a LG 55" at costco for $429 but saw a 55" TCL for $299 right next to it that looked just as nice....tempting.
RVAg02
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AG
Looking for a new 65". Can't seem to find a consensus. Thoughts?
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