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Buying a new TV...minefield
Posted: 19 Jan 2025, 19:26
by stubbo-admin
What a fucking minefield trying to buy a new TV is these days. Way too much in the way of specs, can't remotely trust the old-skool 'brands' to be any better than some cheapo Chinese make like TCL or HiSense, and the real Premium brands (Sony, and LG) you get fuck all for your money.
All roads seems to point to a HiSense TV, and buying from someone like Richer Sounds to try and guarantee some kind of after sales service for when the inevitable happens and the set goes tits up within 2 years.
Feels like whatever choice I make will inevitably be wrong, with a TV that breaks down within days, has problems from the outset or is obsolete within minutes.
Re: Buying a new TV...minefield
Posted: 23 Jan 2025, 10:19
by stubbo-admin
Well went with a punt on a TCL from Costco. Reduced by 100, very highly, plus the Costco 5 year guarantee looks solid.
https://www.costco.co.uk/TVs-Electronic ... V/p/532784
Will no doubt fall apart soon after delivery and be tonnes of hassle.
Re: Buying a new TV...minefield
Posted: 20 Jan 2025, 10:44
by ray winstone
Bought a Samsung 43'' many moons ago from Richer sounds in Romford, after a few years I upgraded to a bigger screen and gave the Samsung to friends who lived in Brum.
After a few months the screen went wonky, I checked my guarantee and it was 5 years 10 months old (2 months left to run), they took it to Richer Sounds in Solihull and they replaced it with a new 43'' without question.
So, when you decide what it is you want, buy from RS, they are mint.
Re: Buying a new TV...minefield
Posted: 20 Jan 2025, 09:23
by Lato
Depends on your budget and what you want it do I suppose. I recently replaced my old Logik 32inch in the bed room with a 43 inch Bush with Freely. A bargain at 210 quid!
Re: Buying a new TV...minefield
Posted: 20 Jan 2025, 08:46
by zico
Used to have an old Sony Bravia until the guy who installed my Sky Q said the picture was gone. So used Richer Sounds back in 2019 and have to say they were brilliant. My issue was because I am deaf I needed headphones with a personal preference for infa red style with a jack that plugs into the TV. Most TV's then seemed to rely on bluetooth. May be better these days but I found Bluetooth was like watching Norman Collier with the sound and lips out of synch, so Richer Sounds did one and one only with a jack and that was a Panasonic. Probably far better TV's out there but have had no issues but guarantee does run out February.
Re: Buying a new TV...minefield
Posted: 20 Jan 2025, 08:30
by Lee Trundle
I've got a Hisense. Had it for a couple of years now and it does me fine.
I got it from Costco. It's worth looking there also as you get a decent warranty with them as well.
Re: Buying a new TV...minefield
Posted: 20 Jan 2025, 08:18
by Russ of the BML
Not sure what the fuss is about. They are all pretty much the same. Just buy the size you want at a cost you can afford and take it home and plug it in. Once its up and working you won't give a monkeys what brand / spec it is.
Re: Buying a new TV...minefield
Posted: 20 Jan 2025, 06:52
by Bungo
I've always found that once I've bought one and it's in and working at home, it's fine, and any comparison with any others is almost immediately forgotten.
Bit like phones now. You can get sucked into comparing specs but they're all pretty much fine which is all they need to be.
Re: Buying a new TV...minefield
Posted: 19 Jan 2025, 23:18
by the coming of gary
goose wrote: ↑19 Jan 2025, 20:13
I passed through John Lewis the other day, and the picture quality on some of the televisions was mind blowing.
... Those were the cafe windows
.
Re: Buying a new TV...minefield
Posted: 19 Jan 2025, 23:07
by chim chim cha boo
https://www.richersounds.com/lg-oled65b42la/
A couple of hundred over budget but I had a Panasonic OLED 65" and loved it until I saw my brother's 65" LG OLED. It knocked mine for 6. Obviously I couldn't have that as I'm the older brother so I got a 77" LG G3!
I've always said spend as much as you can on your telly as you'll be looking at the fucking thing for YEARS.
Re: Buying a new TV...minefield
Posted: 19 Jan 2025, 21:52
by stubbo
mallard wrote: ↑19 Jan 2025, 21:42
Personally, I’d steer clear of Hisense, the picture quality and user interface is far inferior to the big brands.
Sony
LG
Samsung
That's what I'd thought but then pretty much every review put there, including by the big independents says otherwise.
Plus their interface is just Google TV, so generic Google software (and I'll use a Firestick or equivalent for most things anyway).
Re: Buying a new TV...minefield
Posted: 19 Jan 2025, 21:50
by mallard
What are you going to be viewing it through?
Freeview, Freesat, Sky, Virgin, Firestick, in built apps?
Re: Buying a new TV...minefield
Posted: 19 Jan 2025, 21:48
by Alfs
I have a Hisense and the picture is perfectly good. Easy enough to use, too.
Re: Buying a new TV...minefield
Posted: 19 Jan 2025, 21:42
by mallard
Personally, I’d steer clear of Hisense, the picture quality and user interface is far inferior to the big brands.
Sony
LG
Samsung
Re: Buying a new TV...minefield
Posted: 19 Jan 2025, 20:56
by stubbo-admin
MaryMillingtonsGhost wrote: ↑19 Jan 2025, 20:39
stubbo-admin wrote: ↑19 Jan 2025, 20:17
65", sub-1k.
*Think* have narrowed it down to the HiSense U7N, and get from Richer Sound with their '6 year guarantee.
This was the one I initially had on my list to be honest. The higher spec q80d is in range too ...but then the issues of Samsung reliability in newer panels came to the fore.
Re: Buying a new TV...minefield
Posted: 19 Jan 2025, 20:39
by MaryMillingtonsGhost
stubbo-admin wrote: ↑19 Jan 2025, 20:17
65", sub-1k.
*Think* have narrowed it down to the HiSense U7N, and get from Richer Sound with their '6 year guarantee.
Re: Buying a new TV...minefield
Posted: 19 Jan 2025, 20:33
by stubbo-admin
wils wrote: ↑19 Jan 2025, 20:25
All roads seems to point to a HiSense TV, and buying from someone like Richer Sounds to try and guarantee some kind of after sales service for when the inevitable happens and the set goes tits up within 2 years.
Feels like whatever choice I make will inevitably be wrong, with a TV that breaks down within days, has problems from the outset or is obsolete within minutes.
FWIW, I bought a Samsung Frame TV about 5 years ago. It's been great. Doesn't feel obsolete, the firmware gets updated. Perhaps I don't demand too much from a TV in terms of features and you are probably right about getting more features from a cheaper chinese brand. But I would stick with Samsung personally.
Slightly over your budget though for 65"
https://www.johnlewis.com/samsung-the-f ... p111919239
Looked at some Samsung sets, and was set one on...but research suggests their quality has gone to shit in the last two years.
Only brands it seems worth a wank (based on research) are Sony and, if buying OLED, LG. After that your playing the lottery...and even then that's assuming you don't buy entry level models even with Sony.
Watched a video by an independent TV repair guy...who were the two brands he said avoid at all costs? HiSense and Samsung. Who did he say go with....Sony and LG.
Go check out Which best buy...they recommend HiSense. Go check out AVForums...HiSense or TCL.
Basically it seems you can't trust any of them for reliability, so you're better off going 'better feature, lower cost, better warranty'. Basically rolling the dice, but with insurance to cover you if roll lower than a 4...all just sounds like inevitable hassle some time in the next 24 months.
Re: Buying a new TV...minefield
Posted: 19 Jan 2025, 20:25
by wils
All roads seems to point to a HiSense TV, and buying from someone like Richer Sounds to try and guarantee some kind of after sales service for when the inevitable happens and the set goes tits up within 2 years.
Feels like whatever choice I make will inevitably be wrong, with a TV that breaks down within days, has problems from the outset or is obsolete within minutes.
FWIW, I bought a Samsung Frame TV about 5 years ago. It's been great. Doesn't feel obsolete, the firmware gets updated. Perhaps I don't demand too much from a TV in terms of features and you are probably right about getting more features from a cheaper chinese brand. But I would stick with Samsung personally.
Slightly over your budget though for 65"
https://www.johnlewis.com/samsung-the-f ... p111919239
Re: Buying a new TV...minefield
Posted: 19 Jan 2025, 20:17
by stubbo-admin
65", sub-1k.
*Think* have narrowed it down to the HiSense U7N, and get from Richer Sound with their '6 year guarantee.
Re: Buying a new TV...minefield
Posted: 19 Jan 2025, 20:13
by goose
I passed through John Lewis the other day, and the picture quality on some of the televisions was mind blowing.
Re: Buying a new TV...minefield
Posted: 19 Jan 2025, 20:12
by MaryMillingtonsGhost
Size?
Budget?
Re: Buying a new TV...minefield
Posted: 19 Jan 2025, 20:11
by WHU(Exeter)
Coat hangers for aerials.
Re: Buying a new TV...minefield
Posted: 19 Jan 2025, 19:52
by Gank
Mike Oxsaw" wrote: ↑19 Jan 2025, 19:34
stubbo-admin wrote: ↑19 Jan 2025, 19:26
What a fucking minefield trying to buy a new TV is these days. Way too much in the way of specs, can't remotely trust the old-skool 'brands' to be any better than some cheapo Chinese make like TCL or HiSense, and the real Premium brands (Sony, and LG) you get fuck all for your money.
All roads seems to point to a HiSense TV, and buying from someone like Richer Sounds to try and guarantee some kind of after sales service for when the inevitable happens and the set goes tits up within 2 years.
Feels like whatever choice I make will inevitably be wrong, with a TV that breaks down within days, has problems from the outset or is obsolete within minutes.
Agreed.
I'm trying to buy a non-Smart TV at the moment.
I don't need (let alone want) any of that "fully connected" shit, or a TV that monitors my viewing habits and sends them off to some data collection service whenever if gets the chance to connect to the internet.
I basically want a 50" dumb terminal.
I wonder what kind of depravity the old bill would find on Mike’s hard drive?
HiSense are by miles the best value for money tellies on the market, as long as you don’t want the very best specification units in any field. They’re all very good specs but at the price of a low spec ‘premium’ brand.
They also make components for the more expensive brands.
Re: Buying a new TV...minefield
Posted: 19 Jan 2025, 19:34
by Mike Oxsaw
stubbo-admin wrote: ↑19 Jan 2025, 19:26
What a fucking minefield trying to buy a new TV is these days. Way too much in the way of specs, can't remotely trust the old-skool 'brands' to be any better than some cheapo Chinese make like TCL or HiSense, and the real Premium brands (Sony, and LG) you get fuck all for your money.
All roads seems to point to a HiSense TV, and buying from someone like Richer Sounds to try and guarantee some kind of after sales service for when the inevitable happens and the set goes tits up within 2 years.
Feels like whatever choice I make will inevitably be wrong, with a TV that breaks down within days, has problems from the outset or is obsolete within minutes.
Agreed.
I'm trying to buy a non-Smart TV at the moment.
I don't need (let alone want) any of that "fully connected" shit, or a TV that monitors my viewing habits and sends them off to some data collection service whenever if gets the chance to connect to the internet.
I basically want a 50" dumb terminal.
