Should I buy a new TV?

[profmjh]

I currently have an eight year old Sony Bravia. It's 40-inches, has no smart features, and only one HDMI port. It's an LCD, I think.

There's nothing wrong with it, in the sense that it's not broken. It does what it's supposed to and what it has always done.

But I see deals on modern TVs and I'm wondering am I missing out on a considerably better experience. Given how much TV I watch, is it worth buying something bang up to date?

Should I look at curved screens? 4K? 50-inches? 55-inches?

Is the experience qualitatively better? I'm seeing decent prices and reviews on Samsungs: is that a brand you'd recommend?

 

[ipedro]

I too have an 8 year old TV but because for most of that time I've had an AppleTV hooked up to it, it still feels modern. The only reminder of its age is that it's goddamn heavy and thick.

I've been considering a 4K tv lately but from what I can tell, there's very little content to justify owning one now. I think that there's a good chance that Apple will usher in the 4K era with content deals and their own panel. It could be as simple as releasing new 5K screens for their Mac Pro and Mac Mini line to match the iMac 5K. Include an AppleTV chipset and it becomes an actual TV if sold in larger sizes.

I'm going to let Apple play their cards first. Unless my TV dies, I'll hold out a couple more years.

 

[deadoctopi]

I love my plasma 60" from Panasonic. I get compliments on it's picture and theater feel when folks are over who've got sparkly new 4Ks and 3D TVs. It's all preference, and I'm kinda bummed I can rebuy this same television when it eventually dies. It's about 4 years old currently. I don't use a single "smart app" on it at all. I also don't do much gaming, where it would probably show it's stripes as a "movie" tv.

It was also purchased for like 1200 and went down to half it's price 6 months later. So there's nothing you'll be missing by waiting, the TV you buy today will be half price in a few years unless you're going whole hog on one of those MASSIVE OLED samsung 80" things lol.

 

[phrehdd]

Most "smart" TVs offer a handful of useful apps but often the very same apps can be found
on player/streamer devices. The question then becomes which apps does one want and which
device will play them best.

About TVs, there are a few 4k offerings out there now and if you do decide to get one, I highly
recommend you search the Internet for some reviews and specs. Not all TVs are created equal.
Like Deadoctopi, I have a large Panasonic plasma TV and not only do I thoroughly enjoy it, but
my guests are amazed just how good it looks when playing blue ray level content. I have at this
time no desire to get into 4k as the offerings of content remain small, higher quality 4k is very
expensive (which I rather have for the long haul). Alas, my Panasonic has a few smart features
related to streaming and I use none of them as my Blue Ray player too has smarts and does a
better job as does my TiVo. I might as well add that my NVidia shield and htpc also fair better.
IF a person had none of the devices and just the TV, they would adapt to how the streaming apps
present material as there is no side by side comparison. (The latter is the usual case for most people).

If your TV appears functional, you like the image, then consider a good player/streamer a far cheaper
and perhaps better option. ATV will serve well as a front end to iTunes (its real purpose), while Amazon,
Roku, Nvidia Shield, Chromecast etc. offer excellent options for streaming apps. Just be aware that
other than iTunes missing, the Roku has the most extensive streaming services while Amazon leans
of course towards Amazon Prime services and NVidia Shield has the best hardware.

If you have a AVR (receiver), you can plug all your devices into the AVR (assuming it does HDMI) and then
only need a single HDMI out to your TV. If your TV does not do HDMI, well then yes it is becoming antiquated
as HDMI 1.3, 1.4, 2/2.2 are out there (in that order historically).

Chances are, I'll be buying Roku's as gifts for family member homes. While the NVidia is perfect for me, the Roku
is a better fit for them.

 

[TrueBlou]

If the picture quality of the set you have looks good to your eyes, don't go rushing to buy a new one. Enjoy what you have just now and hold out for a couple of years until OLED is much more widely available and the prices drop.

With the massive investment LG is making in its OLED business over the next couple of years and renewed interest from the likes of Panasonic. It's not going to be too long until we're getting the best possible displays for a lot less than you can just now.

 

[profmjh]

For those who are interested . . .

In the end I decided to buy a Samsung 48-inch, curved, HDTV (the J6300). I did epic amounts of research and it just kept coming up as being the best, given my budget.

Somewhat disappointingly, the one they delivered didn't work. It regularly cuts out and is being replaced. But I've used it enough to get a sense of how I feel about it.

As many people have said, the curve is a gimmick, but it makes the TV look nice as a physical object. I wasn't blown away by the picture quality compared with my 9 year old Sony. It's obviously better, but not breathtakingly so. In some ways the picture is "too" good -- sometimes it's distractingly over-realistic. The picture settings are horrifyingly complicated and require a degree to understand. I'll need to experiment. I'm mostly using the "Movie" setting, though that tends to look like someone stretched a pair of black stockings across the screen.

The sound is fine. I don't feel the need to spend almost as much again on a sound-bar.

It's not the life-changing, immersive, huge step-up that I hoped it would be. But it's fine. And now I have a 40-inch TV (my old one) in my bedroom, which is nice.

Oh yeah. It works really well with the ATV4, unlike my old Sony. The ATV4 remote works the TV in exactly the way I'd hoped so that I don't need the huge remote control most of the time. It's made me glad I have the ATV4. I'll be even gladder once we get Amazon Prime and iPlayer on the ATV4, though these are both built in to the TV itself.

 

[cynics]

On a Samsung TV use the "standard" setting. It used to be nearly perfectly (albeit generically) calibrated. I was so surprised when I went to calibrate mine (6 year old Samsung LCD) how close the colors were on the standard setting.

Also turn "auto motion plus" or whatever Samsung is calling their motion interpolation feature off if you find it distracting. It's what is causing the realistic often referred to as "soap opera effect".

 

[profmjh]

Also turn "auto motion plus" or whatever Samsung is calling their motion interpolation feature off if you find it distracting. It's what is causing the realistic often referred to as "soap opera effect".

That's perfect! Thank you!

 

[RB1959]

I've always bought Samsung TV's. My latest 65" 4K is just bloody fantastic. The curve, well you don't notice it to be honest but I feel it does draw you into the picture. Stunning TV.

 

[profmjh]

BBC iPlayer just arrived on ATV4 !!!

 

[phrehdd]

I've always bought Samsung TV's. My latest 65" 4K is just bloody fantastic. The curve, well you don't notice it to be honest but I feel it does draw you into the picture. Stunning TV.

I guess the curve is a subjective matter on likes and dislikes. Of course I do find it funny that TVs (and iMacs for that matter) have been going year after year on getting thinner. Curve undoes all this as it now has "depth" to the footprint as it no longer can be flat up against a wall. For those with curved TVs, I hope you like them and enjoy them to their fullest.

 

[RB1959]

Mine is wall hung on a specially built corner angle wall, so it looks good there. The edges are almost touching the walls each side so it doesn't stick out. On a flat wall perhaps they look less good.

 

[mattopotamus]

If you are happy with your set now, I agree with some others on waiting until OLED comes down in price and other manufactures join the party. If you want a new TV today, Sony and samsung have a few 4K TVs that support HDR and a wider color gamut and are personally the only 4K sets I would consider at the moment at a reasonable price.

Curved screens can be cool, but unless you get at least 65" and sit <7 feet away from the screen it will just be a pure aesthetic decision.

 

[rihia]

I purchased the 65" Samsung js8000"flat screen"

In my review of all the tvs out is the lg oleds have by far the best picture but also the most downsides for me. Burn in, the price and its new technology.

I figure these oleds will be the mainstream tech in around 5yrs time so I settled with the Samsung.

For the price the 8000 series suhd is the Best Buy with the least downfalls..

Will cost me less than $1k a year till oleds hit a good price with enough competition.

Now that I've had the Samsung for a little over a month, all the other tvs in my house seem almost unbearable to watch.

Really is an awesome tv short of being an oled, can't recommend it more.

 

[mattopotamus]

I purchased the 65" Samsung js8000"flat screen"

In my review of all the tvs out is the lg oleds have by far the best picture but also the most downsides for me. Burn in, the price and its new technology.

I figure these oleds will be the mainstream tech in around 5yrs time so I settled with the Samsung.

For the price the 8000 series suhd is the Best Buy with the least downfalls..

Will cost me less than $1k a year till oleds hit a good price with enough competition.

Now that I've had the Samsung for a little over a month, all the other tvs in my house seem almost unbearable to watch.

Really is an awesome tv short of being an oled, can't recommend it more.

Similarly, I have the js8500 (I also do own the first generation LG OLED). The samsung is easily the most uniform TV I have ever owned, and I actually prefer it to the OLED for that reason.

 

[andyp350]

I always go for Samsung TVs. I know there are other good makes out there but I've never been anything other than thrilled with the image quality of my Samsung TVs.
If you own a games console or Apple TV etc then I wouldn't worry over getting smart feature. I have a Samsung 3D smart TV (didn't need/want the smart features or the 3D but it was a great price even without those features taken into consideration).
The Apple TV and my PS4 run the on demand content much faster and at better quality than the TVs built in apps so unless that's your only way to access those services you really don't need them.
If it's within your budget I'd look at going 4K, not much use now to most people but it'll keep it future proofed (I don't know about others but I don't upgrade my TV that often).
Curved I personally don't like so I'd have a good look at them in a show room before making that decision.