Who knows about buying TVs?

fretmeister

Panasonic just announced they are stopping plasma now too.

Parker

Nope. Nothing with a magnet.

boogieman

Watch out for the sound quality on the ultra thin sets, they can be really crap. No room to get decent sized speakers in the casing. Not a problem if you're going down the separate amp and speakers route of course.

bertie

brand -  panasonic

store -  richer sounds  -  unbelievable customer service -  

holnrew

LED TVs use LCD technology, just lit with LEDs.

stickyfiddle

I have 2 Bravias, one straight LCD and one newer LED-lit one. Both are excellent. A bit more money than equivalent Samsungs and LGs but they look much nicer.

Personally I love surround sound, but much more for gaming than TV and films. 

Balls to 3D

strumjoughlamps

I have a 32 inch Sony LCD from around 2 years ago and this year sold my Samsung 43 inch plasma 3d and got a latest gen LG 42 inch LED smart tv and the LG is beautiful, the motion processing is superb when watching footie/rugger/f1 and the dedicated 'game' mode is the best I have known.

octatonic

WYNIR0 said:

ung

octatonic said:

Samsung screens are great when looking right in front but they don't have a huge viewing angle.

Surely that depends very much on the panel the particular set uses? 

Best advice I could give would be to go and look at several models in the shop having read reviews 1st and check things such as viewing angle.

Yes but virtually every Samsung panel suffers from this.

chillidoggy

I thought this thread was about cross-dressing when I first read the title.

Deijavoo

I got a 47 inch LG LED about a year ago. Absolutely brilliant,  but I never use the 3D element now. 

I got mine from some website that was a wee bit cheaper but I'd totally recommend John Lewis for the free 5 year warranty.  

Deadman

I've had a 47" Philips for 6 years. It's been as reliable as a Blakeys seg.

If I was buying now I'd be looking at one of the Panasonic LED's and use Richer Sounds.

Deadman

bertie said:

brand -  panasonic

store -  richer sounds  -  unbelievable customer service -  

Just noticed that! I think there's a trend emerging here, Parker.

ROOG

My recommendation is to try a bunch in a a good HiFi/multi media store where they can demo all of the sources you are likely to use. It was a revalation for me as to how some tvs deal with terrestrial signals. Second do the colours look natural? And how does the tv menu system work? Depends on how 'fussy' or keen you are? When I last bought one, plasma was tough to beat in the large sizes >50" but that's probably changed since. I expect to go led next time. +1 for Panasonic

ICBM

Panasonic.

Better picture and sound quality than Samsung and LG when I looked, at least as good feature set (the others might have caught up, it was a year or two ago), lower energy consumption, and only very marginally higher price. I've also heard bad things about Samsung and LG reliability compared to Panasonic and other longer established Japanese brands, which although probably the usual small percentage either way is something to think about given that this thread is about a dying Samsung.

ddlooping

Plasma : Panasonic
LCD : Samsung

Simples

And 5.1 is great if you have a good set-up.

Parker

Thanks guys. Your recommendations seemed to unanimously guide me towards Panasonic, so have a nice 42" Smart Viera. Loving everything about it so far - particularly controlling it by my iPhone!

ddlooping

Nice one.
What model did you go for?

Parker

TXL42E6B

Myranda

chillidoggy said:

I thought this thread was about cross-dressing when I first read the title.

You buy many cross dressers then? Or you just in the market and thought you'd see what the advice was

Back on topic.

There is one reason to buy a 3D telly... some are capable of higher refresh rates making them better in 2D mode for fast moving motion. Because to look as good as a competitors telly running at 150hz while trying to show two images you need to be twice as fast to get the same look refresh wise... so some are pretty bloomin' ace at 2D performance.

Only worry about viewing angles if you have a very wide sofa and have lots of peeps round to watch films. If it's you and the otherhalf sat on a 2 seater pointed directly at the TV then you wont notice the poor viewing angles.

Then the only real advise is - pick a screen that's about the size you need for the size of your room and then go play with one at somewhere like Richer Sounds or Currys if you have to... See how it looks to your eyes not the eyes of a reviewer on WhatTV.com.net.org.uk. See how it handles fast moving images like in action films and how well it does colours (and as it's apparently a mystery to many... red bits on a screen aren't meant to bleed across half the screen like a red dress is somehow radioactive adjust the f***ing contrast!) check that the on screen menus give you the option to adjust stuff if you come to dislike a brightness or contrast or whatever level.

Then buy one, and watch it and enjoy

Deijavoo

http://www.sony.co.uk/hub/4k