I need a new television

Bigphil1474

When I got my last telly a couple of years ago, it came down to a Samsung or an LG - Sony looked good but were a bit more dosh. Ended up with a smart LG and it was well worth it for me. For info, it replaced an old 37" TV, but the new 42" was the same size unit because of the thinner edges.
I went to a big Currys to see the models in action, visited Richer Sounds who are always great help, then bought it online with a cash-back code from a company called Hughes Direct and saved over £100.TV prices have dropped massively recently so you should find something good for little outlay.
I agree with the 3D - mine has 3d which I tried a few times, but now watch 3D content with a projector and screen. The TV smart functions are well worth having if you don't have any other smart access options (like PS4 etc.)

warehouse

Aylesbury_Duck wrote: »

As far as technology is concerned, I think the following are worth having:

- Smart functionality. When I bought my last TV I didn't want to get a smart TV thinking it was an unnecessary feature that drove the price up. I use it all the time now for iPlayer and Netflix. Although there are other ways to get smart content that provide all sorts the TV apps might not cover.

- Full HD. I'm so used to using HD that SD now looks fuzzy to me.

I wouldn't bother with curved screens either, and prefer to have a separate DVD player. I think you get more for your money rather than a cheap player bundled with the TV. 3D is fun the first few times you use it and can be amazing for the right content but in practice, I just don't use the feature. The ultra HD is excessive for me and there isn't enough content I watch in the format to make it worth it. I have an upscaling DVD player that does a good job of delivering pseudo-HD from my numerous old DVDs so they look pretty good.

I went for an LG. Has Amazon Prime, Netflix, Channel 5, and BBC catch up also installed. Picture quality is great and the sound's not bad from the built-in speakers, although I'd recommend a soundbar if budget permits. I believe Samsung TVs have Channel 4 catch-up as well. A relative has a Samsung and the picture quality is superb but the sound is a bit tinny, so she uses a soundbar where I could get away without it on my LG.

Exactly this, (saved me writing the same)!

Clive_Woody

Bits to consider:

With my TV (an oldish Panasonic) you can plug in an external hard drive and record programs directly onto this (like a video recorder or Sky+).

My TV has a built in freesat tuner so I can plug in the old SKY cable and watch freesat channels.

My X-box does most of the "smart" stuff - Amazon Prime, NOW TV, You Tube, games, etc so consider how smart your TV needs to be if you have other bits of kit plugged in.

Another vote for Richer Sounds, always had great service from then and they really know their tech.

almillar

Going from a half broken 9yr old 32in LCD the only way is up! Start here: Budget, Size. Freeview, cable or satellite? Then we can help with getting a decent one for a decent price.

WobblyDog

In addition to the above, you might want to consider power consumption. Your current TV might be old enough to have a fluorescent backlight, which is considerably less efficient than the LED backlights used in modern TVs. On the other hand, if you go for a larger screen, that could increase power consumption.

I'm afraid I don't know if the manufacturer power consumption figures can be reliably used to compare TVs, but I'm fairly certain that in another 9 years electricity prices will be higher in real terms than they are today.

I've got budget LCD HD smart TVs from Sony, Samsung and LG in my house, and they're all good, although the user interface on the LG is a bit clunky.

Nile

Thanks everyone for your suggestions and information, it's helped me a lot.

I've had a look at a range of televisions. I liked the LG (and it was a bit cheaper) but the Sony Bravia 43" Ultra HD Smart tv met my requirements and the (Currys) price was the same as Richer Sounds...........although the guarantee was one year shorter.

I've been busy setting it up this afternoon. Blimey, it took a lot longer that the last time I set up a tv. Entering passwords and email address takes time but the picture now is SO WORTH IT.

Thanks again

Nile

Aylesbury_Duck

Good to know. Enjoy it.

Now, if budget permits and you watch a lot of films or box sets, take a look at soundbars. They make watching films a much more immersive experience.

martinsurrey

Aylesbury_Duck wrote: »

Good to know. Enjoy it.

Now, if budget permits and you watch a lot of films or box sets, take a look at soundbars. They make watching films a much more immersive experience.

for the price of a decent sound bar you can get an entry level AV receiver and speaker set from richer sounds, and 5.1 dolby beats the living daylights out of a sound bar!

receiver

speakers

be careful though, its very easy to get carried away on speakers if you catch the bug.

Strider590

My latest TV (nice 42inch Samsumg) came from the local tip, simple repair, couple of 50p components from Maplins. Now I do hate consumerism and throw away culture, but without stupid people i'd be skint

Murphybear

Browntoa wrote: »

LG are pretty good these days , another vote for local richer sounds as they offer totally impartial advice and know what they are talking about

And free 6 year warranty as mentioned

We bought a 42 in LG from Makro in 2008. It was a one off and we paid silly money to take it away there and the . It has been brilliant and still going strong. If you don't want all the bells and whistles then you can get a good brand such as Sony, Samsung etc fairly cheap these days and it would last for years.