TV recommendation, and some very basic questions

longwalks1

We are after a TV for a media wall we are going to build down the other end of our kitchen.  I know absolutely nothing about TV's though, our main TV in the lounge is a cheap and basic 55" Samsung one (I think it was £500, 6 years ago).

My brother in law has an LG OLED TV, the picture is amazing on it.  Ideally we'd like something between 44-55" in size, and a smart TV to stream boxsets and films etc.  If we buy a Freeview TV to get some channels, is freeview from the internet now, and not an old aerial cable? (told you very basic questions)

We wont be having Sky or Virgin in there due to the cost, but is there anything else to consider or look for when buying that could offer us more channels?

macman

Freeeview is a terrestial service via an aerial, though many channels are available as live streams from the internet.

shiraz99

If you want an OLED then go for it but I wouldn't get that as a secondary, kitchen TV. Get it for the main TV area and move that Samsung to the kitchen. The latest model of the LG is the C2 range, which come in 42", 48", 55", 65". They've recently been reduced as they're coming to the end of the model year so now's the time to pick one up. Don't go to the likes of Currys, etc but buy from a store with a decent warranty, such as John Lewis or Richer Sounds.

grumbler

longwalks1 said:

If we buy a Freeview TV to get some channels, is freeview from the internet now, and not an old aerial cable?

Freeview = aerial

Freeview Play = internet

There are other internet-based streaming services.

ConsumerMatt

If you're streaming 4K and HDR content, the LG OLED range is hard to beat. If you're mainly streaming HD it would be worth visiting a store to see for yourself. OLED has benefits beyond just playing 4K but you may be happy with a lower priced TV. That said, I've had an LG OLED TV for 3 years now and would recommend one in a heartbeat.

I also second shiraz99's advice to put the newest/best TV in your main viewing area. If that means moving the Samsung to the kitchen you can easily make it "smart" with something like the Fire TV stick. The only caveat being you'll have to switch the HDMI source to the stick rather than the streaming apps being available via your main TV remote.

Username03725

longwalks1 said:

We wont be having Sky or Virgin in there due to the cost, but is there anything else to consider or look for when buying that could offer us more channels?

If you get a tv that has Freesat built in - and most if not all will have - you can connect a normal sat dish to it and get a lot of the free channels you'd see on a Sky box, and some that you don't. The electronic programme guide (EPG) isn't an intuitive as Sky's and there's no record facility unless you add your own drive, but the channels are there. Here's the full list.

A normal sat dish is basically a Sky dish. To all intents and purposes it points to the same satellite and receives the same signals but presents the channels differently.

Browntoa

The LG TV will give you access to Pluto TV ,Plex , rakuten , UKTV play, horror bites , CBS access and Lg TV apps which all have streamable free content. Some also carry live channels ( particularly Pluto and Plex) . You obviously get the mainstream TV apps for BBC , itv , channel 4 and channel 5 for streaming box sets or favourite programs .

Freeview now carry some interactive streaming only channels and talking pictures TV on Freeview has just launched red button services to stream some of their classic films and TV programs on demand 

RumRat

If your kitchen environment is well lit (Windows etc.) then I would suggest a Samsung QLED, they get brighter than an OLED and can cope better with bright environments better. If you are going to put the new TV in the lounge and move the existing Samsung to the kitchen, then by all means the LG is a great TV.

longwalks1

Thanks everyone. The Samsung we have is a smart TV, but it’s slow and the thumb pad on the remote takes forever to navigate the ons teen keyboard when logging into a web page.

Can you get something more ‘mouse like’ to use with a smart TV?

debitcardmayhem

yep its called a mouse plus a keyboard, if your tv has bluetooth or a USB port, but which tv exactly

Neil_Jones

longwalks1 said:

Thanks everyone. The Samsung we have is a smart TV, but it’s slow and the thumb pad on the remote takes forever to navigate the ons teen keyboard when logging into a web page.

Can you get something more ‘mouse like’ to use with a smart TV?

A normal wired computer mouse will work.

Most TVs have to effectively bodge a mouse solution in.