Looking at new televisions

[O2HeN2]

So my 12 year old Sony TV is dying a slow, agonizing (for me) death. Odd failure mode, ghosting "echos" going downwards from the image, combined with a flickering back light. After warming up it goes away, or sometimes if it doesn't, it responds to a percussive adjustment (literally). I bet it's a solder joint, but lacking the know-how and test equipment I'm looking at new TVs. But the GF is willing to live with its proclivities until it goes completely TU, hence why it's agonizing for me. Nevertheless, I want to get my ducks in a row so I can pull the trigger quickly when the time comes.

I'm kinda a Sony fanboi, but am willing to be swayed.

I have a Roku Ultra and like it, so a smart TV isn't required. Neither of us are big screen people (we sit in the last row at movie theaters), so we're looking at an ~50" one. About the only thing required (that appears to be standard on just about everything current) is HDMI ARC. My current AV receiver won't do 4K, so I'd plug the Roku Ultra into the TV directly and use the ARC to run the audio to the receiver. Also note that we're not audiophiles either - we run only 3.0 sound, stereo + center channel and that's it.

So I don't need anything fancy. Not into gaming, but looking forward to 4K content. The fanboi in me has been looking at the Sony X800H (49") for $600 from BestBuy, but geez, for $600 I could get a 50" Samsung Q60 QLED or, if I want to save a bunch, a 50" Samsung NU6900 for $330 - almost half as much!

Any words of wisdom for me? Brands? Things to look for? Avoid?

O2

[FoxtArt]

Can you wait until around the 4th of July? TV's are best purchased on holiday sales imho.

Like you noted, you could get a QLED or you could even get a 70 to 75" TV under the $600 budget on a holiday sale. If you're not into gaming then response rate isn't as important, be aware that pretty much all smart TV's try to forward what you're watching back home ALL THE TIME so they can sell the data. You can throw a wrench in that by outputting from a laptop or PC to the TV to circumvent that if it matters, but for a lot of people it doesn't.

If you have the ability to replace it if it breaks, I wouldn't bother with replacement insurance. TV prices fall faster than last years cars, so replacement insurance is quite profitable on TV's. Certain credit cards actually double your warranty as a benefit (Capital One Enhanced comes to mind) so you could rely on that instead and save 15% or more.

Side note: OLED's the blue will go out first after some number of a few thousand hours - a factor of their technology. Some of them don't actually have the longevity of traditional LED's TV's for that reason, but both generally last longer than old TV's like Plasmas, and if it's not on all the time you'd probably replace an OLED before that happened anyway.

[Zundfolge]

You should drive up to Minneapolis ... apparently they're just giving away TVs for free up there :)

[O2HeN2]

You should drive up to Minneapolis ... apparently they're just giving away TVs for free up there :)

Eh, I'll wait until the freebies hit Denver, it's closer.

O2

[ray1970]

Yeah, just find the closest looting and jump on in. It will save you hundreds of dollars.

[Bailey Guns]

Words of wisdom? Yeah. Looking for a new TV is a PITA. Things change so fast it's hard to keep up and the number of choices is crazy.

I bought a Samsung 65" on a Black Friday deal last year knowing I'd be moving into a new place. It's 4k and has all the bells and whistles. I mostly got it set up for when the new Microsoft flight sim comes out. Right after I moved into the new place my computer went TU. Ordered a new one but the monitor I have is so old it wouldn't work without new cables, some sort of adapter, etc. So I bought a new 32" monitor. Now I just watch everything on that because it's more comfortable for me and the big TV is basically just a paperweight.

Good luck.

[O2HeN2]

Can you wait until around the 4th of July? TV's are best purchased on holiday sales imho.
All depends on how long the existing TV limps along. Again, want to be ready now in case it dies soon. Its been limping along for about a month so far...


...or you could even get a 70 to 75" TV under the $600 budget on a holiday sale.
I should have stated that 50" is a hard limit, not only because of our viewing preference, but also because of available room.

O2

[def90]

All TVs these days are going to have all of the smart features built in.

The Sony is going to have a better picture than the Q60, I install these things for a living. Buy Samsung if you want to save money, buy Sony if you care about the picture.

[MrPrena]

All depends on how long the existing TV limps along. Again, want to be ready now in case it dies soon. Its been limping along for about a month so far...


I should have stated that 50" is a hard limit, not only because of our viewing preference, but also because of available room.

O2


I just recently got this. It was not my top 5 choice, but this was one of the only available one.
50" under 500 would be fairly easier. Only problem is the top brands like Samsung, Sony, LG and Vizio are not as easy to find in many retailers. It is mostly TLC Hisense, JVC, etc.

https://www.ar-15.co/threads/42773-Post-a-picture-of-your-latest-purchase?p=2281240&viewfull=1#post2281240

[ruthabagah]

sony everyday. the only ones that can have the perfect dark without ghosting.

[Gman]

sony everyday. the only ones that can have the perfect dark without ghosting.
I do enjoy my XBR. With HDR, sometimes the bright moments almost blow my eyes out the back of my head. Was watching a night scene where a spotlight moves across the screen toward the viewer. I felt like I was actually in the spotlight.