Finlux TVs

I have a shortage of both space and money :(
Looking for a budget tv/dvd combi and noticed Finlux on Amazon. Does anyone know anything about this make? They seem to get decent reviews.
We can't get aerial signals here so Freeview not an option and I have Freesat from Sky. I just need one scart connector and most TVs seem to have that anyway. Whichever TV I get, will I need to get a new Sky remote and possibly upgrade the Skybox? Existing one is about 10 years old hooked up to a TV and Skybox of the same age! :eek:

Comments

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,151
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    Rubbish. Wouldn't touch it with a barge pole. Cheap vestle junk.

    Dont recommend tv DVD combis either. The DVD players often break and then you're stuffed.

    If the sky box is working ok then no point replacing it. Unless you want HD.

    Or get a free sat HD box.
  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,330
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    I have a shortage of both space and money :(
    Looking for a budget tv/dvd combi and noticed Finlux on Amazon. Does anyone know anything about this make? They seem to get decent reviews.

    I don't see how they get decent reviews? - unless it's by paying the reviewers?.

    They are cheap Vestel sets (in fact the Finlux name is currently owned by Vestel), so it's identical to many of the cheap supermarket sets.

    If you're wanting cheap, then fair enough - it's cheap because it's a cheaply made product. However, if you're wanting a DVD combi, there's really not a great deal of choice - most of the ones out there are Vestel (such as Sharp, Toshiba etc.)
  • alan1302alan1302 Posts: 6,336
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    I don't see how they get decent reviews? - unless it's by paying the reviewers?.

    Most people are happy with a basic TV - if it turns on and shows a picture with some sound many people are happy with that and it's all they want or need.
  • mrsgrumpy49mrsgrumpy49 Posts: 10,061
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    most of the ones out there are Vestel (such as Sharp, Toshiba etc.)
    Are they the same make then?
    Currently I'm making do with a little old Sharp bedroom (it's lilac in fact :eek:) CRT with a square screen which cuts off part of the picture at each side so I guess I am easily pleased :D That said the picture is miles better than my neighbour's fancy flat panel tv.;)
  • AlanOAlanO Posts: 3,773
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    Are they the same make then?

    Not the same "make" - but often made in the same factory using similar designs. For such sets most "brands" have licensed their production out to a third party - Vestel is one such producer, but by no means the only one.

    And even buying a "premium" brand is no guarantee that the product was made by the company who's badge is on the set as virtually every "brand" has bought in a product from such a third party at some time.
    Currently I'm making do with a little old Sharp bedroom (it's lilac in fact :eek:) CRT with a square screen which cuts off part of the picture at each side so I guess I am easily pleased :D That said the picture is miles better than my neighbour's fancy flat panel tv.;)

    And there's every chance that your Sharp set of the time was bought it from a third party. So it's not even a new phenomenon.

    To answer your question about the Finlux set - I wouldn't buy it via Amazon, not least because Finlux sell directly via their own website.

    Alternatively, you could buy such a set from any number of places on the high street - and I suspect the price difference won't be that great and it does make it easier to return if you find a problem with it.
  • jjnejjne Posts: 6,580
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    One good thing about Finlux, quite unlike most of the rebadged TVs out there is that you know exactly what you are buying before you get it home.

    It'll be a Vestel. Not a Hisense or a UMC or a TPV or anything else. And that's good, because at least with Vestel spares are readily available -- and generally cheaper than most of the other cheaper manufacturers.

    Thousands of compatible spares on the open market, any repair person worth his salt will be able to fix them and a good online record of common faults and fixes for buyers with a little knowledge.

    They're not the best performers, but they are cheap, and tolerably reliable in the main.
  • trayhop123trayhop123 Posts: 886
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    i say go ahead , ,,,,,, of course their not cutting edge technological wonders , but that's reflected in the price , not everybody is an audiophille with pockets full of gold , ,,,,, ok so there may be some light bleeding , motion handling inaccuracies and so forth ,most of which go largely unnoticed by the masses, but sometimes general joe just wants to treat himself to a bit of modern tech whilst keeping a lid on the coffers during these harsh economic times.

    of course in an ideal world with budget no object you would opt for something better , but believe it or not the smaller screens 26 and 22 have had favourable reviews on the trusted reviews website .

    ps, (not necessarily this thread , but generally a lot of threads in the tech sections ) a lot of people on this site are all to quick to judge an op's decision to purchase cheap tech , whereas they should take into consideration his budget , and then maybe offer up some choice alternatives within the same price range , rather than just say thats crap and ram a sonypanabang&pioneer down their throat .
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,151
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    Yeah but if someone comes along and asks if a schinsserhousser, or whatever tv is any good, theres no point lying & saying they're great when they're not
  • trayhop123trayhop123 Posts: 886
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    i agree mr coachtrip sir ,,,,,,,,,, im simply saying then that being the case , that it would be far more constructive to offer choice alternatives within the op's budget.
  • Pepperoni ManPepperoni Man Posts: 7,798
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    As a general point, having read the posts in this thread and numerous similar threads over the years how the hell is the "average" TV buyer supposed to work out whether the set they are buying is actually made by the company they think it is made by?

    This is a rhetorical question by the way
  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,330
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    Are they the same make then?

    Same 'make', same design, probably EXACTLY the same set - although there's so many Vestel chassis variations (sometimes even within the same make and model) that it's hard to be sure unless you compare the two exact sets.

    In some respects it's handy though, as you can use a Sharp service manual (which we can access) to repair a Toshiba set (who's manual we can't access).

    As far as Finlux goes, as it previously belonged to Euronics (who bought from Vestel), we have access to their manuals as well - which don't even have model numbers, just board numbers (which again is a good thing, for repairing any Vestel variant).
  • alanwarwicalanwarwic Posts: 28,396
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    I'd suggest checking the Celcus (own?)brand at Sainsburys.
    In most cases you get to see what you are buying and they don't seem to use cheap end dull TV panels.

    Unless you know the actual set, mail order is a gamble.
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