My work have finally decided to get rid of the horrible tv that we've had for about 20 years and drag themselves into the modern age by getting a flat screen tv for one of conference rooms - it won't be used as a TV most of the time although there is an aerial in the room it will be going into but will mainly be used for powerpoint presentations and maybe the odd skype call so I've told them they need to get a Smart tv so with an ethernet connection so we connect to the internet and a couple of USB ports - I'm leaning towards recommending a Samsung but I'm unsure whether it should be a plasma or not, even with the blinds pulled our conference room is still fairly bright but I want something with a good viewing angle for when we have presentations - they want something fairly big 40" plus but don't want to spend a fortune (misers) can anyone recommend something suitable

Smart TVs are crap (I have one unfortunately). Don't embarrass yourself in front of your colleagues by suggesting they get one.

Forget a 'smart' one, just make sure it has hdmi input so you can connect a laptop (for ease) and display the laptop output on the tv.
The smart tv will have far too many limitations to be effectively connected to the internet.

If they have been using an old TV then maybe the computer they use for powerpoint presentations is old too and may not have an HDMI output which will complicate matters.

As your room is bright, an LED set would probably perform better than a plasma, which tends to give of its best when the lighting is dimmed. The viewing angle need not be a great problem. IPS screens give wider viewing angles at the expenses of extreme depth in the blacks. In any case, you can arrange your screen and room so that nobody sits too far off-axis.

The reason for the smart tv suggestion is so that we can plug in a memory stick to the USB port rather than hooking up a laptop the Ethernet would be for making occasional Skype calls rather than video conferencing

I have a smart tv's at home that work fine

Running a Powerpoint presentation off a USB memory stick? Don't see how that would work.

As others have said plugging a laptop in will be far more appropriate. If it's a bright room then you're right to avoid plasma.

you convert it to a movie file

That assumes a smooth-running and accurately timed presentation which would not be ameniable to flicking back to slides to help answer questions.

Ok, why aren't you using a projector/laptop combo?
What is the tv for as you don't seem to be using ti as a tv but a glorified monitor.

Too expensive to run, too unreliable? - lamp replacement costs are a BIG concern.


I suspect the point is to use it as a monitor?, if you use it as a TV then you need a licence - using it as a computer monitor doesn't need a licence, and it's a cheap way of getting a big monitor.

We already have a projector and laptop but that means using a table in the room which can take space for chairs, we currently have a big CRT TV with a video conferencing unit plugged into it that is used about once every 18 months - I think a networked TV would mean they would use Sykpe more - there is an aerial point in the room and we use it as a TV for big occasions like the Olympics - it we had a tv that could wireless link to a laptop we could use that for presentations or you can convert a ppt to a movie file or we could get an apple TV box and people could use their ipads etc - I just think a smart tv would give us more options

Do not under any circumstances buy a plasma. Apart from the fact that they weight a ton, they are affected by "screen burn" when you display the same or a similar image - like a PPT template for a long time. Screens installed in a place of work are often left on for extended periods - sometimes overnight or at a weekend.

Some TV's will allow you to run a PPT from the USB socket however the features vary between manuafacturer and model.

I'm a tech in an FE college, and apart from projectors, we have Samsung and Sony domestic TV's (46"/52"/55") and professional NEC monitors (used for electronic signage).

The Sony's will only show a JPEG slideshow when a USB pen is plugged in, and if there is anything else on the pen - Folders, Word's/Excel's/MP3's etc. it won't show anything.
The Samsungs (of which we have many different models of varying ages) are a bit different. They still struggle with anything other than JPEGS, but if you convert a PPT to a JPEG (and resize it if it has been created 4:3), you can view the PPT as a slideshow. However, some of the Samsungs change slide every 10 seconds, others allow you to choose the refresh rate 5-10-15-20 seconds, and one model - only one - allows you to manually advance a slide. That is the only viable way you can use it for a presentation.
You still have the problem of having to convert it to a JPEG.

As another poster says, it would be a lot better just using a laptop or a PC.

One other thing, as well as HDMI, you must ensure that the screen has a VGA input - not all screens have them as they are on their way out, but a lot of older laptops that are issued to employees do not have HDMI outputs.

You say that you don't need to use the screen a TV so a monitor would suffice.

Look at the NEC Multisync range. A bit pricey, but built like tanks and built to last.

Thanks for the input - although we do occasionally use the TV as a tv I will bear your comments in mind