I'd appreciate any advcie as to which iof these televisions is beter. I'll be watching movies, sport etc.

http://www.rgbdirect.co.uk/Products/...Y/KDL40R473ABU

or

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-UE40...pr_product_top

Thank you!

I very much doubt that there will be much to choose between them in practice, although the Sony's 100Hz refresh rate might give it an edge with rapid motion. That isn't guaranteed, though, so I would recommend finding an example of each to look at before making a final decision. Another thing to consider is how they handle standard definition. At the moment there are only four HD channels on Freeview (five if you include the BBC's temporary Red Button service), so much of your viewing will still be SD. There will be more HD channels in time, but don't expect them immediately.

Years ago, sets in this area of the market frequently suffered from poor black levels, unsharp SD and sluggish motion handling, but I would say that the mainstream manufacturers (ie. Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, LG and Philips) have got all of those shortcomings pretty well licked now and you can pick up a very nice TV indeed for the sort of money you are considering. A greater outlay would buy you a bigger screen, 3D and ever more 'smart TV' bells and whistles. If all you want is a telly that isn't so big that it dominates your room, and will still deliver excellent pictures, however, I would think that either of them would fit the bill.

Final point. Be prepared to play around with the settings. The default set-up is designed to make them look enticing under shop conditions, which will almost certainly mean that the colours look way over the top in your home. Spend a few hours adjusting everything (preferably while alone) to get it looking just as you want it.

That's a cracking reply. Thanks for the advice David.

I toyed with the idea of going SMART TV. But I have media players, and Blu Ray to get round that I think.

I watch a lot of sport, so the motion blur thing is quite important. Hmmm. choices.

I presume you haven't bought or installed a new TV for a good many years?, for a LONG time now new TV's ask you if it's for home or shop use, and set up accordingly.

As for the two sets - Sony are a top make (along with Panasonic), Samsung are a middling make (along with LG). Philips are ??? - having a reputation for poor reliability and abysmal service.

Not so sure Sony are a top make any longer...... All have their plus and minus points.
Nigel...I bought a Sony the other week for my study ()...Good picture, but, no better than my Sammy set up.
Sony appear to be using LG IPS panels in their latest TV's.
I agree about the Philips sets, next door has had his replaced 3 times in the past year.....
Of course this is just my opinion.....

February of this year actually - and I stand by every word that I wrote. I spent ages getting the picture right - even in Home Mode.

Samsung are the market leader these days, and have been for some years now. A bit better than a 'middling make', I think. The new set is a Philips by the way. It replaced another Philips that has given continuously excellent service for eleven years, and is still in daily use, and giving satisfaction, elsewhere.

You are confusing market leader with what is best.

You can be popular but does not make you the best. Generally the mainstream is quite middling - that's why it's popular - appeals to a lot of people.

I can't quite see how you can "standby everything you said"?, when you clearly said:


And now refute that, saying you selected Home mode, so there was no 'default shop mode'.


Not at all, performance isn't the issue, quality of manufacture, quality of design, reliability and poor service is.

Samsung make their sets more cheaply than Sony/Panasonic, and offer much inferior service, that's why Samsung make a profit!!

I can't help what you can't see. I am very particular about picture quality. Yes, it did give me the choice of shop and home modes on set-up, and, yes, I did choose home. The picture was still way over the top, regardless of which of the so-called 'smart settings' I selected. Therefore I delved into the menus and spent ages adjusting everything manually until the set delivered the superb picture that I now enjoy. That is what I was recommending the original poster should do.

A decade ago, I would have agreed that Samsung lagged well behind Sony and Panasonic, but they upped their game radically from about 2005 onwards and overtook the Japanese giants' sales a few years later. That is what makes them the market leader. It is significant that the two Japs have recently had to up their own games to compete. Both have been in the doldrums since the ascendancy of the Korean.

I can't speak for the top end of the market because I am unlikely ever to own such a set. At the level that the OP is willing to spend, however, I stated that either of the sets mentioned would fit the bill, and I stand by those words.

If i ware you i wood go for the Sony . The Best one out the 2 I See This One in Stores in Southampton And in Eastlegh A Vera Good TV But my Faverent Sony is W653

I have purchased a Samsung ue40f7000 this week. It is a premium Samsung Model. I had it set up and I was well pleased with Picture Quality. However after going on AV Forums I visited the picture perfect website. I have followed there set-up advice and I have probably seen a 20% improvement. So I would advise that whatever TV u get that you go take a look at there website at least.

Thanks all. I appreciate the info. I am leaning towards the Sony at the moment, especially after reading about motion blur.

cheers

Motion blur can be virtually got rid of with the correct settings.

Don't read about motion blur....Go and see for yourself. I doubt you will be affected by motion blur on either of the TV's you are looking at.

Really? Dont remember JL asking me that when I got my set - wish I'd gone down that route now

Sorry?, what have JL got to do with it?.

When you set up a new TV it asks you if it's for Home or Shop use, and has for a number of years.

Prior to that they defaulted to Shop mode, and you had to manually find Home mode on the menus.

Jl just want to sell the TV's. You have to do lots of research and narrow what you may want. U did this I know. Did they show u the pq in Blu ray, HD or SD. It is easy to think you are seeing a HD feed when actually it is bluray being run from the USB port in the back of the TV. They are cute like that these outlets. LCD Led TV work better in a lighter environment also. I have changed my Plasma TV because the room was to bright. In other words I did not research well enough. I have made certain I did not make that mistake this time. Try setting you TV picture up by pausing a Blu ray disc and adjust from there.

If I were you, I'd go for Samsung.

cheers. any reason? Reliability?

Like I mentioned in my original reply, there probably won't be much to choose between them and your choice is likely to come down to personal preference. Motion blur is no longer the problem that it used to be as long as you buy an established make. You are on pretty safe ground with Sony and Samsung. My own TV (a Philips) comes from the same market sector that you are considering and motion blur isn't a problem. I have watched football, tennis and motor racing recently without any movement issues becoming apparent.

Reliability? You hear occasional horror stories, of course, but TVs from the big name producers tend to be reliable. Electronic products have a habit of either failing quickly or running faultlessly for years - and it is usually the latter. If in doubt, you could always take out an extended warranty.

Is the samsung edgelit?

This similar tv seems to be:

http://www.soundandvision.co.uk/tv/l...cheapest-price

Most LED sets are edge-lit these days. That is how they manage to make them so slender. Your Samsung certainly is.

The Sony seems to be backlit. So would this make it a better purchase? Or is it all down to personal vieweing preference?

It is, indeed, backlit, and, according to Sony's website, it also offers local dimming. This allows darker parts of the scene to have their backlights dimmed more than the rest when called for, thus increasing contrast. Although this sounds great in theory, doing it well in practice is another matter, and its effectiveness depends heavily on the number of LEDs available. To dim the screen on a pixel by pixel basis would require two million microscopic LEDs, which would make the cost astronomical. Instead they light the screen area by area with a much lower number (typically less than 200). The eternal question of how well these areas match the ever-changing picture on the screen comes into play. At best, the process will be seamless and you will enjoy a high-contrast image with sooty blacks. At worst, it will make its presence all too obvious. If the worst does come to the worst, you should be able to turn local dimming off.

I can't comment on how well the Sony does it because I have never seen it working. If they have found a way of doing it reliably for about £400, that would be enough to excite my interest. I would advise finding somewhere that sells both of these sets and giving them a good audition - standard definition as well as HD. At the end of the day, it is your eyes that will be watching it.

Oops sorry, I thought you meant when you first buy it in the shop.
I cant find any way of finding out whether mine is Home or Shop mode (Home I would imagine).