[floozie_21]

Hi all,

I currently have a 32" Samsung tv and I think its time for an upgrade to something bigger. I'm looking to spend no more than £500 and I'm not particularly fussy about it being LED, LCD or Plasma (mainly because I'm not at all techy and can't tell the difference).

There's a few 50" Plasma's in Curry's which I was eyeing up but then I started wondering about the Smart TV's and whether it's worth getting say a 42" Smart TV for the same price?

I like the idea of having a Smart TV but reading a number of reviews, it seems that the excitement of the apps/features tends to wear off pretty quickly and then it's 'just' a TV. Plus I have Sky on Demand & Movies anyway so I wasn't sure if Smart TV is more of the same thing?

Any suggestions/advice much appreciated as I know nothing about TV's or home entertainment!

[sancheeez]

If you already have Sky, you'll probably find SMART TV a short-lived novelty.

How about - http://www.amazon.co.uk/LG-50PN650T-.../dp/B00BS55R1I

Seems pretty well rated and bang on your budget.

[David Waine]

I agree. I think the smart TV concept is just a gimmick. Picture quality is far more important. Make a shortlist that fits your price / size requirements and audition them personally. Don't forget to look at them showing something in standard definition as well as HD. Too many shops fob you off by showing an HD cartoon, which is incapable of revealing any of the set's shortcomings. If they demur, take your business elsewhere.

[floozie_21]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sancheeez

If you already have Sky, you'll probably find SMART TV a short-lived novelty.

How about - http://www.amazon.co.uk/LG-50PN650T-.../dp/B00BS55R1I

Seems pretty well rated and bang on your budget.

Thanks for this sancheeez; this was actually one of the ones I was eyeing up on the Curry's site so glad to see it suggested here too.

yes, I was afraid of that about the Smart Tv's, although I do concede that Skype would be useful as it's painful to use it on our archaic laptops!

[Nigel Goodwin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by floozie_21

Thanks for this sancheeez; this was actually one of the ones I was eyeing up on the Curry's site so glad to see it suggested here too.

yes, I was afraid of that about the Smart Tv's, although I do concede that Skype would be useful as it's painful to use it on our archaic laptops!

If the TV has Skype built-in (preferably with an internal camera), and obviously assuming you use Skype a lot?, then it's a VERY useful feature.

But the supposed 'smart' features on TV's aren't really that wonderful, and even the best are pretty useless for web browsing.

[iangrad]

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Waine

I agree. I think the smart TV concept is just a gimmick. Picture quality is far more important. Make a shortlist that fits your price / size requirements and audition them personally. Don't forget to look at them showing something in standard definition as well as HD. Too many shops fob you off by showing an HD cartoon, which is incapable of revealing any of the set's shortcomings. If they demur, take your business elsewhere.

Allot of people fall into the trap of thinking " I don't want a smart TV" just a good picture ?

Missing the point that non smart or otherwise known as bottom of the range TV's have been dumbed down to such a level that most are only just about acceptable .

Good screens and perhaps more importantly "good screen drive electronics" ( think graphics card for your PC ) are only fitted on middle of the range or better TV's which happen to have other features built in whether you use them or not !

[floozie_21]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nigel Goodwin

If the TV has Skype built-in (preferably with an internal camera), and obviously assuming you use Skype a lot?, then it's a VERY useful feature.

But the supposed 'smart' features on TV's aren't really that wonderful, and even the best are pretty useless for web browsing.

At the moment, no we don't use Skype too often just because it is a pain but my fiance's family live in Oz so it's something (although if that's the only real benefit then probably not worth it).

[David Waine]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iangrad

Allot of people fall into the trap of thinking " I don't want a smart TV" just a good picture ?

Missing the point that non smart or otherwise known as bottom of the range TV's have been dumbed down to such a level that most are only just about acceptable .

Good screens and perhaps more importantly "good screen drive electronics" ( think graphics card for your PC ) are only fitted on middle of the range or better TV's which happen to have other features built in whether you use them or not !

Not necessarily the case at all. I wasn't referring to bottom of the range TVs. The OP has a budget of £500, and for that sort of money it is quite possible to find a set with an excellent picture, but which isn't festooned with a lot of useless gimmickry - although it may have some. My own set is a case in point. That is why I suggested compiling a shortlist and auditioning them. I would never have chosen my set on the basis of recommendations in this forum. I would have been given a list of Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic models to choose from. Nothing against any of them by the way. I eventually chose a Philips, based on my own observation of how it performed under a variety of test conditions. Had I asked for opinions of it, I doubt whether I would have received many complimentary ones. I have had it for six months now, however, and have no regrets.

[Nigel Goodwin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Waine

Had I asked for opinions of it, I doubt whether I would have received many complimentary ones.

Probably not , Philips have got a terrible reputation, and always have had.

However, they used to have one in my local pub, and I always thought it was a decent picture.

[anthony david]

If you have a branch of John Lewis near by go there as they have a free 5 year warranty and lots of sets on display. Modern TVs are quite reliable but if you are unlucky they can be very expensive to repair. Alternatively Richer Sounds do a very cheap warranty. I have noticed that people on this forum don't rate Curry's to put it politely.

[Theo_Bear]

Quote:

Originally Posted by anthony david

If you have a branch of John Lewis near by go there as they have a free 5 year warranty and lots of sets on display. Modern TVs are quite reliable but if you are unlucky they can be very expensive to repair. Alternatively Richer Sounds do a very cheap warranty. I have noticed that people on this forum don't rate Curry's to put it politely.

Always go and look in Currys if you don't have a Richer Sounds, and if you see something you like, go and buy it online from John Lewis.

[iangrad]

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Waine

Not necessarily the case at all. I wasn't referring to bottom of the range TVs. The OP has a budget of £500, and for that sort of money it is quite possible to find a set with an excellent picture, but which isn't festooned with a lot of useless gimmickry - although it may have some. My own set is a case in point. That is why I suggested compiling a shortlist and auditioning them. I would never have chosen my set on the basis of recommendations in this forum. I would have been given a list of Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic models to choose from. Nothing against any of them by the way. I eventually chose a Philips, based on my own observation of how it performed under a variety of test conditions. Had I asked for opinions of it, I doubt whether I would have received many complimentary ones. I have had it for six months now, however, and have no regrets.

The current Philips range is a joint venture with 70% of the business owned by TP vision of China, the performance of there products will depend solely on who makes them and perhaps more importantly where the major components are sourced from .

All the current range has smart facilities built in .

Perhaps we should give them a chance to prove themselves just like the warning on investments "past performance is not a guarantee on future performance" Thank goodness !!!!

[iangrad]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nigel Goodwin

Probably not , Philips have got a terrible reputation, and always have had.

However, they used to have one in my local pub, and I always thought it was a decent picture.

Some of the older plasma were just a Samsung with a different badge , on one I opened up only the audio IC was philips -- all the other pcb had the Samsung logo on them .

[David Waine]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iangrad

The current Philips range is a joint venture with 70% of the business owned by TP vision of China, the performance of there products will depend solely on who makes them and perhaps more importantly where the major components are sourced from .

All the current range has smart facilities built in .

Perhaps we should give them a chance to prove themselves just like the warning on investments "past performance is not a guarantee on future performance" Thank goodness !!!!

It can access YouTube, but it has nothing like the bells and whistles of many smart TVs, which is a good thing in my view. It isn't 3D either (another good thing, in my book). I auditioned it in the local branch of Richer Sounds. When showing HD, it looked much the same as the various Samsungs, Panasonics etc. that it was up against. Switching to an SD channel, however, revealed differences. The only one of the opposition that could show the same level of detail in SD was a Samsung that cost nearly three times the price! Having auditioned it at Richers, I also bought it from them.

Obviously, auditioning under shop conditions is not ideal, but you have to start somewhere and make comparisons. On getting it home, I soon discovered that the presets were just about useless and it took me a great deal of trial and error to persuade it to deliver its best. Having done so, however, the effort was worth it. Six months in, it is working reliably, so I have no complaints. I did have the foresight, however, to take out Richers' 5 year warranty just in case.

[Nigel Goodwin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iangrad

Perhaps we should give them a chance to prove themselves just like the warning on investments "past performance is not a guarantee on future performance" Thank goodness !!!!

You don't think having given them 60+ years to prove themselves is enough?

[David Waine]

My previous TV was also a Philips and it gave 12 years of faultless service. I only replaced it to get HD. It is still going strong in the house of the person I gave it to.

You appear to be in the trade and, if you say they have a bad reputation, who am I to argue? All I can offer is my experience.

[Nigel Goodwin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Waine

My previous TV was also a Philips and it gave 12 years of faultless service. I only replaced it to get HD. It is still going strong in the house of the person I gave it to.

You appear to be in the trade and, if you say they have a bad reputation, who am I to argue? All I can offer is my experience.

Philips are like Marmite - some love them, some hate them

Going back 60+ years, Philips have always had the reputation for the worst service of all manufacturers.

From an a engineers point of view Philips tends to be 'weird' - it's often like it's designed and built on a different planet.

[sancheeez]

I know three people who had Philips plasma TV's. Every single one of them broke down.

Fortunately, they all bought them out of Costco and all had extended warranties so were all replaced free of charge (none of them replaced with a new Philips I should add!). Mind you, these were all bought between 3 and 5 years ago so the technology was not as mature as it is now and I do know that a couple of the newer Philips models are actually very well regarded (although I can't recall if they were LCD/LED or plasma models? The former I suspect).

[Nigel Goodwin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sancheeez

I do know that a couple of the newer Philips models are actually very well regarded (although I can't recall if they were LCD/LED or plasma models? The former I suspect).

Almost certainly, Philips (like most) stopped Plasma a good while back.

But well regarded by who?, and on what criteria?.

[sancheeez]

http://www.whathifi.com/review/philips-55pfl6007t

I think it popped up when I was looking for reasonably priced TV's over 50" in size. I know not everyone regards What HiFi as a good source but a 5* review from anyone makes you take some notice ....

[Nigel Goodwin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sancheeez

I know not everyone regards What HiFi as a good source but a 5* review from anyone makes you take some notice ....

Perhaps you should check the amount of Philips advertising in that issue of the magazine?

[sancheeez]

Ha ha ha ha. You may have a point!

I plan to stick to Panasonic if my budget allows it ....

[anthony david]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nigel Goodwin

Perhaps you should check the amount of Philips advertising in that issue of the magazine?

Very true. The latest edition goes mad about a new 4K Sony TV. They have only seen the demo material that Sony supply but claim that the clip of Total Recall " blew their minds" or something similar. Having seen the same promo material, some of it is very good indeed but not the film clip that looked only slightly better than HD. Which makes me wonder about their honesty as well.

[Nigel Goodwin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by anthony david

Very true. The latest edition goes mad about a new 4K Sony TV.

It's impressive - but not that much more than the other Sony TV's - and do you really want to watch from close enough to make 4K worthwhile?, assuming any suitable sources.

One thing did astonish me, it really doesn't look all that big

[the power king]

Quote:

Originally Posted by anthony david

If you have a branch of John Lewis near by go there as they have a free 5 year warranty and lots of sets on display. Modern TVs are quite reliable but if you are unlucky they can be very expensive to repair. Alternatively Richer Sounds do a very cheap warranty. I have noticed that people on this forum don't rate Curry's to put it politely.

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