Looking to upgrage to a smart tv. I'm torn between Sony Bravia, Samsung and Panasonic Viera. Doesn't have to be 3D, will be using it for Netflix mostly. Budget about £700

Any recommendations?

Thanks

Screen size would help

If spending that much, I'd be inclined to have a look at this 4k Samsung - might be worth stretching the budget for...

http://www.richersounds.com/product/...ams-ue40hu6900

If you are interested, ask Richers if they've sorted the Netflix issue yet. (see customer reviews)

40 or 42in

If you have a local Richer Sounds, I would ask them for a demo and advice. TBH the latest Panasonics always seem to deliver the goods. I have a Sony Bravia by the way. , so not biased.

If you look at the Samsung 4K set make sure it supports the HEVC codec. If not it's already obsolete. Netflix UHD streaming service that should shortly be available in the UK. This requires the latest codec as does the BBC World Cup 4K broadcast tests.

Thanks graham, there's one in Norwich so I'll go and have a word. I've had Panasonics before, they were CRT's and excellent. I've got a Sony Bravia at the moment, had it for nearly 5 years, no problems, but would like a smart one with the sleek bezel.

Check out the edit re the 4K set. Great City by the way granddaughter went to Norwich uni.

Looked at it for my daughter, she wasn't impressed - I quite liked it (interesting buildings ) - but was less impressed by the way the buildings were crumbling away.

Anyway, as the professor doing the Chemistry talk was a complete prat, there was no way she was going there

Samsung TV support will answer any questions about codecs.

I can't see Richer Sounds, and John Lewis, selling TV sets that are obsolete. Doesn't sound likely, does it?

Impressive use of jargon though!

Samsung support will telephone if emailed - best TV support I've come across. My last TV was a Panasonic, and a Sony before that. Which I would happily have gone with again, had the quality of the picture matched up to the Samsungs.

Really

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-26957001

As I said you need to ask the questions before buying.

Richer Sounds are cheap as they sell off old discontinued stock. Think about it.

What is the difference between a Smart TV and a TV with a £30 Chromecast stick?

I think you are the one who needs to think about what you've posted???

4K as: "old discontinued stock". The same TV being new in on the John Lewis site.

Richer Sounds have built a very successful business by doing very good offers on previous years What-HI Fi award winning Hi Fi and AV equipment.

Absolutely nothing wrong with that – and they often have the current best of the bunch in anyway.

They also offer 5yr free warranties on TVs, and 5 yrs for 10% of purchase price on HI-Fi and AV items.

When supermarkets started up in Britain some people said the food was dodgy, e.g. the sugar was bottom of the barrel, tea bags were seconds, etc. Similar mentality.

Problem with Smart tvs are that they are evolving so fast they aree out of date before very long. I personally would spend my cash on best dumb TV you can get and provide the intelligence from external means e.g. now TV box.

With BBTV being the future, hubs are here to stay.

The next generation might be Smarter TVs, not only can you talk to them, but they will answer back!

Peeps will be able to have an argument with their TV, and won't need to bother to come online to do it!

Might even cut the divorce rate!

Complete rubbish. Yes they do have end of range models but they also have the latest.

eg

http://www.richersounds.com/product/...ana-tx32as600b

Latest 2014 model with freetime.

They also have sales assistants that know what they are talking about.

That was my concern. I almost bought a new Panasonic smart TV in time for the World Cup but eventually talked myself out of it. My current "dumb" TV is perfectly fine with a WDTV box for streaming and I'm happy to wait to see where the smart market goes over the next few years.

Looks like it supports the latest UHD standards, including HEVC, updated Netflix app, HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2.

Confirmed in the RS specs and here

Edit:

Just spotted the Samsung 55" version at £1249 - very tempting.

One in the eye for Winston1

If you are specifically buying it for the smart TV function, I really won't. Forget the best picture that you can afford and then get a mini-PC as the 'smart' bit. You can get ones that are small enough to attach to back of the TV and will be infinitely more flexible.

And infinitely more complex for the user.

I have a full-HD laptop (Core I7) with HDMI out that is connected to a Denon AV amp that is far more capable, but not really a solution for most users.

Basically you pretty well get the smart TV functions for very little money anyway.

Not at all. They do sell last years model cheap. That does not mean that is all they sell.

That's a good thing then. You made it sound like a bad thing.

So the fact that sell last years model (which aren't old, or necessarily inferior to the current model ) at bargain prices and back them up with a 5 year warranty is a bad thing. What's to think about ?

As per normal, a completely pointless and biased post in the first place.

Reading up on these Samsung 4k TV's and came across a few reports saying Netflix UK is already streaming 4k, how did we miss this - its been available since mid April.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-26957001