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Recommendations for a basic but good 42/43" TV |
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#1 |
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Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 1,228
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Recommendations for a basic but good 42/43" TV
I've recently bought a Humax freesat+ HD box which outputs a great picture to my 32" Panasonic tv but I'm looking to upgrade to a 42/43" TV.
By 'basic' I mean I have no need for a TV with Smart features, wi-fi or 3D, but at the same time, I want a quality set with full HD, not a cheap Polaroid from Asda! I always stuck with Panasonic but recently they seem to have dropped 42" TVs from their line up and have 40" or 48", however I'm really after a 42" or 43". I also read that their last bottom of the range TVs (300 series?) were actually just rebadged Vestels. So I'm a bit stuck for ideas. The last Panny I got for a relative was the 2013 TX-L42B6B - a basic set but with a great HD picture. I'm now looking for something similar. Any thoughts on the LG42LF561V? |
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#2 |
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Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: West Midlands
Posts: 2,450
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Don't know about that exact model but we've been very happy with our 42" LG smart TV that we've had for the last 18months, great picture quality on Sky HD.
Funny you mention Polaroid, my old TV from 4-5 years ago was a Polaroid 32", it's serving as a bedroom TV now. Rubbish sound but picture quality is ok for a second TV. |
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#3 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,487
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Last year's Panasonic or Sony without any Smart or 3D gubbins would be my choice.
My local Sainsbury's were doing a Panasonic 40" 400 series for £199 recently. I don't see any reason to spend more -- the big manufacturers are all gearing up for 4K now. Not much difference in the real world between 40 and 42". |
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#4 |
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Join Date: Dec 2014
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There's 2" difference 'in the real world'.
And the cheapy Panasonics are just re-badged Vestels. I've got approx £400 to spend on the right TV. |
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#5 |
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Herts
Posts: 17,006
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All TVs seem to come with Smart features now days but I guess you don't have to use it. Screen sizes are dictated by the few actual panel manufacturers and as you have seen the latest TVs are going away from 43" as a standard size.
Having a look at what's available, the Samsung UE43J5500 LED HD 1080p is a decent 43" around your budget. You will have to pay more for a Sony or Panasonic. I wouldn't personally consider any other TV manufacturer than the aforementioned three. |
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#6 |
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Join Date: Feb 2009
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You can't really go wrong with anything from the Big Four - Sony, Samsung, Panasonic and LG. The Koreans seem to be in the lead at the moment but even Panasonic's Vestel-made TVs aren't bad and definitely a step-up from some previously Chinese-made offerings of theirs. Richer Sounds and John Lewis are good shops to go.
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#7 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,487
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Quote:
There's 2" difference 'in the real world'.
And the cheapy Panasonics are just re-badged Vestels. I've got approx £400 to spend on the right TV. If you spend £400, you'll just end up buying the same TV as you can get for £300 but with Smart features. |
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#8 |
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,981
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Not definitive, but according to this confident poster, in 2015:
- C300 and C400 Series are assembled by Vestel - C500, C600, C700 and C800 Series are assembled by Panasonic. He says the Vestel-assembled 400 Series now includes some UHD models and even one curved UHD TV. http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showpos...5&postcount=96 The good news is that the Vestel range is far better than Panasonic's previous budget range from China. http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showp...86&postcount=6 |
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#9 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 1,228
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Yeah I'd read the same about the 300 and 400 Pannys.
I'd spotted the Samsung UE43J5500 you mentoned above and it could be a contender. Call me old fashioned but I'd rather have a set with a good old fashioned off switch, which I know is lacking on Samsungs but usually there on the Pannys. I beleive LG now have some joystick button on the set which performs various functions including on/off. |
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#10 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,487
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Quote:
Not definitive, but according to this confident poster, in 2015:
- C300 and C400 Series are assembled by Vestel - C500, C600, C700 and C800 Series are assembled by Panasonic. He says the Vestel-assembled 400 Series now includes some UHD models and even one curved UHD TV. http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showpos...5&postcount=96 The good news is that the Vestel range is far better than Panasonic's previous budget range from China. http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showp...86&postcount=6 The older 400-series, which are the ones being sold off cheap, were manufactured by Panasonic. Still, I couldn't give a toss if the OP wants to take advice. Ignore time. |
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