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Buying a new TV
| July 22nd, 2017 at 3:25:02 PM permalink | |
| AZDuffman Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 135 Posts: 18211 | Has anyone here bought a TV lately? Old set is giving up the ghost, screen goes all red after a few minutes of watching. Might be the heat but she is due to be replaced, bought her as a floor model in 2002. Sat for 6 years in storage, rattled across the country and back. Early HD model, $1500 or so back then, kills me compared to what stuff costs now! Anyhow, a quick look at WMT and I can buy another one same size, about 51", for $400-500, or a 65" for the $800s. One has 45/65 for $428/$828, appears to be the same guts, just a different screen size. Screen size I can figure out, though. What I more need to know are what on earth features are mus-haves. They all seem to say "smart" one says "extra smart." I run a firestick and rabbit ears. I rarely use the later, maybe for football which I rarely watch, or breaking news. I figure the firestick plugs right into the smart sets. And the ears should negate the need for the converter I have. Anything else I need to look for? I'm no audiophile, will listen to Pandora but not that particular there. As long as everything sounds decent, I am happy. I just do not want to lock myself out of must-haves. The President is a fink. |
| July 22nd, 2017 at 4:54:27 PM permalink | |
| Dalex64 Member since: Mar 8, 2014 Threads: 3 Posts: 3687 | I would check the sound quality in the stores. So many of the TV's now come with a bare minimum of audio, expecting you to buy a sound bar or some other external speaker system. "Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts." Daniel Patrick Moynihan |
| July 22nd, 2017 at 7:00:29 PM permalink | |
| rxwine Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 189 Posts: 18762 | I didn't think a modern TV could be bad, but had one which was. My advice is stay away from the lowest generic of any size. Spend extra 50 or 100 for name brand of same size. Not saying you have to go all out and buy most expensive, just avoid the bottom barrel generic. Just my 2 cents. You believe in an invisible god, and dismiss people who say they are trans? Really? |
| July 22nd, 2017 at 8:44:50 PM permalink | |
| Ayecarumba Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 89 Posts: 1744 | Do you watch Blu- Ray discs, or play home videos? If so, at least 3 HDMI inputs are a must have. If you are going to hook up something that needs RCA jacks, you may be out of luck without a converter. Smart TV's can connect wirelessly to your modem. Many have apps built in, so you may not need your firestick. +1 to the comment about the poor sound quality. Many folks already have 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound receivers, so tv manufacturers have cheaped out on the speakers in their thin form factor sets. If your receiver only has rca inputs, you may be out of luck, as many sets don't have RCA jacks nowadays. 4k resolution is common in TV's, but there isn't much content available outside of demonstration videos on YouTube, and expensive discs and players. Given the 5 - 7 year operating life of new TV's, you can probably wait on this feature until the next one. Same with 3D capability. |
| July 22nd, 2017 at 8:45:44 PM permalink | |
| Ayecarumba Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 89 Posts: 1744 | Do you watch Blu- Ray discs, or play home videos? If so, at least 3 HDMI inputs are a must have. If you are going to hook up something that needs RCA jacks, you may be out of luck without a converter. Smart TV's can connect wirelessly to your modem. Many have apps built in, so you may not need your firestick. +1 to the comment about the poor sound quality. Many folks already have 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound receivers, so tv manufacturers have cheaped out on the speakers in their thin form factor sets. If your receiver only has rca inputs, you may be out of luck, as many sets don't have RCA jacks nowadays. 4k resolution is common in TV's, but there isn't much content available outside of demonstration videos on YouTube, and expensive discs and players. Given the 5 - 7 year operating life of new TV's, you can probably wait on this feature until the next one. Same with 3D capability. |
| July 23rd, 2017 at 2:57:47 AM permalink | |
| AZDuffman Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 135 Posts: 18211 |
The Firestick is required to get Kodi, which opens new worlds. 3D I likely will never care about. Saw my 3D movie in the 1980s. All I needed. Didn't even know TVs were getting it. The President is a fink. |
| July 23rd, 2017 at 4:20:11 AM permalink | |
| Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 | http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/what-is-mhl-and-why-do-you-need-it-1229001 An MHL port (a type of HDMI port) can come in very handy. As noted above at least 3 HDMI ports or 2 HDMI and 1 MHL port are probably the minimum. Most of the MHL ports look like HDMI ports but are purple. HDR, or high dynamic range is more important than UHD ultra high definition (4K). Especially if you are looking at the $700-$1000 range. While 4K may not be the most useful, it is often only a $100 upgrade and it may not be worth waiting for another 7 years. A lot of people say not to spend money on built in Smart Function as it is just as easy to add components, but I find it is difficult to get a single remote to do everything The majority of people spend more in three years on service than they do on the television. |
| July 23rd, 2017 at 10:58:51 AM permalink | |
| Evenbob Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 146 Posts: 25011 | I got over big screen TV's years ago. In my office is a 15" that cost under $100, and in the bedroom I have a 23" monitor/TV that swings over my bed and is 24" from my nose when I watch it. Looks like a big screen because it's so close, but really sharp because it's a monitor. If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose. |
| July 23rd, 2017 at 12:28:55 PM permalink | |
| AZDuffman Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 135 Posts: 18211 |
Ugh, how can you watch so close? The President is a fink. |
| July 23rd, 2017 at 1:23:36 PM permalink | |
| rxwine Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 189 Posts: 18762 | https://www1.crutchfield.com/learn/learningcenter/home/TV_placement.html
You believe in an invisible god, and dismiss people who say they are trans? Really? |