View Full Version : What Size and Model TV Do You Own?
SickofSnow
06-21-2020, 03:40 PM
Just wondering what size and model TV do you currently own for your living room and bedrooms? I am thinking of either the samsung 4k or the TCL Roku. I haven't decided on a definite size as of yet.
I would love to know your thoughts on the ones you own.
Thank you!
JerryLBell
06-21-2020, 04:31 PM
Last year I got the bug to get a 4K TV. Right about then, a number of websites I follow that review TV and other home theater equipment were going nuts over the TCL Series 6 4K HDR TVs, claiming they were every bit as good a picture as you got from substantially more expensive Samsungs and LGs. I bought one (a 65") and have been quite happy with it. This year, my man-cave TV went out and I decided to buy another TCL. I thought I'd save a few bucks with a lower-end series and got a Series 4 4K HDR TV. It was terrible. The picture quality was just plain bad no matter what I tried to do to calibrate it (and I'm been into home theater for decades so I'm not completely ignorant). I took it back and got a TCL Series 6 4K HDR (a 55"). As good as the set I bought last year was, this year's Series 6 is better-looking and has more dimming zones. So I'm a fan of the TCL Series 6. I'd really like to get a Series 8, but they are quite a lot more expensive and not as great a deal when compared to similar technology in Samsung and LG.
There is one caveat with the TCL. They are built in China, which will stop some folks from buying them. The Chinese government is probably given them financial aid to make them so competitive with the South Korean-built Samsungs and LGs.
There is one other issue that probably isn't an issue for most people. The TCL interface is based on Roku, which most people know as a streaming services stick that you can plug into a TV. Here, it's built in. It's fast and supports most streaming clients you can think of However, if you have DISH Network TV (like I do) and use this as a secondary TV and figure you can save a few bucks on renting a DISH Network "Joey" box for this TV, think again. DISH hasn't written a streaming app that works on Roku TVs or sticks. If you want to use a streaming stick for that, you have to get an Amazon FireStick (there may be other devices that work, such as AppleTV, but I can only go with personal experience). Otherwise, just get a "Joey" (or a "Hopper" if this is your main TV).
As far as size goes, there are two schools of thought. One says,:
A general guideline is to sit between 1.5 to 2.5 times the diagonal screen measurement away, with about a 30-degree viewing angle. For example, if you have a 40" TV, you should be sitting somewhere between 5 and 8.3 feet from the screen
Well, based on that one, I should be sitting 96" (8 feet) to 160" (13 1/3 feet) from my 65" TV. I am probably between 7 and 8 feet maximum from it.
The other school of thought says:
The bigger the better, baby!
My first HDTV was 40". The second was 48". Then 55". Now 65", If I could afford and fit an 85" set, I'd probably grab it. I love me some immersive home theater, both in terms of screen size (though I prefer quality over quantity, I do like a big set!) and sound. And I've got a pretty decent sound system to help with the sound.
By the way, if you're expecting to be as knocked out going from HD TV (aka "1080p resolution") to 4K TV (aka "2160p resolution"), you may be disappointed. First of all, very little on your cable or satellite TV service is 4K and none of your Blu-ray discs (much less your DVDs) are 4K. If you get NetFlix or Disney+ or Google Prime or a few other streaming services, some of the content is 4K but most of it is still HD or even SD. Second, HD resolution is 1920 x 1080 or 2,073,600 pixels total. Standard definition (SD) was, at best, about 640 x 480 or 307.200 pixels total. The jump from SD to HD was a 6.75-fold increase in resolution. The resolution for 4K TVs is 3840 x 2160 or 8,294,400 pixels so the jump from HD to 4K is four-fold. And for most people our age, the pixels on an HD set are already small enough that we can't distinguish them from one another. Make them four times smaller (for the same-sized set) and you might not see any resolution difference at all.
The other difference if 4K is color. HD sets have a very good range from the brightest image they can show to the darkest (this is called the "dynamic range"). Most better 4K sets support something called "High Dynamic Range" or "HDR". This can be notably better than the dynamic range on regular HD sets but only if the source material supports it and your TV can decode it. There are a few competing standards for HDR, the most popular of which are HDR10 and Dolby Vision. If your source material is encoded with these (not all 4K shows use either) and your TV can handle (not all 4K TVs do both or even either), it can be noticeable. Bright scenes can be brighter without "blooming" into full white. Dark scenes can be darker without losing detail in the shadows. However, this really only shows up dramatically in more recently made movies and TV shows that are shot with newer digital cameras. Older shows or even shows where the images just aren't that dynamic in the first place will not show up all that differently.
villagetinker
06-21-2020, 05:34 PM
75" Vizio 4k monitor (this TV has no tuner) $900 about 1.5 years ago, great picture. This is a smart "TV", with all of the streaming applications built in, great color.
kathyspear
06-21-2020, 05:43 PM
We have several tv's. (We combined two houses -- full-time and seasonal.) All are Samsung. The one in the master is about 12 years old and still has a beautiful picture. For tv's you can't beat Samsung.
kathy
valuemkt
06-21-2020, 06:15 PM
Samsung 75, 55 and 32(i think), SONY XBR 75
John41
06-21-2020, 06:20 PM
Sanyo 55 inch HD. good picture, reliable, affordable, passable audio
ONTAP15
06-21-2020, 06:31 PM
I own a 21 inch Dumont. I've owned it for quite awhile
It's in a very nice wood cabinet. I have some concern as when the tubes burn out, it is getting harder and harder to get replacements for them
New Englander
06-21-2020, 07:04 PM
Latest version
TCL 55" Roku. It's fantastic and priced right.
villagetinker
06-21-2020, 07:22 PM
I own a 21 inch Dumont. I've owned it for quite awhile
It's in a very nice wood cabinet. I have some concern as when the tubes burn out, it is getting harder and harder to get replacements for them
Oh now that's funny,:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:
retiredguy123
06-21-2020, 08:43 PM
In my opinion, you may as well go as big as you can. I have a 75 inch in the living room and a 60 inch in the bedroom. I will probably soon be upsizing to 85 inch in the living room and moving the 75 inch into the bedroom. I think that measuring the distance from you to the screen is hogwash.
John_W
06-21-2020, 08:44 PM
LR - 2017 Samsung 75" 4K TV w/Directv and 5.1 Surround
M/BR 2012 Vizio 65" LED TV w/Directv
G/BR 2011 42" Samsung LED TV w/OTA antenna
Topspinmo
06-21-2020, 10:13 PM
HISENSE, 55” smart Tv ������. Sony 42”, Sony 32”.
CatskillBill
06-21-2020, 11:07 PM
We had a Visio 46" for 12 years that still works perfect. I got the bug for a larger one and brought home a Visio 65" .
After 2 or 3 days we felt it was too large viewing it from our normal sitting positions that's about 15'.
We both agreed that with that size, we were involuntarily scanning from side to side trying to catch everything on the screen.
So 55" too small, 65" too big, and no one makes new screens that are 60" anymore .
Luckily Samsung is one of the few manufacturers to make a 58". It works perfectly with the furniture it sits on without dominating.
And no need to wall mount the TV, as the viewing height is perfect.
We feel hit the sweet spot with the Samsung 58".
Bigger is not always better IMHO.
Two Bills
06-22-2020, 04:41 AM
Quote:
A general guideline is to sit between 1.5 to 2.5 times the diagonal screen measurement away, with about a 30-degree viewing angle. For example, if you have a 40" TV, you should be sitting somewhere between 5 and 8.3 feet from the screen
My youngest grandson would have disagreed with that guidline, he believed 18" to 24" was far enough away from any size screen.
He used to walk from side to side to keep up with the action!
Rwirish
06-22-2020, 05:07 AM
13 inch, all you need.
Heyitsrick
06-22-2020, 05:46 AM
By the way, if you're expecting to be as knocked out going from HD TV (aka "1080p resolution") to 4K TV (aka "2160p resolution"), you may be disappointed. First of all, very little on your cable or satellite TV service is 4K and none of your Blu-ray discs (much less your DVDs) are 4K.
Nice write up, Jerry. A couple of clarifications - there are most definitely 4K/HDR Blu-Ray Discs available today. Yes, older Blu-Ray discs aren't 4K/HDR, but many of the newer releases come in the 4K/HDR format. Of course, you need a 4K/HDR Blu-Ray player, as well (I have one), as well as a 4K/HDR TV - and a Blu-Ray disc formatted in 4K/HDR.
There are a few competing standards for HDR, the most popular of which are HDR10 and Dolby Vision.
Nitpicking here (sorry), but HDR10 is a "standard" for HDR, meaning virtually every 4K/HDR TV comes with HDR10 capability. HDR10 is free. Dolby Vision, on the other hand, is licensed by Dolby to TV manufacturers, meaning the manufacturers have to pay Dolby to include it. Dolby Vision does have better specs on the type of picture it can display if a show/movie is offered in Dolby Vision. To be clear, if your TV comes with Dolby Vision, it almost assuredly also has HDR10 HDR as an option, too. The reverse isn't true.
Heyitsrick
06-22-2020, 05:50 AM
The smallest HDTV I would get today is 65". I would go larger if money was not a problem. Of course, if you're going to be 2 feet away from the TV, extremely large sets are not a good idea. But 5-6 feet or more would really call for a larger set.
As for the type/brand of TV, I would go with an LG OLED set. They are easily the best quality out there in terms of picture. You pay more for OLED, but it's worth it. Don't be fooled by Samsung's "QLED". It's an entirely different technology.
rjn5656
06-22-2020, 05:56 AM
75 inch Sony in LR utilizing Comcast, 50 inch Vizio in bedroom using roku.
dewilson58
06-22-2020, 05:59 AM
Size does not matter.
Pedrocarrasco01@yahoo.com
06-22-2020, 06:30 AM
Just wondering what size and model TV do you currently own for your living room and bedrooms? I am thinking of either the samsung 4k or the TCL Roku. I haven't decided on a definite size as of yet.
I would love to know your thoughts on the ones you own.
Thank you!
We have in the living room a 70” Sharp Aquos, it’s 10 years old looks great and the picture is vivid and beautiful!!!!!!!!
bruce213
06-22-2020, 06:42 AM
Thanks lots of info.
theruizs
06-22-2020, 06:53 AM
Been thinking about 4K. Our main TV is a 65” Samsung and it’s been great. We use AppleTV a lot. JerryLBell - Thank you for your detailed experience and advice. It is very helpful!
retiredguy123
06-22-2020, 07:07 AM
Nice write up, Jerry. A couple of clarifications - there are most definitely 4K/HDR Blu-Ray Discs available today. Yes, older Blu-Ray discs aren't 4K/HDR, but many of the newer releases come in the 4K/HDR format. Of course, you need a 4K/HDR Blu-Ray player, as well (I have one), as well as a 4K/HDR TV - and a Blu-Ray disc formatted in 4K/HDR.
Nitpicking here (sorry), but HDR10 is a "standard" for HDR, meaning virtually every 4K/HDR TV comes with HDR10 capability. HDR10 is free. Dolby Vision, on the other hand, is licensed by Dolby to TV manufacturers, meaning the manufacturers have to pay Dolby to include it. Dolby Vision does have better specs on the type of picture it can display if a show/movie is offered in Dolby Vision. To be clear, if your TV comes with Dolby Vision, it almost assuredly also has HDR10 HDR as an option, too. The reverse isn't true.
4K has become the standard technology for new TVs. I have a 75 inch 4K HDR TV, a 4K bluray player, and a 4K cable box. But, I have the 4K resolution turned off, because there is almost no content available. And, even when it is available, I usually cannot tell the difference in picture quality. I did watch the last Super Bowl in 4K, and it was a better picture, but the picture did cut out a few times. But, for most movies and television shows, it doesn't seem to make any difference. Sometimes, I suspect that they say it is 4K, when it really is not. Apparently, there seems to be no effort being made by providers of video content to improve their picture quality to match the capability of TVs. I have also noticed that almost all movies on DVD, cable, and streaming use the Dolby Digital 5.1 sound system, when there have been more advanced sound systems available for many years.
theruizs
06-22-2020, 07:10 AM
The smallest HDTV I would get today is 65". I would go larger if money was not a problem. Of course, if you're going to be 2 feet away from the TV, extremely large sets are not a good idea. But 5-6 feet or more would really call for a larger set.
As for the type/brand of TV, I would go with an LG OLED set. They are easily the best quality out there in terms of picture. You pay more for OLED, but it's worth it. Don't be fooled by Samsung's "QLED". It's an entirely different technology.
It’s not about being “fooled.” OLED vs. QLED is about how you use your TV, when/where you view it, etc. Both are good choices for different reasons. Anyone considering it should do their own research on the differences and make a choice based on how they use their TV and what is most important to them. One is not better than the other in all cases.
Joyce952
06-22-2020, 07:18 AM
Just wondering what size and model TV do you currently own for your living room and bedrooms? I am thinking of either the samsung 4k or the TCL Roku. I haven't decided on a definite size as of yet.
I would love to know your thoughts on the ones you own.
Thank you!
I would go for a smart TV, probably at least 50"
Spsmith444
06-22-2020, 07:24 AM
TCL 6 series. 65”.
retiredguy123
06-22-2020, 07:44 AM
I would go for a smart TV, probably at least 50"
A lot of people don't realize that you can transform almost any TV into a smart TV instantly by just plugging a Roku streaming stick into it.
Dlbonivich
06-22-2020, 08:05 AM
Just know if you plan on using the Spectrum app it does not work on Sony tv.
donfey
06-22-2020, 08:32 AM
I own a 21 inch Dumont. I've owned it for quite awhile
It's in a very nice wood cabinet. I have some concern as when the tubes burn out, it is getting harder and harder to get replacements for them
That must be a family treasure! Wondering what you do while it's warming up? LOL
tophcfa
06-22-2020, 08:52 AM
70 inch Sony
Bfdretiref
06-22-2020, 09:03 AM
65" samsung qled....love it
Aloha1
06-22-2020, 09:23 AM
I own a 21 inch Dumont. I've owned it for quite awhile
It's in a very nice wood cabinet. I have some concern as when the tubes burn out, it is getting harder and harder to get replacements for them
LOL. That brought back memories of when we were first married and had a19" RCA. Used to go to Cunningham's Drug Store for tubes because they were the only place nearby that had them. Growing up, we had a Dumont, A Philco, and a Zenith with the first remote control. My Dad worked for Good Housekeeping, so we alway got a floor model after they had been out 6 months.
Pinball wizard
06-22-2020, 09:23 AM
I own a 21 inch Dumont. I've owned it for quite awhile
It's in a very nice wood cabinet. I have some concern as when the tubes burn out, it is getting harder and harder to get replacements for them
I think I have a 1G3 laying around if you need it!
Joanne19335
06-22-2020, 09:27 AM
We have several tv's. (We combined two houses -- full-time and seasonal.) All are Samsung. The one in the master is about 12 years old and still has a beautiful picture. For tv's you can't beat Samsung.
kathy
Ditto to Samsung. I plan on buying a 65” for my LR. I sit about 10 feet away. Will put my 55” in the MBR. Both will be mounted.
THUNDERCHIEF
06-22-2020, 10:10 AM
Just wondering what size and model TV do you currently own for your living room and bedrooms? I am thinking of either the samsung 4k or the TCL Roku. I haven't decided on a definite size as of yet.
I would love to know your thoughts on the ones you own.
Thank you!
VISIO 4 K 75 INCH IN THE LIVING ROOM WITH SURROUND SOUND MOUNTED ON THE WALL. 47 in on the Lanai, and 42 in the bedroom. LOVE THE 75
kendi
06-22-2020, 10:19 AM
Just wondering what size and model TV do you currently own for your living room and bedrooms? I am thinking of either the samsung 4k or the TCL Roku. I haven't decided on a definite size as of yet.
I would love to know your thoughts on the ones you own.
Thank you!
Samsung has a great reputation and we have had the same one for over 10 years now with no problems. Bought one for my mother(55inch 4k) a couple of years ago and it only lasted a little over a year. Picture went out but sound still worked. Not sure of the model. Was told by Best Buy that all the brands have a small percentage of TVs that will do that. Did some research and couldn't find that there were any wide spread problems. Got her another Samsung and the same thing happened. My brother who is an IT guy found out that Samsung is having quality problems. Now she has an LG. Again, not sure of the model, but no problems yet.
Strongel
06-22-2020, 10:20 AM
We have in the living room a 70” Sharp Aquos, it’s 10 years old looks great and the picture is vivid and beautiful!!!!!!!!
We have Sharp Aquos, a little smaller but older than yours. It is picture perfect as well. We could use a larger TV for our room size but have no need for it.
Villages Kahuna
06-22-2020, 10:22 AM
Just bought a 75-inch Samsung 4K OLED. It’s scheduled for delivery on Wednesday. Got a terrific deal from my longtime appliance supplier in suburban Chicago. Price with five-year extended warranty, delivered to my residence here in TV was $2,497, no taxes, no shipping fee.
A 65-inch 4K OLED would have been $1,497.
armyguyot1
06-22-2020, 11:19 AM
We have an old Phillips 50 inch plasma. Heavy? Oh my god. Has as good a picture or better than our 65 inch Samsung. LG was OK but had trouble brightening the picture until the guy at the store showed us the secret hand shake to adjust it. I ask how would I know without a manual. He said you wouldn't. You have to work here. Anyway, we bought Samsung and it's great and now so is the LG. Vizio died in about 2 years and tuff noogies. They only look big the first day, then they look just right. Currently 65s are a great buy and 75s are coming down.
La lamy
06-22-2020, 11:38 AM
quote:
A general guideline is to sit between 1.5 to 2.5 times the diagonal screen measurement away, with about a 30-degree viewing angle. For example, if you have a 40" tv, you should be sitting somewhere between 5 and 8.3 feet from the screen
my youngest grandson would have disagreed with that guidline, he believed 18" to 24" was far enough away from any size screen.
He used to walk from side to side to keep up with the action!
lol!!!!
Heyitsrick
06-22-2020, 12:56 PM
It’s not about being “fooled.” OLED vs. QLED is about how you use your TV, when/where you view it, etc. Both are good choices for different reasons. Anyone considering it should do their own research on the differences and make a choice based on how they use their TV and what is most important to them. One is not better than the other in all cases.
Well, of course it always comes down to how important various features are to a given customer. I'm coming from the standpoint of the overall king of picture quality, and honestly - OLED takes that crown. It's not really disputable. Yes, QLED sets can get brighter and QLED sets may have more sizes to choose from. Additionally, OLED sets can suffer from image burn-in, so be careful watching that cable news channel all day long.
That said, OLED sets have virtually perfect black levels. Why? Because there's no backlight like traditional LED (including QLED) sets. OLED sets have very wide viewing angles. That means you can be way off to the side (versus sitting in the center of where the TV is located) and still see the picture display as it's meant to be seen. Sets with poor off-angle viewing have distorted colors/tints or other picture abnormalities as you view from side angles. OLED sets have great "motion blur" characteristics due to their nearly instant response times. Traditional LED sets take longer for the pixels to switch from one color to the next, which can lead to blurring.
I'm not saying QLED, e.g. Samsung QLED sets are bad. And by "don't be fooled", I simply mean don't think that because one manufacturer uses an "O" and one uses a "Q" preceding "LED" that they are the same technology. They're not. If you're going to be watching TV in a very bright room (sunlight beaming onto the TV), QLED is probably a better choice. But in a typical viewing environment - and especially at night - OLED easily wins the picture quality sweepstakes.
If you're not interested in the best possible picture (keeping in mind that "best possible" is determined by the quality of the original source of the show/movie and how it's transmitted), then look for something other than OLED from LG. For example, the TCL Series 6 Roku TV (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V4TC9V8) (a QLED set) gets very good reviews, and is at a very sweet price. Built-in Roku technology and admirable picture quality is a great combo. Just make sure you go for Series 6 or Series 8, vs. earlier TCL series like 4 or 5.
retiredguy123
06-22-2020, 01:18 PM
I hope the OLED TV has a good picture. The 88 inch LG model at Best Buy is $29,999.99.
banjobob
06-22-2020, 01:58 PM
And you were interested in how big and what brand , Jerry has all the info anybody would ever need, now that is a tv guy . THANKS
Scorpyo
06-22-2020, 02:25 PM
Size does not matter.
The only reason a person would say something like that is because............:1rotfl:
Scorpyo
06-22-2020, 02:39 PM
Such an easy question yet such complicated answers. The correct answer is, how big is the wall where you expect to put the TV? Find a TV that fits that space! If they don't make a TV big enough, then simply get the biggest, best one your wallet can handle. The reality is I can watch DirecTV or Netflix on my tablet but I'd rather watch on my huge TV. Why? For the same reason I'm not driving something like a Nissan Micra - because I'm a dude! Yes Size does Matter!! Hmmm, I have been divorced twice, maybe I should rethink that. :ohdear: Never mind, I'll stick with Size does Matter.:1rotfl:
dewilson58
06-22-2020, 02:57 PM
The only reason a person would say something like that is because............:1rotfl:
I kno, I kno. :clap2:
John_W
06-22-2020, 03:57 PM
We have an old Phillips 50 inch plasma. Heavy? Oh my god. Has as good a picture or better than our 65 inch Samsung...
I bought a 50" Panasonic Plasma at Circuit City in 2008 and yes, it was heavy, weighed 97 pounds. Anyway I got a red line down the middle in 2013 and they said to fix it required a circuit board would be about $500 with labor. My electric bill with SECO on our CYV was about $115 a month. We gave away the plasma and now have a Samsung 75" 4K LED TV and a Vizio 65" LED TV and our electric bill since 2013 has never been over $90 a month and most months about $80. That TV was costing about a $1 a day more to operate.
OlifOlif
06-22-2020, 05:44 PM
I am still using a 21" Zenith set I bough in 1988. It has some stereo sound. However, I don't think Fox News offers their good reports in stereo.
Anyway, this set has a remote control, and a place to hook up an antenna from the outside. It also can get cable, but I had that disconnected when many of my favorite channels went off the air.
Since I originally paid $400 for this thing (have receipts to prove this), I am really getting my money's worth! I hope it doesn't break down since the Walmart I bought it from is in Carbondale Illinois. And I am not going to Carbondale to find a TV shop there!
If you want to pay once and never again, I highly recommend this set for all to see!
iq100
06-22-2020, 07:42 PM
JerryLBell,
Nice information and analysis.
Could you recommend any 4K and HDR content? Name of content and where available, please. Something that shows off 4K and HDR. Thanks.
Nucky
06-22-2020, 08:34 PM
42 Inch Panasonic L.R ** 55 Inch Sharp B.R. ** 25 Inch LG Kitchen ** 2- 35 Inch Samsungs in the Office ** 42 Inch Vizio in the Golf Cart Garage.
I can't wait for the Panasonic to croak. It is 13 years old and has a beautiful picture. It cost me $1200. All the other sets combined cost me about $1200.
I'm trying to like Best Buy but struggle to do so as they are nice before you buy but Nudges after you own. I love electronics. I have a calculator collection just like Alex P. Keaton. :1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:
Graspher
06-22-2020, 10:08 PM
86” LG 4K wall mounted. Best tv I’ve ever owned. Real easy to see - no glasses needed.
SickofSnow
06-23-2020, 06:52 AM
Thank you so much for all of the advice. You are a wealth of information. It appears that you have helped others on here as well.
Thank you!!!
davem4616
06-23-2020, 07:02 AM
I went looking at televisions the other day....didn't realize that there are now 85" screens out there
We presently only have a 65". When we upgraded from a 55" we gave the 55" to a neighbor
We just don't see the need for more than one television in the house at this time...especially with this huge open floor plan
Should one of us be confined to bed for a sustained period of time, we'll put another in the bedroom
birdiebill
06-23-2020, 07:23 AM
55 inch Samsung in the living room, 49 inch Samsung QLED in the den, and 32 inch Sony in the bedroom. The Sony is at least 8 years old and the 55 inch Samsung is 5 or 6 years old. My wife does not watch sports, thus two separate nice size tv's; no arguing over what to watch that way.
nn0wheremann
06-23-2020, 09:05 AM
$300 cheapo from Walmart. 55” class, 4k UHD. Not smart. For that, I use an old laptop and a $30 Google Chromecast. Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Britbox work very well driven by the laptop. The audio on the cheap TV sounded cheap, but I had a set of very fine computer speakers I plugged in, and that solved the audio problem.
iclash
06-23-2020, 10:43 AM
Just wondering what size and model TV do you currently own for your living room and bedrooms? I am thinking of either the samsung 4k or the TCL Roku. I haven't decided on a definite size as of yet.
I would love to know your thoughts on the ones you own.
Thank you!
do not skimp on size. you may think a 60 or 70 inch is too big but, unless you watch tv in a closet, you want big. it is almost like going to a movie house. if you have a great sound system, even better.
your eyes never strain to see things.
a smart tv is a smart tv. just don't go for an off name. spend a little extra.
OhioBuckeye
06-23-2020, 10:58 AM
75" Vizio 4k monitor (this TV has no tuner) $900 about 1.5 years ago, great picture. This is a smart "TV", with all of the streaming applications built in, great color.
That's a great size for a TV, 75". When we lived in Ohio I figured that would stay there so I bought a Theater projector which cost me $4,000. just for the projector & it was just as sharp as any of the Samsung Q's, maybe better, 125 inch. But in most houses I would guess a 60 to a 65" would be plenty big enough. But I sure missed that theater I had in Ohio. Oh yea, it was in a basement.
retiredguy123
06-23-2020, 11:33 AM
JerryLBell,
Nice information and analysis.
Could you recommend any 4K and HDR content? Name of content and where available, please. Something that shows off 4K and HDR. Thanks.
You can buy the 3-disc set of Planet Earth II 4K HDR bluray discs from Amazon for about $27. It is produced by BBC Earth and is well done. But, you would need a 4K bluray disc player.
Two Bills
06-23-2020, 11:48 AM
Last thing we need in our house is a Smart tv. according to my wife.
She says she has enough trouble with Her smart ****husband, without adding another!:icon_wink:
iq100
06-23-2020, 12:46 PM
Last year I got the bug to get a 4K TV. Right about then, a number of websites I follow that review TV and other home theater equipment were going nuts over the TCL Series 6 4K HDR TVs, claiming they were every bit as good a picture as you got from substantially more expensive Samsungs and LGs. I bought one (a 65") and have been quite happy with it. This year, my man-cave TV went out and I decided to buy another TCL. I thought I'd save a few bucks with a lower-end series and got a Series 4 4K HDR TV. It was terrible. The picture quality was just plain bad no matter what I tried to do to calibrate it (and I'm been into home theater for decades so I'm not completely ignorant). I took it back and got a TCL Series 6 4K HDR (a 55"). As good as the set I bought last year was, this year's Series 6 is better-looking and has more dimming zones. So I'm a fan of the TCL Series 6. I'd really like to get a Series 8, but they are quite a lot more expensive and not as great a deal when compared to similar technology in Samsung and LG.
There is one caveat with the TCL. They are built in China, which will stop some folks from buying them. The Chinese government is probably given them financial aid to make them so competitive with the South Korean-built Samsungs and LGs.
There is one other issue that probably isn't an issue for most people. The TCL interface is based on Roku, which most people know as a streaming services stick that you can plug into a TV. Here, it's built in. It's fast and supports most streaming clients you can think of However, if you have DISH Network TV (like I do) and use this as a secondary TV and figure you can save a few bucks on renting a DISH Network "Joey" box for this TV, think again. DISH hasn't written a streaming app that works on Roku TVs or sticks. If you want to use a streaming stick for that, you have to get an Amazon FireStick (there may be other devices that work, such as AppleTV, but I can only go with personal experience). Otherwise, just get a "Joey" (or a "Hopper" if this is your main TV).
As far as size goes, there are two schools of thought. One says,:
Well, based on that one, I should be sitting 96" (8 feet) to 160" (13 1/3 feet) from my 65" TV. I am probably between 7 and 8 feet maximum from it.
The other school of thought says:
My first HDTV was 40". The second was 48". Then 55". Now 65", If I could afford and fit an 85" set, I'd probably grab it. I love me some immersive home theater, both in terms of screen size (though I prefer quality over quantity, I do like a big set!) and sound. And I've got a pretty decent sound system to help with the sound.
By the way, if you're expecting to be as knocked out going from HD TV (aka "1080p resolution") to 4K TV (aka "2160p resolution"), you may be disappointed. First of all, very little on your cable or satellite TV service is 4K and none of your Blu-ray discs (much less your DVDs) are 4K. If you get NetFlix or Disney+ or Google Prime or a few other streaming services, some of the content is 4K but most of it is still HD or even SD. Second, HD resolution is 1920 x 1080 or 2,073,600 pixels total. Standard definition (SD) was, at best, about 640 x 480 or 307.200 pixels total. The jump from SD to HD was a 6.75-fold increase in resolution. The resolution for 4K TVs is 3840 x 2160 or 8,294,400 pixels so the jump from HD to 4K is four-fold. And for most people our age, the pixels on an HD set are already small enough that we can't distinguish them from one another. Make them four times smaller (for the same-sized set) and you might not see any resolution difference at all.
The other difference if 4K is color. HD sets have a very good range from the brightest image they can show to the darkest (this is called the "dynamic range"). Most better 4K sets support something called "High Dynamic Range" or "HDR". This can be notably better than the dynamic range on regular HD sets but only if the source material supports it and your TV can decode it. There are a few competing standards for HDR, the most popular of which are HDR10 and Dolby Vision. If your source material is encoded with these (not all 4K shows use either) and your TV can handle (not all 4K TVs do both or even either), it can be noticeable. Bright scenes can be brighter without "blooming" into full white. Dark scenes can be darker without losing detail in the shadows. However, this really only shows up dramatically in more recently made movies and TV shows that are shot with newer digital cameras. Older shows or even shows where the images just aren't that dynamic in the first place will not show up all that differently.
Any suggestions for content that shows off 4K and HDR? Name of content, and a URL where the content can be bought, streamed, etc.
Thanks.
iq100
06-23-2020, 12:57 PM
Thanks you for that, JerryLBell.
Anyone have other suggetions for content that show off 4K and HDR?
My computer can be connected to 4K HDR TV via HDMI.
So need not be a 4K bluray disc player.
Even a "spectaclular demontration" sample file would be good to show off why a 4K HDR TV is perceivably better.
Anyone here, have a URL or a recommendation for some content?
Thanks.
retiredguy123
06-23-2020, 01:28 PM
Thanks you for that, JerryLBell.
Anyone have other suggetions for content that show off 4K and HDR?
My computer can be connected to 4K HDR TV via HDMI.
So need not be a 4K bluray disc player.
Even a "spectaclular demontration" sample file would be good to show off why a 4K HDR TV is perceivably better.
Anyone here, have a URL or a recommendation for some content?
Thanks.
My 75 inch Sony TV has a sample 4K video built in to the TV. I don't know if other brands have the same feature. If you have Xfinity cable TV, they have a 4K cable box that you can upgrade to. And, YouTube has a lot of free 4K videos. Just do a "4K video" search.
JerryLBell
06-23-2020, 02:06 PM
Thanks you for that, JerryLBell.
Anyone have other suggetions for content that show off 4K and HDR?
My computer can be connected to 4K HDR TV via HDMI.
So need not be a 4K bluray disc player.
Even a "spectaclular demontration" sample file would be good to show off why a 4K HDR TV is perceivably better.
Anyone here, have a URL or a recommendation for some content?
Thanks.
Nature shows like Planet Earth II are a great thing for showing off a good TV. The main streaming sources (NetFlix, Google Prime, Disney+) all have several in 4K. The video is compressed to a lower bitrate than on 4K discs so they won't be quite as good as on a 4K disc (also called a UHD disc). Of course, a standard Blu-ray disc player won't be able to play these discs; you'lll need to upgrade to a 4K/UHD-compatible Blu-ray player. And if you want to play discs that have HDR encoded (whether HDR10 or Dolby Vision), you'll need to select a player that supports that as well.
Note that Blu-ray players that come with computers don't necessarily have the ability to play the triple- or quadruple-layer Blu-ray discs that 4K movies come on. They mostly have the ability to play single- or double-layer Blu-ray discs that HD movies come on.
Here's a site that has sample 4K files (most in MKV format, some in MP4 format), some with HDR but most without. Many of these are the demo files that are shown in a loop on TVs at electronics stores. 4K Media | Free Ultra-HD / HDR / HLG / Dolby Vision 4K Video Demos & Samples (https://4kmedia.org/)
On my Roku TV, a Dolby streaming site app came pre-installed that has a few spectacular (though very short) demo files as well. Shop through your app store for that or just on "4K" or "UHD" in general.
JerryLBell
06-23-2020, 02:11 PM
I bought a 50" Panasonic Plasma at Circuit City in 2008 and yes, it was heavy, weighed 97 pounds. Anyway I got a red line down the middle in 2013 and they said to fix it required a circuit board would be about $500 with labor. My electric bill with SECO on our CYV was about $115 a month. We gave away the plasma and now have a Samsung 75" 4K LED TV and a Vizio 65" LED TV and our electric bill since 2013 has never been over $90 a month and most months about $80. That TV was costing about a $1 a day more to operate.
I still have my 50" Panasonic Vierra plasma TV even though it is broken. I need to get it to a vendor to repair the power supply on it. When these were released, seemingly every electronics website on the web was tripping over its own feet praising it as the best TV you could buy at any price.
So if it's broken, why keep it? Well, it may not do 4K but it does do HD very, very well and it does 3D HD. I can't find any 4K TVs that support 3D. I'm not a huge fan of 3D as most of the 60 or so films I have in 3D really aren't that great but the few that are (Avatar, Gravity and David Attenboro's Kingdom of Plants 3D come to mind) really, really look good in 3D.
Aloha1
06-23-2020, 03:34 PM
We have an old Phillips 50 inch plasma. Heavy? Oh my god. Has as good a picture or better than our 65 inch Samsung.
Had one of those too on Maui. It only lasted 5 years due to salt air corrosion (typical for electronics in Hawai'i). Weighed around 150 lbs as I recall. Great pic though.
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