New TV Recommendations

[CYdTracked]

It's been over 10 years since I last bought a new TV so feeling a little out of touch about what to look for. Probably going with 55" TV size. Not looking to spend on the high end but also don't want to regret buying on the lowest priced end either.

Any suggestions on what I need to avoid or maybe have suggestions on ones to look at? Another thing I have been reading is most new TVs are lacking audio outputs which could be a problem with my surround sound system that uses optical/digital port. Am I going.to.have to upgrade that to or is there a way around that? It's a Sony model that also has a Blu-ray player so not worried about the output as that will go through HDMI but not sure if that is going to work when wanting to run the TV audio through it.

Thanks for any tips and advice or model suggestions!

 

[Dopey]

There was a recent thread here about this not too long ago.

My opinion, is my old ass eyes can't tell the difference in picture anymore. But a processor that makes switching apps laggy is enough for me to want to punt kittens.

That would be my biggest decision point.

 

[brianhos]

If it were me I would buy the C4 55" LG. Their OLEDs just look incredible. Costco has it for $1200 now. But everything will go on mega sale as the super bowl approaches.

 

[Gonzo]

One of the big things to look at is refresh rate, at least if you're going to watch any sports on the new rig. Refresh rate is what will determine whether there's visual lag or blurriness, the higher the better. Avoid 60hz and go with 120 minimum.

 

[cydsho]

I bought a Roku Plus Qled last year and it's been fine but at this point I won't buy another that's not OLED.
Mid to top line Qleds are at the lower level OLEDs now and the OLEDs are just just awesome at most any type of viewing.

 

[Agclone91]

It's been over 10 years since I last bought a new TV so feeling a little out of touch about what to look for. Probably going with 55" TV size. Not looking to spend on the high end but also don't want to regret buying on the lowest priced end either.

Any suggestions on what I need to avoid or maybe have suggestions on ones to look at? Another thing I have been reading is most new TVs are lacking audio outputs which could be a problem with my surround sound system that uses optical/digital port. Am I going.to.have to upgrade that to or is there a way around that? It's a Sony model that also has a Blu-ray player so not worried about the output as that will go through HDMI but not sure if that is going to work when wanting to run the TV audio through it.

Thanks for any tips and advice or model suggestions!

All of the tvs I've bought in the last 3 years still have optical outputs. I would venture to guess as long as you're not buying a budget model, you'll likely still get one.

Check out rtings.com for tons of reviews on different models and brands. You'll also be able to confirm which models have the outputs you need

 

[Clonehomer]

One of the big things to look at is refresh rate, at least if you're going to watch any sports on the new rig. Refresh rate is what will determine whether there's visual lag or blurriness, the higher the better. Avoid 60hz and go with 120 minimum.

Do any streaming services actually support anything higher than 60hz though? I know YTTV uses 1080p @ 60hz. I’m pretty sure their 4K channels are also still at 60hz.

 

[aeroclone]

If it were me I would buy the C4 55" LG. Their OLEDs just look incredible. Costco has it for $1200 now. But everything will go on mega sale as the super bowl approaches.

I love my LG OLED and would absolutely recommend to anyone if it is in their price range.

I don't use built in apps on any of my TVs so can't comment on the LG in that regard. I use a Roku Ultra for apps. Love the simple interface on Roku, and as app demands increase and the Roku starts to bog down, you just upgrade to a new top of the line Roku Ultra for $80 instead of feeling like you need a new TV.

 

[cyputz]

We bought older models four yrs ago - Samsung 55 (1), 65 (2). We are very happy with all, without breaking the bank.

 

[1SEIACLONE]

You can get a decent picture from some of the cheaper versions, if you want a better one, go with either a Sony or an LG in the OLED versions. Both are going to cost more than a cheaper version, but will have a better picture, higher refresh rate, and will last longer. I would also look at Costco, they have better prices and will offer a extended warranty on the set for free. Comes down do you want the largest screen size you can get, then go for one of the cheaper ones, 65 inch or so and can afford a better picture, go with OLED from Sony or LG.

Refresh rate is what is going to cost you money, 120 rate will cost twice what 60 does, but provides a much better picture when you stream. 240 would be great if there was more 4K content, but its kind of slim pickings, Netflix does offer it, but not sure how much they are sending out at that speed. You would also need fiber to get the best picture.

 

[Gonzo]

Do any streaming services actually support anything higher than 60hz though? I know YTTV uses 1080p @ 60hz. I’m pretty sure their 4K channels are also still at 60hz.

That I don't know but I'd guess watching games on ESPN/ABC/FOX/NBC/Etc. the 120hz would be supported. I've also heard that TVs trying to sell 240hz are blowing smoke, but who knows.

 

[isuno1fan]

LG operating system is god awful IMO.

Go Sony or Samsung.

 

[Helser 83]

Do any streaming services actually support anything higher than 60hz though? I know YTTV uses 1080p @ 60hz. I’m pretty sure their 4K channels are also still at 60hz.

Max and Netflix do...but you have to pay for it.

 

[Clonehomer]

Max and Netflix do...but you have to pay for it.

But that’s not going to help with sports. I’m just seeing that for the most part the TVs have surpassed the streaming providers’ signal and I’m just wondering why spend the money for the most part? I get if you have a special situation where you have a bright room that you need a bright TV to compensate. But will most people tell the difference of a QLED vs OLED when watching a 1080p60 signal?

 

[1SEIACLONE]

But that’s not going to help with sports. I’m just seeing that for the most part the TVs have surpassed the streaming providers’ signal and I’m just wondering why spend the money for the most part? I get if you have a special situation where you have a bright room that you need a bright TV to compensate. But will most people tell the difference of a QLED vs OLED when watching a 1080p60 signal?

Truthfully not unless you sat very close to the TV, talking 10 feet or closer. QLED is going to be a lot cheaper and side by side with OLED, most people would see a difference, but on its own most would not.

 

[Helser 83]

I went with QLED over OLED because I had read about screen burn in being a problem and I can't babysit it that closely.

 

[DevilDog]

LG C class OLED are still the bomb. The interface & apps leave alot to be desired however.

 

[MeowingCows]

LG 65" Class 4K UHD OLED Web OS Smart TV with Dolby Vision B3 Series - OLED65B3PUA - Walmart.com

Buy LG 65" Class 4K UHD OLED Web OS Smart TV with Dolby Vision B3 Series - OLED65B3PUA at Walmart.com

www.walmart.com

LG B3 OLED new for $900... Pretty damn good price. https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/lg/b3-oled

 

[motorcy90]

my LG OLED that's 6 years old no longer works, and it's the 2nd time now that the picture has gone out on it for 2 different reasons. 1st time was fixed under warranty and the guy who ran a repair shop out of his garage said I was the last LG tv he would do going forward because of how crap their process and response is for repairs. I've got 3 Samsungs with our 75" having 3 lines of dead pixels on it so far at 3 years old. a friend in the industry says they are all basically crap at this point and won't last more then a few years no matter what you buy.

 

[alarson]

That I don't know but I'd guess watching games on ESPN/ABC/FOX/NBC/Etc. the 120hz would be supported. I've also heard that TVs trying to sell 240hz are blowing smoke, but who knows.

I doubt the providers are distributing it at 60hz, but motion interpolation can still make it look smoother (though you want it off for just about everything not sports) .

The bigger thing would be that these days a tv that doesn't have 120hz is also likely to be pretty low-end in most of its other processing features as well so you'll have inferior quality across the board. Kind of like people asking for tvs without smart features, you don't have to use them (and in fact a dedicated box is often better) but any high-quality tv will have them implemented.