PDA

View Full Version : Tv on the out..



Patrick Walsh
01-26-2017, 8:36 AM
Ok TV people i need help.

My TV is quickly on its way out.

To date i have been under the impression Samsung leads the pack and Sony has fallen by the wayside. For a while LG seemed to be coming on strong and maybe still are.

I went to BestBuy a couple months ago for a non TV related purchase and i checked out TV's, mine was already showing symptoms of dying on me. What i noticed was $800-$1500 seems to get you a nice 55-65" TV with the latest picture technology. They did have a couple $5K tv's with a new picture technology and yes is was like "WOW" but it almost looked fake as if ythey clear coated the screen of the TV with high gloss laquer. Plus im not dropping $5K on a dam TV. That kind expenditure i reserve for woodworking machinery and lumber.

So do i just go purchase what i like or should i gravitate and stay away from certain brands. Seemed all TV' these days are smart/4K yada yada...

I never purchase bottom of the barrel anything. I often purchase the best and cry once depending what we are talking about. For instance i just spent a fortune on closed cell spray foam for a master bedroom addition and top of the line Marvin windows for my whole house. I did 100% of the work other than insulate, electricity and plumbing so you get the point im not ruch just thourough. Being a contractor for so long i have come to know quality vrs garbage and the consiquence of being cheap.

I don't need a closed cell marvin Martin TV but i will not ge buying a low end Anderson either.

thoughts!

Lee Schierer
01-26-2017, 8:43 AM
We bought a Samsung smart TV just 2 years ago and we love it. Other than occassionally the cat perching in front of the ambient light sensor and causing the picture to get dark we've had zero problems.

Rick Moyer
01-26-2017, 10:17 AM
I was right where you are last year. I bought a Samsung year-old model 65" for around $900. It's a Smart TV but I didn't even need that. I WASN"T spending two to three times as much or more for 4K, etc. I read that you would only notice 4K if you were watching very close to the TV. We sit 12' or more away. Very satisfied with the two Samsungs we have.
Want to add that if you don't require the "latest and greatest" and can find models a couple years old you can save substantially. 2015 TV's were just fine.

Sam Murdoch
01-26-2017, 10:21 AM
Another happy new Samsung user - ours is a mere 46" but the best Ultra HD, I could (want to )afford - around $800.00 through Crutchfield.

John A langley
01-26-2017, 10:49 AM
4 Samsung TVs here, have not had any trouble with any of them. The oldest is probably four years old and the newest one is probably a year-old I think Costco has some good prices

Jerome Stanek
01-26-2017, 11:08 AM
I had to replace one 3 years ago and just picked up a 55 Hisense that I figured would get me by till I could get a different one and use the Hisense for a monitor in the shop. It has a better picture than some name brands. When I walked through best buy and Walmart that was the brand that seemed to have the best picture

George Bokros
01-26-2017, 11:11 AM
We purchased a small Samsung TV for the kitchen at Christmas time and love it. Great picture.

Shawn Pixley
01-26-2017, 11:23 AM
We preferred the Sony to the Samsung. Some of this has to do with how or if you want to use the smart TV features. We are very happy with our purchase.

Patrick Walsh
01-26-2017, 1:01 PM
I have owned both Sony and Samsung. The Sony was way back when flat screen technology was brand new. At the time it seemed Sony had the market cornered. Over the years it seems things have swayed in the favor of Samsung.

My concern with Samsung is this. My now dying TV is a Samsung. The problem i am having is all the sudden the screen just goes black. The only way to get it back is to unplug the tv from power directly from the wall and let it sit 20/40 minutes.

I figured out this resolution by searching online. It seems this is a common thing with Samsung tv's. People complain of it happening within only a few short months of buying a new tv and also like me after 6-8 years. So i guess no rhyme or reason but clearly specific to Samsung.

I dont know i guess ill just try another Samsung. As mych as 6-8 years seems like a scam fir a tv its probably about all you can expect anymore?

Ole Anderson
01-26-2017, 1:50 PM
Last fall I got a 65" curved screen (coolness factor was worth it) Samsung 4k from Costco for just over $1100. I got the lesser of three 65" Curved Screen Samsungs, the top of the line was about $3700. I use it smart capability to view 4K Netflix and Amazon content over my WiFi without any buffering. 1080P is so good now it is hard to tell the difference from 4K, but they say a 4K TV will make 1080P content look better. Between the factory warranty and the Costco addon with their Visa card, I have 4 years on the warranty. Only complaint is the remote was do dumbed down, it is hard to use, but my Comcast X1 voice activated remote works nicely.

Kev Williams
01-26-2017, 3:04 PM
In November 2011 we bought our 70" Sharp Aquos Quattron (<4th yellow pixel), and to this day, if some movie or TV series comes on in HD that I haven't seen on this TV, "WOW" comes out of my mouth. The realism of the picture never ceases to amaze me... Wasn't exactly cheap at $2400, not even sure they make the same TV, but as for Sharp in general, I'm sold :)

352604

As for cheaper offerings, last summer the wife picked up a 55" Visio for under $500 for our bedroom, and while the pic is no match for the Sharp, it's a 10 for $500! :)

Andy Giddings
01-26-2017, 3:52 PM
Have had a Samsung 65" 4k screen for a few years - zero issues, beautiful picture, light weight (compared to the Panasonic Plasma it replaced :-)). Good thing is it upscales everything to 4k, so even streaming YouTube looks good on it. Hardly use the native SmartTV function as I have an Amazon Fire 4k box, and a micro PC that provides all of the online material we watch since cutting the cord a few years back. I would certainly recommend viewing a 4k vs 1080p side by side before making up your mind on 4k. Looks far better to me

Jim Becker
01-26-2017, 4:33 PM
I'm very pleased with the Samsung 50" in our MBR...noticeably better (and thinner) that the 52" Sharp Aquos (older..2008) in our media room. I'd buy Samsung again in a heartbeat.

Patrick Walsh
01-26-2017, 7:25 PM
Thanks for the input guys.

I myself will never use the smart function but it seems like pretty much all tv's are smart these days.

Who ever mentioned the yellow pixel thing. I think i remember a sales person a couple months ago when i made that trip to BestBuy telling me something about the $5000 sony having some kind of additional colored pixel that other televisions do not have. It was night and day and i cant say i did not like it but it did almost look fake.

Not a darn chance im spending $5K on a tv though thats for sure. Crud, a guy is selling a never used MM16 a couple hours from me purchased in 2008 that has never been used. He wants $1200, bet i could take it home for $1000. If i had the cash thats where i would put it.

I have spent about $3k on shaper tooling in the last ten days for a kitchen im building for a client. Im pretty much broke as a result, i will recup half of the expenditure but still at the moment im feeling it.

The last thing i want to do is buy a tv right now. On the other hand im not gonna buy something i regret later just to get me back watching the Wheel, Jeopardy and the news. Thats about all i watch so no chance im going for the latest greatest. If it was a MM20 or 24 up the road i might be trying to sell an organ right now.

Nicholas Lawrence
01-26-2017, 8:05 PM
Price goes up a lot with size. I got a 32 inch Samsung smart Tv a couple of years ago, and I want to say it was only $300 or so. I know the larger sizes are very possible, but I honestly don't know why I would need anything larger.

Patrick Walsh
01-26-2017, 9:36 PM
The whole giant every expandimg TV thing does seem crazy.

My now TV is like 46" or something like that. When iwas in BestBuy a couple months ago i noticed a 55" tv looks the same size as my 46". The sales person pointed out they have almost no frame now.

Instantly i wanted a 65" all the sudden. The fact is when is enough enough. If i lived alone and could jsut throw the dam tv in the trash i would. Regardless of my internal moral struggles i am a relentless,consumer. I should practice some restraint on this one and stick with a 40" something inch TV on principle.

QUOTE=Nicholas Lawrence;2651854]Price goes up a lot with size. I got a 32 inch Samsung smart Tv a couple of years ago, and I want to say it was only $300 or so. I know the larger sizes are very possible, but I honestly don't know why I would need anything larger.[/QUOTE]

Jim Becker
01-26-2017, 9:54 PM
Unlike the "tube" type TVs of the past, today's flat screen sets just plain look better at common watching distances even when they are larger...and the fact that prices have dropped like stones isn't a terrible thing. My first flat screen (an early Sony) was only 23" but had a list price of nearly four grand. (I only paid about half of that due to an AMEX promo). The 52" Sharp that replaced it for family use cost under two grand in 2008 and the Sony moved to the MBR. When the Sony died (literally), the Samsun 50" that replaced it was about a grand from Costco a few years ago. A similar setup today...is a few hundred bucks. If and when the Sharp dies...you can be assured that it will be something in the 65-70" range that replaces it! LOL

Dave Lehnert
01-26-2017, 9:54 PM
Maybe I'm just been lucky but can say I have had better luck with off branded electronics. One exception was a Toshiba projection TV I once had.
I have an LG Plasma 50" right now and after two or three years I started getting lines from top to bottom. They come and go.

Patrick Walsh
01-26-2017, 10:23 PM
Dave,

Seperate from the TV topic and more inline with your quote at the bottom of your post.

Remeber when people had pride. Nevermind make things by hand. Jeeze thats a whole nother vortex of pride.

Recently another woodworker said something to me about pride that made me stop and think. People are not just lazy and misdirected these days they simply lack pride for anything. If they could alighn themself with a sense of pride for something maybe the rest of their beings would follow.

Well maybe not all but the masses sure make it look quite a bit that way.


Maybe I'm just been lucky but can say I have had better luck with off branded electronics. One exception was a Toshiba projection TV I once had.
I have an LG Plasma 50" right now and after two or three years I started getting lines from top to bottom. They come and go.

Kev Williams
01-27-2017, 1:38 AM
As to bigger TV's- because our house is also our business, we paint engraving on the kitchen table, which is about 25' from the TV at the other end of the living room. At that distance, the 70" Sharp isn't too big at all..

And if you want flexible size for not a lot of bucks, projectors may surprise you... You just need somewhere to put or hang it, and a screen- The wife got me an Epson 720 projector for my birthday, and a 75" roll-up screen for it. Watched Star Wars in the back yard, almost like being at a Drive-in again! :D -- the picture is excellent at 75", and while I haven't done it yet (no screen or enough wall) it's supposed work well to 130"... I think the wife paid around $550 for it. They have a 1080 version for more $$ of course...

Patrick Walsh
01-27-2017, 8:54 AM
Being i live in a 15sq ft old Sears craftman bungalow kit home mynlargest room is maybe 18' x 12'. Add to it that my layout dictates i view my tv from no more 12' and to date forty something inches has seemed plenty big. Sure the wall my tv is on is 10' x 10' and i could fill the whole darn thing of i wanted to.

I think 55" will be my max. I really ksu dont like TV's. I do like football though so it is what it is..

glenn bradley
01-27-2017, 10:03 AM
Luckiest day of you life. I have been without TV service for going on 20 years. My productivity in meaningful (to me) areas has never been higher.

Stan Calow
01-27-2017, 11:27 AM
We have an LG, a Vizio, and a Panasonic. I don't see there is much difference. Look at Consumer Reports and they'll tell you the reliability of each brand if thats your primary criteria. But if I had to replace now, it would be based on the deal, not the brand. Sound quality makes a difference for some people. Element makes TVs in the U.S., if that matters to you. My son has a 4K TV and the picture quality is amazing, but there is little to no current programming to make use of it, so I'll wait to see if that comes along.

Ole Anderson
01-27-2017, 1:59 PM
My son has a 4K TV and the picture quality is amazing, but there is little to no current programming to make use of it, so I'll wait to see if that comes along.

If you have a good WiFi setup and a smart TV, virtually all 4K TV's are smart, there is 4k content on Amazon and Netflix for a minimal monthly charge. Probably not the content you want though, it is still pick and choose, much of it Netflix produced, mostly series. Even though the Superbowl will have a ton of 4k and even 8k cameras and editing this year, FOX broadcast will be 720p. 4k sets are in about 5% of homes, and some say the networks won't get serious about broadcasting 4k until that hits 35%, so everybody, go out and get your 4k set now!!! If you have Netflix, just search for "4K" to see what is available. A 4K set makes everything look better.

Patrick Walsh
01-27-2017, 2:21 PM
As much as i hate the cable companies. But i hate our lives going to the computers and electronics even more.

Point is i dont do NetFlixs or any of that other internet based stuff. Yeah i know it could save me money that i really do need to save but i cant be bothered. Im embracing becoming a old fart and turning a cheek the computers taking over our lives is one of the things i will go down with the ship with in my own toil of ignorant bliss..

If it was not for family i would live off the grid in the middle of the woods all by myself.

The most i do on the internet is troll around trying to learn how to put into practice stuff i can actually do with my own two hands.

I guess i will end up with a 4K smart tv if onoy because as the sales people told me any decent tv these days is 4K and smart. Ill just not use the smart function simple as that..

John Stankus
01-27-2017, 3:30 PM
Out Christmas present to each other was replacing our 1992 vintage 36" tube TV (which was still working fine) with a 40" Sony which we really like. We also ditched the satellite subscription (four months of which the savings will pay for the tv) and went with over the air (OTA). Purchased a TIVO Roamio OTA dvr with lifetime subscription(i.e. no ongoing fees). And we are very happy. We do have netflix and hulu for stuff we can't get locally, but we are saving about $100 a month. One thing with the new broadcast TV is the secondary channels like PBS create which carries woodworking and crafts programming.

John

Jim Becker
01-27-2017, 6:18 PM
I don't watch all that much TV, either...I'm a reader. But when I do watch, I enjoy it a lot more these days with the larger screens. No surprise that a football game benefits from it, but it's nice for other programming, be it FoodNetwork or Colbert. :)

Patrick Walsh
01-27-2017, 10:16 PM
Colbert. I need to get him back in the rotation.

Ole Anderson
01-28-2017, 12:50 AM
I just spent about an hour surfing YouTube 4k content, pulled my chair up to four feet from the screen so I got the same experience as at the cinema. Amazing. Took a tour of New York, then Norway, went kite surfing at a dozen places around the world, watched a drag race shootout of a dozen super cars on a runway in England, motorcycle stunts. Stuff is out there. Smart TV takes your computer totally out of the equation. It will be some time before regular content is out there though. And frankly, unless you get close enough to the screen to feel you are at the theater, there is no noticeable difference between good hi-def and 4K. Football is one thing that could really benefit from 4K with 28 little people running around on that big field.

Paul McGaha
01-28-2017, 8:57 AM
Last year we bought a Vizio from Costco. It's been fine. We'd probably buy from Costco again, either a Samsung or a Vizio.

Jim Becker
01-28-2017, 10:54 AM
Colbert. I need to get him back in the rotation.

Colbert is our "laundry folding" media in this house. :D We watch a couple of recorded shows, picking those we are most interested in from the ten that are always sitting there waiting.

Mike Hollingsworth
01-28-2017, 3:41 PM
Smart part of TV will end up obsolete. Save money and buy without and then add a Roku or the like which can be replaced when something better is invented.

Jim Becker
01-28-2017, 5:52 PM
Smart part of TV will end up obsolete. Save money and buy without and then add a Roku or the like which can be replaced when something better is invented.

The "smart" part of our Samsung gets software/firmware updates pretty regularly...it's not a static setup.

Charles Biddles
01-29-2017, 8:27 AM
Most of the major brands you see these days are great. I have an LG 47" that's been going strong for 5 years now and at the time of purchase it was $1080. Personally I wouldn't spend more then $1000 on a TV. The features are a bit of a gimmick. I have them on my TV and they don't make it look better, it just makes it look unrealistic compared to the source content. My brother got a $500 LG 4K and it looks great, it was picked up at Bestbuy. The $500 price range for a TV seems to be a real sweet spot right now. Think of the high end features, and think deeply on if they really matter to you because most of it is useless for the average user. I was pretty anal about the LG I picked up, and there's a website that has perfect color settings. If you're interested in a certain TV I'd look it up on that website and see if it has the calibration settings for that specific TV because after calibrating mine it looks amazing. Out of the box it looked great, but tuning the blue ting, noise, sharpness etc... as these researchers suggested made everything perfect. Sams Club is a good place to go, and Bestbuy price matches so you can get Amazon prices out the door. Good luck, happy hunting.

Marty Schlosser
01-29-2017, 9:13 AM
I would suggest you rturn your defective Samsung for a replacement. These major companies are wanting to protect their image (pardon the pun), and even if the warranty has expired will usually replace it, or offer you a significant discount towards a new one.


I have owned both Sony and Samsung. The Sony was way back when flat screen technology was brand new. At the time it seemed Sony had the market cornered. Over the years it seems things have swayed in the favor of Samsung.

My concern with Samsung is this. My now dying TV is a Samsung. The problem i am having is all the sudden the screen just goes black. The only way to get it back is to unplug the tv from power directly from the wall and let it sit 20/40 minutes.

I figured out this resolution by searching online. It seems this is a common thing with Samsung tv's. People complain of it happening within only a few short months of buying a new tv and also like me after 6-8 years. So i guess no rhyme or reason but clearly specific to Samsung.

I dont know i guess ill just try another Samsung. As mych as 6-8 years seems like a scam fir a tv its probably about all you can expect anymore?

Eric Keller
01-29-2017, 10:03 AM
our Samsung TV was bought before LED backlighting was available. I figure that at some time in the next 5 years or so, the fluorescent backlighting will go bad and we will have to get a new TV or spend the same on getting it fixed. I assume that's what's going on with the OP's tv, it's just intermittent. We don't have central air, so LED backlighting might help with the heat.

Patrick Walsh
01-30-2017, 9:33 PM
Well TV is officially dead.

looks like i gotta head out to BestBuy at some point tomorrow. Big game here in Boston Sunday cant be messing with a TV on Saturday. Plus Saturday is mandatory shop time. Well as mandatory as the rest of the world will allow me for.

Leo Graywacz
01-30-2017, 10:33 PM
Biggest thing I think are brightness and color shift if you aren't in line with the TV. I have a Plasma Panasonic and there is zero color shift and you can see it clearly at 175º. I have a cheaper LCD in my bedroom that suffers from color shift, but since it's inline with the bed it doesn't matter.

Andy Giddings
01-30-2017, 11:05 PM
If you're a Costco member, Patrick, they seem to have a very good Samsung/Others selection available at good prices

Jerome Stanek
01-31-2017, 7:47 AM
I see Target has a lot on sale this week

Jim Becker
01-31-2017, 10:00 AM
"Everybody" has piles of televisions available this particular week of the year... :D

Patrick Walsh
01-31-2017, 10:02 PM
Got a new tv this afternoon.

I settled on a 55" sony smart 4k HDR blah blah blah. It was $1060 out the door.

I dont think i like it.


First the sound is terrible. Like really really terrible! I really want but dont want to have to purchase a sound stick right now. If i do its gonna be a Sonos and then im in for another $700-800 smackers.

Second something about the picture seems weird. Like almost fake. Seems like i can see a way more a broad picture than my old 46" Samsung. Like their is more content on the screen as though itmwas shot forma differnet angle with the cameras in production. It also seems like thr movement or moving objects are weird, like things move frantically.

I was directed toward this tv as the picture movement ratings are very very good when compared to to other offerings and great for sports. Being i love football i thought this a good decision.

Anyway its a tv im sure ill get used to all of it.

Eric Keller
02-01-2017, 1:06 AM
I would say that you should adjust the picture on a new tv. Our Samsung never made any sense. I know someone that had an internship in the signal processing shop at broadcom, and he showed me all the settings I should change. I'm sure there are guides. I think they are set up to impress in stores, and don't have good settings for most of us.

I never quite understood why the sales end with the super bowl. Just seems backwards to me. The first TV I ever bought was because Washington was in the super bowl, and it was on sale

"Everybody" has piles of televisions available this particular week of the year... :D

Jerome Stanek
02-01-2017, 7:43 AM
Got a new tv this afternoon.

I settled on a 55" sony smart 4k HDR blah blah blah. It was $1060 out the door.



First the sound is terrible. Like really really terrible! I really want but dont want to have to purchase a sound stick right now. If i do its gonna be a Sonos and then im in for another $700-800 smackers.

Second something about the picture seems weird. Like almost fake. Seems like i can see a way more a broad picture than my old 46" Samsung. Like their is more content on the screen as though itmwas shot forma differnet angle with the cameras in production. It also seems like thr movement or moving objects are weird, like things move frantically.

I was directed toward this tv as the picture movement ratings are very very good when compared to to other offerings and great for sports. Being i love football i thought this a good decision.

Anyway its a tv im sure ill get used to all of it.

I would take it back and get something you like.

Patrick Walsh
02-01-2017, 7:46 AM
I played with the sound settings last night. No such luck the soung is just garbage. So i went and did some reading online about the Sonos sound bar. Unlike the Polk option i have to purchase a subwoofer also. I think this makes for a $1300 total. Actually if i wanted i could still add a front and a rear to thats setup for a grand total,of $1800.

In the short long term i will need to do something about the sound its terrible.

I connected my Tav to my wifi signal. Dont ask me why, it was a option during setup and it felt like now or never as ill never dig through them menues to figure it out again.

With that said i should mess with the picture settings also as if i let enough time go by ill just never do it. I really dont have the time patients or interest for such a tv centric task but i should take the time and do it.

Crazy tv went through a software update when i turned it in this morning. I think in another ten years my tv might feed me, make my coffee or walk my dog..

Also i meant to mention the sales staff did tell me all the TV's in stores are pushing out 4K content. How the heck are you suppoosed be makemamgood decision based on nothing is supported by 4K except some Nerflixs contnet. netFlix there is another thing i wont be doing..




I would say that you should adjust the picture on a new tv. Our Samsung never made any sense. I know someone that had an internship in the signal processing shop at broadcom, and he showed me all the settings I should change. I'm sure there are guides. I think they are set up to impress in stores, and don't have good settings for most of us.

I never quite understood why the sales end with the super bowl. Just seems backwards to me. The first TV I ever bought was because Washington was in the super bowl, and it was on sale

Leo Graywacz
02-01-2017, 8:35 AM
If I got a smart TV I'd never connect it to the internet. Never know what goes on behind the scenes. Especially TVs with microphones and cameras.

Yes, I'm paranoid.

Ole Anderson
02-01-2017, 8:49 AM
Anybody ever seen a TV with a camera and microphone?

Andy Giddings
02-01-2017, 8:49 AM
LOL, early days yet, Leo - sooner or later almost every electronic device is going to connect by default - Internet of Things

Ole Anderson
02-01-2017, 8:54 AM
I played with the sound settings last night. No such luck the soung is just garbage. So i went and did some reading online about the Sonos sound bar. Unlike the Polk option i have to purchase a subwoofer also. I think this makes for a $1300 total. Actually if i wanted i could still add a front and a rear to thats setup for a grand total,of $1800.

In the short long term i will need to do something about the sound its terrible.

I connected my Tav to my wifi signal. Dont ask me why, it was a option during setup and it felt like now or never as ill never dig through them menues to figure it out again.

With that said i should mess with the picture settings also as if i let enough time go by ill just never do it. I really dont have the time patients or interest for such a tv centric task but i should take the time and do it. But even a low listening levels there is no comparison. What is the point of a HiDef picture with transistor radio sound.

Crazy tv went through a software update when i turned it in this morning. I think in another ten years my tv might feed me, make my coffee or walk my dog..
.

I haven't listened to TV sound (other than in my old basement 27" Mitsubishi) since I ponied up for surround sound 15 years ago. Every once in a while I listen to just the TV sound for like 30 seconds to remind me why I ditched it. My sub will shake the couch with the right content cranked a bit. Love it cranked, the wife, not so much. Even at low listening levels, no comparison.

Darrell Carter
02-01-2017, 8:55 AM
I currently have a 40" Sony Bravia (second generation after the first one gave up after 3 yrs). Sam's replaced it with a higher quality one. I have had it approx. 6 years. Have been looking at the Samsungs here lately at Sam's. However, in light of all the problems with the Samsung phones, I hope it does not carry over. I doubt you could go wrong with either a Sony or Samsung.

Patrick Walsh
02-01-2017, 9:21 AM
Leo,

I'm pretty much with you. Thats why i cant beleieve i connected it to my wifi.

I have nothing to hide, nor am i about to start hoarding guns or anything but still i trust not a sole. Especially with our new leader.

QUOTE=Leo Graywacz;2654031]If I got a smart TV I'd never connect it to the internet. Never know what goes on behind the scenes. Especially TVs with microphones and cameras.

Yes, I'm paranoid.[/QUOTE]

Curt Harms
02-01-2017, 9:39 AM
"Everybody" has piles of televisions available this particular week of the year... :D

Good time of the year to buy a TV (2 weeks leading up to the Super Bowl).

Leo Graywacz
02-01-2017, 11:54 AM
Anybody ever seen a TV with a camera and microphone?

Look at the Samsung TVs and read about them. The microphone on them listens and sends information to a 3rd party. Some TVs have cameras to see how many people are in the room and how the room lighting is so it can adjust.

The smart TVs are going to get all up in your business soon enough.

Leo Graywacz
02-01-2017, 11:56 AM
Leo,

I'm pretty much with you. Thats why i cant beleieve i connected it to my wifi.

I have nothing to hide, nor am i about to start hoarding guns or anything but still i trust not a sole. Especially with our new leader.

QUOTE=Leo Graywacz;2654031]If I got a smart TV I'd never connect it to the internet. Never know what goes on behind the scenes. Especially TVs with microphones and cameras.

Yes, I'm paranoid.[/QUOTE]

If you are into interconnecting devices and netflix and all that modern stuff then it might be for you. But for me, it's a watching device. Not a device that knows more than me and can report back to the mothership. Just the fact that it did an upgrade on you without your consent is bad enough.

TV cameras are small enough now to hide in almost any device.

Patrick Walsh
02-01-2017, 8:32 PM
Im not into devices period.

Nor am i into NetFlix or whatever else these crazy kids are doing these days.

Just to be clear the tv asked me if i would allow it to update. I said yes thinking it might help the picture and sound, no such luck :(

I trust myself and only myself. Well my mother but thats it. I still dont think my tv has ancamera in it. If it does so be it. I really hope who ever is watching is getting a good kick.



If you are into interconnecting devices and netflix and all that modern stuff then it might be for you. But for me, it's a watching device. Not a device that knows more than me and can report back to the mothership. Just the fact that it did an upgrade on you without your consent is bad enough.

TV cameras are small enough now to hide in almost any device.[/QUOTE]

Jim Becker
02-01-2017, 9:25 PM
The default picture settings are very often not optimal for the home viewing environment...take a few minutes and get to know them. I'm betting you'll be able to get a much better picture for "your environment" if you do. After I got the Samsung for our MBR and tweaked it, I immediately went back downstairs and re-adjusted the Sharp in the media room when I realized it just wasn't setup correctly.

Rich Riddle
02-01-2017, 9:38 PM
Good time of the year to buy a TV (2 weeks leading up to the Super Bowl).It's supposed to be the best time of the year to purchase one. That said, I found one on sale in December for less than the price this week.

Patrick Walsh
02-01-2017, 10:24 PM
What i notice most is the background seems fake/still or like a green screen. The figures or people just seem plsced atop a picture as apposed to a actual set.

Maybe this is just how tv is now. I think im getting old...


The default picture settings are very often not optimal for the home viewing environment...take a few minutes and get to know them. I'm betting you'll be able to get a much better picture for "your environment" if you do. After I got the Samsung for our MBR and tweaked it, I immediately went back downstairs and re-adjusted the Sharp in the media room when I realized it just wasn't setup correctly.

Leo Graywacz
02-01-2017, 10:52 PM
Time for an "old fangled" plasma.

Rich Riddle
02-01-2017, 11:29 PM
Correct this statement if it's made in error, but when televisions only had tubes there were really only a few manufacturers making all the brands. Is it the same with the current LED, LCD, Plasma, etc. models?

Curt Harms
02-02-2017, 4:49 AM
Correct this statement if it's made in error, but when televisions only had tubes there were really only a few manufacturers making all the brands. Is it the same with the current LED, LCD, Plasma, etc. models?

Quite possible. At one time Sharp & LG made screens for most of the brands. A TV today seems like a PC monitor with a tuner or two and audio circuitry.

Jebediah Eckert
02-02-2017, 7:21 AM
I played with the sound settings last night. No such luck the soung is just garbage. So i went and did some reading online about the Sonos sound bar. Unlike the Polk option i have to purchase a subwoofer also. I think this makes for a $1300 total. Actually if i wanted i could still add a front and a rear to thats setup for a grand total,of $1800.

.

The sound on new TV's is awful. I think it's because they go thinner and thinner and have no room for a decent speaker. I went through the same thing last year. I bought a $6-700 (on sale) Harmon Kardon system and a much cheaper one for a spare TV. After a few days I returned the HK and bought a second cheaper one. The HK was nice but I didn't think it was 8X nice for watching TV. For music on the louder side the HK was better, a wash for just background music.

The one I ended up with is the BestBuy house brand. It was on sale from $200 to $100 or so. They were both easy to hookup so it was easy to try both. I liked the cheaper one because it was simple. It had on/off, an extra input and Bluetooth, volume, and up and down on the bass. Simple. He HK had a bunch of different stuff to adjust and obsess over.

I rarely buy "cheaper" anymore, but I'm happy I did for this purchase. For just watching TV and movies it's great. If you plan on filling your house with music, more then just occasionally, then maybe the more expensive versions would be worth it.

Jim Becker
02-02-2017, 10:17 AM
Yes, internal sound is generally less than adequate and the increased thinness, despite great leaps in speaker technology, isn't very pleasing, even for just dialog. Fortunately, there are less expensive sound bars with wireless subwoofers available for "the masses" as well as more premium sound setups of various types. I use a $250 sound bar w/wireless sub with the Samsung in our MBR and it's made things much more enjoyable. Not ideal for movie sound tracks, but fine for general viewing. If we want to watch something that benefits from higher quality/capability sound, we go downstairs where the room is setup for that with a larger sound solution.

Patrick Walsh
02-02-2017, 11:37 AM
So with the tv purchased and in my living room lets move the conversation to sound.

I am really considering purchasing the Sonos sound bar and subwoofer. $1399

The sound quality is driving me nuts! Rather lack of it i should say. Crazy now the tv is less but you are strong armed into paying for the speekers. Plus they se the tv to view 4K content in the store then you get it home and all you have is 1080p.

I swear the world has gone by the way of the dogs, actually i love dogs way more than people. Maybe the statmment is better said "the world has gone to the dumb humans".

Anyway i digress when i make personal comments.

So Sonos. Im only inclined to use Sonos as that is what i see every new high end house install when building new.

Anyone have Sonos experience?

I ould much prefer a new Aigner fence for my shaper to some silly speakers but im the type i always regret when i buy cheap crap.

Andy Giddings
02-02-2017, 12:01 PM
Sonos are OK in terms of sound (not high end hi-fi but decent). There are other brands you might want to look at - Paradigm , B & W, Klipsch to name a few. As usual, your budget and ears are going to be the real factor. Sound bars are not as effective as a "real" surround system IME, but are much easier to set up. To get significant Bass out of your soundtracks, you will need a subwoofer

Jebediah Eckert
02-02-2017, 1:09 PM
I certainly wouldn't spend the money but I have watched movies many times on the Sonos system. A friend has one, it sure sounds good, but I don't personally think it's worth it. He is not your average working stiff so the price was no matter. I thought the Sonos system was more praised for its flexibility, compatibility, expandable to other speakers and rooms (wirelessly), as well as ease of setup. That being said, the friend has a few thousand in his Sonos system, wasn't happy with it for music and bought a high end system for that. Still uses it for TV but not music. Don't get me wrong it sounds great, but I'm not sure if I drove an hour down the road and listened to a brand X system I could notice that much of a difference. Side by side in a store I'm sure there is a big difference.

Next time I'm over I may start complaining about the Tv sound so he upgrades, then I will end up with it.......sure would be nice for free!

Mel Fulks
02-02-2017, 1:19 PM
I'm not real picky about sound,last Batman movie I saw in a movie house was so over powering with "sound effect" noise
I could not enjoy it. I think that is part of the reason attendance is down.

Shawn Pixley
02-02-2017, 1:28 PM
The sound on new TV's is awful. I think it's because they go thinner and thinner and have no room for a decent speaker. I went through the same thing last year. I bought a $6-700 (on sale) Harmon Kardon system and a much cheaper one for a spare TV. After a few days I returned the HK and bought a second cheaper one. The HK was nice but I didn't think it was 8X nice for watching TV. For music on the louder side the HK was better, a wash for just background music.

The one I ended up with is the BestBuy house brand. It was on sale from $200 to $100 or so. They were both easy to hookup so it was easy to try both. I liked the cheaper one because it was simple. It had on/off, an extra input and Bluetooth, volume, and up and down on the bass. Simple. He HK had a bunch of different stuff to adjust and obsess over.

I rarely buy "cheaper" anymore, but I'm happy I did for this purchase. For just watching TV and movies it's great. If you plan on filling your house with music, more then just occasionally, then maybe the more expensive versions would be worth it.

The sound on TV's have always been awful. They are probably better today than they used to be. I have a very good sound system, so we typically buy monitors rather than TV's. All sound goes through the stereo / 7 channel sound system.

Shawn Pixley
02-02-2017, 1:51 PM
So with the tv purchased and in my living room lets move the conversation to sound.

I am really considering purchasing the Sonos sound bar and subwoofer. $1399

The sound quality is driving me nuts! Rather lack of it i should say. Crazy now the tv is less but you are strong armed into paying for the speekers. Plus they se the tv to view 4K content in the store then you get it home and all you have is 1080p.

I swear the world has gone by the way of the dogs, actually i love dogs way more than people. Maybe the statmment is better said "the world has gone to the dumb humans".

Anyway i digress when i make personal comments.

So Sonos. Im only inclined to use Sonos as that is what i see every new high end house install when building new.

Anyone have Sonos experience?

I ould much prefer a new Aigner fence for my shaper to some silly speakers but im the type i always regret when i buy cheap crap.

Personally, I don't care for the Sonos, but I am a bit of an audiofile. That said, the only person you need to make happy is yourself. If you are satisfied with the sound, get it.

My suspician is that if your sound needs are centered around TV (cable, internet, or satellite) this might be a good solution. If, on the other hand, you run audio (CD's, LP's, etc...), then you may not be satisfied with the reproduction through the speakers. I find a lot of coloration in these types of sound reinforcement.

I test the sound by bringing audio where I know how it should sound and test in the place's loud room. Test loud and quiet and look for clarity in multi-channel sources. I reference this against my studio monitors (both near field and room types) which have a very flat & non-colored response.

Broadcast sound often comes as a variety of source types. For instance, sports broadcasting in HD is often 5:1. However the comercials are often not HD and only stereo. With the proper source controls, you can listen to the sports audio, but when the commercials come on, they are muted. A "late night" feature can be helpful. It compresses the sound to keep from blasting a very loud source when trying to be quiet as others may be sleeping.

Patrick Walsh
02-02-2017, 9:30 PM
Once upon a time i was also a borderline audiofile. I love music and had many a serious stereo systems in my youth.

My house is very small and i no longer have a sterio. I would like one butt is low on my priority list. It would be nice if the tv sound solution killed two birds with one stone. I am not however interested in going all nuts with speakers and and sterio equiptment everywhere. Im just dont like stuff that much anymore. Or maybe i do and i jsut choose to pool my resources into tools, lumber and trees for my garden.

Point is i wonder ifnim gonna drop $13-1700 on Sonos should i be looking at other options. My thought is i could easily spend $1700 on a high quality reciever or amp for a real system.

Jim Becker
02-03-2017, 10:34 AM
Patrick, there are some nice sound bar solutions with separate subs that provide reasonable sound quality and have the ability to reproduce sound from sources other than the TV, both "wired" and via Bluetooth...especially in the budget figure you're talking about. They are not going to be anything like "high end" audiofile stuff, but they can sound pretty good when matched to the room.