# TV < Â£500 buying advice



## virtuocity (Oct 27, 2015)

Forumites- I need some TV buying advice.  I hardly watch TV, but when I do, I want the quality to be as good as my money can stretch.

Looking for a new set for Â£500 or less.  40" or above.  Not worried about sound quality- I have good speakers.

Doesn't need to be a 'smart' TV.

What would you go for?


----------



## JT77 (Oct 27, 2015)

I bought an lg not long ago, it's a smart to, pic is great, does us.


----------



## Liverpoolphil (Oct 27, 2015)

http://www.johnlewis.com/sony-bravi...w-hd-and-built-in-wi-fi/p2009254?colour=Black

Or

http://www.johnlewis.com/lg-43lf630...-with-freeview-hd-and-built-in-wi-fi/p1915566


----------



## spongebob59 (Oct 27, 2015)

Some good deals at Richer Sounds, if you have a store nearby

http://www.richersounds.com/products/home-cinema/lcd-and-plasma/all-tvs#2


----------



## virtuocity (Oct 27, 2015)

Liverpoolphil said:



http://www.johnlewis.com/sony-bravi...w-hd-and-built-in-wi-fi/p2009254?colour=Black

Or

http://www.johnlewis.com/lg-43lf630...-with-freeview-hd-and-built-in-wi-fi/p1915566

Click to expand...

Nice one.  I had heard that Panasonic was beating Sony in the quality stakes nowadays but I still fancy a Bravia.


----------



## pbrown7582 (Oct 27, 2015)

Liverpoolphil said:



http://www.johnlewis.com/sony-bravi...w-hd-and-built-in-wi-fi/p2009254?colour=Black

Or

http://www.johnlewis.com/lg-43lf630...-with-freeview-hd-and-built-in-wi-fi/p1915566

Click to expand...



I was looking recently with similar parameters but having seen the actual pics now got my eyes on this one.
http://m.johnlewis.com/mt/www.johnl...ew-hd-and-built-in-wi-fi/p1917568#page_loaded


----------



## Liverpoolphil (Oct 27, 2015)

virtuocity said:



			Nice one.  I had heard that Panasonic was beating Sony in the quality stakes nowadays but I still fancy a Bravia.
		
Click to expand...

Panasonic are pretty much Bravia just in a different case 

John Lewis do have some quality Panasonics the same sort of spec but a bit cheaper 

LG would be a great buy


----------



## Liverpoolphil (Oct 27, 2015)

pbrown7582 said:



			I was looking recently with similar parameters but having seen the actual pics now got my eyes on this one.
http://m.johnlewis.com/mt/www.johnl...ew-hd-and-built-in-wi-fi/p1917568#page_loaded

Click to expand...

That's the one I have but just a touch bigger 

Picture quality is crystal clear and so sharp


----------



## Khamelion (Oct 27, 2015)

I've a 46inch Samsung Smart LED TV at he picture quality when watching HD broadcasts is superb, was less than Â£500 bought from Curries.

I know your budget is Â£500, but I was in Costco this evening and they have their TV on display as you walk in, and the 80inch 4K TV caught my eye at Â£3500 pounds it's a lottery win luxury item, but what a picture, it felt like you could reach into the screen and pick the apples from the tree, it was crystal clear.


----------



## williamalex1 (Oct 27, 2015)

PM sent :thup:


----------



## GB72 (Oct 27, 2015)

Looking for similar myself. Want something up to 48inch max but want the best picture I can get for up to Â£600


----------



## Liverpoolphil (Oct 27, 2015)

GB72 said:



			Looking for similar myself. Want something up to 48inch max but want the best picture I can get for up to Â£600
		
Click to expand...

Some cracking Samsung deals at John Lewis


----------



## GB72 (Oct 27, 2015)

Big fan of Samsung. Gad my current 42inch Samsung plasma for over 10 years with not a single problem. Happy to buy again


----------



## Liverpoolphil (Oct 27, 2015)

GB72 said:



			Big fan of Samsung. Gad my current 42inch Samsung plasma for over 10 years with not a single problem. Happy to buy again
		
Click to expand...

Here is your winner 

http://m.johnlewis.com/mt/www.johnl...n_jtt_v_from_product=un_product_1#page_loaded


----------



## GB72 (Oct 27, 2015)

Thanks Phil, pretty much exactly what I am looking for. Just need to get in some plastering quotes to finish doing up my house and if they are within my ballpark estimates then I will be placing an order


----------



## Lord Tyrion (Oct 28, 2015)

Richer Sounds - Any LG tv. Talk to them, they are honest and know their stuff. I've had a Sony Bravia, my in laws have a Panasonic. The LG is much sharper. Samsungs also look very good but you tend to get more for your money from LG.

Khamelion - I have also drooled over those Costco tv's. Different class. They are advertising them on the tv at the moment but they haven't worked out how to show the new 4k picture on a normal tv. The difference simply doesn't come out. They really are stunning. Costco, Gateshead so the same one as you, had a 4k curved tv and I nearly hugged it, the picture was that exceptional. Even my wife acknowledged they were different class.


----------



## pbrown7582 (Oct 28, 2015)

Liverpoolphil said:



			That's the one I have but just a touch bigger 

Picture quality is crystal clear and so sharp
		
Click to expand...



HID won't have a bigger one took a while  to convince her to agree to 40. It's a done deal our Xmas treat.


----------



## MegaSteve (Oct 28, 2015)

Lord Tyrion said:



			Richer Sounds - Any LG tv. Talk to them, they are honest and know their stuff.
		
Click to expand...


Just don't believe them if they try to tell you all new films are being shot in 8K... They ain't....


----------



## Lord Tyrion (Oct 28, 2015)

Fair point. The ethos of the place is pretty good though. I have bought 2 tv's from them and on both occasions they gave solid advice based on the price range I talked about. They didn't try to push me into another bracket and left the ultimate decision to me. Other friends have had similar experiences.

8k may end up like 3D, technology they have but ultmiately people don't go for it whether through cost or in the case of 3D, convenience. Even standard pictures on a 4k tv will look better than on a normal one though so whilst we wait for film makers to use this, or not, there will still be an improvement. Not worth paying Â£3k for but like all things in tv land, the prices drop after a while.


----------



## Liverpoolphil (Oct 28, 2015)

Will always buy my tellys from John Lewis - the 5 year warranty is superb and they have been brilliant any time I have gone in there


----------



## Rooter (Oct 28, 2015)

GB72 said:



			Thanks Phil, pretty much exactly what I am looking for. Just need to get in some plastering quotes to finish doing up my house and if they are within my ballpark estimates then I will be placing an order
		
Click to expand...

you wouldnt want to wall mount a curved one, i would go flat anyway wall or stand mounted...


----------



## GB72 (Oct 28, 2015)

Not going to wall mount it.


----------



## Rooter (Oct 28, 2015)

GB72 said:



			Not going to wall mount it.
		
Click to expand...

saw plasterer and TV... 2+2=5


----------



## GB72 (Oct 28, 2015)

Nope, plasterers result of buying a house that needs doing up and finding uneven filler and a place where a dartboard used to be in the lounge when I stripped the wallpaper. Needs skimming but having a nightmare finding a decent plasterer


----------



## virtuocity (Oct 29, 2015)

Ended up going with a Samsung UE40JU6400.  Crystal clear, really chuffed.  Thanks for all the advice.


----------



## SwingsitlikeHogan (Dec 22, 2015)

virtuocity said:



			Ended up going with a Samsung UE40JU6400.  Crystal clear, really chuffed.  Thanks for all the advice.
		
Click to expand...

We ended up buying a Sony - but not happy with it - weird delays (switch off TV and sound keeps going for a good few seconds); lip-sync sound issues; smearing in motion - most obvious with football; loss of information from EPG; Problems with Amazon Instant and Netflix - and when I look online to the Sony Community - lots of unhappy Sony diehard customers.

So it's going back.

Thinking now of a Samsung. So any thoughts on Samsungs - those here seem happy with them.  One of these two.

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/tv-and...g-ue43j5600-smart-43-led-tv-10126331-pdt.html

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/tv-and...e48h6400-smart-3d-48-led-tv-22074703-pdt.html


----------



## Rooter (Dec 22, 2015)

I just typed a load via my phone and lost it!

I would go for the non 3D in short. Samsungs are awesome.


----------



## SwingsitlikeHogan (Dec 22, 2015)

Rooter said:



			I just typed a load via my phone and lost it!

I would go for the non 3D in short. Samsungs are awesome.
		
Click to expand...

I was advised when buying the Sony (which is 3D) that even although I might not watch 3D - the extra processing power required for 3D was an advantage for normal viewing, navigation etc.  The Sony cost me Â£499 and I can get away with the bigger 48" screen of the TV with 3D - but is it worth Â£100 - not sure.   And not sure what else the 48" TV has over the 43" one.


----------



## spongebob59 (Dec 22, 2015)

SwingsitlikeHogan said:



			We ended up buying a Sony - but not happy with it - weird delays (switch off TV and sound keeps going for a good few seconds); lip-sync sound issues; smearing in motion - most obvious with football; loss of information from EPG; Problems with Amazon Instant and Netflix - and when I look online to the Sony Community - lots of unhappy Sony diehard customers.

So it's going back.

Thinking now of a Samsung. So any thoughts on Samsungs - those here seem happy with them.  One of these two.

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/tv-and...g-ue43j5600-smart-43-led-tv-10126331-pdt.html

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/tv-and...e48h6400-smart-3d-48-led-tv-22074703-pdt.html

Click to expand...


The 2nd one, its the next series up, 6. (6400).

We've got one can't fault it.

Are you going to connect it up to tinternet ?


----------



## SwingsitlikeHogan (Dec 22, 2015)

spongebob59 said:



			The 2nd one, its the next series up, 6. (6400).

We've got one can't fault it.

Are you going to connect it up to tinternet ?
		
Click to expand...

Yes - will connect - Mrs likes listening to Justin Beiber on Youtube LOUD 

There is a 48" screen of the first model - the UE48J5600 - but I may as well look at the UE48H6400 - it's same price! Even though won't watch any 3D I suspect.

My Mrs seemed OK with the 43" Sony (my fear was she'd think it would be far too big).  I'm hoping she'll be OK with the extra 5" (it's only 60mm each side and 70mm on top).  But quite a bit extra screen all told. Worth a punt I think


----------



## GB72 (Dec 22, 2015)

I ended up with a 40 inch 4k Samsung costing 318.00 from Tesco one I had used some vouchers. Great tv top picture really quick and easy smart functions. Really happy with my choice


----------



## richart (Dec 22, 2015)

I am looking at getting a Samsung after Xmas. 

Hugh, I will buy from John Lewis as they give a 5 year guarantee, and you can pick it up at Waitrose in Farnham.


----------



## pbrown7582 (Dec 22, 2015)

we bought the same tv on black from from john lewis only to finbd it cheaper in Tesco but JL priced match and gave the difference in a refund top CS! and a great tv


----------



## fundy (Dec 22, 2015)

Bought a 49 inch Sony recently, been very impressed so far, not had any of the supposed problems with android that a lot have had.

Was advised when I bought it to try and ensure the actual panel I bought was 100hz not 50hz albeit not really sure what difference it makes

Also found a decent article on calibrating the tv, picture quality much improved after working through this

https://www.avforums.com/PicturePerfect/


----------



## fundy (Dec 22, 2015)

richart said:



			I am looking at getting a Samsung after Xmas. 

Hugh, I will buy from John Lewis as they give a 5 year guarantee, and you can pick it up at Waitrose in Farnham.
		
Click to expand...

Currys often offer 5 year guarantee on some TVs now too and Richer sounds offer 6 year guarantee so a few more options than just JL if wanting the guarantee (as i always have)


----------



## Liverpoolphil (Dec 22, 2015)

fundy said:



			Currys often offer 5 year guarantee on some TVs now too and Richer sounds offer 6 year guarantee so a few more options than just JL if wanting the guarantee (as i always have)
		
Click to expand...

You used to have to pay extra for the 5/6 year guarantee at both Currys and Richer Sounds ?


----------



## fundy (Dec 22, 2015)

Liverpoolphil said:



			You used to have to pay extra for the 5/6 year guarantee at both Currys and Richer Sounds ?
		
Click to expand...

When we were looking last month both were offering them as standard on almost all the tvs we looked at, if you look on richer sounds website most of their tvs have it on now and found the advice there was far better than JL (in MK at least) and on currys website you can sort to see only tvs that have 5 year guarantee included


----------



## Liverpoolphil (Dec 22, 2015)

fundy said:



			When we were looking last month both were offering them as standard on almost all the tvs we looked at, if you look on richer sounds website most of their tvs have it on now and found the advice there was far better than JL (in MK at least) and on currys website you can sort to see only tvs that have 5 year guarantee included
		
Click to expand...

That's good then 

The appeal of JL was always that they offered the 5 year guarentee for free where as Richer etc you used to have to pay 

Are the prices similar ? And on all tellys ?

Always found JL pretty good in MK


----------



## fundy (Dec 22, 2015)

Liverpoolphil said:



			That's good then 

The appeal of JL was always that they offered the 5 year guarentee for free where as Richer etc you used to have to pay 

Are the prices similar ? And on all tellys ?

Always found JL pretty good in MK
		
Click to expand...

Prices are broadly similar but different shops have different promos on at different times. JL didnt have the one we wanted which in the past wouldve meant we found a different set in there to get the 5 yr guarantee, this time we bought elsewhere with the guarantee.

Found JL staff quite poor this time round when looking, certainly compared to Richer Sounds


----------



## MegaSteve (Dec 22, 2015)

fundy said:



			Bought a 49 inch Sony recently, been very impressed so far, not had any of the supposed problems with android that a lot have had.

Was advised when I bought it to try and ensure the actual panel I bought was 100hz not 50hz albeit not really sure what difference it makes

Also found a decent article on calibrating the tv, picture quality much improved after working through this

https://www.avforums.com/PicturePerfect/

Click to expand...

Useful looking link... Thank you!

Not really been happy with the telly I purchased last year...
Hopefully will find a bit of time over Xmas to work through the advice on your link...


----------



## Liverpoolphil (Dec 22, 2015)

fundy said:



			Prices are broadly similar but different shops have different promos on at different times. JL didnt have the one we wanted which in the past wouldve meant we found a different set in there to get the 5 yr guarantee, this time we bought elsewhere with the guarantee.

Found JL staff quite poor this time round when looking, certainly compared to Richer Sounds
		
Click to expand...

Cheers will pop in there when we will be looking again soon :thup:


----------



## Smiffy (Dec 22, 2015)

fundy said:



			Bought a 49 inch Sony recently, been very impressed so far, not had any of the supposed problems with android that a lot have had.
		
Click to expand...

I got the same telly in July Fundy. Love it to bits, possibly the best TV I've owned.
Had a couple of little "niggles" with it when I first bought it, but these have been rectified with a recent software upgrade.
HD picture is stunning, what little 4k I have watched has blown me away.
Really chuffed with it.


----------



## Crazyface (Dec 23, 2015)

GB72 said:



			Nope, plasterers result of buying a house that needs doing up and finding uneven filler and a place where a dartboard used to be in the lounge when I stripped the wallpaper. Needs skimming but having a nightmare finding a decent plasterer
		
Click to expand...

Do it yourself. It's a bit messy and you may not get the first time finish a skilled bloke can, just run a hand sander over the lot with a very fine grade paper. Job done !

TV? LG Â£250 brilliant !


----------



## SwingsitlikeHogan (Dec 23, 2015)

And so containing my travails.  After much discussion yesterday with lad at Currys who did seem to know what he was talking about I still have my Sony HD TV.  Anyway.  

I had mentioned that I felt the TV picture was subject to some 'motion blurring' when watching MoTD on BBC1 HD that I didn't experience when the TV was plugged into my Sky Box and connected with an HDMI cable. I noted that the picture from a BlueRay player plugged into the TV using an HDMI cable is brilliant.  

He said that this was because the only connection that I had bringing the TV signal was via coaxial cable traipsied all round the house via the loft (where I think the Sky digital signal from the Sky HD Box is combined with the terrestial signal from the rooftop aerial) - and coaxial does not support 1080p HD at all well.  Is this the case or is he talking tosh?


----------



## Rooter (Dec 24, 2015)

He is talking tosh Hugh. Co ax can handle 1080p.


----------



## williamalex1 (Dec 24, 2015)

Rooter said:



			He is talking tosh Hugh. Co ax can handle 1080p.
		
Click to expand...

Your aerial might need adjusted , upgraded or a booster fitted .


----------



## ScienceBoy (Dec 24, 2015)

Handy thread this, never been impressed by smart TVs. We have an Apple TV instead which is getting better all the time. 

I'm all about picture quality, for Â£30 you can stick in a chrome thing and stream anything from a tablet or iPad. 

TV makers should stick to the hardware and leave the software to those with a bit more experience.

Looking back I've yet to see a decent EPG from a hardware company but sky, TiVo etc all looked superb


----------



## Pin-seeker (Dec 24, 2015)

I've got a Chromecast,you can't stream everything from iPad. Sky Go for example.


----------



## Rooter (Dec 24, 2015)

williamalex1 said:



			Your aerial might need adjusted , upgraded or a booster fitted .
		
Click to expand...

No, it's all about the decoder (or sky box or digi box) nowt to do with the aerial.


----------



## williamalex1 (Dec 24, 2015)

Rooter said:



			No, it's all about the decoder (or sky box or digi box) nowt to do with the aerial.
		
Click to expand...

Post 44 , says Sky and blueray are ok, so it's problems with terrestrial signals via aerial he's having..


----------



## upsidedown (Dec 24, 2015)

If you've Sky why are watching through a terrestrial signal ?


----------



## Jimaroid (Dec 24, 2015)

The guy in Curry's is sort-of right, you won't ever get the best HD through terrestrial Freeview, but not due to the reasons he's claiming. Unfortunately it's not a straightforward problem so don't expect a simple answer beyond "it depends" because HD is a catch-all term for many different formats and different hardware/software combinations are better and worse at dealing with some things and not others.

Freeview HD channels are usually 1080i for HD, but it can vary a lot and depending how good the TV is you'll get different results. Some TVs are really bad at managing lower frame rates and if you're watching 1080i@25fps on a lesser quality TV it'll look rubbish even though it is technically still HD. This is because the TV will have to do some difficult interpolation of the picture and fill-in frames, this "motion engine" type of marketing garbage is usually what leads to blurry HD pictures even if you've got 100% signal quality because the TV is resampling the picture beyond what's encoded in the stream.

I might be wrong but I don't think any Freeview channel is capable of broadcasting at 1080p@50fps, so HD off of Freeview is never going to look as good as a decent Bluray.


----------

