Help buying new TV, old one died (TV bought!)

[CECAA850]

24 minutes ago, wvu80 said:

OTA I get four stations, three of them are PBS.

You need a decent antenna then, preferably outside.  On the roof if possible.  I have mine on a chimney mount.

[USNRET]

Put your address in antennaweb.org

 

[Buck115]

When our old Sony XBR TV started showing its age, we, I 😂, decided to upgrade to 4K and went with a Sony XBR-55X930E LED 4K Ultra HD HDR Smart TV (approximately $1200). I really wanted a Sony OLED, but just couldn't justify an additional $1000.

 

The Sony XBR-55X930E is a great TV and the Sony UBP-X800 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Player I bought to go with it produces an incredible picture when playing Blu-ray 4K movies, actually, any Blu-ray movies or concerts!

 

Lots to choose from out there, but that's what we have and we are happy with it!

[JJkizak]

1 hour ago, rebuy said:

 

The trouble with your Local Stations and this includes PBS,

They do not broadcast in HD.

 

Mine in Ohio (OTA) have broadcast in HD since 2003.

JJK

[wvu80]

1 hour ago, USNRET said:

Put your address in antennaweb.org

 

Oh, I have, many times before.  I still do that hoping something has improved and actually there is one new channel I hadn't seen before.  Apparently I can now get the Bible Network. 

 

1 hour ago, CECAA850 said:

You need a decent antenna then, preferably outside.  On the roof if possible.  I have mine on a chimney mount.

Does not help.  The website listed above shows how many more channels you can get if you raise your antennae 30 feet above your house.  I live in top of a ridge, but there is a hill above me still.

 

 

[windashine]

I am pleased with my LED TV, I got a Walmart vizio D-series (non-smart) 43" - and just use OTA in Garland

https://www.vizio.com/d43ne1.html

note: you could buy 5 of these, for the price of one large whooper TV.

 

[wvu80]

1 hour ago, rebuy said:

I have a Smart LG TV and I have issues

I don't think my TV is very smart

I can't update the browser--I don't even know what browser it uses.

I can't stream many things and I have high speed internet.

Interesting.  I was at Sam's Club an hour ago and the LG's looked VERY good, with good prices.

 

1 hour ago, T2K said:

You should re-read my post. I edited out the UHD and replaced it with HDR. All those letters get confusing. The HDR is much brighter with more vivid colors. Adds a lot to movies and regular TV too. I would not buy a TV without it.

Right again, the letters ARE confusing to me.  I think all the TV's I just viewed at Sams Club were HDR.

 

The most impressive TV picture was Samsung Premium, 65 4K QLED HDR Smart for $1299, marked down from $1699.  All the other TV's had stock in the shelves, ALL the Samsung QLED's were gone.  QN65Q65FNFXZA

 

There was another Samsung Premium $1179 beside it and it looked good, but not as good.  65 4K UHD HDR Smart. It did not look marked down at all.  UN65NU800DFXZA

 

I know what looks good but my problem is they always play demos that show off the features in a built-in demo mode.  I'm not sure that is real-world performance.

+++

 

The LG's that looked good for marked "New 2018." 

LG 70 4K UHD HDR Smart $1049.  70YK6570AUB

 

I didn't get the info on the other one.

 

 

[windashine]

… just wanted to add one more consideration - travel mode from the store to your house (or delivery and installation charges), weight, size, type of transport vehicle, and help hanging it on the wall, if picking it up yourself....

[wvu80]

21 minutes ago, windashine said:

I am pleased with my LED TV, I got a Walmart vizio D-series (non-smart) 43" - and just use OTA in Garland

I also own an older Vizio 32" LED.  It's OK and I think the price was good in its time.  Prices today are a third of what they used to be for the same sized TV.

 

At Sam's Club tonight:

 

75" Vizio E-Series, 4K HDR Smart TV $1379

70" Vizio E-Series UHD HDR Smart $879

[MookieStl]

16 minutes ago, wvu80 said:

I also own an older Vizio 32" LED.  It's OK and I think the price was good in its time.  Prices today are a third of what they used to be for the same sized TV.

 

At Sam's Club tonight:

 

75" Vizio E-Series, 4K HDR Smart TV $1379

70" Vizio E-Series UHD HDR Smart $879

I bought a Vizio 54" at Sam's for a technology challenged brother in law and it would just turn off for no reason. At first I thought it was him but went on line and found numerous complaints about the same thing. They took it back and I got an LG which still works. (less than a year ago) Just a "heads up".

[wvu80]

Does anybody know anything about the TCL 6 Series Roku TV for $1000?  Cnet was very impressed with its picture compared to Sony..

https://www.cnet.com/reviews/tcl-65r617-2018-roku-tv-review/

 

What does Roku do and is there a competing technology to its function?

 

Related:  Do I need a "Smart" TV?  I know there exists Apple TV and the like but I don't own anything like that so I could invest whatever is best right now.  I do own an Apple Iphone 5 if that helps.

[Jeff Matthews]

25 minutes ago, wvu80 said:

Does anybody know anything about the TCL 6 Series Roku TV for $1000?  Cnet was very impressed with its picture compared to Sony..

https://www.cnet.com/reviews/tcl-65r617-2018-roku-tv-review/

 

What does Roku do and is there a competing technology to its function?

 

Related:  Do I need a "Smart" TV?  I know there exists Apple TV and the like but I don't own anything like that so I could invest whatever is best right now.  I do own an Apple Iphone 5 if that helps.

I have a 49" TCL Roku Smart TV from Costco for $349.  Liked it so much, I went and got a 2nd one.  Now, it looks like they can be had at Costco for $319.  That's a real bargain!

 

And yes, get a Smart TV.  It will connect to your wifi, and you can stream Youtube, your laptop, various cable TV stations (if you subscribe to cable), etc.  Well worth it.  I don't use Roku for movies.  

 

Regarding the remote control.  It was concerning that it did not have number buttons for directly dialing-in channels.  Instead, you have to go through a guide and use up/down.  However, I set it up to hide unwanted garbage channels, and now I love the simplistic remote control.  

 

It's a Roku remote, and Roku has a cell phone app you can download to use your phone as the remote, too.  So, that's a plus for people who lose/break their remote controls.

 

https://www.costco.com/TCL-50"-Class-(49.5"-Diag.)-4K-Ultra-HD-Roku-LED-TV.product.100457633.html

 

 

  

[Schu]

In that price range... 1500... I would get a Samsung Qled over any Oled. If you were planning on spending more, I might switch that around though the 2019 Qled from samsung is supposed to be really very nice.

[wvu80]

3 minutes ago, Schu said:

In that price range... 1500... I would get a Samsung Qled over any Oled. If you were planning on spending more, I might switch that around though the 2019 Qled from samsung is supposed to be really very nice.

Thanks Schu, I've been researching since starting this thread.  My eyes are about to pop out from the overload of data.  What I'm trying to do is make of note of TV's which are OUT and jot down a couple which seem to be talking to me.  That brings us to the Samsung you referenced which I saw tonight at Sams Club, the QLED 65" for $1300.  I found it on Amazon at the $1300 as well and I am currently reading those reviews, all good so far.

 

I would really like to get to a 70" TV because I'm going to have it for a while but that 65 QLED is stuck on my brain.  It seems that is the entry-level QLED and it rivals the OLED TV's for PQ.  That matches my in-person perception.

 

I like that it's a brand name.  I was looking at the TCL Series 6 but I saw a LOT of bad reviews, with maybe a 50% return rate.  For $300 more than the TCL the Samsung QLED seems like a safer bet at this point.

 

I don't think I can hold out to 2019 for the next version unless I went in the short term with a $500-600 55" TV even though any of them would still be better than the TV which just blew up.

 

Comments or thoughts?

[MEH Synergy]

Would be funny to see a thread entitled "I am willing to spend xyz on a sound system, but only X on a TV" thread.  I think I know how the results might turn out.  I'm in the browsing mode as you are and am also anticipating the results.   

[wvu80]

8 minutes ago, Westcoastdrums said:

I'm in the browsing mode as you are and am also anticipating the results.   

Feel free to ask your own questions, state your own budget, etc.  I'm sure I could learn from your perspective as well.

 

If I had to order right now the Samsung QLED 65 would be the leader in the club house due to PQ.  I would love to get something sub-$1000 for the cost savings but sometimes you need to figure out how to spend money, not save it.

[Schu]

Well... in the current 65" Qled versus 65" Oled,  Oled still reigns supreme in HDR and color dynamic range but it can suffer from burn in if not careful and can only output around 1000 nits (brightness).  Where Qled has the upper hand is in brightness, some models can output 4000 nits but has to rely on tricks like local dimming in order to get "close" to those inky blacks that Oled produces with ease.

 

 

[wvu80]

13 minutes ago, Schu said:

Where Qled has the upper hand is in brightness, some models can output 4000 nits but has to rely on local dimming in order to get "close" to those inky blacks that Oled produces with ease.

I am very sure the Samsung QLED I viewed was not displayed close to an OLED TV.  I am also vaguely aware that 1000 nits is a minimum requirement for a good display but I am not yet down to that technical level of nit picking yet, as it were. 

 

+++

EDIT:  I just found out why Sams Club and Amazon have dropped the price from $2200 to $1300.  Samsung.com is offering the same TV at "Black Friday Prices Now" direct for the same $1300.

 

If I buy from Amazon I could save $87 sales tax.   Worth it, or buy local from Sams Club?

[windashine]

<- - - > the quandary is saving $87...  from 1300 or 2200, , so the formula is now 1300 to spend, whereas 300 for a quality tv would suffice, so $87 saved by Amazon would contribute to the demise of your mom & pop tv appliance store in your town, whereas, in 8-10 year's, when this new tv dissolves, you'll be facing the same question, only to trust the on-line supply available, delivered by a robot drone... but in a scenario less then far, from Halloween, the trend for TV will change, no doubt, and holograms beamed into sunglasses may be your choice in the future you make, with this single frugal flat panel.... unless you add craigslist to your search, for an old fashion MCM 50's console model, with tube's, that you can readily service... trick or treat...

[Schu]

8 hours ago, wvu80 said:

I am very sure the Samsung QLED I viewed was not displayed close to an OLED TV.  I am also vaguely aware that 1000 nits is a minimum requirement for a good display but I am not yet down to that technical level of nit picking yet, as it were. 

 

+++

EDIT:  I just found out why Sams Club and Amazon have dropped the price from $2200 to $1300.  Samsung.com is offering the same TV at "Black Friday Prices Now" direct for the same $1300.

 

If I buy from Amazon I could save $87 sales tax.   Worth it, or buy local from Sams Club?

That's kind of a personal choice... I know of folks that have had trouble with Amazon and it takes time to get it resolved... but it usually always gets resolved. Sam's give you the ability to take care of issues in person which can pacify quicker. 

 

I personally have never had an issue with large monitors from amazing and have always gone thru them prior... but this latest time I got my Oled thru frys electronics brick and mortar because they came very close to Amazon pricing and I wanted that monitor asap. 

 

One other thing to consider is that some places like Costco will sell yoh an extended warranty even if you did not buy the monitor from them, Sam's may have a similar program. In that way you could buy the monitor from Amazon and apply the savings towards an extended warranty.

 

Frankly less than a 100 bucks is close enough for me to just go get it in person and make sure it's an unopened factory fresh unit... be careful of resealed boxes.