Thinking about buying a new T.V.

[thefuzz]

Get the biggest size you can...The TV will "shrink" over time. Meaning once you get used to the new size it won't seem that big after a while.

 

Agreed, the first time is sat in front of my 60 I wasn't sure if I would like it, and it kinda made me a little dizzy.

 

Now, it's perfect.

[g5jamz]

I've had a Samsung 40" since 2008 and it's still the best looking LCD in the house.  LN40A550.  Just had a capacitor issue about 3 years ago that Samsung fixed for free and no issues since.

 

Next tv, not that I'm buying until something breaks, will be one that has Plex on it.  Hoping Samsung jumps in on that too. 

 

Update...seems they've got that fixed with SmartHub now.

 

Still...one of my tvs has to die first.

[MadHatter]

Same here.  Bought a Vizio and it died a few months after I bought it.  It was still under warranty fortunately.  Would have cost more to fix it than it cost them to pay me back, so they gave me most of my money back. Repairman said he had more calls on Vizio than on any other model.  Learned my lesson and went with Samsung the next time. 

 

Love my Samsung in my family room.

 

However, I have had two Vizio's for damn near 8 years and have never had an issue with either....moved them to the spare bedrooms for guests, but only because they were 720p units.

[Dexterity]

LED > LCD, Plasma

1080p > 4k

Yeah, 4k is awesome. It's still a waste of money, though. Most content is 1080p and it isn't changing anytime soon.

I paid $1,989 for a 55" LED 4k and I could've gotten the 1080p version for $1,059. It's not worth the extra coin. Plus, if you sit more than 3-5ft away (pretty much everyone) then it's useless even if the content is 4k. Human eyes can't tell a difference from a distance.

[Cary Kollins]

Just bought this beauty today for my basement/fortress of solitude.

Sony KDL50W700B, LED, 1080p

Supposedly it's the best TV on the market for gaming and it's good for sports and movies as well. It's a 50 inch screen and I'm sitting about 8 feet away, which is perfect. It feels like a mini-movie screen from this distance.

Best Buy has a great deal on it right now for $599, regularly $899. Just last week it was on sale for $699. Couple that with a 10% moving coupon from the USPS and you can walk out the door with it for $576.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/sony-50-class-49-1-2-diag--led-1080p-smart-hdtv-multi/7870004.p?id=1219298196643

[Cary Kollins]

[KSpan]

Just bought this beauty today for my basement/fortress of solitude.

Sony KDL50W700B, LED, 1080p

Supposedly it's the best TV on the market for gaming and it's good for sports and movies as well. It's a 50 inch screen and I'm sitting about 8 feet away, which is perfect. It feels like a mini-movie screen from this distance.

Best Buy has a great deal on it right now for $599, regularly $899. Just last week it was on sale for $699. Couple that with a 10% moving coupon from the USPS and you can walk out the door with it for $576.http://www.bestbuy.com/site/sony-50-class-49-1-2-diag--led-1080p-smart-hdtv-multi/7870004.p?id=1219298196643

 

Bought the 55W700B for my basement a few months back and it's awesome. That 700 series offers a killer value.

 

You do NOT need some super giant HDTV, you do not want a 3D TV, or a curved TV, or 4K.

 

Just get a nice, decent sized, HDTV and be happy with your purchase.

 

LED > LCD > Plasma

 

In 5-10 years, yeah ... OLED and 4K will be your jam.

Not sure what you consider super-giant, but bigger is absolutely better if you have a large viewing distance. With a distance of 16 ft. in our living room, we bought a 60" to replace the 46" we had and it's a night and day difference. A little bigger would have been okay as well.

[Captroop]

I'm still using my 37" Samsung LCD TV in my living room that I got in 2009. It still works perfectly, and for my size apartment, it's still the right screen size. What I take away from that is the following:

 

1. Buy Samsung when it comes to TVs.
2. Go simple.

Although that TV cost $1,500 when I bought it in 2009, and it was essentially their top-of-the-line, the most extravagant feature was the ability to read USB devices (i.e. You could plug in an external hard drive and play movies off it). It wasn't a smart TV, it's got no 3D capability, and the screen is flat (what a concept). But 6 years later, and it's still relevant and reliable. Never once felt the urge to upgrade.

[Chimera]

You do NOT need some super giant HDTV, you do not want a 3D TV, or a curved TV, or 4K.

 

Just get a nice, decent sized, HDTV and be happy with your purchase.

 

LED > LCD > Plasma

 

In 5-10 years, yeah ... OLED and 4K will be your jam.

 

Not everybody lives in a 13 sq. ft. Brooklyn apartment

[Chimera]

I'm still using my 37" Samsung LCD TV in my living room that I got in 2009. It still works perfectly, and for my size apartment, it's still the right screen size. What I take away from that is the following:

 

1. Buy Samsung when it comes to TVs.
2. Go simple.

Although that TV cost $1,500 when I bought it in 2009, and it was essentially their top-of-the-line, the most extravagant feature was the ability to read USB devices (i.e. You could plug in an external hard drive and play movies off it). It wasn't a smart TV, it's got no 3D capability, and the screen is flat (what a concept). But 6 years later, and it's still relevant and reliable. Never once felt the urge to upgrade.

 

There are only relatively minor differences in quality between TV manufacturers (I know this isn't always true, but is an accurate generalization.)

 

The biggest difference between brands, however, is the availability of authorized warranty repairs. If you get the Wal-Mart special and something breaks, you're most likely SOL. Any of the larger manufacturers will have nearby technicians. That is definitely something to consider as EVERY manufacturer wants to cut the cost of production.

[Jase]

I am still living off of one of the last CRT projection HDTVs sold in the US, a 51" 1080i hitachi bought in 2007.  Still has great blacks.  Hope to get another 2-5 years out of it, but I'm already saving the pennies for a 70" 4k.  I can go a lot bigger in my room, I have about a 13' viewing distance, but I have enough wall real estate to go 80" plus.

[RealBitsOfPanther]

I picked up one of those 65" Vizio's on Black Friday this past year and haven't looked back since. When we first got it, we were like holy crap its massive. Not so much now. I don't think I could go back to anything smaller tbh. 

[Hawk]

Just how much difference in size is a 50" or 55" compared to my current 42" ?

 

to help you with your original question....8 - 13 "....but that's Canadian math

 

I have a 60 Sharp Aquos.....LED, and I love that TV.

 

I have one of these in our living room and I love it.

 

 

you can't go wrong with bigger is better in my tv opinion.

[iBBB]

I've had a Sharp 70" in my living room since 2013 and I will NEVER go back in size. It was an upgrade from 48".

 

I dont care what anyone says, it is a pleasure to watch it. No, the quality is not BAD and no the bigger size does not make the viewing experience worse. I have nothing but positive experience with it.

 

Check out the pic for reference.