The better half and I are in search of a new TV. Currently we have a 50" LG from Evil Mart paired with a Visio sound bar. I haven't been too happy with how the TV and sound bar interact - many times the sound bar won't turn on with the TV and it takes a good bit of fiddling to make it work. We're not frequent TV watchers but we'd like things to work smoothly when we do. Another complaint is that the TV is slooooow to respond to inputs many times which is annoying when searching or navigating. In general I've had such a bad experience with this LG that I'm not soon to want to get another unless there is darn good reason to. So that said, who makes a good TV and/or sound bar? We are considering an upgrade in size (max 65"), but it's not necessary. Also don't really need the super dooper latest greatest ultra mega UHD 17k screen nor do we need to see the freckles on that extra sitting in the back of a restaurant scene. Just a good, reliable TV and sound bar with some modern device connectivity amenities if possible.
Who makes a good TV?
- Thread starter The_Eric
- Start date
We have one Sony 65" (10 yrs old) and several Samsungs in the family. Have been happy with both brands.
Sound bars are absolute garbage. Not a Lucky Goldstar fan these days - or for the past decade actually.
Happy with the little Samsung once I got the picture adjusted for a natural presentation - not the gee-whiz, cartoonish approximation of reality as they come out of the carton.
I am looking for a smart T.V as it is way past time to ditch the Xfinity cable contract - I could buy a new 55" T.V. each month the cable bill is so high!
At one point I heard hisense was decent. I think they are OE. for some majors? Not sure.
Gravitating to another Samsung in a model with Bluetooth transmitter built in so i can enjoy hifi headphone digital sound at night while the wife is sleeping upstairs - if I can find a really comfortable pair under 150 bucks. Pricy HPs can be giant rip-offs. Blame beats and sneakers for the upmarket push.
ask @Pablo how his component sound system is doing
Happy with the little Samsung once I got the picture adjusted for a natural presentation - not the gee-whiz, cartoonish approximation of reality as they come out of the carton.
I am looking for a smart T.V as it is way past time to ditch the Xfinity cable contract - I could buy a new 55" T.V. each month the cable bill is so high!
At one point I heard hisense was decent. I think they are OE. for some majors? Not sure.
Gravitating to another Samsung in a model with Bluetooth transmitter built in so i can enjoy hifi headphone digital sound at night while the wife is sleeping upstairs - if I can find a really comfortable pair under 150 bucks. Pricy HPs can be giant rip-offs. Blame beats and sneakers for the upmarket push.
ask @Pablo how his component sound system is doing
Sound system is great
Our two LG TVs = garbage
Our two LG TVs = garbage
I recently bought a Sony and returned it as it was turning itself off. I had one of the first ones made as it was a new model. Rtings is a good website with TV reviews pitted against each other.
You might as well just buy a TCL, because they now make LCD panels for both LG & Samsung.
https://www.flatpanelshd.com/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1744354100
I've owned a 55" Panasonic Plasma VT30 since 2010, and it still works great, but I wanted to take advantage of 4k, HDR10, etc., so I purchased a TCL 65" QM6K earlier this year ('25 model) for the family room . Very happy with its performance for $748 (the QM6K is $100 cheaper now...). Great review here:
https://www.flatpanelshd.com/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1744354100
I've owned a 55" Panasonic Plasma VT30 since 2010, and it still works great, but I wanted to take advantage of 4k, HDR10, etc., so I purchased a TCL 65" QM6K earlier this year ('25 model) for the family room . Very happy with its performance for $748 (the QM6K is $100 cheaper now...). Great review here:
Pick one you like the picture and has the fewest features possible in today's world. Want a smart TV, get a Roku. Want great sound, get a soundbar or surround sound system. Keep the TV as close to a dumb monitor as possible. Pay for it with a credit card that doubles the manufacturer warranty, then pay off the card before the due date.
Our primary TV is a 75" Samsung LCD we bought over 8 years ago. Knock on wood, zero problems.
FWIW, I used to own a consumer electronics repair business. Having seen only stuff that's broken makes any recommendations difficult, and it's much worse when I need to replace something for myself. Good luck.
Our primary TV is a 75" Samsung LCD we bought over 8 years ago. Knock on wood, zero problems.
FWIW, I used to own a consumer electronics repair business. Having seen only stuff that's broken makes any recommendations difficult, and it's much worse when I need to replace something for myself. Good luck.
I would also avoid LG. I bought an LG a couple years ago, and while I'm happy with the picture quality, I am very frustrated with the reliability of the smart tv function. I have to frequently unplug the TV to reestablish the online tv services, and I'm pretty sure it's related to the tv, as when it happens, it is all the different sites at the same time, that lose connection.
I also have a Samsung that is about 15 years old, and it has been bulletproof, and has a fantastic picture. But it would not be a good measure to the quality of tv that Samsung is making today, not only because it is older, but also because it is a plasma.
Isn't there a lot more to a TV than just the LCD panel?
I also have a Samsung that is about 15 years old, and it has been bulletproof, and has a fantastic picture. But it would not be a good measure to the quality of tv that Samsung is making today, not only because it is older, but also because it is a plasma.
Isn't there a lot more to a TV than just the LCD panel?
We have an LG OLED.
It has a really good picture (I'll give it that.)
Not happy with the Smart programming. However, that is not just unique to them ( I just use my Firestick. Much faster and easier.)
My biggest gripe with it is that it is paired with an LG Soundbar, and I have to use a separate remote for it, even though it is a high end TV with an "Universal Remote." It can't even be compatible with its own brand? Seriously?
I have a Hisense 32" flat screen in the basement. It does what is required in a passable fashion. However, there is no doubt that it was the $79. Costco Black Friday Special (which it was.)
It has a really good picture (I'll give it that.)
Not happy with the Smart programming. However, that is not just unique to them ( I just use my Firestick. Much faster and easier.)
My biggest gripe with it is that it is paired with an LG Soundbar, and I have to use a separate remote for it, even though it is a high end TV with an "Universal Remote." It can't even be compatible with its own brand? Seriously?
I have a Hisense 32" flat screen in the basement. It does what is required in a passable fashion. However, there is no doubt that it was the $79. Costco Black Friday Special (which it was.)
I would never buy another LG anything.
Big LG TV died right after iirc 3 years warranty and so did a fancy expensive LG refrigerator. Pure garbage. My old fridge was over 20+ years old. There was a class action lawsuit that extended the fridge warranty to 5 years but they played games and didn't honor it. They made an attempt to fix which took months and didn't fix the problem and then ignored us.
I still have an old LG TV that works great. I use it as a computer monitor now.
Bought a Samsung TV from Costco and it's been great!
Big LG TV died right after iirc 3 years warranty and so did a fancy expensive LG refrigerator. Pure garbage. My old fridge was over 20+ years old. There was a class action lawsuit that extended the fridge warranty to 5 years but they played games and didn't honor it. They made an attempt to fix which took months and didn't fix the problem and then ignored us.
I still have an old LG TV that works great. I use it as a computer monitor now.
Bought a Samsung TV from Costco and it's been great!
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I have a Samsung 65" and it's good, great picture, but the operating system is hard for me to comprehend. It does some things that makes me wonder. Nothing harmful or damaging, just odd enough to require a few extra button presses on the (solar recharged) remote.
It really plays nice with my ROKU soundbar. So much so, that I did put in (bluetooth) surronud speakers, and discovered that I did NOT need a subwoofer. Great sound.
Odd thing that I've heard is that Roku soundbars do NOT play well with Roku TV's.....go figure.
My wife otoh is into the Amazon/Fire TV system. It's what she had before, so she was familiar. I recently upgraded her SLOW 40" Fire TV to a newer version 50" Fire TV for $249.00. Good picture (not like the Samsung) good brightness, and she is happy. Much faster response from the new hardware/operating system.
If you think that your room can handle a 65" TV, you might as well go to 70". Not much bigger, but you'll be happier in the end.
Don't put it above the fireplace!
It really plays nice with my ROKU soundbar. So much so, that I did put in (bluetooth) surronud speakers, and discovered that I did NOT need a subwoofer. Great sound.
Odd thing that I've heard is that Roku soundbars do NOT play well with Roku TV's.....go figure.
My wife otoh is into the Amazon/Fire TV system. It's what she had before, so she was familiar. I recently upgraded her SLOW 40" Fire TV to a newer version 50" Fire TV for $249.00. Good picture (not like the Samsung) good brightness, and she is happy. Much faster response from the new hardware/operating system.
If you think that your room can handle a 65" TV, you might as well go to 70". Not much bigger, but you'll be happier in the end.
Don't put it above the fireplace!
Yeah I'll never buy an LG. Not one bit of their shet software/firmware/hardware plays well with others. Almost purposely so.
I can get some bluetooth sound out of one, but not the other. The interface was created by a dead baboon. It's a mess. And their so called upgrades make things worse
I can get some bluetooth sound out of one, but not the other. The interface was created by a dead baboon. It's a mess. And their so called upgrades make things worse
Brand doesn’t matter, model matters. Low price points are met by using subpar quality components. You can find junk TVs from any brand.
You've got to look up the models you are considering, as no brand makes all good ones or bad ones. Many many years ago, 15?, I used Cnet reviews to pick our Toshiba, as it had a good picture for rooms with lots of windows. I kind of wish it would die as its a 42", but it works fine still, with a sharp 1080p image with good contrast and colours.
I just use an old heavy JVC receiver, and some quite decent large bookshelf speakers, and it does everything I need.
I just use an old heavy JVC receiver, and some quite decent large bookshelf speakers, and it does everything I need.
There is. Sony was king during the CRT days, but whiffed on the transition to flat panels, and ceded that business to the Koreans and Chinese. Or maybe not, since it's a tough business to be in.
But, Sony still has the expertise, and knows what a proper picture should look like, likely aided by the fact that they still make professional broadcast gear.
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I recommend TCL. Great TVs and can’t beat the price. The sound on mine is fantastic and the picture quality is 100% better than my parents Philips TV. I have the 50S451 model. Absolutely fantastic. Hisense isn’t bad either from what I’ve heard. But I’ve never used that one before.
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