Ready For A New TV, Almost!

[iamn8]

I agree! 4K makes no sense at the moment, but a year from now, you'll regret having fallen behind. Also, I'm currently shopping for a new TV as well, my brother is a wholesale distributor for high end electronics so I can buy at wholesale. Even with this discount, he can't beat the Open-Box deals available from Best Buy. Amazon doesn't come close. Shop Best Buy Outlet for open box deals.
$800 for a Samsung 50in 4K display is a seriously sweet deal!

http://www.bestbuy.com//site/samsung-50-class-49-5-diag--led-2160p-smart-4k-ultra-hd-tv-black/4213305.p?id=1219707302828&skuId=4213305

 

[lifesizehobbit]

I think the first thing to do is narrow down what you actually want a TV in that room for. Casual watching? Something to have on while you shoot pool, play darts? Is the room more for music enjoyment? Should you just have a smaller wall mounted version in the corner for minimal use?
If the answer is that the room is your primary TV watching room, then it's more about things like: How much time per day do you watch TV? What is your primary form of entertanment? News? Movies? Vintage or New? Sci-Fi? Will I have a Blu-Ray hooked in? Do I stream anything from the Internet?
If the TV is a form or regular entertainment, buy the biggest size you can in the most affordable feature set you want. TVs are a lot like smart phones today - you get the technology they give you whether you use it or not.
I went from a 25" Console TV (carbon dating myself here) to a 50" Rear Projection (fresnel type screen) to a 60" wall mounted LCD HD. Each technology leap I made was incredible and I expanded my use of the equipment. I also stopped in Best Buy recently and you are correct - they run the gamut of prices from $900/55" to $5k/60 SUHD 4k TVs.
My habits:

Daily TV - 2 hours

No Cable - Digital Antenna

Amazon Fire TV - streams Movies, Audio and with installable apps Youtube, specialty channels, etc.

Blu-Ray
I actually have more controllable choice now than with cable and I pay less per month.
Happy Hunting! Smoke a bowl and contemplate the options.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I cannot for the life of me tell any difference between HD and regular TV. My wife and I both wear glasses and we cannot tell one ioda of difference between the two. Even the kids can't tell.

Yeh, I remember back when they were trying to integrate things in with TV's back in the early 80's, even before real wireless remote controls. They had a Telephone TV, Photograph TV, and even one that let you change channels by way of a huge controller with a wire attached that everyone tripped over when running through the livingroom.
The more stuff they add into the TV, the more chances something will break, and that's what they want. No longer is a TV expected to survive for several decades like it used to. It's all made to sucker us back in in another year to buy the latest piece of crap.

 

[iamn8]

Cosmic, paranoid much? There is no great conspiracy. My tv remains turned on 24/6/365 and has done so without a glitch for going on 9yrs. I meant that, 24/7/365. Tv's are better than they've ever been and repair records show this to be so. There are RARELY if ever problems. My brother does this for a living and has for quite some time. Tv's these days are so much better than way back when in every single way.

What I know about tobacco and pipes is pretty much jack, but being on disability and living alone... Consumer electronics are all that make my life worth living. Is that sad? Sure, of course, but it is what it is.

 

[captainprophesy]

huge controller with a wire attached that everyone tripped over when running through the livingroom.

I still have the scarred memories of getting my ass whooped by my father after ripping the chord out of the TV and ripping the big ass box out of his hand and having the entire thing wrap around my legs like a bola as I go flying through the air like an entangles animal, just one week after he came home with it, from running through the living room ... ahhh such fond memories of my childhood back in the 70's :P

 

[indianafrank]

WOW! Thanks for all the advice everyone. And thanks for no one calling me "CHEAP."
But I'm so confused now I think I'm gonna go back to the Salvation Army and take back my 24 inch'er, 1980's model, Sylvania TV and be done with it!!!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Actually, up until a few years ago, I was still using the old family Magnavox console set. It was nice that back in the day, the TV was actually a piece of furniture. It was only 40 years old and was just fine till everything went digital. I am just not much of a TV person anyways.

Paranoid? I'm not sure where you get that. My post was just in response to looking at these weak frail plastic things being sold.

 

[deathmetal]

The world is moving way too fast for me.

Too fast, or just turning into a cheeseburger?
Flat screen TVs are easy and cheap to make, so they're layering useless features on them so they can keep the price high.
Go buy a computer monitor and a tuner separately. Better picture quality anyway.

 

[davet]

Go buy a computer monitor and a tuner separately.

40" might get expensive

 

[deathmetal]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=televisions+1080p&N=-1&isNodeId=1
Some better options there.

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

Right now as far as I'm concerned anything on the shelf should either be 100% UHD Blu-ray compatible, or be on sale at clearance prices.

That means it needs 10 bit colour, high dynamic range and 4K resolution with HDMI 2.0 inputs, otherwise it won't properly play the movies we'll be buying next fall.
As for screen size, I'm not picky, I'll just sit closer to a 4K screen if it's smaller rather than larger. I prefer my headphones and a good office chair over most home theaters anyway (unless you're using a projector, which I woud highly recommend over a large LCD panel).

 

[jpmcwjr]

Also make sure it's HDCP 2.2 compliant.

 

[andrew]

The more stuff they add into the TV, the more chances something will break, and that's what they want. No longer is a TV expected to survive for several decades like it used to. It's all made to sucker us back in in another year to buy the latest piece of crap.

This is with everything now, dryers, washing machines, cars, fridges, freezers, they're built to last maybe 10 years tops. My friend knows automotives well and said his new car he can't even change a spark plug or the battery without taking the whole engine out with a lift. They're designed so that you can't fix it yourself anymore. TV's are actually priced quite well though now, I remember those 26 inch floor model tv's being like 500$ in the 80's. And in the 80's 500$ was alot. Same with atari's, they were around 400$ I think. Then the games were something like 60$ each. The main thing you have to worry about with the newer tv's is image burn in, even then you can replace the screen quite cheap. The difference between HD and regular broadcasting is pretty dramatic, you need to have an HD flatscreen though of course. Even my parents were blown away when they finally upgraded.

 

[deathmetal]

Same with atari's, they were around 400$ I think.

Not to mention computers at $2500 for a full setup, unless you got a C-64 which you could do for under $500.