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Originally Posted by Hondaracer
The problem now is what used to be "low end" in vizio etc. are actually making decent/good TV's. The hi-sense and other stuff I've seen look pretty bad but who knows, could be fine once you get it home.
If you don't care about a smart tv etc id get the best model possible from any of the major manufacturers without any "smart" features. If a TV like that even exists anymore
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Honestly they wouldn't even know how to use the features of a smart tv. But just from a glance over there's so many option with tvs that I figured i'd at least ask for opinions/recommendations or just what to look out for when shopping for one to try and maximise the value of it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bonka
Don't bother with major brands unless it's a big sale, previous year model, refurb. At the entry level price point they are going to be in line with third tier brands (Westinghouse, Seiki). With that in mind second tiers are quite good now: TCL, Haier, Hisense, Insignia, Vizio will be fine with the right model.
Avoid trying to cram in as many features into your buy - you're going to have to sacrifice something. Consider its use, do you need additional inputs (hdmi), size, wifi? Smart features are great but updates go EOL fast if they're non-Roku. 4K is great for futureproofing but at this price point it mind as well be an oversight. Opt for better 1080 picture quality instead. Same with size. I think most people would prefer a larger tv but ultimately I would go with a smaller screen if it has better picture quality especially if the difference is downsizing from a 55" to a 50".
I was in a similar price range for the guest room tv although my thinking was to buy as cheap as possible.
Ultimately I considered into the following:
Haier 49"/55" @ Costco (the 49" is 4K though I preferred the 55" slightly, the extended warranty for $30 was a big selling point; for the 55" it's suggested to buy post Oct 16 manufacturer date due to yellow hues being completely off)
Insignia 48" @ BestBuy (good reviews but completely barebones, apparently these are made by Hisense/TCL)
TCL (hard to find in Canada, a few refurb models floating around which I would rather avoid)
Hisense H4 48" @ The Source (Roku, Wifi)
RCA 49"/55" @ Superstore/Walmart (supposedly same as the Haier but a little cheaper, especially during no tax event, 55" has same issue as Haier)
Ended up with the Hisense as they recently had a sale - cost was <$350 taxes in. It was cheap enough that I could live with the middling warranty but your CC coverage will give an extra year. Picture quality is pretty good and having wifi avoided me having to run a new line into the room. The smart features are pretty slow and virtually a waste of time but that wasn't high on the list anyway.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GLOW
forget "smart" TV's that spy on you 
just get a chromecast stick for $35-40 and it'll be a lot smarter and better integrated with your tech.
edit: my friend got the 55" not the 49" ... went in thinking 49 but paid $100 extra for 55" 
pretty impressed with it too for $500. reviews say audio sucks but i'm not audio snob and we thought the audio was pretty decent.
you want TV's that have at least 4 HDMI ports IMO...after plugging in TV box, game system, chromecast, etc...ports dry up fast... |
Thank you both, especially for the long write up Bonka. With what you've both said and recommended, I'll definitely put that a the top of the list for choices since it does sound pretty good spec wise, and you've both mentioned it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by whitev70r
If you want to try an entry level 4K TV for fun, go on CL, look for people who are selling their promo one from Telus promo, Toshiba 49". Unfortunately, not a lot of 4K content right now though. But man, is it sharp and clear!
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Don't necessarily need 4k for what they use it for but noticed that most tv's ive seen are stating its 4k