OT: my Vizio TV gave up the ghost, what to replace it with?

[cmg]

so to add to the issue at home my Vizio TV just gave up. rather than try to fix it, i'll toss and replace. it's a 50". what's a decent brand? will anything last longer than 6 years? My favorite is an hour longer setup, just love toggling through a dozen tabs to get to balance or color....ugh....

[thirdgenbird]

I can’t speak to longevity, but I really like my LG. I can’t recall the model but it’s one of their higher end units that’s not OLED. I got it cheap and don’t care enough to pay the premium for OLED.

I much prefer LG webOS (originally developed by palm) over TVs with a google based operating systems. No advertisements are served up, I can swap between streaming services with ease, it controls my amplifier through HDMI ARC, the remote works nicely. They also seem to have ok software support. The last update gave me Apple TV. Oh, it also uses a center foot design which allowed me to get a TV wider than my table.

I am sure there are better options, but I’ve got no complaints.

[kppolich]

Stick with the big 3 and you'll be OK
Samsung, Sony, LG

https://slickdeals.net/tv-deals/

will get you started.

4-5 years ago we could have went down the rabbit hole of LCD vs. LED vs. Plasma for the type of room your are installing it in and the amount of sunlight/glare, but those days are gone now.

I recommend using a AR app with your smart phone to see what a bigger or smaller screen would look like in your current space. Try on before you buy.

Something like this
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49771707646_8f4df5845e_b.jpg

[parris]

We've been lucky with our Vizio tv's in general. Their smart app is getting wonky on one of them and we're looking to replace it with something a little bigger. Right now LG and Samsung are the front runners.

I REALLY wish that Panasonic still made tv's. I have an old Plasma set in the garage now and although it's older the picture is still VERY VERY nice.

One thing that I just remembered to be aware of is that I heard that Samsung is stopping panel production toward the end of the year except for OLED.

[pdmtong]

Get the biggest screen you can fit in the space. The clarity and sharpness is a pleasure and will not "hurt" your eyes even at 10-12'

Flat screens are so cheap and so good now.

When I looked at LG vs Samsung oddly for 82" I preferred the LG. Coin flip on 75". Samsung for 65". YMMV. Sony and OLED is great, but there is really no reason to chase the last mile unless your other devices are comparable quality and/or this is your hobby.

Inventory your input devices and get the TV with as inputs as possible - USB, optical, HDMI (many, it is shocking how fast these can be consumed)

[zmalwo]

so to add to the issue at home my Vizio TV just gave up. rather than try to fix it, i'll toss and replace. it's a 50". what's a decent brand? will anything last longer than 6 years? My favorite is an hour longer setup, just love toggling through a dozen tabs to get to balance or color....ugh....

Samsung ones looks good and cheap too. I think I saw a 65" smart Samsung for like $350 during black Friday. They got ridiculously cheap the past few years.

[tomato coupe]

I've never had a Sony fail. Just got another one last Friday, $1700 for a 65".

[Tavarez]

Don't skimp and get the Vizio. Get what you deserve. Get the Sony.

[tuxbailey]

I really like my Sony X900F. It is a 2018 model and you can find great deals on it now. Under $1k for a 65".

It has great reviews too.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

[Brusselsprouts]

I really like my Sony X900F. It is a 2018 model and you can find great deals on it now. Under $1k for a 65".

It has great reviews too.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

Here's a list of the best rated TV's under $1k. https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/best/by-price/under-1000

I picked up a TCL 6 Series last year and it's been a great upgrade for our aging plasma television. The built in Roku also frees up some cables (no need for external TV box like Apple TV, Fire stick, etc).

[DRZRM]

I really like my Sony X900F. It is a 2018 model and you can find great deals on it now. Under $1k for a 65".

It has great reviews too.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

+1 on the Sony x900f, my kids cracked the screen on my last TV on New Years eve ( a 7 year old Sony Bravia) and I got a 75" for about $1,600. Best Buy matched the best price I found.

[gasman]

So you’re likely not interested in our 27” Sony CRT from 1992 that won’t die.
I did take in for repair once about 15 years ago. My wife uses it to watch when she’s working in the kitchen .

We also have a fairly new 75” Samsung in our media room. Amazing picture.

[Blue Jays]

Sony is my main television. Very pleased with it.

[C40_guy]

Nothing but Sony XBRs in my house. Consider separating the "smartness" from the screen...if you need smart, run a Roku or something else.

We have one smart tv in the house but haven't enabled/connected any of it. We get all that we need from Tivo.

And not that I trust Tivo with too much data, I *really* don't trust consumer brands (Sony, LG, Samsung, etc) with extensive behavioral data.

[Red Tornado]

We've been lucky with our Vizio tv's in general. Their smart app is getting wonky on one of them and we're looking to replace it with something a little bigger. Right now LG and Samsung are the front runners.

I REALLY wish that Panasonic still made tv's. I have an old Plasma set in the garage now and although it's older the picture is still VERY VERY nice.

One thing that I just remembered to be aware of is that I heard that Samsung is stopping panel production toward the end of the year except for OLED.

We've seen the same thing on our 40" Vizio. About 1 1/2 years old, a few weeks ago the Smartcast stops working occasionally. Unfortunately, that's how we access You Tube. A couple times the volume control has stopped working, Netflix/Amazon apps won't start. Last week at said there was no WiFi signal even though there was (laptop/phones all had strong signal). Ended up doing a factory reset (PITA) but that fixed it for now. Apologize for the thread drift.

[Bob Ross]

will anything last longer than 6 years?

For some aficionados that's a tough question; it kinda depends on what you mean by "last". Pretty much any modern TV from Sony, LG, or Samsung will still turn on and display pictures, produce sound, allow you to view the same sources they do now in another 6 years ...presuming those sources still work. And there's the rub...

If you use any of the "Smart Apps" built into your TV, or you get your content from streaming services, it kinda doesn't matter whether the TV still turns on: It won't "work" as well in 6 years as it does now, and for a lot of people that's apparently reason enough to replace it.

[cmg]

thanks, really appreciate the suggestions. running the "Smart apps" is the problem. Spend most of viewing time on youtube. For the last 2 days only getting sound and no picture when i turn it on. Did the factory reset and power cycle a few times and then it came on. Suspect the remote has something to do with it, changed the batteries yesterday and it worked but next day problem show up again. Don't think there's much life left in it.

[loxx0050]

Don't know your budget but I've been seeing TV deals pop up (because of the stimulus checks finally getting distributed).

Samsung 4k 70" TV for just under $600
https://slickdeals.net/f/13978682-70-samsung-un70nu6900-4k-uhd-hdr-smart-led-hdtv-google-home-mini-2-pack-578-free-delivery-walmart?src=frontpage&attrsrc=Test%3AjfyYieldOptimize%3AControl%7CFeatur e%3AisPersonalized%3Afalse

Beware this is a de-spec'd TV though compared to top of the line stuff (120hz refresh, only 2 hdmi ports).

I saw one for $1200 exactly pop up too the other day but think it expired (can't seem to find it at the moment).

Costco has 75" TV offerings for under $1000 too.

[C40_guy]

If you use any of the "Smart Apps" built into your TV, or you get your content from streaming services, it kinda doesn't matter whether the TV still turns on: It won't "work" as well in 6 years as it does now, and for a lot of people that's apparently reason enough to replace it.

This is a great reason to separate your apps device from your television screen. We're still using a 15+ year old 40" XBR flat panel that just keeps going and going. Yea, it might not be quite as sharp or "fast" as a new set, but it just works...

Much easier to update/replace a Roku or Apple TV for $75 or $200 every couple of years versus junking a perfectly good screen because an app doesn't work.

[C40_guy]

thanks, really appreciate the suggestions. running the "Smart apps" is the problem. Spend most of viewing time on youtube. For the last 2 days only getting sound and no picture when i turn it on. Did the factory reset and power cycle a few times and then it came on. Suspect the remote has something to do with it, changed the batteries yesterday and it worked but next day problem show up again. Don't think there's much life left in it.

Does the tv work with an external source (DVD player, antenna, cable box, etc.?)

[jlwdm]

LG OLED.

Also don't get fooled by the TVs on display. The color is normally over saturated.

Jeff

[thirdgenbird]

Beware this is a de-spec'd TV though compared to top of the line stuff (120hz refresh, only 2 hdmi ports).

I’ve seen some people make a big deal about getting 120hz when they don’t even have content that will display at 120hz. Yes, I get some people don’t like 3:2 pull down for 24fps content but many won’t care and some 60hz panels can playback 24fps content without judder.

[tuxbailey]

Here's a list of the best rated TV's under $1k. https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/best/by-price/under-1000

I picked up a TCL 6 Series last year and it's been a great upgrade for our aging plasma television. The built in Roku also frees up some cables (no need for external TV box like Apple TV, Fire stick, etc).

I have the TCL 75" for my family room. It is excellent for the price. Some people complains that you may be in the panel lottery and get one that has banding effect. But even with that odd it still only happens in high contrast situation. Definitely good value.

[tuxbailey]

I also recommend picking up a square trade extended warranty from Costco as they add 3 more years to your warranty for about $100.

My last LG main board failed within a month of the extended warranty expiration and they replaced it. Now the TV is our bedroom.

[cmg]

Does the tv work with an external source (DVD player, antenna, cable box, etc.?)

yes, external source. i was hoping to get rid of the Roku stick and separate remote.

[C40_guy]

yes, external source. i was hoping to get rid of the Roku stick and separate remote.

So, if the screen works, but the apps are FUBAR, why not just upgrade to a new Roku 4 and get a universal/programmable remote?

[damocles]

I bought one of the top of the line LG OLED screens about 3 years ago for something stupid like $5k. Stunning picture quality, but I'm about to replaced it with a Sony LED.

One thing I never realized about OLED screens is their proneness to burn in. I watch far too much news/sports in the AM and my screen is ruined along the bottom quarter.

Seems like OLED's have improved and there is a lot of debate on this topic. My experience has been disappointing though.

https://www.rtings.com/tv/learn/real-life-oled-burn-in-test

https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2018/12/04/oled-screen-burn-is-there-a-ticking-time-bomb-inside-your-tv/#89f40fa363d7

[tuxbailey]

I bought one of the top of the line LG OLED screens about 3 years ago for something stupid like $5k. Stunning picture quality, but I'm about to replaced it with a Sony LED.

One thing I never realized about OLED screens is their proneness to burn in. I watch far too much news/sports in the AM and my screen is ruined along the bottom quarter.

Seems like OLED's have improved and there is a lot of debate on this topic. My experience has been disappointing though.

https://www.rtings.com/tv/learn/real-life-oled-burn-in-test

https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2018/12/04/oled-screen-burn-is-there-a-ticking-time-bomb-inside-your-tv/#89f40fa363d7

That is why I hesitated to get OLED when I looking for new TVs. To my non-critical eyes, both the X900F and the TCL R6 series do a great job with 4K content, and the Sony has great upscaling capabilities. That is a plus since a lot of content are still streamed via 1080P or 720P.

[loxx0050]

I’ve seen some people make a big deal about getting 120hz when they don’t even have content that will display at 120hz. Yes, I get some people don’t like 3:2 pull down for 24fps content but many won’t care and some 60hz panels can playback 24fps content without judder.

Myself personally I don't think it's a big deal either 120hz vs 60hz or even 240hz. But if you start reading reviews the snobs out there will start complaining about this or that.

I don't even have a newer TV. Still running a Samsung (6 series) that I bought in 2008 that is a 46" that is 1080p and 120hz. Also using an older Sony my brother gave me that is from 2006 but only 60hz but still 1080p 42" screen. That has a bit of burn in here and there from his using it for Playstation for many years though. Also still use another older 24" 1080p Samsung tv too (these days it's my trainer screen) that I've had since 2010 or so. No need to buy a new TV for me but I'm tempted at times.

[grateful]

I did a lot of research and am a A/V is also something that I am interested in.

Every recommendation that I read was that the TCL 7 Series with built in Roku was the value leader. I lusted after OLED but they were around $2,500 at the time, the TCL was around $800.00. That was about 3 months ago.

I "upgraded" from a Samsung Plasma. I sure wish that technology was still viable.

I am very pleased with the purchase and it buys me time for OLED pricing to drop or 8K to take over.

Boy, once flat panels became mainstream the arms race sure accelerated.

[pdmtong]

There was a time that TVs were purchased with a useful life expectancy of years. Like 10+.

This is no longer true, especially with so many choices for the masses in the $750-1500 range.

A TV is now a consumable like a laptop or mobile phone. From that perspective, buy what you need and can afford and don't overspend.

[kytyree]

I've bought several Samsung TV's now, they're so inexpensive now that I think they last long enough for the cost. I paid more for one big screen tv 20 years ago than the last 4 or 5 I've bought put together, even with 4k.

[MikeD]

I would consult Consumer Reports.

Sony is the only brand that has a very good predicted reliability. LG and Samsung are good. Off brands, as you would imagine, are worse.

[old fat man]

thanks, really appreciate the suggestions. running the "Smart apps" is the problem. Spend most of viewing time on youtube. For the last 2 days only getting sound and no picture when i turn it on. Did the factory reset and power cycle a few times and then it came on. Suspect the remote has something to do with it, changed the batteries yesterday and it worked but next day problem show up again. Don't think there's much life left in it.

Exact same problem we had with our 5ish year old Vizio 55". Usually 2-3 times a week it would lose picture but keep sound. We took it as a cue to go to bed. Finally stopped giving picture all together. Last week I replaced it with a $500 LG 65" from Costco. 4 year warranty using their CC. It's been a very acceptable upgrade. I was also considering the TCL because we mostly use Roku anyway, but the staff recommend LG and it was a bit less expensive than the TCL in stock

[thirdgenbird]

I had all sorts of YouTube issue on my previous Visio. The new LG has steamed a ton of YouTube without issue.

[cmg]

so after trying to visit Best Buy yesterday to see what 's available i was told to shop on-line. Bought an LG 50", should be here on Sunday. Price is half of what the Vizio was. When i looked at the 55" and measured it out on the stand i had, it wouldn't fit, so 50" it is. Bought the one with the best reviews. some how i suspect i'll still be on the Roku stick but we'll see.

[djg]

We just bought a 65" Sony, which looks huge to me.

So, it seems better than the old TV in every regard, but I have to confess that it -- like other newish TVs -- takes some getting used to. It's not just that the resolution is greater, but that the impression of a 3D space is sharper in a way that can seem a little odd, even if it's plainly what was intended.

[zap]

Nothing but Sony XBRs in my house. Consider separating the "smartness" from the screen...if you need smart, run a Roku or something else.

It depends.

We have Roku Ultra's. For YouTubeTV the Roku is better than the os on our LG OLED and Samsung 4K LCD.

However, for NetFlix and Amazon Prime Ultra 4K, Dolby Vision and HDR, shows are close to unwatchable (sharpness goes way up and judder/skipping frames) on our LG OLED using the Roku Ultra.....not to mention no surround sound for me......using oldish but still great Pioneer Elite receiver. I quickly reinstalled the Netflix app back to the LG os. Still have to move Amazon Prime app back.

The Samsung in our family room is not used for critical viewing so have not watched DV/HDR shows on that.

[zap]

We just bought a 65" Sony, which looks huge to me.

So, it seems better than the old TV in every regard, but I have to confess that it -- like other newish TVs -- takes some getting used to. It's not just that the resolution is greater, but that the impression of a 3D space is sharper in a way that can seem a little odd, even if it's plainly what was intended.

Factory settings are rarely correct for any viewing environment so all displays need to be adjusted, especially sharpness which many times needs to be turned way down.

[cmg]

the 50" LG is about as big i think i can go. Sofa is only 9-10 ft away. Any larger and it seems to overwhelm the room. 20 yrs ago i could watch a 19" without a problem and thought it was fine.

[C40_guy]

However, for NetFlix and Amazon Prime Ultra 4K, Dolby Vision and HDR, shows are close to unwatchable (sharpness goes way up and judder/skipping frames) on our LG OLED using the Roku Ultra.....

It's amazing how much software implementations vary from one platform to another. We mostly use TiVo for time shifting, and some Netflix and Amazon Prime.

Occasionally either of the latter two will be almost unusable on the TiVo, so I switch over to an Amazon Fire box. Both of these apps are substantially better on the Fire.

[zap]

It's amazing how much software implementations vary from one platform to another. We mostly use TiVo for time shifting, and some Netflix and Amazon Prime.

Occasionally either of the latter two will be almost unusable on the TiVo, so I switch over to an Amazon Fire box. Both of these apps are substantially better on the Fire.

At BB I was holding an Amazon Fire in my hands for the LG OLED but then changed my mind at the last second and got a second Roku Ultra. I just didn't want another platform in the house.