Smart TV..what to look for?

[prairie_girl]

So, I’m thinking we need to join the land of smart TVs. There are already some Boxing Day ads circulating and I’ve decided to treat myself. I think I want a 50” smart tv for our living room. I have no idea what is a must have and what to avoid. So, any tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

[sam_gordon]

So, I’m thinking we need to join the land of smart TVs. There are already some Boxing Day ads circulating and I’ve decided to treat myself. I think I want a 50” smart tv for our living room. I have no idea what is a must have and what to avoid. So, any tips would be greatly appreciated.

First thing is how many sources do you need to plug in? Do you have a gaming station? A DVD player? Roku? Amazon Fire? AppleTV? Computer? Stereo System? If you do have a game system/Roku/Fire/AppleTV, you may not need a smart TV. You can probably get the apps on those devices.

How do these connect (probably HDMI, but possible component or composite)?

Do you want at least the option to hook up an OTA antenna? Even if you don't hook up one up immediately, you might want one later.

Do you need to feed sound to a sound bar or stereo system? Make sure the TV you get has connections to do that.

Once you know how many and what kind of connections you need (if any), it's time to go shopping. You know what size you want and that's a good start. Do you have a budget? That will affect what kind of TV you can get. LED? OLED? QLED?

The last time we had to look for a TV, I knew the size, type and # of connectors, then looked at what's available on Amazon & Best Buy in my budget. I tried to get the highest numbers I could in the following categories:
Resolution (4k vs 1080 vs 720)
Refresh rate (60 vs 120 vs 240)
HDR availability (and type)

Personally, I would make sure any TV I get handles at least 4k, prefer at least 120mhz refresh, and support HDR. I understand QLED is the better picture, but is also more expensive. Viewing angle quality is important to me. Cheaper TVs will show discoloration if you're not viewing from straight on. Some reviews will mention this. Others you need to go to a store to see.

I know you're probably thinking "I just want a TV to watch my apps, this is too much information" and if so, I apologize. TV quality is important to me. It may not be to you.

 

[SueInBoston]

I just bought 2 smart tvs in the last 3 months. And I’m the type that I just a tv. One is a 65 inch LG qled and the other is 55” tcl series 6. The tcl is hands down better with resolution and response time. The lg takes forever to respond

 

[RamblingMad]

Get a ROKU or AppleTV and buy an OLED TV by either LG or Sony. QLED is marketing bs. It's pretty much that simple these days.

This is a good site for info:

https://www.avforums.com/

 

[sam_gordon]

Get a ROKU or AppleTV and buy an OLED TV for either LG or Sony. QLED is marketing bs. It's pretty much that simple these days.

This is a good site for info:

https://www.avforums.com/

Not really. https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/qled-vs-oled-tv/
Yes, the article said OLED is better, but QLED does is better in some categories. Again, it depends a lot on what is important to the viewer (buyer). Which the OP hasn't given us enough detail.
OP basically said "I'm looking for a vehicle, tell me what to look for" and you said "Get a four door sedan. It's that simple".

 

[prairie_girl]

Not really. https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/qled-vs-oled-tv/
Yes, the article said OLED is better, but QLED does is better in some categories. Again, it depends a lot on what is important to the viewer (buyer). Which the OP hasn't given us enough detail.
OP basically said "I'm looking for a vehicle, tell me what to look for" and you said "Get a four door sedan. It's that simple".

I am a hey, I want to buy a tv, this one looks good type of person. As far as plugging in things to it, it would be a pvr, which is hdmi, a blu ray player, which if we buy, I assume would be hdmi, and a superNES, which has the rca cables. Picture quality has to be good, but it doesn’t have to be the best. It won’t be watched all that often, mostly for sports. For budget, probably no more that $450-500. I’ve look looked around a bit, and I’m pretty confident I can stay in that range.

 

[SueInBoston]

Since you mentioned sports...I was watching the Lions and Jets game this afternoon on my TCL, and during one of the whole stadium aerial view, I was able to tell the empty seat vs. heads in the upper section. The resolution is amazing. Then I went downstairs to compare it to the LG, not as good but still decent.

 

[RamblingMad]

I am a hey, I want to buy a tv, this one looks good type of person. As far as plugging in things to it, it would be a pvr, which is hdmi, a blu ray player, which if we buy, I assume would be hdmi, and a superNES, which has the rca cables. Picture quality has to be good, but it doesn’t have to be the best. It won’t be watched all that often, mostly for sports. For budget, probably no more that $450-500. I’ve look looked around a bit, and I’m pretty confident I can stay in that range.

I have a Super Nintendo Mini that has HDMI. Otherwise, it's a little bit more complicated. You can get converters. But I'd track down a mini first.

 

[GAN]

Get a ROKU or AppleTV and buy an OLED TV for either LG or Sony. QLED is marketing bs. It's pretty much that simple these days.

This is a good site for info:

https://www.avforums.com/

This. I have an OLED and it’s beautiful. But that’s probably not more important than getting an AppleTV …it’s simply the best streaming device regardless of what tv you purchase(and they aren’t that expensive when looking at the cost of the tv). “Smart” TV’s aren’t very smart, in fact they’re awful …and they track all your information and are super buggy. Not to say Apple doesn‘t use your info but having one is better than ten or more! Beyond all that, the AppleTV is the one device that will allow you to maximize the true power of your new TV …it offers 4K resolution with support for high frame rate HDR content, including HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. I’d suggest getting a good sound bar as well. Happy viewing…

 

[ronandannette]

I am a hey, I want to buy a tv, this one looks good type of person. As far as plugging in things to it, it would be a pvr, which is hdmi, a blu ray player, which if we buy, I assume would be hdmi, and a superNES, which has the rca cables. Picture quality has to be good, but it doesn’t have to be the best. It won’t be watched all that often, mostly for sports. For budget, probably no more that $450-500. I’ve look looked around a bit, and I’m pretty confident I can stay in that range.

This isn't near as tech-y an answer as you're getting from others but we recently got a new TV and I'll tell you what I hate about it, as a cautionary tale. Before you buy, actually use the remote yourself. Our new one has tiny buttons and it's hard to press them without hitting more than one. It also has an extremely annoying screen display with all the available apps scrolling across the bottom every time you turn it on. This "feature" has to be exited out of and although it seems like a little thing, it drives me crazy.

 

[GAN]

This isn't near as tech-y an answer as you're getting from others but we recently got a new TV and I'll tell you what I hate about it, as a cautionary tale. Before you buy, actually use the remote yourself. Our new one has tiny buttons and it's hard to press them without hitting more than one. It also has an extremely annoying screen display with all the available apps scrolling across the bottom every time you turn it on. This "feature" has to be exited out of and although it seems like a little thing, it drives me crazy.

Yet another reason for the AppleTV …the remote is simple and actually works!

 

[sam_gordon]

This. I have an OLED and it’s beautiful. But that’s probably not more important than getting an AppleTV …it’s simply the best streaming device regardless of what tv you purchase(and they aren’t that expensive when looking at the cost of the tv). “Smart” TV’s aren’t very smart, in fact they’re awful …and they track all your information and are super buggy. Not to say Apple doesn‘t use your info but having one is better than ten or more! Beyond all that, the AppleTV is the one device that will allow you to maximize the true power of your new TV …it offers 4K resolution with support for high frame rate HDR content, including HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. I’d suggest getting a good sound bar as well. Happy viewing…

Rokus do 4k and HDR as do Firesticks.

One reason NOT to get a Smart TV... adding apps to them could be impossible. Our smart TV is just a couple of years old. It had Netflix, Amazon Prime, Youtube, and I think Disney. That was it... whatever streaming services were available when it was made. We ended up adding a Roku (4k of course) to put Hulu and some other apps (I think ESPN) on it.

Now, you can get Roku TVs (TVs with the Roku interface built into it).

 

[prairie_girl]

Rokus do 4k and HDR as do Firesticks.

One reason NOT to get a Smart TV... adding apps to them could be impossible. Our smart TV is just a couple of years old. It had Netflix, Amazon Prime, Youtube, and I think Disney. That was it... whatever streaming services were available when it was made. We ended up adding a Roku (4k of course) to put Hulu and some other apps (I think ESPN) on it.

Now, you can get Roku TVs (TVs with the Roku interface built into it).

Honestly, those streaming options you listed are probably the only ones we’ll watch.

I do appreciate all these suggestions from everyone but now I’m more confused then when I started lol

 

[sam_gordon]

Honestly, those streaming options you listed are probably the only ones we’ll watch.

I do appreciate all these suggestions from everyone but now I’m more confused then when I started lol

Heh. Sorry.

Start here...

WHY do you want a new smart tv?
Is it to just watch the streaming apps? Simply add a streaming device (Roku, Firestick, AppleTV). That's a lot simpler and cheaper. IMO, this is the best solution provided your existing TV is large enough and good enough quality for YOU (whoever is watching it).
Do you want to replace an existing TV? Why? Larger? Better Quality?
Do you want to add a TV?

 

[prairie_girl]

Heh. Sorry.

Start here...

WHY do you want a new smart tv?
Is it to just watch the streaming apps? Simply add a streaming device (Roku, Firestick, AppleTV). That's a lot simpler and cheaper. IMO, this is the best solution provided your existing TV is large enough and good enough quality for YOU (whoever is watching it).
Do you want to replace an existing TV? Why? Larger? Better Quality?
Do you want to add a TV?

It’s adding a tv. I have our existing 42” tv in my bedroom. When we have friends over, we move the tv from my room to the living room. Plus, if my husband wants to stream something, we move the tv out again. Do we need another tv? Absolutely not. Do I want one? Yep. It would be easy enough to hook up another chromecast to that tv so maybe that’s what I should do instead?

Plus, we rarely, and I mean rarely spend money on ourselves just for the heck of it. We’ll be married eight years on Boxing Day and what better way to celebrate than to do some major online shopping?

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

We have a Roku smart TV. I never thought I would like something better than AppleTV, but yea I don't even bother using that part, I just stick with the built in Roku. We have a TCL brand, it was SUPER cheap. However, I like the interface of the Roku TV better than Samsung my mother in-law has.

I cannot speak for how well a TCL will hold up because ours is like less than a month old (Black Friday special), but so far I have really liked it.

 

[firefly_ris]

I do not care for Smart TV apps, and I actively dislike all the extraneous crap on our Samsung SmartTV in the living room and don't use any of it. I run a personal Plex server and the version of the app for the SmartTV is worse than the one on the Fire stick for whatever reason. If it were me I would focus more on how many inputs it has, and the picture quality (and price of course) and get a Roku or a Fire stick plugged into it for apps. Bonus you can take it on vacation with you if you want.

 

[sam_gordon]

It’s adding a tv. I have our existing 42” tv in my bedroom. When we have friends over, we move the tv from my room to the living room. Plus, if my husband wants to stream something, we move the tv out again. Do we need another tv? Absolutely not. Do I want one? Yep. It would be easy enough to hook up another chromecast to that tv so maybe that’s what I should do instead?

Plus, we rarely, and I mean rarely spend money on ourselves just for the heck of it. We’ll be married eight years on Boxing Day and what better way to celebrate than to do some major online shopping?

Yes, I totally get wanting a new TV in there. I would look at one of the Roku TVs. It has the Roku app built in. Here's a JVC version for $500 with good reviews... https://www.amazon.com/JVC-55-Inch-...8011&s=tv&sprefix=roku+tv,aps,264&sr=1-5&th=1

If you have a Best Buy (or even Walmart/Meijer/Target), I suggest going and looking them. The TVs in stores are usually showing the same content so you can see which you like better.

Good luck!

 

[EACarlson]

TCL series 6 with Roku seems to always be listed as one of the best buys in TVs. The series 4 are a bit cheaper and still look very good but just a bit less than the series 6. I've had mine for 3 years now and I love it. The Series 4 in 55" is just about $300 US, looks like it's around $400 CAN

 

[mousefan73]

If you have to do a lot of connecting and disconnecting hooking up other external things like PlayStation or Nintendo and make sure that your ports are easily reachable. My mom‘s TV is a PIA because in order to plug stuff and you basically have to take the thing off the wall to reach the ports.

The other thing are remotes. We have a Samsung TV upstairs that is beautiful has one of the clearest displays but the remote is the biggest PIA. Most have voice activation anyways nowadays when you search but this one doesn’t if you have to use the alphabet oh dear God it’s painful.

We honestly don’t use any of the smart functions on our TV since we have Apple TV. I have never searched the Internet with her TV