What TV NOT to buy?

[Wizard]

In the market for a TV and basically seeking some advice at the moment on which brands are in the avoid at all costs basket?

Conversly if you have reccomendations on which brands are really good quality and lasting products at the moment that advice would be great too.

 

[dav3]

I've been looking into TVs a little bit lately, I think as long as you stick to the bigger brands you should be fine. It sounds like (in general) Samsung/Sony are probably the better brands out there at the moment, with Panasonic and LG a bit behind them. How long they last will always vary, like all tech products, all you can really do is pick one you like the look of and has the features you're after and hope for the best.

 

[funk44]

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum/126?g=186

 

[FR0GGY]

Love samsungs but hate their slow electronic program guide.

 

[Mighty P]

I enjoy my Samsung, but was lucky to get a bigger and better model after the original one I bought died after only 4 months. The Samsung Help people were fantastic though, got it done quickly and efficiently.

 

[Kram]

Samsung are best value for money imo.

 

[NetworkNerd]

I have a Hisense Android TV. While significantly cheaper, Google TV is in its infancy and not too many media apps are compatible with the TV. Defintely not a tv for your parents/grandparents. Ok for tech-minded people

 

[Harris Specter]

Right now, Sony and LG are at the top followed by Samsung, clear top 3.

 

[Total_Juddshanks]

As has been said, can't go wrong with Sony/Samsung/LG.

I reckon the better question is if you don't want to pay top dollar but just want an affordable big screen which has decent features and picture quality and won't have any issues, what's good value, and what's not? Is it better to buy a lower end brand new, or just get a top tier brand a year or two older and maybe second hand?

For mine, I'd never buy a Soniq- a few years back we got a supposed big screen HD set for a sharehouse loungeroom which noone really wanted to pay out a lot for, the sound was dreadful, verging on defective, and when we returned it the replacement had the same issue. Have had good experiences with JVC and they seem to be somewhere between the top end stuff and the budget stuff.

The other thing I wonder about is if it is better to just buy a budget model and await developments for 4-5 years- would be interested to hear from those who know better, but my impression is there is some pretty incredible tech which is still in its infancy but might really change the market over the next few years- you don't want to be the guy who bought a top tier CRT big screen just before flatscreens went mental.

 

[dav3]

As has been said, can't go wrong with Sony/Samsung/LG.

I reckon the better question is if you don't want to pay top dollar but just want an affordable big screen which has decent features and picture quality and won't have any issues, what's good value, and what's not? Is it better to buy a lower end brand new, or just get a top tier brand a year or two older and maybe second hand?

For mine, I'd never buy a Soniq- a few years back we got a supposed big screen HD set for a sharehouse loungeroom which noone really wanted to pay out a lot for, the sound was dreadful, verging on defective, and when we returned it the replacement had the same issue. Have had good experiences with JVC and they seem to be somewhere between the top end stuff and the budget stuff.

The other thing I wonder about is if it is better to just buy a budget model and await developments for 4-5 years- would be interested to hear from those who know better, but my impression is there is some pretty incredible tech which is still in its infancy but might really change the market over the next few years- you don't want to be the guy who bought a top tier CRT big screen just before flatscreens went mental.

Personally I wouldn't touch a no-name brand like Soniq, and would be very careful buying brands like JVC and Toshiba which have made an appearance in places like Dick Smiths lately. The JVC and Toshiba TVs we get here are all meant to be very low quality cut-price panels.

There's always going to be some amazing new tech that's "a couple of years" away from release with pretty much any bit of electronics you look at, the best you can probably do is look at what's on special and grab the best you can afford. All the new models should be out shortly so I'd say there should be a lot of bargains on last years models coming up soon. If 4K means that much to you then hold out and see what happens, otherwise I'd just pick up a nice mid-range 1080p screen at a good price and "cope" with FullHD for a while.

 

[HirdyLannister]

I wouldn't buy anything other than a samsung, I have 3x 3TB hard drives hooked upto mine and it plays everything I download. My parents bought a Sony in the same year and similar spec TV too mine and it doesn't even read a USB stick with a movie on it.

 

[Kram]

The quality of Sony products has slipped a lot over the years.

 

[dav3]

The quality of Sony products has slipped a lot over the years.

I don't know about long term quality but Sony gear seems to be pretty good, I've got a 32" one (at least 3 years old) that I've had no issues with.

 

[juss]

I bought a Soniq recently because the price was great based on the specs and size compared to other brands of similar specs and size. Don't do it. Don't go budget. The build quality is poorer, it doesn't look as good when watching, and within a couple of years I'd have issues with the picture, it would occasionally streak colours across the screen, occasionaly turn on and all you'd see is a blank screen despite hearing audio, even the settings and remote weren't that user friendly, the buttons on the remote would require you to press several times before it would register it etc.

Next TV I got was a 50 inch LG, sure it's significantly more expensive than the cheaper brands, but it makes all the difference. User friendly, great quality, great picture, absolutely no issues, everything about its use and features and the way it all works just makes sense. When you turn on things like the PS4 on another input, it asks if youd like to change to that source before you even have to select the input. It's the little clever things like that that you will appreciate.

Honestly, a TV you'll keep for atleast 5-10 years in some room in the house, even if you do upgrade and move it to another room down the track, spend the extra few hundred backs. A decade of viewing on a better quality TV will be well worth the extra money now.

Get yourself a LG/Sony/Samsung, no question.

 

[Kram]

It not as if those brand names these days are that expensive anyway, unless you were really strapped for cash I don't know why you would go with a cheapie especially for your main TV.

 

[Kram]

ffs one of my Samsung TVs has gone on the blink and wont turn on at all, the standby light just keeps flashing.. Has anyone else ha this problem? Almost certain it's past the 1 year for warranty too.

 

[FIGJAM]

I'm going to have to buy one mid year and I reckon half the fun is going to be working out which of the OSes are going to be the best as well as the hardware!

 

[Parasite]

I enjoy my Samsung, but was lucky to get a bigger and better model after the original one I bought died after only 4 months. The Samsung Help people were fantastic though, got it done quickly and efficiently.

I had a similar experience but was even luckier, bought a Samsung 42 inch (Plasma?? Can't remember) with a 3(?5 maybe) year warranty a while back. It dies with about a month to run on the warranty, they can't get the replacement panels any more, so I'm supplied with a brand new LED tv with the works (way more features than the busted one). Happy days.

 

[Kram]

Samsung offered to fix mine for free even though warranty was passed but there's no technician out here so I guess I'll have to take it to Perth or something.

 

[Full Wingspan]

Won't contribute to the discussion of the top three brands - but generally those bigger brands are more likely to uphold and comply with Australian Consumer Law (ACL).

Do not buy and extended warranty or let the offer of an extended warranty persuade you into buying a TV - chances are you already have those same rights under legislation.

For example, your television comes with a one year warranty and fails after two years from a manufacturer fault/defect (not physical or liquid damage). Depending on what the reasonable person expects a television of your price range to last for, that's how long it should be free from defects and consequently, you are entitled to a replacement/repair if things do go wrong.

My Samsung television cost $490 from Harvey Norman, and failed after three and a half years - would the average reasonable person expect it to last longer? Yes, however I was probably pushing it - and I'm at uni so any chance of getting a freebie is a chance I'm happy to take.

Harvey Norman informed me I had to deal with Samsung directly (which I now believe is not necessarily true anymore, you are entitled to a resolution under the ACL via the retailer), however, I ended up contacting Samsung and after about an hour long phone call, they referred me to a repair agent within 10 minutes of my location in Geelong - I told them I wasn't going to travel further than the distance from the Harvey Norman I picked up the television from.

They did however argue that the ACL did not apply as I put a deposit on the telly on December 26 2010, and had paid for and picked it up on January 4th 2011 - the ACL did not come into effect until January 1 2011. Having completed contract law the trimester prior, I knew from my studies that deposits don't constitute the sale of goods and services - the contract is formed upon receiving the item and/or where stated otherwise. I successfully argued the ACL applied and my broken telly was fixed.

Here are some helpful sources to remind you of your rights.

Happy buying.

http://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/busi...s/warranties-and-consumer-guarantees-on-goods

 

[Caesar]

I have a Panasonic. My old housemate had an LG of similar vintage, and my parents have Sonys - my opinion is that I got the best value. Much cheaper and very little discernable difference in quality.

Bought mine a few years ago, so not sure if things have changed recently.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

My old housemate bought a Hisense that was on special. Despite hours of internet searching the model number we couldn't turn off the "soap opera" effect and concluded we couldn't. So that was crap.

I wouldn't buy anything other than a samsung, I have 3x 3TB hard drives hooked upto mine and it plays everything I download. My parents bought a Sony in the same year and similar spec TV too mine and it doesn't even read a USB stick with a movie on it.

Anecdotally (and I don't know much) getting a TV that will play all the file types seems to be an issue if you get something cheap or a model that's a few years old. When I eventually buy a new one I'm going to be anal about checking that first.

 

[Kram]

Samsung offered to fix mine for free even though warranty was passed but there's no technician out here so I guess I'll have to take it to Perth or something.

Samsung fixed this for me without charge, but wow they actually sent a tech on a 600km round trip all the way from Perth out to where I live for only 1 job just fix my TV. Unbelievable that a company would do that, disappointing it had a fault so early but after doing that so easily for you it certainly encourages you to buy their products.

 

[Alexandear]

Samsung ,it drove me mad !

 

[Resistor]

http://www.lg.com/au/tvs/lg-49UB850T

Totally legit. Runs 4.4.4 chroma so it can be used as a computer monitor as well. If you can wait a few years, get the OLED 4k from LG when they come down in price. If you are looking for picture quality and nothing else, get an old plasma from gumtree. Still the best blacks in tv quality around