new 55" TV suggestions

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › new 55" TV suggestions

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GrowlerNZ

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1103736 7-Aug-2014 24:00

GrowlerNZ: I'm fairly new to all of this so thought I would start here. I'm looking for a good 55" 3D LED TV, and looking to spend around 3K.
I want to use it for TV, movies and some games, but I want good picture quality, and preferably good build quality.
I know that some brands are better than others. but they all seem much of a muchness.
Reading through your forum it seems Sony and Panasonic are the better options? What are you thoughts?
Is there anything I need to stay away from?
Any assistance would be appreciated.

Nothing? Is this the wrong place to post?

bfginger

1267 posts

Uber Geek

#1103772 7-Aug-2014 06:34

GrowlerNZ: I'm fairly new to all of this so thought I would start here. I'm looking for a good 55" 3D LED TV, and looking to spend around 3K.
I want to use it for TV, movies and some games, but I want good picture quality, and preferably good build quality.
I know that some brands are better than others. but they all seem much of a muchness.
Reading through your forum it seems Sony and Panasonic are the better options? What are you thoughts?
Is there anything I need to stay away from?
Any assistance would be appreciated.

Sony and Panasonic have had better build quality than LG and Samsung. But Samsung does have some smart apps the other brands don't have yet. I don't think Panasonic and Sony have Freeview Satelite tuners in this year's models if that's something you want.

$3000 is more than enough to buy a 55" LCD. Don't have high expectations for 3D quality from most 2014 models as 4k is the new next big thing.

The KDL55W800B would be your main Sony option. You should be able to buy it for around $2100. Don't pay $2600 for it. It is one of the best 1080p LCDs for picture quality but doesn't have great viewing angles and 3D.

The KDL55W950B is their next model up. It has better viewing angles and possibly better sound but like some IPS panels it doesn't do blacks very well. Its picture quality may not be better than the W800B.

Panasonic has several options in that size range.

The 58AX800Z is a 4k television and possibly has some of the best LCD picture quality on the market. At $4500 it's over your budget but the price might come down after the AX900 is released.

The 55AS800Z is an IPS panel television which means it has good viewing angles. The retailers are overcharging for the AS800Z by about $400 to $500 compared with Australian prices so don't pay $3000 for it. It has a good review on avforums.co.uk and should be better than Sony's equivalent. I don't know how the AS700 compares.

Turn the television's overscan off once you get it.

NzBeagle

961 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#1103778 7-Aug-2014 07:05

This thread asks a similar question, and ended up going with a nice Samsung model.

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=34&topicid=150758

What sources are you thinking of utilising also? As mentioned Samsung is a leader of smart apps here in nz. But Panasonic has some real nice panels, so it will depend how you want to use your panel. Eg, just a display with sources providing all the content vs a panel that can acquire it's own content.

Dunnersfella

4086 posts

Uber Geek

#1104408 7-Aug-2014 21:05

bfginger:
The 55AS800Z is an IPS panel television which means it has good viewing angles. The retailers are overcharging for the AS800Z by about $400 to $500 compared with Australian prices so don't pay $3000 for it. It has a good review on avforums.co.uk and should be better than Sony's equivalent. I don't know how the AS700 compares.

Buy this.
It's the best looking panel I've seen for 2014 to date.
However, if you're NOT putting it on the wall, beware that the panel sits on an angle, so it won't be ideal for most rooms.
Also, don't buy a TV based on its apps, go for a separate box / PC that you can keep up to date easily or replace easily due to its inexpensive nature (Apple TV / Roku / Raspberry Pi etc).

GrowlerNZ

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1104535 8-Aug-2014 00:21

Thanks guys. Some helpful tips.
I was originally looking at 4k but there is no content out there yet, and the prices kinda put me off. And am I better to wait until it is more mainstream.
Whatever I choose will be an improvement on the old 32" CRT TV I have. I really can't go bigger than 55" because of the size of the room, and don't want to mount it to the wall if I have to.
So many decisions!

bfginger

1267 posts

Uber Geek

#1105211 9-Aug-2014 00:30

Do you mean by "the panel sits at an angle" it slants slightly backwards by default? I can see it doesn't have a convention stand and uses a weight block to balance.

benokobi

927 posts

Ultimate Geek

ID Verified

#1105219 9-Aug-2014 01:19

Next TV I buy is gonna be a lg. I've had a thing for lg since the g2 and their TV ui looks good

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tenz

14 posts

Geek

#1105279 9-Aug-2014 10:09

benokobi: Next TV I buy is gonna be a lg. I've had a thing for lg since the g2 and their TV ui looks good

That's exactly what I thought I researched about the smart apps and all the features, but in the end when I got the TV all I can say is the quality control of LG is....$%^&*() and their customer service was so shocking that I would stay well away from LG if anything where to ever go wrong.

PhantomNVD

2619 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1105309 9-Aug-2014 11:01

Samsung every day for me!

shk292

2853 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1105321 9-Aug-2014 11:40

PhantomNVD: Samsung every day for me!

Same for me. I'm so impressed with the smart features on my 2014 Samsung, and so unimpressed with the equivalent rubbish on my Pana devices, that it would take a lot to persuade me away from Samsung. I know the purists will say the pictures aten't as good on Samsung, but for me the convenience and WAF of being able to access almost all sources direct from the TV, with a single remote, outweighs this

vexxxboy

4243 posts

Uber Geek

#1105323 9-Aug-2014 11:50

Smith city are selling a LG 55ub50t 4k 3d 55" for $2500. good price

Common sense is not as common as you think.

bfginger

1267 posts

Uber Geek

#1105645 9-Aug-2014 21:51

tenz:
benokobi: Next TV I buy is gonna be a lg. I've had a thing for lg since the g2 and their TV ui looks good

That's exactly what I thought I researched about the smart apps and all the features, but in the end when I got the TV all I can say is the quality control of LG is....$%^&*() and their customer service was so shocking that I would stay well away from LG if anything where to ever go wrong.

I don't think I'd buy an LG for its Smart features
http://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/14/05/21/1456206/declining-lgs-new-ad-friendly-privacy-policy-removes-features-from-smart-tvs

Dunnersfella

4086 posts

Uber Geek

#1105659 9-Aug-2014 23:11

vexxxboy: Smith city are selling a LG 55ub50t 4k 3d 55" for $2500. good price

There's a thread about this model somewhere on here... one of the worst reviews I've ever read for a TV. Avoid if possible, LG's full HD's around that price are a much better bet.

GrowlerNZ

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1109682 16-Aug-2014 21:26

I have seen the Sony X9004A - 4K TV on sale for around $3500. Is this TV any good?

bfginger

1267 posts

Uber Geek

#1109973 17-Aug-2014 15:20

GrowlerNZ: I have seen the Sony X9004A - 4K TV on sale for around $3500. Is this TV any good?

I think this review is for the UK release of that TV
http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/kd55x9005-201312273528.htm
this is the 2014 revision
http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/kd55x9005b-201405123771.htm

There is discussion about the X9004A here
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2119940

Don't buy it unless you've made sure it supports HDMI 2. The model's entry on Sony's website says there is a firmware updating coming at the end of "2013" that adds support for HDMI 2.

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