Is It Worth Waiting if Looking for a Large TV?

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Is It Worth Waiting if Looking for a Large TV?

TLD

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#157509 3-Dec-2014 11:13

We've lusted after a bigger screen for a while now, but have not done the sort of research I suspect most of the people in this forum have, so I have to admit to being a wee bit confused about it all. We currently have a 42 inch Pioneer 436PG.

I've read a bit about OLED, but if I have understood it correctly, they don't go to the 60 inch size we'd be looking for, or if they do, would be a lot of money. BTW When I asked in Harvey Norman in Blenheim yesterday, he said that OLED means the curved screens. That didn't sound right.

So I guess what I am asking, is this a good time to be looking for a 60 inch TV, or are there developments in the wind worth waiting for? I also have to say that a couple of the large 4K screens looked damn impressive in HN, but I assume they were being feed with a 4K program. He told me that Sky would be transmitting 4K next year, which also sounded wrong, but it would be nice if it was true.

TIA

Trevor Dennis
Rapaura (near Blenheim)

sidefx

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#1187820 3-Dec-2014 11:23

Wow, sounds like you had a real gem of a salesman.... Yes, both things he told you are rubbish. TBH I wouldn't believe anything that comes out of the mouth of someone who claims Sky will do 4K next year. I also wouldn't bother waiting, because you'll end up waiting forever for the "next big thing" (TM)

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Handsomedan

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#1187838 3-Dec-2014 11:32

If you decide to wait, you could be waiting for a long time - not because the tech isn't coming, but because it's always moving. The next big thing is always on the horizon.

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TLD

902 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1187863 3-Dec-2014 11:45

I had two sales people approach me while I browsed. The first was a young lady who was helpful and seemed to give me good advice, but it was telling that she said 'The men tell me off for saying things like this.' So they apparently don't encourage honest advice before selling the biggest screen with the highest mark up.

All she said was to stand back at your normal viewing distance, and compare the screens against each other. We sit 12 feet (3.6m) from the screen, and at that distance, I'm not so sure my tired old eyes could see a difference between the 4K and 1080 screens, but there were definitely some stand out screens.

Trevor Dennis
Rapaura (near Blenheim)

afe66

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#1187883 3-Dec-2014 12:31

If I was buying a big new tv, I would look at ones with h265 compatibility to try to ensure that when higher definition (4k) signals start being thrown arround, I would be able to use them.

Alternatively I would look at HTPC options that have the neccessary power/option to decode and output such a signal. ie high bandwidth connections.

Other opinions are available.

A.

Wade

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#1187893 3-Dec-2014 12:47

At a quick glance 4K tv's in Aussie is fast becoming mainstream and affordable, NZ hasn't quite seen the 4K flurry of excitement yet, i suspect that when we do then is the time to either look at 4K or picking up a top end end of line 1080P TV

old3eyes

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#1187895 3-Dec-2014 12:52

Isn't Netflix supposed to be going 4K??

Regards,

Old3eyes

Krishant007

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#1187905 3-Dec-2014 13:04

I would wait for 4K maybe for another year. I have been flirting with the idea of getting a new tv and have thought of 4K tvs as well. But I think we are just seeing the first generation of 4K tvs in the sub $2000 price range. I will wait for more offerings to become available and maybe by mid next year or this time next year, 4K tv would be prime for the pick..

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geekiegeek

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#1187941 3-Dec-2014 13:49

I'm not sure 4K at 60" is really worthwhile, I would probably go for the best 1080p model you can find. Beware of cheaper 4K sets as well as one of the main features you will use is the scaler which up-scales the non-4K content you will mostly be watching. Cheaper sets use cheaper scalers and will not do as good a job as a more expensive set (usually).

Personally I wouldn't buy a 4k under 80" but my main screen is 100" projector :-)

Regs

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Snowflake

#1187994 3-Dec-2014 14:41

OLED 4K screens will be here next year, but they may take another 12-24 months to come down to a reasonable price. Can you live with your current TV that long? There is always something newer around the corner - if you see a screen you like now, at a great price, go for it. Personally, I couldn't quite like any of the LED/LCD screens - 4K looked good and OLED looked great but $$ - so stuck with a plasma.

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Dunnersfella

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#1188256 3-Dec-2014 20:47

To clarify...
MySky are looking to go UHD (not 4K, that's a spec for movie cinema's, not TV's) hence all new fitouts getting dual LNB dishes / runs of cable. Another satellite should come on-line soon allowing them to increase bandwidth... and potentially UHD programming.
However.
The sales person probably got confused re: Netflix coming to NZ in 2015, and as they offer UHD in the USA, most believe we'll see UHD content in NZ if their internet connection allows...
However, content is still the issue. Well, it may not be once the UHD disc standard is confirmed in early 2015.

Now.
The OLED technology is currently only available as a 55" TV... and yes, it does currently mean you can only buy it as a curved screen model. Is that what they meant?
If it was me, and I wanted an OLED, I'd go back and find the girl at Harvey's and take a look at the TV playing Sky / Freeview etc. Then compare it to a UHD model... as the OLED is NOT UHD.
I do like the TV, despite the curve, it really, really is nice.

Spyware

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#1188289 3-Dec-2014 21:47

Dunnersfella: To clarify...
MySky are looking to go UHD (not 4K, that's a spec for movie cinema's, not TV's) hence all new fitouts getting dual LNB dishes / runs of cable. Another satellite should come on-line soon allowing them to increase bandwidth... and potentially UHD programming.
.

No new satellite is to be used by Sky. They are relying on the transition to DVB-S2 H.264 (the reason the legacy boxes have to be upgraded) on Optus D1 to provide adequate bandwidth. I've seen no evidence to suggest that the new boxes will be UHD capable and I doubt they will be, current mySky certainly isn't.

Note: The dual runs from LNBs were stopped years ago.

The real truth is that Sky's 576i transmissions are a vulgar low bitrate mess just about unfit to display on any modern TV and most if not all HD channels have been reduced to 1440x1080i. It will be the end of 2016 before any attempt at resolution. Sky can then think about shift to Ultra Fast Broadband, i.e., radio over fibre. I doubt you'll see any UHD before 2020 from them.

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TLD

902 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1188623 4-Dec-2014 13:16

I've had another look at OLED, but they are currently rather more than I want to spend, and I'd like to go beyond the 55inch, so makes life easier. I'm not homing in on anything specific, but getting there, so thanks for the help.

BTW We some how managed to mess up with some recorded programs from too far back for OnDemand, but found them online, and watched them on the computer (it was too much trouble to hook a laptop to the TV for a one off). So my wife says, If we had the new TV, would we have been able to watch this in the lounge? to which the answer was yes, so that bought the purchase a bit nearer :-)

Trevor Dennis
Rapaura (near Blenheim)