# Smart Tv Advice Please



## scottswatches (Sep 22, 2009)

I will be buying a new 32" telly soon, and smart tv seems the way to go. However, from experience of different smart tv in hotels do all of them take an age to flick up a channel? Some can be 15-30 seconds starting and they all seem slow to change channel, which might put me off

Anyone with any experience to help me out? Any brands to recommend or avoid? I am leaning towards Samsung


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## mrbarry (Dec 20, 2014)

My 2p.

Don't buy a cheap home brand, you get what you pay for. Panasonic, Sony, Samsung, toshiba. All good. Viewing angle is a big issue with cheaper sets and the black tones look juddery and false.

The processor speed in the set effects the menu and pictures motion control and colour etc. There is a fair bit to it. But stick to a decent brand and you'll not be disappointed.

As for smart features. Waste of time if you ask me, very poor. I use a laptop, desktop and mobile phone and all can connect to my network to display on any TV in the house. Far better way to do it.

Just look online for TV reviews. John Lewis price match and offer a free 5 hear no quibble guarantee btw, I never shop a where else. The 5 year guarantee alone would be Â£100+ from curries or argos.


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## jeffvader (Jun 10, 2008)

We've got a 40" 4K Samsung Smart TV & it's great, had a 32" HD Samsung before.

Early SMART was painful, but this one is great with Netflix. We have Infinity so that does help with the streaming.


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## jeffvader (Jun 10, 2008)

+1 on John Lewis, only place to shop.


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## fernface (Mar 9, 2011)

Recently purchased a Sony 50 inch smart TV from John Lewis. Lots and lots of settings, movies, sports and the football setting is magic. Slight problem, John Lewis failed to deliver on the day they promised, but they did discount by Â£50 as a result . Netflix excellent no waiting to load (of course this is dependent on your broadband speed).


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## rhino2k (Oct 17, 2014)

Definitely a Samsung with the Quad core processor, You will not go far wrong with this....

http://www.johnlewis.com/samsung-ue32h4500-led-hd-ready-smart-tv-32-with-freeview-hd/p1455313?colour=White

Plus you get the 5 year warranty and JL will take the tv back for exchange after quite some time I believe!


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## lewjamben (Dec 4, 2007)

I bought a 40" LG Smart TV at Christmas and I'm really happy with it. Changes channel as quick as I'd expect and no issues with viewing at an angle.

Only downside is that it seems there's a new update available every week!


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## scottswatches (Sep 22, 2009)

excellent - the advice is well heeded as the link is the exact model I want, from the store i want to buy it from. it is lovely when people agree with your choice (and possibly a first for the internet!)


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## rhino2k (Oct 17, 2014)

scottswatches said:


> excellent - the advice is well heeded as the link is the exact model I want, from the store i want to buy it from. it is lovely when people agree with your choice (and possibly a first for the internet!)


Glad to be of help, Going to get the 22" version for my daughters bedroom and link up to my Plex server (basically a jukebox for movies, which can be accessed via an app on the tv)

You cannot go wrong with Samsung for a TV, Every model gets a better than average review and their smart platform is still the one to beat.

I have quite a background with AV kit, I had a 7.1 sound system in my bedroom when it first came out, With 20000W of power.....Slightly overkill :lol:

Also had one of the last Pioneer Kuro TV's, Could have got a Rolex for what that cost! Come to think of it I had one of the first 42" plasma's on the market, Cost a fortune and was utter rubbish compared to what you get now!


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## Timez Own (Oct 19, 2013)

Haven't got a smart tv myself. But having just hooked up a roku3 to my 50" Panasonic am very impressed. Netflix, catchup tv channels, etc and loads more. Easy to set up and if the tech gets old before the tv then I'll just plug something else in. There's also an app so you can control it from a tablet, phone or even your main computer. The tiny box can be hidden out of sight too if you prefer as the controlling of it is done without the need to see it like normal infra red controlled devices.

Just another angle, happy hunting


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

I bought an all singing all dancing smart 3D Panasonic plasma it lasted just over a year and got the black stipe of death, if you google it or search here you find my posts. Apparently not an uncommon occurrence. I like Panasonic and against my better judgement bought another one but an LCD but I made sure I got a long term warranty this time.

Not withstanding the issue with the original one both have fantastic pictures when veiwing in HD its just a pity the plasma one packed up but I still use it as a juke box in the bedroom.


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## scottswatches (Sep 22, 2009)

Finally got a new telly. Well, two!

For the kitchen I got a blaupunkt 32" with HD tuner for £155. Just so cheap I had to.

For my new snug, I have just bought a Samsung 6900 40" with ultra high Def. These 4k tvs might be the future, but argos had £300 off these clearance sets do for £449 I had to do it.

One thing to bear in mind is Richer sounds now do six year warranties as standard with most tvs. Shame that they didn't have the set I wanted.

Review next week once it is set up!


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

Tonight, about twenty minutes ago, I managed to hook up my tablet/phablet to do YouTube on the big screen telly, we've always had this facility but getting it ti work has been a PITA as you had to enter your search requests letter by letter stepping up and down and across. :yahoo:

Was all pleased with myself till one of the kids came in and I proudly proclaimed my new technosavvy-ness. "Feck Off"or words to that effect says #2 daughter and adds that the TV is too old to have wifi/bluetooth wireless connections - - and so I dig out the book and she's right? Then I realise the phablet is paired with the Virgin TIVO box and not the telly, and that's how it's working :bash:

Oh Well, better than nowt - - but it looks like it only pairs with the TIVO for a session, after which you have to enter a new code the next time you want to do anything. :smile:

Feckin' clever just the same, sit in the chair and remote select YT videos from the phablet screen - - tomoorow I'm gonna try the laptop with it, apparently you can do the same with that?


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

I'll be interested to know how you get on with the Blaupunkt, our local Tesco knock them out for buttons and I thought about a small one for Big M in the kitchen. Is it still the same people that made the car stereos ??


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## dobra (Aug 20, 2009)

Badge engineering Bond. Made in Slovenia...

Mike


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

dobra said:


> Badge engineering Bond. Made in Slovenia...
> 
> Mike


I thought they were too cheap but it's only for the kitchen so if you get a couple of years out of it, can't be any worse than the big Panasonic that went after not much more than a year and it wasn't cheap.


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## William_Wilson (May 21, 2007)

BondandBigM said:


> dobra said:
> 
> 
> > Badge engineering Bond. Made in Slovenia...
> ...


There or only three or four companies in Asia that make all of the LCD screens for TVs and monitors. The question is... are the electronics that drive them any good?

Later,
William


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## William_Wilson (May 21, 2007)

mel said:


> tomoorow I'm gonna try the laptop with it, apparently you can do the same with that?


If your laptop has HDMI output, you can plug the TV into the laptop directly and use it like a monitor and watch full screen Youtube as well as online TV network content. If the laptop does not have HDMI out but has DVI out you can get an inexpensive adapter to connect it to an HDMI input.

I have an ancient Dell laptop connected via DVI to HDMI adaptor and mini stereo cable to our 50" Sony set. The Sony is a SmartTV but an F'ing nightmare to navigate, even with a wireless keyboard and track pad.

Later,
William


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