Toolong

Just now, Toolong said:

Fact is, no, my wife never actually verbalised that she specifically wanted a LG, but we have an LG in another place, that she's happy with. And that's her (understandable) mentally, more than it mine. 

I have been most genuinely willing to research and try and persuade her of the merits of  equally good less expensive, and perhaps even more appropiate (to her needs) brands & models. But.....I admit to a fear of opting for something other than LG that would, should anything about it dissatisfy her, be a cross to bear!! Sure, I know that sounds pathetic! ????????

But Bruno, right now I love your suggestion that I post the LG model number etc. Will do.

 

After comments about 'burning', which I wasn't before aware of, I'm concerned the it might be an issue with some TVs, even pricier ones, as she does watch a lot of Thai tv...with all the logos and ribbons running across the bottom of the screen etc. How to avoid or limit that burn?

 

So anyway I'll post the model number if I can find the pic i took the shop. If I can't...recall it was 2021 model LG 55inch 4k nanocell priced at around 26000 baht. 

Sorry...'mentality'!

33 minutes ago, Bruno123 said:

His wife obviously stated that before he initiated the thread.

That's what I meant; if he already knew what she wanted; he could have posted the LG model number and then he would have been much better placed to convince her with specific points; rather than generalities.

 

Knowing the model number enabled me to show him issues with their 'Local Dimming'. That is something he could have shown to her.

Fact is, no, my wife never actually verbalised that she specifically wanted a LG, but we have an LG in another place, that she's happy with. And that's her (understandable) mentally, more than it mine. 

I have been most genuinely willing to research and try and persuade her of the merits of  equally good less expensive, and perhaps even more appropiate (to her needs) brands & models. But.....I admit to a fear of opting for something other than LG that would, should anything about it dissatisfy her, be a cross to bear!! Sure, I know that sounds pathetic! ????????

But Bruno, right now I love your suggestion that I post the LG model number etc. Will do.

After comments about 'burning', which I wasn't before aware of, I'm concerned the it might be an issue with some TVs, even pricier ones, as she does watch a lot of Thai tv...with all the logos and ribbons running across the bottom of the screen etc. How to avoid or limit that burn?

So anyway I'll post the model number if I can find the pic i took the shop. If I can't...recall it was 2021 model LG 55inch 4k nanocell priced at around 26000 baht. 

2 hours ago, Bruno123 said:

Yes, that sort of thing, but Thai oriented for Thai speaking media.

 

If you are open to getting a separate Android Box or similar for the TV at some point; then the HiSense TV might not be a bad choice. The picture quality should be good; though cannot speak for their after sales service nor reliability. Though LCDTVTHAILAND look to be a decent retailer.

 

I've already posted a link describing HiSense's VIDAA U pros and cons.

Am also concerned the LCDTVTHAILAND has just one left at such a good price. Make sure that it is not a display model.

 

 

 

To be honest, Bruno (and all who've kindly offered useful info), I have just had a chat with my wife an hour ago about the good sense of considering TVs that are (often much)  less expensive than the big brand ones we've looked at, yet meet our needs just as sufficiently, etc. (Based on the advice from this site.)

Although politely listening & hearing me out I quickly sensed, from the subtlest of expressions on her face, what I'd predicted: that it would pay me in the long run, in all sorts of ways, to just go with what she originally fancied in the shop, an LG model at around 25000 baht. So that'll likely be the outcome, for better or worse! ????

Oh, the rich pageant of it all!

On 10/29/2021 at 10:57 PM, Bruno123 said:

 

It's the same TV that I mentioned earlier: https://www.dignited.com/74255/vidaa-os-hisense-smart-tv-platform/

 

No clear choice without being able to view the quality of the TVs with your own eyes.

 

On paper, the OP may need to decide on which to give priority. Maybe read a bit more about the TV operating systems involved and decide whether that is something about which his wife would be interested.

Does she use  applications on Android for videos, music and entertainment? 

 

If no interest in that side of things; then the HiSense might make sense. In that case I would also compare it closely with the U8G

 

 

Will have a read up on TV operating systems (hopefully I'll be able to understand at least SOME of what it says!)

As for wife using apps on Android.....you mean like youtube? Netflix? Facebook?

(Thicko alert!.....Bruno....and others......I am unusually ignorant about what to most people is basic tech terminology!)

????

On 10/30/2021 at 2:32 AM, Bruno123 said:

https://browserhow.com/best-browsers-androidtv-os/

 

Might be of interest to those who use a Browser on their Smart TV.

Definitely of interest, Bruno! Cheers ????

On 10/29/2021 at 2:39 AM, vinny41 said:

Toolong

 

Here one you might want to look at

HISENSE 65U7G 4K LED TV 65 INCH DOLBY VISION / ATMOS U7G SERIES 3 YEAR THAI CENTER WARRANTY 21,900 baht

https://www.lcdtvthailandshop.com/catagories/tv/hisense-tv/65u7g.html

Hey Vinny...

Sorry for late reply. That definitely sounds worth a look-see. Will check it out. Good specs and reasonable price.

Appreciate you sending the link. Thanks ????

On 10/27/2021 at 10:23 AM, vinny41 said:

Toolong Yes it is a minefield, If I was you I wouldn't get 2 hung up on the different terms

Start with working out

 Min/Max Budget ( ideally 10K difference between min and max)

then decide min/max size (more often or not size is restricted to TV location or your wife may decide she doesn't want a certain size as it would dominated the room.

Then make a shortlist of TV's I would have 2 lists Chinese brands and well known brands

Oled Tv's prices start at around 35K for 48" going up to 100K plus

Full Array Local Dimming is not normally on lower end tv's prices start from 25K upwards

You Wife is partially correct in the view that a more expensive item must be better than a cheaper item

In that the more expensive item will have more options and better materals in the build

 

Local Dimming on TVs

Direct-Lit, Full-Array, and Edge-Lit

https://www.rtings.com/tv/tests/picture-quality/local-dimming

 

 

QLED vs OLED vs LED TVs

Which one is the best?

https://www.rtings.com/tv/learn/qled-vs-oled-vs-led

Thanks Vinny. 

Very interesting. You mentioned OLEDs starting at around 35k and that is very helpful to know as I can at least rule them out!! I'm looking at 25/26000 baht max, possibly much much cheaper. 

So the link you kindly provided about QLED/OLED/LED etc, was also helpful as it explains some alternative terms that different brands may use but actually mean the same thing! ???? it's that kind of stuff that gets me so confused.....so I thank you for that useful link, as well as the other sound advice you kindly offer. 

Much appreciated. ????

23 hours ago, Bruno123 said:

Another one worth a look; according to it's spec, price point and general recommendations here is this; https://www.jd.co.th/product/_26683568.html 

 

Here is a very detailed review of the smaller screen version: https://www-lcdtvthailand-com.translate.goog/review/review_tcl50c725-4k-qledtv/

 

Compromise looks to me to be the screen quality, with Global Dimming as opposed to Local Dimming. But the HiSense doesn't have Full Array Local Dimming either; plus you'll be stuck with their limited OS. It's a minefield out there ????

 

 

'Minefield' is right, I reckon! ????

Thanks for links, Bruno. Trouble though for me, is that I can't easily assess the merits of these TVs when I can't even understand what the terms mean! 'Qled'....'Oled'.....' ????.....and 'Global Dimming' (Greta Thunberg hasn't mentioned that!)....wow!

But I'm gettin' there......thanks to kind advice from people like yourself, thanks!????

On 10/25/2021 at 4:11 PM, vinny41 said:

Toolong,

You might find this helpful is trying to locate a best value for money tv don't focus to much on model numbers as this is primarly for the UK

https://www.avforums.com/threads/new-my-best-value-tvs-2020-2021-edition.2325951/#post-28625711

based on your previous answers you should be looking at

TVs with narrow viewing angles, but better contrast, blacks and dark room/scene performance

Now one of the models they mention in the 55-60 section is the

Hisense 58A7100 (UK model number) if we look at the Hinsense Thailand website the same model is there . 58A7100F price 19,000 baht

https://www.hisense.co.th/products/overview/20

https://hisense.co.uk/tvs/

Thanks Vinny. Sorry for slow response. I will definitely check out the link. Interesting, because until very very recently I hadn't even heard of brands like Hisense and TCL (or is it TLC?!). I'll check it out. Cheers, and appreciate your recommendations. ????

13 hours ago, vinny41 said:

how far will your wife be sitting from the tv and will she be viewing the tv straight ahead or her or at at an angle

Also will there be any direct lighting on the tv such as sunlight

I wouldn't get o focused on brands as you can have a TV that is unsuitable for your needs and one that is suitable both from the same brand

TV Size to Distance Calculator and Science

https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/by-size/size-to-distance-relationship

 

if she is sitting 15ft from the TV she is unlikely to see any benefit from a 4k 55" TV showing 4k Content

some tv's will have narrow viewing angles

some tv's will have wide viewing angles

some tv's will perform worse if there is direct sunlight on the TV compared to other TV's

Oh crikey, Vinny.....now you've given me something ELSE to consider!! ????????

She'll be sitting directly opposite TV, about 8/9 feet away. No direct sunlight. Mostly evening viewing in darkish room. 

I haven't checked out your link yet, but will. Thanks for posting. ????

14 hours ago, dddave said:

Over the last 10 years, I've had a number of TCL TV's and have never had a maintenance issue with any of them.  The only reason I had many was because I was continually trading for up-size and more advanced picture quality as the prices dropped every year.  Prices have recently been going up because of the weak Baht and supply chain issues.

TCL did not get to be the worlds largest selling brand selling "disposable garbage".  

Among reliable reviewers in the press and on YouTube, TCL is considered by most to be the best value TV on the market. Also, currently HISENSE TV's are very well thought of as well.

Not necessarily the finest picture quality of all...that pretty much goes to premium LG and Sony units but they will also cost upwards of four times as much.   

Most average viewers can not see the differences unless they are side-by-side. 

If the OP is really more comfortable buying a brand he knows, there are excellent TV's from all the major manufacturers: Panasonic, LG, Sony, Samsung, ect.  They just cost more; feature to feature.

 

Regarding Thai broadcast TV, almost every TV now sold has a digital tuner built in.  You will not need a converter box though you may need an antennae.  Unless you are in a remote area, most small and inexpensive antennae's will do the job.  Don't let a salesperson sell you and expensive "high gain" unit.  it's usually a waste of money.  If you are in a remote area with a difficult signal, local TV shops are more likely to know what works best.

Good places to buy TV's, besides BigC and Tesco are HomePro, PowerBuy, IT City and Lazada online.   Since the OP says he has little experience with new TVs, I'd suggest maybe paying a bit more and buying from a retailer whos delivery people will also unbox and set-up the TV.  HomePro for one usually offers this service.

 

"Smart" TV's basically have a built-in computer, most running an Android system similar to many phones and tablets. People usually connect through their home wifi network.  The wifi receiver is also built-in.  If you don't have wifi, there are plans that the major mobile service providers have where you can use the phone signal but that tends to be a more expensive and slower option.    Through "Android TV, you will have access to YouTube (both Paid and free available), Netflix and a plethora of other streaming services; some free, some by subscription.

Most remotes are pretty confusing and take a while to figure out.  Some of the more expensive models have small, simpler remotes with "Voice search" now common but even voice search can be tricky.

Dddave...huge thanks for this comprehensive explanation of certain basics I needed (& wanted) to be aware of. 

Very, very helpful! ????????

I appreciate you (and others) taking the time to post it. 

20 hours ago, johng said:

anything static on the screen for long periods of time can cause "burn in" logos are the worst culprit   old phosure tube tv's,plasma and OLED are quite susceptible, apparently "normal" LED tvs are much less susceptible but they can still be effected if the image is static long enough.

Uhmmm ???? Thanks for that. ????

21 hours ago, Bruno123 said:

If you are happy to buy a Chinese TV; you find it difficult to beat this on price: https://www.mi.com/th/product/mi-tv-p1-55/

Cheers for that link, Bruno. ????

16 hours ago, johng said:

Yes that is a big concern  many channels nowadays  have almost permanent  logos ..I have some burn in on my plasma screen caused by watching movies and tv shows with subtitles enabled.

The logos cause this 'burn'? I believe you....just wasn't aware of that. In fact, wasn't aware of burn at all until 5 minutes ago! 

Anyway.....interesting. 

16 hours ago, Bruno123 said:

I would say to focus on two main areas; picture quality and content availability.

 

OLED is considered desirable; but then that will leave less money for the other parts of the TV. So you need to prioritise.

Consider a TV with Google TV or Android TV if you aren't the type to have extra boxes connected to the TV for added functionality.

 

Google TV OS is the latest rebrand of the Android TV OS. That way there may be the option to install Apps that would normally be utilised on mobile phones; therefore widening choice.

 

Chances are the wife doesn't care much about the nth degree of quality; but price up OLED together with Google TV(or at least the latest Android TV OS version) and use that as a base. Then you can dig into the finer details; opting for things that you will definitely use and discarding things of no interest.

Just noticed your post, Bruno. 

Interesting. And useful. Have seen Google TV and Android TV on advertising boards and was wondering what all that meant. I shall have to google these options to know more precisely what they are, the differences & what they offer, etc....but I shall bear in mind what you say.

To be honest, Bruno, it is because I see these words & terms on display boards, without knowing what it all means  that I posted this in the first place!  My head spins at it all.

Then, I read a response to your post by lopburi3 - which to me sounds like it might apply in my case a bit (but I'm not sure!) - and am now sitting here smiling at how one can get more confused the more one seeks to become less confused! 

I remember with early desk top computers, it seemed to me the only considerations were ensuring you had the latest 'Pentium' thingy and so much 'ram'! 

Having said all that.....I'm still getting - from detailed posts like yours & lopburi3's etc, - a better general idea, and so I do appreciate your post, thanks. ????

1 minute ago, lopburi3 said:

As for 4k it is the new standard so is not an additional cost anymore.  Agree many of us have no use for it yet but a few years ago most did not need (HD) either - but most content now is - and production cost is just about the same for HD or 4K screen so everyone changing.  

Right, ok. That's good to know. All this info helps.  Thanks ????

11 hours ago, Will27 said:

No need to over complicate this.

 

You will get a good 55 inch for under 20 000 Baht.

Don't worry about gimmicks they will try to push which more than likely you won't need.

 

If you want, you can go to websites like Powerbuy and see what you can get in your price range.

 

When you get to the store, beware of the salesman who will push only a certain brand. He will be paid by the company whose brand he's pushing, not the store.

 

At the end of the day, you'd be hard pressed to notice any difference in the picture quality of most brands if you lined them up.

 

I've had bad experiences with Samsung where others swear by them.

 

I prefer Sony and Panasonic but you really go wrong IMO.

Thanks, Will27. I can get the points you're making, especially about gimmicks & biased salespersons!

Yes, will avoid Samsung. And will check out Powerbuy.

Cheers ????

11 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

Modern smart TVs are actually pretty user friendly. Once you plug it in and turn it on for the first time it will offer you a choice of languages which once you have selected one which you can a read it will guide you through the setup process without any real dramas.

 

Entering your WiFi password, plugging in the aerial and letting the TV scan for the digital channels is about as taxing as it gets. They are, as the saying goes pretty much idiot proof.

 

The couple of major decisions you need to consider (in my humble opinion) when buying a new TV are...

 

Picture quality. Do you actually need 4K or is Full HD (1080p) okay for your needs.

Remember that what services you wish to use or pay for will determine this. For example, with Netflix the subscription you choose, your WiFi speed and what you're willing to pay will determine whether you can stream in 4K or 1080p.

There is no point in paying extra for a 4K TV and then never using it to it's full capability.

I don't believe that any Thai TV channels are broadcast in 4K but I'm happy to stand corrected on this.

 

It's also worth considering what ports (HDMI, USB etc) are on the back of the the TV and does it support Bluetooth just in case you wish to add a sound bar or some other other speaker system.

 

For the most part, most modern TVs have a great picture but horrendous, tinny sound quality, which is made even worse when people choose to fix their TVs to the wall because the tiny little speakers that these slim TVs have are on the back of the TV so the sound they produce is therefore not being projected out into the room.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for your thoughts & recommendations, Dmaxdan. Your 'humble opinion' is much appreciated. I shall bear the 4k comments in mind, and also the HDMI, usb & bluetooth factors. This was very much the kind of information I sought. 

You talk about these devices being set up as 'idiot proof'......well I am that kind of person they probably had in mind! ????

1 hour ago, elfpattaya said:

I second TCL, which also has 3 year warranty, which you won't get with the better known brands, I have had one now for 4 years no problems.

Previously had a Samsung, just after warranty finished black line appeared across the picture cost me about 8000 to fix, then all the HDMI and USB ports went down cost me another few thousand to fix, and then another black line appeared across the picture. I was told problem with the LED's again. I was told it was not worth fixing, very expensive and to buy a new one, but not to buy the expensive big brand names.

The person who told me was a very well respected and recommended TV engineer in Pattaya who works from a wheelchair.

Now that is mighty intersting, elfpattaya, cos the reason I seek another smart tv is cos the samsung we had blew up!!

Appreciate your comment & helpful advice. ????????

11 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

TCL is one of the largest makers in the world so is a name brand and they offer 3 year warrantee and in other threads many in Thailand have had good luck with them.  Have had 2 best selling brand fail just after one year so will not pay extra for them again.  

I'm definitely interested. I'm a name brand man, USUALLY......but I really think I should maybe rethink that. ????????

18 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

I have not had good luck with name brands and do not feel they are worth paying more to have - they only sets that have lasted more then 2 years have been no name or TCL.  I just bought a 55 inch TCL 55T5000A for about 13K from official store on Lazada to replace a 5 year old no name that finally quite.   As first 2 sets were TCL when 32 inch was the max size and have still not failed believe it is a good choice and a reasonable price.  Remote control is very easy to use and much smaller than most others.  Set is easy to set up and full options even if you do not want to use them (like phone and voice ability).  

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/i1263002738-s3077982618.html?urlFlag=true&mp=1&spm=spm%3Da2o4m.order_details.item_title.1

2 years? Wow! I would be hoping for a longer life than that! That is very, very interesting. Thanks, lopburi3. I haven't checked out the link you kindly provided, but I will in a moment. Cheers ????

19 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

It's a very common, everyday, common household item. You seem to have a problem with sales staff as well as technology. If you act like a victim you will be treated like one. At 200 to 300 pounds you are not risking much money anyway. Just walk around a few stores just looking. Anything that is modern will be good. It's just a matter of price. Ask a friend or acquaintance to help you buy or help you set up.

With respect, Hammer, TVs are certainly common and everyday household items, as are laptops, phones and bottle openers, but in terms of requiring doing a little bit of homework in knowing which one might be the optimum buy in terms of specs & price, etc, one of them is definitely the odd one out! (For me, anyway. ????)

8 minutes ago, tonray said:

https://thethaiger.com/guides/product-reviews/top-8-tvs-to-buy-in-2021

Thanks for that. Very useful, though I got to admit that they're sadly beyond my price range.

But I am learning a lot by reading it all. Cheers!????

28 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Ask your wife to find out, say 15k max

Erm.....I love my wife dearly, Scuba, but....bless her....she's even less knowledgeable about these things than I!????

5 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Just buy the most modern TV you can afford. 10k get you 50 inch smart TV. Get the salestaff to install it and show you how to operate it. That's what I did.

Your simple advice may be precisely how I should go about it. 

But I guess I just have too much experience of being deceptively serenaded by staff into buying the stuff that was right for them (oh yes) but not for me!

But your advice may indeed be sound enough.