Buying a new smart TV

[buksida]

Gonna start a new thread on this so it can grow with info and recommendations.

We'll be in the market for a new TV soon. Our existing LG 49" unit is off for repair for the third time since we've had it (yes, circuit boards again) so will not be getting another LG (webOS that it uses is also very cranky). It seems that it can be fixed so there is no rush, but we've had it a few years and it could be time for an upgrade soon.

My primary concern is that it has an open OS (pure Android preferable) that allows third-party app installations and it plays all common video file formats (MKV, MP4, AVI, etc) from a USB stick. I know Sonys are fussy with what they'll play so they're out also - not sure about Samsung compatibility but would imagine they are also restricted.

Had a little look in MV and they seem to want to sell certain brands in there, pushing you to their preferred partners, which in this instance was Sharp.

Anyone got one of those Chinese TCLs? They're really good value for the money (60" 4K for about 14k on Laz) and they get reasonable reviews. The shop staff said the picture wasn't as good as they ushered us to more expensive brand-named units. I personally could not tell the difference, but my eyes are not great. I can't really differentiate between FHD and 4K anyway, so it isn't really a big issue (even though they were all 4K TVs).

I realize they've all got very similar innards and circuit boards can go on any device (especially when you have a shit power supply) which is why I'm not inclined to go brand hunting and pay a fair percentage more for a similar spec brand named TV. Open compatibility with apps and file formats and a long warranty are the priorities.

Thoughts and experiences on a postcard ...

[HHTel]

I've had a 55" TCL for several years and is still working well. Has never had a problem. (I'll wish I hadn't said that - tempting fate!)
I then bought a Samsung 75" which had severe picture problems almost from the start. Still working in another room but with a flawed picture.
My main TV now is an 86" LG which I'm very pleased with. Does everything that I know of. Has a dedicated HDMI for ARC and e-ARC soundbar. 2 USB ports that play 4k movies from a stick. Pretty much all the features that I know of.

Of course the best picture is on an OLED/QLED but they're still quite expensive compared with others.

In summary, I'd recommend the LG based on my experience. TLC was fine a few years ago but not sure how they fare currently.

[pitsch]

I bought a Hisense Smart TV at Lazada. This is a chinese brand, but is also sold at shopping malls in thailand (more expensive than at Lazada).

[Dannie Boy]

This is a UK based article so some of the TV’s may not be available in Thailand but it gives some useful pointers in what brands to consider
https://www.whathifi.com/best-buys/best ... budget-tvs

[Big Boy]

I didn't have a clue what I was buying when we moved here 10 years ago, and I bought 3 Sharp Aquos TVs. All 3 still work perfectly, but only one at my house. We've given smaller away to family, and replaced with bigger. In total, I've bought 6 Aquos TVs, and apart from one fault that was rectified on day 2 of purchase 10 years ago, never a hint of a fault. Our original 'main' TV now resides on an outside wall and still gives perfect reception.

Cost wise, I would consider them to be budget TVs, but quality wise, I couldn't ask for more. It would have to be something very special to tempt me away from Aquos.

[STEVE G]

About ten years ago I bought a very nice and pretty expensive Panasonic Smart TV that I had in a room outside that I used for entertaining. All I used it for was playing music videos on the installed Youtube app. but a few years ago I returned to Thailand, went to put on some music and I got "App no longer supported on this device" and it's pretty much been unused ever since.

[Big Boy]

That is a point with the Aquos. My original purchases were not smart. However, the intelligence has become increasingly more with each purchase. My latest buy seems to be the real McCoy, but I do my best to ignore Smart features, and am more at ease connecting a laptop, Having said that, my DIL is very at ease using all of the smart features, and for a little bit of money, I can see my TVs are brutes in the power they have.

I tried to avoid smart on my last purchase, but it seems to be impossible these days.

[buksida]

Smart is fine if you have an open OS (similar to what you get on those set-top boxes). LG, Sony, and Samsung are closed operating systems that force you into their own app stores and won't let you install third-party apps (smart for them, not for the consumer). Not sure about Panasonic or Sharp but they're probably the same. It can all be negated with an open set-top box, however, which are pretty cheap these days, so that may be another option.

It was also partly the reason for the interest in TCL, but I'd need to do some tests on one. They're also at least 25% cheaper than the equivalent brand name set and I didn't notice much difference in picture quality.

[handdrummer]

Another consideration, if you use headphones with your TV, is that some companies use Blu Tooth, and others, (Panasonic) use RF. RF gives you more latitude when moving around. I can go to another room and still use the headphones. The Panasonic, (landlady supplied) is a "smart" tv but it's Android and my wife's phone is an Apple, so I can't comment on that.

[buksida]

Don't think I've ever used headphones with the TV, but it would be nice to rig it up to the old Yamaha amp (which the current LG doesn't want to do), so I guess I'd need digital optical audio out for that.

[KhunLA]

I'm no help, as like our LG 65", which is smarter than I am, as I don't use any of it's functions. Simply run my laptop thru it, and use as a monitor. Wireless keyboard & mouse.

Do use a low quality bluetooth speaker at night, to spare the neighbors (townhouse) when they are in town. Low quality, as it sits right next to me, so don't need much, and it's temporary anyway.

If haven't window shopped in awhile, you like the pricing. Ours is about half price from couple years ago when purchased. They're running out of things to advertise, upgrade, to the point, it's curved screens now ...

Besides size, they can't think of anything else.

[STEVE G]

Don't think I've ever used headphones with the TV, but it would be nice to rig it up to the old Yamaha amp (which the current LG doesn't want to do), so I guess I'd need digital optical audio out for that.

I bought a small cheap 24" smart TV from Samsung in Europe for lockdown and it only has digital optical out, it has no 2.5mm jack or audio out sockets. I managed to find a cheap set of Chinese wifi headphones to use with it that accept optical in to the base station.

[VincentD]

Have a Sony, Samsung and LG in the house. The software on the Sony is no longer supported (apparently they have a limited time agreement with the app suppliers) and is therefore no more smart. I believe some of the other brands will suffer a similar fate. Also the apps will not update to the latest versions with better language support.
I'd say, avoid the Sony. The Samsung was a leftover from my son's condo, needs a wired connection (no wifi) but does work with a wifi stick. Horribly slow.
The only one that works well is the LG, but that is a fairly recent purchase. Still, much better than the Sony, inbuilt software and operation wise.
My advice? Get a really good non-smart tv and an android box. This is what I had to do to get the Sony operational again.

[HHTel]

OLED/QLED will eventually take over. In a few years we'll look back and wonder how we put up with crap quality screens.
I thought that I had a great picture and the quality couldn't get much better. My local has an 85" OLED TV and the picture quality is superb. It all comes down to turning off individual pixels which gives a true black along with other colours being much sharper.

[Big Boy]

My advice? Get a really good non-smart tv and an android box. This is what I had to do to get the Sony operational again.

That is exactly what I wanted to do, but non-smart TVs are like rocking horse droppings these days.