SOLVED: The WORST Possible TV ever!

EDIT: SEE POST 58 for problems update. SEE POST 98 for the solution (bought a different TV).

Hi all,

I am thinking about getting a new TV but there are some things I need to make sure of. The TV I have now is an old 60” Sony Wega which has the picture type I like accept that mine is green now. I think I would like to get a 4K 60-65ish inch size replacement. Maybe a smart tv?

The number ONE thing I want to make sure of is NOT to get one that makes everything look stupid. My moms tv did it, wifes parents’ and even my sons TV does this. It looks like everything was filmed in 30fps like a soap opera. Jordan and I tried watching the newest (at the time) Superman movie on his TV and I mentioned it, and he said “smooth motion” needed to be turned off, but even after it was, everything still look like that same pile of trash so bad that I decided to just watch it on a real tv later. IIRC His was not a cheap one either.

Does anyone know what specifically causes that and how to avoid it? I want movies (and everything else really) to look just like they do at a movie theater or like they do on the TV that I have now.

1. Avoid the the 30fps soap opera look.
2. My budget is about $800 Max.
3. Size I think around 65”
4. Do I need a “smart” tv?
5. What do you recommend based on this?

Thank you!!

Rather than writing an essay on the thread I sent you a PM with my experience upon researching my last large TV purchase.

Ahhh… but I’d like to know it too…please share, as I’m considering getting one myself.

Do not go that path…
Over 2 years no TV here. Damn, I’m happy man.
Mike

For that price range, check out the new TCL 6 Series (65” is model 65R625). Going price is about $800 but you’ll probably see Black Friday deals around $700. It’s 4K, QLED, local dimming with deep blacks, Roku-based… lots of really great features for the price. Here’s the Rtings review: TCL 6 Series/R625 2019 Review (55R625, 65R625) - RTINGS.com

Lots of positives. The only real negative I’ve heard of is the panel is 60 Hz native instead of the 120 Hz of more expensive models. With that, a very discerning individual might notice some motion artifacts during fast-moving content like sports (note: this is NOT the soap opera effect you’ve mentioned… stupid setting that it is).

I have been looking at a new set as well. Initially I was leaning towards the TCL 65R625, but I might go ahead and spend a bit extra and step up to the Samsung Q70. It’s like $1100-1200 on sale, but I go 5+ years between TV purchases so I’ll spend a bit more now in hopes that I’ll like it for longer.

Don’t look here for advice on TV’s. I’d go to an electronics / home entertainment type forum. AVSForum.com is a good one. The Wire Cutter has a good review section for TV’s.

For 60” and above, it’s probably best to buy new. Picking up a used 60” TV from a local seller can be complicated. But… you might want to check out your local CraigsList to see what’s there.

120Hz is all you need. Going higher really doesn’t get you all that much. Personally, I cannot stand super razor sharp displays. Eye fatigue. Your eyes work harder. Too much visual data. I’m serious.

Glad someone else thinks the same thing.

I sold this crap for too many years and sometimes you just have to back off the razor edge to really enjoy the picture with the majority of the quality of signal provided.
The defaults on a lot of sets are Contrast cranked and Brightness way too high so that when the set is just plugged in and run, it will hopefully look brighter/sharper to uneducated customer than other brand and they will buy just on that first impression.
Sad but true.

Been out of the game too long to be able to give you best current recommendation, but it used to humor us salesmen how the budget Vizio would more than hold their own against the pricier LG and Samsung models.
Maybe not as many bells and whistles but a good 40% less cost and the things held up too.

Also agree to Buy New.

Later,
Keith

Agreed. ALL TVs come from the factory with their brightness and contrast jacked way up so they don’t look pathetic in a bright store. In fact, there are so many color settings that green you talk about would be easily adjusted out by a color calibration.
Honestly, a little money for a color calibration tool/service will probably get you a better image than a lot of money for a new non-calibrated TV.

Just remember if you get a 4K tv not all that’s on tv is 4K. Therefore everything will look just “wrong”. You’ll be like, “I thought this was supposed to look clear”. Cable/direct tv has not caught up to the technology of tv’s yet.

Hmmmm. This has me wondering if I should just get a new 1080P tv. To me picture quality is about things looking sharp, but it’s more about them looking correct. The biggest problem with this whole industry is that you cant watch anything useful on store display models. The the clips they engineer for best results.

While this is true, some 4K sets have very good upscaling. Sure, they’re adding details that they’re guessing that’s there. But depending on the quality of the upscaling (check Rtings for very in-depth tests), I would argue that a 4K TV should/could look better than a 1080p even if the signal isn’t 4K.

Oh, and good luck finding a 60”+ TV that is “only” 1080p. Outside of low low budget TVs, I doubt if they even bother making them anymore.

I have a 32" TV next to a 32" monitor.

When I got the monitor, I wanted to get a 4K monitor until I learned that it would be overkill for such a small screen.

Of course 4K makes a lot of sense for a larger screen.

EDIT:

And even though the TV and monitor are 1080p, I prefer my computers to display at 900p.

Otherwise everything is too small for my likings.

I picked up an LG B8 when it hit 899 on ebay. Couldn’t pass it up. The only thing I’m worried about is a black crush issue that arose from an LG firmware update for these 2018 models.

Btw, if you’re feeling like you don’t need the latest & greatest technology, nothing wrong with getting used IF you find something that looks good.

I have a Sony XBR 46” that’s 1080p, that I picked up off CraigsList. It was once the highest model that Sony made. It’s the one with excellent built-in surround sound speakers, and that clear 2” Lexan border around it. Heavy! That model developed a ribbon cable problem where it would experience separation that caused weird screen display issues. Physically pressing on the case could clear up most of it, then it would go away completely once the unit sufficiently heated up (about 15 mins). Someone posted a DIY fix on-line and I was able to do it (just took a few hours). Cost for the TV? $60. In perfect physical condition. It does consume more power than present models, but it’s on for only a few hours a day.


Point is, if you’re gonna stick with older tech like 1080p only, might be worth saving yourself a bundle by buying used (again, if available). Couldn’t hurt to look around.

So it’s up to what you watch really. I know this because I bought the 4K last year thinking everything was going to look super clear and that’s where I learned. So if you watch a lot of Hulu and Netflix and so on, with a 4K everything will look good. However, if you watch a lot of cable television, just be ready that not everything is going to look as super clear as you might have thought it was. It won’t be bad, but it won’t be great either.

My parents bought a high end 1080p display (some Samsung, 46” or 49”) back in 2010. It has amazing image quality and still looks good to this day.

So I wanted to buy a TV this month, and got to looking. 1080p is now the realm of “you can’t afford a real TV, here is the cheapest crap we could assemble”. I ended up narrowing it down to the Sony XBR900F and Samsung Q70R in 65” (both on sale at best buy and elsewhere for 1100 and 1200 respectively). Ended up with the Samsung because Sony’s android TV is a hot mess.

It’s amazing image quality. There’s an LG OLED under $2k as a step up, but I wasn’t ready to commit that kind of cash and I know from my experience with OLED phone screens that if I didn’t get burn-in I’d at least have anxiety about it for the entire life of the television.

Also, use rtings.com for television reviews.

To get rid of the well known Soap-Opera effect all you have to do is turn off “true motion”, “pure motion”, “soft motion” or whatever term your tv manufacturer use.
(Personally I turn off almost every settings that are “supposed” to enhance the Picture)

If you want a great tv I recommend you to look at LG:s OLEDs. In Sweden the 65 inch oled65c9pla costs less than 20 000 sek (less than 2 000 USD) during black friday

Kind regards

This would be my choice also. I recently bought the cheaper version of this with built in Roku and I am pleased.

As the comedian joked, the brightness control on my set doesn’t work. I cranked it all the way up, and it was still the same dumb crap!

Here is one thing I am considering. (EDIT Fixing broken link) Amazon.com

I like that I can get the compatable sound bar and subwoofer. I have a surround sound but its like 15+ years old, has wires and needs its own remote…