Need guidance on buying HDTV

[lakelover]

Hi folks, it's been a while, but I figured several on here know a lot more about HDTV than I do. I haven't looked at TV specs since 9 years ago when I bought my current Sharp CRT digital 32". A lot has happened since then!! I'm hoping someone can give me a shortcut to finding what will serve my purposes.

I don't watch a lot of TV, about 1/3 of what I watch are taped (VCR-laugh now ) standard def shows, 1/3 OTA received with a roof antenna and 1/3 rented DVDs.. No cable, no Netflix or anything. As you can guess I don't care too much about hi def for watching, my main reason for looking now is that I need something bigger because of aging eyesight. I'm not really interested in the latest and greatest and don't really care if it's a smart TV or not, but it seems most of them are now anyway.

So here's what I'm looking for:

48-55" diagonal (viewing distances are about 7.5-13 feet)

1080 min def

120 Hz refresh

Need digital out because I want to run the sound through my stereo & subwoofer & it has no optical input, which most TVs seem to have now for audio (if any). I've found a converter that will convert to RCA analog.

Want to run the VCR through it (RCA connections).

If I do get a smart TV with wireless, will internet DSL (1-3 mbps) be sufficient to view streaming video? (not a high priority)

I read on Consumer Reports that LG brand has been the most reliable brand over time (3 year old data).

Any and all tidbits & guidance appreciated! Thanks.

 

[82rude]

Let the games begin.Personally i let my eyes select my tv,nobody elses.I love my 65 samsung plasma smart tv and would not trade it for anything but thats me and my eyes nobody elses.

 

[SeaDooSam]

Let the games begin.Personally i let my eyes select my tv,nobody elses.I love my 65 samsung plasma smart tv and would not trade it for anything but thats me and my eyes nobody elses.

+1. Going to the store and seeing them all is the best way for me. We much prefer the picture of a plasma tv. Therefore, when buying a number of years ago we were pretty limited. The Panasonic vierra that we ended up with has worked great so far.

Also I dont think DSL will stream very well. You may be waiting a while for it to buffer.

 

[lakelover]

+1. Going to the store and seeing them all is the best way for me. We much prefer the picture of a plasma tv. Therefore, when buying a number of years ago we were pretty limited. The Panasonic vierra that we ended up with has worked great so far.

Also I dont think DSL will stream very well. You may be waiting a while for it to buffer.

Several years ago I looked at plasma TVs and had settled on a couple models, but didn't pull the trigger. Now they're gone. I think you're probably right about the DSL, but that's not a priority for me.

 

[SeaDooSam]

Several years ago I looked at plasma TVs and had settled on a couple models, but didn't pull the trigger. Now they're gone. I think you're probably right about the DSL, but that's not a priority for me.

They completely pulled the plug on all plasmas now? Dang I hope this one doesn't break!

 

[lakelover]

As far as I could tell...I didn't see any in my online research.

 

[MTboatguy]

My wife and I have been streaming Netflix and Amazon Prime for a couple of weeks now over DSL and have had no problems.

 

[WIMUSKY]

We have a couple Vizio Smarts that we're happy with, Samsung was in the running too. At those distances I would think a 48" would be big enough. JMO Go look at 'em and decide.

Instead of running your stereo to the tv they use sound bars which sound excellent..... Wireless sub woof that can go anywhere....

 

[bruceb58]

My wife and I have been streaming Netflix and Amazon Prime for a couple of weeks now over DSL and have had no problems.

To get HD quality, you need minimum 5Mbs. DSL maxes out at about 3Mbs in most locations.

 

[bruceb58]

At those distances I would think a 48" would be big enough. JMO

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-uVGDN8Z3m2T/learn/learningcenter/home/TV_placement.html
65" according to this chart and I would agree. I sit at about 12 and a 60" is too small.

 

[MTboatguy]

To get HD quality, you need minimum 5Mbs. DSL maxes out at about 3Mbs in most locations.

They have been messing around with our DSL and have been upgrading to fiber and have upped some of the DSL to actually do provide 5.5Mbs. I don't know if I have been upgraded, but we are not having any problems with the Fire TV box that we got, works quite well Amazon has some smart retrieval system that pre fetches stuff.

 

[gm280]

I don't know if going into stores really gains you anything. WHY? Because unless you know for absolutely certain that every TV is receiving the exact same signal (and strength), you have no idea if one TV is better then any other. And they use to purposely give their money maker TV's the better signals and reduce the other TV's signals so they could push their profit margins. It is so easy to make one TV or even sound systems and most certainly speakers stand out over others. Sad to say but it does happen.

Specifications is a better way to get a serious clue of what you are purchasing. And equally true is the price doesn't offer any way to separate the better from the mundane. With all that said, my aging eyes can't discern much difference between most any TV's offered these days. Seems so many have great clarity and definition. So I pick one that covers the spec I am looking for and will always be happen with it. JMHO

 

[WIMUSKY]

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-uVGDN8Z3m2T/learn/learningcenter/home/TV_placement.html
65" according to this chart and I would agree. I sit at about 12 and a 60" is too small.

They can recommend all they want, but I wouldn't go as big as they say. Heck, a 85" 4D is too small for most living rooms according to the chart..

We view from 10-13'. We have a 42". I could see going to a 46/48" max. But, that would be my preference. TVs in the store look smaller than they will in ones home...... I don't know what the return policy is, maybe a guy could test drive a larger one to see if it will work or not.....

Our bedroom is about 13' and we're using the old 27" CRT.... Sure beats the 20" CRT we used that my wife had an college. Still big enough for us in a bedroom. Don't need a theater screen flashing......... It would look like daylight in the room....

 

[ondarvr]

Don't be afraid to go big, My 50" at 12' is as small as I would go, looking for a 65"+ for the next one. Not sure why someone would go small.

 

[lakelover]

Instead of running your stereo to the tv they use sound bars which sound excellent..... Wireless sub woof that can go anywhere....

I thought about that, but space is getting to be at a premium & the stereo right next to the TV, so figured on saving a few bucks.

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-uVGDN8Z...placement.html
65" according to this chart and I would agree. I sit at about 12 and a 60" is too small.

They can recommend all they want, but I wouldn't go as big as they say. Heck, a 85" 4D is too small for most living rooms according to the chart..

We view from 10-13'. We have a 42". I could see going to a 46/48" max. But, that would be my preference. TVs in the store look smaller than they will in ones home...... I don't know what the return policy is, maybe a guy could test drive a larger one to see if it will work or not.....
/QUOTE]

I've looked at several store displays for size, but in a huge store with a wall of screens, it's hard to accurately estimate and stand at the distance and angles you'd be viewing from. So far, I've narrowed the range down to maybe 48-55". I think you can go too big, like sitting too close to a movie screen or being too close to a big TV, you can't take in the whole thing without shifting your eyes around a lot....Gives me eyestrain when I have to do that! I found a table online that gives screen WxH for each diagonal size, and that is helping a lot to picture how big it would be in the space available. Don't want to do a wall mount.

 

[lakelover]

I don't know if going into stores really gains you anything. WHY? Because unless you know for absolutely certain that every TV is receiving the exact same signal (and strength), you have no idea if one TV is better then any other. And they use to purposely give their money maker TV's the better signals and reduce the other TV's signals so they could push their profit margins. It is so easy to make one TV or even sound systems and most certainly speakers stand out over others. Sad to say but it does happen.

JMHO

Yup, I've read that over and over.

 

[lakelover]

They have been messing around with our DSL and have been upgrading to fiber and have upped some of the DSL to actually do provide 5.5Mbs. I don't know if I have been upgraded, but we are not having any problems with the Fire TV box that we got, works quite well Amazon has some smart retrieval system that pre fetches stuff.

Verizon has been trying to sell me FIOS Tv for many (10 or more?) years, but fiber is not available on our street and I don't think it ever will be until the old copper wires disintegrate and fall down in powder form.

 

[ondarvr]

You have a large variance in your viewing distance, 7.5' is a bit close for bigger screens, but as you move out to 13' bigger is better. One of the biggest mistakes people made when first going to the current TV's from CRT was not going big enough, after a short time they would say "I should have gone bigger". Not many people complain they went too big.

 

[lakelover]

Kinda like boats and motors. I want to get this right the first time. On the other hand, anything would be a size improvement over what I have to squint at now!

 

[WIMUSKY]

If you're going from a CRT, make sure the height of the HD is "at least" as high as the CRT or you will be disappointed......