The (What-Do-You-Own) Television Thread

[Pengwin7]

This forum needs a Television thread.
We have a TV show thread.
We have a movie thread.
We watch a sport on a bright white background... hockey!
I need some TV intel.


I'm close to pulling the trigger on my first ever "big" television.
A few guys from WHL turned me on to RTINGS.com a year or so ago.
I had only been checking consumerreports prior to that.
I've also stumbled onto a few good YouTube reviewers and the AVclub forums.

I'm looking to spend about $1000 (US) on a 65" size TV.
And I think I've narrowed it down to going with a Hisense U8H ($799) or U8K (if I can justify spending $1049).


Questions for... EVERYBODY:

1. What do you currently own as your primary TV/screen?
2. When did you buy it?
3. How much did you buy it for?
4. How is it aging?
5. When do you see yourself buying your next?
6. What do you (did you) love or hate about it?
7. Anything else?

[Daydream Nation]

1. What do you currently own as your primary TV/screen? 65" Hisense
2. When did you buy it? Black Friday Sale 2020
3. How much did you buy it for? $250
4. How is it aging? The picture and performance of the TV is great BUT the operating system (Google Play) is awful. It takes way too long to switch between apps and load programs. Once something is running, it's great. We replaced the remote which seemed to help some of our problems but it is still far from ideal. Our previous TV had Roku and that was excellent.
5. When do you see yourself buying your next? When our current TV dies which I would like to happen TODAY. I don't replace something like a TV that is working fine.
6. What do you (did you) love or hate about it?
7. Anything else?

We've had terrible luck with TVs over the last 10 years. We've gone through a Panasonic, LG, and TCL. I always did my research and bought TVs that were recommended by Consumer Reports and had favorable online reviews and still had all the issues. Plus, all the repair shops in my area have a minimum charge just to look at the TV which was a $100 the last time I looked into it. I never thought it was wise to pay $100+ to repair a $400ish TV that was several years old. Plus, it could be something terminal and then you'd have completely wasted the $100. So instead I'd sell them on Craiglist for $50 or so and buy something new. So after averaging less than 4 years for a TV, I decided to buy something cheap (a $250 Hisense) and we are approaching 3 years in November. Research states that TVs have a 7-10 year longevity and price doesn't reflect reliability. With that said, my next TV is going to 75"-80". I just enjoy my sports too much to not have a big kickass TV. And we only have 1 TV in the house. Everybody has their own tablet and my wife and I have laptops.

[2014olympicgold]

1. What do you currently own as your primary TV/screen?
I own a 47" Sharp Aqous, I think it's the 2011 model.

2. When did you buy it?
I was renting for school and needed a TV, so I traded an iPhone 3g for it in 2012/2013.

3. How much did you buy it for?
iPhone 3G lol

4. How is it aging?
I have had 0 issues with it, to the point I wanted it to break a few yrs ago so I could justify replacing it. Now with most sports streams only really being 720p, or like 30fps or whatever, I don't really want to upgrade

5. When do you see yourself buying your next?
My Fiance hates the TV as it looks old. So I have a feeling I won't be the one replacing it. But I refuse to buy a TV at the prices they're at right now

6. What do you (did you) love or hate about it?
It has a pretty fat bezel, so it does look dated due to every new TV having that like very minimal frame. The thing I like about it though is it's actually a very good TV and especially for the cost I got it for I can't ask for much more

7. Anything else?
So the story was I went on Kijiji looking for a TV and this one was there. I asked the guy if he would trade an iPhone for it and he said yes like instantly, but only if I'm at his house in 30minutes. So I race over (Pretty sure it was a 25min drive), and we make the trade. Turns out he was looking to sell it for a while, but he was moving that day to Calgary from Hamilton. So he just accepted the trade as he wanted something small to store in his car, and he'd sell it in Calgary when he makes it there. So he took the TV out of his car, with a wallmount, and handed it over to me. And he was off to Calgary.

[hockeyrobot]

I had a 43" TCL just randomly die on me so I'm currently in the market for something. This thread is very helpful.

[butch]

remember the rear projection sony lcd's in the early 2000's? The one I owned aquired a well known defect that entitled you to a newer sony flat screen tv . You just needed to send them a picture of the defect (yellow band across screen) , serial number and receipt and they sent you a more modern lcd that was not rear projection for free or for $100 you could get a 46'

I still have that 46' replacement sony and a couple of 42' samsungs .

the sony rear projection lcd tv was 1200 ish back then (ouch) so getting that replacement deal for 100$ was good bang for the buck .

one of my samsungs 42' is from 2009 and still going strong (900 ish) and the other samsung is the thin style from around 2018 (400 ish)

no plans on buying anything bigger at the moment .

[Stifler]

There is one rule in TV buying that everyone should adhere to.

It's Samsung or bust. Everything else is irrelevant if its not Samsung.

Off course only my opinion but its pretty much the truth.

Oh and don't buy tv's at Costco. Crappier versions of similar models sold elsewhere

[lucafen4]

I bought a 60" Hisense on boxing day $499 CDN.
The sound is absolute shit.
Surround sound is good...but voices die in background noise. Movies, games, doesn't matter

[Pengwin7]

I bought a 60" Hisense on boxing day $499 CDN.
The sound is absolute shit.

Which model number?
Their newer TVs (U6,U7,U8 G/H series) only come in 55"/65"/75" sizes.
My current research suggests they stepped up their quality only around 2021 with this new set of models.

[lucafen4]

Which model number?
Their newer TVs (U6,U7,U8 G/H series) only come in 55"/65"/75" sizes.
My current research suggests they stepped up their quality only around 2021 with this new set of models.

No idea. I can't even go check.
It's in our tenants space.
So bad, we left it with her and we just watch our 15yr old 42"

It would have been Dec. 2021 we purchased.
There should be a display model you can crank.
I won't buy another TV that I can't tinker with off a display wall.

[Invictus]

Feel so discriminated against here. D:

I have no T.V. - just a computer monitor.

[The Comish]

I've had great luck with Samsung. Currently have a 65" curved screen and it replaced the 46" Samsung I'd had for about a dozen years or so. It was still perfectly fine and with a relative. Never had any issues and have been very happy with the quality of the picture (although the cable provider is responsible for HD channels).

[dejeanneret]

I'm another Samsung adherent for TVs. Have a 65" and a couple 50 or 55" ones -- ranging from 2014-2022 model year. I'd have to look up exact model numbers, but have always been very pleased with them.

In fact, the first Samsung I bought was like a 47" or so model year 2009 or '10 -- and that's still in service as the primary/only TV at my Ex's residence.

[Chili con Carne]

Another vote for Samsung TVs. I couldn't tell you what models but we have a 42" and I think a 56" - we've had the 42" for over 10 years and no issues at all. Not looking to upgrade until they break down. They aren't smart TVs but we bought Chromecasts for both of them so we can use all the apps (Netflix, Disney, Prime etc.).

[Feenom]

A 60 inch Sharp Quattron I bought over 10 years ago. Works like a charm. So far so good. (Just jinxed it so this thread will come in handy). Have no idea what I paid for it.

[stevegamer]

1. What do you currently own as your primary TV/screen?

This one is complicated. The TV in use in the house is my SO's LG 42" flat panel from 2013.
My TV's are all in the basement. All 6 or so of them, none are flatscreens. They range in age from the 1980's until now. The 1980's TV's are dedicated video game console TV's once I get that room set up, which shold happen in the next 6 months after she moves out.

The screen I usually look at is an Acer X223W on my desk. Bought it at Micro Center, which is where I get my computers and stuff.
I do have an 11" Amazon Fire Tablet.

2. When did you buy it?
She bought it in 2013.

3. How much did you buy it for?
US$443.35 + a 5 yr extended warranty which has been unused. Yes, I can see the receipt in the file.

4. How is it aging?
Great. The picture and sound is solid.

5. When do you see yourself buying your next?
No idea. I have numerous inherited TV's to go through until they die. It might be never.

6. What do you (did you) love or hate about it?
It? Nothing. I don't get to watch it, due to her usage of the living room as her office and sleeping area.

7. Anything else?
I have no real clue about streaming or anything really, and will probably need some advice on stuff once she moves out and the cable plan gets slashed from the most expensive plan Comcast has to something sensible. The house does have a working rooftop TV antenna that rotates and gets good reception. I have a good number of digital to analog converter boxes as well.