Should I be mad

[angel71rs]

You are not wrong. One thing we discovered last round: all smart TVs are not alike.

We had a medium size Insignia FireTV for years. Good picture, and we loaded Pluto TV to get some good free content. The remote finally died, so we went to a larger RCA model. Good picture, but we have been unable to load Pluto. It's like it doesn't exist to this brand. It's probably because it came with "LG Channels", which is similar, but not equivalent. I researched how to add Pluto and the best answer was "add an external Roku box". Nah.

If I were looking again I would probably lean Samsung or LG.

Good luck!

You don't need a "box", get a Roku stick for cheap, plug it into a port, and load Pluto or any of the bajillions of stuff available, a lot for free. Roku channel alone offers hundreds of live TV channels, and a huge amount of free movies.

Or you can get a Firestick off Amazon. Advantage is you can side load Firefox browser, add uBlock Origin to Firefox, buy a Bluetooth mouse off ebay for < $8, and you can go to YouTube website and watch videos ad free. Use the mouse cursor to navigate just like on a computer, drag the progress bar thru in video ads.

I prefer the Roku interface, so have that for living room TV. But have a Roku TV in bedroom with a Firestick to watch YouTube vids while getting ready to hit the sack.

 

[kbaxter60]

You don't need a "box", get a Roku stick for cheap, plug it into a port, and load Pluto or any of the bajillions of stuff available, a lot for free. Roku channel alone offers hundreds of live TV channels, and a huge amount of free movies.

Or you can get a Firestick off Amazon. Advantage is you can side load Firefox browser, add uBlock Origin to Firefox, buy a Bluetooth mouse off ebay for < $8, and you can go to YouTube website and watch videos ad free. Use the mouse cursor to navigate just like on a computer, drag the progress bar thru in video ads.

I prefer the Roku interface, so have that for living room TV. But have a Roku TV in bedroom with a Firestick to watch YouTube vids while getting ready to hit the sack.

Thanks for the suggestions. Have tried Firestick and was not impressed. May look again for Firefox. May look closer at Roku. Seems kinda dumb to have to add devices to complete your "smart" TV. Anyone remember Tinkertoys?

 

[tekiwap]

My 55" in Vizio tv from 2016 is starting to get dead pixels It was a top of the line well liked and respected model one of the first with HDR.

So after 8 years its got like 8-10 dead pixels just up and centered left and right of the tv and now that I see them its all I see lol.


Meh I guess 8 years with moving homes 2 times aint that bad. Picture is still great.

Doh I hate the thought of relearning what to look for in a new boob tube

We had one do like that. Looked it up and it was bad LED strips as the most likely culprit. They're are also a bunch of videos on U Tub about how to change them on Vizios so for like $40 we changed them out and it runs fine now.

 

[Mohawk600]

Inherited my step dad's 55" Sony when he died 7 years ago. Top of the line when he got it. Probably 10-12 years old and still going great.

 

[deemus]

You are not wrong. One thing we discovered last round: all smart TVs are not alike.

We had a medium size Insignia FireTV for years. Good picture, and we loaded Pluto TV to get some good free content. The remote finally died, so we went to a larger RCA model. Good picture, but we have been unable to load Pluto. It's like it doesn't exist to this brand. It's probably because it came with "LG Channels", which is similar, but not equivalent. I researched how to add Pluto and the best answer was "add an external Roku box". Nah.

If I were looking again I would probably lean Samsung or LG.

Good luck!

Recently bought a used 3 year old 82" Samsung. 4K, voice commands. That thing is greatness. Crazy good picture. Best TV I''ve had by far.

 

[oldag]

I'm not: I got a Samsung about 8 years ago and was initially happy with it but continuous software updates kinda made it worse over the years. Whenever I turn it on, half the screen is covered in "NEW RENTAL MOVIES" ads. The software updates would sometimes turn the TV on at 2am waking me up with the light. I noticed recently too half the LED light panel on the left side is noticeably dimmer on the left side of the screen only, particularly with a bright scene. Not a terribly big deal since its the bedroom TV and I watch junk before falling asleep, otherwise its been just okay.

You can tell nobody at samsung and possibly most people use the sleep function anymore. Great job putting the sleep button in the middle of all of the remote buttons, in 3 menus, and you have hit hit "back" 6 times to get out of the sleep menu.

Enough of my griping though. OLED has the good darks and contrast, get something with at least 120hz refresh rate, higher is better up to about 300hz. 4k. I've heard other Wled, PLED, and other styles of LED are the "best" but are still pricey as a new tech. Otherwise just remember: your living room won't have 12 TVs in it, just the 1. Don't get overly concerned over getting the very best looking one.

Interesting. I have not had any problems with continuous software updates or the ads. Never had an update turn on the tv either. But mine is not quite that old.

 

[Shady]

Thanks for the suggestions. Have tried Firestick and was not impressed. May look again for Firefox. May look closer at Roku. Seems kinda dumb to have to add devices to complete your "smart" TV. Anyone remember Tinkertoys?

if its been a while fire stuff has improved. I had a fire cube v1 and during prime days I traded in an old alexa device for 20% off and 5 bucks trade in for the new v3 fire cube and its WAY FASTER and more responsive.

I am happy with the LED stuff and when I spend 6 months researching lol I will end up with a 55"-65" mini led TV. I should just buy the first one I like I usually research the shit out of stuff and end up with the first one I started at anyways

 

[jmohme]

Worst part of TV shopping is getting rid of the old one and the box the new one came in.

Helpful hint for proper TV disposal......

Measure screen then order an appropriatly sized print of the Olympic opening ceremony, Trans boxer, Oprah, Whoopi, or even the entire cast of the View.
Set the TV up against an appropriat backstop and you know what to do next!

Thank you and stay tuned for future helpful hints as they become available.

 

[Shady]

you mean I am not supposed to take the tv to work and toss it in the dumpster who knew.

I know the box fits fine in there.

 

[Mohawk600]

Big apartment complexes are good for that.......not that I know

 

[Rafe]

My 55" in Vizio tv from 2016 is starting to get dead pixels It was a top of the line well liked and respected model one of the first with HDR.

So after 8 years its got like 8-10 dead pixels just up and centered left and right of the tv and now that I see them its all I see lol.


Meh I guess 8 years with moving homes 2 times aint that bad. Picture is still great.

Doh I hate the thought of relearning what to look for in a new boob tube

Worst TV experience I ever had was a Vizio. Bought it at Sam's Club and it worked fine for all of about two months. Then the colors went wonky--almost like looking at a color negative--and the blacks turned a medium gray. Contacted Vizio for warranty service. "Sure," they replied, "you'll just need to pack it up per our requirements, provide a copy of your original purchase receipt, and pay to ship it at least 2nd-day air--and pay for insurance--to us." This was 2018, but I think the shipping destination was Irvine, CA.

But wait, I said. I looked at your website and it said that units with larger than 30-inch screens would be repaired in-home. That, they said, is subject to availability of authorized service providers in your local area. It's Houston, I said, the 4th largest city in the United States and getting close to passing Chicago for number three. Sorry, they said, we don't have a servicer in your area.

Luckily, I still had the original box it came it sitting in the garage. Pro tip: it takes two people to safely move a 65-inch LED TV boxed, to move it around, and to get it to FedEx. And it is not cheap to ship 2nd-day air.

A little less than 4 weeks later, the TV came back. Vizio, at least, paid the return shipping. Powered it on and...exactly the same negative colors and no blacks. Absolutely nothing had changed. Contacted Vizio.

They said their records showed it had been repaired and passed inspection. I took a video with my phone of the TV as I switched among three different channels and sent that to Vizio. "Oh, well, yes; it looks like there's still a problem. You'll just need to pack it up per our requirements, provide a copy of your original purchase receipt, and pay to ship it at least 2nd-day air--and pay for insurance--to us."

Nope. Not worth it. For the money, the hassle, the wait, or the quality of the product. Goodwill was willing to take it as a basically new but not-working-properly donation. I guess they have ways to get volunteer repair people to try to fix things like that.

Replaced it with a 65" Samsung that has been flawless so far.

 

[DD130]

That is frustrating. Most folks I know with Samsungs have been pleased.

We have 2 aging Samsungs and they have been super good. The newest of the two has the Samsung Streaming which seems like a port of Pluto, but Pluto app is also available as one of the smart apps. No complaints with the brand, and good bang for your buck.

 

[TheDan]

It was a top of the line

well that's your first mistake... Buy the most basic TV you can get and it'll last forever.

Worst part of TV shopping is getting rid of the old one and the box the new one came in.

I like having large pieces of cardboard around. Too old for break dancing now, but I use them for sliding under cars. Also useful for cutting into torso targets.

The old TV you can just hit with a hammer until it fits in your trashcan

 

[BeatTheTunaUp]

Believe it or not, but Sharp makes a lot of the panels for other vendors. They sell the ones that pass but they keep the really good ones for their Aqous line.

I would give them a shot. I'm 7 years in on a 8 series Samsung with no complaints. Remember, you get what you pay for. There is a reason one tv is $400 and one $2800.

 

[oldag]

Worst part of TV shopping is getting rid of the old one and the box the new one came in.

Put the old one in the box, carefully seal the box again. Leave it on the porch.

 

[orbitup]

That is frustrating. Most folks I know with Samsungs have been pleased.

Not me. Too many software issues. Really stupid shit too. I think this is my 3rd Samsung but I'm trying something else when this one gets replaced. Maybe after I throw my shoe at it.

 

[orbitup]

Worst part of TV shopping is getting rid of the old one and the box the new one came in.

Those boxes are great for putting your other boxes into for disposal. I try to keep a box box in the garage.

 

[PinnedandRecessed]

+1 for Sony.

Our living room flagship is a Sony Bravia 8 series from 2018. I'd like an excuse to get a new one but it still rivals current sets. Any cheapo can do fine with cable and streaming. Plug in a 4K player and the wheat will be separated from the chaff.

 

[Shady]

Believe it or not, but Sharp makes a lot of the panels for other vendors. They sell the ones that pass but they keep the really good ones for their Aqous line.

I would give them a shot. I'm 7 years in on a 8 series Samsung with no complaints. Remember, you get what you pay for. There is a reason one tv is $400 and one $2800.

Things like huge advertising budgets huge salaries for execs

 

[Lead Belly]

Sony had the best CRT tv's- Trinitron then the XBR models were king.

Today it's Samsung for flat panels. I don't give the smart tv internet access and use a Roku or something else for that functionality as keeps the ads away. Tv is just a monitor.

Big boxes get their own version of tv's- so a Costco tv might have similar model number, but have lesser specs. There can also be subtle differences in the plant the panel came from within a model designation- the sticker can often be decoded to provide more info. link There are hidden service menus, but be careful with those settings. link

Used to be able to use 3rd party firmware for additional functionality on tv's (SammyGo), but that is nearly impossible these days as the garden has been walled.