Why does the TV brand matter?

[NotChetHanks]

I created another topic and a few of the replies made me think, why does the TV brand matter? Here is a little back story:

 

A few months ago I was in the market for a TV, after looking over a dozen models I stumbled across an Insignia 55" TV on sale at Best Buy that was Roku Ready. I've wanted to cut my cable for a while because I barely watch it and Roku seemed to be the answer (it is!). I looked at my other options an settled on the Insignia for a few reasons, none of which really had to do with price all that much.

 

For starters, every other 55" TV was a smart TV with features and apps I don't and wont use. I had a 42" Vizio that had smart apps and I NEVER used it besides the first week I had it and the cool factor wore off quickly. The Insignia had a great picture and being Roku Ready it meant I would have a library of content without any extra wires or remotes, seemed like a match made in heaven. Why pay $400 more for a TV just to get smart features? Since then, I've bought 2 more Insignias for the rooms in my house and will probably buy 2 more that are all Roku ready.

 

My question is this, if the source is broadcasting 1080p, why does it matter the TV you buy if they also broadcast in 1080p? Are some 1080p rating better than others?.

[notchinese]

color quality and uniformity can vary quite a bit. Largely dependent on the type of panel I think. Not to mention viewing angles.

[NotChetHanks]

color quality and uniformity can vary quite a bit. Largely dependent on the type of panel I think. Not to mention viewing angles.

 

I've heard that a lot of Samsung panels have these issues. What brands are known for this? I ask because although my situation is past tense, some people will pay $1200 for a 55" Samsung when I paid $479 for a 55" Insignia with great viewing angles. It's just not a smart TV but my Roku Stick handles all of that.

[satysin]

Cheaper TVs will use cheaper panels, lights, speakers, processors, etc. There is a big difference between a cheap generic LCD panel and a high-end Samsung panel. Colour accuracy. Refresh rate. Ghosting. Backlight quality (even though this has got much better even on cheap panels with LED backlight there are still issues with very cheap backlight setups).

 

At the end of the day though it is what you are happy with. I know people who are more than happy with a super cheap TV they picked up in Asda/Walmart and I know others who are still not happy with their $5,000+ Sony and Samsung TVs.

 

I used to care a lot of my TV choice but as I got older (30 now, I am ancient haha) I realised I care less and less. I have a decent Sony which I use to play some games (Wii U and 360) on and it is great for that. I watch some HD movies via Netflix and the like which it does fine. For the price I paid I am extremely happy with it. I do miss the days of my Pioneer Kuro plasma and a surround system but I am just too lazy for it all now to be honest.

[NotChetHanks]

Cheaper TVs will use cheaper panels, lights, speakers, processors, etc. There is a big difference between a cheap generic LCD panel and a high-end Samsung panel. Colour accuracy. Refresh rate. Ghosting. Backlight quality (even though this has got much better even on cheap panels with LED backlight there are still issues with very cheap backlight setups).

 

At the end of the day though it is what you are happy with. I know people who are more than happy with a super cheap TV they picked up in Asda/Walmart and I know others who are still not happy with their $5,000+ Sony and Samsung TVs.

 

I used to care a lot of my TV choice but as I got older (30 now, I am ancient haha) I realised I care less and less. I have a decent Sony which I use to play some games (Wii U and 360) on and it is great for that. I watch some HD movies via Netflix and the like which it does fine. For the price I paid I am extremely happy with it. I do miss the days of my Pioneer Kuro plasma and a surround system but I am just too lazy for it all now to be honest.

 

I think that's where I'm at. I stream a lot of movies and the DTS sound from my TV sounds great. The picture is great, viewing angles are great, no ghosting while playing games and the picture quality is awesome. All for under $500, can't beat that. I don't think I care anymore, I'm more concerned with where I'm going to vacation next. Oh and the answer is Puerto Rico, again this year.

[satysin]

I think that's where I'm at. I stream a lot of movies and the DTS sound from my TV sounds great. The picture is great, viewing angles are great, no ghosting while playing games and the picture quality is awesome. All for under $500, can't beat that. I don't think I care anymore, I'm more concerned with where I'm going to vacation next. Oh and the answer is Puerto Rico, again this year.

 

Yeah I rather spend the money on other things too. I have a nice digital camera, nice computer, nice TV, etc. they are not top of the line but they are still good. I used to have a DSLR, really high spec computer that was way over powered for my actual needs, crazy expensive TV but these days I am more interested in putting money into my pension haha. I sound like such an old man but it is great seeing my savings go up and up :yes:

[NotChetHanks]

Yeah I rather spend the money on other things too. I have a nice digital camera, nice computer, nice TV, etc. they are not top of the line but they are still good. I used to have a DSLR, really high spec computer that was way over powered for my actual needs, crazy expensive TV but these days I am more interested in putting money into my pension haha. I sound like such an old man but it is great seeing my savings go up and up :yes:

 

It's so funny how you answered my question by "straying" off topic. I love it and thanks man. I'm 28 and we sound exactly alike.

[Draconian Guppy]

When in doubt always look for user reviews online... When you buy samsung, sony, lg... you are also paying brand price, that's not to say cheaper brands aren't equally as  good or better, however, there are far more rotten apples in the cheap basket, than they are good ones, so you really have to look around is all.

[PGHammer]

Cheaper TVs will use cheaper panels, lights, speakers, processors, etc. There is a big difference between a cheap generic LCD panel and a high-end Samsung panel. Colour accuracy. Refresh rate. Ghosting. Backlight quality (even though this has got much better even on cheap panels with LED backlight there are still issues with very cheap backlight setups).

 

At the end of the day though it is what you are happy with. I know people who are more than happy with a super cheap TV they picked up in Asda/Walmart and I know others who are still not happy with their $5,000+ Sony and Samsung TVs.

 

I used to care a lot of my TV choice but as I got older (30 now, I am ancient haha) I realised I care less and less. I have a decent Sony which I use to play some games (Wii U and 360) on and it is great for that. I watch some HD movies via Netflix and the like which it does fine. For the price I paid I am extremely happy with it. I do miss the days of my Pioneer Kuro plasma and a surround system but I am just too lazy for it all now to be honest.

There are quality differences within a brand - not even all Sony CRT TVs used the same quality of CRT.  (The same is, naturally, true of Samsung's LCD/LED TVs - we have three (32"/40"/55"), and their panels differ from each other, and not alone in size.  The largest two are both "smart TVs" and differ from each other.)

 

The two flat-panels in the basement are my 40" Sony and the 55" Samsung in the media room.  Both are LED-backlit, and both are 1080p-ready/HD-ready - even more important, both are connected to HD STBs.  Where the limitation is the source material - and both are connected to the same source material - such as HD over cable-TV - unless it's a movie, the two TVs are identical when it comes to picture quality.  (That says a great deal, to be honest, as my Sony is from the BX (basic) series - with a quite average Toshiba-sourced panel.)  Movies, on the other hand, display better on the Samsung's higher-quality panel.  (It's NOT the source - remember, I specified identical source material - specifically HD over cable.  While the Samsung ALSO is connected to BD, because the Sony in my bedroom is not, I did not compare the two TVs in that way.)

 

That is why brand - and even position within the brand - can still matter.

[satysin]

It's so funny how you answered my question by "straying" off topic. I love it and thanks man. I'm 28 and we sound exactly alike.

 

Yeah I tend to stray off topic quite a lot lol. Surprised I haven't been told off for it more often :P

[_dandy_]

There are quality differences within a brand - not even all Sony CRT TVs used the same quality of CRT.  (The same is, naturally, true of Samsung's LCD/LED TVs - we have three (32"/40"/55"), and their panels differ from each other, and not alone in size.  The largest two are both "smart TVs" and differ from each other.)

 

Even within the same brand, in a lot of cases, different sizes are made by different manufacturers altogether.  Keep in mind that Sony, in particular, has exited the panel manufacturing business altogether and no longer makes its own nowadays.

 

This is one of the few run-downs I've found on who makes who's panels:

 

https://ca.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100528202127AA5hSbn

[Brian M. Veteran]

The panel quality is the biggest difference. Then there's design, internal hardware (such as CPU, etc), software, among other things.

 

You could probably buy 4 or 5 46" TVs for the price of one 46" F8000, but I'd still take the F8000. It's the best screen I've ever seen on a TV, by a long margin.

[GarakObama]

I have a Samsung F6*** series. It looks flood damaged on solid color backgrounds. No consistency. 

[Jaybonaut]

It makes a big difference, but it seems you don't really care, so I'm not sure what the point of the thread is.  Defending a purchase is natural, I realize.

[+John Teacake MVC]

With a brand think of it as you are buying a better package. Lets not get confused with Packaging. So as someone said better internals. Panel etc. More care has been taken over assembling the right components other than say a Generic TV where they might have taken whatever was left OR most likely what was cheaper. So build quality for example better housing. Better software (Firmware and Interface) might be updated updated more often with the right brand.