Posted on 01/01/2017 8:43:13 AM PST by Buttons12
Buttons needs freeper advice!
I've never owned a tv, but I'm now looking to buy one. The choices are bewildering.
I don't have or want cable, just a large screen (at least 40", and 70" is not too big). I watch a lot of videos on a laptop and with a large screen I could be less confined. The room is big, over 25' wide and long. Price isn't that important, quality is more of a concern. And which kind is best to view at different angles? It'd be good to see it properly no matter where in the room I'm situated. What's the point of a curved screen? Do large screens make computer resolution appear blurry? If it's just for hooking up to the laptop, do I need a "smart" tv?
Additionally: no kids, no dogs or cats around. (Sadly.) It wouldn't be wall-mounted, I have a partner's desk, a fireplace mantle, or a piano it would fit on easily.
Any advice is appreciated; the more I browsed these things the more I knew I didn't know!
I don't like it when characters have bigger heads than me....so I'm a fan of a smaller TV.
I really know little about these things....but my three geeks all just bought smart TVs.
MY THREE GEEKS...Maybe I'll write a bio of them growing up.
A “smart” TV is probably never a good buy. Screens live for a long time. The current “smart” technology will be upgraded next year. So don’t buy a TV with planned obsolescence.
If you go used, make sure you get a monitor with HDMI input. The current external smart technology and DVD players will also connect with HDMI. Does your current PC have an HDMI output? Some older, and even newer, laptops only have VGA. VGA doesn’t included sound, but HDMI does.
If I’m at my easel on one side of the room, and the monitor on the other side, nothing on screen would seem very big.
In the stores, though, those big screens do seem like they could swallow me up. I’m not much bigger than an action figure :)
Look up “Viewing Distance” and get the right size TV for your room
Got the hdmi on every computer, that’s a couple of Windows 10, a few Windows 8’s.
Most big screen TV's anymore are smart TV's, but no you do not need a smart tv. All a smart TV does is allow for internet to be hooked to it with functions built into the TV to make the need for a computer unnecessary. Since you are hooking your laptop to it you getting your internet from that device.
As far as resolution goes it depends entirely on the input you are providing to the TV and the resolution capability of that TV. In other words, the TV, must have the resolution capability to fully display a high resolution input. But even a high definition TV will not compensate for a low resolution input.
As far as curved TV, supposedly they give a better picture to those who may not be sitting directly in front of the TV. Best Buy or a similar outlet usually have a curved TV for you to see the difference. Since I personally do not have a curved TV I can not speak reliably about them.
Hope this helps.
Go with external “smarts”. We bought an Amazon Fire Stick with Alexa services.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZV9RDKK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Amazon reduced the price from $99 to $39 this year making it a cheap way to try out smart technology with an Alexa capability, to boot.
We also got an Echo for Christmas and have been having fun setting timers for cooking, getting weather information, playing classical music, and general chicanery with the audio interface. It is quite sophisticated for being so cheap.
I have a 70. Sharp. I would want the screen to be a component and use the DVD player or a computer to provide the “smart” if I did it over again.
Instead of a “smart TV”, get an Android box that has a USB port and allows you to play 1080p vids. It will hook up to your TV via the HDMI port.
Starting point: Videos on laptop. Where do you get them? DVDs or Internet download?
If Internet, consider a smart TV for services such Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc. More providers are offering streaming services: CBS, HBO, STARZ, Showtime, etc. You can also stream from your laptop to a smart TV via a PLEX (or similar) app.
Of course, that would depend on your Internet source. More mobile companies say they allow free streaming. I do not know of the conditions or restrictions. To stream, typically you need a 4 Mbps or faster Internet.
Technology has finally reached a point where computers and TVs can actually communicate with each other.
There are too many ‘ifs’ without knowing more about your situation and equipment.
I get 99% of everything on youtube. Most of it is free. Every time I pay to see a flick I end up feeling like I’ve squandered the money.
I’m really just looking for a huge computer monitor but they aren’t marketed in the range of 40-80” so I have to go with a tv. It would be connected to one of my laptops.
Get a Zenith 19” floor model TV. And when it stops working, buy a 9” black and white TV to put on top of it.
Tried that. Couldn't get the one to stop running Gilligan's Island, and the other to stop running Ding Dong School.
Do you really want Amazon listening and recording every word and sound in your home?
There is fairly recent news about a police force trying to force Amazon to turn over Alexa data to "help" with a murder investigation.
* * * * * * *
IMHO curved screens are only useful in some situations, and are a definite disadvantage in others. If you have any source of light in the room behind your viewing position (window during the day, light at night), a curved screen will show a very distracting reflection somewhere on the screen. Moving your position will cause the location of the reflexion to move, but will not eliminate it. A flat screen will allow you to move and the reflection will no longer be a problem. Windows are a particular problem because they are large. This can be very distracting in the summertime when sunset is well into the evening hours.
The advantage of a curved screen is that if you can sit nearly at the center of curvature, you are looking perpendicular to all of the screen, even the edges.
We have a 70" flat, smart Vizio and are very happy with it.
I must have the biggest TV possible—that will fit in a room. I like my escape time Bigly and don’t get headaches.
Cool...I just said “set timer for ten minutes” and Siri did it. Then “stop timer” and it paused. Never thought to try that! Thanks.
Get yourself a large screen commercial monitor without the inner tv and computer stuff.
The one below has its own stand. So you don’t need to mount it on the wall.
You need internet and a good wifi signal.
I prefer a Chromebook to Chromecast/stream tv to a monitor.
Chromebooks are simple, fast, eeasier to use and cheaper than a PC/ I have a Win 10 laptop and it is basically a time sucker to get on it for simple online things. It stays in my office connected to a good size monitor and a stand alone printer due to the MS Bs time needed to just get on line.
With my Chromebook, I just lift the top up, and I am immediately ready to access the internet and whatever site I need.
Amazon Prime and its Acorn have a ton of good tv shows, series and new shows available for streaming. We use Acorn to enjoy a countless number of Brit/Canadian tv shows from 20 years ago to the present.
If you have lived this long without tv, you can stream and avoid ABCNNBCBS and NFL bs.
Below is the commercial monitor that may fit your needs. Since they don’t have a computer inside, there are less things to burnout or cause problems. You can get one from Amazon for less than $1k.
Or you could go to Best Buy and have them help you make the selection and set it up in your home.
LG Electronics
LG 34UC98-W 34-Inch 21:9 Curved UltraWide QHD IPS Monitor with Thunderbolt
Save a few bucks and do not buy a SmartTV. Buy an Amazon FireStick. Far better experience and capabilities. SmartTV are rarely updated even though they have that ability.
In a 25’ room, a 75” TV is about right. Our living room is 25’x20’ and the 75” TV works just right. We have a Sharp Auqos. Real nice picture. Bought it 3 years ago. However, just about any 75” will do these days.
A key to enjoying a TV is the sound system. Get a soundbar and subwoofer. The small TV speakers are great for news shows, but for movies a sound system is required. Nothing expensive is needed.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.