Suggestions wanted for LED TV

Gauravdp

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Guys this is my first post in HiFiVision.

I am really confused about a LED TV that I plan to buy this week. The size is (given my room size, viewing distance would be from 7-10 feet) is 40" and the budget is 50-60K.

A disclaimer right at the start: I've been using a SOny TV for the past 14 years, and am completely satisfied by the service it's given me .. the picture is crystal clear and bright and sharp even after so many years, as good as new CRTs if not better. So I guess this makes me a Sony fan (hopefully not a fanboy) but even then, given Sony's current condition and the fact that it doesn't make its own panels and instead gets them made in China, I don't expect the same quality level as the TV I've been using so far. So while there is a distinct preference for SONY, it's not binding.

The aim is to get the best picture quality bang for my middle-class buck.
I aim to restrict my search among these brands -- Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, LG, Philips and Sharp. But I'm undecided with a myriad factors adding to my predicament.

Sony -- Very good picture quality, but TOO EXPENSIVE. Not sure whether the picture quality justifies the premium, a 10% improvement in picture quality does not justify 30% additional cost. There are 3 sets close to my price range, and I have a slight inclination for the monolithic design ... but it costs 67000 at present, exorbitant. There is a 32" HX series set at 52000 odd with 5* rating frm What Hifi (Local dimming), but the mind recoils at having to pay 40" prices for a 32" TV. Also not sure about servicing etc.

Samsung -- Picture quality run of the mill at my price range (higher ranges have excellent quality, but out of budget), lots of features,( not sure if I'll need or like them), show room salesmen claim excellent servicing (as per them, Samsung TVs have "Triple protection", from humidity etc, but would like to know the actual user experience. Does lower price come with a lower quality level ?

Panasonic -- Not much knowledge about this one, except that they use IPS panels that are supposed to be the best in business. Are the panels still "Made in Japan" as they used to be advertised earlier? Servicing is reportedly a major issue, and my Panasonic microwave broke twice within two years of purchase, and still lying broken. Otherwise, I have a slight weakness for Japanese brands.

LG-- IPS panels again. No idea about actual picture quality and servicing, price in the Samsung range.

Philips -- Anybody have any idea about this brand? Has anyone actually been using a Philips set?

Sharp -- Any ideas about this ? What about the Quattro panels? The positive thing about this brand is that I've been told they manufacture their own panels in Japan. However, as of now this company is a sinking ship like many other Japanese electronics manufacturers, and would have service and support issues if it goes under.

All in all, I'm in a quandry and have turned to you knowledgeable folks for practical advice. Please suggest.
 
You can include Toshiba as well in the list. Less prices and 3 years warranty. I am unaware about the quality.
 
Get the Sony..you will forget about the price you paid after experiencing the pic quality.
 
Guys this is my first post in HiFiVision.

I am really confused about a LED TV that I plan to buy this week. The size is (given my room size, viewing distance would be from 7-10 feet) is 40" and the budget is 50-60K.

A disclaimer right at the start: I've been using a SOny TV for the past 14 years, and am completely satisfied by the service it's given me .. the picture is crystal clear and bright and sharp even after so many years, as good as new CRTs if not better. So I guess this makes me a Sony fan (hopefully not a fanboy) but even then, given Sony's current condition and the fact that it doesn't make its own panels and instead gets them made in China, I don't expect the same quality level as the TV I've been using so far. So while there is a distinct preference for SONY, it's not binding.

The aim is to get the best picture quality bang for my middle-class buck.
I aim to restrict my search among these brands -- Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, LG, Philips and Sharp. But I'm undecided with a myriad factors adding to my predicament.

Sony -- Very good picture quality, but TOO EXPENSIVE. Not sure whether the picture quality justifies the premium, a 10% improvement in picture quality does not justify 30% additional cost. There are 3 sets close to my price range, and I have a slight inclination for the monolithic design ... but it costs 67000 at present, exorbitant. There is a 32" HX series set at 52000 odd with 5* rating frm What Hifi (Local dimming), but the mind recoils at having to pay 40" prices for a 32" TV. Also not sure about servicing etc.

Samsung -- Picture quality run of the mill at my price range (higher ranges have excellent quality, but out of budget), lots of features,( not sure if I'll need or like them), show room salesmen claim excellent servicing (as per them, Samsung TVs have "Triple protection", from humidity etc, but would like to know the actual user experience. Does lower price come with a lower quality level ?

Panasonic -- Not much knowledge about this one, except that they use IPS panels that are supposed to be the best in business. Are the panels still "Made in Japan" as they used to be advertised earlier? Servicing is reportedly a major issue, and my Panasonic microwave broke twice within two years of purchase, and still lying broken. Otherwise, I have a slight weakness for Japanese brands.

LG-- IPS panels again. No idea about actual picture quality and servicing, price in the Samsung range.

Philips -- Anybody have any idea about this brand? Has anyone actually been using a Philips set?

Sharp -- Any ideas about this ? What about the Quattro panels? The positive thing about this brand is that I've been told they manufacture their own panels in Japan. However, as of now this company is a sinking ship like many other Japanese electronics manufacturers, and would have service and support issues if it goes under.

All in all, I'm in a quandry and have turned to you knowledgeable folks for practical advice. Please suggest.

Hi Gauravdp,

Though I may not be able to give you the exact models that you can look for, I would like to share my thoughts which you can consider as part of choosing the best for you.

1. Stick with 40 inch for the room size you have.
2. Sony gets panels from Samsung and the Panel quality/reliability of both Sony and Samsung is more or less same. It is the video processing software that differentiates between Samsung and Sony.
3. For the budget that you have specified, almost all the models from different brands perform almost the same.
4. Among all the brands that you have put, Sony, Samsung and LG are popular in LED. Panasonic is sort of new entrant to LED.
5. If you narrow the choice between Sony, Samsung and LG, there is not much difference with respect to performance for the budget.
6. Having said that, I will personally stick with Sony or Samsung. Between these two, you will see some people claiming Sony Bravia X-reality processing to be better and I have also heard few others saying the other way that Samsung LEDs have better picture depth. So what I am trying to say is that it depends on the individual eyes.

So you choose models (within your budget) from Sony and Samsung and proceed for a demo. Make sure that you have remote control in your hand during the demo to make sure that you have identical picture settings and trust your eyes. Which ever you feel good in your eyes, go for that (be it sony or samsung. I will say it again that there will be no difference between the models at the budget you are looking for.

Having said that, this does not mean that you should stop from going for a demo with other brands like LG, Toshiba and Panasonic.
Finally the most important thing - If possible, go for extended warranty. I would strongly recommend you to go for that and so you need to consider the extra bucks that you might spend on that.

Best wishes for your purchase.
 
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Thanks guys, for your very helpful pointers, they're helping me to narrow down my search. Expect to take a decision in a day or two, currently populating my Excel chart (;-) ).
Please respond if you have further relevant information.
BTW, I have seen very good reviews (including in this site, too) about a LG TV model --42LS5700 , available at a reasonable price, too. (about Rs 57000). Any opinions? How would it compare with, say, Sony's KDL-40EX650? Does 42LS5700 have an IPS panel?
 
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Between 42LS5700 and 40NX650, the fomer is the best when it comes to value for money. I guess NX650 will be 10k more. Performance wise, they are more or less same. Each have their strengths and weakness. For example, NX650 has a slightly more black level, where as LX5700 has better viewing angle, color accuracy and motion handling. Any way, for a normal user, you will not see much difference between these two.

Still if you have any doubts about LS5700 vs NX650, please go for a demo.
By the way, LS5700 has S-IPS panel and it is a good panel indeed.
 
Hello Mr. Gaurav,

I somewhat agree with Mr. Shanmune on the screen size and selection between Sony or Samsung. However I disagree that Panasonic is a relatively new entrant. I am running a few appliances of Panasonic in my house-hold for years now. I would recommend to replace LG with Panasonic in your list. I have had terrible experiences with LG products and their support.

I have recently bought Sony 32" LED and I must say that the image quality is near parfect. Sony sells its product at a premium price, but their product quality and service is incomparable. However, having said that this time I am now planning to buy a 40" soon, but have shortlisted Samsung for this venture. Recently 2 of my colleagues bought 55" 3D LED and they are absolutely satisfied.

Now, coming to Philips...I have some good information about it through a friend. Since the time Philips (India) was taken over by Videocon quality and service deteriorated. All parts are directly imported from China and assembled in India. Service is poor and spares are not easily available, even in the company.

Sharp's days are counted, not only in India but world over...so please stay away. In fact, you may look for Toshiba if you want an alternative.
 
My suggestion will be to go with EX650..much better black level than LG one, higher contrast ratio than LG..most important factors which leads better pic quality.
Viewing angle has nothing to do with pic quality if you sit at 120 degree then go with the lg one.
 
[QUOTE given Sony's current condition and the fact that it doesn't make its own panels and instead gets them made in China, I don't expect the same quality level as the TV I've been using so far. So while there is a distinct preference for SONY, it's not binding.
][/QUOTE]
It is a wrong notion that if it is made in China, it is of poorer quality.
Sony and others have chosen to have manufacturing plants in China as the manufacturing costs are very low compared to Japan.
The specs and design of the panels is done by Sony R&D engineers.Only the manufacturing takes place in China.
Just because it is made in China, it is not allowed into the market by the Sony Quality control department, if it is not upto the actual design standards of Sony.:)
 
@Dirac: Thanks for your reply. I think you do have something there, Made in China need not necessarily be of inferior quality. Apple does most of its manufacturing in China. I myself have a Yamaha 2.1 computer speaker set Made in China and they've been serving me fabulously for the last eleven years.

Chinese manufacturers have the means to provide different quality levels at different price points.
However, it's also true that Sony's own Trinitron picture tubes made in Japan were in a different league altogether, as far as performance and reliability is concerned.
 
A bit late but chipping in nevertheless...

In my opinion, 50-60K for 40" LED is not going to get you a good set. You will compromise on picture and electrnoics. I presume that you own a Sony Super Trinitron. This TV's picture tube is unparalleled in history. A low cost 40" LED will pale in front of this. I suggest that you wait and save a little more and go for the higher end LED. The LEDs that will come close (but not match) your current TVs PQ are Sony HX750/HX850 (or Sony EX650 to a small extent), Samsung 7/8 Series, etc. These sets will easily end up in the 80k+ range. The others will not have the greatest blacks, PQ and the "feel good" factor.
 
I am unaware about the quality.
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I am unaware about the quality.
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k2.jpg
Quality is subjective. Quality (like beauty) lies in the eyes of the beholder. It is not that 50-60K LED sets are bad in quality. What I said in the previous post is that, after being exposed to high PQ of Sony CRT (presumably Super Trinitron), the OP may feel let down with the lower range LEDs. Then again, I may be wrong.
 
Quality is subjective. Quality (like beauty) lies in the eyes of the beholder. It is not that 50-60K LED sets are bad in quality. What I said in the previous post is that, after being exposed to high PQ of Sony CRT (presumably Super Trinitron), the OP may feel let down with the lower range LEDs. Then again, I may be wrong.

You are not wrong. Even adding more from my side, if not for HD, my trinitron will eat any of the other flat panels too with respect to contrast ratio. :eek:
 
Anyone have any ideas or details about when the Sony Bravia 2013 range will be announced in India ? It struck me that since I've already waited so long it might not be insensible to wait a litle while longer and see if the new range is more value for my money.
 
Finally concluded my quest by buying the 42" Sony KDL-42W650 on 3rd May 2013. The choice was made easier by the fact that .mkv is now supported.

Went to the Sony Centre showroom on 01/05 and this set was not in stock. Asked them to let me know when it arrived. This happened on the afternoon of 02/05. Finally booked on 03/05, the next day. I didn't delay as I knew that the showroom piece would be delivered, and I was in a hurry for personal reasons. The reasoning was that even if the showroom piece were to be delivered, it'd have been on display for less than 24 hours (as it was unavailable the previous day), and in any case the model had been introduced to the Indian market less than a fortnight ago.

On the flip side, there's only one USB port now, and the set is ultra-thin so that many ports have been inconveniently positioned now. The picture quality is comparable to last year's lower -end models. One disadvantage is that at a distance of 7-8 feet, SD channels are unbearable to watch.

Thanks to all those who took the trouble of reading my posts and contributing with their valuable comments and suggestions.
 
Finally concluded my quest by buying the 42" Sony KDL-42W650 on 3rd May 2013. The choice was made easier by the fact that .mkv is now supported.

Went to the Sony Centre showroom on 01/05 and this set was not in stock. Asked them to let me know when it arrived. This happened on the afternoon of 02/05. Finally booked on 03/05, the next day. I didn't delay as I knew that the showroom piece would be delivered, and I was in a hurry for personal reasons. The reasoning was that even if the showroom piece were to be delivered, it'd have been on display for less than 24 hours (as it was unavailable the previous day), and in any case the model had been introduced to the Indian market less than a fortnight ago.

On the flip side, there's only one USB port now, and the set is ultra-thin so that many ports have been inconveniently positioned now. The picture quality is comparable to last year's lower -end models. One disadvantage is that at a distance of 7-8 feet, SD channels are unbearable to watch.

Thanks to all those who took the trouble of reading my posts and contributing with their valuable comments and suggestions.

Congrats on ur purchase... enjoy your set... Look for the calibration settings available from experts on the review forums such as whathifi, cnet, lcdbuyingguide , television info and avsforums and see the one which suits you...that wiil help you extract best out of your tv...
 
Finally concluded my quest by buying the 42" Sony KDL-42W650 on 3rd May 2013. The choice was made easier by the fact that .mkv is now supported.

Went to the Sony Centre showroom on 01/05 and this set was not in stock. Asked them to let me know when it arrived. This happened on the afternoon of 02/05. Finally booked on 03/05, the next day. I didn't delay as I knew that the showroom piece would be delivered, and I was in a hurry for personal reasons. The reasoning was that even if the showroom piece were to be delivered, it'd have been on display for less than 24 hours (as it was unavailable the previous day), and in any case the model had been introduced to the Indian market less than a fortnight ago.

On the flip side, there's only one USB port now, and the set is ultra-thin so that many ports have been inconveniently positioned now. The picture quality is comparable to last year's lower -end models. One disadvantage is that at a distance of 7-8 feet, SD channels are unbearable to watch.

Thanks to all those who took the trouble of reading my posts and contributing with their valuable comments and suggestions.

How is hd on the set?
 
For excellent sound that won't break the bank, the 5 Star Award Winning Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 Bookshelf Speakers is the one to consider!
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