Sandstrom LED TVs at Currys

GreenIsaac · 08-04-2010, 11:41 AM

While browsing Currys I noticed a brand of LED TV I'd not noticed before Sandstrom. I found the same TV online here.

I can't find much about these TVs and a search on this forum provided no results. Anyone heard of them and are they another manufacturer's TV re-badged?

dalegt4 · 08-04-2010, 11:52 AM

it could be like tesco, at present they are offering an led tv, well a range of tvs and it even specifies that 2 of the models use samsung panels, wether or not the tesco technica or whatever use the same panel as the ue series of samsung or a cheaper samsung alternative i dont know, but goes to show that some cheaper ones use parts from the big boys, whether the boards are the same i dont know but some use the panels from others

duke0102 · 17-04-2010, 5:51 PM

I've spotted the leaflets as well. It really bugged me as can't find anything on the tinternet which forces me to think its a DSGi homebrand TV but if it is then its an overpriced one, lol

Chris Muriel · 17-04-2010, 9:57 PM

This certainly sounds like a marketing ruse on DSG's part.
It'll be similar to Ebuyer who registered "Foehn and Hirsch" as a brand name for some fairly ordinary LCD TVs because the name might infer German quality. You'll find other threads on F and H.
I guess Sanstrom makes one think of certain other (quality/high end) Scandinavian brands - the difference being that B and O (as an example) really do design and manufacture whereas I'm pretty sure Sandstrom is a badge applied to typical Asian (or possibly Turkish) low end units.

mike7 · 18-04-2010, 10:33 AM

I'd always be wary of any brand that does not have a website or appear from any other retailer. Sandstrom is almost certainly an invented brandname to be slapped on products from just about anywhere.

It may be more of an attraction for some potential customers who are not old enough to remember the defunct UK brandnames that are stuck on similar products and only appear in Argos. For some people buying a 'Bush' television, for example, has an air of security about it, linking it to British made products of the 50's/60's. In reality there is no connection whatsoever.

Very often owners of these 'exclusive' names find themselves coming unstuck when they go wrong and spare parts are unsourcable.

**Greg** · 18-04-2010, 10:54 AM

A good internet search finds nothing on these products except links to the various DSG sites.

As others have said, the marketing team at Dixons must have come up with a name that they think exudes quality by making people think of similar Swedish and Scandinavian brands. Kind of like in the early days with their Matsui brand they thought sounded Japanese so people would think it was good!

Maybe these are new and more info will come out soon, but I echo what mike7 said and be wary about these.

Most know the trouble people had with the early Samsung LED TVs and clouding and all that rubbish, in particular on the 46" models and if Dixons have bought cheap a load of these early panels then buyers are likely to have nothing but trouble.

15-07-2010, 1:13 PM

my mate has one, look's pretty good from what i've seen, seen blu ray and some sky hd on it ^.^ for the price i think he got a bargain

smellvetica · 19-07-2010, 10:42 AM

I picked the 40" up yesterday. I negotiated and got it for £600 which after doing research seemed like a great deal for a 1080p, 100hz, LED TV. The styling's thin and a nice mix of clear and black plastic, sturdy with 4 HDMI, USB, Scart inputs.

The closest I could see to it was the Samsungs and a Bravia which were smaller and a bit more expensive.

On trying it (non HD) it seems great, the UI is slightly clunky as are most on TV's - it seems that manufacturers don't spend much time on crafting a UI which as a designer I find a massive oversight. Xbox 360 runs well, although doesn't quite seem to max the HD via HDMI. I've only a standard Sky Box running sketchy FreeSat - so will have to run some BluRay through it tonight to get a proper feel for it.

Doesn't have any problems displaying my MacBookPro through it also.

I'll post up some further thoughts on this. The chap in the shop told me they are UK made, Samsung screens (LED lit LCD) and the address is the Dixons holding company in the manual, no URL. Was a bit concerned by this but I *could* have snagged a bargain. We'll see.

http://www.dixons.co.uk/gbuk/sandstr...tab-tech-specs

Chris Muriel · 19-07-2010, 12:48 PM

I am very surprised at "The chap in the shop told me they are UK made"

What do any labels, plates or stickers on the TV itself say regarding country of manufacture or assembly ?

19-07-2010, 1:44 PM

try n take some pictures of it playing blu ray, sure alot of people would love to see what it looks like in real life and see what hd performance is like

risheet_03 · 16-08-2010, 1:00 AM

Any updates on the Sandstrom LED tvs?

S Bibby · 16-08-2010, 1:48 PM

Quote:

I am very surprised at "The chap in the shop told me they are UK made"

I think Sandstrom are from a long line of Swedish-Chinese who fled to Taiwan during the civil war. In the 2000s they opened a European assembly plant near Redditch attended by the Swedish royal family and representatives from the Kuomintang.

techydummy · 16-08-2010, 2:50 PM

I'd also be interested in finding out who makes Sandstrom tvs (and actually, the other Sanstrom products as well)...anyone got any ideas?

risheet_03 · 22-08-2010, 11:47 PM

If anyone has any input on these sandstroms i'd appreciate it very much thanks!

CalvinR · 29-08-2010, 4:26 PM

The 40" Sandstorms are really cheap now (~£499). Any more info would be greatly appreciated :-)

andyk · 29-08-2010, 5:13 PM

The guy in Currys today told me they were an on brand based on a Samsung panel. He said that the picture is v. good (as it looked in the shop). They take a while to switch on though apparently.

Chris Muriel · 30-08-2010, 12:27 AM

Better a little info than none - but bear in mind that having a Samsung panel doesn't really reveal anything much nor give any insight into the panel drive, video and display electronics.

GGTVBD · 30-08-2010, 9:13 AM

If you buy one - keep the receipt very safe for the inevitable SoGA claim after 16 months when it goes wrong and parts aren't available.

CalvinR · 03-09-2010, 5:40 PM

Mine arrived today - looks and works great (bar the nasty Sandstrom logo on the front!). Xbox 360 and Sky HD look really good. Not tried the Virgin HD box on it yet.

Plenty of connections at the back including 4x hdmi and usb. At ~£460 I couldn't resist really.

Anyone got any specific questions?

Mike London27 · 04-09-2010, 7:29 PM

Hi, I bought the 40" version from Currys (in store) last week for £500 I don't normally touch TVs with no brand but it seemed such a bargin. I believe this is a privately labelled TV for the Dixons group and have found it under the brand VU and Thintron in other countries. It has had some good reviews.

At first glance the TV seemed fantastic as the picture quality is great but I have a few serious problems. I find that if I set the picture mode to standard it makes a faint high frequency noise even at zero volume - so its not coming from the speakers. When I change the picture Mode to one of the other settings eg soft, bright this noise stops, however when playing blu-ray from PS3 HDMI in the other modes the backlight changes noticeably and it gets dark, the only setting that works fine is the standard setting. This is really odd and annoying. Does anyone else with this TV experience this? I now think there is something fundamentally wrong with this TV it is also very strange that the standard mode is far brighter then the bright mode it makes me think the standard mode has been created to be very bright to stop this dimming problem with HD. I will also be testing this with HD DVDs via my 360.

I will contact Currys to see if my set is just faulty but otherwise I would advise to stay away from this product. Also the manual is incorrect with the 5000:1 contrast ratio.

Michael

Mike London27 · 08-09-2010, 11:19 PM

Just to follow up currys did return the TV as faulty with no hassle, I think my set was just faulty. I have ordered a Samsung TV but it was £200 more.

Dave163 · 10-09-2010, 4:47 PM

Crikey you bagged a bargain at £499 from Dixons - Pixmania are doing them for £619.

I'm surprised. Normally Pixmania are amongst the cheaper online retailers and way cheaper than Dixons. What's going on? Maybe they aren't quite as "exclusive" to DSG after all?

Ikki · 10-09-2010, 5:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave163

Crikey you bagged a bargain at £499 from Dixons - Pixmania are doing them for £619.

I'm surprised. Normally Pixmania are amongst the cheaper online retailers and way cheaper than Dixons. What's going on? Maybe they aren't quite as "exclusive" to DSG after all?

Pixmania are also part of DSG, which is why they stock the Sandstrom brand.

noblead · 12-09-2010, 7:48 PM

I actually work for the currys.digital in york, and when I heard about these, I was worried they weren't going to be fantastic. After seeing one for myself, they are enough to rival the likes of Samsung, and are very well specced for the price. I own a sandstrom dab/ipod dock and i have to say it is smart, fairly well built and sounds rather good. DSG are placing sandstrom at the middle end so that it rivals 'main' brands in terms of spec and price.

GGTVBD · 13-09-2010, 8:58 AM

I'll warn you again...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grumpy Old Troll

If you buy one - keep the receipt very safe for the inevitable SoGA claim after 16 months when it goes wrong and parts aren't available.

Kingymiller · 18-09-2010, 3:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenIsaac

While browsing Currys I noticed a brand of LED TV I'd not noticed before Sandstrom. I found the same TV online here.

I can't find much about these TVs and a search on this forum provided no results. Anyone heard of them and are they another manufacturer's TV re-badged?

I bought one of these 40" TV's last week. The picture quality was really good, but when the camera was panning, or there was slow movement on the screen he items were Jerky or blurred, which I found surprising, given it was a 100Hz device. Strangely enough, when watching football that had fast movement there was no issue. It was shame really as there were some nice features on it. I took the set back & swapped it for an LG 42"

twe · 20-09-2010, 9:42 AM

They have the 46" version of this led tv at Merry Hill clearance store for £645. Was tempted but wasn't sure.... Probably go into the store and take a better look at it.

mailman · 24-09-2010, 10:36 AM

Well Ive just ordered one of the 40" LED tv's and its due for delivery on Tuesday.

Once its here Ill let you all know how it goes.

The guy on the shop floor did say it was built by samsung for Curry's too.

Regards

Mailman

Chris Muriel · 24-09-2010, 3:08 PM

Can someone check what the label on the TV quotes as the country of manufacture, please.

Mike London27 · 25-09-2010, 8:14 PM

Hi Chris

As far as I am aware there is no mention of what country these are manufacturerd in the manual. However the VU branded tv, that I think is the same TV (in India) states they are assembeled in india from parts produced in Japan.

I also think this tv is sold by bestbuy under their brand name insignia.

Insignia™ - 40" Class / 1080p / 120Hz / LED-LCD HDTV - NS-40E560A11

08-04-2010, 11:41 AM	#1
GreenIsaac Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Thanks: Gave 49, Got 2 Posts: 73	Sandstrom LED TVs at Currys Advertisement Want to Advertise? While browsing Currys I noticed a brand of LED TV I'd not noticed before Sandstrom. I found the same TV online here. I can't find much about these TVs and a search on this forum provided no results. Anyone heard of them and are they another manufacturer's TV re-badged?
	Quote

19-07-2010, 10:42 AM	#8
smellvetica New Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Thanks: Gave 0, Got 0 Posts: 2	Sandstrøm I picked the 40" up yesterday. I negotiated and got it for £600 which after doing research seemed like a great deal for a 1080p, 100hz, LED TV. The styling's thin and a nice mix of clear and black plastic, sturdy with 4 HDMI, USB, Scart inputs. The closest I could see to it was the Samsungs and a Bravia which were smaller and a bit more expensive. On trying it (non HD) it seems great, the UI is slightly clunky as are most on TV's - it seems that manufacturers don't spend much time on crafting a UI which as a designer I find a massive oversight. Xbox 360 runs well, although doesn't quite seem to max the HD via HDMI. I've only a standard Sky Box running sketchy FreeSat - so will have to run some BluRay through it tonight to get a proper feel for it. Doesn't have any problems displaying my MacBookPro through it also. I'll post up some further thoughts on this. The chap in the shop told me they are UK made, Samsung screens (LED lit LCD) and the address is the Dixons holding company in the manual, no URL. Was a bit concerned by this but I could have snagged a bargain. We'll see. http://www.dixons.co.uk/gbuk/sandstr...tab-tech-specs Last edited by smellvetica; 19-07-2010 at 10:45 AM.
	Quote

08-09-2010, 11:19 PM	#21
Mike London27 Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Thanks: Gave 4, Got 5 Posts: 87	follow up Just to follow up currys did return the TV as faulty with no hassle, I think my set was just faulty. I have ordered a Samsung TV but it was £200 more.
	Quote

25-09-2010, 8:14 PM	#30
Mike London27 Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Thanks: Gave 4, Got 5 Posts: 87	Sandstom TV Hi Chris As far as I am aware there is no mention of what country these are manufacturerd in the manual. However the VU branded tv, that I think is the same TV (in India) states they are assembeled in india from parts produced in Japan. I also think this tv is sold by bestbuy under their brand name insignia. Insignia™ - 40" Class / 1080p / 120Hz / LED-LCD HDTV - NS-40E560A11
	Quote

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

08-04-2010, 11:52 AM	#2
dalegt4 Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Thanks: Gave 0, Got 9 Posts: 159	it could be like tesco, at present they are offering an led tv, well a range of tvs and it even specifies that 2 of the models use samsung panels, wether or not the tesco technica or whatever use the same panel as the ue series of samsung or a cheaper samsung alternative i dont know, but goes to show that some cheaper ones use parts from the big boys, whether the boards are the same i dont know but some use the panels from others
	Quote

17-04-2010, 5:51 PM	#3
duke0102 New Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Thanks: Gave 0, Got 0 Posts: 1	I've spotted the leaflets as well. It really bugged me as can't find anything on the tinternet which forces me to think its a DSGi homebrand TV but if it is then its an overpriced one, lol
	Quote

17-04-2010, 9:57 PM	#4
Chris Muriel Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Manchester Thanks: Gave 546, Got 674 Posts: 6,647	This certainly sounds like a marketing ruse on DSG's part. It'll be similar to Ebuyer who registered "Foehn and Hirsch" as a brand name for some fairly ordinary LCD TVs because the name might infer German quality. You'll find other threads on F and H. I guess Sanstrom makes one think of certain other (quality/high end) Scandinavian brands - the difference being that B and O (as an example) really do design and manufacture whereas I'm pretty sure Sandstrom is a badge applied to typical Asian (or possibly Turkish) low end units.
	Quote

18-04-2010, 10:33 AM	#5
mike7 Prominent Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Norwich Thanks: Gave 332, Got 266 Posts: 3,437	I'd always be wary of any brand that does not have a website or appear from any other retailer. Sandstrom is almost certainly an invented brandname to be slapped on products from just about anywhere. It may be more of an attraction for some potential customers who are not old enough to remember the defunct UK brandnames that are stuck on similar products and only appear in Argos. For some people buying a 'Bush' television, for example, has an air of security about it, linking it to British made products of the 50's/60's. In reality there is no connection whatsoever. Very often owners of these 'exclusive' names find themselves coming unstuck when they go wrong and spare parts are unsourcable.
	Quote

18-04-2010, 10:54 AM	#6
Greg Moderator & Reviewer Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Jennifer Lawrenceville, Kristen Bellshire Thanks: Gave 365, Got 2,344 Posts: 13,492	A good internet search finds nothing on these products except links to the various DSG sites. As others have said, the marketing team at Dixons must have come up with a name that they think exudes quality by making people think of similar Swedish and Scandinavian brands. Kind of like in the early days with their Matsui brand they thought sounded Japanese so people would think it was good! Maybe these are new and more info will come out soon, but I echo what mike7 said and be wary about these. Most know the trouble people had with the early Samsung LED TVs and clouding and all that rubbish, in particular on the 46" models and if Dixons have bought cheap a load of these early panels then buyers are likely to have nothing but trouble.
	Quote

15-07-2010, 1:13 PM	#7
JustFinch Guest Posts: n/a	my mate has one, look's pretty good from what i've seen, seen blu ray and some sky hd on it ^.^ for the price i think he got a bargain
	Quote

19-07-2010, 12:48 PM	#9
Chris Muriel Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Manchester Thanks: Gave 546, Got 674 Posts: 6,647	I am very surprised at "The chap in the shop told me they are UK made" What do any labels, plates or stickers on the TV itself say regarding country of manufacture or assembly ?
	Quote

19-07-2010, 1:44 PM	#10
JustFinch Guest Posts: n/a	try n take some pictures of it playing blu ray, sure alot of people would love to see what it looks like in real life and see what hd performance is like
	Quote

16-08-2010, 1:00 AM	#11
risheet_03 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Thanks: Gave 4, Got 10 Posts: 1,310	Any updates on the Sandstrom LED tvs?
	Quote

16-08-2010, 2:50 PM	#13
techydummy New Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Thanks: Gave 0, Got 0 Posts: 1	I'd also be interested in finding out who makes Sandstrom tvs (and actually, the other Sanstrom products as well)...anyone got any ideas?
	Quote

22-08-2010, 11:47 PM	#14
risheet_03 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Thanks: Gave 4, Got 10 Posts: 1,310	If anyone has any input on these sandstroms i'd appreciate it very much thanks!
	Quote

29-08-2010, 4:26 PM	#15
CalvinR New Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Thanks: Gave 1, Got 0 Posts: 22	The 40" Sandstorms are really cheap now (~£499). Any more info would be greatly appreciated :-)
	Quote

29-08-2010, 5:13 PM	#16
andyk Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: North Yorkshire Thanks: Gave 7, Got 149 Posts: 706	The guy in Currys today told me they were an on brand based on a Samsung panel. He said that the picture is v. good (as it looked in the shop). They take a while to switch on though apparently.
	Quote

30-08-2010, 12:27 AM	#17
Chris Muriel Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Manchester Thanks: Gave 546, Got 674 Posts: 6,647	Better a little info than none - but bear in mind that having a Samsung panel doesn't really reveal anything much nor give any insight into the panel drive, video and display electronics.
	Quote

30-08-2010, 9:13 AM	#18
GGTVBD Prominent Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire. Thanks: Gave 230, Got 322 Posts: 3,289	If you buy one - keep the receipt very safe for the inevitable SoGA claim after 16 months when it goes wrong and parts aren't available.
	Quote

03-09-2010, 5:40 PM	#19
CalvinR New Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Thanks: Gave 1, Got 0 Posts: 22	Mine arrived today - looks and works great (bar the nasty Sandstrom logo on the front!). Xbox 360 and Sky HD look really good. Not tried the Virgin HD box on it yet. Plenty of connections at the back including 4x hdmi and usb. At ~£460 I couldn't resist really. Anyone got any specific questions?
	Quote

04-09-2010, 7:29 PM	#20
Mike London27 Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Thanks: Gave 4, Got 5 Posts: 87	Hi, I bought the 40" version from Currys (in store) last week for £500 I don't normally touch TVs with no brand but it seemed such a bargin. I believe this is a privately labelled TV for the Dixons group and have found it under the brand VU and Thintron in other countries. It has had some good reviews. At first glance the TV seemed fantastic as the picture quality is great but I have a few serious problems. I find that if I set the picture mode to standard it makes a faint high frequency noise even at zero volume - so its not coming from the speakers. When I change the picture Mode to one of the other settings eg soft, bright this noise stops, however when playing blu-ray from PS3 HDMI in the other modes the backlight changes noticeably and it gets dark, the only setting that works fine is the standard setting. This is really odd and annoying. Does anyone else with this TV experience this? I now think there is something fundamentally wrong with this TV it is also very strange that the standard mode is far brighter then the bright mode it makes me think the standard mode has been created to be very bright to stop this dimming problem with HD. I will also be testing this with HD DVDs via my 360. I will contact Currys to see if my set is just faulty but otherwise I would advise to stay away from this product. Also the manual is incorrect with the 5000:1 contrast ratio. Michael
	Quote

10-09-2010, 4:47 PM	#22
Dave163 Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Thanks: Gave 2, Got 7 Posts: 167	Crikey you bagged a bargain at £499 from Dixons - Pixmania are doing them for £619. I'm surprised. Normally Pixmania are amongst the cheaper online retailers and way cheaper than Dixons. What's going on? Maybe they aren't quite as "exclusive" to DSG after all?
	Quote

12-09-2010, 7:48 PM	#24
noblead Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: York Thanks: Gave 0, Got 4 Posts: 60	I actually work for the currys.digital in york, and when I heard about these, I was worried they weren't going to be fantastic. After seeing one for myself, they are enough to rival the likes of Samsung, and are very well specced for the price. I own a sandstrom dab/ipod dock and i have to say it is smart, fairly well built and sounds rather good. DSG are placing sandstrom at the middle end so that it rivals 'main' brands in terms of spec and price.
	Quote

20-09-2010, 9:42 AM	#27
twe Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Thanks: Gave 8, Got 7 Posts: 220	They have the 46" version of this led tv at Merry Hill clearance store for £645. Was tempted but wasn't sure.... Probably go into the store and take a better look at it.
	Quote

Member Log In

Not a Member Yet?

Sandstrom LED TVs at Currys

24-09-2010, 10:36 AM	#28
mailman New Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Thanks: Gave 0, Got 1 Posts: 13	Well Ive just ordered one of the 40" LED tv's and its due for delivery on Tuesday. Once its here Ill let you all know how it goes. The guy on the shop floor did say it was built by samsung for Curry's too. Regards Mailman
	Quote

24-09-2010, 3:08 PM	#29
Chris Muriel Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Manchester Thanks: Gave 546, Got 674 Posts: 6,647	Can someone check what the label on the TV quotes as the country of manufacture, please.
	Quote