55” TV. Wide viewing angle, bright room, built in apps.

Harkon321

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Hi.

Looking to buy a 55” TV in Black Friday sales.

Bright kitchen, dining area (bifolds and roof lantern) but no direct light on screen. Wide viewing angle and looking at LCD as HDR not required. I have a dedicated room for films etc so this will be causal watching, Netflix, sports etc.

Ease of use and having access to all the built in apps, without needing an additional box, would be most important.

Any specific models I should look for, or just see what is heavily discounted given I’m not after best PQ?
 
Thanks. Do they all come with Netflix, Prime, iPlayer, itv and 4OD? Didn’t know if certain products only had some of the apps.
 
the latest 2021 ones should last years LG did not have all the apps.
 
Hi.

Looking to buy a 55” TV in Black Friday sales.

Bright kitchen, dining area (bifolds and roof lantern) but no direct light on screen. Wide viewing angle and looking at LCD as HDR not required. I have a dedicated room for films etc so this will be causal watching, Netflix, sports etc.

Just to put a point straight top level LCD's are better for HDR as have higher brightness than OLEDS. However as said above for kitchen environment an IPS LCD may be the best solution. My kitchen TV is mounted on a cranked wall arm and can thus be angled towards the viewer in the kiktchen.
 

HDR comes on TVs, whether you like it or not unfortunately. Means cheaper models, and almost every model using IPS tech isn't suitable unless you work around it by using an Apple TV or similar to turn HDR off at the source.
 
Sorry yes, poorly worded by me I guess. It won’t be used for 4K viewing and the room is completely lacking in any light control, painted in light colours and, acoustically speaking, it has lots of hard reflective surfaces. I’m therefore after a TV where the priority is wide viewing angle, ease of use and wide selection of built in apps, rather than chasing the best HDR or deepest blacks like my other room.

Sounds like a Samsung LCD would do the job nicely or LG if they have all the apps this year.
 
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Sorry yes, poorly worded by me I guess. It won’t be used for 4K viewing and the room is completely lacking in any light control, painted in light colours and an acoustically speaking has lots of hard reflective surfaces. I’m therefore after a TV where the priority is wide viewing angle, ease of use and wide selection of built in apps, rather than chasing the best HDR or deepest blacks like my other room.

Sounds like a Samsung LCD would do the job nicely or LG if they have all the apps this year.
Samsung won't offer wide viewing angles as they are VA type mostly. Only the 55'' AU80 comes with multiple types, but you could end op with either. LG mentioned above will be your best bet. Hisense A6G offers better value, but not sure if they support all the apps you want.
 
You need to reach up to models like the Samsung Q85A/QN9xA models to get a good all round TV+wider viewing angles.
Or Sony XJ95 (min 65").

These TVs will still be expensive being 2021 models, look for stock on last years Sony XH9505 or Samsung Q90T/Q95T from 2020 lines in case you can find it cheap.

And there's also OLEDs, for example people have been eying up the Panasonic HZ980 refurbs that have appeared here:

Otherwise you're stuck with TVs using IPS panels, and TVs that won't display HDR very well. In fact, you'll get stuck with a crappy HDR picture using the built in apps, and there won't be much you can do about it apart from watch the HD version instead (which doesn't usually have HDR).

I know I keep warning people about it, but there's very little value in cheaper TVs now unless you're treating them as SDR only, and if its SDR only you need to have some kind of plan to avoid HDR.
 
Otherwise you're stuck with TVs using IPS panels, and TVs that won't display HDR very well. In fact, you'll get stuck with a crappy HDR picture using the built in apps, and there won't be much you can do about it apart from watch the HD version instead (which doesn't usually have HDR).

I know I keep warning people about it, but there's very little value in cheaper TVs now unless you're treating them as SDR only, and if its SDR only you need to have some kind of plan to avoid HDR.
 
Hi Dodge
I seriously doubt that anyone really needs an HDR capable TV for a Kitchen or even Kitchen diner viewing environment. Unless unlike us they are using other than broadcast sources in our large kitchen with breakfast bar which I would suspect is extremely rare? Although I did watch Wales v NZ on Prime on LG kitchen TV whilst preparing dinner this evening. This LG TV is however nowhere capable of delivering HDR but my Sony XH9505 in the lounge is amazing when displaying HDR and also is far better at displaying SDR HD.
 
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Not sure on budget but, i would imagine that these would have wide angle

£899

Or

£980


Reason for suggesting these is that your room sounds contemporary (B-Fold, Lantern etc). Such a room would probably benefit from the slim look of Oled and surround lights (lights can be turned on independently of TV)
 
Hi Dodge
I seriously doubt that anyone really needs an HDR capable TV for a Kitchen or even Kitchen diner viewing environment. Unless unlike us they are using other than broadcast sources in our large kitchen with breakfast bar which I would suspect is extremely rare? Although I did watch Wales v NZ on Prime on LG kitchen TV whilst preparing dinner this evening. This LG TV is however nowhere capable of delivering HDR but my Sony XH9505 in the lounge is amazing when displaying HDR and also is far better at displaying SDR HD.
I understand your logic, but they also mentioned they'd be streaming using Netflix and Prime, so unless they intend to keep that content HD only, they are going to get HDR whether they like it or not.

Sadly its not just a matter of cheaper TVs having poor HDR picture quality, you'll end up with the picture being too dark, and looking worse than just using SDR.

But the OP can work around this. On Netflix you have to keep the plan non-premium and watch only in HD, for Amazon you get two sets of shows, one 4k HDR, one HD SDR. Its doable, but if they want something that can handle everything they throw at the TV without a thought about which version they watch, or they want to watch in 4k then they certainly still should think about a TV with proper HDR, and if not at least have a plan to use an external device to enjoy 4k without HDR.
 
Thanks for the detailed response. Gives me a better understanding of the concerns around HDR on the cheaper models. My Netflix is HD only subscription, as is Virgin Media. Amazon, I can choose, although I'd never spotted that to be honest. I'm happy at this to be honest, it's not a huge screen, and it's viewed from 4m away so 4k isn't high on my agenda.

I'll see what Samsung and LG have from somewhere like Richer Sounds and see what's available BlackFriday.
 
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I'll see what Samsung and LG have from somewhere like Richer Sounds and see what's available BlackFriday.

If it helps Richer Sounds have in effect Black Fridays prices now and offer a guarantee to match Black Friday prices as well
 
If you're happy treating the TV SDR only there's no harm buying cheap. First decision to make is whether you want the TV to use an IPS or VA panel. Most people choose VA, but in a kitchen it may be that viewing angles and performing in bright, rather than darker rooms are more important.

Looking at low tier options at 55" LG and Sony have TVs that use IPS type panels, although you want to avoid the Sony X7xxx models since they are using VA. Sony have wider viewing angles than LG, but tend to be worse value for money.

With VA the usual choice is Samsung at 55" but again, some of their TVs may be using IPS type panels. Sony have the aforementioned X7xxx models above and Hisense/TCL may have some 55" ones using VA tech too.
 
If it helps Richer Sounds have in effect Black Fridays prices now and offer a guarantee to match Black Friday prices as well
Doesn't their price beat only cover for 14 days? I can't see anything on site that specifically mentions them covering Black Friday prices if outside of 14 days too.
 
Doesn't their price beat only cover for 14 days? I can't see anything on site that specifically mentions them covering Black Friday prices if outside of 14 days too.

If you ring them up to order they will be happy to agree to it.
 
Am I right in thinking Sony have stopped making their flagship *95 range in anything other than 65 inches and above? Pretty disappointed as I was hoping to get either a 55 9505 which have all gone or its replacement. The best 55 Inch Sony LED seems to be the poorer specificationed *90 with the narrow viewing angle much more reflective screen.
 
Am I right in thinking Sony have stopped making their flagship *95 range in anything other than 65 inches and above? Pretty disappointed as I was hoping to get either a 55 9505 which have all gone or its replacement. The best 55 Inch Sony LED seems to be the poorer specificationed *90 with the narrow viewing angle much more reflective screen.
Yes, its an ongoing trend. Seems the more time goes on the bigger and bigger higher spec LCD TVs become. Soon I suspect they'll be a thing of the past, and only for cheaper purchases.
 

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