Small picture frame TV on a budget

[bluedroog]

A bit lost looking at the array of options on the market….

I’d like a minimalist tv, with the least amount of plastic etc on show, shallow in depth to go on a bedroom wall.

I do however want reasonable quality, 1080 etc, ideally a smart tv (not a deal breaker), sound will be through separate system so not overly concerned with quality there.

Now I’m looking at maximum 32”, probably even a size down (don’t even know what that is these days!).

I want to keep the budget down, ideally sub £300.

Quick side question, can all tv’s be put on a swing bracket and what is a decent budget one? I don’t need to tilt or have massive movement, just literally like opening a cupboard door so can be viewed from bed or sofa.

Thanks

 

[mikej]

28" is the next size down from 32" and I think LG are the only company who still make TVs in that size. I bought the 28TN525S and it works fine as a bedroom TV that only gets occasional use for watching stuff like the news or YouTube. I don't watch movies on it though and there is a known memory bug on many LG LCDs (including this one) that cause some apps to crash occasionally, so you might want an external streaming device if you watch a lot of Netflix. It's HD picture quality is actually pretty good and I've had no issues with motion. It's 720p but you honestly can't tell at any normal viewing distance (my viewing distance from the bed is about 6ft). The sound is poor as you would expect, so you'll need your external system. I'll probably add a small soundbar at some stage.

If you're set on 1080p, then you'll have to look at 32" and above but, even at that size, many are 720p.

With the exception of the 32" Samsung Frame (which is a lot more expensive), TVs around this size are pretty chunky, so you won't find OLED-like bezels or anything too slimline. The Frame is designed to be mounted flat to a wall so if you're using a cantilever bracket then the Frame would be a waste of money, IMO. I don't think it actually has VESA holes, so mounting it to anything other than the approved (flat) bracket will be a hassle.

The Frame aside, most other TVs have VESA mounting holes these days. 100x100 or 200x200 are the common sizes for smaller TVs, so you just need to make sure the bracket covers the relevant size.

 

[Dodgexander]

The quality of a TV is not bound by its resolution. The cheap 720p TVs will be just as good as the 1080p ones unless you're viewing very close.
The sad truth is manufacturers are no longer making good TVs at smaller sizes anymore. This is true even at 43" or sometimes 50" but even worse at smaller sizes than that.

If expectations are low you'll be okay, but don't expect something that's not bottom barrel quality.