Toddler just broke 4K Sony TV, need a half-decent 43"+ replacement!

markos1

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Hi all, scouring recent threads here but also wanted to ask directly regarding a replacement.

My late 2015 Sony 4K KD-43X8307C was reasonably priced back then (£639) but it was infuriating to use as it was so sluggish, to the point you'd select the TV channel you'd want in the morning as you switched it off at night, seriously :facepalm:. Quite often it wouldn't connect to wifi so cue another 10 mins faffing on a regular basis, so in some ways my 20 month old smashing it isn't quite a bad as it sounds! In essence I think I'm looking for a similar TV to do usual duties (no gaming) so would like:
  • 4K
  • Smart TV with all of iPlayer/ITV hub/All 4/My5/Netflix (previously it wasn't easy to get a full house IIRC)
  • NOT SLUGGISH
  • 43-50 inches I guess
  • Wifi
  • Optical connectivity for a sound bar (if native sound is poor)
  • Freeview/Youview (what's the EPG deal if it doesn't have one of these?!)
I know much of the above is standard nowadays I guess. I have favoured Sony in the past (design and build quality) but the last TV has soured my love for them. Any info on the EPG/Freeview situation would be very welcome. Budget would be anything from £300-£600 but could go a couple of hundred higher if needs be.

Any help or info appreciated! :)
 

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You're not wrong tvdavid! :laugh: I've been looking at screen protectors for TVs which I didn't know were a thing but clearly I will need one! Appreciate the link, looks a good option so will have a good look over now. Existing TV is on household insurance (accidental cover) so made an online claim although will withdraw if the proposed payout is peanuts...
this seems to be the new one
try to be more careful with it.
maybe worth adding insurance to it.
 
... and it will hit your renewal price or new insurer price wherever you go. TV is probably not worth more than £150-200 so check your excess as well. Probably not worth claiming on balance. However if you've logged a claim that will count when you start another policy although you can state claim cancelled.
 
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Yes may well be not worth it. I wanted to discuss it with insurers but they won't accept calls unless it's an emergency (and this is a household name provider too) so we will see what happens over the next few days. I may well end up withdrawing the claim...
 
I ignore those stupid messages where it says "don;t call unless it's an emergency".

If I want to call a company who I'm paying to serve me, it IS an emergency as far as I am concerned!
 
Exactly
Who defines an "emergency". Yet working from home is more efficient is it ? What excuse can they have to not have fully staffed phones. The pandemic is over.
But anyway, making claims has become borderline in the past few years as the downside long term, is usually a deterrent
 
Exactly
Who defines an "emergency". Yet working from home is more efficient is it ? What excuse can they have to not have fully staffed phones. The pandemic is over.
But anyway, making claims has become borderline in the past few years as the downside long term, is usually a deterrent
I agree. The phone call is ended once you say it's not an emergency and if you call back and state that it is an emergency then you're on hold for ages... and in this case they won as I went online
 
My neighbour works for Aviva as a claims handler. So I've had long chats with her over the past couple of years. She's bored silly and would love to return to the office but can't. She walks her dog twice a day for an hour at a time, goes shopping every other day. If her phone isn't answered it goes onto the next call handler. She says she is answering half the calls she used to.
I guess its depends if your policy is new for old or not. If not then its probably not worth claiming.
 
Try to at least reach starter HDR TVs in my guide here if you want a decent set:
 
Just a quick update, I've gone through my insurance for a replacement as it was a like for like policy, and after rejecting an offer of a £400 Samsung without an optical connection I've accepted this, which should arrive on Weds for John Lewis. Looks as close to my current one that was possible, just pray it's not as laggy... Will also be ordering a a screen protector which seem to be around the £70 mark...

 
Will also be ordering a a screen protector which seem to be around the £70 mark...
What does a screen protector for a TV entail ?
 
Some acrylic with a strap and fasteners I think... eBay sell them but I see that that one comes with spacers to allow for air flow. Looks to be 2mm thick although I personally wouldn't mind 3mm...


On eBay too:
 
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Some acrylic with a strap and fasteners I think... eBay sell them but I see that that one comes with spacers to allow for air flow. Looks to be 2mm thick although I personally wouldn't mind 3mm...
Ah, OK. I did envisage a film you have to stick to the screen (like a screen protector for a phone) which would have been bizarre :D

A sheet of plastic isn't going to do wonders for the picture quality presumably, but should at least stop the TV going the way of it's predecessor !
 
Ah, OK. I did envisage a film you have to stick to the screen (like a screen protector for a phone) which would have been bizarre :D

A sheet of plastic isn't going to do wonders for the picture quality presumably, but should at least stop the TV going the way of it's predecessor !
Imagine the air bubbles in a sticky film over something that size! :laugh:

It might be something that comes off the TV at 7pm when the little hurricane goes to bed, depends how much of a faff it is to put on/take off. In an ideal world it goes on and you don't even notice it 🤞
 
Finally found the time to set the new TV up, kinda blown away with the blacks. Wasn't really expecting any difference but it's really noticeably better in the blacks which gives a much better picture than my old late 2015 4K Sony ever did. Also after a bit of googling I've found all the main catchup services like iPlayer etc which are buried in the menus... I'll see if there's a way to 'favourite' them but do wonder just how many owners will never find those services and just rely on casting from their phone, or perhaps older viewers maybe not even having that option which would be a shame.

I ordered a screen protector so have that on now, although I wonder if I should have paid a touch more and bought an anti-glare one as the finish is glossy on mine and might prove to be too reflective... time will tell but here's a few pics of the screen protector attached – excuse all the mess in the picture/reflection 😭

 

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The other thing that I am so relieved about is start-up time: this new TV seems very quick to start up and to be responsive to remote control commands. It might just be 'normal' but the last TV would need around 60 seconds before you even dare to change a channel, otherwise it could spiral into a totally unresponsive TV requiring a switch off at the mains. That was one of my fears with getting another Sony but thank the Lord this is 'normal'!
 
I'm just wonder where a toddler found the time to smash 4,000 Sonys.
:D
 
kinda blown away with the blacks. Wasn't really expecting any difference but it's really noticeably better in the blacks which gives a much better picture than my old late 2015 4K Sony ever did
This panel is IPS I understand, with the lights off in the evening how does it look?
 
This panel is IPS I understand, with the lights off in the evening how does it look?
We have low level accent lighting in the evenings and in that the picture has looked good to my eyes. Maybe a touch too contrasty so at some stage I will likely go in and adjust settings, but as for 'out of the box' picture quality I've been impressed with it, and even wifey mentioned what a good picture it was last night (unprompted). I'm no expert and haven't compared it to other TVs but I'm happy with it. I did see a UK YouTube review of it the other week and they really praised the quality of the picture at this price point.
 

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