TV recommendation please? - £800 to £1500 - Baffled by technology!!

Red44

Standard Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2022
Messages
7
Reaction score
4
Points
26
Age
52
Location
Fife, Scotland
Hi all, I'm new to the forums and I'm pretty baffled by TV technology, unfortunately. I currently have a Panasonic TX42AS500B which I've had for years and has served me well. My partner and I recently moved to a new house and we are looking to treat ourselves to a new TV, but the technology and choice out there is a bit daunting. I've had a read through the TV guides here which are excellent but alas I'm still left none-the-wiser as to where to put my money. For example, I see lots of posts mentioning screen burn on OLED TV's and I'm unsure how much of an issue this might be?

I'm hoping for some advice on a purchase and I'll try and give as much info as I can on the usage of the TV and what I 'think' I'd like from it. No preference over LED/OLED/QLED although I appreciate you get what you pay for and as far as I can tell from what I've read, a high spec LED can sometimes be a better performer than a cheap OLED? So below is some info that I hope someone can recommend some options from to look at. Only little caveat is that my partner has been given £400 in Currys gift vouchers so we are ideally looking to purchase from there if possible. Also, we live in a quiet rural area which is nice and peaceful but with the drawback that mobile phone and Freeview reception is awful. We don't have Sky and nor do we want it but we are currently using a satellite dish to receive FreeSat which works perfectly. So the TV would need to have a FreeSat option built in (which I gather lots have these days anyway).
  • 65" - 75" screen
  • Will be on a TV unit rather than wall mounted (not sure if that makes any difference?)
  • FreeSat built in
  • PVR built in
  • We watch a lot of movies, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video but its not one of those households where the TV is constantly on
  • I game now and again on an Xbox Series X - I'm a casual gamer, not a hardcore one
  • Concerns around screen burn? - happy to be advised on this though
Have looked at Currys and a couple have caught my eye:-

  • LG 65UQ91006LA​

  • LG OLED65C14LB​

  • SONY BRAVIA XR65X94JU​

  • SAMSUNG QE65Q80AATXXU​

Again, having not much of a clue at what the tech is involved in the ones I've listed, I'm aware its probably a bit of a random mish-mash of options and a wide range of differing technologies in there as well as purchase prices.

Budget? - Well, between £800 - £1500 ish. £1.5k at the top end as a maximum. Not bothered about the latest 2022 all singing and dancing stuff, we just want a decent bang-per-buck TV and would be happy to go for slightly older models from 2021 for example, if it meant getting a better value set in comparison to having the latest and greatest kit.

I know to a lot of folk here all of the above screams 'n00b' and that's exactly right, so would appreciate some guidance and advice! Thanks in advance!!
 
the last 3 you listed but really hard to pick prob the c1 best for movies
 
Personally I'd get a separate freesat box as you might find built in pvr options quite limited, that would open up further choices the C1 would be my choice but it only has 1 sat input so you couldn't watch something different while recording though most stuff is available on catchup so that probably isn't an issue.
 
I'm hoping for some advice on a purchase and I'll try and give as much info as I can on the usage of the TV and what I 'think' I'd like from it. No preference over LED/OLED/QLED although I appreciate you get what you pay for and as far as I can tell from what I've read, a high spec LED can sometimes be a better performer than a cheap OLED?
In terms of picture quality, it's probably the other way round ! A cheap OLED will be at least on a par with - if not better than - a more expensive LCD, at least as far as picture quality goes.

I've had a Panasonic OLED for a couple of years now and have been very pleased with it - it still has that 'wow' factor. HD and 4K movies in particular look fantastic (especially 4K HDR) and (unlike LCD) the viewing angles are superb, meaning that seating position isn't an issue. OLEDs are not perfect though - their two main downsides are the potential for 'screen burn' and occasional motion issues caused by their near-instantaneous response times. However - the former appears to be much less of an issue these days (with average, varied use) due to the features OLED manufacturers have put in place to combat this and the latter (which I only notice very occasionally) can be off-set somewhat by subtle use of motion interpolation. LCDs aren't immune to motion issues either BTW - they sometimes blur motion rather than stutter like an OLED can. 'Screen burn' shouldn't be an issue on an LCD with varied use.

I would read up on the differences between LCD and OLED and see which you'd prefer but, for me, the pros of OLED definitely outweighed the cons.

I'm not overly familiar with your choices as it's a while since I bought my Panasonic OLED, but I would be looking at the LG C1 or the Panasonic JZ1500 with your budget. The launch prices for 65" mid-range OLEDs are usually well over £2000+, so they're a steal for <£1500. If built-in Freesat is critical, then that might tip things in favour of the LG - recent Panasonic TVs often have satellite tuners but (as they don't officially support Freesat) you don't get an EPG which obviously wouldn't make it ideal as your primary source of TV watching.

Lastly - as mentioned above, there are just two many compromises when using any TV as a PVR. If you don't want to settle for catch-up and are serious about recording stuff, you should consider a separate PVR, really. The drawback to this for a Freesat viewer these days is that there is only one manufacturer left making Freesat PVRs and experiences of the 'Arris box' appear to be (putting it politely) 'mixed' !
 
I'd avoid Currys unless you factor in the cost of their 5/6-year warranty that you'd get thrown in from Richer Sounds and John Lewis.

Quiet rural locations are often where main UHF TV transmitter sites are located. ;) Do check out if your location is truly awful for Freeview reception, or just that your aerial needs care and attention: Detailed transmitter information for industry professionals
Things have changed since the digital switchover and some later UHF frequency clearances that may have made a difference for the better?

NB if you are in the service area of the Bilsdale mast that caught fire then normal service is yet to be resumed.

Few TVs are properly freesat capable. So beware/insist on a live demonstration of the 7-day satellite epg on your final shortlisted sets.

I'd agree with comments about TVs and PVRs: but if you really intend to try that you'll need a TV with two LNB inputs and, again, I'd suggest you need to see the PVR feature 'in use' on the sets. (e.g. set two different channel recordings going and see what - if any - other channels you can watch live).
 
Hi all, thanks for the feedback, much appreciated.

Rodders - yes, the location is indeed a truly awful area for tv reception, have checked in depth.

Actually didn't consider just using catchup instead of PVR, makes sense.......so thats one less thing to worry about.

EDIT Just realised I should probably have posted this in the 'What TV is best for you' section......oops.
 
Actually didn't consider just using catchup instead of PVR, makes sense.......so thats one less thing to worry about.
Just bear in mind that the Freeview catch-up apps limit you to those channels available on the BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4, My5, UKTV Play (Dave etc), STV, Horror Bites and CBS which, to be fair, do cover most of the main channels.

While I appreciate the convenience of the catch-up apps, I personally find being forced to sit through regular 4.5 minute un-skippable ad breaks on (for example) All4 intolerable, so continue to record shows I want to watch on my trusty old Humax PVR !
 
Last edited:
Thanks, I think those channels you listed are about the main ones I'd use for catchup.

Warrantys - I see Richer and JL show a free 5 year warranty - is it reasonable, cover wise? Currys also appear to offer a free 5 year warranty too I think? Although you can also purchase 'Care & Repair' for about £34 a year?
 
Warrantys - I see Richer and JL show a free 5 year warranty - is it reasonable, cover wise? Currys also appear to offer a free 5 year warranty too I think? Although you can also purchase 'Care & Repair' for about £34 a year?
Currys do list a 5 year warranty in the specs for the 65" LG C1 on their site, currently. I think their 'care and repair' just offers an enhanced service which includes things like a 7-day repair guarantee (repairs often take longer than this, I believe).

I would personally always buy a 'big' TV from specialists like Richer Sounds provided the price was rights/comparable, but appreciate that you already having £400-worth of Currys vouchers might be an obvious steer towards Currys !
 
I'm erring towards the C1 as it seems to tick all the boxes for me. Not sure whether to go for a 55" or a 65" though, the price difference appears to be considerable (£1349 vs £899) = £450. Whilst my budget is circa £1500 I'm not sure another 10" would be worth an additional third extra of the overall price? Will have to have a think.
 
I'm erring towards the C1 as it seems to tick all the boxes for me. Not sure whether to go for a 55" or a 65" though, the price difference appears to be considerable (£1349 vs £899) = £450. Whilst my budget is circa £1500 I'm not sure another 10" would be worth an additional third extra of the overall price? Will have to have a think.
What's your viewing distance and how much SD do you watch ?
 
Viewing distance is approx 10ft from where the TV sits on its unit to the couch we usually use.

Always prefer to watch HD broadcasts/movies if they are available over and above an SD version. Mainly watch movies, Netflix/Amazon series with the odd bit of sport - rugby/football and superbike racing/MotoGP with as I mentioned, occasional casual gaming on Xbox.
 
Last edited:
Viewing distance is approx 10ft from where the TV sits on its unit to the couch we usually use.

Always prefer to watch HD broadcasts/movies if they are available over and above an SD version. Mainly watch movies, Netflix/Amazon series with the odd bit of sport - rugby/football and superbike racing/MotoGP with as I mentioned, occasional casual gaming on Xbox.
If it helps, I upgraded from a 46" plasma to a 55" OLED a few years ago and my viewing distance is around 8-9ft. I paid around £1300 for my 55" at the time - the 65" version was over £2000 and I couldn't justify the huge difference.

I find 55" is a great size for general TV viewing at my viewing distance - the only time I'm maybe wanting for a larger size is when watching wider aspect ratio movies, as the black bars obviously eat into that screen 'real estate' !

At the time of upgrading I was also still watching a certain amount of SD too (SD Freeview, the odd DVD etc) so was concerned about how this would look on a 65" 4K screen. Since getting the OLED though, my viewing habits have definitely changed - I've subscribed to the 4K Netflix package and now watch almost exclusively in HD/4K (Freeview HD, Prime, Disney+, 4K Netflix). With that in mind, I would expect my next upgrade will be to at least 65" as the prices are generally lower than they were and I'll have far less upscaling concerns next time.

If I was in your position now and was viewing from 10ft away, I'd definitely consider 65" - you'd just need to be aware that going from 42" to 65" is quite a jump so it would take some getting used to.
 
I picked up the Samsung 65" QN95A from currys for £1200 just over a week ago after the recent price drop from £1500 > £1350 and an extra 10% off on top of that.

Originally I was considering the 65" LG C1 but due to me and my Son's long gaming sessions and games with crazy intense huds I decided I'd be happier with the migraine inducing, eye searing brightness of Qled once again along with no risk of burn in, plus the mini led back-light and wide viewing angles, and black levels on this TV are pretty impressive especially coming from a 65" KS9000.
 
As mentioned above, C1 is probably the top pick: hard to beat OLED, esp as you are a low risk of screen burn.

Get the 65” version, you will not regret it.

And if you can, buy from John Lewis or Richer Sounds; Curry’s have crap customer service and lots of examples of people being given the run around when their TV breaks. JL/RS are not perfect, but you are way more likely to have a good experience. Maybe use the £400 vouchers for something else?

For example, my tv broke after about a year/two; screen went dead. John Lewis got an engineer out, confirmed it was toast and then on the 2nd visit, provided me with a brand new tv and took the old one away. All nice and quick, got the latest model: good outcome and great customer service.
 
I picked up the Samsung 65" QN95A from currys for £1200 just over a week ago after the recent price drop from £1500 > £1350 and an extra 10% off on top of that.

Originally I was considering the 65" LG C1 but due to me and my Son's long gaming sessions and games with crazy intense huds I decided I'd be happier with the migraine inducing, eye searing brightness of Qled once again along with no risk of burn in, plus the mini led back-light and wide viewing angles, and black levels on this TV are pretty impressive especially coming from a 65" KS9000.
Excellent, as long as you're happy with it that's what counts.
 
Definitely happy.

Was concerned about DSE or or crazy blooming but the two new Samsung TVs I bought in the last week and a half (65" QN95A and 43" AU9007) have the least amount of screen uniformity issues that I have had in recent years.

One day maybe I'll go for the oled because that current Samsung S95B looks spectacular especially when compared to the C2 and G2. 👀
 
Thanks all, I think I've decided to go for a C1, just a matter of finding one in stock now as they seem to utterly fly out the doors!!
 
Finally plumped for a C1 55". Popped into Currys yesterday for a look at the 65 and the 55 and decided that 55 was the best size for me. No C1's available in stock though so went home and had a search online. They appear to be getting thin on the ground in many places probably due to the C2 coming in this year now.

Finally picked one up online on Amazon from an established seller - £899 inc delivery and it is arriving on Saturday, looking forward to getting it up and running.
 
^ Excellent, glad that you found one.
 
Are you sure 55 inch is the right size for you? I would suggest 65 at a minimum.

You rather have a smaller screen to see less of the image rather than a larger one that fills up more of your vision?
 

The latest video from AVForums

Is 4K Blu-ray Worth It?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom