I'm looking to buy a new TV , 50" is what I'm looking for . I can't make my mind up on what to go for. When you read the reviews on the currys website everyone says the picture is fantastic ,but when you read what the experts say you would bother. Is it a case of the emperors new cloths ? Do it now ! Your a long time dead !!

In one word - Sony. Ours - 2008 Stornoway Grey HSE Auto
Tricia's - 2006 Royal Blue Beetle Cabriolet Auto
Mine - 2014 Vespa GTS 300 Super Sport Matt Black
Ours - 2007 White Bailey Pageant Champagne

LCD or Plasma?
If Plasma Panasonic. Picture always superior to LCD on larger screens. 4k bit like 3D bit of a waste of technology.

4k Rocks - via Netflix, the detail is stunning.

Sony - usually I would say yes, however not in this case.

I just spent 3 months deciding and looking.
one good review is :

http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/result-201406013793.htm


ended up with the Panasonic AX802 58" - and very happy. (6 year warranty)

I really really wanted a sony 9005, but hated the speakers, and have a B&W surround set....
As for the lower down Sony (55x8005b I think), the picture was must worst than my existing sony 52hx903
and had no real detail in the blacks

Surprisingly I also have a Sony W605 for my home gym, and the picture is bl00dy amazing for almost no money.
http://www.whathifi.com/sony/kdl-40w605b/review 

Panasonic all the way. I speak from the experience of a consumer and having spent 5 years working in an independent family run electrical retail store. We had an on site repair workshop so we got an idea of reliability and picture quality.

I left in 2007 but my mate is the manager there and still swears by Panasonic.  LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

I'm with the Doc - Panasonic all the way.

We bought a 42" smart tv with freesat and freeview built in,it also gives us freetime catch up tv - simply stunning picture.

edit - I think Plasma is now superseded by LCD. Certainly by Panasonic. MY 09 GS manual in Lago Grey, Wood Co arm rest and side bumper strips - now sold.

MY 15 SD4 SE Auto Orkney Grey with colour coded Bumper Door Mouldings

I'd be surprised if there's much available in plasma now. It was being knocked on the head last I heard due to advances in LCD and LED. Both of which are far more energy efficient.

When I worked at the shop, the largest LCD was 32" because LCD couldn't handle bigger screens so that was left to plasma.

P.S, when I first started there in 2001, plasma etc were just prototypes and 4:3 TV's were still in plentiful supply. We once had to deliver a 36" Toshiba widescreen TV. Old school CRT so it weighed slightly more than Jupiter  LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

Panasonic gets my vote, i have a Plasma and the picture/contrasts is fantastic, I also have a Panasonic G20 LED and thats good too

4K doesn't at the moment, theres just not enough 4K programs available mainstream yet

I was comparing a 4k TV against a OLED, the OLED was an amazing picture, obviously less crisp than the 4K but I would wait for a OLED 4K Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

By the time 4k TV has become mainstream, 8k will be around. I'd save the money personally as there really isn't the content to support it yet. Maybe in a few years or so there will be but you'll get a cheaper deal then.

Panasonic no longer support the plasma platform, though Panasonic is a fantastic set, Sony I believe is made by Samsung now ( Sony factory was destroyed by fire some time ago, and Samsung manufactured for Sony) Samsung actually have the best Apps, there is no STV or 4 players on Panasonic, though can be achieved via the internet but a pain in the neck. I have noticed a lack of TVs with Freesat built in lately, pain in the neck for us who have iffy Freeview HD signal, don't want Sky or prefer not to use the local ITV station and a London post code allows access to other programmes  my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.

Last edited by Dartman the one on 5th Feb 2015 2:09 pm. Edited 1 time in total

I have a big window, I look out and its always live and always real, none of this fictional crap

gingerlord wrote:

By the time 4k TV has become mainstream, 8k will be around. I'd save the money personally as there really isn't the content to support it yet. Maybe in a few years or so there will be but you'll get a cheaper deal then.

So by waiting a few years for 4k to be "mainstream", then 8k will be around - why not wait until 8k, or the next new thing comes available. That way you will never have to spend money on a new TV every again as you are always waiting on some fabled new Tech

Or better still, (which is what I did) just buy the best set you can afford / justify / like when u need / want a new TV, and forget the consumer market drivers like OLED / Curved / 4K / 8K - otherwise you will go mad.

Oh, there is a fair bit of 4k content - Breaking Bad, House Of cards series, Marco Polo etc available on Netflix
even youtube now has lots of content in 4k

gigapixels is amazing : &list=FLsa296Swc9_tbTed4UzYreg&index=1

Check out this Discovery Sport Icelandic review in 4K
&index=9&list=WL

 

I've always been a Sony TV man....then went Panasonic Plasma in 2009 with a 50" G20 (I think).

Panning shots are horrible but apart from that the picture is ok enough but not outstanding.
Apart from the picture and sound considerations there are a couple of things that I just hate about it.
Firstly the remote. I have several Panasonic products and all the remotes are horrible. Spongy buttons
which feel horrible to use. The other thing is the EPG. Half of the space used on the screen is used up for showing adverts! I don't know if this is the norm in EPGs these days but it's awful. I managed to get it so that I don't see adverts but the screen space is still used up (blank). If this is a Panasonic thing then I'll never buy another Panasonic TV. I hate advertising anyway but I really don't need it when I just want to choose something to watch of the EPG.
Now, to be honest, these things aren't much of an issue if you use something like SKY or Youview as you use their EPG and remote. However I thought it was worth mentioning.

As for 4K, I have no idea. There may be some mileage if it upscales well. Probably 4K is more useful than the curved screen idea.

pcheaven wrote:

Oh, there is a fair bit of 4k content - Breaking Bad, House Of cards series, Marco Polo etc available on Netflix
even youtube now has lots of content in 4k

agreed, to stream 4k, you do need a good connection, I am blessed with a 152Meg line from Virgin

The 4k console issue should be addressed later this year.
Interestingly, this is the first time ever that the tech in TV's has been in front of the tech in consoles