Best 1080p HDTV's 2015, 2016

Calvert

Calvert

Audioholic
Appreciate your opinions of the best current or up coming 1080p HDTV's. If relevant, 46" to 55" size range.
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
In what price range with what features? Samsung alone has about 5-6 different lines and about 20-25 models.

My recommendation is for Samsung or Vizio M series in your price range.
 
Calvert

Calvert

Audioholic
Thank you j. I'll check them out. Not entry level. Not being highly technical it's difficult for me to list features. High refresh rate for sure.
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
I don't think refresh rate is a good selling point, however at the point at which you start to get to 120Hz refresh, you start getting into the sweet spot of TVs in the sizes you're looking at IMO. Above 120Hz it is mostly marketing.
 
Calvert

Calvert

Audioholic
The review was great but the largest screen we can fit in is a 55". The M55 C2 seemingly did not get the C1's high praise.
 
Calvert

Calvert

Audioholic
This morning I went to BB and had a good look at LG's
55" Class (55.3" Diag.) - OLED - Curved - 1080p - Smart - 3D - HDTV - Black, Model 55EG 9100. All I can say is "amazing!". Professional reviews rate it up there with 4K quality. It's on sale for $1999.99.
 
slipperybidness

slipperybidness

Audioholic Warlord
This morning I went to BB and had a good look at LG's
55" Class (55.3" Diag.) - OLED - Curved - 1080p - Smart - 3D - HDTV - Black, Model 55EG 9100. All I can say is "amazing!". Professional reviews rate it up there with 4K quality. It's on sale for $1999.99.
Yeah, LG is questionable as far as robustness and reliability.

Of course, I'm certain someone will say they have never had problems. But I personally don't buy LG.

LG = Low Grade :D
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
You can usually find good deals on LG TVs, because they're not considered as good. They make good panels, but their build quality is questionable. Vizio has surpassed them. That's why I only mentioned Samsung and Vizio.
 
Calvert

Calvert

Audioholic
Did not know the bad news about LG. Should I forget about LG? Sure do not want to buy problems.
 
S

Sylar

Full Audioholic
How good are Sony TV's?
I am exploring the idea of getting 55W800C. I live in PAL region (50/100 Hz).
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
Wasn't aware of this. Any references / links to this?
It has always been that way AFAIK. Sony wanted to get into LCD quick because they were losing market share to it vs CRT, so they partnered with Samsung. Confirmation is that if you look at comparable models from Sony vs Samsung, specs will be identical and features the only differentiation. Sony TVs should actually be fine too.

I work in the LCD equipment industry. Sony does not buy equipment :) Not sure what they'll do for OLED.
 
jp_over

jp_over

Full Audioholic
Great info in this thread!

We just purchased an LG 55EF9500 (55-Inch 4K Ultra HD Flat Smart OLED TV, 2015 Model) new from Amazon and had trouble from day 1 (turns off randomly even after disabling all power save options, screen started going haywire on day two with off color displays). Amazon is picking it up on Monday for a return.

Not saying this is indicative of all LGs, but it was my experience. I'll be looking at Samsung & Vizio today after doing some reading here on Audioholics (why didn't I start here in the first place :oops:?).

I will admit, while it worked the display was really sharp and accurate, phenomenal really. However, my job requires us to move every couple of years and while I know neither OLED or LCD is bullet proof, much of my reading indicates the OLED is a bit more prone to getting damaged in a move (or perhaps even shipment when you order it).

Here's what the display was doing (with a normal photo):


In any case, thanks for the informative discussion!
 
Calvert

Calvert

Audioholic
Great info in this thread!

We just purchased an LG 55EF9500 (55-Inch 4K Ultra HD Flat Smart OLED TV, 2015 Model) new from Amazon and had trouble from day 1 (turns off randomly even after disabling all power save options, screen started going haywire on day two with off color displays). Amazon is picking it up on Monday for a return.

Not saying this is indicative of all LGs, but it was my experience. I'll be looking at Samsung & Vizio today after doing some reading here on Audioholics (why didn't I start here in the first place :oops:?).

I will admit, while it worked the display was really sharp and accurate, phenomenal really. However, my job requires us to move every couple of years and while I know neither OLED or LCD is bullet proof, much of my reading indicates the OLED is a bit more prone to getting damaged in a move (or perhaps even shipment when you order it).

Here's what the display was doing (with a normal photo):


In any case, thanks for the informative discussion!
We evidently purchased a LG EG559100 OLED 1080p. In my and scores of others the best 1080p. Unfortunately, LG is no longer producing the 9100. If you want one of these truly astounding 1080p units I suggest you contact Best Buy stores directly for remaining inventory plus search the web. You will not be sorry. Good luck.
 
M

mr sarnoff

Audioholic Intern
I've been mostly for my primary TV's a Sony XBR customer since my first one in 1994 and never minded paying the usual Sony tax all along especially when I went to someone else's crib that didn't have a Sony ,decent Samsung or a decent plasma and then there is the usual Sony XBR build quality .

Aside from the legendary 1080p Samsung 64f8500 plasma out front here my last 2 Sonys still here are a 2013 1080P Sony Bravia (decent 1080P set with a Samsung SPVA panel ) in another room now and the 2015 4K Sony XBR Triluminous wide color gamut HDR ready 55X850C in here with an AUO WGG panel and Sony Triluminoous lighting and that Sony XBR build quality , up scaling and Sony color.

That X85C Sony XBR can put a lot of 2016 TV's to bed in a minute and nobody does Sony color and 4K Up-scaling like Sony on an LCD but Samsung is close and good enough and they can usually get full HDR bright and look pretty good too me and this Sony X85C has virtually the same color gamut as the more expensive 9xxx Sonys and Samsung's anyway . .


The problem with 8 bit bt709 LED/ LCD backlit /edge lit panels or any 4K SDR LED panel is (the light spectrum) they make lousy primary colors especially the reds and greens and lousy and not many color gradations and have too much color banding compared to a modern 10 bit 4K Wide color gamut HDR panel even on 8 bit 720p/1080i/p HDTV content thats why I bought my Samsung 64f8500 plasma in 2013 it put all the LCD sets to bed and can still do that to any SDR LCD TV today that thing ain't no joke and neither were the Panny Plasma's .


You can re map regular bt709 8 bit color or CATV/SAT color stripped HDTV to a plausible wider 10 bit color gamut that can make anything look better. (DVD and Blue ray too ) on any wide color gamut Sony or Samsung HDR or HDR ready wide color gamut TV .

FWIW decently up scaled 720P /1080p adds details to the picture and much less blooming with 4 x the pixels of 1080p and a wide color gamut 10 bit panel has many more color gradations within 8 bit content it's no contest at all 10 bit color is 1.07 B vs 16.7 M at 8 bits . and you probably cant get a 10 bit 1080p panel anymore anyway but if I was buying a 1080p SDR LCD set it would be a Sony or Samsung .

Note there are less expensive 4K HDR ready sets even from Samsung and Sony that don't have the wide color gamut panels and WCG is king .


ppfftt
....OTOH .we can see 14 bit color ( 4 trillion shades !) as opposed to 1.07B at 10 bit color and a sunny day is 11,000 NITS so a lot is to be done yet but they just brought out a spendy flagship Sony 4K Triluminous ZD9 65" and 75" and maybe bigger LCD TV with maybe 4000 NIT and better processing all around that is way ahead of anthing else like that and can put an OLED to bed or that stillborn Vizio R model and ofc. I'm presuming Samsung will be right there very soon as well ☺


For primary 2016 LCD TV I would only consider a 4K HDR or HDR ready set with a wide color gamut panel like a Sony 4K XBR 800/850 D or better or a Samsung SUHD set if I could afford it.

Vizio may be a value proposition but they cant do Sony color or as wide of a color gamut as Samsung or Sony and they don't have OTA tuners or much of a feature /app set like a Samsung and Sony app/ feature set and premium experience. Vizio doesent do premium well IMO but they are priced accordingly. and may be a good value for a lot of folks .

ppffttt.. OTOH setting all the Vizio reviews and the value proposition aside lets not kid ourselves you get what you pay for and outside of 4K HDR OLED that I've not seen for 2016 yet I'll take a Sony or Samsung .
 
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M

mr sarnoff

Audioholic Intern
It has always been that way AFAIK. Sony wanted to get into LCD quick because they were losing market share to it vs CRT, so they partnered with Samsung. Confirmation is that if you look at comparable models from Sony vs Samsung, specs will be identical and features the only differentiation. Sony TVs should actually be fine too.

I work in the LCD equipment industry. Sony does not buy equipment :) Not sure what they'll do for OLED.
j_garcia, AFAIK at that time Toshiba and Lucky Gold Star ( LG) were making the Sony Trinitron FD CRT's and winding down CRT production for the developed world anyway.


j_garcia , AFAIK back then Samsung LGD and Sharp were making almost all the LCD CCFL panel assys. for US delivered TV product and the CCFL panels could be the exact same part in a cheap Westinghouse ,a Toshiba , Dynex /Insignia or a more expensive Samsung or Sony from the panel lottery's with Samsung and the others and Sony more than likely ordered them direct for specific product and production forecast anyway .

Sony used mostly Samsung ,LGD and Sharp panels but each panel was almost always specific to a yr and model of TV at Sony and not random like the less expensive Samsung models and other brands which may have any number of brands of panels in a product but AFAIK the better JU/JS/ KS 8000 or 8500 and up Samsung's get Samsung panels.

IIRC I read Sony may have made some LCD TV panels for thier flagship sets at one time but I'm not all that sure about all that anyway but they would have had to make some of the Sony FALD and RGB LED back lights they had in the flagship TV's



What I do know (and I've fixed enough LCD sets to know and looked at panels they had ) is what often differentiated Westinghouse TV or other discount brand from Sony and Samsung with the same panels was build quality and processing (which could be and often was to this day significantly better on a Sony and Samsung or Toshiba while they still made or had Com-pal make sets.

I had a real decent 40" 2012 Toshiba with an 8 bit + FRC Samsung SPVA CCFL panel in it and it could make better color and go significantly brighter than most LED panel's (450-500 NIT) because of the CCFL light spectrum and the state of the average below flagship product LED TV back light /edge light in 2012- 2013 .

I gave it way to a young vet and family that were friends of my son who could use and enjoy a decent a like new TV I wasn't using .....I have 5 2013 and newer TV s here still all in use . .The Toshiba was decent 1080p but not big enough after ~ a year almost to the day in here so I bought a 2013 1080p Sony then the even bigger 2015 4K Sony Triluminous X85 in here.

I might even keep this X85D it was a big step up from an SDR 1080P it's not lacking much if anything significant at all even up to the better Sonys and the 2016 X85D model ain't got anthing on it and may not be as splitting hairs good overall besides an inch thinner and picture wise not as splitting hairs good but plenty close enough I would get one without thinking twice anyway if I needed it



AFAIK Sony never collaborated with Samsung (beyond buying panels and panel LVDS driver boards ofc. ) or anybody outside of Foxconn more lately for assembly ,some components,boards and back light and other fabrication and right now (2016 product ) AFAIK Sony is using a lot of LGD IPS LCD cells with Sony back lights and some AUO Cells and maybe some Samsung LCD Cells in some of the the 2016 product .

What you have to understand or may know about the LG and Samsung ROK chaebol's (conglomerates in English) is that Samsung and LG display are separate from the respective TV businesses within the chaebol's and responsible to the chaebol on thier own to make a profit selling product and outside of the Premium TV products Samsung and LG had to get panels where they could at the panel lotteries and it may be that way now .
 
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j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
Yeah, I am mostly referring to the higher models since each company will take care in making sure their flagship product is the best that people see because it can in turn get people to buy the lower models ironically. In the lower models for all the manufacturers the panels could come from anywhere, BUT the integration is still better with the better manufacturers. When you get to the cheapest models, all bets are off and the cheap models are their bread and butter - they sell the most and though they are not pulling in the premium margin, they still add up. There are more and more cheap factories pumping out panels, but the top tier are still only made by a few.

As OLED ramps, and it is still moving a bit slowly, things will shift and IMO, we'll see a change in the display business again. Due to the cost of manufacturing right now, the top OLED displays will still be coming from the big names for a while.
 

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