Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

unhappycamper

(60,364 posts)
Sun Jun 15, 2014, 07:31 AM Jun 2014

Why You Should Only Spend $500 on Your Next TV

http://www.wired.com/2014/06/just-buy-a-500-tv/



Want one of those massive, feature-packed 3-D TVs that’ll have all your friends drooling? Do yourself a favor: skip the hype and just get something inexpensive and practical instead.

Why You Should Only Spend $500 on Your Next TV
By Tim Moynihan
06.13.14 | 6:30 am

Welcome to the awkward HDTV transitional phase. If you need to buy a new TV right now, what do you do? Bet big on an UltraHD TV and wait for 4K content to become as plentiful as HD? Splurge on an early-generation OLED, then kick yourself in two years when they become more affordable? Buy a massive, high-end 1080p set, then regret it when everybody flocks to your buddy’s house to watch Super Bowl 50 on his 4K OLED?

At this moment, your smartest move is to go cheap. Buy a holdover HDTV, something simple and no-frills to keep you happy and entertained while UltraHD panels get cheaper, 4K programming becomes ubiquitous, and OLED prices fall to earth. For $500, you can get an excellent television between 39 and 50 inches. You may not get absolutely outstanding picture quality, but there are plenty of cheap sets that still rate as very, very good. You will also have to skip the design aesthetic of the more expensive models.

But the bulk of your savings will come from outsourcing features. For example, take a pass on those built-in streaming features and just buy a $60 Roku box, which has a better UI and more channels than any TV’s built-in “Smart” software ever will. Get a good soundbar if you care about sound; even the cheaper soundbars will outclass the speakers you’d find in a $500 TV set, and you’ll be able to use it with your next TV too. Cheap TVs usually only come with two HDMI inputs, so if you need more, just buy a $30 HDMI switch. And you most certainly do not need 3-D — why pay extra for it if there’s nothing good to watch?

By just buying a solid, affordable, and no-frills HDTV, you can minimize the compromises while you wait out the HD-to-4K transition.
11 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Why You Should Only Spend $500 on Your Next TV (Original Post) unhappycamper Jun 2014 OP
"only" $500 eShirl Jun 2014 #1
That's what I was thinking Art_from_Ark Jun 2014 #6
No kidding, I hate monster TV sets Warpy Jun 2014 #8
What programs are worth $500 to watch ? eppur_se_muova Jun 2014 #10
They are right on this jollyreaper2112 Jun 2014 #2
Helpful advice. thanks! Demeter Jun 2014 #3
Who gives a shit how good the picture is. The content is crap. OffWithTheirHeads Jun 2014 #4
Let me see, the last time I bought a TV SheilaT Jun 2014 #5
Beware the cheap HDMI multi input switches. Mika Jun 2014 #7
TV Free Since 2000 cantbeserious Jun 2014 #9
To top it all off the SCOTUS has impending decisions in an area that should be entirely regulatory. Hugin Jun 2014 #11

Warpy

(110,913 posts)
8. No kidding, I hate monster TV sets
Sun Jun 15, 2014, 02:20 PM
Jun 2014

Mine are usually 20 inchers, I can watch them or ignore them and they don't dominate a room. I still use the cheap analog Direct TV boxes instead of upgrading to HD--my eyes aren't good enough to notice the superior resolution.

And I get them online for cheap. That way I don't lose much when this dump gets broken into.

eppur_se_muova

(36,227 posts)
10. What programs are worth $500 to watch ?
Sun Jun 15, 2014, 08:34 PM
Jun 2014

I haven't paid for a TV in ages -- got hand-me-downs from family who "upgraded". One free from a neighbor who was evicted. I think I paid ~$80 for a TV/stereo combo two decades ago. I'd need a *good* reason to spend over $100 -- and HD isn't it.

I tend to work at my desk when the TV is on, no room for anything but compact sets there. I need a home Jumbotron like I need a third appendix.

jollyreaper2112

(1,941 posts)
2. They are right on this
Sun Jun 15, 2014, 07:52 AM
Jun 2014

I picked up my tv in 2007 after waiting a long time. It is a 42" Visio from Costco, $1100 after taxes. Still looks great. My girlfriend has a more recent and larger 3d tv. We have only used the 3d a few times. The smart tv features are great or would be if they didn't crash all the time. Unstable like a Microsoft product. You can't trust the YouTube app to not crash every other video. The tv needs a roku brain transplant to be smart again. But the picture is damned gorgeous.

Moral of the story: they are larding up the tv's with bling to attract new customers because the market is saturated with decent hdtv's. The picture on basic models should be outstanding. A roku box will give you streaming video and let you avoid cable. Flawless victory.

 

SheilaT

(23,156 posts)
5. Let me see, the last time I bought a TV
Sun Jun 15, 2014, 09:41 AM
Jun 2014

they weren't yet making the flat screens, so we bought the biggest that would fit in the built-in space in our family room. I can't remember how bit it was, but probably smaller than almost anything they sell these days.

Then in 2008 I relocated after a divorce. I couldn't really afford to buy a TV and my small apartment didn't have a good place to put one, so I decided I'd do without for a while. I still don't have a TV and I honestly don't miss one. I get to watch all of the things I want to watch, for the most part, over the internet. Or on Netflix. Still haven't seen the second season of The Newsroom because it's not available anywhere. But eventually it will be.

What I absolutely like the best is now very few commercials I now see. Yeah, Hulu has them, and they pop up on various other sites that let you watch content, but never as many as on regular TV. And the winning reason is that I almost never see a political commercial, unless Rachel Maddow shows one to make a point. Do you have any idea how stress free elections are for me?

I will say that from what I hear those add on things like Roku are quite good.

 

Mika

(17,751 posts)
7. Beware the cheap HDMI multi input switches.
Sun Jun 15, 2014, 11:09 AM
Jun 2014

Several I tried didn't work out. Screen quality dropped and was having sync issues causing flickering.



Hugin

(32,778 posts)
11. To top it all off the SCOTUS has impending decisions in an area that should be entirely regulatory.
Mon Jun 16, 2014, 05:22 AM
Jun 2014

Big decisions on "streaming" over the next couple of weeks that should be left to someone who has even a little technological background. Like maybe a teenager?

Guess who their decisions will favor... The Broadcasters or the Customers?

My money is on the corporate money.

Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Economy»Why You Should Only Spend...