# Which brand TV to buy? (Multiple choice) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 18, 2012, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-brand-tv-to-buy-multiple-choice/641402 "2012-11-18T13:29:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-brand-tv-to-buy-multiple-choice/641402/1 "2012-11-18T13:29:59Z")
It’s time to go TV shopping. I have all the particulars pretty much sorted out except for which brands to gravitate toward and which to avoid. If it matters, I will be getting an LED Smart TV sized around 50-54 inches. Please select any brands you would feel comfortable buying. Thanks! mmm ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-brand-tv-to-buy-multiple-choice/641402/2 "2012-11-18T13:44:10Z")
For a minute there after I voted I thought Sony was really popular. Then I realized I was first! We have 2 Sony TVs, one 32 and on I think 48. The small one is about 4 or 5 years old. They both work great, have all the features I wanted, and we got them from Amazon for a good price. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-brand-tv-to-buy-multiple-choice/641402/3 "2012-11-19T02:57:11Z")
We buy only Sony TVs. ---
**Author:** ![Curiosity\_Kills\_Her](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@Curiosity\_Kills\_Her](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Curiosity_Kills_Her)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-brand-tv-to-buy-multiple-choice/641402/4 "2012-11-19T03:16:09Z")
I have 2 Samsungs, a 61 in the living room and a 19 in the bedroom. They are both great tvs and were highly rated. I’ve had them for 4 or 5 years without any issues. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-brand-tv-to-buy-multiple-choice/641402/5 "2012-11-19T03:36:44Z")
I’m totally sold on Korean TVs. Sony had a massive injection of stupid when they got an American management team and the quality of their product plummeted. Korea is where Japan was in the 80s, concentrating on building market share by having a reputation for quality. One of my clients is a sports bar, and we have standardized on LG sets, and have had excellent results. Their TVs are on from 10 AM to 3 AM, seven days a week. and they have been working for years. I personally have a Samsung, and I’ve had equally good luck with it. I’ve also had amazing service as well. My 53" LCD was zapped by a lightening strike, and Samsung sent a tech to my apartment to service it. One thing though. Do NOT get a “Smart TV”. Get a dumb TV and an external box. The people who make external boxes have every reason to improve their product. The TV makers have every reason to sell you a new TV. You smart TV will be stuck at the capabilities you have right now. Maybe one or two updates will happen over the course of the first year, but after that , the Execu-Droids will kill the upgrade program, and your “Smart” TV will get, reletively speaking, dumber and dumber. It will be like being stuck with a computer that cannot use a current web browser, suck on Mozilla 0.96. You can get a Roku and a Logitech Harmony remote and produce a much Smarter TV. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-brand-tv-to-buy-multiple-choice/641402/6 "2012-11-19T03:44:42Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > Sony had a massive injection of stupid when they got an American management team and the quality of their product plummeted. trying out your brand new jump-to-conclusions mat, are you? ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-brand-tv-to-buy-multiple-choice/641402/7 "2012-11-19T03:49:41Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > trying out your brand new jump-to-conclusions mat, are you? No, it’s based on opening Sony products and discovering that they were actually shitty Chinese V-Tech guts with a Sony case. I object to buying crappy products at double the price. Sony Broadcast is still excellent, but the whole bottom three-quarters of Sony’s consumer product line is made in non-Sony factories. And that is directly related to when [Howard Stringer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Stringer) took over. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-brand-tv-to-buy-multiple-choice/641402/8 "2012-11-19T13:46:48Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > One thing though. Do NOT get a “Smart TV”. Get a dumb TV and an external box. At 51-55", there aren’t many non-smart TVs out there. In fact, if you want a high-quality television, it’s just going to come standard. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-brand-tv-to-buy-multiple-choice/641402/9 "2012-11-19T15:35:36Z")
> [@Curiosity\_Kills\_Her](#): > > I have 2 Samsungs, a 61 in the living room and a 19 in the bedroom. They are both great tvs and were highly rated. I’ve had them for 4 or 5 years without any issues. Our five-year-old 52" Samsung has had to be repaired twice due to failing capacitors, an apparently pervasive manufacturing problem that spurred a [class-action lawsuit and settlement](http://www.samsung.com/us/capacitorsettlement/). We did get (some of) the repair costs reimbursed, but it’s definitely made me think twice about purchasing another Samsung TV. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-brand-tv-to-buy-multiple-choice/641402/10 "2012-11-19T16:39:36Z")
Our 50" Panasonic is 5 years old and going strong. It’s a plasma, but I’ve owned a few other Panasonic products and never once had issues, so I trust the brand. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-brand-tv-to-buy-multiple-choice/641402/11 "2012-11-19T16:53:43Z")
The general rule of thumb right now is that Panasonic is making the best plasmas on the market, and Samsung has the best LCDs. If you have the scratch to pay for them, you’re not going to go wrong with that logic. ---
**Author:** ![PacifistPorcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PacifistPorcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PacifistPorcupine)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-brand-tv-to-buy-multiple-choice/641402/12 "2012-11-19T16:57:40Z")
I have a 50" Panasonic plasma, about the same vintage as Barkis. it has given me 0 issues and I love it. Unless it explodes and kills me, my next TV will be another Panasonic. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-brand-tv-to-buy-multiple-choice/641402/13 "2012-11-19T17:02:18Z")
I don’t think it matters really. We have an Insignia, which is the store brand of Future Shop I believe. It’s 3 years old and works like a charm. Pay more for a name brand if you want, but the display is probably made by Samsung and the electronics manufactured by the same contract manufacturer. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-brand-tv-to-buy-multiple-choice/641402/14 "2012-11-19T17:44:34Z")
> [@PacifistPorcupine](#): > > I have a 50" Panasonic plasma, about the same vintage as Barkis. it has given me 0 issues and I love it. Unless it explodes and kills me, my next TV will be another Panasonic. I’ve got an 8 year old 50" Panasonic plasma, and it’s still running strong. No service issues, picture is still bright & clear. Inspired me to buy another Panny earlier this year. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-brand-tv-to-buy-multiple-choice/641402/15 "2012-11-19T17:53:51Z")
Philips and Samsung are essentially the same (the display is made by Samsung). Most of the other brands share displays/and or electronics. Beware of some of the lesser-known brands-low quality components/short life. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-brand-tv-to-buy-multiple-choice/641402/16 "2012-11-19T17:58:22Z")
I just read somewhere that Panasonic is planning to exit the TV business. Apparently, profit margins on TVs are tiny, and Panasonic decided that there’s no money to be made with them. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-brand-tv-to-buy-multiple-choice/641402/17 "2012-11-19T18:04:53Z")
Until that time, here’s another Panasonic Viera plasma owner, 58", that’s completely satisfied. Zero issues. When calibrated the blacks are as true as one could ever wish for. I’ve also got a 60" Sony LCD. Frankly, I prefer the plasma and no bulbs to replace every few years. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-brand-tv-to-buy-multiple-choice/641402/18 "2012-11-19T18:34:15Z")
I should mention that the sports bar tried a pair of Visio LCDs. They didn’t last 2 years. ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-brand-tv-to-buy-multiple-choice/641402/19 "2012-11-19T18:42:23Z")
I voted Samsung but I prefer plasma over led. Just look at the black, you can only get a very dark grey with led. The old burn in issues have been resolved as well. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-brand-tv-to-buy-multiple-choice/641402/20 "2012-11-19T19:18:08Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > I just read somewhere that Panasonic is planning to exit the TV business. Apparently, profit margins on TVs are tiny, and Panasonic decided that there’s no money to be made with them. Nope - they’re leaving the mid-range TV market, and focusing their efforts on larger (50+") displays. There’s not much to make in the mid-size range, because there are so many off-brands doing a decent job. As the size increases, the production line needs to be much better at QC - and that’s where the top brands really shine. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-brand-tv-to-buy-multiple-choice/641402.md?page=2)