LED TV advice

[siluet]

which of these entry-level LED TV models is better choice?

LG 32LN5400 (1920 x 1080) full HD, but no Freeview HD player, no audio out for headphones.
http://www.reviewzat.com/en/televisions/623/32-32ln5400

Samsung UE32F4000AWXB
similar version
http://www.reviewzat.com/en/televisions/631/samsung-32-led-ua32f4000ar

PHILIPS 32PHH4309/88

SHARP LC-32LD145V
http://www.sharp-cee.com/cps/rde/xchg/scee/hs.xsl/-/html/product_details.htm?product=L...LD145V&cat=111

Sharp LC-32LE154V
http://www.sharp-cee.com/cps/rde/xchg/scee/hs.xsl/-/html/product_details.htm?product=L...LE154V&cat=111

[pandy]

All those TV's are simple LCD - they use LED only as backlight source - real LED TV's are still very expensive.

[siluet]

All those TV's are simple LCD - they use LED only as backlight source - real LED TV's are still very expensive.

yes, but this doesn't matter.

[LMotlow]

Everybody thinks their own TV is the best. Depends on what you're looking for, but you don't say much in terms of requirements. Looking for certain features? Of the ones you listed, Philips and Samsung have better black levels, which is important for good snappy color. I'd shy away from Samsung, you never know what you'll get in their front panel. If you get a Samsung with a genuine Samsung panel, you're lucky but your chances are slim. I'm surprised you didn't list SONY's 32" which are highly regarded.

Wanna see some detailed discussion on HDTV, try the avs forum: http://www.avsforum.com/forum/9-display-devices/ . For some technical reviews of various brands and models, try this: http://televisions.reviewed.com/latest-reviews-and-news.htm?page=1&sort=review_publish..._sizes=min,max . We don't know your country. "Earth" takes in a lot of territory. Otherwise nobody really knows what you're looking for.

[fritzi93]

All those TV's are simple LCD - they use LED only as backlight source - real LED TV's are still very expensive.

You must be thinking of OLED.

Yeah, you can go to the AVS forum, but since you asked here...

1) I think at 32" you can disregard resolution (the LG is full HD).
2) Samsung panel lottery, not to mention their build quality would deter me.
3) As mentioned, LG blacks are probably not as good as the others. (It likely has an IPS panel. I have a 2011 model year 65".)
4) The Sharp has a decent onboard media player if it's anything like mine (70", 2012 model year). It will probably need at least a rough calibration with, for instance, the Disney WoW disc or the AVS HD 709 calibration disc (free). Sharp's blacks are pretty good if it has an S-PVA panel.
5) Philips only sell low-end TVs in the US any more. Dunno anything about them.
6) These are all rather low-end TVs.

Out of those, I like the Sharp 154. Good luck.

[jagabo]

All those TV's are simple LCD - they use LED only as backlight source - real LED TV's are still very expensive.

You must be thinking of OLED.

Or Jumbotron!

Unless there's something else wrong with the LG I'd go with that. It's the only 1080p display among them. You can't tell much from manufacturers specs. You have to see them in person. The most common LCD problem is black level -- blacks don't get very dark.

[Gravitator]

Hi!
Go to the store and choose for your eyes.
At SAMSUNG better quality backlight (lighter / more realistic) than the LG

Take the flash drive with the tests:

Avoided lights on the edges - a static image with a uniform black (very easy to identify in a dark room)

Banding - shows different colors on the screen (still image with a uniform color RGB)

Overall attenuation of light - light items remain from the previous frame (to include light then dark images to identify the problem)

[pandy]

All those TV's are simple LCD - they use LED only as backlight source - real LED TV's are still very expensive.

yes, but this doesn't matter.

If misleading topic title "doesn't matter" then what is important?

Any listed TV will be good and it is not important at all if this will be Samsung or Philips or other brand - generally most of this brands suffer from same problems (video quality affected by faulty algorithms) so most important is price, availability in your area and warranty (length and conditions - i've prefer door 2 door).

Sharp from my experience usually have some problems with HDMI interoperability but itself they produce decent TV's.

[pandy]

All those TV's are simple LCD - they use LED only as backlight source - real LED TV's are still very expensive.

You must be thinking of OLED.

LED (can be Organic or not).

But LCD can use white LED's or RGB LED's as backlight and this very important difference as RGB LED provide independent (from LCD possibility) to control light temperature - this reduce number of errors introduced during processing video signal for LCD matrix.

[siluet]

All of these entry-level models have approx the same price from what I've seen (Europe), and the same warranty period. The Sony is more pricey, so I did not consider it. I don't need SmartTV and WiFi, size 32", ability to play most video formats from USB, HDMI to connect IPTV set-top box, the other features is pretty much the same in these models. I saw most of these models in the store, the picture quality looks very close/ almost same for me, however it's not possible to compare all models simultaneously, some models only available on order. Therefore I'm trying to find more opinions & reviews regarding the picture quality and reliability. Have read some positive opinions on LG.

[gll99]

I bought a 32" Philips 32PFL5708/F7 to use as a monitor. I wanted an IPS panel so it could be viewed from all angles without darkening (maybe most TV are but it can be a problem with monitors but I'd make sure anyway). It also uses LED back lights with a large enough array giving better light coverage and to permit led backlight dimming if desired. Some models are side lit or use less led back lights in their array. The price was in the similar or less range than other lower end 32" 1080p and cheaper than some 720p models. I paid $269 Canadian on sale we always pay more for electronics here than in the USA. It's not a smart TV and like most lower end TV has limited presets on the remote. I only tested a few video but can say it plays m2ts, MKV, MP4 but it doesn't see or play FLV unless you rename the extent to MP4. The caveat is it does not play AAC in these containers but plays AC3. The info is on the Philips site. The one I bought is the 5000 series. They sell smart TV models too but they look to have totally different specs so I can't comment.

[jagabo]

If you're considering a TV as a computer monitor make sure the model has a pixel-for-pixel mode. Otherwise you will not get a crystal clear desktop and the edges of the desktop may not be visible (TVs normally simulate overscan, cutting off a few percent at the edges of the frame).

[siluet]

no, I don't consider a TV as a computer monitor.

[orsetto]

Unless you expect to use this TV for completely casual background viewing, recommendations from other people will not be of much help to you. If this will be your primary TV, you'll just have to pick one, take it home, and live with it a week to see if it looks good to YOUR eyes. The biggest problem with flat panel TVs is the difficulty comparing them in a store: you really can't know for sure if it suits you until it is in your own home playing your own favorite video sources. I learned this the hard way: it took me four exchanges before I found one I could live with. So make sure you buy from a dealer with liberal return/exchange privileges.

My experience with various 32" models was Samsung had the punchiest picture but didn't play standard-def older material very well. LG was decent but not outstanding, I had trouble dialing in the color and LG is notorious for its panel lottery. Panasonic was really great with snappy color and wide viewing angles, but the color had to be re-adjusted for every new show or the flesh tones would be way off (a shame, because otherwise a stellar screen). Eventually I kept a Sony, which averaged the best qualities of all these brands (not the best at anything, but not terrible at anything either). Regarding the built-in "media play" features, don't put much weight on that: most TVs have random restrictions on what files they will play. If someone here tells you their particular TV model plays everything they have, that doesn't necessarily mean it would play all your files without hiccups. External add-on USB media players for TVs are cheap and much more file flexible: just get one for whatever TV you buy.

Keep in mind production of HDTVs is not static like in the CRT era: the same brand and model of TV bought today in one store might be made of completely different parts if bought tomorrow from another store down the street. This is why the reviews you see completely contradict each other: every purchase is a gamble. The only thing they all have in common is flimsy construction and terrible warranty support (although this may be better in EU which has stronger warranty enforcement than North America).

[gll99]

Rather than recommending a specific model I agree that it's far better to look for the features that are important to you. I have 2 46" TVs for TV viewing and might buy a larger one at some point. I needed a 32" monitor because of eye issues but for that size my best choice was a TV so I picked the features important to me such as IPS panel and on/off overscan while usb playback was way down on my list. It's good advice not to judge a side by side TV image in the store because you can't tell the settings and most are set to a vivid / store setting which pushes the picture to the max. My model is surprisingly light with a fairly narrow frame border which is good but the stand is the lightest and cheapest I've seen on any of my TVs and the plastic is flimsy where it attaches to the set. Also since it is a TV as expected the stand is not adjustable like those on a monitor but that's the price I was willing to pay to get a 32" sized screen. You may have to give and take depending on your needs.

Some other things to consider: My TV has a few presets Vivid, standard, eco, movie, sports and personal but there is no way to access them directly from the remote. You have to go through 4 button pushes just to get to that selection menu. If I was using it mainly as a TV I'd want a quick menu function button on the remote to access those options so this might be more important to you. For use as a TV I'd also look at the type and number of connectors and their location. My usb connector is on the side rear but fairly deep in so I am using a usb extension cord to test. There is no way I'd want to reach back there every time to plug and unplug a thumb drive. Some models may have the connectors more easily accessible.

[Gravitator]

Who had seen available on stock SHARP with IGZO display in your store? Want to hear a review of the quality of the matrix