If you were buying a TV today, which brand would you choose?

If you were buying a TV today, which brand would you choose?

  • Samsung

    Votes: 63 29.9%

  • Hisense

    Votes: 33 15.6%

  • TCL

    Votes: 36 17.1%

  • LG

    Votes: 35 16.6%

  • Skyworth

    Votes: 17 8.1%

  • Sony

    Votes: 11 5.2%

  • JVC

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Toshiba

    Votes: 4 1.9%

  • Xiaomi

    Votes: 6 2.8%

  • Other

    Votes: 6 2.8%
  • Total voters
    211
NR7 said:
Not one Sony TV on Takealot, Makro or Amazon.

That's basically a TV brand that is dead in SA, which is a shame because their upscaling is the best in the world.
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They pulled out of SA a few years ago, they did sell some TVs through stores like Sounds Great and The Digital Experience for quite sometime, but they also seem to no longer stock them.
TCL has also now taken over making Sony TVs.
 
naughty001 said:
the Skyworth hardware is kind of the same quality as Hisense but it is better IMHO because it uses Google TV instead of the horrid VIDAA O/S that Hisense make use of - so its far more user friendly with a wider variety of compatibility and usable smart features

the TCL TVs i have seen seem kind of seem similar to the other two on the surface but i haven't owned or used one so i cant actually accurately compare them - the Samsungs used to be my favorite for long while BUT nowadays my buddies who sell those say that the reliability issues have become as bad as all the other brands and the current Samsungs are not the bulletproof unbreakable monsters we used to get in the past
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Skyworth is the "premium" brand of Sinotec, it is often lacking a few features that you would find in a Hisense, Dolby Atmos or Dolby Vision. But they aren't bad otherwise.
 
Sargeant said:
Save your money and DON'T buy a smart TV - just get a media box. The processors on most "smart" TV's are so pathetic you will end up getting a media box in any event!
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i agree about getting the media box BUT the TV is still a cheaper investment rather than a dedicated monitor screen of the same size and resolution - you could pay 10 years of TV license plus buy popcorn and coke every weekend for your viewing for at least two years and then still have some change left over compared to buying a monitor only

so just buy the TV instead and ignore the smart functions and buy a top quality TV media box to do everything - besides its very rare to find a media box with a TV tuner if you still need that for some reason (lots of people i know watch those English dubbed Indian channels found in our terrestrial TV)
 
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Not really enjoying my Samsung QLED tbh. The OS is crap and there are light spots in dark scenes. I got it for a steal so I am still happy enough but next time I will take a look around. It is probably much of a muchness in the particular price bands.
 
Lupus said:
Skyworth is the "premium" brand of Sinotec, it is often lacking a few features that you would find in a Hisense, Dolby Atmos or Dolby Vision. But they aren't bad otherwise.
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i don't really use the smart features built into the TV - My Mi-box Gen 3 has everything modern covered for me (for now) and i can always get a new box if too many new features are introduced

i just need my Skyworth as a screen only 😜 besides it has all the screen features i need


New TV.jpg
 
Brawler said:
Not really enjoying my Samsung QLED tbh. The OS is crap and there are light spots in dark scenes. I got it for a steal so I am still happy enough but next time I will take a look around. It is probably much of a muchness in the particular price bands.
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Which QLED? Though they seem to add that to even their entry level models.
 
The more I read here the more I like Hisense, Sony second and TCL third.
 
naughty001 said:
i agree about getting the media box BUT the TV is still a cheaper investment rather than a dedicated monitor screen of the same size and resolution - you could pay 10 years of TV license plays buy popcorn and coke every weekend for your viewing for at least two years and then still have some change left over compared to buying a monitor only

so just buy the TV instead and ignore the smart functions and buy a top quality TV media box to do everything - besides its very rare to find a media box with a TV tuner if you still need that for some reason (lots of people i know watch those English dubbed Indian channels found in our terrestrial TV)
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TV Panels | Television Display Screens

Shop TV panels at Fastrak. Discover replacement display panels and television screens for repair and upgrades.
www.fastrak.co.za www.fastrak.co.za

Not necessarily true anymore...
 
warrenpridgeon said:

TV Panels | Television Display Screens

Shop TV panels at Fastrak. Discover replacement display panels and television screens for repair and upgrades.
www.fastrak.co.za www.fastrak.co.za

Not necessarily true anymore...
Click to expand...

every single panel there that is in a size worth having states Android in your link so those are actually TV's with operating systems and not dedicated display monitors - and only the very small panels are actually monitors ..... look around again and try to find a 65" monitor with no O/S capable of playing HDR10+ and CV content through HDMI and let me know if you find anything for less than 75% of a decent (though not necessarily a top notch) brand name TV

even here the first two have android players built in so are not dedicated display panels

https://www.laptopdirect.co.za/LCD-Monitors-65-inch-and-above-c-8758.php
 
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cat41 said:
The more I read here the more I like Hisense, Sony second and TCL third.
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It would have been true if we got the same Hisense spec tv's they get in the US. But unfortunately we get a watered down version that they dumb on 3rd world countries.
Sony sold to TCL, so if you want a Sony tv built by them you'd better get it now.
 
Japan used to rule the TV scene decades ago... Sony/Panasonic... Then the Koreans took the crown until recently (LG /Samsung).
But from what I read ...internationally.. the Chinese has taken over from the Koreans (TCL / Hisense). Very much like they are doing in SA with their cars... Their quality has increased tenfold over the last decade. You simply cannot igore their TV's any more. Usually cheaper and their top end models are just as good or even better than the overpriced Sony's (RIP), Samsungs and LGs who are just relying on their name, marketing and influencers to hang in there...
 
naughty001 said:
every single panel there that is in a size worth having states Android in your link so those are actually TV's with operating systems and not dedicated display monitors - and only the very small panels are actually monitors ..... look around again and try to find a 65" monitor with no O/S capable of playing HDR10+ and CV content through HDMI and let me know if you find anything for less than 75% of a decent (though not necessarily a top notch) brand name TV

even here the first two have android players built in so are not dedicated display panels

https://www.laptopdirect.co.za/LCD-Monitors-65-inch-and-above-c-8758.php
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It's not a "TV TV", there's no TV tuner. Yes it has sort of "TV capabilities" but doesn't require a TV license. The premise I went with was a "TV TV that requires a TV License." since your premise was "can still pay 10 years of TV license and just buy a TV".

The OS on the thing doesn't matter to me because set top box and just use it as a monitor and also no TV License.
 
SeRpEnT said:
Japan used to rule the TV scene decades ago... Sony/Panasonic... Then the Koreans took the crown until recently (LG /Samsung).
But from what I read ...internationally.. the Chinese has taken over from the Koreans (TCL / Hisense). Very much like they are doing in SA with their cars... Their quality has increased tenfold over the last decade. You simply cannot igore their TV's any more. Usually cheaper and their top end models are just as good or even better than the overpriced Sony's (RIP), Samsungs and LGs who are just relying on their name, marketing and influencers to hang in there...
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And the great thing is, unlike Hisense you get the exact same TV anywhere in the world. No need for a DSTV button on the remote.
 
Always loved Samsung & LG. Their stuff have never let me down.
Also got 2 Skyworth tv's and they have impressed me.
Will wait for some reviews before considering a new brand to SA like TCL. I usually wait for a brand to be firmly established before parting my hard earned money with them.
 
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So, sounds like the forum expits are putting TCL first and for the next few years. Is it also Google TV based? - if so, winner for me.

I think my local Chinese supermarket will need a visit..
 
Lupus said:
BusinessTech

Thread 'DStv-owner announces streaming partnership with Samsung'

DStv-owner announces streaming partnership with Samsung

Canal+ has reached an agreement with Samsung to pre-install the DStv Stream app on its Smart TVs across several African markets.
Click to expand...

I'll stick with satellite, not just 'cos of my circumstances but as HD is more than fine for me normally. Have to wonder if Canal+ / DStv will ever really enter the 4K arena anyway.
 
Brian_G said:
I'll stick with satellite, not just 'cos of my circumstances but as HD is more than fine for me normally. Have to wonder if Canal+ / DStv will ever really enter the 4K arena anyway.
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The 4k that streamers send us, isn't really 4k anyway, the bitrate is low, the audio is compressed as well. It's barely bluray bit rate for video. Also as stated where does the 4k content come from? Studios need to be creating it to send out, a lot of stuff for broadcasters is still 1080p at most.
Netflix, Prime and such their own catalogues are 4k and very little else really.
 
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