There are a lot of choices on the market and it can be confusing. Sometimes people end up buying what they didn’t set out to buy. Usually people try to focus too much on the best picture, thinking that its the best way to compare the choices. But in our experience, these days picture quality is fairly comparable among brands if we compare similar level models. There are other things that are quite important but don’t get discussed that much in stores, like remote control for example.
Remote
You would have to get used to the remote and it has to be helpful to the way you want to use your TV. Especially for things you would be using daily, like changing volume or channels. For example Sony TV remote controls can have a more familiar feel and layout. Having direct access buttons like a Neflix button can make using a TV much easier.
A right TV and remote for your needs should be easy to use, accessing functions, changing inputs, and recording.
Recording
Recording compatibility is another important area to check if thats something you intend on using regularly. TVs can record to USBs, but that can have limited functionality compared to devices that are designed specifically to record TV programs. A few questions to ask on recording:
– Does the TV support thumb drives for recording, or does it require hard disc drive HDD?
– Does the TV have to be on when recording?
– Is it possible/easy to record a whole TV series, or do you have to record each episode as they are scheduled?
Generally speaking Fetch TV or Foxtel would have the most options for recodring/pausing/rewinding live programs.
Internet
With TVs you do get a big screen for browsing the internet but generally it works a bit slower, and most people prefer to use their mobile devices or laptop for that. Some apps built into TVs can be useful, like YouTube. NBN rollout has improved the experience for people as the internet speed is more stable and reliable for content streaming . Streaming from your mobile device to the TV can also be a good option. Chromecast built-in is also a great feature to have on your TV for more content streaming options.
Sound
Sometimes with sales in electronics stores people end up buying soundbars and other devices from different brands. Some brands and devices can work well together, but some don’t. LG and Samsung particularly prefer same brand devices for their proprietary CEC functionality (Consumer Electronics Control).
Positioning and aesthetics
How you are going to position the TV in your house can also be an important aspect of the purchase. Will you need it mounted on the wall or will will be free standing on a TV stand? If you’d like it mounted there are quite a few options for mounting, including higher and lower cost brackets. For movable brackets higher end ones tend to do a much better job than cheaper ones. There are also outdoor TVs that are made specifically for outdoor use. Regular TVs just won’t last very long outdoors, especially if you live near the coast.
Some people like the TV to be the focal point in the room, while other prefer to conseal the TV as much as possible. This is where the TV size and thickness will be important.
Choosing a TV there are a few factors to consider: price, functionality, quality, aesthetics and customer experience. You can get a TV from one of the big retailers, like Harvey Norman or JB HIFI, their online stores, or other online stores, including budget options like Kogan and Aldi. But in most cases you get what you pay for as far as functionality or quality. But a good way to save money is to purchase at the end of a model run. Usually around April brands start to bring out new models and sell off last year’s models cheaper. The improvements between previous year models and newer models are often minor and it can be very well worth the savings. Often lower end models come out around April-May, and higher end July-August.
We recommend equipment that we consider good quality and value. This is not an advertisement or an affiliate content. If you have any questions or would like to discuss your installation – feel free to contact us.