Posted on 03/24/2018 6:49:04 PM PDT by BradyLS
A simple vanity post seeking recommendations from FReepers.
I gave up TV twenty years ago. But I still like watching DVDs. The player on the computer I watch mine on is giving out. I’d like to move on to a flat screen/player combo for both DVDs and Blu-Ray discs that’s in the 36” diagonal range. Larger is really no problem, but a huge, wall-mounted flat screen isn’t my style. Surround-sound and all that aren’t important to me either (good fidelity stereo is plenty nice for me.) My tastes are pretty simple that way.
My home entertainment-fu is weak, so the best brands/models are unknown to me and a visit to a local Fry’s was disappointing.
Can anyone offer a simple/straightforward recommendation?
Sony is the top quality for hardware like DVD player.
I don’t know if 4K is worthwhile for you. I can barely tell the difference between 4K and 1080p on my 65-inch screen. On a thirty-something screen, it may be gilding the lily.
Sony doesn’t have the reputation they used to, but they still make a good product.
It would stay away from Samsung. Their support is awful.
Agree no combo inevitably one part stops working and you’ll have to replace both. Get a blu Ray that upconverts DVD it duplicates the DVD data to produce a better picture from your old dvds
Get at least a 55” 4K smart tv with an Xbox One. You may never play games but you will have the option and you can do other things besides playing blu-ray movies.
The problem is not if the drive goes bad, because you can always find an external player to keep the screen going. I just found one at a second-hand place, high density with HD cable, for ten bucks.
The problem is that if you paid a lot extra to get a combo rather than just a display, and the screen goes bad, then you wasted your money for the integral drive. Now, you'd have to do this all over again, whether you wised up and either had to buy both components new, or just another combo.
Samsung 40in 4k UHD 329.00
Samsung bluray 70.00
Seems best to Me.
I can’t Find a combo .
Get a tv with built-in Roku. It is the best smart tv operating system you can buy. Easiest to use too.
SAMSUNG is great - mine is 6 yrs. old and perfect!
I can use that as a benchmark while I shop. Thanks for the tip!
4k is much better.
Go somewhere there’s a selection, pick the picture you like the best, get that screen, and don’t limit yourself to a specific size.
One of the nearby wholesale clubs (the blue one) prices all over the map based on their cost, and often the controlling factor seems to be, end of model run from the factory. They also get returns, because people think the screen id defective when the video source is letterboxed (older titles often are). I was leering at a 43 inch, hmm, maybe a Hitachi, they were selling for $248. I didn’t get it, because I don’t need it nor can I afford it right now.
Go with more than two HDMI ports to the extent possible (these are in order of priority).
Forget about combo units.
Get the nicest DVD player you can find, and...
Get the best-rated BluRay player you can find, and buy both kinds of players. BluRay players often enough have problems with DVDs, and for that matter, it’s not uncommon for them to have problems with BluRay disks.
Decent computer will play DVDs and with wi-fi and a TV that has it you can transmit movies to the TV ...
Brady, I’ll share with you an experience just FYI. About 8 months ago I bought a 42” Hisense 4k TV on sale at Best Buy for about $425. It was a brand I hadn’t heard of, but it was getting good reviews, so I took the plunge. In both quality of finish of the TV and remote, it is a lot better than the Vizeo 1080p I bought the year before for another room. The picture is also a bit better. I like the Vizeo, but I really like the Hisense. It also has a LOT faster processor. I can push the Netflix or Amazon buttons on the remote, and it will connect with my accounts almost instantly. The Vizio takes several seconds. You didn’t mention that you had streaming services, so maybe this won’t matter to you. I coupled the TV with a Sony 4k upconverting BR disc player from Amazon that plays any type disc. It seems to be doing a good job, though I don’t play a lot of discs. I don’t consider the 4k features much of a big deal, because there isn’t a lot of 4k content around unless you want to spend a lot of money. But I think the latest gear has it built in anyway.
40 and 43 inches are the sizes the Major Manufactures make, there are a few 49 and 50 inch TV's as well. Next up 55, 65" sizes and larger. Samsung and Sony are the brands to look for. LG not as much anymore unless you are buying a $1500 OLED tv. Visio is pretty good on their high end tv's but they don't come with built in Tuners so you won't be able to get over the air channels.
TCL is an up and coming Brand with some real nice on paper models coming out in May at real good prices. Toshiba and Sharp no longer make their own TV's, they just License their name out to Chinese manufactures. Insignia is the Best Buy House brand and appear to be decent budget sets running on the Roku OS system which is pretty slick. TCL also uses the built in Roku OS. Right now is a decent time to shop for a new TV as the 2018 models by the major players are coming out and good deals to be had on the 2017's
hitachi is high quality
I agree. Have (and had) lots of Samsung TVs, DVDs, BR, and home theater (for bedroom) stuff. No problems except with one 65” 4k TV and even then, it was repaired under warranty in two days... in my house.
Two years ago when I had to replace my DVD/CD burner, the new one only cost $29 and is smaller than the size of a DVD case.......
I'm happy with my Visio monitor. It has multiple inputs, so you can switch between the cable box, DVD player, and can plug in your laptop too.
You can get an external tuner box to connect to your antenna for under $100.
Me too, 60". I think ours were the last ones they made.........
Since mine is wall mounted, the stand is still wrapped up. If you ever need a replacement stand for yours, let me know, I'll sell you mine cheap.
Somebody on Amazon was looking for one so I responded but I never heard back.
The TV-DVD combo players are usually pretty small. The 4K DVD players will probably come down in price quite a bit in the near future. I’d buy a good tv and look for a deal on a separate blueray player. You can always upgrade your player later for not too much money.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.