Good low end TV

[kfbkfb]

My 19 inch CRT TV is ~15 years old, it's part of my basic basement home theater system, I use it several hours/day.

Its never given me any trouble, I watch HBOmax [VHS taped via HDMI>video converter], VHS, DVD, (UHD)Blu-ray [via HDMI>video converter].

I've been looking at the lowest priced TVs at Walmart(USA), just in case I need to replace it soon.

Walmart has ONN, TCL, Hisense, Philips, Samsung brands, anyone have any comments about these in terms of picture quality (possibly in comparison to higher end TVs you also have)?


Kirk Bayne

[meremortal]

If you have the model numbers on hand, the site rtings may have given them a review.

[TripleHBK]

Originally Posted by kfbkfb

My 19 inch CRT TV is ~15 years old, it's part of my basic basement home theater system, I use it several hours/day.

Its never given me any trouble, I watch HBOmax [VHS taped via HDMI>video converter], VHS, DVD, (UHD)Blu-ray [via HDMI>video converter].

I've been looking at the lowest priced TVs at Walmart(USA), just in case I need to replace it soon.

Walmart has ONN, TCL, Hisense, Philips, Samsung brands, anyone have any comments about these in terms of picture quality (possibly in comparison to higher end TVs you also have)?


Kirk Bayne

It really depends on your expectations and needs. When I bought my current home in 2018 the local wal-mart had a handful of element tv's on sale for around $100. I ended up buying a 40" model for my kitchen and it's been amazing. It's a standard tv (non-smart) that I have a roku plugged into and it's used pretty much daily. Picture quality has been great for the room/use.

I also have a 50 inch 4k Vizio v series tv I picked up for my basement. It ran around $328 in 2019. Being 4k it's a notable step up from the element but is/was still very affordable. This tv is a smart tv with a ton of great features.

Of course my primary displays are significantly nicer/more expensive but the expectations I have for those are also much much higher as well. If you're looking to replace an older CRT I'd recommend looking at the cheaper Vizio's, TCL's, Hisense, or maybe even Element brand tv's if they are cheap enough at wal-mart. I'd stay away from ONN, Phillips, and some of the other off brands. Again, you get what you pay for these days with tv's and the most obvious things you'll notice as you spend more is better processing leading to a more clear picture, and better color reproduction. As the screen gets larger problems become more apparent but if you're just looking for something cheap, Wal-mart will likely have you covered with several options.

If you're looking to get the cheapest set possible while still retaining some level of quality, I'd look at Vizio V series, TCL 4 series, and whatever the cheap Hisense model is at the time of purchase. Next month (Black Friday) is guaranteed to have a great deal of some kind, so perhaps wait until then.

[cricepng]

You need to give more info on what you are specifically wanting out of a replacement. Any specific models you have in mind as some low end models are better than others? Size of screen? Viewing distance?

Almost anything will be better than your 19".

[tcripe]

Probably like a Vizio M Series or a TCL 5 Series.

[Randy Miller III]

For a bargain-priced entry level 55" TV, I'd recommend the Hisense Class U6G. Great features and an all-around solid performer for $550.

Objective review here: https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/hisense/u6g

[kfbkfb]

I'm about 3 feet away from the screen, due to the arrangement of shelves in my basement, the TV has to fit in a ~30 inch wide area.

I don't need 4K/HDR/DV in my basement, just a fair quality HDTV, as its only for casual viewing, my (soon to be configured) upstairs media room will have a 4K/HDR/DV (almost certainly a Sony) TV and Dolby Atmos though.

My bedroom system has a 13" CRT TV and DynaQuad speaker matrix surround sound, I may buy 2 of the same model low end TVs for basement and bedroom.


Kirk Bayne

[cricepng]

You are limited to a 32" and almost all of them are 720p. I would do with a Vizio or TCL myself. Nothing is going to even begin to compare to a high-end T.