Looking to get a new 32" TV in the sales - what should I shortlist?

[Dishy]

The wife wants a new TV in the bedroom so I've suggested we get a 32" LCD. No point buying one now so I'll be looking in the sales, however I don't want to get a duff one just because it is cheap so which specific models should I be considering looking out for? It will be used for Freeview and gaming. Ideally looking to spend no more than £400 so I might be able to look at TVs that currently retail at £500.

Cheers

[dysfunction]

Samsung TV's are always good.

Something like this: Samsung 32 B550 (http://www.thedvdforums.com/affiliatelink.php?localaffiliateid=8&url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001UE8LVA/thedvdforums-21)

Or something like this: Samsung 32 B530 (http://www.thedvdforums.com/affiliatelink.php?localaffiliateid=8&url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B002ETFURS/thedvdforums-21)

[KRW]

Don't presume they'll go down in the Sales - they know everyone goes shopping then. I bought a telly once on 23 december that was 499 but suddenly went up to 599 in January.

*and VAT goes up in Jan*

[ohood]

Recently bought a 32" Samsung B652 (http://www.thedvdforums.com/affiliatelink.php?localaffiliateid=37&url=http://www.comet.co.uk/shopcomet/product/524301/SAMSUNG-LE32B652T4WXXU) (one of the B650 range), very nice and seems pretty good value to me (around £700 most other places.)

[bumfrog]

yeh, so many offers on nowadays I wouldn't bother waiting for the sales, as most shops have some form of sale all year round.

[Harsin]

I'm in the same boat (my current TV, only bought August 09 has developed an annoying vibration on the right speaker, Amazon offered a full refund or a replacement, after mulling it over I've decided to replace).

At the moment I'm thinking of a Sony Bravia KDL32W5500U (http://www.thedvdforums.com/affiliatelink.php?localaffiliateid=8&url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001RCU7FI/thedvdforums-21) (the three year warranty adds to the appeal I must admit).

ANy thoughts on this TV.

[dysfunction]

Looks like a great TV!

I seem to find, though, that Sony TV's are a bit more expensive for the same specs etc that you would find in a Samsung/Panasonic

[Harsin]

Eek reading the AV Forums and tales of noisy set buzzing, black smearing, picture stuttering and backlight bleed abound. :eek:

[ohood]

Eek reading the AV Forums and tales of noisy set buzzing, black smearing, picture stuttering and backlight bleed abound. :eek:
I nearly went for one of those too. Glad I went with the Sammy B652.

[Harsin]

I've read the audio is pretty poor on the Samsung (through the onboard speakers) any experience of this?

[ohood]

I've read the audio is pretty poor on the Samsung (through the onboard speakers) any experience of this?
I can't speak for the audio quality as I've either had very small or cheap TVs before now. It can sound a little 'distant', however. I haven't even touched the settings (it has an EQ menu, etc) so there are probably settings to remedy this. The SRS audio stuff it does seems OK to me and it goes all the way up to 'too loud' for me.

[ShakeyJake]

I've read the audio is pretty poor on the Samsung (through the onboard speakers) any experience of this?

my couple of years old 5-series samsung's sound is a bit rubbish when there's a lot of bass going on, but from what i've seen none of the flat panel TVs are brilliant.

[Harsin]

In terms of speakers, I'm not too worried about them being able to pump banging 'choons. I just want to be able to listen to films at a reasonable volume without the distorting, vibrating, hissing, buzzing or any other 'ing'.

Hmmmm the new Samsung LED telly is only £50 more. Anybody got any experience of that.

Edit:

£600 @ Amazon
£999 @ Argos

How do they remain in business? :nuts:

[essydyk]

I think you will be hard pressed to find a better 32" TV for round about the £400 mark as the Samsung B5 series - Standard Def looks very good on this TV (Samsung spent hundreds of millions on making their upscaling technology in house on this TV and up) plus it has all the connections, decent tweaking options in the menu and looks top drawer. Add to the fact that you can play Divx direct from USB and it is a no brainer.

The only things you could question is the audio which isn't top notch but for a bedroom set-up it will be easily more than adequate ... that and the fact that it may not be built to last.

If you are looking at feeding lots of Standard Def. into your TV and don't fancy the Samsung the Toshibas with Resolution+ also do a grand job but in my experience of Toshibas they don't tend to have the most sensitive freeview tuners to start with (unless they have sorted that in 2009)

[Harsin]

It's a Toshiba that I'm getting the refund on, apart from developing a vibration in the one speaker after a couple of months I was very pleased with the set and as you mention its SD performance is superb (it has Cell, like what's in a PS3 doing the heavy lifting in this area).

If nothing leaps out, all the alternatives I've looked at so far seem to have at least one glaring fault that puts me off (the Samsungs look great, but over at the AV Forums where they only listen to the TVs speakers for 10 seconds, to make sure they work, before plugging into their £8746239084620 sound system, even they are making a point that the onboard sound is worse than normal). I may just rebuy the telly, it's ow £30 less than I originally paid at Amazon so I'll have made a slight profit, erm kinda.

Sorry for hijacking your thread Dishy.

[Dishy]

Gutted, just missed out on getting the Sammy B530 from John Lewis as I was around the outlaws and they don't have internet! It was on for a good price with a 5 year warranty! Still it was my fault for not bagging it at the Trafford Centre on Saturday as the JL was the only one open in the UK at the time. Am in no rush so can bide my time and get a good deal when one arrives.

[springer]

The LE32B530 is just £329.99 at Argos (http://www.thedvdforums.com/affiliatelink.php?localaffiliateid=28&url=http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5295607/Trail/searchtext%3ESAMSUNG+LCD.htm) IF you can find stock. I reserved & collected the last one at Keighley yesterday, but tried a few other stores round & about and all drew a blank. Second set for us for the sitting room, but it outclasses the Sammy 40" we've had for a couple of years. Terrific set.

[home_bas]

I've had the B530 for around 6 months now (got it from Richers for £380 at the time), well pleased with it.

Use it for PS3/Blu Ray and connecting to my Mac Mini, can't vouch for sound as I connect it to an amp.

First TV I've had where you can set the colour/brightness etc for each input, so very pleased in all.

Only thing that grates a little is that the Freeview EPG doesn't show the current program details automatically when you change channel. I found recently that pressing Enter on the remote brings it up.