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4K worth it at the low end?

17K views 113 replies 35 participants last post by  cc_in_oh 
#1 ·
Hello. I was shopping around for a new TV, primary reason was I wanted to get a bigger set. I'm currently using a 40 inch Samsung that I love, but I'm going to move that up to the loft bedroom. I was thinking I can get a nice 1080p set for under $1000 and be done with it. 55 inches seems to be perfect for me. But then I started reading about 4K and I'm seeing some sets from Sony and Samsung that are around $1200-$1300. They are most definitely the entry level versions of the 4K area.

Samsung UN55JU6500FXZA
Sony XBR55X800B

I'm not the most knowledgeable person with these new TV's, but I know 240 hertz refresh rate is way out of reach for my budget. Other than refresh rate, with resolution being equal, would either of these sets be good to purchase? I really can't go too high on this, originally I wanted to stay at $1000, but I will spend a couple hundred more for these sets to get into 4K.

Are these sets missing features that make them a waste of time?

My needs........................
-55 inch screen size
-I don't care about smart features
-I don't care about 3D
-I'll be watching netflix, blu rays, video games, appleTV stuff
-I sit beyond the 4-5 foot sweet spot for this size 4K TV, but I figure I will end up sitting closer for video games and some other things

Is there a reason not to buy a 4K set if you already need a set?

I love Hockey, so that's important

Thanks!!!!
 
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#2 · (Edited)
First off, you aren't really getting a 240hz rate, as currently no 4k HD tv has a 240hz capable panel in it. Reason they say "effective rate" The main thing with 4k is all the "processing" features, as they will help to upscale 1080p and lower content correctly, as well as make 4k a lot smoother. I don't know how the cheap 4k sets are, but I wouldn't buy one personally as I figure the image would look really choppy without clear-action\motion\blah\blah (depends on the brand) unless I just misunderstood all o

You sit beyond the sweet-spot, alright...well in that case what is the point of the 4k for you? I say go with a good 1080P, 4k imo is better with the 60 inches and plus, when you are about 5-6 feet away. I highly doubt you will see the pixel difference with a 50 though, only thing I think you will notice is the crazy contrast if say you got a P-Series. (I got a 50 inch P-series, now my parents have it and love it to death, and I went to a 65)

If you are GOING for a 55 incher, well, the 55 inch Vizio P-Series is the only one that uses a IPS panel (so lower contrast ratio (no crazy 50mil:1) but you can view it from any angle and see the same image. Anyway, I'd look into the P-Series if you REALLY want 4k, or I guess the new M-Series, though the P-series is cheaper and sports a higher contrast ratio and more zones (still 64 even with the 50 incher!), heck I got my 4k P-Series 50 INCH Vizio Smart TV for I think...830, but they sit about 4 feet away from it, and it has Hulu\Netflix\Amazon built in, so they are good to go.

Anyway I keep going back and forth. If you decide to go 4k, go with the Vizio for now, the Samsung\Sony unless you really buy their higher-ends, don't have full array lighting like the Vizio, nor the active zones....just my few cents...as I ramble on and on.
 
#4 ·
Hello. I was shopping around for a new TV, primary reason was I wanted to get a bigger set. I'm currently using a 40 inch Samsung that I love, but I'm going to move that up to the loft bedroom. I was thinking I can get a nice 1080p set for under $1000 and be done with it. 55 inches seems to be perfect for me. But then I started reading about 4K and I'm seeing some sets from Sony and Samsung that are around $1200-$1300. They are most definitely the entry level versions of the 4K area.

Samsung UN55JU6500FXZA
Sony XBR55X800B

I'm not the most knowledgeable person with these new TV's, but I know 240 hertz refresh rate is way out of reach for my budget. Other than refresh rate, with resolution being equal, would either of these sets be good to purchase? I really can't go too high on this, originally I wanted to stay at $1000, but I will spend a couple hundred more for these sets to get into 4K.

Are these sets missing features that make them a waste of time?



My needs........................
-55 inch screen size
-I don't care about smart features
-I don't care about 3D
-I'll be watching netflix, blu rays, video games, appleTV stuff
-I sit beyond the 4-5 foot sweet spot for this size 4K TV, but I figure I will end up sitting closer for video games and some other things

Is there a reason not to buy a 4K set if you already need a set?

I love Hockey, so that's important

Thanks!!!!
first off i don't get why people think they can save money by dropping smart features? lol I get people wanting this all the time "I want the best picture i can get in a huge tv but i dont wanna pay extra for those smart features"

first off your getting smart theres no addvoiding it. you are not paying exta for it. if you dont want to use it just dont.

save alittle more money (300$) and get x850c getting triluminous and x1. and you should be happy.
 
#10 ·
between the JU6500, sony 800b, and sony 850b, its sort of a tuff call.


on one like you say you dont care about smart features, but then you list you watch netflix. netflix IS A SMART FEATURE!!! lol

both of the sonys use older codecs, whereas the samsung has the newest codec for 2015,so netflix will be less compressed and will upscale cleaner. but i am not sure that will help the samsung pass sonys overall superior processing, but the samsungs even at the lower levels in 2015, have very nice pictures. but the ju6500 is a 60hz tv tho so you may have motion issues.


as far as lag, the samsung ju6700 is apart of the much improved group of tvs with improved lag this year around 25-28. while sonys 2014 1080p tvs had very low lag, their 4k tvs last year were not good, mid 40s i believe.
 
#18 · (Edited)
Hello. I was shopping around for a new TV, primary reason was I wanted to get a bigger set. I'm currently using a 40 inch Samsung that I love, but I'm going to move that up to the loft bedroom. I was thinking I can get a nice 1080p set for under $1000 and be done with it. 55 inches seems to be perfect for me. But then I started reading about 4K and I'm seeing some sets from Sony and Samsung that are around $1200-$1300. They are most definitely the entry level versions of the 4K area.

Samsung UN55JU6500FXZA
Sony XBR55X800B


Thanks!!!!
All current 4k TVs will be obsolete in a year except the HDR capable sets
like the Samsung JS9500 and Sony X930/40 C
Get a good used panasonic VT60 plasma or Samsung F8500 demo at Magnolia/Best Buy

http://www.soundandvision.com/content/taking-tv-next-level

http://www.cnet.com/news/why-ultra-hd-4k-tvs-are-still-stupid/

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/...sonic-vt60-versus-the-samsung-f8500/index.htm

http://www.avsforum.com/forum/167-p...sma-you-tell-me-got-new-one-post-here-74.html
 
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#22 ·
All current 4k TVs will be obsolete in a year except the HDR capable sets
like the Samsung JS9500 and Sony X930/40 C
Get a good used panasonic VT60 plasma or Samsung F8500 demo at Magnolia/Best Buy

http://www.soundandvision.com/content/taking-tv-next-level

http://www.cnet.com/news/why-ultra-hd-4k-tvs-are-still-stupid/

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/...sonic-vt60-versus-the-samsung-f8500/index.htm

Really? So all those regular 4k tvs won't be able to have a uhd blu ray player hooked up to it and play 4k movies? That's news to me.
 
#19 ·
The answer in my opinion is probably not.

The thing is the TV makers have found consumers willing to buy things that say, "4k" on them. They've been in a mad rush to the bottom, on the fastest spiral to bottom-dollar commodity that I think I've ever seen. In 2013, 4k was pretty much exclusively found in "high end" models along with very high prices.

By black-friday 2014, there were plenty of loss-leader 4k sets available at the bottom-feeder quality levels. That bottom feeder space is being rapidly filled to capture consumers desire to buy something that says, 4k on it.

The problem for 1080p buyers is that the higher-quality 1080p models are nearly gone from the market. 1080 is a dead-end, nobody-wants-it category. So most of what you can buy in 1080 isn't all that great anymore.

The same money spent on a loss-leader 4k would in most cases, be better spent on a 1080p at the same price level, at least for now. I would expect by next year, you won't be able to get a 1080p display in anything other than store brands and unknown far-east labels.
 
#20 ·
Looks like I'm screwed, haha. Thank you for your input. What about going up a level in 4K? Like the suggested Sony XBR55X850C or Samsung UN55JU7100FXZA at about the $1600 price point? Would TV's of this level still be outperformed by a 1080p that can be had for $1000 about?

Thanks!
 
#21 ·
As far as 55 inch 1080p sets I am seeing a Sony KDL55W700B and a Samsung UN55H6203AFXZA.

The Sony is around 1000 and the Samsung is around 700. Are you saying a set like these would be a better made set than one of those low end 4K sets? Better at handling 1080p content?
 
#24 · (Edited)
Let me tell you about my last two weeks experience buying a 50" TV set for my bedroom. I started looking to replace my Panasonic 32" LCD from 2009, which still looks fine but I wanted something bigger in the cheap side below $1000. No need for 3D or 4K so I got the Sony KDL-48W600B for $561. Great TV set, very good contrast, deep blacks and almost perfect in uniformity due the rear lit. The problem with this TV set is that instead of screws it's assembled by pressure so on some specific pressure points you can notice a 1" line of dead pixels. These are very noticeable on the top corners and on the top center. I replaced it and the second unit showed exactly the same issue. I went to two different BB and the floor models had the same issue, so it's an assembling problem on this specific model. Then I decided to give a try to the Sony KDL50W800B which has excellent reviews in Rtings and it has the higher contrast of any 2014 model they reviewed (5250:1). I got it and did not like it. It has uniformity problems and my unit came with three dead pixels. I returned both units to Amazon. Then I saw the new XBR49X830C which is 4K so I went to BB, checked on it, got it home and as soon turned it ON I knew that something was off with this TV set. Very poor blacks and uniformity problems. I spend 3 hours trying to calibrate it because I wanted to keep it but no way to get that thing right. I returned it back and started the research again. 24 Hours later Rtings published the review of the X830C and the contrast ratio they measured for that model is 741:1 (it has an IPS panel). That's the main reason it looked so bad. I checked on the Vizio M50 which looks very good but it does not fit on my stand. Finally I decided to check on Samsung and the only model below $1000 with all the characteristics I was looking for was the UN50JU6500 so I went to BB, look at it and on the floor looked very good so I bring it in home and after only 5 min and turn the sharpness down to 20 I fall in love with this TV set. Uniformity is PERFECT and blacks are very good. it is sharp as a razor and colors are vivid and easy to calibrate. It took me 15 min to do a perfect calibration with Disney WOW. I don't care what people say about 60Hz but for TV watching with DirecTV and Netflix it looks like a $4000 TV set. I would recommend you to give it a try.

Forgot to mention that input lag on the JU6500 is 26ms, which is good enough for gaming!!
 
#30 ·
I checked on the Vizio M50 which looks very good but it does not fit on my stand.
Vizio absolutely messed up by going with the wide stand. They have eliminated some of their customer base simply because people are unwilling or unable to change out their TV stands or mount the Tv on the wall. Vizio should have made a stand that could be spread out wide or used closer together.
 
#25 · (Edited)
enricoclaudio: I tend to lean towards you here. i have the HU9000 which cost me 3500, and when i seen teh JU6500 and JU6700 playing their 4k loops i was actually very impressed. whether or not hte 60 hz bothers you is strictly up to each person. sometimes with the content you watch specifically, u may not even notice it.
 
#27 · (Edited)
No, 4k is not worth it at the lower end. A $1000 1080p top of the line TV will always perform better than the 4k TV. There's a reason why it is cheap, they have to cut down on quality so you generally end up with high latency, worse motion handling and uniformity issues.


There's a certain point to where 4k becomes better than the top of the line 1080p tvs (excluding OLED as it is not a fair comparison) and I would say the Samsung SUHD $5,000+ television sets are a good starting point.


As far as I know, practically all TV's except some Panasonics and Visio's go beyond 60hz when hooking it up in PC mode. A lot of the TV's will have a higher refresh rate natively, but when you hook it up to a PC it forces it back to 60hz.


And don't fall for the "more vibrant" color that these tv sellers have. There is only one official standard for colors and that is Rec609/709/809 and nearly all TV's when calibrated should be able to display the full potential. If a TV claims its doing more color output it's simply not true, all it is doing is increasing the luminance or crushing the shadow detail to pop out colors, much like how the MacBook Retina Displays do.
 
#28 ·
No, 4k is not worth it at the lower end. A $1000 1080p top of the line TV will always perform better than the 4k TV. There's a reason why it is cheap, they have to cut down on quality so you generally end up with high latency, worse motion handling and uniformity issues.


There's a certain point to where 4k becomes better than the top of the line 1080p tvs (excluding OLED as it is not a fair comparison) and I would say the Samsung SUHD $5,000+ television sets are a good starting point.


As far as I know, practically all TV's except some Panasonics and Visio's go beyond 60hz when hooking it up in PC mode. A lot of the TV's will have a higher refresh rate natively, but when you hook it up to a PC it forces it back to 60hz.



And don't fall for the "more vibrant" color that these tv sellers have. There is only one official standard for colors and that is Rec609/709/809 and nearly all TV's when calibrated should be able to display the full potential. If a TV claims its doing more color output it's simply not true, all it is doing is increasing the luminance or crushing the shadow detail to pop out colors, much like how the MacBook Retina Displays do.


will use samsung for example for that logic a js 8500 would have an ideentical picture if not worse than a j6300 (current top 1080 by samsung) and the local dimming on it wont help with contrast. the colors wont be any better etc etc. weather you like 4k or not manufactors are limiting 1080 sets extremely . there highend 1080 sets are extremely medicore now. you dont have to spend 5000+ dollars to have a notciblely better picture than the top 1080s now. a year ago when there was alot more 1080 products sure youd have to spend more in 4k to have a better set . you can get a pretty awesome 4k set at 2k in his size (js8500) for 1500ish he can get something he will be happy with. and given the lack of 1080s for that price range he will end up with a better picture. Now sub 1500$ i agree get a 1080. the x800b and ju6500 are a hunk of poopy
 
#39 ·
I think you have to pick the *quality* you want first, then the price and find the particular product, 1080 or 4k, that best satisfies that.

Again, if you are shopping lowest prices alone, I think at least today, your money is better spent on a 1080.

If you are shopping highest quality, then there are few choices other than 4k at the higher end.

I have two 4k sets in my house. I have a 2013 model, Sony XBR65X900A, with the quantum dot backlighting and the color and picture quality are absolutely astounding. I got it last summer when they went on closeout pricing. Very, very happy with this set. It plays 1080 most of the time and I have the Sony FMPX10 4k player as well. This was a top of the line, flagship set for 2013. I will likely have this one for a very long time.

I also have a 2014 XBR49X850B, which is kind of a "mid-line" model. It is 4k and a good TV that's a year newer. But the X900A seriously outperforms it. I returned a low-cost Samsung 4k and swapped it for the 850B which cost nearly twice as much. The Sammy was a 4k, but was on the lowest cost side and I thought it would be OK for a second room. But it bad enough that I couldn't live with it. In particular, the black levels were extremely poor.
 
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#112 · (Edited)
I think you have to pick the *quality* you want first, then the price and find the particular product, 1080 or 4k, that best satisfies that.
Again, if you are shopping lowest prices alone, I think at least today, your money is better spent on a 1080.
If you are shopping highest quality, then there are few choices other than 4k at the higher end.
I returned both the W800B and the W600B and ended buying a Samsung UN50JU6500 with perfect uniformity and great color accuracy. Best TV set out of the four I returned last week. The only problem with the JU6500 is the motion blur, everything else is perfect.
Went with the Samsung UN55JU6500 , just hooked it up today and have not messed with it much yet but no regrets, picture looks great out of the box....
Very interesting / info packed thread....I may end up needing to start my own thread bc this one is now old and it's somewhat different sets now, but lets give it a try here first. I arrived here because of the UN55JU6500 search brought this up as a result.

I have been tasked with finding another relative a TV. Basic Guidelines 55" - ~$500 but I think that can be pushed up some (I don't know how much). If this were last year something like the LG 55LB7200 ~$600 would have been a nice fit for this person provided the panel was not as bad as those posted (for example in the infamous YouTube Video).
Last year I was searching for myself & I found the decision at the end was quit easily arrived at especially with the sale price of the LG 55" UB8500 @ $879 + Tax; it was an absolute winner. The IPS / LCD Greys vs BLACK has never bothered me (as it is all others can see, but not me) and it has very minor D.S.E. in the two upper corners. Nothing but joy from that purchase though A.F.A.I.K. (especially the 3D!!!!).

This year I'm having a great deal more trouble finding some model(s) to clue in on. I am basically using this as my guide.
http://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/by-price/under-1000/best
I have other relatives that I am fending off from just getting the person a $#itty whatever is on sale during the holidays set and being done with it.

The reason I am here is that I found the UN55JU6500 on clearance for about $675 (INCLUDING TAX). The problems. #1 it was a floor model and it had to be sent away for a Panel replacement or repair (I saw the repair sheet but no one working that day had knowledge of why it was sent for a panel replacement or didn't fess up as to what the cause was (so could have been damaged by workers or customers or could have developed some other issue).
As far as the Manfacturer is concerned it will be sold as Brand NEW so it would have the full warranty. Plus buying w/ a CC would double that to 2 Years and I may add the Costco Warranty/Square Trade for $60 which extends the warranty to 5 years. That's probably a waste of money.... though so I'm just spit balling.

The other problem is the judder. When I watch rtings.com's Youtube video on my laptop. I don't see the judder and I'm a movie devour'er. I'll try it out on my UB8500 to see if I can see it there. But if not, I doubt my relative will see it. They will be using the TV to do mainly OTA TV shows and Netflix streaming, and maybe some video gaming.
For those of you that have now had almost half a year with the UN55JU6500 how is it going for you?

Is it a steal (albeit used) at $675 (INCLUDING TAX)? Especially if I just go with the CC doubling of the warranty so 2 years warranty for no additional money.

If that deal gets away from me... or it proves not to be desirable, I'll be looking at clearance models in the Spring bringing more TVs into that price point of possible that aren't today.
 
#40 ·
Hello. I was shopping around for a new TV, primary reason was I wanted to get a bigger set. I'm currently using a 40 inch Samsung that I love, but I'm going to move that up to the loft bedroom. I was thinking I can get a nice 1080p set for under $1000 and be done with it. 55 inches seems to be perfect for me. But then I started reading about 4K and I'm seeing some sets from Sony and Samsung that are around $1200-$1300. They are most definitely the entry level versions of the 4K area.

Samsung UN55JU6500FXZA
Sony XBR55X800B



I'm not the most knowledgeable person with these new TV's, but I know 240 hertz refresh rate is way out of reach for my budget. Other than refresh rate, with resolution being equal, would either of these sets be good to purchase? I really can't go too high on this, originally I wanted to stay at $1000, but I will spend a couple hundred more for these sets to get into 4K.

Are these sets missing features that make them a waste of time?

My needs........................
-55 inch screen size
-I don't care about smart features
-I don't care about 3D
-I'll be watching netflix, blu rays, video games, appleTV stuff
-I sit beyond the 4-5 foot sweet spot for this size 4K TV, but I figure I will end up sitting closer for video games and some other things

Is there a reason not to buy a 4K set if you already need a set?

I love Hockey, so that's important

Thanks!!!!

The Sony 55x800b drops the Skype camera, the 3d, and the triluminous display- This comparing the the 55x850b- Its a nice TV and Pic for the money IMO
 
#44 ·
Like OP, I'm coming from an older set. I was initially looking at a 55" 4K set, but after doing some reading and live viewing, I've decided to instead go with a KDL-65w850c. It's larger and cheaper than the 4Ks I was considering (55x850c, j7100) and when it came down to it, the sets that looked best to me were crazy expensive OLED models. I'm going to roll with 1080p for a while longer (coming from a 1080i screen, this will be a nice jump anyway) while (hopefully) prices on OLED drop, more 4K content gets out there, and better support for the requisite standards materializes. That's just my two cents though. Buying a new TV can be maddening and there's no way to get everything you want, at least if price is a parameter (and probably not even if it's not).
 
#50 ·
my issue with that cnet article was it wasnt written almost 2.5 years ago and recieved a small update last year. Article is getting a little old to be held to such a high regard.
 
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#51 · (Edited)
http://www.cnet.com/news/why-ultra-hd-4k-tvs-are-still-stupid/
The article was updated in November 2014 or 6 months ago.

OK great so most of the Cnet article is 2.5 years old,
what has changed in that time? which number in the article?

Do you disagree with viewing distances (#4)?
How big is your 4k TV and how far away do you sit?
http://i.i.cbsi.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2013/01/27/resolution_chart.jpg

Do you disagree that HDR or color is more important than resolution (#9)?

Do you disagree that standards are still evolving (#11)?
Current 4k may not be obsolete in a year or two, but they may be worth much less,
than 4k that complies with the new HDR standards.

Please be specific.
 
#52 ·
all i'll say is I purchased a November 2014 build of the 55XBR850B, and shortly after my parents purchased a vizio P series in the 50". The Sony absolutely demolishes the Vizio, night and day difference at about a $800 Difference at the time

The 850 is hands down the nicest set i've seen personally, former owner of 50" Elite Kuro

Before tax i got my 850B for $1799 in the 55"
 
#59 ·
I had the exact same set, except the 65 inch and I have a Visio E series low budget 1080p 70 inch TV and it demolishes the Sony 4k in picture quality... IDK, it's all in the eye of the beholder I guess.

Even the cheap 1080p TV's have more features now. THe $1000 70 inch tv's visio has now are doping direct lit, 120hz in PC mode and more.


I'd drop another $100 for the KDL-60W850B. You can buy it for $1059 on Amazon through the retailer Video & Audio Center. The price is hidden until you add it to your cart. Otherwise if you feel more comfortable buying it direct from Amazon.com, they're selling it for $1098. FWIW, Video & Audio Center is a legit retailer as they are authorized resellers of Sony, Samsung, LG and Sharp.

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-KDL60W85...ref=sr_1_3?s=tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1433118784&sr=1-3

The W850B is a step up in picture quality vs. the W630B. Worth the extra $100 in my opinion. Here are a couple of reviews to read on the 850.

http://www.rtings.com/reviews/tv/lcd-led/sony/w850b
Yes, in my opinion if you're buying online, do it through Amazon.

I had no troubles returning my 4k TV, they only charged me $50 for returning it when I admitted to them that I simply didn't want to keep the TV because it didn't work out for me. The TV was 65 inches and cost me $2500, so I was pretty shocked when they only told me the fee was $50.
 
#53 · (Edited)
If you see 3 boxes of the same TV model on the shelf ,each box could have different types of screen even if all the boxes and TVs look the same, just make sure you know what type of screen the tv that you choose have.



Good luck!
 
#55 ·
Every who is so optimistic that 4k content will come quickly should read this link about HD history.
It took about 15 years for HD to roll out and still most HD content is not 1080p.

Who is that is telling you that there will be a lot of 4k content?
The sales people selling the 4k TVs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-definition_television
 
#62 ·
Every who is so optimistic that 4k content will come quickly should read this link about HD history.
It took about 15 years for HD to roll out and still most HD content is not 1080p.
So? It may have taken 15 years for HD to roll out, but at least some of those early adopters got to ENJOY their TVs for a good 15 years too while others were waiting and waiting and waiting for the right time to buy.

That's the thing about technology. You just have to jump in whenever, unless something substantially better is literally just a month or few away from being released. Life is short and television sets aren't exactly a lifetime investment. Do you really want to wait until 4K is fully implemented before jumping in? If so, you're going to be waiting a VERY long time. As for me, I'd rather buy sooner than later and enjoy 4K reference material to show off. Despite the current lack of physical media to buy, there are lots of great 4K demos you can download, and play them on your TV through USB or network. You just wait until we see Baraka and Samsara released on 4K! Even the BD looked spectacular on those. Of course those was downsampled from their original 8K scan. Absolutely stunning. There are other great examples.

Those of you who want to wait until 4K is fully rolled out? Well, you guys have fun with your RCA 630-TS's! I can just picture some of you at home saying something like this: "Hey Ethel, did you hear?! Color television is almost finally rolled out world wide! Now we can finally think about getting that sweet Zenith console TV we've always wanted!!!"
 
#58 · (Edited)
I'd drop another $100 for the KDL-60W850B. You can buy it for $1059 on Amazon through the retailer Video & Audio Center. The price is hidden until you add it to your cart. Otherwise if you feel more comfortable buying it direct from Amazon.com, they're selling it for $1098. FWIW, Video & Audio Center is a legit retailer as they are authorized resellers of Sony, Samsung, LG and Sharp.

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-KDL60W85...ref=sr_1_3?s=tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1433118784&sr=1-3

The W850B is a step up in picture quality vs. the W630B. Worth the extra $100 in my opinion. Here are a couple of reviews to read on the 850.

http://www.rtings.com/reviews/tv/lcd-led/sony/w850b
http://www.cnet.com/products/sony-kdl-w850b/
 
#60 ·
Interesting thread as I'm in the same boat of "needing" a 70 or 75" TV now as I'm moving to a new home, but knowing that HDR around the corner and 4K still maturing may not be the best time to buy and I'm not overly interested in dropping $5-7k on a set (CDN prices, we get hosed). A few options on sale right now include:

Sony KDL70W850B
Sony KDL- 70W840BCT (Costco model?)
Sony XBR70X850B ($1500 more than the KDL 1080p set)

The Vizio 2015 M series is also on the list, and is $500 cheaper than the XBR but $800 more expensive than the KDL's (no idea what the diff is between the 850B and 840B at Costco).

Main center couch is ~15-18 feet from the TV, though there will be a couch with seats 7-8 feet from the TV but off to the side (wish plasma was still around and made 70" TVs!).

I'm leaning towards the Vizio at the moment, but the KDL at Costco is also fairly compelling depending on how the two compare, which is very difficult to ascertain. Black levels, colour, are very important, and I watch a ton of hockey as well, so not sure if that implies motion blur and/or DSE is of prime concern or both.

I have a meter and use ChromaPure so will be calibrating the sets if that matters in the end decision. I also plan on hooking up the set to a XBMC box (or Kodi, whatever it is called now), and possibly HTPC in the future for critical viewing of my blurays (likely rip them over time).
 
#61 ·
Thanks so much for all these replies. I went to BB last night and the sales associate was saying all kinds of nonsense. Just to give you an example. He said he never touches the settings on any TV when he buys because the manufacturer knows better than people on the internet :D
Also said by the guy........
-Samsung cost more and Sony is way better
-all 4K TV's have the same internal parts as the 1080p's. Basically, the 4K sets, even the cheapest ones blow away the 1080p sets. He said they don't have lesser quality lighting or motion smoothing.
-You can see the difference in 4K from 8-10 feet away on a 55 inch
-all 2015 sets are better than all 2014 sets. You never want last years model

That being said, they didn't have any of the TV's I was thinking about. But then I came home and saw the response and suggestion from Sumguy on the KDL-60W850B. I'm going to read up more today and figure something out by tonight.
 
#64 ·
Even though it took 15 years for HD to roll out, it would likely have taken much longer if not for the government mandate that the networks had to be off analogue by a certain date. That pushed everything towards digital and HD. 1080P might still be a fringe tech today in the U.S. if not for that.
 
#69 · (Edited)
Why not way less than $1000?

Personally I just couldn’t resist a 60” Vizio E60-C3 for $748 if I was in the market for a 120 FPS 1080p TV right now. That is incredible value for your money with a brand new 2015 FALD TV.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/VIZIO-E60-C3-60-1080p-120Hz-Class-LED-Smart-HDTV/43310249

The 65” E-65x-C2 is an outstanding deal as well at $898. Please note that this is actually the 60 Hz version of the 65” model so it cannot accept 1080p @ 120 FPS. The Vizio site lists the E65-C3 as the 120 Hz version. If you aren’t using a computer with it then this would be irrelevant. The E65x-C2 has better internal speakers though.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/VIZIO-E65x-C2-65-Class-1080p-120Hz-Full-Array-LED-Smart-HDTV/43310250
 
#74 ·
Generally speaking 22ms is acceptable to all but the most hard core gamers. Up to about 50 ms is generally considered acceptable to casual gamers but may not be acceptable to some people who are very susceptible to its affects. After 50 ms some casual gamers would notice it but it may or may not bother them.

After 75 ms it will start to become an issue for more and more people. After 100 ms it will be noticeable to almost everyone.
 
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