TV for the bedroom

Feb 19, 2001
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My gf has decided that with her new apartment, there's no living room, so she's thinking of buying a TV for her room.

It's a fairly large room with 10+ft between the bed and her dresser so I think something 50"+ would be great. 55"-60" probably. We're not looking for something dirt cheap.

So I did a bit of digging, and I'm thinking of maybe the Sony W900A 55" or possibly the Samsung F8000 counterpart. I'm a bit hesitant on plasma due to the heat and the fact that she has a window that'll face the TV. She's not too interested in getting blinds that can fully darken the room, so not too sure about plasma. Are these pretty much the best LED TVs in class right now? 4k's probably out of budget, unless someone can convince me why we need to make that jump now.

Our primary feature is picture quality, with smart TV features being second. I'm more of a traditional guy who's seen the TV as something as a dumb device like a monitor. While we're on the subject of smart TVs, is there any difference to running netflix off a HTPC or laptop as opposed to the TV other than for convenience/ease-of-setup?
 

SonyPhila

Junior Member
Oct 1, 2013
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In terms of PQ, picture quality, the W900A will give you an overall better picture with the TRILUMINOUS display chip and the deep black panel used by Sony. Whereas the Samsung will give you slightly more features out of the box to use on your tv the quality doesn't compare. Also, the price is significantly more for the F8000 compared to the W900A. Since, I work with these televisions daily I would say the W900A is as close to 4K as you're going to get with a 1080p tv. 4K doesn't seem like it would be a substantial game-changer for your situation, in my honest opinion.

Here's a comparison: http://www.crutchfield.com/S-K1wbZq...00/Sony-KDL-55W900A-vs-Samsung-UN55F8000.html
 
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SonyPhila

Junior Member
Oct 1, 2013
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I don't mean to double post, but for NetFlix the only advantage you will get from a HTPC would be bandwidth speeds. In TVs, most people don't see it, there is a speed difference that limits the TV as opposed to a HTPC where you have the faster speeds to deliver better quality and less buffering times.

The HTPC setup takes a little more doing, that's why the TV smart features seem more appealing to most. Less wires and less hassle is the appearance given to smart TVs.
 

Harvey

Administrator<br>Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
35,057
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Unless you and your GF are into 3D glasses and very little available program material, save your money, and avoid any 3D set. The best that can be said for a 3D TV is that it can display 2D at twice its spec'd 3D refresh rate. OTOH, sales of 3D models have been plummeting so you may find a good closeout deal on a 3D set for 2D use.

AFIC, 3D TV is a technology in a desparate search for a market that doesn't exist. :p

Getting back to basics, do your homework. Once you narrow your choices, be sure to search for reliable user reviews and reports. Pay special attention to reliability and customer support issues.

When you have your list, the best way to know if you'll like a set is to go to stores and see the actual models you're considering. Check adjusting the picture quality to your taste on various kinds of program material, and try the remote controls to see if they're user friendly for layout and ease of use.

My general personal preference has been for Samsung over Sony at any given size and price point, but that varies from model to model, and I've seen suprisingly good pics with other makes.

If you live near a Fry's Electronics, they usually have excellent prices, and they'll price match online stores, as well as local discount B&M stores like Best Buy, which you should also check. I don't know Best Buy's price match policy, but if also they match online prices, your options are even better.

Hope that helps. :)