Ten... Freeview HD 42-47in TVs
Panel beaters for under a grand
Product Round-up Looking for a top deal on a 42-47-inch Freeview HD TV? Then you’re in luck, there’s a wide choice in screens out there for less than £1K and a tight budget doesn’t necessarily mean cutting back on all the nice toys, if you shop smart. So which one will be your next TV?
Finlux 46S6030-T
The Finlux brand has been around the block. Over the years its been owned by Finnish Nokia and Chinese Semi-Tech; deeds currently reside with Turkish OEM giant Vestel, maker of low-end tellies for Toshiba and various high street store brands. Sold direct on-line, it’s not particularly cheap for a 46-incher, but corners have clearly been cut when it comes to specification.
This Fin can’t access an on-line content portal (so no catch-up option) and there’s no 3D either – don’t cheer, the kids might want it. The 100Hz screen also lacks the advanced picture processing found on rivals. On the plus side, it can timeshift to a USB hard drive. Given how strong the branded competition is, this TV will have its work cut out finding an appreciative audience.
Reg Rating 65%
Price £800
More info Finlux
LG 42LV550
This net-connected Smart Freeview HD TV may turn a blind eye to stereoscopy, but it features a souped-up version of LG’s Trumotion picture processor, for enhanced motion resolution. The edge-lit LED panel itself is generic-looking but smart, with a fashionably thin glossy bezel.
It also offers unfettered access to LG’s Smart portal, with all the catch-up and streaming options that implies, plus solid file playback from USB. It’ll even play nice if you have a Plex client on a networked PC. Image quality is fine for Wimbledon, although a slightly compromised black level will rob The Dark Knight of some of its trademark darkness. Generally, a good all-purpose television though.
Reg Rating 80%
Price £799
More info LG
Next page: LG 42PM470T
COMMENTS
Re: Price of energy
Sorry, but that's bollocks.
Let's say you've not bothered to shop around much and are paying a stupid rate for power like 15p per kw/h. Let's say you watch five hours of TV a day on average. Let's say you've got a 46" set like many of those on test.
Difference in annual energy bills between an ultra-efficient LCD tv pulling circa 100W and a guzzly plasma set pulling circa 200W? £28.
If your idea of "significant" is less than £30 a year then what are you doing spending nearly a grand on a telly?
Panasonic TX-P42ST50
wiggers the ST30 is last years model.
However it doesn't alter the fact the ST50 is probably the best TV you can buy for under a grand and Reg Hardware completely ignores it.
More details please
TV sets one important question.
What is the picture like?
I've avoid the Philips
We have a three year old Philips 37PFL.
Last weekend the power button went inside the casing
A phone call to Philips revealed that they had no interest in fixing it and, even if they did, they'd charge £120 for an uplift
having nothing to lose, we took the back off. the offending bit is a flimsy, springy plastic fork that retains the switch, causes it to bend and trigger a microswitch. It is not fit for purpose and I have to assume they think you will keep it on standby when not in use. Googling proved it to be a known design flaw
We switch the thing on, restraining the switch and put a through power switch on the power cord. That was £3
Lesson learned, don't buy Philips
I got 2 Panasonic plasmas recently :-)
Picked up a "dumb" 42" (720p) Panasonic Viera plasma for 399 quid and a "smart" 50" version (1080p) for 599 quid - John Lewis with 5 year guarantee and free Saturday delivery. Both stay in standby until I use them because you're talking around 300W each with the screen active (though both can have audio only at much lower power usage if you're listening to digital/Net radio). Both are sweet sets, though suffer from the glossy screen effect if it's a bright day.
I remain fairly unconvinced about "smart TVs" - you're better off getting a dumb one and sticking a 200 quid media centre PC (with a couple of Freeview HD or Freesat tuners), which will give you a lot more than whatever the manufacture thinks you deserve on the set's Net connection.
Mind you, Panasonic are offering Eurosport Player for free for a month on their smart TVs - now I wonder if that'll hold out until late July, so I can see their Olympics coverage in addition the BBC's? :-)
