I still want a new TV

[drogulus]

     I've wanted a new TV for some time now. There's a problem, though, because my XBR-49X900e is actually better than any non-OLED in the 48-49-50" size. The software is slow, as you'd expect with a 7 year old set, but in terms of PQ for SDR and HDR content it can only be beat by sets that are 55" and up.

     I could get a 55", and the Bravia 7 would probably be the best choice (TV saint FOMO says so), but my living room is small.

     Reasons for the Bravia 7 are 1) Sony 2) snappy software 3) higher brightness in HDR.

     
     

[DavidW]

Reasons for the Bravia 7 are 1) Sony 2) snappy software 3) higher brightness in HDR.   

Rtings gave a good review of it, and for most people, it is almost as good as the Bravia 9 at a fraction of the price... but I believe it has poor off-axis performance and terrible reflections. Digital Trends gushed over it for nearly all their review and then panned it.

It seems stupid to say this for a miniled but it is best in a light-controlled room and not horribly off-angle.

[drogulus]

     I have my TV angled so both of us watch from nearly head on.

     FOMO is pretty damn thorough by comparing the TV to its miniled rivals and his Sony reference monitor.

   

[DavidW]

I'm just telling you what I know from two reputable sources. If you want to disregard it, fine. Your money. But I encourage you to separate the emotional journey of following a hype train from a more objective assessment that could serve you better long term. The hype will quickly fizzle once the TV is in your house, and if there is any issue that you previously dismissed, it will bug you more and more once the honeymoon phase is over.

[drogulus]

I'm just telling you what I know from two reputable sources. If you want to disregard it, fine. Your money. But I encourage you to separate the emotional journey of following a hype train from a more objective assessment that could serve you better long term. The hype will quickly fizzle once the TV is in your house, and if there is any issue that you previously dismissed, it will bug you more and more once the honeymoon phase is over.

     The reviews I based my initial judgment on were RTings and Digital Trends. I have to assess whether reflection would affect me, and based on my current TV and reflections in my room I'd say it wouldn't. Given my solution for reflection and viewing angle I would say the superior performance of the Bravia 7 when these problems don't apply should be the controlling factor.

     The aggressive ABL on OLEDS is very discouraging or I'd get the A95L.

[DavidW]

The aggressive ABL on OLEDS is very discouraging or I'd get the A95L.

I'm the type that turns the backlight way down on lcds, so the ABL doesn't bother me, but I know it would drive my parents nuts. It doesn't show up in HDR content since that is usually mastered on oleds but it does show up in SDR fairly frequently.

But it is overblown, I can easily watch my oleds on sunny afternoons without closing the blinds.

[drogulus]

     I checked out reviews on the Panny miniled (of course I did!) with high hopes. RTings says the Bravia 7 is better for accuracy and low rez content. That's an uh oh on both counts. My first priority is movies, 2nd is movies etc. Any TV I get has to ace the Lawrence of Arabia test, the Barry Lyndon test and the Starship Troopers test.

     

[relm1]

My LED tv has weird color spots on it that looks like creases on the screen but there are no dents on it.  Unfortunately, can afford to fix or replace it.     If anyone has any ideas.  Diagnostics said no issue but the screen seems ruined.

[drogulus]

My LED tv has weird color spots on it that looks like creases on the screen but there are no dents on it.  Unfortunately, can afford to fix or replace it.    If anyone has any ideas.  Diagnostics said no issue but the screen seems ruined.

     What size TV do you have? Have you checked prices recently? If I was on a severe budget I could still find a good (not great) TV at a low price. You can go to RTings and look for the best TV at your size and they will give you top, middle and budget tier recs.

[DavidW]

My LED tv has weird color spots on it that looks like creases on the screen but there are no dents on it.  Unfortunately, can afford to fix or replace it.    If anyone has any ideas.  Diagnostics said no issue but the screen seems ruined.

You can replace a damaged screen yourself, but remember that entry-level TVs are really good and cheap these days. BB has a 43-inch Hisense on sale for $180 (Black Friday has begun).

[relm1]

What size TV do you have? Have you checked prices recently? If I was on a severe budget I could still find a good (not great) TV at a low price. You can go to RTings and look for the best TV at your size and they will give you top, middle and budget tier recs.

My tv is 48 inches I think and I haven't looked at prices.  My sister said the same thing that prices are really low.  I might check it out after Black Friday. 

[drogulus]

My tv is 48 inches I think and I haven't looked at prices.  My sister said the same thing that prices are really low.  I might check it out after Black Friday. 

     The Hisense A7N 50" is $239 at Best Buy.

[DavidW]

I might check it out after Black Friday. 

Wait? What!? You're going to check out TVs AFTER they stop being on sale?

[drogulus]

     Now is the rant. I've seen complaints by reviewers about the poor off angle performance of some led models, and often their technique for doing this is to go way way off angle showing the black bars getting grey.

     I can do that with my 900e, and have done. All I need to do is stand off to the side beyond any reasonable viewing position and viola!, the bars are grey.

     An example of a more reasonable approach comes from Brian's Tech Therapy channel where he takes a second pass at the Bravia 7.

[DavidW]

I think most tvs are good if viewing anywhere sane but ips panels and oled will still have the edge.

[drogulus]

     What, no mention of the terrible no-goodness of the Bravia 7 for viewing angles no one ever uses?

     Looks like a total Sony beatdown of the highly anticipated Panny.

[Karl Henning]

I still want you to get a new TV!