Another new TV question

[Sam Murdoch]

Since the last TV we purchased was at least 15 years ago I need some info. Thank you for chiming in.

We are looking to buy a Samsung UN40H6350 40-Inch 1080p 120Hz Smart LED TV. Not necessarily on Cyber Monday but sometime in the near future.

You know what my big question is?

DO THESE NEW TVs HAVE BUILT IN TV PROGRAM GUIDES?

With my current Proscan there was a TV guide for over the air channels. All the channels available showed up in at least a 12 hour format so you could see what might be ahead for the evening. When we went to DISH the built-m TV guide was no longer useable but DISH has a guide - that very importantly is NOT A SCROLLING GUIDE (from the TVGN) like my friends get with cable. The DISH guide is like my old built-in guide but better as it shows programing ahead for 24+ hours.

We want to return to over the air viewing and a TV without a guide will be pretty frustrating at the least.

I know we could just drive to BestBuy and ask but we live in the woods and a shopping trip is not all the casual an activity.

Thanks for your help.

[Rich Enders]

Sam,

We recently bought a Samsung UN39 which is also a 1080p, 120Hz, LED. I just read the instruction manual and could not find any reference to a GUIDE. That does not mean that there isn't one, only that it did not jump out at me.

If you don't get the answer you want from SMC I might be able to disconnect from our cable service and see what is available over the air.

[Jim Becker]

"Smart" TVs may be able to access online guide sources...they can connect to the Internet through your home's Internet service. The trick will be to find a guide that's for your particular area. I just did a little Googling for that kind of thing for Maine and there are some sources...'depends upon "where" you are in Maine!

BTW, if you have the space, go larger than 40". The cost is almost immaterially more and you'll really enjoy the picture more for HD content. Flat screen viewing is "different" than with CRT type sets...you can be closer to larger without any issue.

[Sam Murdoch]

"Smart" TVs may be able to access online guide sources...they can connect to the Internet through your home's Internet service. The trick will be to find a guide that's for your particular area. I just did a little Googling for that kind of thing for Maine and there are some sources...'depends upon "where" you are in Maine!

BTW, if you have the space, go larger than 40". The cost is almost immaterially more and you'll really enjoy the picture more for HD content. Flat screen viewing is "different" than with CRT type sets...you can be closer to larger without any issue.

Thanks Rich & Jim. If you get to it Rich I would be grateful to see what over the air GUIDE might be available with your Samsung. I did download the manual and there is some thing said about a 2 hour guide. That might be the extent of it.

I will go into the Internets to see what online info is available for mid-coast Maine that could be streamed. Though we will stream most of our "entertainment" we still avail ourselves of local programming.

As for a bigger TV - our TV space is one of the smallest spaces in the house. We sit directly in front of the TV which is 9'-6" away from our sofa (which I built ). Seems that a bigger TV will not offer much advantage in that distance and very likely will overwhelm us. I even wonder that a 40" one will seem BIG.

[Jon Nuckles]

Sam,
I can't help on your original question, but I think Jim's advice to go larger is wise. We sit about the same distance as you from our 50" and I would like to go bigger. It will seem big at first, but you quickly get used to it. I have never heard anyone say they wish they had gotten a smaller tv.

[Tom M King]

I would think any channel guide would be provided by the signal provider. Get a bigger one, and a Smart one.

[Stan Calow]

Sam I hate to say this but I agree that bigger is better. Our main TV is 50" and less than 7' from the couch and we agreed immediately, that we should have got a bigger one. Not overwhelming at all, just makes it easier to see the details.

[Joe Pelonio]

Just Friday we picked up a 48" for my parents. It's a good compromise size, Vizio at Costco for $439. The great thing about buying there is they add a 2nd year to the factory warranty, then you can buy 3 more years for only $29 if under 50". It was a smart TV, and the manufacturer provides apps for it, but I don't know if there's one for local station guides, since they have satellite with it's own listings.
There are guides available for computers, tablets, and smartphones that you can use, if not.

[Jim Matthews]

http://www.toshiba.com/us/recommende...ewing-distance

$500 for a HDTV LED is promising.

[Bruce Page]

http://www.toshiba.com/us/recommende...ewing-distance

$500 for a HDTV LED is promising.

We fall into the sweet spot for a 46" according to the chart and it's about perfect. I wouldn't want to go any smaller than 46". Our next set will likely be ~ 55"

[Sam Murdoch]

We actually went to look at them today and compared sizes. My wife and I both agree that a 46" is a very nice size - a bit wider but more importantly taller than the 40" and negligibly smaller than the 48". 50" or bigger are just out of the question. Hard to take the advice of the Toshiba viewing distance seriously. Won't you go blind sitting that close to a 55" TV ? If we can find the right smart LED HDTV that we like in a 46" size we will comply with the masses and go bigger than we started out. I think we'll be fine sitting a bit further back. Still need to look into the over the air guide options.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Sam,

We have a 46" that we bought 2 years ago. It's big enough for me.

[Jim Becker]

Won't you go blind sitting that close to a 55" TV

Nope...as previously mentioned, the things that "might" have been true about the old CRT sets, no longer hold with LCD/LED flat screens. Folks who watch HD movies, in particular, like the immersive experience you can get with a larger screen in a more intimate viewing environment. That said, you should buy what you are most comfortable with!

[Chris Padilla]

There is a lot to think about when choosing your TV size. Some of it is how close you are to the TV. Some of it is how the TV fits your decor/furniture. We have 2 42" Panasonic plasmas in our house. 42" is the max size to fit the corner in our den and it does fit PERFECTLY. We had the option to go 50" in the living room but it would have overwhelmed our TV stand and not looked right.

[Shawn Pachlhofer]

something that I have not seen mentioned - you are watching broadcast TV only - no cable, dish, etc...right?

I have a TV at my weekend place that only gets broadcast.

It's an old TV, so I had to get one of those converter boxes a few years ago when everyone made the switch.

On the remote for the box, there's a "guide" button. When you push it - you get an on-screen listing of the programs on that channel. I believe you can scroll through it manually to see upcoming prgrams and descriptions.