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Original poster

When did you last buy a tv?

130 replies

SugarAndSpike · 17/05/2023 20:17

Mine is about 13 years old and I feel like I've been left in the dark ages as I haven't a clue about smart TVs, I don't stream, don't watch 'catch-up' tv or whatever. This is mainly a financial decision as I can't justify monthly payments for telly but actually if my current one broke down I'd be completely lost as to what to buy.

Anyone else?

Have I got the wrong end of the stick and actually it's worth having a more high tech tv? I haven't been bothered to look into it as, to me, it's a minefield and I've got enough on my brain.

How old is your tv?

OP posts:
RitaCrudgington · 17/05/2023 23:11

Ours is an LG smart TV, about 5 years old. It's nice to have all the different streaming services on a single remote with no faffing about.

You don't need to pay for any of the Freeview streaming services or YouTube and as long as you're slightly organised it's pretty easy to dip into the others for a month or two at a time if you feel the need for more. I subscribe to Now TV for Game of Thrones/HotD season then cancel.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 17/05/2023 23:13

2003 - 32", 726 flat screen because it would have been stupid to spend £30 less to get a tiny CRT when they were in the process of being withdrawn.

Got a few dead lines on one side of the screen, went from Satellite (as zero reception in the hollow the house is in and no roof access to install some sort of giant mast to pick something up from between two blocks of flats and an entire town centre) to Firestick about 9 months ago - but it's still good enough.

That's the thing - the 'benefits claimants all have a flat screen TV' trope has been going on for twenty odd years.

Carsarelife · 17/05/2023 23:15

2 years ago OLED smart tv 85"
Can't be without it now

DogInATent · 17/05/2023 23:16

Almost five and a half years ago. Had the screen replaced under warranty at the end of last year. Out of warranty now and we had to do to do the wifi fix ourselves a month or two back - it's an LG smart TV and they're prone to the wifi stopping working and losing the smart features as a result, fortunately it's a really easy fix.

LadyGaGasPokerFace · 17/05/2023 23:18

Our tv is 13 years old too. It was a replacement for a Samsung that broke. It’s one of the first lot of HD tvs. It’s still good to this day. It’s been to Oz and back 🤞🏼

Happyhappyday · 17/05/2023 23:20

Ours is 2 years old but it’s the only one we’ve ever bought. We have an Apple TV to connect it. Don’t ever really watch things that aren’t streamed TBH.

Maryandherlamb · 17/05/2023 23:22

Never... my brother replaced his 'old' one and gave it to us, and we've still got it 6 years later. Won't replace it until it breaks. I think he'd had it for 2-3 years before we had it.

BodegaSushi · 18/05/2023 00:35

SugarAndSpike · 17/05/2023 22:07

I'm wondering if I've had a USB compatible tv therefore internet firestick compatible tv all this time without realising.
Would it go into any of these at the back my telly? (Excuse the dust... I don't venture back there often!!)

Yes! Amazon firestick works works with the HDMI connection.

When did you last buy a tv?
BodegaSushi · 18/05/2023 00:36

Gowlett · 17/05/2023 22:24

I’ve never owned a television. Other people’s TVs have been I my various homes over the years. When I lived alone I didn’t have one. We have a huge TV. OH & DS watch it, but I don’t.

So you own a television 😂

BodegaSushi · 18/05/2023 00:39

macshoto · 17/05/2023 23:02

No - USB is different to HDMI.
HDMI effectively replaced SCART as the way you connect pictures and sound from DVD players, Sky boxes and the like, to the TV.
A good way of identifying a SmartTV would be the existence of a USB port (often for plugging a hard drive of media in, or for a fire stick).

Show quote history

USB and HDMI are different, but firestick, Roku and Chromecast all connect to the HDMI port. So OP’s TV is fine

ScattyHattie · 18/05/2023 03:49

I think I've had TV about 6-7yrs but I was gifted it so not sure how many years use it may have had before without looking at model number. Its not smart in anyway but I've a fire stick & virgin box so all catch up & streaming works fine. Every once in a while it pretends to die, so I did recently look at new TVs and realised that not many come in 42in more 50+ and some screens I didn't enjoy watching which surprised me so I need to work out why and what suits. I really hate tech shopping.

Whoknowswhatanymore · 18/05/2023 04:01

Sky Glass TV, had it just over 6 months - fantastic!

BarbaraofSeville · 18/05/2023 04:08

Ours is around 10 years old. It's a Sony and like a PP some of the software seems to have recently stopped working, but we don't really watch live TV, we have a Roku stick so watch things through the various free catch up apps, and we generally have one of the paid streaming services.

The Roku stick was very cheap (£13 vs normal price of £30) on a deal, which they seem to have quite regularly.

I think now, if you're not wanting the latest all singing, all dancing model, they can probably be picked up quite cheaply in a supermarket, Argos, Currys etc or bought second hand from people who regularly upgrade their TVs, or maybe not, it could be that people keep them until they break?

Kryten1958 · 18/05/2023 04:54

My TV is a 5Y old smart TV. It pays me £159 per year as I can catch up with interests and events via YouTube (catch-up not live) instead of buying a TV licence.
With the £159/Y I save, I watch better TV with no adverts via Amazon Prime and Paramount+ for around £159/Y, you just have to avoid BBC iPlayer to stay legal.

User14528564 · 18/05/2023 06:50

I would probably get a Roku or Firestick for your TV OP, they are often on offer at Amazon and that will give you much more choice on your TV, it will be much cheaper than a new TV if yours is still working well and you are happy with it. For your TV you will only need the HD one rather than the 4k one, they are often cheaper.

thatgingergirl · 18/05/2023 06:54

My late father in law bought ours for us 14 years ago. We have a Freeview box and a DVD player plugged in and some plugs that connect it to our router (???). I think that's what they do! We have all the main channel apps and Netflix and BT Sport. More than enough choice for us.

kezziecakes · 18/05/2023 06:57

My husband bought ours before we were married with his first paycheck 10 years ago! Definitely overdue a new one but it is never a priority for me.

FannythePinkFlamingo · 18/05/2023 07:17

About 2 years ago. We have Sky so use all the smart features that has rather than the ones through the tv though.

hopefulsquirrel · 18/05/2023 07:19

DogInATent · 17/05/2023 23:16

Almost five and a half years ago. Had the screen replaced under warranty at the end of last year. Out of warranty now and we had to do to do the wifi fix ourselves a month or two back - it's an LG smart TV and they're prone to the wifi stopping working and losing the smart features as a result, fortunately it's a really easy fix.

I’ll probably jinx it by saying this but we’ve never had an issue with this on our LG smart TV.

BodegaSushi · 18/05/2023 07:31

User14528564 · 18/05/2023 06:50

I would probably get a Roku or Firestick for your TV OP, they are often on offer at Amazon and that will give you much more choice on your TV, it will be much cheaper than a new TV if yours is still working well and you are happy with it. For your TV you will only need the HD one rather than the 4k one, they are often cheaper.

Good advice, yes OP don't buy the firestick 4K if that's the route you're going down.

QuintanaRoo · 18/05/2023 07:35

Mine must be over 15 years old, getting on for 20. It's not a smart TV but I have a roku stick which makes it a smart tv. So apart from the fact I'd like a slightly bigger one it does everything a more modern tv can do. I'm happy with the picture and sound.

shivawn · 18/05/2023 07:36

We bought a 70" smart TV when we bought our house 5 years ago. I don't think I'd go back to a regular TV now! I like the ease of switching through different screaming services and I'm prone to loosing my phone around the house so it's handy to be able to call it from the TV!

sanityisamyth · 18/05/2023 07:43

Never bought one. First one we had when we moved in together came from a skip - his uncle fixed it with a bit of aluminium foil to bridge a fuse. It was a huge CRT one. The next one my mother bought for me in 2014 after ExH moved out (with his tv!). 32" flat screen which does the job. It has an Amazon firestick plugged into it but I tend to watch tv on my phone/iPad/laptop. iPlayer, britbox, itv player etc.

DogInATent · 18/05/2023 08:36

hopefulsquirrel · 18/05/2023 07:19

I’ll probably jinx it by saying this but we’ve never had an issue with this on our LG smart TV.

Show quote history

If you do, it's an easy fix. It's an extremely common issue that can appear out of nowhere.

We were on the verge of buying a new one when we figured we had nothing to lose by trying to fix it ourselves. It's a manufacturing problem, the cable to the wifi unit has the wifi antenna on the outside of it, and for some reason LG folded the cable over on itself. If it pinches too tightly the antenna no longer works as intended. All you do is straighten the fold in the cable and it works again.

xogossipgirlxo · 18/05/2023 09:22

In 2015, it was our very first tv 🙂I hope we will have it for another 5-6 years, as I don't fancy spending £££ on new one.