How to choose a new television. Nightmare

I had to replace my grandsons tv a while back, and have absolutely no idea whatsoever about this kind of thing.

I ordered one from argos, going by their reviews, and checking prices elsewhere, and it was the best choice, I think. £5 delivery or thereabouts.
(Plus, they probably have a sale on as we speak)

Id go in and tell the salesman exactly what you’ve said in your post.
However if you are having a smart TV then you will possibly want Sky, Netflix etc. and will end up with a remote that will challenge you initially. Plus a box……
Most TVs have plenty of Freeview Channels available or you might have cable where you live?
Stick to your size and maximum cost and I’m sure the salesman will be fine, they rarely earn commission these days.

Yes. It is a nightmare. We were sold a tv that included catchup only to find that you needed an Amazon account to use the catchup.

www.argos.co.uk/product/9203602

This is the one I ordered, and it was literally plugged in and ready to go in minutes (not by me!)

Oh and I also have the added problem of still having lots of DVD’s that I like to watch. And my daughter tells me that I really should subscribe to Netflix.

If you have a Richer Sounds near you they really are very helpful.

If you want a fairly simple TV, look for one which gets Freeview and catch up without needing a plug in or specific account eg Amazon. Mine is about three years old and initially I used the aerial to use Freeview etc but then took out a Virgin bundle with broadband but kept the aerial so I can revert if I want to.

My TV can also use the internet to watch You Tube or Netflix although I don’t bother.

I think most remotes are fairly cluttered with buttons nowadays although you can buy some simple ones for those who are visually impaired or with memory issues but they tend to restrict you to just six basic channels.

You can pay for a technician to install the new TV and they will go through the various functions and buttons on the remote, that might be helpful.

Make a list of the things that you want and stick to it .
Keep asking "will this cost me extra ?" when they start throwing in the streaming options.
Places like Argos are really good as you can see the reviews but a wander round Currys - without help from the staff initially - is always useful in choosing the size of the tv , rather than ordering unseen - my son ordered a 50 inch screen tv even though I told him that it would be too big for his room ( I was right!)

We bought a new one yesterday for our daughter from John Lewis as they had it in stock and offer 5yrs guarantee. It is a LG? A separate DVD player costs very little for those who like dvds. Good hunting.

We always use our local independent electrical retailer. Good advice full explanation and installation

Avoid Samsung, I usually like their products but we had a major problem with white spots appearing on the screen. On investigation it was found to be a common problem with their TVs of course it was just out of the guarantee period.
We have Sony now. Retailers here in France deliver and set up the TV so I'm sure they will in UK.

Richer Sounds are the best if you are near one. You make an appointment , you have seats to sit in whilst seeing the different TVs. We have a Samsung and the new remote is really simple.

I have a Sony and had to buy and install a firestick in order to get most of the catch up services, so I would avoid Sony if I were you.

I recently bought a 32" Toshiba. It comes with Netflix, Fplay etc and the remote is very easy to navigate. Pretty basic compared to some of the models available, but has everything I could possibly need. Came from John Lewis.

Set up was a little challenging but got there in the end.

Of go for full HD, HDR, and nothing preferably less than a year old to ensure that it has everything you might need.

Avoid Bush, terrible. Samsung are quite good for good specs at reasonable prices.

I'd not of lol

Very many thanks everyone for taking the time to reply. How kind GNs are. And so heartening to know that we aren't the only ones who find this daunting.

Yes, we do have a Richer Sounds near us and have used it before - v good idea.

All brands seem to have their supporters. Bush presumably not made in China which is a plus.

DH now says he will first try to rest it himself ??‍♀️. That will give me a week's grace before he admits defeat.

Already said but go to JL, they have excellent service and don't push you into something you don't want. Plus they will sort it out for you as a extra package but worth it as they will add your DVD player.

Good luck in your quest.
You'll probably find yourself quite enjoying a bit of tv once you have a new one.

MayBee70

Yes. It is a nightmare. We were sold a tv that included catchup only to find that you needed an Amazon account to use the catchup.

I don’t understand that. Catch up is for terrestrial tv. Catch up is on your home button. It’s got nothing to do with Amazon.
Btw. Your daughters right about Netflix. Or, she could give you her password.

I know exactly what you mean and I sympathise. I've been reading and noting the good advice you have been given on here.

Grandsons tv seems to have everything built in.
418 reviews at overall 5* rating agree.
Though it may clap out after a year or two, admittedly.
I can't vouch for it's longevity.

Winterwhite
LG have a very good customer service at the end of the phone.
Also, don’t forget that any setting up/accessing problem you might have can be accessed on YouTube.
Your new remote will have a Netflix, Prime button so you can go straight to it.

We’ve never found salespeople particularly helpful or knowledgeable for that matter. They come and go too, so next week they could be selling cars....or clothes!

We’ve just bought a new one. Not what you want, it’s a 75 inch wall mounted, and I have to admit, despite reservations, I love it. My husband is an electronics design engineer, so this is every day stuff to him.

You can’t go wrong with Sony, Samsung, Panasonic. We had a problem with our last tv....a Panasonic. They weren’t updating the software, which meant we gradually lost all our Apps. We were left with Netflix, YouTube, and BBC i player. This may suit you though, so you wouldn’t need to spend quite as much.

Of course, other people’s experiences will differ. Hope you find what you want.