Best / Most sensitive TV tuner?
Hi,
I'm in the market for a new HD LCD/LED TV. Which TV brands have the most sensitive HD tuner (can pick up weak signals the best)? I heard Samsung and Sony TVs have the best tuners. However I have an older model Sony CRT HDTV (2006?) and it can't pick up a few weak channels that a new Artec DTV converter can pick up... Or is there a website that rates TV tuner sensitivity?:o |
I have a different group of candidates. We agree on Samsung. It is my understanding that Samsung manufacturers its own display panels. I would also consider LG. LG holds patents on its tuners. Among the Japanese, I go with Sharp. Sharp also manufactures its own panels.
I own models of each brand. They work well. I also own a Sony. Sony is catnip to techies. I have owned several Sonys. Of these, only my little 13" flat face CRT did not fail in one way or another. The tuner in another of my Sonys--a 24" flat face analog CRT--suffered dramatic loss in sensitivity. In my newest Sony--a 40" LCD flat panel--the digital tuner craps-out when the ambient temperature rises above 72 °F. Hopefully, this Sony will be my last Sony TV until the company dramatically improves its quality. The whole point of this forum is to select antennas with sufficient gain, aim them properly, install pre-amplifiers to ensure sufficient signal strength at the end of long cable runs [if needed], and to install distribution amplifiers [if needed] to ensure that each tuner receives sufficient signal. If you have made the correct decisions about these issues, then tuner sensitivity may be a secondary or tertiary consideration. However, sensitivity should not be your primary consideraton. The tuner for any reputable TV manufacturer should be more than adequate. If you have narrowed your choices down to Sony and Samsung, then your decision should be a no-brainer. Samsung is the one TV that you are looking for. |
Quote:
I'll definitely keep Samsung and Sony (and LG) on my top picks for best tuners! Also have to weigh that with thei picture quality as I see them on display side-by-side in stores. Thanks for the info! :) |
Quote:
|
Ok, good points.
In-store display, I see some LCD TVs look "dull/dim," while others look "bright and vivid." Also some look "sharper" than others that look slighly "blended/pixels not distinct." They all show the same video so their resolution should be the same. So unless the TVs are misadjusted in their picture/contrast/brightness settings... maybe... that would affect it.. As for features, my top picks are: (1) On screen guide with listing of future shows with full description of shows and their rez (720p vs 1080i, etc), (2) ability to add individual channels manually in addition to full scan (3) have a signal meter easy to get to and not buried in the some hidden diagnostics menu. Looking to get LED preferred over LCD.. and about 46+ inches. :) |
|
Quote:
A few more observations:
|
If the feature of my old Sony Wega (2006?) HD CRT TV is any indication of the newer Sony's, I'd rather not get the Sony.
My current Sony TV has these drawbacks: (1) Only shows the current program info (not future shows, not real TV guide, (2) signal meter is hidden in diagnostics menu option, (3) cannot manually add a particular RF channel... must (re)scan to detect any new channels, (4) it's channel list is strange to go up and down, and you have to go to INPUT menu to switch to different input connections, instead of allowing you to add a particular input as part of your channel list (where you just hit Channel Up or Down button). |
Not the most robust sample set, but I have a Samsung, a Sharp, and a HDHomerun (network tuner) attached to the same antenna:
Samsung gets the most channels with virtually no dropout HDHomerun gets almost the same number of channels with constant dropout Sharp is a useless pile of plastic. One channel, drops constantly. I have swapped around the cables and connections, so I feel reasonably good about these assessments. |
Oh, that's a good comparison situation... to know Samsung is best of those three.
I'm wondering if anyone has done a Sony vs Samsung vs LG tuner test yet... I have Sony with not much to compare against. It's an older model year 2006. It mainly matches all my DTV converter boxes (got in year 2009). It beats Vizio. Those three TV sets I've heard are the best tuners.. would just like to know which is the best of the best. |
All times are GMT. The time now is 4:49 PM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright © TV Fool, LLC