My TV died last night

[kahjot]

There was weird flickering of a very, very faint bit of image on a black screen, now even that is gone. Still have audio. Connections seem OK. I assume it's toast. It looks like my only option now is some flavor of "smart" TV. Pickings are slim because the only size that will fit the available space is 32". I don't need 4K for the kind of stuff I watch, so I'm thinking 1080p is enough. I will probably also make it "dumb" by not connecting it to my network. It will be connected to a cable box and an AppleTV. It looks like I can get a Samsung 1080p model for about $200.

Any thoughts?

[drjardster]

You can get something for a lot cheaper than $200.  Check Best Buy.

I have a few Insignia brand TVs for my smaller TVs (the one next to the exercise bike that isn't used enough, and in the kitchen).  Quality isn't as good as my 4K Samsung OLED in my living room, but that's ok.

[special]

Any friends or neighbors who upgraded and might have an older unit not being used?
Not only you save cash but also help the planet.

[SDGuy]

My $0.02:
Don't cheap out and get a bottom-of-the-barrel no-name brand tv.
It likely will be dead after a few years, and you'll end up buying another television again anyways, and end up spending more overall in the long run.

[kahjot]

Any friends or neighbors who upgraded and might have an older unit not being used?
Not only you save cash but also help the planet.

Not that I know of. This one lasted quite a while, unlike the LG I bought maybe 12 years ago that died after about 2-3 years. The Samsung was on a LOT since having murder TV on at low volume helps me sleep. However, I think I could replicate that "red noise" effect with an iPad near the bed and use a lot less electricity.

The top right corner of the screen had been just slightly darker for quite a while, maybe a year or two. So the screen going haywire is not a complete surprise.

I'll probably get this one:

Samsung TV

[halbert]

I remember the first time a TV died on me... took the back off, found fuses - found a dead one - walked to the nearby radio shark and got a replacement for 25¢ probably - installed and all was well. Such a great feeling when it works out that way... times have changed.

[GGD]

I remember the first time a TV died on me... took the back off, found fuses - found a dead one - walked to the nearby radio shark and got a replacement for 25¢ probably - installed and all was well. Such a great feeling when it works out that way... times have changed.

I remember things differently from my childhood, you took the back off, removed all of the tubes, went down to the corner drug store, tested each of them on their tube tester, and bought a replacement for the one that failed.

[AllGold]

I don't know if it matters, but a lot of the 32" TVs are 720p rather than 1080p.

43" TVs are under $200 and almost all of those are 4K. I don't want to tell you what to do, but if it were me, I would completely abandon whatever it is that constrains the space to 32".

I remember the first time a TV died on me... took the back off, found fuses - found a dead one - walked to the nearby radio shark and got a replacement for 25¢ probably - installed and all was well. Such a great feeling when it works out that way... times have changed.

I remember things differently from my childhood, you took the back off, removed all of the tubes, went down to the corner drug store, tested each of them on their tube tester, and bought a replacement for the one that failed.

I never did it myself, but I remember seeing a lot of commercials about this. They were advertising both the stores with the testing equipment and the label kits with numbered labels in pairs. You would put a label on the tube and on the socket so all the tubes went back in the right sockets

[Don]

You're not in MA, are you? I have a 32" Sony Bravia sitting unused on a shelf in the bedroom that would be happy to find a new home. It's only 720p, but as far as I know it works fine. Unfortunately, shipping would likely cost more than you'd pay for a brand new 32" TV.

[Rolando]

Gonna 2nd on not cheatping out!
I had a 65" TCL die right after its 5th birthday, now watching a 48" 1080p Toshiba mfg in 2010. Will keep it as long as it works!