I'd check on sites like cnet and see what they're recommending, look at best value ones if you're not going to be particular. For the non 'phile, ifferences in picture quality are more pronounced side by side in the store, than on your wall. In my opinion, get as big a one that fits the space, that you can afford. The new big TV seems huge when you first get it, but after a week or two you'll second guess your choice if there was space to go bigger.

Good point! I like your suggestion.

Do not get one big enough to fit the space. Get one that works from where you will usually view it.

There are plenty of sites that help with that, I chose one.

Note this helpful diagram also shows that the middle of the screen should be at eye level from the seating position.

A screen placed above most mantels will be too high to watch comfortably.

I've taken the size into the consideration 😃

And then I'm lost. What should I even be looking for?

More info needed Rob. Are you on cable? Do you stream? Antenna only?

Most any newer TV can be adapted so bluetooth headphones can work.

I have a 75" TV which per that chart is a bit undersized for the furthest seating. However, "my" seat is about 8' from the screen and from there it is not uncomfortably large by any means. I'll accept that chart as a reasonable guideline but I would not restrict myself to those sizes if space and budget allow.

Elmer, I agree with your height comment to an extent. Having the center of the TV around the middle of your natural line of sight is most comfortable, but what height that actually is, is dependent on how you're viewing. If you're typically kicked back or even lounged on the couch, the angle of your face will call for a higher screen. Also, if viewing from an adjacent space or room is a concern, then a higher mount may make that more feasible. So again, guidelines are helpful but they aren't the end-all. I've had TV's at the recommended height, but find myself happier with it somewhat higher

Our new one is OLED and it makes a big difference in terms of picture quality. (Not to be confused with QLED which isn't as crisp.) It is also far less energy consuming than our old plasma even though we went from 55" to 65". And it generates much less heat which is a plus in the summer. It's also amazing how thin the thing is. And when watching, the edge on the picture is extremely narrow so the picture size grew even more than did the glass. Costco has them, but we went with best buy and paid for the geek squad in house service as we were having other a/v stuff done than just the tv.

https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/qled-vs-oled-tv/

i don't know if this would be important to you but i wish i had purchased a big screen tv that has a swivel base. i usually sit in my recliner but occasionally i sit on the couch and have to watch at an angle which is not ideal.

I absolutely will never buy a TV without actually seeing it in person - I find some TVs have a kind of hyper-3D effect that makes everything look fake. Maybe it's good for gamers who are used to looking at digitally created images and effects, but I can't stand it. To me, that's more important than what brand or size it is. Personally, I've had a Philips that I liked (the last decent quality dumb TV I could find, 5 years ago), and I have an LG now. I like the quality, but I don't have cable and don't use smart features; even though it's not hooked up to the internet, I still have to wade through those options, which I don't like.

I agree about seeing them...I find the OLED better at reducing the blur. Some TVs I literally couldn't watch action scenes as the blur would make me feel ill...almost like motion sickness.

Ninapearl, you can look into getting a swivel base or mount for any tv I'd think these days be it table top or wall hung.

Anyone else remember when 19" and 25" televisions were 'just fine' for viewing in even the largest living rooms? hahahaha

Lola, yes but we kids used to park ourselves on the floor right in front of the tv ... and our parents would yell, "You're sitting too close. You're going to ruin your eyes!"

I learned a lot about what I should be looking for by reading reviews on RTINGS.com and Tomsguide.com. They were so helpful to me, especially RTINGS. I didn't have a big budget, and I couldn't be happier with the TV I chose. Two years later, it still looks and sounds spectacular to me. (I didn't see it in person before I bought it, by the way.)

What Annie said. You can shop in many places, including getting advice for narrowing down a brand search, online. Then go actualky look in the stores. Wirecutter is another place to compare brands and functions. I somewhat agree with what Elmer said, but FOAS makes some great points as well. A few brands will stand out, and you should read reviews too to see what may/may mot be important to you. Samsung, Vizio are a couple that come to mind offhand but there are others that should meet your needs.

I am not a fan of placing a TV over a mantle because normally that is too high, but realize sometimes that is one’s only choice. I realize you didn’t ask about placement, but there it is.

My GF's daughter bought a new house and the giant screen over the mantel is on a remote lift, so it lifts it over the mantel when you're not watching. When you want to watch, you hit the button and it lowers it to viewing level. What will they think of next!

Here’s Consumer Reports‘ top 6 models for 65” TVs. The same three brands occupy the top positions for the 55” models. Upper end models tend to have better sound quality but this may not be as important to you if you primarily use hearing aids while watching.

Seeing them is nice but keep in mind that what's being displayed is often content specifically picked because it looks great. So it may not be representative of what you're typically watching, and might not pick up on areas where TV's may be weak. So I'd put some stock in expert reviews, where they choose content specifically aimed at finding flaws. I'm not picky about TV's but bad blacks drive me nuts. Figure out what matters to you.

Thank you everyone!

Loads of information and things to think about. Off to research

Apparently there's something called mantel mount which is not electrified but a manual pulldown bracket for TVs.