can`t beat a decent size bush! heat added :sunglasses:

Only for 7 days offer ends 31st December 2015
offer ends 31st December 2015

Better than the Sharp deal at Tesco?

​Can you suggest anything with similar resolution, screen real estate and connectivity for a similar price?

Unlikely to find any. Virtually all the TVs at this pricepoint/size are budget Vestels or UMCs, all equating to colourful marketing/branding of bottom-end products. All boast features that tick boxes, but most will not provide what could reasonably be described as "quality." Arguably good value though.

​Are Vestels and UMCs really that bad? What set would you recommend in the £300 price range?

Vestel & UMC are not bad per se, they just typically don't offer any redeeming feature other than usually low price. They are occasionally compared to supermarket's own food brands, which is a reasonable anology where say Smart Price beans are OK but obviously not quite as universally-accepted as being as good as say Heinz. Maybe the TV market needs a competitor such as Branston who cater for a slightly different taste but maintain subjective comparable quality.
If you want to avoid Vestel / UMC in the £300 & below bracket then steer clear of previously respected brands such as Panasonic with model numbers ending 300 or 400 (now Panachronic), Sharp, JVC, Hitachi, Polaroid, Blaupunkt, although there have been a few execptions to the rule within those brandings.
Sony, Samsung or LG models may offer the ideal balance if you can find any on genuine offer.

​Thank you for the in depth reply.

So it may be just what brand a person prefers whether or not they fork out the extra cash.

Features are pretty much standard at this price point then?

NOTHING Bush about Bush, that once famous reliable name now made in unsavoury parts of Europe.
Far better buy a good make with a 5 or 6 year warranty from Richer Sounds or John Lewis.

dont understand the hate for vestel panels here

i absolutely cannot stand local dimming - a feature that ducking turns off parts of your screen to create a "higher contrast" but in reality completely knocks you out of the experience- all te top end tvs have that stupid feature now

had a top end LG panel with the dimming, and the silly soap opera effect on films- alot of features that really arent much cop- i hated the features and the worst part was they wouldnt turn off

got a budget vestel rebadge hitachi 4k

has every input ill ever need- solid performer,
granted, you have to calibrate the screen, and mess with a few things- thats true of every tv nowadays, the tv itself is amazing, and ive been loving it so far. the sound is pants- buy a sound bar- buy a soundbar anyway if you plan on ever watching a film, tvs come with crap speakers

would completely recommend a vestel panel to anyone else.

ignore the haters, as long as you dont get a vestel with that (awful) local dimming feature you should be 'right

If you're OK with Vestel, 2 x HDMI and obtain your TV progs via Sky / VM / other HD-capable box, the current Tesco deal for the Vestel-produced Digihome 42" at £169 is remarkable. Potential downside with that TV is no integrated FV HD tuner (hence the suggestion for Sky / VM box etc) as standard-def broadcast TV on a 42" screen will be questionable when watched from typical viewing distance. Obviously no such issues with bluray source etc.
http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/digihome-42-278-42-inch-full-hd-1080p-led-tv-with-freeview-was-249-00-now-169-tesco-2362073

Any owner reviews of this?