I used to run the helpdesk for Hitachi (it's outsourced to my old employer) and I can tell you we were just as frustrated. The bottom line is that Argos own exclusive rights to the Hitachi name for TVs - you cannot buy them anywhere else (officially) - so it's Argos that have to deal with any hardware issues (as is the case with most HW companies tbf). As others have mentioned, it's not even a Hitachi TV - they don't make TVs anymore, Argos own the right to badge a Vestel up as Hitachi.

In terms of technical support (beyond just the standard help) there was nothing we could do except log the tickets and send them to our Account Manager...I think the only thing we ever got them to do was send us a bunch of HDMI > DVI adapters that their earliest HD [ready] TVs needed in order to take an HDMI input.

I left the company over 4 years ago so perhaps it's changed since then, but I imagine it's much the same - again though, we were just as annoyed as the customers calling in. I know that doesn't help you but I did just want to let you know that the people you spoke to (assuming it was in the last 6 or so years) were also frustrated at how little power we had.

...Run for your life.

this applies to the recent deal for the 55 inch version this TV really is excellent and makes me question the whole industry. My background is one of long standing in technology and I felt compelled to comment on this TV. Firstly a massive issue I have noticed with 4k TVs is motion judder which is a stutter when the camera pans. I have seen the issue with Sony hisense and these are the latest models. This TV is the best I have seen when it comes to motion simply stunning. The TV is a joy to use very smooth and well polished interface free view play button YouTube button TV guide has the free view play ability to go back. TV handles standard def as well as anything else. has a built in browser and the whole system is snappy. I won't bother with picture settings as this always comes down to personal preference and were the TV is used, though out the box the TV required no change to the default settings. I simply can not state how great this TV is even at 499 it's still a bargain. Now let's move on to Argos. These were selling like hot cakes so I reserved one at the price of 399.99 Argos online doesn't let you use promotional codes when reserving. in store the price had gone back up to 499.99 but was still 399.99 a lot of stores don't allow this and I also mentioned the tvs10 code and a manager 30 seconds later deducted the promotion. So all in all an excellent TV for 359.99 thanks. PS I am one of those bloke whose Mrs gets nervous when a new TV comes due too sending so many back for having issues which toh can not see. if like me you demand the best no matter if its a bargain then this TV really is fantastic even when full price let alone 359 BARGAIN QUALITY WELL CHUFFED kodi on my PC works perfect too

Hitachi make drills. Nuff said.

I'm sorry this is a really poor TV just steer clear. As I have mentioned before terrible and I mean terrible motion blur. Big and cheap doesn't mean it's good or has any quality. Much better off spending equivalent money on an end of line big brand name where the screen isn't vestal maybe even dare I say it 1080p. With ensuring decent gaming experience if that's your use for the TV. This doesn't have it.

Last I heard Sony was using Samsung lcd panels in some of there TV if not all.
About 10 years ago or so, Sony started to move away from making most of the main components to buying in what it required. And assembling them in their own factories. Mexico for North America and Hungary / Slovakia for EU.
This was to allow them to concentrate on design and innovation of its products.

Don't know much about Samsung. I did hear that are they were the largest producer of lcd panels but that was a few years ago, may be over taken by now?

Toshiba don't manufacture any TVs (not for sale in the UK at least).

Like with Foxconn. If you buying device :Acer Inc., Amazon.com, Apple Inc. BlackBerry Ltd., Cisco, Dell, Google, Hewlett-Packard, Huawei, InFocus, Intel, Microsoft, Motorola Mobility, Nintendo, Nokia, Sony, Toshiba, Vizio, Xiaomi, probably was made by Taiwan National Industrial in one of many factories around the world (12 in China). Unbeaten leader in the world with 1300000 employees. Apple+Samsung+Sony together got less employees.

As far as I know, Samsung and Sony are the only big player in the game who still designs all the TVs themselves. Everybody else got out when big screen TVs suddenly got dirt cheap (in more than one sense of the word).

if you buy 2 u can use code tvs10 to save £60 then return 1

Good price but these hitachi branded tvs are not the best when it comes to software updates, I have had purchased two hitachi branded tvs a few years ago, we bought them same as a pair at the same time from the same Argos store fr two separate rooms, both Tvs had different product numbers with different software functions, we cant get any software updates so the smart features no longer work as intended.

Vestel design and manufacture their own TV's, companies like Panasonic and Hitachi cant dictate what components are used or specify their quality - basically Vestel just stick different names on the exact same chassis. You could buy this Hitachi and then buy a 48" Vestel made Polaroid/DighHome/Techwood and they'd be identical internally, the only difference being cabinet cosmetics and the name badge. Same Boards and usually the same Panel. Very annoying if you were paying a premium for a Panasonic TX-48CX400B at around £400 but you could have bought a Digihome 48304UHDSM - same TV only £100+ cheaper.

isis brand?!

You would be surprised how many different brands are rebadged Vestel TV's.
See list below of just some the 35+ difrent brands I could find:

AKAI.
Acoustic Solutions.
Bush.
Celcus. Sainsbury's our brand.
Crown
Digihome.
Daewoo.
Emerson.
Ferguson.
Finlux.
Hitachi.
Hyundai.
Linsar.
Isis.
JVC.
Kendo,
Maxwell.
Medion.- Also Tevion, Microstar, Lifetec
Nexon.
Orion.
Panasonic - Mainly budge sets, such as the A300, CX350 and CX400,'HD-ready'& low cost Ultra HD 4K models.
Philips. - Some entry level models, for example the 32PFL3008.
Polaroid - Sold by Asda mainly.
Saba - Thomson.
SANYO.
Technika - brand owned by Tesco
Techwood.
Teletech.
Toshiba.
Waltham.
And probably more own brands too!

I am not happy with that, but you have to expect it in the value segment. Even iPhones are made in China, but at least there is some element of oversight and quality control. Panasonic noticed the lack of quality, and they have responded to it.

However, Hitachi has sold of the brand. There is absolutely nothing Hitachi can do, even if the TVs are the worst ever made, hack your internet, and set your living room on fire. That is quite a risk for the brand, because the customer will not distinguish between Hitachi the TV brand and other Hitachi devices. Usually this filleting only happens with companies that go bust (Telefunken, Technicolour etc).

Didn't know Panasonic did Vestel rebadged too. What a shame.

​like my misleading purchase of a Toshiba. didn't know their cheaper models were vestrel

This is a quality TV.

Panasonic did this until recently with most of their cheaper offerings. Its seems they've ditched Vestel this year entirely and everything's manufactured in house. It cant have done their brand any good, some Vestel models they didn't even support or acknowledge on their website. Granted they tried a little harder with Panasonic, Vestel customised menu's to look like Panasonic's but the general subpar build quality aside, the dead give away was when customers went to cast YouTube or whatever to their "Panasonic" Smart TV only to find it was named Vestel. Ooops.

And of course that was exactly the point of this transaction: misleading customers to believe they get "Hitachi" quality from Argos. Both Argos and Hitachi are complicit, and customers are right to be annoyed. Once you start filleting a brand, it goes downhill.

Terrible motion blur on screen - I returned mine

This one or Celcus or Polaroid??

At the very least, this TV will have a 60Hz native panel - for the price, size and it being of Vestel stock I wouldn't expect anything more. Its all smoke and mirrors anyway when it comes to motion rate, our Samsung living room TV has something like 1400hz motion rate but the panel is only 200Hz native.

Some TV's use Special backlight trickery to give the effect of a higher refresh rate but I've not seen it on a budget Vestel or its very rare.

For the price, it can get away with not having HDR.

However, absolutely no excuse for it being 50hz only.

I'd stay away from this, another generic Vestel TV

My grandfather was stupid enough to buy this the last time it was on offer.
it has Smart ability, buts its not Wifi! Pain in the ass!
also, the remote is a horrible layout, cannot even see a "MUTE" button on it!

get the 55inch with code TVS10 for £60 more £359.99 http://www.argos.co.uk/product/5482386

​thanks. that is an interesting tip. will have to test it out! i remember getting a budget aoc monitor in the end and was crystal clear. my eyesite is bad so I am sensitive to how clear displays are!

Lack of app updates and they are rubbish

i am put off by these. i had a gorgeous 1080p samsung 22" I got from amazon. was great for computers. then I smashed it so got a "toshiba" same size screen 1080p but text is illegible on all settings vs crystal clear on the samsung. The "toshiba" was Vestel and so I am scarred by that. If you can see it and test it out then great but once bitten, twice shy.

43" UHD Hitachi not supporting, so I believe is the same **** inside. Internal software run @ 1080p for any apps. YouTube max 30fps. Hitachi is not a old brand, was bought by ARGOS. Is totally no-name brand. In fact Vestel.

That's very interesting, thanks. The lack of support I had makes sense now.
One of the reasons I bought a Hitachi as my first flat-screen TV was that I had an old Hitachi CRT TV that for its day was excellent, and worked for many years. I didn't realize at the time that the rights to the name had changed hands.

It's easy for the consumer to be misled these days - SportsDirect do a good line in buying up previously reputable brands.

I currently have an excellent Panasonic TV (which I believe to be made by Panasonic, perhaps naively!), which I bought from John Lewis so I know I can take it back any time in the first five years.

I'm sure many of these cheap TVs do a good job for the price, and not everyone can afford or wants to spend more than £1000 on a TV but, and I don't usually say this, it seems you get what you pay for in TVs.

Good price indeed. Just bear in mind that it won't be the Hitachi quality of old, but probably another Vestel TV.

I still haven't forgiven Hitachi for their refusal to help with the endless problems I had with a Hitachi / Vestel TV.

I'm galloping hard on the plain......

Run to the hills

Netflix 4k works well , so does you tube - but support is no existent as is trying to get any new apps - nothing at all about amazon video sadly

I bought the 43" model last year the apps side of it is complete **** i use it in the bedroom with now tv plugged in....

I take it its the same quality at the asda 55" for £349

does it support Netflix 4k does anyone know?