My #1 complaint with the display is something I think is standard on all LED backlit displays, which is not the best black levels. That being said I'm coming off a nice Panasonic plasma so it was a pretty striking difference. I feel like I lost some in the black levels department but gained a TON going to 4k/HDR/10bit/chroma 4:4:4 and having the option to run 1080p at high refresh rates so all in all, a very pleasant upgrade.
And yes it was heavy to setup myself, though mine is not wall mounted so that made it easier
My tv just broke this morning, so I'm in the market for a new one. Any advice? I had a 55" so will probably go with that again. OLED is out of my price range so some sort of LCD. I was leaning towards the TCL55p607, but could definitely convinced to get something else. Any thoughts?
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ShadowfireVermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered Userregular
The TCL is beautiful. I still prefer the Sony X900E, but it's a lot more expensive.
The TCL is beautiful. I still prefer the Sony X900E, but it's a lot more expensive.
Was also considering that. What do you prefer about the Sony?
I really like the Android interface a lot. You get new apps there sooner than you might in other places like TCL, Samsung, LG and such. So Movies Anywhere, for instance, was on Android TV about a month before the other.
The TCL has Roku built in which is ok about the speed that apps come around, but man is that interface ugly.
Honestly they're both fine sets. I really think the picture quality on the Sony is a little bit better, and I believe it does better with HDR quality. But you're talking about the difference of $600 to $1000. It's better, but if you can get over the interface, the TCL will save you a ton of money.
Need to buy a TV as a Christmas present in the 32-40 inch range for my mother in law and could really use some insight on where to look for a deal (she has a pretty strong brand loyalty to Samsung however so that kinda makes this harder)... anyone have any input for this more modest range?
RedTide#1907 on Battle.net
Come Overwatch with meeeee
Need to buy a TV as a Christmas present in the 32-40 inch range for my mother in law and could really use some insight on where to look for a deal (she has a pretty strong brand loyalty to Samsung however so that kinda makes this harder)... anyone have any input for this more modest range?
I hate to shill again, but there's a 40" Samsung on sale for $329 at Best Buy right now. It's a 6000 series which is kinda meh on quality, but it's better than the budget brands and on a screen as small as 40" the pixel quality is a bit less important.
Yeah, if your parameters are "40 inches and Samsung", that's the best deal you'll find.
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GnomeTankWhat the what?Portland, OregonRegistered Userregular
Anyone have experience with an the LG B7A? Everything I've read says it's pretty much the best starter OLED you can get without spending a kings ransom and it's reviewed well on Amazon. Guess I just want one more trusted voice before I drop 2500 bucks on a TV (going for the 65" version). Santa has left me a nice Christmas bonus this year and I've been waiting for about two years to make the jump to a 4K TV. My body and both my 4K consoles are ready.
Do most name brand TVs now support 5.1 audio pass through? My old home-theatre-in-a-box surround sound setup is still doing the job for the most part but has had a few of the HDMI ports on the back die a while back, so currently I can get 5.1 only through the PS3 which is our media player, and everything else is routed through the 5/6 year old TV and still comes out of the surround speakers but only in stereo.
I've looked at replacing the home theatre before with something I can run all the inputs through, but haven't gotten around to it yet - my wife has just told me she'd like to grab DOOM on the Switch though, and from what I hear an immersive setup for that would be better.
Switch Friend Code: SW-3944-9431-0318
PSN / Xbox / NNID: Fodder185
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ShadowfireVermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered Userregular
Most decent TVs pass through 5.1 through the optical port, yeah. It's the only way to reliably get the audio from smart TV functions out to a stereo since ARC is a fickle beast.
Looks like my 53" plasma might be dying. Sound is cutting out now and then, and the picture will occasionally get into a bit of a snit with flickering and interspersed static along with said sound issues. It's a roughly 5 year old Samsung that has served me well over those years, and while I can't say I'm eager to drop a giant pile of cash, if it had to start acting up, right around the holidays isn't the worst time for it to happen.
I'm seeing the Samsung 50" 4K LED Tizen Smart TV for $600 Canadian, which seems to be the starting point if my restrictions are 'Samsung Smart 4K's that are 50"+ and on sale right now'. 55" gets me up to $900 Canadian, which is a wee bit more than I'm looking to pay right now, especially after taxes are included. (you might say I'm a bit wary of paying $300 for another 5 inches... phrasing...)
Any suggestions? My living room isn't huge, so I'm not looking to get into anything gigantic. Frankly, the existing screen might even be a bit on the big side, but I don't mind the 'theater' experience I get out of it, so vaguely in that area seems about right.
I've generally been treated well by Samsung, so that's what I've been checking out of late. I just bought a PS4 pro, so an upgrade to 4K would be nice.
Forar on
First they came for the Muslims, and we said NOT TODAY, MOTHERFUCKER!
So quick question. Are there any USB Bluetooth dongles that work with a smart TV? Mine doesn't have Bluetooth, and was wondering if there's a cheap way to add it.
ShadowfireVermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered Userregular
What are you trying to do with your TV? Because there's very little reason to use Bluetooth anything on a TV right now. Headphones may or may not work depending on the TV, and a keyboard is a waste of time.
What are you trying to do with your TV? Because there's very little reason to use Bluetooth anything on a TV right now. Headphones may or may not work depending on the TV, and a keyboard is a waste of time.
Well, the biggest thing I would like to do is sync a gamepad with it for the Steam Link app.
GnomeTankWhat the what?Portland, OregonRegistered Userregular
edited December 2017
Picked up a 55" LG C7 today. I was going for the B7 but the guy at my local store got me the C7 for the same price and I figure I may use Atmos someday.
The picture is downright incredible. I fired up Horizon: Zero Dawn using my PS4 Pro on my 1080P LED set and got to a really high contrast area. Saved and turned it off then setup the new TV. Fired HZD back up and holy shit. Hollllyyyyy shit. The resolution is one thing, not a jaggy in sight...but the HDR is just breath taking. Even 1080P TV looks incredible with the richer color depth and individual LED dimming.
Kind of a dumb fun touch is that the remote has Netflix and Amazon buttons on it which take you right to the built in apps. Also they clearly put a much better processor in this thing than my old LG had because webOS is not an unusable slow mess on this.
All in all I'm super happy with it. I briefly considered the 65" because it would be a nice step up from my old 55"...but I couldn't justify the extra thousand dollars. If it had been 500'ish more I probably would have jumped and gotten it, but alas. No regrets though, 55" is fine when you only sit 5.5 feet from your TV.
I should say that I hooked up my TCL 55p605 and it's been great. I love the integrated Roku a lot more than I thought I would. I really wanted the version with the sweet wifi remote, but I couldn't justify waiting an extra 3 weeks and paying $50. Especially since the same functionality is available via the Roku App. I love all the apps available for Roku and I appreciate that I no longer have to rely on my PS4 to be a media center nearly as much.
The 4k and HDR are really sweet, and I really can tell that they're there more often than I thought I'd be able to. After shopping for a TV and seeing the OLEDs I had a hard time not being disappointed that I didn't get one. But, now a few weeks later I'm over it.
The biggest headache, by far, was trying to recycle my old LG. In NYC there's a $100 fine if you don't recycle it, and recycling it is a lot harder than it sounds. I did eventually fit it into my car and drive it to a drop off place, but I wish that whole process had been as smooth as it should have been.
Next up, I'm considering a soundbar. Is this a wise purchase? I read some wirecutter reviews that I would probably follow, but I'm no audiophile. Any thoughts?
The WC guides for audio are more than fine if you're not super picky. TV speakers are truly terrible these days, and even the cheapest soundbar they recommend will be a vast improvement.
+3
GnomeTankWhat the what?Portland, OregonRegistered Userregular
I picked up the cheapest LG sound bar they had with sub when I grabbed my TV. Not sure if it's in any guides, but it was a massive step up from the TV speakers on my old LG. I couldn't justify the 750 bucks they wanted for an Atmos capable one, but maybe someday since the TV supports it.
ShadowfireVermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered Userregular
I see little reason for an Atmos soundbar. If you want better sound than your TV can put out, spend a few hundred on a soundbar. LG makes great ones that are affordable, and most of them will work great with your TV volume control. If you want higher quality, you're really in receiver+speaker territory.
Though I have a soft spot for Sonos surround systems. They're expensive as hell, but man they sound good.
I picked up the cheapest LG sound bar they had with sub when I grabbed my TV. Not sure if it's in any guides, but it was a massive step up from the TV speakers on my old LG. I couldn't justify the 750 bucks they wanted for an Atmos capable one, but maybe someday since the TV supports it.
Isn't Atmos the Dolby standard that adds another couple of channels that are overhead? Like, literally speakers in the ceiling? How's a 3.1 sound bar meant to do that?
I picked up the cheapest LG sound bar they had with sub when I grabbed my TV. Not sure if it's in any guides, but it was a massive step up from the TV speakers on my old LG. I couldn't justify the 750 bucks they wanted for an Atmos capable one, but maybe someday since the TV supports it.
Isn't Atmos the Dolby standard that adds another couple of channels that are overhead? Like, literally speakers in the ceiling? How's a 3.1 sound bar meant to do that?
You can do it with psychoacoustics as well. Most "Atmos" speakers are actually boxes that bounce the sound off the ceiling instead of being mounted up there.
I picked up the cheapest LG sound bar they had with sub when I grabbed my TV. Not sure if it's in any guides, but it was a massive step up from the TV speakers on my old LG. I couldn't justify the 750 bucks they wanted for an Atmos capable one, but maybe someday since the TV supports it.
Isn't Atmos the Dolby standard that adds another couple of channels that are overhead? Like, literally speakers in the ceiling? How's a 3.1 sound bar meant to do that?
The idea of Atmos is to use sound shaping to bounce sound off of objects in your home to approximate surround sound. If you want real surround sound you go that route.
I see little reason for an Atmos soundbar. If you want better sound than your TV can put out, spend a few hundred on a soundbar. LG makes great ones that are affordable, and most of them will work great with your TV volume control. If you want higher quality, you're really in receiver+speaker territory.
Though I have a soft spot for Sonos surround systems. They're expensive as hell, but man they sound good.
Which is why my first sentance says I bought the cheapest LG one and not an Atmos one
I hope it's kosher to continue this audio tangent, but this topic has been on my mind as well, as I just bought a 4K tv.
I have a Samsung 5.1 surround sound system/Blu-Ray player that has treated me well for years now, but every so often (and it's getting somewhat more frequent these days) it will suddenly go from playing whatever I'm listening to, to an incredibly loud burst of white noise. You can still kind of hear the other audio in the background, but shit gets fucked up in a hurry. Shutting it off and turning it back on solves the problem, but I think it's time to move on.
With the push towards sound bars, I'm uncertain of what to do. Because of boxing week sales up here in the frozen north (and for once that's not just a joke, it's fucking cold up here right now) I have a dwindling opportunity to save like $50 on a replacement.
Compounding this, I also just bought a PS4 during Black Friday sales, which I know can act as a BR player (though apparently not at full 4k capacity or something, according to some articles I've read).
Now, a lot of what I watch is often streamed from my computer, which hooked into the surround sound, though not getting the full back speakers effect due to it being a stereo output (I think, I'm fuzzy on this all, but don't want to get too far into the weeds either).
So, do I get a new surround sound+BR player system, or go with a soundbar option and use the PS4 for movies?
I'm not 100% set in my ways regarding Samsung, but I've generally appreciated their quality (as I perceive it), and my TV is a Samsung as well, so perhaps that'll help them play together nice, all else being equal.
Looks like I can get a new 5.1 SS/BR package for around $260 Canadian, or a 2.1 soundbar for $230-350.
Frankly, I'm kind of leaning towards the SS/BR setup, but wanted to get other opinions before I went and added to the damage I've done recently to my finances. Edit: I should note that I live in a condo, so while quality is important, I'm not looking to rattle my neighbours with sheer power. If anything I generally lean a bit on the quiet side of things, though I like having a nice setup for movie nights and whatnot.
Edit2: err, apparently the sale ends tonight, so I have about 2 hours to sort this out. I guess I could delete it, but I'll leave it all the same in case it generates any suggestions (or convincing enough discussion that could lead to a return/exchange).
Forar on
First they came for the Muslims, and we said NOT TODAY, MOTHERFUCKER!
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ShadowfireVermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered Userregular
I don't know if it's too late, but I fucking hate home-theater-in-a-box systems. The sound quality isn't amazing, there are often complications trying to use a Harmony remote (if that's your thing)...
I mean, if you liked the one you had, fine. But I really prefer a soundbar and separate Blu-ray player. Those things are like $50 or less now, depending on whether you need to have WiFi built in or not.
So I bought the soundbar I mentioned above, and I'm happy with the sound. But the audio is constantly desyncing from the video. It will be mostly OK for about 20 minutes, then the audio will kinda stutter a bit a couple times and it will be 2-3 seconds behind. If I switch inputs or even just choose the current input again it will be fine for another 20 minutes.
The delays happen both when i'm using my PS4 and while streaming using apps various apps on the TV. Right now I have it connected via optical and also HDMI-ARC, but I have the issue with both.
I've done a good amount of googling, but haven't found any solutions. Any ideas? If I can't find a solution I'll probably just return the soundbar.
So I bought the soundbar I mentioned above, and I'm happy with the sound. But the audio is constantly desyncing from the video. It will be mostly OK for about 20 minutes, then the audio will kinda stutter a bit a couple times and it will be 2-3 seconds behind. If I switch inputs or even just choose the current input again it will be fine for another 20 minutes.
The delays happen both when i'm using my PS4 and while streaming using apps various apps on the TV. Right now I have it connected via optical and also HDMI-ARC, but I have the issue with both.
I've done a good amount of googling, but haven't found any solutions. Any ideas? If I can't find a solution I'll probably just return the soundbar.
Do you have it connected with both at the same time? Or just one or the other, and it had given you this problem each time? If you can help it, only use optical. Fuck ARC with a cactus.
But if either connection is giving you that issue, it might be the soundbar. I'd also check if there's a firmware update for the TV.
So I bought the soundbar I mentioned above, and I'm happy with the sound. But the audio is constantly desyncing from the video. It will be mostly OK for about 20 minutes, then the audio will kinda stutter a bit a couple times and it will be 2-3 seconds behind. If I switch inputs or even just choose the current input again it will be fine for another 20 minutes.
The delays happen both when i'm using my PS4 and while streaming using apps various apps on the TV. Right now I have it connected via optical and also HDMI-ARC, but I have the issue with both.
I've done a good amount of googling, but haven't found any solutions. Any ideas? If I can't find a solution I'll probably just return the soundbar.
Do you have it connected with both at the same time? Or just one or the other, and it had given you this problem each time? If you can help it, only use optical. Fuck ARC with a cactus.
But if either connection is giving you that issue, it might be the soundbar. I'd also check if there's a firmware update for the TV.
I know the firmware is up to date on both the soundbar and the TV. I'll try disconnecting the HDMI entirely. If that doesn't work I'll try exchanging it.
Posts
And yes it was heavy to setup myself, though mine is not wall mounted so that made it easier
Was also considering that. What do you prefer about the Sony?
I really like the Android interface a lot. You get new apps there sooner than you might in other places like TCL, Samsung, LG and such. So Movies Anywhere, for instance, was on Android TV about a month before the other.
The TCL has Roku built in which is ok about the speed that apps come around, but man is that interface ugly.
Honestly they're both fine sets. I really think the picture quality on the Sony is a little bit better, and I believe it does better with HDR quality. But you're talking about the difference of $600 to $1000. It's better, but if you can get over the interface, the TCL will save you a ton of money.
Come Overwatch with meeeee
I hate to shill again, but there's a 40" Samsung on sale for $329 at Best Buy right now. It's a 6000 series which is kinda meh on quality, but it's better than the budget brands and on a screen as small as 40" the pixel quality is a bit less important.
I've looked at replacing the home theatre before with something I can run all the inputs through, but haven't gotten around to it yet - my wife has just told me she'd like to grab DOOM on the Switch though, and from what I hear an immersive setup for that would be better.
PSN / Xbox / NNID: Fodder185
I'm seeing the Samsung 50" 4K LED Tizen Smart TV for $600 Canadian, which seems to be the starting point if my restrictions are 'Samsung Smart 4K's that are 50"+ and on sale right now'. 55" gets me up to $900 Canadian, which is a wee bit more than I'm looking to pay right now, especially after taxes are included. (you might say I'm a bit wary of paying $300 for another 5 inches... phrasing...)
Any suggestions? My living room isn't huge, so I'm not looking to get into anything gigantic. Frankly, the existing screen might even be a bit on the big side, but I don't mind the 'theater' experience I get out of it, so vaguely in that area seems about right.
I've generally been treated well by Samsung, so that's what I've been checking out of late. I just bought a PS4 pro, so an upgrade to 4K would be nice.
Steam: pazython
Well, the biggest thing I would like to do is sync a gamepad with it for the Steam Link app.
Steam: pazython
The picture is downright incredible. I fired up Horizon: Zero Dawn using my PS4 Pro on my 1080P LED set and got to a really high contrast area. Saved and turned it off then setup the new TV. Fired HZD back up and holy shit. Hollllyyyyy shit. The resolution is one thing, not a jaggy in sight...but the HDR is just breath taking. Even 1080P TV looks incredible with the richer color depth and individual LED dimming.
Kind of a dumb fun touch is that the remote has Netflix and Amazon buttons on it which take you right to the built in apps. Also they clearly put a much better processor in this thing than my old LG had because webOS is not an unusable slow mess on this.
All in all I'm super happy with it. I briefly considered the 65" because it would be a nice step up from my old 55"...but I couldn't justify the extra thousand dollars. If it had been 500'ish more I probably would have jumped and gotten it, but alas. No regrets though, 55" is fine when you only sit 5.5 feet from your TV.
The 4k and HDR are really sweet, and I really can tell that they're there more often than I thought I'd be able to. After shopping for a TV and seeing the OLEDs I had a hard time not being disappointed that I didn't get one. But, now a few weeks later I'm over it.
The biggest headache, by far, was trying to recycle my old LG. In NYC there's a $100 fine if you don't recycle it, and recycling it is a lot harder than it sounds. I did eventually fit it into my car and drive it to a drop off place, but I wish that whole process had been as smooth as it should have been.
Next up, I'm considering a soundbar. Is this a wise purchase? I read some wirecutter reviews that I would probably follow, but I'm no audiophile. Any thoughts?
Though I have a soft spot for Sonos surround systems. They're expensive as hell, but man they sound good.
Isn't Atmos the Dolby standard that adds another couple of channels that are overhead? Like, literally speakers in the ceiling? How's a 3.1 sound bar meant to do that?
You can do it with psychoacoustics as well. Most "Atmos" speakers are actually boxes that bounce the sound off the ceiling instead of being mounted up there.
The idea of Atmos is to use sound shaping to bounce sound off of objects in your home to approximate surround sound. If you want real surround sound you go that route.
Which is why my first sentance says I bought the cheapest LG one and not an Atmos one
My parents have a Vizio soundbar and it is fine. I can't tell you any more than that, but the WC guides are usually pretty good.
Vizio is fine.
I have a Samsung 5.1 surround sound system/Blu-Ray player that has treated me well for years now, but every so often (and it's getting somewhat more frequent these days) it will suddenly go from playing whatever I'm listening to, to an incredibly loud burst of white noise. You can still kind of hear the other audio in the background, but shit gets fucked up in a hurry. Shutting it off and turning it back on solves the problem, but I think it's time to move on.
With the push towards sound bars, I'm uncertain of what to do. Because of boxing week sales up here in the frozen north (and for once that's not just a joke, it's fucking cold up here right now) I have a dwindling opportunity to save like $50 on a replacement.
Compounding this, I also just bought a PS4 during Black Friday sales, which I know can act as a BR player (though apparently not at full 4k capacity or something, according to some articles I've read).
Now, a lot of what I watch is often streamed from my computer, which hooked into the surround sound, though not getting the full back speakers effect due to it being a stereo output (I think, I'm fuzzy on this all, but don't want to get too far into the weeds either).
So, do I get a new surround sound+BR player system, or go with a soundbar option and use the PS4 for movies?
I'm not 100% set in my ways regarding Samsung, but I've generally appreciated their quality (as I perceive it), and my TV is a Samsung as well, so perhaps that'll help them play together nice, all else being equal.
Looks like I can get a new 5.1 SS/BR package for around $260 Canadian, or a 2.1 soundbar for $230-350.
Frankly, I'm kind of leaning towards the SS/BR setup, but wanted to get other opinions before I went and added to the damage I've done recently to my finances. Edit: I should note that I live in a condo, so while quality is important, I'm not looking to rattle my neighbours with sheer power. If anything I generally lean a bit on the quiet side of things, though I like having a nice setup for movie nights and whatnot.
Edit2: err, apparently the sale ends tonight, so I have about 2 hours to sort this out. I guess I could delete it, but I'll leave it all the same in case it generates any suggestions (or convincing enough discussion that could lead to a return/exchange).
I mean, if you liked the one you had, fine. But I really prefer a soundbar and separate Blu-ray player. Those things are like $50 or less now, depending on whether you need to have WiFi built in or not.
While even the Xbox One S has 4k Blu-ray support. :rotate:
The delays happen both when i'm using my PS4 and while streaming using apps various apps on the TV. Right now I have it connected via optical and also HDMI-ARC, but I have the issue with both.
I've done a good amount of googling, but haven't found any solutions. Any ideas? If I can't find a solution I'll probably just return the soundbar.
Do you have it connected with both at the same time? Or just one or the other, and it had given you this problem each time? If you can help it, only use optical. Fuck ARC with a cactus.
But if either connection is giving you that issue, it might be the soundbar. I'd also check if there's a firmware update for the TV.
I know the firmware is up to date on both the soundbar and the TV. I'll try disconnecting the HDMI entirely. If that doesn't work I'll try exchanging it.
Any good recommendations on what to replace it with? I'm not really picky, but I want something that's going to last longer than 3 years.
55"
Affordable, sub $800 if possible (I can go higher if I need to)
Netflix/vidya games
something with the same/better features to the m55c2 would be nice