Recommend me a 55-65 inch TV

LoweTek

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May 30, 2005
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The best signal I get on my 4k Sony is from my over the air antenna mounted in the attic of my garage. Football games look terrific.
 

cgori

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Oct 2, 2004
4,321
SF, CA
The best signal I get on my 4k Sony is from my over the air antenna mounted in the attic of my garage. Football games look terrific.
1080p with absolutely no compression, presumably. It's the per-channel-bandwidth minimization of the cable/satellite/streaming providers that kills the quality, I would suspect.

(4k OTA is in ATSC 3.0 which I don't think anyone is broadcasting yet)
 

Nick Kaufman

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Yeah, I'm on FiOS and dealing with the same experience.

I've got their premium box which is necessary for 4K and it seems like it might be underpowered a bit still. If I just watch it live, it's generally pretty good. But if I DVR and try to use 30 second skip or fast forward it takes like 5-10 seconds to start playing smooth video again. College football has some of the most broadcasted 4K content on FiOS, but when I am flipping between games and it takes 10 seconds to start playing it's pretty annoying. For the World Cup the first few games, the 4K picture looked awful with artifacting all over. I ended up having my buddy with YTTV sign in on my TV to watch and it was amazing, since that login is cached I'll flip to that some times if I'm watching something in 4K. (Because he's on YTTV, he can no longer get NESN, and he'll use my FiOS account with their streaming app, so the sharing works out pretty well.) It's definitely a maddening experience.

Does anyone know if the native apps (Fox, CBS, ESPN, etc.) would offer the highest quality 4K? I've been thinking about playing with that with a 4K chromecast if it'll be better.
If you re switching between channels and it take a while, it's highly likely you have a bottleneck in your setup somewhere. The new HDMI 2.1 standard has a feature called QMS (Quick Media Switching) that makes channel surfing instantaneous. However, all components of your system have to be 2.1 compatible. Your TV, your cable box, your actual cables.

Otherwise, my experience ever since I was switched to a digital cable box is that there's a delay when channel surfing.
 

Time to Mo Vaughn

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Mar 24, 2008
7,587
If you re switching between channels and it take a while, it's highly likely you have a bottleneck in your setup somewhere. The new HDMI 2.1 standard has a feature called QMS (Quick Media Switching) that makes channel surfing instantaneous. However, all components of your system have to be 2.1 compatible. Your TV, your cable box, your actual cables.

Otherwise, my experience ever since I was switched to a digital cable box is that there's a delay when channel surfing.
Thanks! I'll look into this.
 

MuzzyField

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I opted to buy a 75" X90K from Costco... technically an X90CK because Costco gets its own model to make it impossible to price match, but yea same thing. So I guess I'm not part of the 55-65" club.



https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/sony/x90k

I don't have the TV yet, but everyone seems to love it from what I've read. I decided to punt on the A80K since I'm concerned about burn-in when I inevitably get drunk playing video games and pass out for several hours on the start menu.
How do you like it? I'm looking at the 85" version from Costco.
 

Doc Zero

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Dec 6, 2007
12,437
Wanted to make a long, boring post about my experience with my LG C1.

  • I buy my LG C1 on November 1, 2021. It's delivered to my place on November 4, 2021.
  • On November 21, 2022, a white, vertical line appears on the left side of the display (20 days after LG's one-year warranty ended).
  • I contact someone via LG's customer service web chat. After remotely connecting to my TV and confirming the problem, I'm told that repairs would have to be paid out of pocket. The only thing they offer is a list of certified service providers near Somerville.
  • I decide to try my luck with LG's customer service call center later that evening. I'm initially told over the phone the same deal I had heard on the web chat: I would have to pay for a panel replacement because I was 20 days over the one-year warranty period.
  • I politely but firmly argue my case for about 10 minutes (embarrassingly emphasizing my bona fides as a professional TV reviewer).
  • The person on the other end relents, telling me that LG has a "one-time courtesy panel replacement program" for certain situations. (I now know that these are the magic words if you want someone on the phone to move ahead with a repair outside of the warranty period.)
  • I'm told that very same evening (November 21) that I would be receiving a call back in "two to five business days," and that the purpose of the call back would be to let me know if my case has been approved for a one-time courtesy panel replacement.
  • Two weeks later, no one has called me back, so I take it upon myself to call again. This time, I'm told that my case was denied (and no one had bothered to call and tell me).
  • The reason for denial? The receipt I provided (a screenshot of an emailed receipt Best Buy sent me) featured a Geek Squad logo at the top of the email. You can see a screenshot of it here.
  • According to LG, this Geek Squad logo is proof that I had purchased a protection plan through Best Buy. LG's argument is that this protection plan had made me ineligible for their courtesy panel replacement. This is, of course, bullshit—the logo at the top of the emailed receipt is just digital letterhead. It means nothing.
  • Next, I call Best Buy hoping to get some sort of proof that I didn't buy Geek Squad protection with a TV I purchased over a year ago. They're understandably confused and don't have any solution for me, but I'm nevertheless told by a Best Buy customer service representative that I will be getting a call back from "a local Best Buy" in the coming days. Will it be the Best Buy that originally organized my TV delivery? Who knows! I have no idea where the TV was originally shipped from—I ordered it on Best Buy's website and it just showed up a few days later.
  • Unsurprisingly, Best Buy never calls me back.
  • At this point, it's been about a month since my panel broke, and I'm getting desperate. So I call LG again. I plead my case again. I tell the representative the full story and ask what I need to do to convince someone that I didn't buy Geek Squad protection. Best Buy can't help me, LG doesn't care, and I have no other receipt that doesn't have a tiny jpg of a Geek Squad logo on it.
  • The representative tells me that they're adding a note to my file stating that I did not buy an extended, third-party warranty, and that I'd be getting a call back in "two to five business days."
  • This call back never happens. Another month passes.

  • Finally, out of desperation, I DM @LGUSSupport on Twitter. Here's how that goes:

Hello, I've been in contact with LG Support since early November trying to receive clearance for a one-time curtesy panel replacement for my LG C1, which developed a severe display issue less than three weeks after the 1-year manufacturer warranty. I've now called four times and have been told every single time that I will receive a call back in 2-5 business days. Every single time, no one has called me back. I am at a total loss as to what I should do next, so I'm contacting someone here out of desperation. This has been a completely demoralizing experience and I would truly appreciate some help.
We appreciate your patience and understanding about this request for your one-time courtesy panel replacement. We’ll be delighted to have it checked and get an update related to this. If your product is registered, kindly provide your phone number, so we can pull up your account; otherwise, please fill out the following details: Full name: Mobile number: Alternate contact number (if any): Serial number: (This can be found on the box or at the back of your TV.) Model number: (You can find this on the box or at the back of your TV.) Home Address: Email: A clear and full picture of your proof of purchase. Additionally, if you have the latest reference number for this request, kindly send it to us. Looking forward to your response.
  • I send along photos of the TV, screenshots of my receipt, and the rest of the case information.

Thank you for your prompt reply. As per checking here with your records, it shows that the approval did not push through. No worries, let us take care of it, so it will be handled properly and have your one-time courtesy repair sent out. May we know your preferred date for the repair schedule? We'll be waiting for you.
  • I tell them what my work schedule looks like for the following week.
Thank you for that information. We already submitted your request to our scheduling team. Please make sure to answer unknown callers, as they will be contacting you. Again, we appreciate your cooperation and understanding. We should be the one thanking you for your patience and understanding in this matter.

So now the panel is on its way and they're coming to my house to install it.

I guess the lesson here is, uh... For LG customer support... try Twitter?
 

The_Powa_of_Seiji_Ozawa

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SoSH Member
Sep 9, 2006
8,415
SS Botany Bay
Wanted to make a long, boring post about my experience with my LG C1.

  • I buy my LG C1 on November 1, 2021. It's delivered to my place on November 4, 2021.
  • On November 21, 2022, a white, vertical line appears on the left side of the display (20 days after LG's one-year warranty ended).
  • I contact someone via LG's customer service web chat. After remotely connecting to my TV and confirming the problem, I'm told that repairs would have to be paid out of pocket. The only thing they offer is a list of certified service providers near Somerville.
  • I decide to try my luck with LG's customer service call center later that evening. I'm initially told over the phone the same deal I had heard on the web chat: I would have to pay for a panel replacement because I was 20 days over the one-year warranty period.
  • I politely but firmly argue my case for about 10 minutes (embarrassingly emphasizing my bona fides as a professional TV reviewer).
  • The person on the other end relents, telling me that LG has a "one-time courtesy panel replacement program" for certain situations. (I now know that these are the magic words if you want someone on the phone to move ahead with a repair outside of the warranty period.)
  • I'm told that very same evening (November 21) that I would be receiving a call back in "two to five business days," and that the purpose of the call back would be to let me know if my case has been approved for a one-time courtesy panel replacement.
  • Two weeks later, no one has called me back, so I take it upon myself to call again. This time, I'm told that my case was denied (and no one had bothered to call and tell me).
  • The reason for denial? The receipt I provided (a screenshot of an emailed receipt Best Buy sent me) featured a Geek Squad logo at the top of the email. You can see a screenshot of it here.
  • According to LG, this Geek Squad logo is proof that I had purchased a protection plan through Best Buy. LG's argument is that this protection plan had made me ineligible for their courtesy panel replacement. This is, of course, bullshit—the logo at the top of the emailed receipt is just digital letterhead. It means nothing.
  • Next, I call Best Buy hoping to get some sort of proof that I didn't buy Geek Squad protection with a TV I purchased over a year ago. They're understandably confused and don't have any solution for me, but I'm nevertheless told by a Best Buy customer service representative that I will be getting a call back from "a local Best Buy" in the coming days. Will it be the Best Buy that originally organized my TV delivery? Who knows! I have no idea where the TV was originally shipped from—I ordered it on Best Buy's website and it just showed up a few days later.
  • Unsurprisingly, Best Buy never calls me back.
  • At this point, it's been about a month since my panel broke, and I'm getting desperate. So I call LG again. I plead my case again. I tell the representative the full story and ask what I need to do to convince someone that I didn't buy Geek Squad protection. Best Buy can't help me, LG doesn't care, and I have no other receipt that doesn't have a tiny jpg of a Geek Squad logo on it.
  • The representative tells me that they're adding a note to my file stating that I did not buy an extended, third-party warranty, and that I'd be getting a call back in "two to five business days."
  • This call back never happens. Another month passes.

  • Finally, out of desperation, I DM @LGUSSupport on Twitter. Here's how that goes:





  • I send along photos of the TV, screenshots of my receipt, and the rest of the case information.



  • I tell them what my work schedule looks like for the following week.



So now the panel is on its way and they're coming to my house to install it.

I guess the lesson here is, uh... For LG customer support... try Twitter?
What a lousy ordeal. LG is terrible. It seems like the Twitter approach is becoming the preferred method of getting companies to make good, not because they care about the customer, but because they care about being shamed and piled on in a highly visible forum in a way that can hurt their sales.
 

SumnerH

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Jul 18, 2005
33,238
Asheville, NC
They're ATC 3.0, but AFAIK they're not 4K. Channel 18 (PBS) and 24 (CW) are at least in HDR, and the multipath performance of ATC 3.0 is way better than 1.0 so reception is better (especially for indoor antennae).

https://www.avsforum.com/threads/orlando-fl-ota.406377/page-189 is probably the best place to get up-to-date info on Orlando specifically.

There are a couple hundred markets with ATC 3.0 right now, but almost all of them are just multiplexing multiple standard HD (1080/720 p/i) feeds on the ATC 3.0 channels. I don't know of any that are broadcasting in 4k regularly (they might be out there, though). Raleigh, NC and a few others have definitely done some test broadcasts at the higher resolution.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WESH and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WRBW show them both as broadcasting only 1080i/720p feeds so far:
wesh2.jpg
wrbw2.jpg
 

Doc Zero

Member
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Dec 6, 2007
12,437
After an hour and a half of repair work today, the technician and I discovered that the brand new panel was dead right out of the box.
 

Scott Cooper's Grand Slam

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Jul 12, 2008
4,622
New England
After an hour and a half of repair work today, the technician and I discovered that the brand new panel was dead right out of the box.
Bummer! My C1 has the same issue as yours. I ordered the C2, but I still haven’t taken delivery of it. It was supposed to arrive last week and again today, but both times the truck couldn’t get up my driveway. It sounds like LG has some major quality control issues and I should be worried about the C2.
 

JerBear

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Nov 11, 2006
1,600
Leeds, ME
Just so it isn't only the people with issues coming in, I've got a 65GX (we were concerned with the ultrathin top and the kids) and have had no issues (so far, but coming up on 2 years). Wall mounted with the included bracket and it's great.
 

Fratboy

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Nov 29, 2003
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I just bought the s95b and the g2 oled for two family members. Holy absolute shitballs the s95b is insane looking. I am not buying anything except QD OLED for my next tv. The color luminance is bananas. G2 is amazing too but it's really just iterative where the QD is a new viewing experience.
Just bought the 55" Samsung s95b for BF via my Beneplace employee benefit. MSRP $2100, got it for $1015+tax. It's beyond gorgeous and I'm insanely jealous.
 

Murderer's Crow

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Jul 15, 2005
25,255
Garden City
Just bought the 55" Samsung s95b for BF via my Beneplace employee benefit. MSRP $2100, got it for $1015+tax. It's beyond gorgeous and I'm insanely jealous.
Jealous about what? You have the damn TV. I don't. I wish I did but I think I'm targeting the S95C this year.
 

voidfunkt

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Apr 14, 2006
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Wanted to make a long, boring post about my experience with my LG C1.
Well I'm glad I didn't buy a C2 I guess.

Also, Costco for the win. They delivered to my Cambridge apartment and at least for Sony TV's you get a better warranty than any of the other big box stores.
 

Bleedred

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Feb 21, 2001
10,608
Boston, MA
I'm 56 years old. I'm looking to upgrade an old TV in my family room and looking for a 65" model. I watch tons of sports, netflix, hulu, amazong shows etc. No gaming or anything exotic. I want a "kick-ass" television and hoping to get one for around $1,500 (willing to spend a bit more if necessary). I'm the least tech savvy person in this thread and need direction, ideally with a link to a tv that I can just buy. For those local to Boston suburbs, I usually buy my TVs from Huntington, which is high on service.

Thanks in advance.
 

Doc Zero

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Dec 6, 2007
12,437
I'm 56 years old. I'm looking to upgrade an old TV in my family room and looking for a 65" model. I watch tons of sports, netflix, hulu, amazong shows etc. No gaming or anything exotic. I want a "kick-ass" television and hoping to get one for around $1,500 (willing to spend a bit more if necessary). I'm the least tech savvy person in this thread and need direction, ideally with a link to a tv that I can just buy. For those local to Boston suburbs, I usually buy my TVs from Huntington, which is high on service.

Thanks in advance.
How sunny is your living room?
 

Bleedred

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Feb 21, 2001
10,608
Boston, MA
How sunny is your living room?
Not terribly sunny. TV will be wall mounted the wall to the left is not open to the outside, the wall to the right does not have a window until about 6-8 feet back, and while the back wall has a window, it's probably about 20 feet back from the TV
 

Doc Zero

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Dec 6, 2007
12,437
Sounds like a pretty good setup!

With a maximum of $1,500 for a 65-inch TV, you're gonna have your pick of some pretty stellar options. There are two directions you can go: invest in a kick-ass model between $1,200 and $1,500 that might feel a bit maximalist for your needs, or save a bit of cash on something that doesn't quite look as impressive, but still meets your needs (between $900 and $1,200).

In either scenario, the next question I would pose is whether you're looking for a punchy, bright, mini-LED with quantum dots, or an OLED TV, which trades the searing highlights of an LED for perfect black levels. Contrast and color will be excellent in either case, but OLEDs really do have a certain unmistakable expression that many people (myself included) prefer. Another benefit of OLED TVs is their design; most OLED panels are about as thin as a smartphone. For entertaining friends, family, and guests, OLEDs also have the benefit of the widest viewing angles in the game. The only real downside to OLED displays are their relative lack of brightness compared to LED TVs, but the best OLEDs you can buy still get pretty damn bright (750 to 1,000 nits), and perfect black levels naturally enhance perceived contrast.

But let's say you just want a dependable, kick-ass TV that will hold up during Sunday afternoon baseball games and dark-room movie nights. Here's what I'd recommend:

  1. The 65-inch Samsung QN90B is one of the best mini-LEDs TV I tested last year. It's incredibly bright (pushing 2,000 nits), and its backlight control is among the best in its class. Even though it's not capable of the clean, bloom-free look of an OLED, the local dimming is superb, so it can handle very bright picture elements clashing with dark portions of the picture. In other words, stuff like white subtitles on a black background will be mostly free of light bloom at a head-on angle. Its quantum dot-enhanced colors are gorgeous, and its motion handling is great, too. You might be able to land this one for $1,500, but expect to splurge a bit (it's on Amazon for about $1,700 right now).

  2. The 65-inch TCL 6-Series (R655) isn't quite as bright as the QN90B, but it's a fantastic TV for folks who don't necessarily need all of the gaming-related features that inflate the price of a model like the QN90B. You're getting a lot of the same hardware you'd be getting with the Samsung (a mini-LED backlight, quantum dots, and a couple of HDMI 2.1 ports), and while its local dimming isn't quite as strong as the QN90B, it's plenty good for the price point. And, not for nothing, but its Roku software is faster and easier to use than the newest version of Samsung Tizen. It's basically like having a Roku box built right into the TV. My one note about this model is that it's not a good pick for folks who like to tinker with A/V settings, as it presents a mostly simplified experience top to bottom. A 65-inch 6-Series is about $999, and a 75-inch model is about $1,500.

  3. If you're intrigued by the show-stopping look and feel of an OLED TV, my recommendations would be the LG C2, the Samsung S95B, or the Sony A80K. Right now, these will sit right around the $1,400 to $1,600 range for a 65-inch model. The brightest of the bunch is the Samsung (on account of its quantum dot layer), but the C2 and the A80K still pack a bit of a punch for average-lit rooms. These are the models I'd favor, but to be perfectly clear, I prefer the look of OLED TVs, and you might find yourself more drawn to the psychedelic qualities of a bright-as-hell mini-LED.
I've got plenty more recommendations to offer if these models don't really suit your needs, so feel free to narrow it down even further if you have any specific questions.
 

Bleedred

Member
SoSH Member
Feb 21, 2001
10,608
Boston, MA
Sounds like a pretty good setup!

With a maximum of $1,500 for a 65-inch TV, you're gonna have your pick of some pretty stellar options. There are two directions you can go: invest in a kick-ass model between $1,200 and $1,500 that might feel a bit maximalist for your needs, or save a bit of cash on something that doesn't quite look as impressive, but still meets your needs (between $900 and $1,200).

In either scenario, the next question I would pose is whether you're looking for a punchy, bright, mini-LED with quantum dots, or an OLED TV, which trades the searing highlights of an LED for perfect black levels. Contrast and color will be excellent in either case, but OLEDs really do have a certain unmistakable expression that many people (myself included) prefer. Another benefit of OLED TVs is their design; most OLED panels are about as thin as a smartphone. For entertaining friends, family, and guests, OLEDs also have the benefit of the widest viewing angles in the game. The only real downside to OLED displays are their relative lack of brightness compared to LED TVs, but the best OLEDs you can buy still get pretty damn bright (750 to 1,000 nits), and perfect black levels naturally enhance perceived contrast.

But let's say you just want a dependable, kick-ass TV that will hold up during Sunday afternoon baseball games and dark-room movie nights. Here's what I'd recommend:

  1. The 65-inch Samsung QN90B is one of the best mini-LEDs TV I tested last year. It's incredibly bright (pushing 2,000 nits), and its backlight control is among the best in its class. Even though it's not capable of the clean, bloom-free look of an OLED, the local dimming is superb, so it can handle very bright picture elements clashing with dark portions of the picture. In other words, stuff like white subtitles on a black background will be mostly free of light bloom at a head-on angle. Its quantum dot-enhanced colors are gorgeous, and its motion handling is great, too. You might be able to land this one for $1,500, but expect to splurge a bit (it's on Amazon for about $1,700 right now).

  2. The 65-inch TCL 6-Series (R655) isn't quite as bright as the QN90B, but it's a fantastic TV for folks who don't necessarily need all of the gaming-related features that inflate the price of a model like the QN90B. You're getting a lot of the same hardware you'd be getting with the Samsung (a mini-LED backlight, quantum dots, and a couple of HDMI 2.1 ports), and while its local dimming isn't quite as strong as the QN90B, it's plenty good for the price point. And, not for nothing, but its Roku software is faster and easier to use than the newest version of Samsung Tizen. It's basically like having a Roku box built right into the TV. My one note about this model is that it's not a good pick for folks who like to tinker with A/V settings, as it presents a mostly simplified experience top to bottom. A 65-inch 6-Series is about $999, and a 75-inch model is about $1,500.

  3. If you're intrigued by the show-stopping look and feel of an OLED TV, my recommendations would be the LG C2, the Samsung S95B, or the Sony A80K. Right now, these will sit right around the $1,400 to $1,600 range for a 65-inch model. The brightest of the bunch is the Samsung (on account of its quantum dot layer), but the C2 and the A80K still pack a bit of a punch for average-lit rooms. These are the models I'd favor, but to be perfectly clear, I prefer the look of OLED TVs, and you might find yourself more drawn to the psychedelic qualities of a bright-as-hell mini-LED.
I've got plenty more recommendations to offer if these models don't really suit your needs, so feel free to narrow it down even further if you have any specific questions.
First, thank you for such a thoughtful response, I truly appreciate.

Second, when I said I'm not tech savvy, I mean it. I literally have no idea how to answer the question you raised. I'm a simpleton, looking for a "great" TV that requires little nuance. Thus, to simplify things for me even more, do the links below conform to the TVs you are recommending in 1-3 above?

1. https://www.samsung.com/us/televisions-home-theater/tvs/samsung-neo-qled-4k/65-class-qn90b-samsung-neo-qled-4k-smart-tv-2022-qn65qn90bafxza/

2. https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/tcl/6-series-r655-2022-qled

3. https://www.samsung.com/us/televisions-home-theater/tvs/oled-tvs/65-class-s95b-oled-4k-smart-tv-2022-qn65s95bafxza/
 

Doc Zero

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Dec 6, 2007
12,437
Those are the ones!

For me, when I hear "a great TV that requires little nuance," my first thought is that TCL 6-Series. It's about as plug-and-play as you can get, and its software is incredibly easy to just pick up and use. You can't really do basic calibration outside of picture presets, but based on what you're looking for, that might be a bonus rather than a hinderance. Essentially: plug in TV, turn it on, choose a good-looking picture mode, and you're off to the races.

That doesn't mean you can't replicate that set-it-and-forget-it experience on the Samsung QN90B or the Samsung S95B, but compared to the 6-Series' software, there's a lot more fussy shit going on (moving icons, ads, submenus, etc).

That said, if you were to put a 65-inch TCL 6-Series next to the QN90B or S95B, you'd definitely gravitate toward those two Samsungs. It's undeniable, even for the untrained eye. If your desire for a kick-ass TV is stronger than your desire for a no-fuss experience, I'd recommend throwing more money at one of the Samsungs. The S95B in particular is just on a whole other level. It's only a little dimmer than the 6-Series, and its perfect black levels are truly a sight to behold if you've never seen an OLED in action before.
 

Bleedred

Member
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Feb 21, 2001
10,608
Boston, MA
Those are the ones!

For me, when I hear "a great TV that requires little nuance," my first thought is that TCL 6-Series. It's about as plug-and-play as you can get, and its software is incredibly easy to just pick up and use. You can't really do basic calibration outside of picture presets, but based on what you're looking for, that might be a bonus rather than a hinderance. Essentially: plug in TV, turn it on, choose a good-looking picture mode, and you're off to the races.

That doesn't mean you can't replicate that set-it-and-forget-it experience on the Samsung QN90B or the Samsung S95B, but compared to the 6-Series' software, there's a lot more fussy shit going on (moving icons, ads, submenus, etc).

That said, if you were to put a 65-inch TCL 6-Series next to the QN90B or S95B, you'd definitely gravitate toward those two Samsungs. It's undeniable, even for the untrained eye. If your desire for a kick-ass TV is stronger than your desire for a no-fuss experience, I'd recommend throwing more money at one of the Samsungs. The S95B in particular is just on a whole other level. It's only a little dimmer than the 6-Series, and its perfect black levels are truly a sight to behold if you've never seen an OLED in action before.
Awesome, thank you again
 

jaba

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 7, 2006
212
Anytime! Happy hunting.
Do you have an opinion between the 3 OLEDs that you mentioned? This would be for a basement that gets a little but not much ambient light

Edit: and I'm coming from a 12 year old Panasonic plasma that has been just awesome
 
Last edited:

Madmartigan

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May 1, 2012
5,757
It was mentioned upthread a while back but I also just want to add to @Doc Zero ‘s notes that the Google TV version of the TCL 6 series is available from Best Buy for $700:

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/tcl-65-class-6-series-mini-led-qled-4k-uhd-smart-google-tv/6470277.p?skuId=6470277

Ignore the lukewarm reviews on BB, these are mostly due to some bugginess this TV suffered from early on that should be resolved. I just bought one of these and have it running a Roku streambar and I like it a lot. The picture looks spectacular to my non-videophile eyes.

More here:
https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/tcl/6-series-r646-2021-qled
 

Murderer's Crow

Dragon Wangler 216
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Jul 15, 2005
25,255
Garden City
Do you have an opinion between the 3 OLEDs that you mentioned? This would be for a basement that gets a little but not much ambient light

Edit: and I'm coming from a 12 year old Panasonic plasma that has been just awesome
All three are going to be substantially brighter and punchier than your Panny (which was probably best TV running for a few years). I'm not Doc, but I've had time to play with all 3 TVs and as I said above, the Samsung Q-OLED is a clear winner for me. However, Doc said something I'm not sure is true. You can't get it in the 1400-1600 range without a corp discount. I have a Samsung discount that allows me to pick up TVs at Best Buy and my discounted price for the S95B is $1609 pre tax while the advertised pricing is closer to $1800 (still worth it). Sony is always going to be the most expensive. So, if money is a factor, I think the C2 is your best bet.

There's a separate factor here too I'd call out. The LG Magic Remote is absolutely amazing. The Samsung remote and software...meh. I've also had a much easier time calibrating LG TVs to my liking than Samsung and Sony sets. Could just be me.
 

Scott Cooper's Grand Slam

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The LG C2 77" TV has been delivered and set up. It's an incremental upgrade from the C1, but it's still an exquisite picture. I have it set up on a stand and I don't notice any wobbliness. It's also, again, deceptively small for such a massive screen size. if you think your space can fit a 65" TV, it can comfortably fit a 77" model.
 

staz

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Looking for a deal on a 48' 4K screen for the office, came across a refurb Sony OLED for $750 on NewEgg

Reading upthread, my increasing concern with OLED screens is durability - the scissors mount in my office is extends the screen out from the wall, allowing a 30 degree horizontal tilt for better viewing angle. I frequently extend the screen to watch, and then retract it tight against the wall when not watching. But wonder if OLED is just too fragile for this frequent moving?
 

JakeRae

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Picked up the Samsung 65'" S95B. The greens, golds and reds coming from the NFC game were ridiculously good. Just stunning.
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/samsung-65-class-s95b-oled-4k-smart-tizen-tv/6502215.p?skuId=6502215
Also got this recently and it is a massive upgrade over my old TCL 5 Series, although the loss of the Roku TV interface kind of sucks. The Samsung TV interface is fine, but it lags a bit and just has too much junk wasting space as compared to the ultra streamlined and user friendly Roku interface. Still, I don’t spend that much time on the TV homescreen, and everything else is much better.
 

Scott Cooper's Grand Slam

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Also got this recently and it is a massive upgrade over my old TCL 5 Series, although the loss of the Roku TV interface kind of sucks. The Samsung TV interface is fine, but it lags a bit and just has too much junk wasting space as compared to the ultra streamlined and user friendly Roku interface. Still, I don’t spend that much time on the TV homescreen, and everything else is much better.
Most TV user interfaces are bad. If you miss the Roku interface, get a Roku player. A player capable of 4K HDR can be had for ~$40. A player capable of 4K HDR and Dolby Vision can be had for $99, but it looks like the TV doesn't support that.
 

JakeRae

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Most TV user interfaces are bad. If you miss the Roku interface, get a Roku player. A player capable of 4K HDR can be had for ~$40. A player capable of 4K HDR and Dolby Vision can be had for $99, but it looks like the TV doesn't support that.
I’m aware I could get a Roku player, but I’m not interested in doing so and wasn’t asking for advice on that front. I was simply offering my first reactions to the Samsung S95B, which observations include its inferior interface to that of Roku.
 

Bleedred

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I'm about as non-techy as a guy can be and just want a great TV for watching sports, netflix, etc. No gaming. I've settled on a new 65" Samsung Neo QLED 4K UHDTV Quantum HDR (there's no reason to go with an even better contrasted 8K, correct?). My installer, who is a good guy and was recommended to me by a couple of people I know and trust, has suggested the following additional equipment
  • Sonus Soundbar with ATMOS ($899.95)
  • ARC Soundbar Undermount Adapter ($119.99)
  • Sonos Wireless Subwoofer ($749.95)
He's a tech guy so the soundbar and subwoofer are "no brainers" to him, but do I really need to spend 1700 additional dollars when I'd likely be happy without them? I'm replacing a TV that is more than 10 years old, so I assume the sound will be just fine or will the quality of viewing be exponentially better and folks would consider them "must haves?"

Thoughts?
 

MuzzyField

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I'm about as non-techy as a guy can be and just want a great TV for watching sports, netflix, etc. No gaming. I've settled on a new 65" Samsung Neo QLED 4K UHDTV Quantum HDR (there's no reason to go with an even better contrasted 8K, correct?). My installer, who is a good guy and was recommended to me by a couple of people I know and trust, has suggested the following additional equipment
  • Sonus Soundbar with ATMOS ($899.95)
  • ARC Soundbar Undermount Adapter ($119.99)
  • Sonos Wireless Subwoofer ($749.95)
He's a tech guy so the soundbar and subwoofer are "no brainers" to him, but do I really need to spend 1700 additional dollars when I'd likely be happy without them? I'm replacing a TV that is more than 10 years old, so I assume the sound will be just fine or will the quality of viewing be exponentially better and folks would consider them "must haves?"

Thoughts?
Let the early adopters jump at the 8K stuff. We still don't have enough 4K content being produced. 4K with higher frame rate is what I'm impatiently waiting for with sports content.

I'm deep in the Sonos ecosystem, but don't have an ARC, I have two Beams and a Ray from their soundbar family. I still use an AV amp/receiver in my main media room. I have prewired speakers in the ceiling/back porch and my pre-Sonos wired surround setup still sounds great and don't want to flush that investment, yet. I do have a Sonos connect wired to it.

As for the sound being fine, in the 10-years since your last purchase, the panels are getting thinner as are the side case bezels. This doesn't leave much space for speakers in the case. I think you'll want some sort of external sound setup. If you aren't already in the Sonos ecosystem with streaming integration, multi-room, and voice control, you can achieve the goal of decent sound for less cost.

The danger of entering the Sonos zone is you are likely to want to add more to extend the audio features/control throughout your house. I have a Sonos beam, sub-mini with 2 ones as surrounds that works well in my living room and the cost would be significantly less (even adding two surround speakers to the back to what your tech guy suggests it's $1261 for the four speakers, not including the wall mount, just beam and sub-mini is $883) and should be more than enough to fill most non-stadium sized rooms. The gen 2 Beam also has ATMOS if that's important.
 

Jim Ed Rice in HOF

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Jul 21, 2005
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I'm about as non-techy as a guy can be and just want a great TV for watching sports, netflix, etc. No gaming. I've settled on a new 65" Samsung Neo QLED 4K UHDTV Quantum HDR (there's no reason to go with an even better contrasted 8K, correct?). My installer, who is a good guy and was recommended to me by a couple of people I know and trust, has suggested the following additional equipment
  • Sonus Soundbar with ATMOS ($899.95)
  • ARC Soundbar Undermount Adapter ($119.99)
  • Sonos Wireless Subwoofer ($749.95)
He's a tech guy so the soundbar and subwoofer are "no brainers" to him, but do I really need to spend 1700 additional dollars when I'd likely be happy without them? I'm replacing a TV that is more than 10 years old, so I assume the sound will be just fine or will the quality of viewing be exponentially better and folks would consider them "must haves?"

Thoughts?
The short answer is you don't NEED anything beyond your TV speakers but honestly I feel the sound you get from just those speakers is not good. You don't need to go all out with what your guy is recommending but I understand where he's coming from. For my secondary TV I picked up this soundbar a few years ago after seeing @LoweTek mentioning it.

If you're not sold on needing it, give the standard TV speakers a test drive for a while. It's not like you can't add the soundbar after the fact if you decide you want one. I would just make sure the TV is installed in a spot where mounting a soundbar under it would work.
 

MuzzyField

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If you opt to not do any sound for the initial installation, you might want to have the installer "ready the wall" to add it later. Not sure if your current tv is in the place this on is going. Interior vs. exterior wall makes a difference. Any Soundbar will have at least two cables to "hide" for the power and tv connection (most likely HDMI-ARC or digital audio out from the TV) and you won't want them dangling on the wall.
 

MuzzyField

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Digital Trends video on the operational and cost barriers to broadcast sports in native 4K. Like it or not, there is a bigger barrier to transition from SD to HD. The broadcasting tech will need to mature more, and costs lowered, before we see greater adoption.

View: https://youtu.be/UX75uEq9IdU
It's not going to be cheap, and those that want it will have to pay more.

I'm just impatient because I've see demos at NAB and you can't unsee how awesome it is.
 

Nick Kaufman

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Is 8k ever going to become useful? Are we start having movie size screens at our homes at some point? I do feel that a lot of the tech being sold these days is overkill as it is.
 

MuzzyField

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Is 8k ever going to become useful? Are we start having movie size screens at our homes at some point? I do feel that a lot of the tech being sold these days is overkill as it is.
I think AR/AI (headsets/glasses) are also a big part of the r and d in this space.

There are still a bunch of cable and satellite customers that hook up their current SD boxes to their HD TV's as they upgrade them.
 

Murderer's Crow

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Jul 15, 2005
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I'm about as non-techy as a guy can be and just want a great TV for watching sports, netflix, etc. No gaming. I've settled on a new 65" Samsung Neo QLED 4K UHDTV Quantum HDR (there's no reason to go with an even better contrasted 8K, correct?). My installer, who is a good guy and was recommended to me by a couple of people I know and trust, has suggested the following additional equipment
  • Sonus Soundbar with ATMOS ($899.95)
  • ARC Soundbar Undermount Adapter ($119.99)
  • Sonos Wireless Subwoofer ($749.95)
He's a tech guy so the soundbar and subwoofer are "no brainers" to him, but do I really need to spend 1700 additional dollars when I'd likely be happy without them? I'm replacing a TV that is more than 10 years old, so I assume the sound will be just fine or will the quality of viewing be exponentially better and folks would consider them "must haves?"

Thoughts?
I get 15% off with Sonos through my company. Happy to organize that for you if you want my login information. I can make a fake new password and just sent it to you.

Separately, I have the Arc, two rears, and the woofer. I absolutely recommend the rears. It completes the system and I wouldn't have waited a year to get them had I known what they add. You can get brackets for cheap on amazon to mount them. Don't waste your money on the Sonos branded bracket.

Edit: To your question on "need." You can probably get the vizio setup for way cheaper and be really happy. I don't have a breadth of experience with soundbars but I do have some and here's why I picked Sonos.

1) I purchased and returned the most premium Sony soundbar setup that was something like $1900 because a) it required its own remotes b) it had its own menus on the tv and needed to be turned off and on c) it would sometimes struggle to automatically switch between inputs. So I'd put Netflix on but it would still play cable.

2) I then returned it and purchased the Samsung top of the line system and had a nearly identical issue to the sony. Extra remotes, extra menus, speech delay that couldn't be perfected...

3) Finally got the Sonos. You plug into the eArc, set it up on your phone, and never mess with it again. No extra remotes, the EQ is on the app, and it's effing perfect.

My personal opinion is that watching TV on TV speakers is a pretty shitty sound experience. Any soundbar is an upgrade but I would only do it if it wasn't an extra remote and explain it to other people every time they use your TV situation.
 
Last edited:

Bleedred

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I get 15% off with Sonos through my company. Happy to organize that for you if you want my login information. I can make a fake new password and just sent it to you.

Separately, I have the Arc, two rears, and the woofer. I absolutely recommend the rears. It completes the system and I wouldn't have waited a year to get them had I known what they add. You can get brackets for cheap on amazon to mount them. Don't waste your money on the Sonos branded bracket.

Edit: To your question on "need." You can probably get the vizio setup for way cheaper and be really happy. I don't have a breadth of experience with soundbars but I do have some and here's why I picked Sonos.

1) I purchased and returned the most premium Sony soundbar setup that was something like $1900 because a) it required its own remotes b) it had its own menus on the tv and needed to be turned off and on c) it would sometimes struggle to automatically switch between inputs. So I'd put Netflix on but it would still play cable.

2) I then returned it and purchased the Samsung top of the line system and had a nearly identical issue to the sony. Extra remotes, extra menus, speech delay that couldn't be perfected...

3) Finally got the Sonos. You plug into the eArc, set it up on your phone, and never mess with it again. No extra remotes, the EQ is on the app, and it's effing perfect.

My personal opinion is that watching TV on TV speakers is a pretty shitty sound experience. Any soundbar is an upgrade but I would only do it if it wasn't an extra remote and explain it to other people every time they use your TV situation.
Thanks for this
 

SumnerH

Malt Liquor Picker
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Jul 18, 2005
33,238
Asheville, NC
I'm about as non-techy as a guy can be and just want a great TV for watching sports, netflix, etc. No gaming. I've settled on a new 65" Samsung Neo QLED 4K UHDTV Quantum HDR (there's no reason to go with an even better contrasted 8K, correct?). My installer, who is a good guy and was recommended to me by a couple of people I know and trust, has suggested the following additional equipment
  • Sonus Soundbar with ATMOS ($899.95)
  • ARC Soundbar Undermount Adapter ($119.99)
  • Sonos Wireless Subwoofer ($749.95)
He's a tech guy so the soundbar and subwoofer are "no brainers" to him, but do I really need to spend 1700 additional dollars when I'd likely be happy without them? I'm replacing a TV that is more than 10 years old, so I assume the sound will be just fine or will the quality of viewing be exponentially better and folks would consider them "must haves?"
Soundbars are generally worse audio quality and much more expensive than getting decent independent speakers. If you love the appearance/form factor, then that may override that concern.

If you get decent speakers you can skip the subwoofer entirely; coming from the old TVs speakers you'll be more than happy with the result, and you can always add a sub later if you decide you want it.
 

Max Power

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Jul 20, 2005
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Regular old speakers tend to last longer than something like Sonos that depend on being supported by the company. I have some wall mounted Axiom speakers in the front, center, and rear that are 11 years old. I replaced the TV and receiver they connect to, but there was no reason to switch out the speakers. Depending on the configuration of the room, it may not be easy to run the wires from front to back, so the "wireless" speakers (which require a power cable) may still be the better option.

In any case, everyone is right that there's no reason you can't just use the TV from the start. Paying more for the audio than the video can be hard to stomach if the crummy sound from the TV doesn't really bother you.
 

JakeRae

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 21, 2005
8,371
New York, NY
I get 15% off with Sonos through my company. Happy to organize that for you if you want my login information. I can make a fake new password and just sent it to you.

Separately, I have the Arc, two rears, and the woofer. I absolutely recommend the rears. It completes the system and I wouldn't have waited a year to get them had I known what they add. You can get brackets for cheap on amazon to mount them. Don't waste your money on the Sonos branded bracket.

Edit: To your question on "need." You can probably get the vizio setup for way cheaper and be really happy. I don't have a breadth of experience with soundbars but I do have some and here's why I picked Sonos.

1) I purchased and returned the most premium Sony soundbar setup that was something like $1900 because a) it required its own remotes b) it had its own menus on the tv and needed to be turned off and on c) it would sometimes struggle to automatically switch between inputs. So I'd put Netflix on but it would still play cable.

2) I then returned it and purchased the Samsung top of the line system and had a nearly identical issue to the sony. Extra remotes, extra menus, speech delay that couldn't be perfected...

3) Finally got the Sonos. You plug into the eArc, set it up on your phone, and never mess with it again. No extra remotes, the EQ is on the app, and it's effing perfect.

My personal opinion is that watching TV on TV speakers is a pretty shitty sound experience. Any soundbar is an upgrade but I would only do it if it wasn't an extra remote and explain it to other people every time they use your TV situation.
I just got the second from top of the line Samsung soundbar package (like Q910 or 920, I think there are two versions depending on the store). It was a seamless installation with my Samsung TV and works via eARC, so no need for a separate remote unless you are trying to use it independently (and the main use in that space is streaming music off a phone, which you can use apps for).

I also previously had a like $200 Yamaha soundbar/subwoofer setup that was pretty good. It was a major upgrade from TV sound, but the $1,000 dollar setup I now have is much better, and the surround/Atmos features are really nice. Any halfway decent soundbar setup these days will use eARC, so there is no need to pay for ultra premium pricing or quality to get that benefit or the ability to use a single remote. My prior ARC setup with a $200 soundbar handled that fine too.

Based on my research, I would not suggest Sonos unless you are already a Sonos user. When I looked into this, the general sentiment is that you are paying a lot more with Sonos (top of the line Samsung and LG packages top out around $1,500) for a system that, while still very good, is several years out of date and not as good as premium offerings from other brands.

Overall, my advice is a bit different from everyone else. I think there is no question you should get some sort of non-TV speakers. A true surround system is undeniably the best option, but I personally didn’t want to deal with the extra install work and complexity associated with that option. A premium soundbar system is the next best option. But you can get very good sound (and much better than your TV) spending like $200-300 instead of $1k or $2k, and that is the level I’d recommend starting at if you aren’t convinced you need anything. I’d also suggest getting the soundbar (or speakers) from somewhere with easy returns. Take it home, set it up without mounting, and see if you think it is worth it. If it’s not, return it. If it is, then deal with mounting/permanent installation. But you should definitely try out having better sound, and you probably won’t be able to go back once you do.