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.
Recommend me a 55-65 inch TV
- Thread starter StupendousMan
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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)
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.
Oh nice, I didn't realize that had happened anywhere yet. I imagine it is quite noticeable.
Now that I am googling it - seems like within the last 12-18 months ATSC 3.0 (4K OTA) took off: https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/atsc-30-deployments-where-and-when-will-nextgen-tv-be-available
Wanted to make a long, boring post about my experience with my LG C1.
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?
- 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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/samsung-65-class-s95b-oled-4k-smart-tizen-tv/6502215.p?skuId=6502215
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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.
Thanks in advance.
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
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:
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:
- 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).
- 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.
- 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.
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/
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.
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.
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
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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
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
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.
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.