02/01/2018
Let's talk about TVs!
Thinking of buying a new TV soon?
This is a loose "Buyers guide" to help choose the right one for you.
I'm going to start with when you should buy it. New Television models roll out every Spring. They are shiny and bright and new and expensive. At release the TV will have its highest price it will ever see, but that price’s life is short!! It will start to drop significantly in the Fall. With markets dropping their pant's on Black Friday and Boxing Day for any remaining stock. By November nobody is manufacturing anymore. The focus of companies and retailers is now to clear inventory and make room for the new models and start the process again. So always buy your TV in the Fall and early Winter if price conscious and want the best deal.
4K/UHD – Today if you are buying a TV make sure it's 4K or UHD, the price difference is negligible there is simply no reason not to. All this term refers to is the number of Pixels used to create the image with the right signal coming into your set. While HD, the Tech it's replacing used 1920 pixels across by 1080 down for a total of 2.1 million pixels. UHD uses 3840 Pixels across and 2160 down for about 8.3 million pixels. The more pixels used, the sharper and more life like the image. Remember the signal entering is important to use these extra pixels.
Most broadcast TV is still entering the home at 1080i or 720P and will not benefit from UHD. The 4K content on providers tends to be limited to varied but not all sporting events, live events and some movie content. That being said there is more 4K content coming on broadcast Television and it's only going to get better.
Your best source of 4K content for now will come via the Web! Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime are just a few great sources for your content and there is an obvious difference. Keep in mind your TV will "upscale" any source at 1080P to use the extra pixels and improve image quality. And most Web streaming services broadcast in 1080P when not in 4K. Just make sure your Television is either hardwired to the internet or has excellent Wi-Fi reception. A 30Mbit/Unlimited package from your ISP feed is minimum and you will require 20Mbit per second consistent to your TV via Wi-Fi for best results.
HDR (Dolby Vision) - High Dynamic Range is new TV technology that focuses on generating peak brightness and darkness the TV is capable of producing at the same time in the same scene to create lifelike lighting effects. Just another means of making a more realistic image. There are varying degrees of HDR as you buy up to Higher end Televisions. All HDR content is also 4K.
SMART – Smart function varies and they are not all the same. There are two things you should ask yourself about the Smart capabilities. First, does the SMART interface support the Apps YOU want to use. Such as Amazon, Netflix, Spotify or Plex for example. If a smart TV you're considering doesn’t have access to the content you want then it's not so smart. So know what you want from your Smart function before you buy as manufacturers have different relationships with providers and different platforms to develop the apps. The other to consider is the interface, ease of operation and your comfort level with it.
120Hrz vs 60Hrz and "Fake rates" – These numbers refer to the amount of times your screen refreshes per second and is very important to how we perceive motion. If you are a casual user, don’t watch sports or action movies or play video games then stop reading right here and pick up a cheap LED with 60Hrz and you will likely be happy. If you do enjoy the aforementioned content then 120Hrz is a must as it doubles the speed the image refreshes per second producing clear image when moving fast. That being said be advised about "Fake Motion Rates" as manufacturers use tricks to double the image rates. For best results always be sure the 120 is followed by "Hrz". These numbers really only apply to LED as both OLED and QLED feature Native 120Hrz.
Now let's focus on the different technologies. Today's mainstream TVs feature three different Technologies: LED, QLED, OLED. All three have their place in the market place based on what you watch, where you watch it and how much you want to spend. With today’s TVs a bit more money goes a long way as the delta between good and great is no longer what it was. And that’s great news for you. For example during December of 2017 a high quality LED the Samsung 55MU8000 which features all the new specs I spoke of earlier was on special for 1199.00 CDN with that in mind you could get a Samsung 55Q7 or and LG 55B7 for about 2200.00 at that time. That’s a $1000.00 delta for best of class image. Over a average 10 year life span its a very worthwhile investment to go to the top of the TV food chain if you are an Avid watcher,
LED (all manufacturers) is the Quality/Price technology. It's had more than 15 Generations of improvement and now has become very cheap for a good TV low cost option. Limited contrast and viewing angles, faded blacks and not as good colour vs the two other Techs. Not all models are native 120Hrz make this a distant third to the other two techs for image quality but the higher end LED are still pretty good for the Budget shopper. Easier to get a Lemon and requires smart shopping to get a good one.
QLED (Samsung Technology) uses a proprietary tech called Quantum Dots. This TV produces vivid colors and great brightness. These TVs are amazing for a bright room or well lit areas. All current QLED models feature 120Hrz Decent viewing angles make this a great TV for gaming and sports as well. QLED features the best Peak brightness of the technologies.
OLED (LG/Panasonic/Sony) OLED technology works a little differently in that each pixel is self illuminating. This means each can turn completely off independent of the pixel beside it. With no backlight like the other techs an absence of light means these TVs are capable of producing a "Perfect Black". The result is better contrast and a more realistic image. Much like the old plasmas but with better resolution and brightness. Also to note is OLED features the best viewing angles and retains a great image even from sharper angles. OLED does suffer from image retention so it’s not the best video game technology, Since there is no backlight OLED technology has some unique designs as the panel can be as thin as 2mm.
So after taking all things into consideration I would advise the following:
If you are watching at night or in dim lighting and you are a movie and sports fan or infrequent console gamer OLED shines under these circumstances. It will give you the best cinematic experience and is excellent for sports.
QLED tech gets the nod In bright condition for best image or for the avid gamer as its only real soft spot is black levels which are less apparent in bright rooms.
If budget is a restraint then opt for a 120Hrz LED for the sports fan and gamer and that leaves the 60Hrz LED for the casual watcher who's just plays CNN and Ellen in the back ground all day.
Hopefully you found my first Blog insightful and I made some sense of all the options available to you. As a trained Calibrator, Network Technician and Video Specialist I am always available and can help you get the most out of your new Television.
Inbox me for details and let MiGuru be your Guru. 😊
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