TCL 55 inch QLED

[JC1]

Hi guys,

Was on Amazon this morning looking at Cyber Monday deals. Saw a TCL 55 inch Qled TV on sale for 479. Wasn't really in the market for a new TV, but I have a 4K firestick and the QLED/OLED picture quality looks pretty darn good. My wife doesn't want a TV larger than 55 inch on top of the fireplace mantel. Due to size of the opening etc.

I looked at some reviews of TCL on youtube and most people give them a pretty good review for budget TVs.

Decided to buy it from Costco, since the price is the same and it's only $30 extra for an extra 3 years of warranty. Since this will be the primary TV, it will be used the most and that extra warranty is peace of mind. Samsung and LD comparable TVs are at least $300 more.

https://www.costco.ca/tcl-55-in.-4k-hdr-roku-smart-tv-55s533ca.product.100665579.html

I

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[Danno]

Bought a ROKU TV 2 months ago from Amazon, returned it when the sound stopped working the same week I set it up.
What I found annoying is everything is app based. If you use a cable box for your TV, on this one I had to select the cable box app to watch cable TV, instead of it being the default start mode.
So annoying, wouldn't buy another because of that.

 

[JC1]

Bought a ROKU TV 2 months ago from Amazon, returned it when the sound stopped working the same week I set it up.
What I found annoying is everything is app based. If you use a cable box for your TV, on this one I had to select the cable box app to watch cable TV, instead of it being the default start mode.
So annoying, wouldn't buy another because of that.

I'm using a firestick for all streaming and TV content, so hopefully it works for me. I know some of this software they push onto these tvs is more annoying than beneficial.

 

[maximus]

Just FYI, QLED and OLED are NOT the same at all. OLED is superior and the price reflects that.

 

[alarmguy]

Just FYI, QLED and OLED are NOT the same at all. OLED is superior and the price reflects that.

That’s funny I was just going to post what you did and this is not to disparage the OP. The only reason I was going to bring it up was he mentions 0LED in his post and that is incorrect.
A QLED TV is just a plain old LED TV with a tweak. Nothing wrong with that but It is not in anyway based on the technology of a OLED
QLED is marketed by Samsung to sound like the competitions true revolutionary OLED technology produced by LG.

Quite honestly to me Samsung’s QLED panels are truly meant to confuse the buyer into thinking they are getting something special and that is far from the truth. It’s just an LED TV with marketing to make it sound like an OLED TV.

This explains it better. Click here

By the way Samsung used to call their panels a different name as the article points out but that didn’t work out well so now they changed it to the QLED and as you can tell the marketing is working and confusing the buyer to Samsung’s advantage. It used to be called UHD

 

[ZeeOSix]

Bought a ROKU TV 2 months ago from Amazon, returned it when the sound stopped working the same week I set it up.
What I found annoying is everything is app based. If you use a cable box for your TV, on this one I had to select the cable box app to watch cable TV, instead of it being the default start mode.
So annoying, wouldn't buy another because of that.

I've got a cheap Roku TV for the workout room, and it allows you to set what default to use (ie, cable box, air antenna, or other inputs) when it's powered on.

 

[alarmguy]

I've got a cheap Roku TV for the workout room, and it allows you to set what default to use (ie, cable box, air antenna, or other inputs) when it's powered on.

Yes I agree,^^ we should all mention the brand so others could avoid it or base their decision to buy.
Roku has that problem, TV is advertised as "Roku TV" and if something is bad about the TV it reflects on Roku which has nothing to do with the TV maker.
If someone gets a bad Sony or Samsung TV we dont refer to it as a Android TV instead of Sony.

Its not Roku that was the problem it was the TV brand.
We have a Sharp TV with built in Roku in our kitchen, it provided for a neat installation and was so inexpensive it was almost stupid *L* no complaints for many years now.

JC1 has a great point though, the software on TVs are like a cheap computer loaded with bloatware and all kinds of garbage instead of a clean operating system. Dont kid oneself, that bloatware brings in money to the TV maker. just like cheap computers, cheap TVs are no different in general.
We buy our own devices which are Roku players and plug it in to the HDMI. We dont even hook our TVs up to the internet. Except for our kitchen with built in Roku we do not base our buying decision on the TV software, we base it on outstanding picture.

I dont not allow our TVs access to our internet, I only allow the devices we plug into it access. (which the exception of the one in the kitchen)
We control the devices, not the devices control us.

There are two types of mainstream TVs.

LED and OLED that is it, everything else is marketing though, there are tweaked LEDs (like Samsung QLED) but every major quality manufacturer tweaks their displays, its about the hardware not the marketing verbiage.

Everything else is marketing like Samsung panels labeled as QLED. That is a misleading marketing lie. Someday I'm sure we will see true QLED.
It doesnt matter there is good and bad in both sets. Pick by brand and requirements.
OLED for a theater like picture
LED for very good picture that works better in very bright rooms.
Both technologies can produce fantastic picture and this is where brand and price matter. A $400 TV will not match a $1500 TV just like a $400 sound system will not match a $1500 sound system. But to many, if not most, its good enough.

 

[willbur]

Hi guys,

Was on Amazon this morning looking at Cyber Monday deals. Saw a TCL 55 inch Qled TV on sale for 479. Wasn't really in the market for a new TV, but I have a 4K firestick and the QLED/OLED picture quality looks pretty darn good. My wife doesn't want a TV larger than 55 inch on top of the fireplace mantel. Due to size of the opening etc.

I looked at some reviews of TCL on youtube and most people give them a pretty good review for budget TVs.

Decided to buy it from Costco, since the price is the same and it's only $30 extra for an extra 3 years of warranty. Since this will be the primary TV, it will be used the most and that extra warranty is peace of mind. Samsung and LD comparable TVs are at least $300 more.

https://www.costco.ca/tcl-55-in.-4k-hdr-roku-smart-tv-55s533ca.product.100665579.html

I

​

Be aware of the secret spying TCL has been accused of. A computer tech reporter posted a story about this recently. Alot of this going around these days from china produced equipment. It was investigated and found to be true. Inquires to TCL were ignored but the spy issue mysteriously vanished several days later.
I check privacy settings on everything I buy now and very difficult to find privacy settings to turn off data collecting. Not secret but hard to find.

 

[JC1]

Be aware of the secret spying TCL has been accused of. A computer tech reporter posted a story about this recently. Alot of this going around these days from china produced equipment. It was investigated and found to be true. Inquires to TCL were ignored but the spy issue mysteriously vanished several days later.
I check privacy settings on everything I buy now and very difficult to find privacy settings to turn off data collecting. Not secret but hard to find.

Yes I heard about that. Will look into the settings.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Yes I agree,^^ we should all mention the brand so others could avoid it or base their decision to buy.
Roku has that problem, TV is advertised as "Roku TV" and if something is bad about the TV it reflects on Roku which has nothing to do with the TV maker.
If someone gets a bad Sony or Samsung TV we dont refer to it as a Android TV instead of Sony.

Its not Roku that was the problem it was the TV brand.

The TV I was referring to is a Hisense brand. It was a cheap 32" 720 Roku smart TV from Walmart (helping out your stock ) for $115. It has a really nice picture, as do the other two Hisense smart TVs I have in the house (a 39" 1080 and 55" 4K). Just got it a month ago, so it's a pretty new model. I think Roku TVs have been evolving as time goes on so that they function better as they get tweaked. I'm thinking any "Roku" TV would have the TV brand maker's involvement in how the Roku software integrates and operates on their TV.

It's the first Roku TV I've bought, and find that the simple Roku remote makes it easy to navigate in the software. I'm on OTA antenna, so the only thing I don't like about the Roku TV in that case is you can't just type in a TV channel on the remote ... you have to bring up the built-in TV guide and step through the guide to choose a channel, but it's not bad. Same as if you were watching Pluto TV or Roku TV through a stand-alone Roku device.

 

[JC1]

Finally got the tv delivered today since I ordered it online. Setup wasn't that bad, but had to put the wifi password in twice. Found a website with color settings and updated software. Had to register for the roku service which I probably won't use extensively. Tv looks pretty good on 4k. Tried some 4k movies on Amazon Prime as well. Picture is pretty sharp for a $500 CDN tv. My wife says the people look fake (we are watching John wick 3). Took a while to pair the new tv with the firestick remote, but got it done.

Steelers Ravens game looked ok as well, but I will play more with the color setup this weekend. I still need to check the privacy settings on the tv as well.

 

[JC1]

That’s funny I was just going to post what you did and this is not to disparage the OP. The only reason I was going to bring it up was he mentions 0LED in his post and that is incorrect.
A QLED TV is just a plain old LED TV with a tweak. Nothing wrong with that but It is not in anyway based on the technology of a OLED
QLED is marketed by Samsung to sound like the competitions true revolutionary OLED technology produced by LG.

Quite honestly to me Samsung’s QLED panels are truly meant to confuse the buyer into thinking they are getting something special and that is far from the truth. It’s just an LED TV with marketing to make it sound like an OLED TV.

This explains it better. Click here

By the way Samsung used to call their panels a different name as the article points out but that didn’t work out well so now they changed it to the QLED and as you can tell the marketing is working and confusing the buyer to Samsung’s advantage. It used to be called UHD

Hi guys,.

I'm not trying to say QLED and OLED are the same thing. I know that.

I'm happy just with getting the 4k. I don't need the latest and greatest tv with the most expensive brand spanking new technology. I'm just surprised that these cheaper tvs can even offer some of this newer technology at these price points. Who remembers when 40 inch flat panels were over $5000???

 

[JGmazda]

TCL TV's have earned some great reviews. I'm told TCL manufacturers screens for Samsung. Although they appear to "lower tier", they offer some really great tech for the money.
Our family purchased three of these in the last few years and they have been great. Zero issues. As far as spying is concerned... almost every manufacture collects data and you can opt-out. Hey...If you're using a cell phone and on Facebook... you have zero privacy. It's what technology does these days... (Except for many open source/Linux type tech). I don't agree with it at ALL. But it's not just TCL...

 

[Toros Cosmicos]

Bought a 75" TCL QLED Mini LED set a few weeks ago. It is one of the most highly rated non OLED TVs on the market right now. The 4K picture quality is stunning. I'm just completing setting up my 5.1 home theater system in the basement of our new home. UPS just delivered my new Klipsch R112SW subwoofer and I'm just installing the gold plated banana pins on my speaker wires.
I have found that the wifi content available via the Roku streaming platform is far better quality than what the Comcast X1 platform delivers via cable. Have a $200 55" Hisense Roku TV that we got from Amazon a few weeks ago in our family room.
It too has a fantastic picture out of the box with no tweaking.

 

[alarmguy]

Hi guys,.

I'm not trying to say QLED and OLED are the same thing. I know that.

I'm happy just with getting the 4k. I don't need the latest and greatest tv with the most expensive brand spanking new technology. I'm just surprised that these cheaper tvs can even offer some of this newer technology at these price points. Who remembers when 40 inch flat panels were over $5000???

I can! *L*
My wifes boss paid over $40,000 (forty thousand) for a somewhere 35+ inch flat panel decades ago.

The technology is marketing. The panel you are watching is a Samsung panel with TCL electronics. Any panel marketed as QLED is Samsung produced since they have QLED registered as a trademark. Its just a name, a Samsung named QLED panel is not a real QLED panel.
Panels are produced in factories and sold around the world as a product/commodity. Just the same as the computer chips in a computer.

However any panel sold as OLED is a real OLED panel and again, these panels are sold around the world to anyone who wants to use them in their product. They are produced by LG,.

Its all good, dont get hung up on marketing, buy the TV that is right for you. All LED TVs are the same with tweaks that each manufacturer of those panels think produces a good picture for all price points.

With that said OLED produced by LG is a completely different animal to all the other mass produced name brand TVs and panels with unique characteristics in infinite contrast and refresh rates.

Ps, you do know you can use Roku to get "Prime" and almost any other video app. Not so sure you need a fire stick for anything.
BTW - I think you made a fine choice with TCL, if I was going to buy a set at a very good value that would be one brand on a very short list. I do sometimes have concerns, completely unfounded without proof, about long term reliability about the up and coming newer brands. But the price is compelling for what you get.

 

[4WD]

I can! *L*
My wifes boss paid over $40,000 (forty thousand) for a somewhere 35+ inch flat panel decades ago.

The technology is marketing. The panel you are watching is a Samsung panel with TCL electronics. Any panel marketed as QLED is Samsung produced since they have QLED registered as a trademark. Its just a name, a Samsung names QLED panel is not a real QLED panel.
Panels are produced in factories and sold around the world as a product/commodity.

However any panel sold as OLED is a real OLED panel and again, these panels are sold around the world to anyone who wants to use them in their product. They are produced by LG,.

Its all good, dont get hung up on marketing, buy the TV that is right for you. All LED TVs are the same with tweaks that each manufacturer of those panels think produces a good picture for all price points.

With that said OLED produced by LG is a completely different animal to all the other mass produced name brand TVs and panels with unique characteristics in infinite contrast and refresh rates.

Ps, you do know you can use Roku to get "Prime" and almost any other video app. Not so sure you need a fire stick for anything.

Yep, met an E-engineer decades back and asked what he was working on. Big flat panel TV, only 2” thick … light enough to stick anywhere … He was with Texas Instruments and said they would sell the technology when ready.

 

[JC1]

Thanks alarmguy for the additional info about panel differences.

I already had the firesticks before I bought this tv. Cut the cable last January and am using IPTV now, so it's all good.

 

[alarmguy]

^^^ now that you cut the cable, isn’t it nice to be free to choose the programming you want?
We just love it

 

[JC1]

^^^ now that you cut the cable, isn’t it nice to be free to choose the programming you want?
We just love it

Oh yeah, I'm enjoying saving $60 a month on my cable bill. Inhabe Netflix too

 

[JC1]

Had to do some more tweaks for the color settings. Since the firestick has it own color settings in addition to the TV, some stuff looks good on IPTV and others are washed out. Especially if it's not coming in as a HD feed.

Wife and son are complaining, so I might have to move this to the man cave in the basement. ;-)