In this video we incorrectly state the TCL S546 supports 4K 120Hz and not VRR. In fact, the S546 supports 4K 60 with limited VRR capabilities due to HDMI 2.0b inputs. The TCL R646 6-Series does support 4K 120 and VRR. We regret any confusion created by the error.
Hey everyone! I really botched the model numbers at the intro! S546 and S535. SMH. Anyway, you know what’s up. The 6-Series will be next if I can sort out the shipping nightmare it has become. Stay tuned!
I own this tv. It takes a lot of tweaking to get the colours to look right. Google tv is sluggish, but usable. It has a better picture than my 2019 6 series and the price was right. Overall I'm happy with my purchase
@@sc705 Not sure about the Google interface. Seems like it will come preinstalled with too much Google bloatware and also because I haven’t seen much about the Google interface. The fire tv and Roku interface seems to be more stable with more app support.
Bought this tv on Black Friday special for 499.00, 55 inch. Happy with it. Calibrated it and it looks like a 1000.00 tv . Blacks and clarity are its strong points. Get great 4K picture on my shield and Apple TV. Already had update. A great budget Tv. Didn’t notice blooming.
I have the 75" version of this tv and a shield. Can you play any Dolby Vision content (Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV+ etc) with Dolby Vision turned ON on the Nvidia Shield? It only outputs a black screen for me, so I am limited to HDR10 with the shield. Dolby Vision works fine when using the TCL Netflix app for example, and also when using the Shield on a different TV so it's unclear who's at fault...
@@aniketphatak951 A u tuber named Quantum has a channel. For $4.99 a month he will give you the setting for different TVs. He was a professional calibration expert. He thinks places like Best Buy are ripping people off for 3-400 dollars they charge to calibrate a tv.
Just bought this TV. Upgraded from our 6 year old 50inch 1080p Westinghouse. The sales rep said "so pretty much anything you buy will be an upgrade." Loving it so far.
I've had the 75" S546 for about a month now (paid $999 with Black Friday price match, should it go down), and I've been very close to returning it a few times - clearly the hassle of packing up such a large TV has contributed to holding on to it until now. I used a 55" LG C7 OLED since 2018 so it took quite a bit of tweaking to get the colors & black level "good enough" on the S546, coming from an OLED. I got to the point where the blooming is rarely noticeable so I am definitely happy with the picture quality (for the price). My biggest complaint must be the sluggishness of the interface. In 2021, I can't believe the lag after each key press on the TCL remote or the time it takes to load any streaming app. I must have been spoiled by LG's webOS, but it was truly miles ahead of this Google TV implementation almost 5 years ago now. I have a feeling it could be a hardware/processing power limitation so I am not very optimistic it will get any better via software updates. Are the 6-series TVs any better in this department? I ended up buying a Nvidia Shield Pro and regained some of that interface snappiness, however I have encountered what seems to be an incompatibility between the Shield and TCL TV when it comes to Dolby Vision content, which shows up as just black screen. I am limited to HDR10 on the Shield on S546. Dolby Vision works fine via the Google TV apps or if I connect the Shield to a different TV. @Digital Trends any chance TCL could comment on this?
Caleb, I'm a Roku lover. Would I be better off getting a 2022 TLC series 5 Google TV & attaching a Roku Ultra, rather than buying a 2021 model TLC Roku TV?? Thanks
I got this tv in the 55” for only $200 with all the pros and cons and only using this for streaming and occasional gaming on previous gen , i think for the price i wont be complaining
I remember I was so close to grabbing the 6-Series till you dropped your review for the Hisense U7G and that won me over. Loving the channel my guy, keep up the great work!
I thinks it's time, Finally! to upgrade from my 32" Sony Trinitron (almost 20 yrs); beautiful picture. Will this 55" TCL be a good tv to move to? or should I get the also new 55" TCL 6-Series or the Hisense U7g?
i got a 75" 6 series for a solid price about 6 months ago and i'm extremely pleased with it.. it does have occasional blooming, but only sometimes which is odd.. like if there's a black loading screen with just a loading animation in the corner, like the revolver in RDR2.. white text on a black background doesn't usually have it unless you're off angle.. but everything else is so great it doesn't bother me in the slightest
Having owned two 43" 5-series as computer monitors, I feel like a newer 65 or 75 inch 5-series would be "good enough" for a living room TV. I agree looks like TCL is getting into the personal data gathering business now, which I'm not happy with. I would not choose one as my preferred reference TV, especially after buying a Sony OLED.
TCL recently released a software update for their Google TV operating systems. Since then, I have noticed a massive reduction in smoothness with the apps. Greater response and lack of response from the game mode. As well as other minor improvements.
There have been lots and lots of complaints with the Google OS and I hope Caleb elaborates on it more. Although this is a budget TV it may be better suited to those who have the patience and knowledge to work through it. For example visiting forums for tips to navigate through the gremlins. You should be able to use the internal apps on a TV but this may be a case where you're better off setting up the TV as a basic TV and using a 3rd party streaming device. As for TCL's lack of experience with Google OS, they use android - the basis for the Google OS - in other regions of the world so it's surprising they're having so much trouble implementing this OS in the USA.
I wish TCL would use same model numbers in Australia to make it easier for research... I am looking at buying a TCL C735 98" or a Sony X95J 85 " at the same price but can't find a single review on the TCL..any thoughts?
just got a new 65" Sony X90J. From what I have seen in the reviews this does not have a lot of local dimming zones, but does have plenty of clever processing. So far I have not noticed any issues with blooming or halo effects.
I was on the fence about the 75'' Sony XJ90 this year. The zone count is my biggest gripe, since I'm using an old LG UJ750 atm, and it has like 9 zones total. It sucks. The haloing (more like blocks really) light up really bad, and when they don't, black crush is real. Looking forward to Sony actually doing away with the low count next year. That's what I'm hoping for at least.
I bought the 75 inch x80j. I also have the Sonos beam open box and two ones from Facebook marketplace 130$ each. I’m in Canada and paid 1600$ tax in for the tv and 750$ for the speakers. Crazy great experience and blooming etc doesn’t really matter. I would invest in speakers and an entry level tv to get the best experience for the best price
I’m still very happy with my 2020 TCL Roku 6 Series’s I picked up in Feb. The only issue I’ve found is sometimes I have to unplug the unit and plug it back in to reset the internet connection. Essentially reboot the TV.
I agree with your comments on the account setup. Samsung do the same on some of their phones. Wonder if it would work if you disconnected the internet connection
Samsung doesn't do the same thing with their TV's. Samsung has a full cross platform ecosystem (SmartThings) to make your life easier. They had had my info for 12 years now and never gave me a reason to believe it was for shady reasons. TCL wants your data (info). It IS creepy. Caleb is right!
@@oilfan1977 I don't disagree with what Celeb said. Just mentioning that they all do it. The thing that TCL got wrong IMO is not giving you the option to not subscribe. I don't subscrivbe to Samsung for TV or mobile. At the end of the day it needs to be individuals choice. As you say Smartthings is there to make your life easier. I personally don't like it so don't use it. Same as if you choose to store info in google or microsoft. Has to come down to personal choice. TCL go it wrong in this case and I would not go with the TV for that reason
I recently purchased the TCL75s546 and am planning (for privacy reasons) to set it up in Basic mode and use a less personally invasive tool , like my Firestick, for the 'smart' features . Do software updates available in the full Google mode affect the actual TV settings or just the smart' TV aspects? I am also planning on using the optical audio out to be connected to my receiver, then to my surround speakers. . Can I assume this output will carry the audio from the different HDMI inputs? Does the volume control on the remote control this or will I need to use the volume control on the receiver? Also a thankyou for the thoroughness of your reviews. Have always found them very helpful in making my selections.
I know nothing about zones! Lol. This is why i love watching your videos, cuz i learn so much! What video should i watch and learn more about these zones?
Caleb, great content as usual. Could you test on this (or likely any TCL I suspect) the headphone jack output option to portable speakers and let me know your thoughts? I have a 55” and now 32” 1080 for bedroom and it is when I removed my older LCD and connected the new TCL 32” to my 3.5mm speaker/subwoofer that I noticed how LOW volume and No Bass there was.... to the point I thought something happened to my speakers in the reconnection! Sound had to be set near full on speakers, and above 50... even 60 on the TV to get relatively loud sound, and even then it was lacking bass and richness. It’s almost like when you only connect your earbuds halfway EXCEPT sound is out of both channels (ie stereo). I tried them back on the old LCD and sound was again loud and rich... volume at 1/2 on speakers and 4 or so on TV (NOT full and 60 or so). I then tried on the 55” and noticed similar results. Of course there I would not have noticed as it has a sound bar etc. For the room and viewing that will be done, this will still work, and I realize many may not rely on 3.5mm speakers for their audio, but WHAT is going on? Is this a hardware limitation, or software/OS limitation that maybe could be fixed? It’s a very noticeable difference, like about 25% - 30% normal volume and bass levels. Being the same experience on both my sets (Roku versions) I’m curious if it’s in all their line hardware-wise or OS/Platform related. Thanks
If you guys are having green and clipping skin tones problem, turn off Quick Start in Power setting and then restart. That fixes the problem each time you turn on the TV
I hope you do the 6 series soon. I'm looking to buy and I'm between the 75 inch TCL 6 series or the Samsung Q80A. So far all the research says the TCL is better rated!
Anyone who knows tvs knows that the modern ones that have ability to control backlighting zones is a plus if there are enough to help combat bloom and also offer as close to possible pixel perfect brightness so details and highlights can look their best. This isn't the be all and end all because there are multiple factors in screen technology in play but many times today, the backlighting is the biggest widespread issue in LCDs that can hinder the image performance. It's important in my purchase choice and I am waiting for something close to oled without the burn in. Neo Qled is close
I’ve got the 5 series from last year. At the price I paid I do like it. I’ve heard that android tv is going to come to it soon. After this tcl account situation I’m a bit concerned.
By any chance did you have any issue connecting the google controller to the tv? Kept telling me to pair it but could not detect it. It allows me to use the controller to control the Arab but google assistant which is the main reason of this tv is not working. Also was there any issues with it finding a wifi signal. My can not find any. Not sure if this is related, but thinking I have to return TV.
I care about zones, but it depends on the price. If I'm spending thousands of dollars, I want lots of zones. But even on lower end TVs, I'd like to see at least a few zones.
Please forgive me of different model question. 65R635 - can I rearange apps to display horizontal instead of a column? And can they be resized? They're huge. Sorry again. But thank you!!!
I need OLED, nothing has enough zones. I HATE blooming. The TCL Series 8 was the ONLY TV I have had that I liked but it only lasted 8 months and TCL has no repair facilities in the US after its out of warranty, so I got a refund and bought a Sony OLED
I only watch these videos because I love the reviews!! In my opinion TCL just isn't the tv for me.. is it less than a Sony,LG or Samsung sure it is but most people don't know a good tv even if it hits them in the face.. it me if you want the best picture quality, color Saturation the best upscaling, motion flow and all around punch 👊🏽 right now nothing comes close to a Sony.
Piece of advice from a TCL owner of multiple screens and even their phones, if you buy a TCL buy the ROKU version. You will regret anything else. The UI on the ROKU and functionality is much, much slicker. Not to mention that my Android TV upstairs is not Google Compatible even if it has integrated voice assistant in it. You cannot power it on and off with Google! I had to buy an extra Alexa Dot to manage it. Pick ROKU.
I got one recently. Wanted Roku but just found a great deal on the google version. I toyed with it a while to see if I liked it and noticed the same lag so just plugged in my Roku soundbar. Lag is gone now, lol. Maybe it will be better after they update the software but if it's anything like phones I am skeptical. Maybe they are trying to cram heavy software on cheap tv chips so not sure if it's Google's fault or tv manufacturing if that's the case.
My 2019 Vizio M series has 90 zones but I notice that newer M series do not have more than 32 zones now or any at all. I have seen new M models with 16,20, and 32 tops Dont know why instead of having more for the new ones they have way less.
@@avgnfandon2 I was until I heard that their TVs aren't getting the upgraded Google TV and that their remote only controls their TV and not much more unless you're using the Google assistant. I want a TV with remote that controls other devices that's connected to the TV like LG magic remote and Samsung one remote.
at 6:57 it says "sign in with you google account to get: ... -External devices (e.g. HDMI)" which makes it sounds like you can't use connected devices in basic tv mode, which makes no sense.... I primarily use Apple TV 4K so I'm curious to hear more about what the basic TV mode is like. Can anyone here comment on basic TV mode?
I care a lot about bloom which is why I bought OLED. Sadly, my a80j has a single dead pixel and I'm not gonna' ship this thing back and risk it breaking in shipment for a single pixel I can't even see from my normal seat when watching content. Breaks my heart, but that's life sometimes.
I am from Oman (Arabian Gulf Country) and the codes in here a bit different so I dont know which one is 5 or 6 series I could give some examples of 65" TVs and hope u could help us on this: 1- 4k UHD (65P615) @ approx $630 2- 4k HDR (65C715) @ approx $790 3- QLED (65C816) @ approx $970 Kindly note that these details are what's mentioned on the price tag
Now that I own ONE OLED (and it's not in MY room), I notice halo and blooming ALL THE TIME. :-( edit: I was excited about TCL picking-up Google TV, because Roku is having a lot of licensing/data sharing issues with just about every streaming service, but Google TV seems to have few issues. That said, those data sharing checks you need to make just to get Google TV up and running are getting creepier and creepier. lastly, I have a couple Google TV with RUclips TV remotes plugged into various displays around the house. so i'm comfortable with the Google TV ecosystem. it's not as idiot-proof as roku, but it's better than the older LG and Tizen interfaces (new LG WebOS is decent on the C1s...and it seems to copy Google TV).
Just got a new tv and had same concerns and best I can tell it seems like Google is causing most of the issues. Fire just got RUclips a year or so ago because Google was fighting with Amazon. Now they are fighting with Roku. So it makes sense Google wouldn't have the issue, since they are causing the issues. Other than that Roku isn't having any license problems. The Amazon news a while back wasn't true apparently.
@@kai-dj2qj sort of. Roku ran into the exact same issue with HBO Max. I think the root of the issue has more to do with where their revenue comes from. As Roku is just an OS and not any sort of content provider. They only make money by licensing with the TV makers and through advertising, and I'm guessing they're pulling more than the content providers like HBO Max and Google want to give them. It's the same thing I think as content providers renegotiating with cable providers and the cable TV arena.
I watch series/movies in original language with subtitles (english is not my first language), so i'd prefer 0 zones, or local dimming completely off, because subtiltes and local dimming are not good friends . But i watch all of them on my monitor, i don't even have a tv, so i don't know, what am i doing here... :)
As an "average person" from CANADA, could you please do 5 seconds of research and tell us the price in Canada as well? That would be great! Thanks. Happy American Thanksgiving.
@@johnb4905 I was waiting for that response. Yes, I can. But so can viewers in the US. So why only give the American price? Oh I know why, it's because they are the centre of the universe and nothing else matters. And yes, that's how Canadians spell centre.
@@kractass LOL Because Digital Trends is based in the U.S. It would be like me bellyaching that a Canadian site didn't give U.S. prices. I think the only reason Caleb mentioned price was as a reference to historical prices.
Not an alternative at this price and performance segment. I agree at the higher end OLED offers the best overall picture quality as long as your usage isn't prone to burn in. i.e. using the TV as a monitor or watching the same news channel day in and day out.
STAY FAR AWAY FROM THIS TV UNTIL TCL & GOOGLE TV FIGURES OUT ALL THE KINKS!!! The interface is incredibly buggy, glitchy & problematic. Just check out all the reviews. Stick to the tried & true Roku version instead.
In this video we incorrectly state the TCL S546 supports 4K 120Hz and not VRR. In fact, the S546 supports 4K 60 with limited VRR capabilities due to HDMI 2.0b inputs. The TCL R646 6-Series does support 4K 120 and VRR. We regret any confusion created by the error.
Hey everyone! I really botched the model numbers at the intro! S546 and S535. SMH. Anyway, you know what’s up. The 6-Series will be next if I can sort out the shipping nightmare it has become. Stay tuned!
I was wondering why you never reviewed R646! glad to know its on the way
@@djm24able Great to hear! Glad we could help. Thanks for the comment!
@@itskenknight guess not
I own this tv. It takes a lot of tweaking to get the colours to look right. Google tv is sluggish, but usable. It has a better picture than my 2019 6 series and the price was right. Overall I'm happy with my purchase
Has the google tv sluggishness imrpoved?
@@Web-Slinger42 no.... I wouldn't buy
@@lukehayward8191 What if you use the Basic TV setup instead of the Google TV? Is the user experience any better?
Just bought the 55" from Best Buy on sale for $199 and I'm here to learn all about this insane deal.
Same
Same
I still haven’t picked mine up. Not sure about it
@@TahitiaRose what aren’t you sure about? I managed to find an open box. Will pick it up by this weekend
@@sc705 Not sure about the Google interface. Seems like it will come preinstalled with too much Google bloatware and also because I haven’t seen much about the Google interface. The fire tv and Roku interface seems to be more stable with more app support.
Just bought the 55' version of this TV from Best Buy for $199.00. Honestly I don't think you can get a better deal.
Bought this tv on Black Friday special for 499.00, 55 inch. Happy with it. Calibrated it and it looks like a 1000.00 tv . Blacks and clarity are its strong points. Get great 4K picture on my shield and Apple TV. Already had update. A great budget Tv. Didn’t notice blooming.
I have the 75" version of this tv and a shield. Can you play any Dolby Vision content (Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV+ etc) with Dolby Vision turned ON on the Nvidia Shield? It only outputs a black screen for me, so I am limited to HDR10 with the shield.
Dolby Vision works fine when using the TCL Netflix app for example, and also when using the Shield on a different TV so it's unclear who's at fault...
What do those button above Netflix do
@Craig what did you do as far as calibration is concerned ?
@@aniketphatak951 A u tuber named Quantum has a channel. For $4.99 a month he will give you the setting for different TVs. He was a professional calibration expert. He thinks places like Best Buy are ripping people off for 3-400 dollars they charge to calibrate a tv.
Just bought this TV. Upgraded from our 6 year old 50inch 1080p Westinghouse. The sales rep said "so pretty much anything you buy will be an upgrade." Loving it so far.
I've had the 75" S546 for about a month now (paid $999 with Black Friday price match, should it go down), and I've been very close to returning it a few times - clearly the hassle of packing up such a large TV has contributed to holding on to it until now.
I used a 55" LG C7 OLED since 2018 so it took quite a bit of tweaking to get the colors & black level "good enough" on the S546, coming from an OLED. I got to the point where the blooming is rarely noticeable so I am definitely happy with the picture quality (for the price).
My biggest complaint must be the sluggishness of the interface. In 2021, I can't believe the lag after each key press on the TCL remote or the time it takes to load any streaming app.
I must have been spoiled by LG's webOS, but it was truly miles ahead of this Google TV implementation almost 5 years ago now. I have a feeling it could be a hardware/processing power limitation so I am not very optimistic it will get any better via software updates. Are the 6-series TVs any better in this department?
I ended up buying a Nvidia Shield Pro and regained some of that interface snappiness, however I have encountered what seems to be an incompatibility between the Shield and TCL TV when it comes to Dolby Vision content, which shows up as just black screen. I am limited to HDR10 on the Shield on S546. Dolby Vision works fine via the Google TV apps or if I connect the Shield to a different TV.
@Digital Trends any chance TCL could comment on this?
Caleb, I'm a Roku lover. Would I be better off getting a 2022 TLC series 5 Google TV & attaching a Roku Ultra, rather than buying a 2021 model TLC Roku TV?? Thanks
This is my question, too
I got this tv in the 55” for only $200 with all the pros and cons and only using this for streaming and occasional gaming on previous gen , i think for the price i wont be complaining
I remember I was so close to grabbing the 6-Series till you dropped your review for the Hisense U7G and that won me over. Loving the channel my guy, keep up the great work!
I have a 2yr old TCL 6 series. Best TV I've ever owned!
I thinks it's time, Finally! to upgrade from my 32" Sony Trinitron (almost 20 yrs); beautiful picture. Will this 55" TCL be a good tv to move to? or should I get the also new 55" TCL 6-Series or the Hisense U7g?
U7G, no doubt! Just bought the U8G last week and still waiting for it to ship! Watched 2 reviews on it and I'm convinced about its capabilities!!
U7G; it’s sensational. Got mine about 2 months ago and I’ve been pleased ever since
I've owned both TCL and Hisense and had reliability issues with the HiSense. I think TCLs are better made
i got a 75" 6 series for a solid price about 6 months ago and i'm extremely pleased with it.. it does have occasional blooming, but only sometimes which is odd.. like if there's a black loading screen with just a loading animation in the corner, like the revolver in RDR2.. white text on a black background doesn't usually have it unless you're off angle.. but everything else is so great it doesn't bother me in the slightest
Having owned two 43" 5-series as computer monitors, I feel like a newer 65 or 75 inch 5-series would be "good enough" for a living room TV. I agree looks like TCL is getting into the personal data gathering business now, which I'm not happy with. I would not choose one as my preferred reference TV, especially after buying a Sony OLED.
Which Sony OLED? Reasonable price with Google TV?
TCL recently released a software update for their Google TV operating systems. Since then, I have noticed a massive reduction in smoothness with the apps. Greater response and lack of response from the game mode. As well as other minor improvements.
There have been lots and lots of complaints with the Google OS and I hope Caleb elaborates on it more. Although this is a budget TV it may be better suited to those who have the patience and knowledge to work through it. For example visiting forums for tips to navigate through the gremlins.
You should be able to use the internal apps on a TV but this may be a case where you're better off setting up the TV as a basic TV and using a 3rd party streaming device.
As for TCL's lack of experience with Google OS, they use android - the basis for the Google OS - in other regions of the world so it's surprising they're having so much trouble implementing this OS in the USA.
I wish TCL would use same model numbers in Australia to make it easier for research... I am looking at buying a TCL C735 98" or a Sony X95J 85 " at the same price but can't find a single review on the TCL..any thoughts?
Will you be reviewing the TCL R646 or unboxing to?
just got a new 65" Sony X90J. From what I have seen in the reviews this does not have a lot of local dimming zones, but does have plenty of clever processing. So far I have not noticed any issues with blooming or halo effects.
I was on the fence about the 75'' Sony XJ90 this year. The zone count is my biggest gripe, since I'm using an old LG UJ750 atm, and it has like 9 zones total. It sucks. The haloing (more like blocks really) light up really bad, and when they don't, black crush is real. Looking forward to Sony actually doing away with the low count next year. That's what I'm hoping for at least.
I bought the 75 inch x80j. I also have the Sonos beam open box and two ones from Facebook marketplace 130$ each. I’m in Canada and paid 1600$ tax in for the tv and 750$ for the speakers. Crazy great experience and blooming etc doesn’t really matter. I would invest in speakers and an entry level tv to get the best experience for the best price
I’m still very happy with my 2020 TCL Roku 6 Series’s I picked up in Feb. The only issue I’ve found is sometimes I have to unplug the unit and plug it back in to reset the internet connection. Essentially reboot the TV.
I agree with your comments on the account setup. Samsung do the same on some of their phones. Wonder if it would work if you disconnected the internet connection
Tv would still work, but you wouldn’t have access to google tv. You could get a google tv stick thing.
Samsung doesn't do the same thing with their TV's. Samsung has a full cross platform ecosystem (SmartThings) to make your life easier. They had had my info for 12 years now and never gave me a reason to believe it was for shady reasons. TCL wants your data (info). It IS creepy. Caleb is right!
@@oilfan1977 I don't disagree with what Celeb said. Just mentioning that they all do it. The thing that TCL got wrong IMO is not giving you the option to not subscribe. I don't subscrivbe to Samsung for TV or mobile. At the end of the day it needs to be individuals choice. As you say Smartthings is there to make your life easier. I personally don't like it so don't use it. Same as if you choose to store info in google or microsoft. Has to come down to personal choice. TCL go it wrong in this case and I would not go with the TV for that reason
@@spikeukspikeuk Agreed.
I recently purchased the TCL75s546 and am planning (for privacy reasons) to set it up in Basic mode and use a less personally invasive tool , like my Firestick, for the 'smart' features . Do software updates available in the full Google mode affect the actual TV settings or just the smart' TV aspects? I am also planning on using the optical audio out to be connected to my receiver, then to my surround speakers. . Can I assume this output will carry the audio from the different HDMI inputs? Does the volume control on the remote control this or will I need to use the volume control on the receiver? Also a thankyou for the thoroughness of your reviews. Have always found them very helpful in making my selections.
Sooo glad I bought the Roku version of this. Heck with all those permissions.
I know nothing about zones! Lol. This is why i love watching your videos, cuz i learn so much! What video should i watch and learn more about these zones?
Why does every tv put the eARC port on HDMI 2.1 ports when there are usually a ton of “lesser” HDMI ports available? Is it a bandwidth thing?!
Caleb, great content as usual. Could you test on this (or likely any TCL I suspect) the headphone jack output option to portable speakers and let me know your thoughts? I have a 55” and now 32” 1080 for bedroom and it is when I removed my older LCD and connected the new TCL 32” to my 3.5mm speaker/subwoofer that I noticed how LOW volume and No Bass there was.... to the point I thought something happened to my speakers in the reconnection! Sound had to be set near full on speakers, and above 50... even 60 on the TV to get relatively loud sound, and even then it was lacking bass and richness. It’s almost like when you only connect your earbuds halfway EXCEPT sound is out of both channels (ie stereo). I tried them back on the old LCD and sound was again loud and rich... volume at 1/2 on speakers and 4 or so on TV (NOT full and 60 or so). I then tried on the 55” and noticed similar results. Of course there I would not have noticed as it has a sound bar etc. For the room and viewing that will be done, this will still work, and I realize many may not rely on 3.5mm speakers for their audio, but WHAT is going on? Is this a hardware limitation, or software/OS limitation that maybe could be fixed? It’s a very noticeable difference, like about 25% - 30% normal volume and bass levels. Being the same experience on both my sets (Roku versions) I’m curious if it’s in all their line hardware-wise or OS/Platform related. Thanks
If you guys are having green and clipping skin tones problem, turn off Quick Start in Power setting and then restart. That fixes the problem each time you turn on the TV
I hope you do the 6 series soon. I'm looking to buy and I'm between the 75 inch TCL 6 series or the Samsung Q80A. So far all the research says the TCL is better rated!
Anyone who knows tvs knows that the modern ones that have ability to control backlighting zones is a plus if there are enough to help combat bloom and also offer as close to possible pixel perfect brightness so details and highlights can look their best. This isn't the be all and end all because there are multiple factors in screen technology in play but many times today, the backlighting is the biggest widespread issue in LCDs that can hinder the image performance. It's important in my purchase choice and I am waiting for something close to oled without the burn in. Neo Qled is close
My 65" Sony X900H has 32 zones and it does great but I feel if Sony went with 64 zones on my TV it would have done amazing with very little ghosting.
I’ve got the 5 series from last year. At the price I paid I do like it. I’ve heard that android tv is going to come to it soon. After this tcl account situation I’m a bit concerned.
By any chance did you have any issue connecting the google controller to the tv? Kept telling me to pair it but could not detect it. It allows me to use the controller to control the Arab but google assistant which is the main reason of this tv is not working.
Also was there any issues with it finding a wifi signal. My can not find any. Not sure if this is related, but thinking I have to return TV.
Roku tv is the best solution for those budget tv I bought the Hisense from Costco for the same the price as TCL 5 series with Roku tv for my family
So can you download ROKU live tv on this…? Or if you set it up as regular tv will it have ROKU live tv…?
TCL doesn't even sell this in my country but hopefully things will change.
When are you unboxing and reviewing the 6 series r646?
I care about zones, but it depends on the price. If I'm spending thousands of dollars, I want lots of zones. But even on lower end TVs, I'd like to see at least a few zones.
Please forgive me of different model question. 65R635 - can I rearange apps to display horizontal instead of a column? And can they be resized? They're huge. Sorry again. But thank you!!!
Have a Roku 65 inch Sanyo TV for over 2 years not and am totally satisfied with the unit and the picture quality. 4K is great.
Do you have to set up accounts and all that stuff if you just use the "basic tv" mode?
No you don't. I bought this TV a couple weeks ago. Haven't used the "Google TV" I set it up as Basic TV and have had no problems
I need OLED, nothing has enough zones. I HATE blooming. The TCL Series 8 was the ONLY TV I have had that I liked but it only lasted 8 months and TCL has no repair facilities in the US after its out of warranty, so I got a refund and bought a Sony OLED
What happened to your video about the settings for this tv. I had paused it to go over it later but it says it's private now. What happened?
Spend the extra handful of $ and get a 6 series, which are also on sale for close to 5 series prices.
6-Series R646 review happening soon?
I have the 65 inch h900 and I never notice blooming from the back light except when there is white text on a black background.
I only watch these videos because I love the reviews!! In my opinion TCL just isn't the tv for me.. is it less than a Sony,LG or Samsung sure it is but most people don't know a good tv even if it hits them in the face.. it me if you want the best picture quality, color Saturation the best upscaling, motion flow and all around punch 👊🏽 right now nothing comes close to a Sony.
Piece of advice from a TCL owner of multiple screens and even their phones, if you buy a TCL buy the ROKU version. You will regret anything else. The UI on the ROKU and functionality is much, much slicker. Not to mention that my Android TV upstairs is not Google Compatible even if it has integrated voice assistant in it. You cannot power it on and off with Google! I had to buy an extra Alexa Dot to manage it. Pick ROKU.
If you set it up as a basic tv is the tv snappier?
I got one recently. Wanted Roku but just found a great deal on the google version. I toyed with it a while to see if I liked it and noticed the same lag so just plugged in my Roku soundbar. Lag is gone now, lol. Maybe it will be better after they update the software but if it's anything like phones I am skeptical. Maybe they are trying to cram heavy software on cheap tv chips so not sure if it's Google's fault or tv manufacturing if that's the case.
@@kai-dj2qj ok, that is weird. Why in the world plugging in a sound bar make any difference? What?
My 2019 Vizio M series has 90 zones but I notice that newer M series do not have more than 32 zones now or any at all.
I have seen new M models with 16,20, and 32 tops
Dont know why instead of having more for the new ones they have way less.
where do I find the TV settings you were going to list?
Those will be in a separate deep dive video that is coming soon!
@@digitaltrends can't wait. This set needs serious fine tuning. I almost have mine looking great bit it took a ton of tinkering
Sony and Hisense are the two I'm looking at for my next TV in my room.
I’d honestly say go with Hisense
@@avgnfandon2 I was until I heard that their TVs aren't getting the upgraded Google TV and that their remote only controls their TV and not much more unless you're using the Google assistant. I want a TV with remote that controls other devices that's connected to the TV like LG magic remote and Samsung one remote.
We're still waiting on that tcl 6 series full review for the r646
PLEASE contact TCL for clarification on their data harvesting. In particular, ask them to explain why a TV needs access to its owner's Google Drive.
so it can use your photos for a screen saver
at 6:57 it says "sign in with you google account to get: ... -External devices (e.g. HDMI)" which makes it sounds like you can't use connected devices in basic tv mode, which makes no sense.... I primarily use Apple TV 4K so I'm curious to hear more about what the basic TV mode is like. Can anyone here comment on basic TV mode?
Dirty screen/banding and motion effects are the two main things I look for.
With the black Friday sale of the 6 series 4k on sale for $898... Not a very impressive price.
0:36 "R546 as opposed to R545". Do you mean S546 and s545???
Has anyone had trouble getting their remote to work? Bc i have my tv on but cant use it bc the remote isn't working
I care about blooming. I wish Sony would put more than 500 zones in their top 4K led tv.
Where can I buy a emote for this tv
i like at least 6 hdmi ports . 1 being arc and 2 being 4 k 120hz. or 2 at 4k 60 or 1 at 4k 60 and 1 at 4k120.
Why don't they offer a Roku version of this TV?
They do
I care a lot about bloom which is why I bought OLED. Sadly, my a80j has a single dead pixel and I'm not gonna' ship this thing back and risk it breaking in shipment for a single pixel I can't even see from my normal seat when watching content. Breaks my heart, but that's life sometimes.
I am from Oman (Arabian Gulf Country) and the codes in here a bit different so I dont know which one is 5 or 6 series
I could give some examples of 65" TVs and hope u could help us on this:
1- 4k UHD (65P615) @ approx $630
2- 4k HDR (65C715) @ approx $790
3- QLED (65C816) @ approx $970
Kindly note that these details are what's mentioned on the price tag
Now that I own ONE OLED (and it's not in MY room), I notice halo and blooming ALL THE TIME. :-(
edit: I was excited about TCL picking-up Google TV, because Roku is having a lot of licensing/data sharing issues with just about every streaming service, but Google TV seems to have few issues. That said, those data sharing checks you need to make just to get Google TV up and running are getting creepier and creepier.
lastly, I have a couple Google TV with RUclips TV remotes plugged into various displays around the house. so i'm comfortable with the Google TV ecosystem. it's not as idiot-proof as roku, but it's better than the older LG and Tizen interfaces (new LG WebOS is decent on the C1s...and it seems to copy Google TV).
Just got a new tv and had same concerns and best I can tell it seems like Google is causing most of the issues. Fire just got RUclips a year or so ago because Google was fighting with Amazon. Now they are fighting with Roku. So it makes sense Google wouldn't have the issue, since they are causing the issues. Other than that Roku isn't having any license problems. The Amazon news a while back wasn't true apparently.
@@kai-dj2qj sort of. Roku ran into the exact same issue with HBO Max. I think the root of the issue has more to do with where their revenue comes from. As Roku is just an OS and not any sort of content provider. They only make money by licensing with the TV makers and through advertising, and I'm guessing they're pulling more than the content providers like HBO Max and Google want to give them. It's the same thing I think as content providers renegotiating with cable providers and the cable TV arena.
My eyes have a hard time seeing a good picture. I will need a bright television before long.
I watch series/movies in original language with subtitles (english is not my first language), so i'd prefer 0 zones, or local dimming completely off, because subtiltes and local dimming are not good friends . But i watch all of them on my monitor, i don't even have a tv, so i don't know, what am i doing here... :)
Review the TCL r646 please!!! :D
This tv feels like the Tcl r625, but with "2021" tech and Google tv too! xD
As an "average person" from CANADA, could you please do 5 seconds of research and tell us the price in Canada as well? That would be great! Thanks. Happy American Thanksgiving.
As an average person in Canada can't you take a few moments to figure out the price where you live?
@@johnb4905 I was waiting for that response. Yes, I can. But so can viewers in the US. So why only give the American price? Oh I know why, it's because they are the centre of the universe and nothing else matters. And yes, that's how Canadians spell centre.
@@kractass LOL Because Digital Trends is based in the U.S. It would be like me bellyaching that a Canadian site didn't give U.S. prices.
I think the only reason Caleb mentioned price was as a reference to historical prices.
Under $600 for the 50"
Finally, a True Cats Loathe TV. Phew
One zone per a LED would be nice.
Please review tcl C6 2019
I don't understand why there aren't profiles. I live in a household of 4 with all different interests.. hmm
There are. It's in the settings. You can set up kid profiles with time limits and app restrictions
Caleb destroyed that screw in the foot. Wrong size bit.
That's a no sale as soon as I saw the tcl account stuff
@Ally I was ok with Google stuff, not the tcl stuff
Because tcl already got their hand slapped for stealing data
Just set it up as a basic TV and use a 3rd party streaming device.
@@johnb4905 does this allow to use the tv without all that setup an info ?
I miss when you could just unbox a tv plug it in and that was it.
I have 90 zones on my U7G I believe. I would like 200.
To me blooming take away the jagged edge ..and it look 3D...
WHERE 👏IS👏HISENSE👏U6G?👏
JUST MAKE IT AVAILABLE ON EUROPE
TCL and Hisense TVs 👎 I'd personally pay extra for an LG or Sony.
I wonder if the RUclips app works on a TCL google TV since TCL and Google are having pissing match about YT
RUclips works fine
Making me sign up for an account I don't want to use a TV is a no go for me.
Halo is a huge distraction while watching, so Yes it matters.
Long commercials = 👎
Oled is my answer
Not an alternative at this price and performance segment. I agree at the higher end OLED offers the best overall picture quality as long as your usage isn't prone to burn in. i.e. using the TV as a monitor or watching the same news channel day in and day out.
Burn in is not the answer 😬lol
40 minutes to rush a setup!!! Omg!! TV's are becoming worse then mobile phones when it comes to setup.
The OTA update is very slow
👌
💯💯💯💯
STAY FAR AWAY FROM THIS TV UNTIL TCL & GOOGLE TV FIGURES OUT ALL THE KINKS!!! The interface is incredibly buggy, glitchy & problematic. Just check out all the reviews. Stick to the tried & true Roku version instead.
depends on use case, the google version has HDMI 2.1 for example. so advising ppl to get the roku tv's is not wise in 2021
@@nitefalcon It's also has a lot of issues. 🤷🏽♂️
It's a bit slow.but not that bad. My Samsung running Tizen is way worse
@@lukehayward8191 Even Caleb said that within the short time that he's had the tv it's been problems with the OS.
I had no issues
L🤭L CCP appreciates consumer's giving them access to monitor their Private Data! 🤫
I went OLED and I can never go back to LED now.
Biden inflation.