Michigan Radio & TV Buzzboard

Anybody out there still own a plasma or even older, CRT television?

I visited my sister this weekend and watched the Lions game on her new 75-inch tv. And as nice as it was to watch it on such a big screen, I still personally find the image quality to be significantly better on my 37" Plasma TV and even my 27" Samsung slim-fit CRT TV (the latter being one of the last consumer CRT TV's made in the US, I think in like 2006). I can't even quite describe in words exactly what I find different about it - the closest I can come up with is that the image on the Plasma and CRT just looks more "natural." The image on the LCD seems almost kind of artificial and thin and just painted on there - I don't know how else to describe it. The CRT and Plasma, however, look more like I'm actually looking out of a window. And I've had this opinion of every single LCD screen I've ever seen in my life - including some that are considered higher-end.

I think it is a shame that CRT technology never advanced further. I can't help but wonder just how thin and lightweight such technology could have been made if the technology had advanced for another 15 years.

LED is the best these days, far better LCD

I assume you specifically mean OLED?

I haven't seen an OLED in-person, but on paper they do look like a large improvement over regular LED.

bmw wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 10, 2023 10:06 pm

I assume you specifically mean OLED?

I haven't seen an OLED in-person, but on paper they do look like a large improvement over regular LED.

Nope, actual LED. Hisense U8/U8K

I have a 1992 model Zenith TV with a digital converter. That is all I need.

TC Talks wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 10, 2023 10:08 pm

bmw wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 10, 2023 10:06 pm

I assume you specifically mean OLED?

I haven't seen an OLED in-person, but on paper they do look like a large improvement over regular LED.

Nope, actual LED. Hisense U8/U8K

you can do a lot better than a Hisense......
not saying it's bad, but there are others much better

billmich88888 wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 14, 2023 8:02 am

TC Talks wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 10, 2023 10:08 pm

bmw wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 10, 2023 10:06 pm

I assume you specifically mean OLED?

I haven't seen an OLED in-person, but on paper they do look like a large improvement over regular LED.

Nope, actual LED. Hisense U8/U8K

you can do a lot better than a Hisense......
not saying it's bad, but there are others much better

Not for the price. They have moved out of the super cheap category these days.

you aren't talking quality here, you are talking "value". Completely different discussion and metrics

A lot of YouTube television model reviewers rave about the Hisense's picture clarity. TC Talks is right.

Rtings.com also loves the U8K model, assigning it a total score of 8.5. Few sub-flagship models score that highly on their website, and most of the models that do receive such a score are far more expensive than the U8K Hisense in the same screen size.

https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/hisense/u8-u8k

The problem with Hisense is the so-called "panel lottery." You are more likely to get a lemon of a TV that needs to be returned to the store due to defect.

A 55" inch Hisense U8K can be had on Amazon.com for $698 right now. As a point of comparison, an LG OLED B3 in 55" size, which scored similarly in terms of overall score, is $1,197.

Which TV make & model is best depends heavily on viewing angles, room brightness, and type of content (e.g. movies vs. sports vs. gaming).

I have to agree with Bill here - the Hisense may be a good value proposition, but when we're talking "the best," it isn't even close.

As to the Hisense vs. the LG OLED B3, I have to disagree with the idea that these are similar in terms of performance. While it does excel in HDR brightness, it trails any OLED in just about every other category. And the one that matters most - to me, anyways, it is utter garbage. VIEWING ANGLES. Scores a 5.4. Brightness and colors change to the viewer if you so much as budge out of a straight-on sitting position.

As to specific OLED models, looks like the Samsung S90C is the TV to buy right now at $1597 for the 65-inch model as marginally better models cost double this.

10.0 Contrast
10.0 Blooming
10.0 Light Zone transitions
8.5 HDR Brightness (LG B3 model 7.1)
9.5 Color Gamut (LG model 8.8 )
9.6 Color Accuracy (post-calibration)
9.0 Gray Uniformity (LG model 8.4)
10.0 Black Uniformity
10.0 Viewing Angles (LG model 9.3)
8.0 Upscaling 480p (LG model 7.5)
9.8 Motion Response Time

Who's metric are you using here?

Probably Rtings.com

I personally am a fan of OLED sets, but my main set is located in a bright living room. So, my main set is a Samsung QLED with very good reflection handling. Black rendering and PQ isn't as good as most OLED sets but is nonetheless good.

In fairness, the LG B3 OLED does score about a half point better than the Hisense for everyday TV and sports content viewing, but the price premium over the Hisense is $500.

If one were to compare the $698 Hisense to a $698 regularly priced Samsung or LG unit of the same screen size, chances are quite good the Hisense's picture quality will be superior with the possible exception of wide viewing angles.

bmw wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 16, 2023 9:30 am

I have to agree with Bill here - the Hisense may be a good value proposition, but when we're talking "the best," it isn't even close.

As to the Hisense vs. the LG OLED B3, I have to disagree with the idea that these are similar in terms of performance. While it does excel in HDR brightness, it trails any OLED in just about every other category. And the one that matters most - to me, anyways, it is utter garbage. VIEWING ANGLES. Scores a 5.4. Brightness and colors change to the viewer if you so much as budge out of a straight-on sitting position.

As to specific OLED models, looks like the Samsung S90C is the TV to buy right now at $1597 for the 65-inch model as marginally better models cost double this.

10.0 Contrast
10.0 Blooming
10.0 Light Zone transitions
8.5 HDR Brightness (LG B3 model 7.1)
9.5 Color Gamut (LG model 8.8 )
9.6 Color Accuracy (post-calibration)
9.0 Gray Uniformity (LG model 8.4)
10.0 Black Uniformity
10.0 Viewing Angles (LG model 9.3)
8.0 Upscaling 480p (LG model 7.5)
9.8 Motion Response Time

I am upgrading my main TV from a 2012 65" Panasonic plasma to the 77" LG G3.
in a secondary room, I am getting a 65" LG C3 - No Dolby vision = no bueno (FOR ME)

For most of the past 6 months I've been splitting hairs "in that neighborhood" of which ones should I buy.

We all have our own budgets and priorities, and I hope that you get the best bang for your buck, but the discussion above is in a different zip code than Flagship LG/Samsung/Sony hair splitting....... and that's OK.

Just don't confuse Hisense with one of the big boys when it comes to "the overall best"

The LG OLEDs are very nice - no doubt.

Out of curiosity, what considerations persuaded you to choose the LG models over the equivalent Sony models?

Edit - re-reading BMW's post reminded me that Samsung is now in the OLED game, too! I was previously unaware of that fact. One of the popular TV review YouTubers (the Stop the FOMO channel) really likes the Samsung. The pedestal that attaches to the unit looks a bit unattractive to my eyes, though.

I do generally like the Tizen smart TV interface on the Samsung products. I will say deleting OTA channels used to be a pain in the ass, but that's not as difficult as it once was following recent software updates.

MWmetalhead wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 23, 2023 9:07 am

I will say deleting OTA channels used to be a pain in the ass, but that's not as difficult as it once was following recent software updates.

What's the deal with making ota channel editing a pain in the ass? I don't need 47 channels repeating the same 12.