Welcome to NeoGAF's official TV thread!
First and foremost, this thread is the spiritual successor to Spannicus' excellent 2013 TV thread, that can be found here http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=516410
Current TV Technologies - will expand
- LED
- OLED
- Others
Current Resolutions - will expand
- 1080P
- 4K
- 8K
Other Terms to Know
- Color Banding -
- Contrast Ratio -
- Dynamic Metadata -
- HDR - High Dynamic Range - The goal of HDR is to better reproduce the tremendous range of brightnesses found in the real world. Traditional media and displays show the interior of a dark cave or a bright sunny day by adjusting exposure to bring both into a similar range, like looking at two photographs side by side. Compare that to walking into a dark cave where your eyes slowly adjust to reveal subtle details in the darkness, and then into a bright meadow where the sun is almost painfully bright until your eyes adjust to take in the vibrant colors. Thats what HDR is supposed to do.There are two competition specifications, HDR10 and Dolby Vision, that tackle the same problem (for more information see this site.) HDR10 appears to be gaining more momentum though there are definitely advantages to Dolby Vision. One of the early missteps of HDR10 is not having strict compliance requirements. So there are sets that can interpret the HDR10 signal and produce an image without actually delivering the intended experience. UHD Premium certification is one way to tell if a set can simultaneously produce sufficient shadow detail and low enough black levels as well as the desired peak brightness. (thanks Lady Gaia)
- HFR -
- IPS -
- LCD -
- LED -
- Near Black -
- OLED -
- QLED -
- Refresh Rate -
- Resolution -
- Uniformity -
- VA -
- Vignetting -
HDMI Types - will expand
- 1.0 -
- 1.4 -
- 2.0 -
- 2.1 - The upcoming standard (not yet available, as it is set to release in Q2 2017)
Link to Caayn's thread on 2.1
...improvements over HDMI 2.0
TV Size Guide - will expand
Although a jump of - say - 10" in screen size doesn't seem like a lot, it's a bit deceiving. Because screens are measured on the diagonal (e.g. a 55" TV is 55" diagonally, but the width is 47.9" and the height is 27.0"), a 10" increase will appear to be much more.
Let's take this example of a 55" TV vs. a 65" TV. The increase from 55" to 65" is an 18.2% increase in the diagonal, but an increase of 39.7% in screen area. From 55" to 75" results in an 86.0% increase in screen area. This is why TVs begin to get really expensive when they get really big.
Here's a picture to make it clearer:
Go here for more info.
CES 2017 Announcements
LG
Panasonic
Samsung
Sony
TCL / Sharp
Vizio
HDMI
- 1.0 -
- 1.4 -
- 2.0 -
- 2.1 - The new HDMI2.1 specification has just been announced and it contains some really good improvements over HDMI 2.0
Higher Video Resolutions support a range of higher resolutions and faster refresh rates including 8K60Hz and 4K120Hz for immersive viewing and smooth fast-action detail.
Dynamic HDR ensures every moment of a video is displayed at its ideal values for depth, detail, brightness, contrast, and wider color gamuts-on a scene-by-scene or even a frame-by-frame basis.
48G cables enable up to 48Gbps bandwidth for uncompressed HDMI 2.1 feature support including 8K video with HDR. The cable is backwards compatible with earlier versions of the HDMI Specification and can be used with existing HDMI devices.
eARC supports the most advanced audio formats such as object-based audio, and enables advanced audio signal control capabilities including device auto-detect.
Game Mode VRR features variable refresh rate, which enables a 3D graphics processor to display the image at the moment it is rendered for more fluid and better detailed gameplay, and for reducing or eliminating lag, stutter, and frame tearing.
TV Recommendations - will expand
rtings.com - Best TVs
rtings.com - Best 4K TV
rtings.com - Best TV for Gaming
Projector for Gaming Recommendations
Other Helpful Links - will expand
HDR thread - thread by NeoGAF's Cobalt Izuna
displaylag.com
Calibration hardware / software post (thanks III-V)
Cable management thread (thanks Marty Chinn)
Helpful Tips for New Buyers - will expand
- (12/8/2016) If possible, wait. CES 2017 - the world's biggest consumer electronics show - is in early January, and this is where effectively all TV announcements are made. New OLEDs, cheaper models, new tech...you name it, CES will have it.
- Be cognizant of where you're buying your TV from. Sometimes the best deal doesn't mean the best return policies, warranties, etc. Ask the folks here
- Don't be afraid to ask GAF. The regulars in here are incredibly knowledgeable, respectful AND helpful. Whether it's about a specific TV or a general TV question, don't hesitate.
How to break in your new TV - thanks holygeesus
- OLED - I would check the basics like uniformity - I know a lot of people swear by checking slides for banding etc, but I find it far more useful to look at your new panel with a completely white screen and check the image for tinting, which is one of my own personal niggles. The 2016 LG range is designed to be brighter at the left and right sides of the image to combat vignetting, so that is normal. However people should probably check for tinting, especially red which can be distracting.
I would also watch a lot of sport in the first few days. On panning shots, check for distinctive bands in the image as the camera moves across the field. This test, to me, is more important than checking slides for banding, as it's real world usage. I don't care if very specific test slides show mild bands as long as I don't see them during normal use, that is fine.
65" buyers in particular should be aware of vignetting, which is still an issue, albeit mitigated somewhat this generation. This is where the edge of the screen appears darker than the rest, and is very noticeable during dark scenes. As I say, LG did put in measures to combat this, but some sets still seem to suffer, so it is worth watching for.
Like any set, buy it from a retailer with a good returns policy and don't be afraid to return a set with any small issue, as if you notice something during the first few days of use, it is likely something that will annoy you every time you fire up your set, and for the money you are spending, you shouldn't put up with that.
Saying all that, if you do have any of the issues mentioned, it is worth running a manual compensation cycle before returning, as certain issues do seem to improve over time. Bands in particular.
First and foremost, this thread is the spiritual successor to Spannicus' excellent 2013 TV thread, that can be found here http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=516410
Current TV Technologies - will expand
- LED
- OLED
- Others
Current Resolutions - will expand
- 1080P
- 4K
- 8K
Other Terms to Know
- Color Banding -
- Contrast Ratio -
- Dynamic Metadata -
- HDR - High Dynamic Range - The goal of HDR is to better reproduce the tremendous range of brightnesses found in the real world. Traditional media and displays show the interior of a dark cave or a bright sunny day by adjusting exposure to bring both into a similar range, like looking at two photographs side by side. Compare that to walking into a dark cave where your eyes slowly adjust to reveal subtle details in the darkness, and then into a bright meadow where the sun is almost painfully bright until your eyes adjust to take in the vibrant colors. Thats what HDR is supposed to do.There are two competition specifications, HDR10 and Dolby Vision, that tackle the same problem (for more information see this site.) HDR10 appears to be gaining more momentum though there are definitely advantages to Dolby Vision. One of the early missteps of HDR10 is not having strict compliance requirements. So there are sets that can interpret the HDR10 signal and produce an image without actually delivering the intended experience. UHD Premium certification is one way to tell if a set can simultaneously produce sufficient shadow detail and low enough black levels as well as the desired peak brightness. (thanks Lady Gaia)
- HFR -
- IPS -
- LCD -
- LED -
- Near Black -
- OLED -
- QLED -
- Refresh Rate -
- Resolution -
- Uniformity -
- VA -
- Vignetting -
HDMI Types - will expand
- 1.0 -
- 1.4 -
- 2.0 -
- 2.1 - The upcoming standard (not yet available, as it is set to release in Q2 2017)
Link to Caayn's thread on 2.1
...improvements over HDMI 2.0
- Higher Video Resolutions support a range of higher resolutions and faster refresh rates including 8K60Hz and 4K120Hz for immersive viewing and smooth fast-action detail.
- Dynamic HDR ensures every moment of a video is displayed at its ideal values for depth, detail, brightness, contrast, and wider color gamuts-on a scene-by-scene or even a frame-by-frame basis.
- 48G cables enable up to 48Gbps bandwidth for uncompressed HDMI 2.1 feature support including 8K video with HDR. The cable is backwards compatible with earlier versions of the HDMI Specification and can be used with existing HDMI devices.
- eARC supports the most advanced audio formats such as object-based audio, and enables advanced audio signal control capabilities including device auto-detect.
- Game Mode VRR features variable refresh rate, which enables a 3D graphics processor to display the image at the moment it is rendered for more fluid and better detailed gameplay, and for reducing or eliminating lag, stutter, and frame tearing.
TV Size Guide - will expand
Although a jump of - say - 10" in screen size doesn't seem like a lot, it's a bit deceiving. Because screens are measured on the diagonal (e.g. a 55" TV is 55" diagonally, but the width is 47.9" and the height is 27.0"), a 10" increase will appear to be much more.
Let's take this example of a 55" TV vs. a 65" TV. The increase from 55" to 65" is an 18.2% increase in the diagonal, but an increase of 39.7% in screen area. From 55" to 75" results in an 86.0% increase in screen area. This is why TVs begin to get really expensive when they get really big.
Here's a picture to make it clearer:
Go here for more info.
CES 2017 Announcements
LG
Panasonic
Samsung
Sony
TCL / Sharp
Vizio
HDMI
- 1.0 -
- 1.4 -
- 2.0 -
- 2.1 - The new HDMI2.1 specification has just been announced and it contains some really good improvements over HDMI 2.0
Higher Video Resolutions support a range of higher resolutions and faster refresh rates including 8K60Hz and 4K120Hz for immersive viewing and smooth fast-action detail.
Dynamic HDR ensures every moment of a video is displayed at its ideal values for depth, detail, brightness, contrast, and wider color gamuts-on a scene-by-scene or even a frame-by-frame basis.
48G cables enable up to 48Gbps bandwidth for uncompressed HDMI 2.1 feature support including 8K video with HDR. The cable is backwards compatible with earlier versions of the HDMI Specification and can be used with existing HDMI devices.
eARC supports the most advanced audio formats such as object-based audio, and enables advanced audio signal control capabilities including device auto-detect.
Game Mode VRR features variable refresh rate, which enables a 3D graphics processor to display the image at the moment it is rendered for more fluid and better detailed gameplay, and for reducing or eliminating lag, stutter, and frame tearing.
TV Recommendations - will expand
rtings.com - Best TVs
rtings.com - Best 4K TV
rtings.com - Best TV for Gaming
Projector for Gaming Recommendations
Other Helpful Links - will expand
HDR thread - thread by NeoGAF's Cobalt Izuna
displaylag.com
Calibration hardware / software post (thanks III-V)
Cable management thread (thanks Marty Chinn)
Helpful Tips for New Buyers - will expand
- (12/8/2016) If possible, wait. CES 2017 - the world's biggest consumer electronics show - is in early January, and this is where effectively all TV announcements are made. New OLEDs, cheaper models, new tech...you name it, CES will have it.
- Be cognizant of where you're buying your TV from. Sometimes the best deal doesn't mean the best return policies, warranties, etc. Ask the folks here
- Don't be afraid to ask GAF. The regulars in here are incredibly knowledgeable, respectful AND helpful. Whether it's about a specific TV or a general TV question, don't hesitate.
How to break in your new TV - thanks holygeesus
- OLED - I would check the basics like uniformity - I know a lot of people swear by checking slides for banding etc, but I find it far more useful to look at your new panel with a completely white screen and check the image for tinting, which is one of my own personal niggles. The 2016 LG range is designed to be brighter at the left and right sides of the image to combat vignetting, so that is normal. However people should probably check for tinting, especially red which can be distracting.
I would also watch a lot of sport in the first few days. On panning shots, check for distinctive bands in the image as the camera moves across the field. This test, to me, is more important than checking slides for banding, as it's real world usage. I don't care if very specific test slides show mild bands as long as I don't see them during normal use, that is fine.
65" buyers in particular should be aware of vignetting, which is still an issue, albeit mitigated somewhat this generation. This is where the edge of the screen appears darker than the rest, and is very noticeable during dark scenes. As I say, LG did put in measures to combat this, but some sets still seem to suffer, so it is worth watching for.
Like any set, buy it from a retailer with a good returns policy and don't be afraid to return a set with any small issue, as if you notice something during the first few days of use, it is likely something that will annoy you every time you fire up your set, and for the money you are spending, you shouldn't put up with that.
Saying all that, if you do have any of the issues mentioned, it is worth running a manual compensation cycle before returning, as certain issues do seem to improve over time. Bands in particular.
